Tide vs Sony Bank.
Tide (T70/100) and Sony Bank (S69/100), 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 Sony Bank 6-2.
| S Sony Bank №41 · JFSA 69 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 69 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 0.15% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank JFSA | Partner-bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | £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 | 4.1 ★ iOS 4.2 · And 4.0 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Sony Bank if…
Japan's longest-running internet-only bank (operational since June 2001) — predates Rakuten Bank's eBank acquisition and tied with SBI Sumishin for first-net-bank tenure. The structural specificity is multi-currency forex strength: foreign-currency deposit accounts in 12+ currencies plus retail FX margin trading, the deepest retail-FX product among Japanese chartered net banks. Wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Financial Group, in turn part of Sony Group Corporation (TYO: 6758). Sony Bank ≠ Sony Pay / Sony Mobile Wallet — the bank holds a full Banking Act licence, the wallet brands do not.
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 Tied
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
Tide vs Sony Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Sony Bank better than Tide?
Under our v3 methodology, Tide leads Sony Bank 6–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Sony Bank 69/100 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 Sony Bank or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — Sony Bank: €0; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — Sony Bank: 0.15%; 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, Sony Bank or Tide?
Sony Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Tide holds a Partner-bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Sony Bank and Tide?
Sony Bank 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.