Tide vs Carbon.
Tide (T70/100) and Carbon (C50/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Tide leads Carbon 7-1.
| C Carbon №80 · CBN 50 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 50 /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 | Payment inst. CBN | Partner-bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded 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 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.3 · And 4.4 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Carbon if…
Nigerian credit-led digital bank (formerly Paylater). CBN microfinance bank charter — same regulatory tier as Kuda/OPay (₦2M NDIC microfinance ceiling, not ₦5M DMB full-bank). Credit-line access is the structural differentiator vs. spending-account-led Kuda.
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 Tide won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
Tide vs Carbon — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Carbon better than Tide?
Under our v3 methodology, Tide leads Carbon 7–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Carbon 50/100 vs Tide 70/100. Tide is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Carbon or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — Carbon: €0; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — Carbon: 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, Carbon or Tide?
Carbon holds a Payment inst. licence under CBN; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Tide holds a Partner-bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Tide is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Carbon and Tide?
Carbon 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.