Tide vs Holvi.
Tide (T70/100) and Holvi (H55/100), 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 Holvi 6-0.
| H Holvi №61 · Holvi Payment Services Oy is authorised and regulated by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority 55 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 55 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €9 /mo | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. | Partner-bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | £85,000 GB.FSCS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 2 countries | 2 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.0 ★ 1k reviews | 4.3 ★ 35k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.2 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Holvi if…
The Finnish + German SMB neobank with the deepest tax-return-ready bookkeeping integration in the Nordic + DACH region. Procountor (FI Steuerberater equivalent) + DATEV / Lexoffice (DE Steuerberater standards) integration depth is the structural differentiator versus Qonto / Finom. EMI-licensed under FIN-FSA; one of the longest-operating EU SMB neobanks (founded 2011, briefly BBVA-owned 2016-2022, now independent).
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 2 of 4
- Best for protection Tide won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
Tide vs Holvi — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Holvi better than Tide?
Under our v3 methodology, Tide leads Holvi 6–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Holvi 55/100 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 Holvi or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — Holvi: €9; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — Holvi: 1.00%; Tide: Interbank. Tide wins more fee rows (2 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Holvi or Tide?
Holvi holds a E-money inst. licence under Holvi Payment Services Oy is authorised and regulated by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA) as an Electronic Money Institution. Operating in Germany under EU PSD2 passporting. Customer funds are safeguarded under EMI rules — held in segregated accounts at credit institutions — and are NOT covered by the EU Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS, €100K ceiling) which applies to credit-institution licensees only. Holvi was acquired by BBVA in 2016 and operated as BBVA's Finnish SMB neobank arm until 2022, when it was sold back to independent ownership. Verified 2026-05.; 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 Holvi and Tide?
Holvi operates in 2 countries; 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.