Tide vs Starling: Which Business Account Is Better for UK Tradespeople? (2026)
Tide vs Starling is the comparison most UK tradespeople end up making when they open a business account, because both are app-based and both have a free option. Starling is a fully licensed UK bank with no monthly fee. Tide is a business platform whose accounts are provided by ClearBank, with paid plans that add more transfers and admin tools. For a tradesperson, the deciding factors are usually cash, cost and how you do your books.
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Choose Starling if you want a free account from a fully licensed bank, with free invoicing and free MTD software for sole traders. That suits most tradespeople. Choose Tide if you bank a lot of cash, because Starling’s sole trader cash limits are much lower, or if you want Tide’s extra admin tools and are happy to pay for a plan.
How we compared these accounts
- We have not opened ANNA, Tide or Starling accounts for this comparison, so this is not a hands-on test.
- Every fee and limit below comes from each provider’s own pricing and help pages, checked on 16 October 2026.
- Where a provider’s own pages disagree or leave something out, we say so instead of guessing.
- Read how we test and compare tools.
Quick Verdict
Better for most tradespeople
Starling
No monthly fee, a fully licensed UK bank with FSCS protection, unlimited free invoicing, and HMRC-recognised MTD software included free for sole traders.
Better for cash-heavy trades
Tide
Post Office cash deposits up to £25,000 a month, cheaper deposit fees on larger amounts, and paid plans with Xero sync and built-in accounting.
Tide vs Starling Fees for Sole Traders
| Starling | Tide | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None | Free, Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49 or Max £69.99 |
| Bank transfers | Included | 5 a month on Free, 30 on Smart, unlimited on Pro and Max |
| Invoicing | Free invoicing in the app | 3 a month, unlimited on Max |
| Accounting software | Accounting Essentials free for sole traders; Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent connect free | Xero Connector on Smart and above; Tide Accounting on Pro and Max |
| Making Tax Digital | HMRC-recognised MTD tool included free for sole traders | Free MTD tools on every plan |
| Who holds your money | Starling, a fully licensed UK bank | ClearBank, a UK bank (some older accounts are e-money) |
| FSCS protection | Up to £120,000 | Up to £120,000 for eligible ClearBank deposits |
On cost alone, Starling wins for most sole traders. You get unlimited transfers and invoicing without a monthly fee, while Tide’s free plan only covers 5 transfers a month and most active tradespeople would need Smart at £12.49. That works out at about £150 a year more than Starling.
Cash Deposits: Where Tide vs Starling Really Differ
If customers pay you in cash, check this section before anything else.
| Starling | Tide | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Post Office | Post Office or PayPoint |
| Fee | £3 or 0.7%, whichever is higher | £2.50 up to £500, then 0.5% at the Post Office; 3% at PayPoint |
| £500 deposit | £3.50 | £2.50 |
| £1,000 deposit | £7.00 | £5.00 |
| Limits | £5,000 a day; £20,000 a year on the sole trader account (see note) | £25,000 a month and £300,000 a year at the Post Office |
A note on Starling’s limit: Starling’s sole trader page lists a cash deposit limit of £20,000 a calendar year, but its main business account page lists £100,000 for sole traders. If you bank more than £20,000 a year in cash, confirm the limit with Starling before you switch. Tide’s figures come from its own help pages, and its plan table has listed a higher rate for the free plan, so check the fee for your plan in the app.
For a trade that takes a few thousand pounds in cash every month, Tide is the more practical account. For everyone else, Starling’s cash fees cost a few pounds more per deposit, which the missing monthly fee more than covers.
Bookkeeping and Making Tax Digital
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax means sole traders over the income threshold now keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC. Both accounts can help:
- Starling includes Accounting Essentials free with the sole trader account. It categorises expenses as you go and lets you send MTD quarterly updates to HMRC from the app. It also connects free to Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent if you or your accountant use one of those.
- Tide has free Making Tax Digital tools on every plan, connects to Xero from the Smart plan, and includes its own Tide Accounting on Pro and Max.
If you already use proper accounting software, both accounts will feed it. If you don’t, Starling’s free tool is the cheaper way to get MTD covered. Our Making Tax Digital guide for sole traders explains what you need to do and when.
Tide vs Starling: Which Should You Choose?
No monthly fee, FSCS protection and free MTD software for sole traders. Check eligibility on Starling’s own site before you apply.
The Bottom Line
For most UK tradespeople, Starling is the better account. It’s free, it’s a fully licensed bank, and sole traders get invoicing and MTD software included without paying for a plan. Tide earns its place if you handle a lot of cash, because its Post Office limits are far higher and its fees are lower on bigger deposits, or if you want the accounting tools on its paid plans. To see how both compare with Mettle, Monzo and the high street banks, read our full guide to the best business bank accounts for tradespeople.
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling is better for most tradespeople because it has no monthly fee, it is a fully licensed UK bank, and sole traders get free invoicing and HMRC-recognised MTD software. Tide is better if you bank a lot of cash, because its Post Office deposit limits are much higher than Starling’s sole trader limits.
Yes. Starling’s sole trader account has no monthly fee and includes Accounting Essentials, with an HMRC-recognised Making Tax Digital tool, free. Cash deposits at the Post Office cost £3 or 0.7%, whichever is higher.
Starling’s sole trader page lists a limit of £5,000 a day and £20,000 a calendar year, although its main business account page lists £100,000 a year for sole traders. If you bank more than £20,000 a year in cash, confirm the limit with Starling before switching.
Tide’s help pages list £2.50 for Post Office deposits up to £500 and 0.5% of the amount above that, with limits of £25,000 a month and £300,000 a year. PayPoint deposits cost 3%. Check the rate for your plan in the Tide app.
Starling is a fully licensed UK bank, so eligible deposits are FSCS protected up to £120,000. Tide’s current accounts are provided by ClearBank, and eligible deposits are FSCS protected up to £120,000 across all accounts with ClearBank. Some older Tide e-money accounts are safeguarded rather than FSCS protected.
Yes. Starling connects free to Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent. Tide includes a Xero Connector on its Smart, Pro and Max plans, and other accounting integrations on every plan.
Fees and limits were checked on each provider’s own website on 16 October 2026 and can change, so check the current terms before opening an account. This is general information, not financial advice. TradeStack HQ helps UK tradespeople find the best tools to run smarter businesses. Some links on this page may be affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.