Tide vs Vivid Money.
Tide (T70/100) and Vivid Money (V62/100), 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.
| T Tide №36 · FCA 70 /100 | V Vivid Money №47 · Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services 62 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 70 /100 | 62 /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 | — | €200 /mo |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FCA | E-money inst. |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | £85,000 GB.FSCS | Safeguarded EU.DGS.DE |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 2 countries | 5 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 300 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.3 ★ 35k reviews | 4.2 ★ 8k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
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.
Pick Vivid Money if…
Pick if cashback on cards matters more than regulatory depth or rich product breadth.
- Best for fees Vivid Money won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tide won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Vivid Money won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Tide won 2 of 2
Tide vs Vivid Money — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Tide better than Vivid Money?
Tide and Vivid Money are tied 4–4 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Tide 70/100 vs Vivid Money 62/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Tide or Vivid Money cheaper?
Monthly fee — Tide: €0; Vivid Money: €0. Card FX markup — Tide: Interbank; Vivid Money: Interbank. Vivid Money 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, Tide or Vivid Money?
Tide holds a Partner-bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Vivid Money holds a E-money inst. licence under Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Tide is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Tide and Vivid Money?
Tide operates in 2 countries; Vivid Money operates in 5 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.