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Santander VS Tide: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


By: Ian Wright | Last Updated: May 22, 2025

Is Santander or Tide better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Santander and Tide reviews on Trustpilot along with their App reviews from Apple and Google.

We then look at typical fees, business savings rates, foreign currency options and a whole bunch of other account features to help you make up your mind.

Santander Homepage
Santander Homepage


Tide Homepage
Tide Homepage
 

Santander vs Tide Trustpilot Reviews

SantanderTide
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.44.2
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%73%
Percent 1- Star Reviews85%17%
Total Number of Reviews6,86818,595
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.santander.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/tide.co

Santander vs Tide App Reviews

SantanderTide
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.7
Number of iPhone Reviews1,100,00064,800
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.43.5
Number of Android Reviews54,30016,200
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/santander-mobile-banking/id482973524
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/tide-business-banking-app/id1140086177

Santander vs Tide Account Fees & Charges

SantanderTide
Free Business Bank AccountYesYes
Free Business Account Term Length18 MonthsNo Limit
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeFree£9.99
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£7.50£49.99
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)70p per £100£1
Cheques (in/out)UnknownFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£25No
SEPA Payments CostNo€0.70

Santander vs Tide Business Savings Rates

SantanderTide
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, Business Reward Saver, Fixed Rate Business Bond, Treasurer’s Savings AccountBusiness savings account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)0.40%3.55%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)3.60%3.55%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Santander vs Tide Account Opening Times

SantanderTide
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Few minutes10 to 2880 minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Santander vs Tide Features & Account Types

Santander Account Types
Santander Features & Account Types


Tide Account Types
Tide Features & Account Types


SantanderTide
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesNo
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesNo
Card TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsUK-wideNone, online only

Santander vs Tide Customer Support Options

SantanderTide
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Santander vs Tide Foreign Currency Accounts

SantanderTide
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesNo
Other Currencies Available:
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)
  • Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
No

Other Business Services From Santander and Tide

Santander Account Types
Other Santander Services


Tide Account Types
Other Tide Services


SantanderTide
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesNo
Invoice FinancingYesYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesYesYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYesYes

Santander vs Tide Banking Basics

SantanderTide
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000 via ClearBank
FCA Number106054754568
WebsiteSantander WebsiteTide Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Santander or Tide have better customer reviews?

Santander scores 1.4 out of 5 based 6,868 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 8% are 5-star and 85% are 1-star.

Whereas, Tide scores 4.2 out of 5 based 18,595 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 73% are 5-star and 17% are 1-star.

Does Santander or Tide have a better App?

Santander’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,100,000 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.4 out of 5 based on 54,300 reviews.

In comparison, Tide’s iPhone App is rated 4.7 out of 5 based on 64,800 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 3.5 out of 5 based on 16,200 reviews.

Does Santander or Tide have better business savings rates?

Santander offers the following types of business savings accounts: Instant access, Business Reward Saver, Fixed Rate Business Bond, Treasurer’s Savings Account with interest rates ranging from 0.40% to 3.60%. (AER)

In contrast, Tide offers Business savings account accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.55% to 3.55% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Santander vs Virgin Money
Santander vs Monzo
Santander vs Bank of Scotland
Santander vs Metro Bank
Santander vs TSB


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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