Tide vs Liv..
Tide (T70/100) and Liv. (L59/100), 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 Liv. 6-0.
| L Liv. №53 · CBUAE 59 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 59 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.50% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. CBUAE | Partner-bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded AE.DPS | £85,000 GB.FSCS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 2 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.3 ★ 35k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Liv. if…
First UAE digital-only bank — Emirates NBD subsidiary launched 2017. Targets millennials with free account + lifestyle features. Direct AE DPS cover via parent's CBUAE charter — structurally cleaner than partner-bank competitors.
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 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tide won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
Tide vs Liv. — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Liv. better than Tide?
Under our v3 methodology, Tide leads Liv. 6–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Liv. 59/100 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 Liv. or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — Liv.: €0; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — Liv.: 1.50%; 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, Liv. or Tide?
Liv. holds a E-money inst. licence under CBUAE; 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 Liv. and Tide?
Liv. 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.