Countingup vs Tide: what each publishes
As of October 7, 2026
The published rules of Countingup and Tide, side by side: which industries each excludes or accepts, where owners must live, which countries each names, the licence each holds and the fees each publishes. Each answer links to the page that quotes the rule with the date we read it.
This is not a ranking, and the two names are in alphabetical order. Either provider may still decline your company because of its activity, where it is registered, where its owners live or which licence it holds. The free check applies the rules of every provider in our base to your answers.
Policy by industry
| Industry | Countingup | Tide |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | Depends on the activity | No |
| iGaming | No | No |
| Adult | No | With conditions |
| Unlicensed financial services | No | No |
| AI and SaaS | No published rule | No published rule |
| Forex and CFD | No | No published rule |
| Marketplace | No published rule | No published rule |
Licence
| Licensee | Countingup | Tide |
|---|---|---|
| Licensee | Griffin Bank Ltd · bank authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA (FRN 970920), which provides new Countingup accounts · Prepay Technologies Ltd · EMI authorised by the FCA (FRN 900010), for older accounts | Tide Platform Ltd · EMI authorised by the FCA (FRN 900843) · accounts provided by ClearBank Ltd (UK bank, FRN 754568) |
| Regulator | FCA / PRA · | FCA · |
Where owners must live
Countingup
have all Persons of Significant Control be UK residents
Tide
No published rule
Rules about countries
Countingup
No published rule
Tide
No published rule
Fees
Countingup
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly deposits up to GBP 750 | Not stated | GBP 5 after a 3-month free trial | · Source |
| Monthly deposits GBP 750.01 to GBP 7,500 | Not stated | GBP 12 after a 3-month free trial | · Source |
| Monthly deposits above GBP 7,500 | Not stated | GBP 20 after a 3-month free trial | · Source |
Tide
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Not stated | GBP 0 a month ('No plan fee') | · Source |
| Smart | Not stated | GBP 12.49 a month, or GBP 99.99 a year paid annually; VAT not charged ("We won't charge you VAT on your paid plan") | · Source |
| Pro | Not stated | GBP 27.49 a month, or GBP 219.99 a year paid annually; VAT not charged ("We won't charge you VAT on your paid plan") | · Source |
| Max | Not stated | GBP 69.99 a month, or GBP 559.92 a year paid annually; VAT not charged ("We won't charge you VAT on your paid plan") | · Source |