Novo vs Tide.
Novo (N72/100) 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.
| N Novo №28 · FDIC 72 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 72 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FDIC | Partner-bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | $250,000 US.FDIC | £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 | 3.0 ★ 1k reviews | 4.3 ★ 35k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.5 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Novo if…
The integration-first US business neobank. Boost is the structural feature: Stripe and Square payouts arrive 1-2 business days earlier than at any competitor, which materially shifts cash-flow timing for e-commerce sellers and agencies invoicing on net-30. The third-party app marketplace (~11+ named integrations including Wise for cross-border) is deeper than Bluevine, Mercury, or Found, and Middlesex Federal Savings has been the continuous sponsor bank since launch — uncommon stability in BaaS. Trade-off: $250K single-bank FDIC ceiling (no sweep), no yield product, and weaker multi-user permissions than Relay.
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 Tied
- Best for protection Novo won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tide won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Tide won 1 of 2
Novo vs Tide — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Novo better than Tide?
Novo and Tide are tied 2–2 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Novo 72/100 vs Tide 70/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Novo or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — Novo: €0; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — Novo: Interbank; Tide: Interbank. Tied across fee rows. See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Novo or Tide?
Novo holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. Tide holds a Partner-bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Novo is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Novo and Tide?
Novo 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.