ComparisonLast checked 8 November 2026

HSBC vs Tide

A high-street business current account with no monthly fee, free UK digital banking, branch and Post Office access, and borrowing up to £100,000. An app-based business account for UK sole traders and limited companies, with a free plan, paid plans that remove card FX fees, and admin tools. We also show Incard, our pick for businesses whose main costs go on cards.

By the editorial team. How we make money.

Where Incard beats both

You spend thousands a month on cards, especially on advertising, software or travel
You want a euro account, which HSBC or Tide don't list
You want a US dollar account, which HSBC or Tide don't list
You're comfortable with safeguarding instead of FSCS cover

cashback a year on Incard's £0 Free plan from £5,000 a month of eligible ads, software and travel spend. Simple arithmetic, not a forecast.

£600

Apply for Incard on incard.co

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What a year of card spending earns you

Incard Free against HSBC's cheapest plan, at your monthly spend on ads, software and travel.

Monthly card spend on ads, software and travel£5,000

£600 a year better off with Incard

Incard Free: £600 cashback, £0 fees
HSBC's cheapest plan: no cashback, £0 fees

Simple arithmetic, not a forecast: 1% on eligible ads, software and travel spend at merchants on Incard's eligible brand list, and each plan's published monthly fee. Other fees, such as FX and ATM charges, aren't included. HSBC's cheapest plan: £0 a month.

HSBC suits you if

You want branch and Post Office access for cash and cheques
You may need to borrow up to £100,000
You want a free high-street bank account with FSCS cover

Tide suits you if

You want your balance held by a bank, with FSCS cover through ClearBank
You pay in cash or cheques
You'd pay for a plan to avoid card fees abroad

At a glance

**Table notes:** correct as of 8 November 2026, from each provider's own pages listed under Sources. “Not listed” means the provider's pages we checked don't say.
	HSBC	Tide	Incard
Type and protection	Bank · FSCS cover	Bank · FSCS cover	E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS
Who can open one	UK sole traders, UK limited companies and LLPs	UK sole traders and UK limited companies	UK sole traders, UK limited companies, LLPs, Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders
Cheapest plan	£0 a month	Lite: £0 a month	Free: £0 a month
Plans (monthly)	One account, £0 a month	Lite £0, Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49, Max £69.99	Free £0, Grow £49, Plus from £199
Card cashback	Not listed	0.5%, up to £200 a month, on Max only	Free: 1% on ads, software and travel, 0.5% on other eligible spend. Higher on Grow and Plus. Uncapped
Card payments in other currencies	2.75% of the converted amount	2.75% on Lite; no fee on Smart, Pro and Max	1.8% on Free, 1.5% on Grow and Plus
Domestic transfers	Standard UK digital transfers free	5 a month free on Lite, 30 on Smart, unlimited on Pro and Max; otherwise 20p	100 included on Free, 250 on Grow, then £0.30 each
International transfers	Not part of free digital banking; see the Business Price List	Not listed	3 included on Grow; otherwise from £5 (SHA) or £20 (OUR)
ATM withdrawals	25p plus 0.6% (free from 14 December 2026)	£1 per GBP withdrawal	2% in the UK, 2.5% abroad
Cash deposits	Branch or Post Office: 1.5% of the value, plus £1.50 per counter visit	Post Office from £2.50, PayPoint 3%	Not listed
Currencies you can hold	International Business Account at £96 a year each	Not listed	GBP, EUR and USD, with IBANs
Accepting card payments	Not listed	Not listed	Not listed

Where they differ

Based on what each provider lists on its own pages. If a feature isn't listed, check with the provider before you rule it out.

Only Incard lists a euro account, a US dollar account, accounts for Swiss GmbHs and AGs and accounts for Swiss sole traders.

What each one is, and who can open one

HSBC

A business current account from HSBC UK, a high-street bank. Eligible deposits with a UK bank fall under the FSCS limit of £120,000 per eligible depositor, per bank. Use the FSCS checker to confirm.

Who can open one: Startups, small businesses and switchers that are UK tax resident, and HSBC says it suits all legal entities. Businesses that need to borrow over £100,000 are pointed to the Business Banking Account (£10 a month after 12 months free for start-ups and switchers). Subject to eligibility and a credit check. Full HSBC profile.

Tide

Tide Platform Ltd runs the app and is an FCA-authorised e-money institution (FRN 900843). Tide current and savings accounts are provided by ClearBank Ltd (FRN 754568), a bank authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA. Eligible deposits in ClearBank-powered Tide accounts are protected up to £120,000 per depositor by the FSCS, across all accounts with ClearBank. Some members still hold e-money accounts with PrePay Technologies (sort code 23-69-72), which are safeguarded rather than FSCS-protected.

Who can open one: Sole traders, freelancers and directors of UK-registered limited companies aged 18 or over, with a UK mobile number. Sole traders need a UK home address registered with HMRC and can't be in a business partnership. Full Tide profile.

Incard

Incard Ltd is authorised by the FCA as an electronic money institution (firm reference number 1027309). It is not a bank. Safeguarded: Incard keeps customer funds separate from its own money, in accounts with authorised credit institutions, and doesn't lend or invest them. Funds are not protected by the FSCS.

Who can open one: UK limited companies and LLPs, UK sole traders and freelancers registered with their local authority, and Swiss GmbH, AG and sole-trader businesses. EEA onboarding is paused until an expected restart in 2027. Public sector bodies, cooperatives, charities, foundations and trusts aren't accepted, and a long list of industries is restricted. Full Incard profile.

Our e-money vs bank account guide explains what safeguarding and FSCS cover mean if a provider fails.

When Incard isn't the answer

Incard isn't the right account if

Your business is registered outside the UK and Switzerland. EEA onboarding is paused until an expected restart in 2027
You're a charity, cooperative, foundation, trust or public body, or work in one of Incard's restricted industries