Meem vs Tide.
Meem (M74/100) 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.
| M Meem №24 · SAMA 74 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 74 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 2.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank SAMA | Partner-bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €200,000 SA.SAMA-DPS | £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 Meem if…
Digital banking arm of Gulf International Bank — one of the first KSA digital-only banking offerings (launched 2014). Sharia-compliant by structure (profit-share rather than interest). SA Deposit Protection cover via the GIB licence. Distinguishes itself vs. stc Bank by depth of wealth-management access through the GIB private-banking heritage.
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 Meem won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
Meem vs Tide — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Meem better than Tide?
Meem and Tide are tied 4–4 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Meem 74/100 vs Tide 70/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Meem or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — Meem: €0; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — Meem: 2.00%; 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, Meem or Tide?
Meem holds a Full bank licence under SAMA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €200,000. Tide holds a Partner-bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Meem is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Meem and Tide?
Meem 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.