Zempler and Tide both offer free business bank accounts that can be managed via mobile app. Many of the features of these accounts are similar – they both offer Mastercard contactless cards and they can both be linked to accountancy software. However, there are also some important differences, as we explain.
Both the Zempler and Tide free business accounts are managed digitally, as neither provider has a branch network you can use. Both accounts come with a contactless Mastercard – Zempler’s card is black, while Tide’s free business account plan has a blue card. You can spend on the cards in the UK and abroad, but neither card offers fee-free foreign spending, unless you upgrade to a paid-for plan (Zempler offers 2 paid-for plans, while Tide has 3). ATM charges apply for both Tide and Zempler, though Tide’s fees are cheaper.
That said, Zempler also gives account holders the option of adding a euro or US dollar currency card to their bank account at no extra cost. There are no foreign transaction fees or ATM withdrawal fees for using these cards abroad when they are used in the correct currency. You can transfer money onto your card via online banking.
Neither the Zempler business account nor the Tide business account pays interest on credit balances, and while you can apply for an overdraft with Zempler, overdrafts are not available with Tide.
Both Zempler and Tide also protect eligible deposits of up to £85,000 per customer under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
Zempler became a bank in February 2021, while Tide is upgrading all accounts from an e-money account provided by PrePay Solutions to a bank account provided by ClearBank which has a UK banking licence and is FSCS protected.
Although Zempler has no branch networks, you can pay cash into any Post Office branch for a 0.55% fee (min £4). You cannot pay in cheques. You can also send and receive international payments, but fees apply.
Zempler offers integrations with accounting apps like Xero, Quickbooks & Sage. In addition, there is the option to have an overdraft once you have had your account for at least 3 months.
Meanwhile, the Tide account allows users to pay in up to £500 a day in cash at a Post Office branch or a PayPoint. There is a 0.99% fee for each Post Office deposit (min £2.50) and a 3% fee at PayPoint. You can pay in cheques digitally and you can send and receive international payments, for a fee.
Tide accounts can only be accessed by the named account holder, but you can choose to order up to 50 Expense Cards per account and give your colleagues “read access” to the account. Expense Cards cost £5 a month with the free plan. The account also offers integrations with accounting software packages including Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Crunch, Clear Books, Kashflow and Sage. There is no overdraft option.
Winner: Tie – Tide lets you deposit cheques through the app, but Zempler offers an overdraft facility.
Round 2: Account costs
Monthly account charge
Free
Free
Fee for cash deposits
0.3% at Post Offices (min £3 fee per deposit)
£2.50 for deposits up to £500, 0.50% for deposits over £500 (at Post Offices), 3% (at PayPoints)
The Zempler Go business account doesn’t have a monthly fee, but you’ll need to pay a 0.55% fee for cash deposits at the Post Office, and a £2 ATM cash withdrawal charge (£3 overseas). Only the first 3 bank payments out of your account are free each month, after which point you’ll pay 35p per payment. There’s also a £9.95 card-issuing fee. However, inbound payments are free and there are no charges for direct debits.
By comparison, Tide’s basic business account doesn’t charge a monthly or annual fee and ATM withdrawals are also lower at £1 a time. There are no fees for direct debits, but it costs 20p to send or receive UK payments to or from your account. Paying cash into your account costs 0.99% (min £2.50) at the Post Office, or 3% at a PayPoint.
Winner: Costs are pretty even between the pair, but Tide just wins out. While neither have a monthly or annual fee, Tide’s ATM withdrawals are cheaper, and payments in and out of the account cost 20p a time. While inbound payments with Zempler are free, outbound payments are 35p each with Zempler (after your first 3 payments each month). Plus Zempler has a £9.95 card-issuing fee.
Both Tide and Zempler offer fee-free spending in the UK, but both also charge for ATM cash withdrawals. Tide charges £1 per withdrawal, while Zempler charges £2 per withdrawal in the UK.
Winner: Tide, for offering cheaper ATM withdrawals in the UK.
The Zempler card charges for both foreign transactions and foreign cash withdrawals. A 2.99% fee applies for spending abroad, while a £3 fee applies to cash withdrawals. However, you do have the option of adding a euro or US dollar currency card to your account for free. There are no foreign transaction fees or ATM withdrawal fees for using these cards abroad when they are used in the correct currency.
By comparison, Tide offers spending abroad for a slightly cheaper 2.75% fee and a lower cash withdrawal fee of £1.
Winner: Tide, simply because it’s cheaper to use abroad. Even though you can apply for separate currency cards with Zempler, these can only be used in US dollars or euros.
To open the Zempler account, you can apply online. Account opening should only take a matter of minutes, according to Zempler. No credit check is involved and for the vast majority of applications, you won’t need to provide additional ID or verification as this is done electronically during the application process. If for some reason Zempler can’t fully verify your ID electronically, you’ll need to provide proof of ID such as a passport and proof of address like a bank statement or utility bill. There’s also a £9.95 card-issuing fee.
If you’re setting up a limited company, Zempler also helps you register with Companies House and, if you load your account with £100, you’ll get £100 back from Zempler.
You will also need to download the app to open a Tide business account. Tide states that accounts can be opened in less than 10 minutes in many cases. No credit check will be carried out but you will need to show proof of identity such as a driving licence or passport. You may also be asked to provide evidence that your business is established such as your business website address, invoices and bank statements. It’s free to receive your bank card and to order replacements.
Winner: Tie. The account-opening process is very similar, and while Tide doesn’t charge fees for replacement cards, Zempler will help you register your company and give you a £100 cash reward if you meet the conditions.
Customer support with Zempler is slightly limited, the best way to contact the bank is to phone the customer service helpline. Alternatively, the website boasts a range of frequently asked questions that may be able to help answer any queries.
With Tide, users can message the customer service team through the app or send Tide an email and provide their phone number to receive a call back. There is also an automated telephone service to report a lost or stolen card.
Both Zempler and Tide offer current account switching via the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).
Winner: Tide, for offering more options for contacting the provider, including in-app support.
Round 7: Customer reviews
On Trustpilot, Zempler scored 3.9 from around 12,900 reviews. Tide also scored 3.9 from 25,000 reviews. We checked these scores in June 2025.
Zempler’s low score is down to issues with customer service and accounts being frozen while transactions are reviewed.
Customers were mostly happy about Tide, though some reviews said customer service could be better.
In our 2025 Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards, Zempler scored 4.2 out of 5, with 93% of respondents saying they’d recommend it. Tide also scored 4.2 out of 5, but had a lower recommendation of 82%.
Winner: Tie. Tide has a higher Trustpilot score, but Zempler negates that with its Finder Customer Satisfaction score.
Overall winner: Is Zempler better than Tide?
Although both business accounts have a lot to offer, if we were to pick just one, it would have to be Tide. The provider beats Zempler in more rounds, it has lower fees overall and a slightly cheaper and easier account-opening process. That said, Zempler wins points for offering an overdraft and helping you to register your limited company, so if these are important account features for your business, it may be the better choice.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Defaqto. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time. See full bio
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