ALAT by Wema vs Tide.
ALAT by Wema (A75/100) and Tide (T70/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. A close tie.
| A ALAT by Wema №19 · CBN 75 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 75 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 3.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank CBN | Partner-bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €5,000,000 NG.NDIC | £85,000 GB.FSCS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 2 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.3 ★ 35k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.5 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick ALAT by Wema if…
Nigeria's first fully-digital bank — launched 2017 as a digital arm of Wema Bank (NGX-listed, CBN-licensed since 1945). Operates under the parent's full-bank licence (so NDIC ₦5M cover applies, vs. the ₦2M microfinance ceiling that Kuda + OPay sit under). Strongest domestic savings rate ladder in NG (up to 12% on goal-locked tenures).
Pick Tide if…
The UK SMB-default neobank by member count. Free UK business current account with sort code + Mastercard debit, built-in HMRC tax tools and invoicing, and the deepest UK accountant-integration set (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent). The product depth (invoicing, VAT estimates, tax-aside automation, accountant access, business-loan partner panel) is the strongest in the UK SMB category. EMI-licensed, not a chartered bank — the structural trade-off versus Starling Business is that Tide funds on the current account are safeguarded under EMI rules, not FSCS-deposit-insured. That is the most-misread structural fact about Tide.
- Best for fees Tide won 1 of 4
- Best for protection ALAT by Wema won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
ALAT by Wema vs Tide — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is ALAT by Wema better than Tide?
ALAT by Wema and Tide are tied 4–4 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: ALAT by Wema 75/100 vs Tide 70/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is ALAT by Wema or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — ALAT by Wema: €0; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — ALAT by Wema: 3.00%; Tide: Interbank. Tide wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, ALAT by Wema or Tide?
ALAT by Wema holds a Full bank licence under CBN; deposit guarantee per depositor: €5,000,000. Tide holds a Partner-bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. ALAT by Wema is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use ALAT by Wema and Tide?
ALAT by Wema operates in 1 country; Tide operates in 2 countries. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.