Snapshot
Mercury and Tide compared on the points that usually decide a business account: account type, monthly fee, currency support, eligibility and where each one is available.
Mercury figures as of 11 June 2026Tide figures as of 29 May 2026Last reviewed 19 May 2026
General information, not financial, legal, or tax advice. There is no single best account. The right fit depends on your business. Verify current terms and eligibility with each provider before applying.
Mercury and Tide are both financial technology companies, but they serve different markets. Mercury offers a free account for United States registered companies, including those with founders based abroad, while Tide offers a free plan and paid plans for sole traders and small limited companies in the United Kingdom. The right fit usually depends on where your business is registered. Use the comparison below to weigh account type, fees, currency support and eligibility against how your company operates, then confirm the latest terms with each provider. Figures are shown as of 11 June 2026 for Mercury and 29 May 2026 for Tide.
Mercury vs Tide at a glance
| Feature | Mercury | Tide |
|---|---|---|
| Account type | Checking and savings provided through FDIC member partner banks. Mercury is a fintech, not a bank. | Business account provided through partner arrangements, accessed through an app. Tide is a fintech, not a bank. |
| Who it suits | United States registered startups and growing companies, including those with founders based abroad, that want a digital first account with no monthly fee on the free plan and modern software. | Sole traders and small limited companies in the United Kingdom that want an app based account with invoicing and admin tools and a free plan. |
| Monthly fee | Free plan with no monthly fee. Plus is about 35 US dollars a month and Pro is about 350 US dollars a month, with lower rates if billed annually. As of 11 June 2026. | Free plan with no monthly fee. Paid plans are Smart at about 12.49 pounds per month, Pro at about 27.49 pounds per month, and Max at about 69.99 pounds per month, with annual options. As of 29 May 2026. |
| Transaction fees | No monthly fee or overdraft fee on the standard account. Some advanced workflows, such as large volume API payments and certain non US dollar card transactions, can carry fees. As of 11 June 2026. Verify the current rate card with Mercury. | The free plan charges a small fee per transfer in and out, while paid plans include a number of free transfers. Cash deposits carry a fee. As of 29 May 2026. Verify the current schedule with Tide. |
| FX fees | Accounts are United States dollar based. Certain non US dollar card transactions can carry fees. As of 11 June 2026. Verify with Mercury. | International payments are available with currency charges that vary. Unclear at a single headline rate, so confirm current fees with Tide. As of 29 May 2026. |
| Minimum deposit | No account minimum and no account opening fee. As of 11 June 2026. Verify with Mercury. | No headline minimum opening deposit is published. Unclear, verify with Tide. As of 29 May 2026. |
| Multi currency | Accounts are United States dollar based. International United States dollar payments are supported, and some currency features carry fees. As of 11 June 2026. Verify with Mercury. | Primarily a sterling account, with international payment features available. Confirm current multi currency options with Tide. As of 29 May 2026. |
| Integrations | Modern software with accounting and treasury tools, invoicing, expense and workflow features on paid plans, and an API. Verify current integrations with Mercury. | Built in invoicing, expense and account management tools aimed at small businesses, with accounting links. As of 29 May 2026. |
| Eligibility | Businesses formed and registered in the United States or a United States territory, with United States operations or plans. Founders in many countries can apply, though some regions are not supported. As of 11 June 2026. Verify eligibility with Mercury. | Sole traders and small limited companies registered in the United Kingdom that meet Tide checks. Several structures, including LLPs and PLCs, and a list of industries are not accepted. As of 29 May 2026. Verify with Tide. |
| Broadly available in | The United States. The business must be a United States entity, though founders living in many countries can apply. As of 11 June 2026. | United Kingdom. As of 29 May 2026. |
Use the table to weigh the differences. Mercury and Tide mainly serve different markets, so the first thing to check is whether your business is registered in the United States or the United Kingdom, then compare fees and features within that market and confirm the latest terms with the provider.
Open a business account
Mercury serves United States registered businesses and Tide serves United Kingdom businesses. Fees and eligibility shown as of 11 June 2026 for Mercury and 29 May 2026 for Tide. Confirm current terms with the provider before applying.
Visit Mercury → Read the Tide review →Questions about Mercury and Tide
Which is better for my business, Mercury or Tide?
It depends on where your business is registered and how it operates. Mercury serves United States registered companies, including those with founders based abroad, while Tide serves sole traders and small limited companies in the United Kingdom. The table on this page compares them on account type, fees, currency support, eligibility and availability using each provider's published terms. Confirm current terms with each provider. This is information, not advice.
Can a United Kingdom business use Mercury, or a United States business use Tide?
Mercury accounts are for United States entities, though founders living in many countries can apply if the business is a United States entity. Tide serves businesses registered in the United Kingdom. They mainly serve different markets, so check eligibility for your country of registration with each provider before applying.
Are the fees on this page current?
Each figure is shown with the date it was recorded. Mercury figures are shown as of 11 June 2026 and Tide figures as of 29 May 2026. Fees and eligibility change, so confirm current terms with each provider before you apply.
Fees, features, and eligibility change and vary by region. This page was last reviewed on 19 May 2026. Confirm current terms with each provider before applying.