stc Bank vs Tide.
stc Bank (s76/100) 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. Tide leads stc Bank 4-3.
| s stc Bank №17 · SAMA 76 /100 | T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 76 /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 | 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 | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.3 ★ 35k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick stc Bank if…
First SAMA-licensed digital full bank in Saudi Arabia (received bank licence 2023, originally launched as stc pay in 2017). Backed by Saudi Telecom (stc) — telecom-grade reach across the Kingdom. Multi-currency support and instant onboarding via Absher distinguish it from legacy KSA banks. SAMA Deposit Protection Fund cover.
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 stc Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tide won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
stc Bank vs Tide — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is stc Bank better than Tide?
Under our v3 methodology, Tide leads stc Bank 4–3 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: stc Bank 76/100 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 stc Bank or Tide cheaper?
Monthly fee — stc Bank: €0; Tide: €0. Card FX markup — stc Bank: 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, stc Bank or Tide?
stc Bank 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. stc Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use stc Bank and Tide?
stc 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.