OCTIS vs Tide vs Revolut Business for UK limited companies
Tide is built around UK payments and a free tier. Revolut is built around currency exchange and paid plans.
Last checked · 6 sources
Otty's short answer
Tide suits a UK-focused limited company that wants a free plan, FSCS-protected deposits and a Companies House link. Revolut Business suits a company that exchanges currency often and will use a paid plan's allowances, from £10 per month. An overseas director can open Tide with a UK address and phone number. Revolut asks the company to be registered in a supported country.
Side by side
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| What matters | OCTISHong Kong company + OCTIS global plan | Tide | Revolut Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Set by our licensed partner; quoted before you commit | Yes, Lite £0 | No, from £10 per month |
| Paid plans per month | 10–30% below your current bill | £12.49 / £27.49 / £69.99 | £10 / £35 / £125 (Basic / Grow / Scale) |
| Free transfers per month | Set by our licensed partner; quoted before you commit | 5 Lite, 30 Smart, unlimited Pro | 10 on Basic (Tide's page) |
| Foreign card spend | Set by our licensed partner; quoted before you commit | 2.75% Lite, 0% paid plans | Not read |
| Currency exchange | Foreign exchange via licensed partners | Not published | £1,000 free on Basic, 0.6% above |
| CHAPS payments | Set by our licensed partner; quoted before you commit | 2 / 2 / 5 included on Smart / Pro / Max | Not read |
| ATM withdrawal | Set by our licensed partner; quoted before you commit | Check current fee | 2%, per a Wise comparison |
| Deposit protection | Not an OCTIS product | FSCS £120,000 via ClearBank | Check Revolut's page |
| Team cards | Corporate card via licensed partners | 1 / 2 / 3 on paid plans | Not read |
| Overseas director | Yes, director and shareholder can live anywhere | Yes, with UK address and phone | Company must be in supported country |
| Hong Kong or Malaysian company | Yes, a Hong Kong company is the OCTIS route | No, UK company only | Not on eligible list |
| Free accounting and loans | Accounting built in; loans are not an OCTIS product | Accounting links, loans, formation | Accounting links, no loans (Tide's page) |
If you have staff, premises or local sales in this country, its own registration and tax rules still apply. OCTIS can help you arrange them.
Data sources & disclaimer: Comparison data was compiled from publicly available sources — including the competitors' own published pricing and feature pages — captured on 9 November 2026. Figures reflect the typical or advertised pricing at that time and may have changed since; plans, inclusions and prices vary by provider, region and promotion. OCTIS is independent and not affiliated with the named companies; all trademarks belong to their respective owners. This comparison is provided in good faith for general information only and is not professional, legal or financial advice — please verify current details with each provider before deciding.
Which one fits you
OCTIS · Hong Kong company + OCTIS global plan
Choose OCTIS if your director lives abroad or your company is in Hong Kong, and you want banking next to your accounts and CRM.
Tide
Choose Tide if your company trades in pounds, you want a free plan, and a director lives outside the UK but has a UK address and phone number.
Revolut Business
Choose Revolut Business if you convert currency often, can use a paid plan's free exchange allowance, and your company is registered in a supported country.
What the table does not show
Plans and fees
Tide's pricing page lists Lite at £0, Smart at £12.49, Pro at £27.49 and Max at £69.99 per month. Lite includes 5 bank transfers a month, Smart 30, and Pro and Max are unlimited. Max pays 0.5% cashback, up to £200 a month. Revolut's fee page, as reported by a Wise comparison checked in May 2026, lists Basic at £10, Grow at £35 and Scale at £125 per month, with Enterprise on quote. Older review prices of £25 to £30 for Grow and £90 to £100 for Scale predate its price rise. Whether Tide's prices include VAT is not stated on its page.
Currency and international payments
Tide charges 2.75% on foreign card payments on Lite and 0% on Smart, Pro and Max. Tide lists international transfers as included on all plans but publishes no per-transfer fee. Wise's comparison, checked in May 2026, lists £1,000 of fee-free exchange a month on Basic, £15,000 on Grow and £60,000 on Scale, with 0.6% above the allowance. Those allowances may have changed. If most of your spend is foreign currency, price your own monthly volume on Revolut's live page before choosing.
Protection of your money
Tide says it is not a bank. Its accounts are powered by ClearBank, and eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor. Revolut's e-money safeguarding and banking status could not be read on its own pages. A Wise blog says Revolut Bank UK received a full UK banking licence in March 2026, but Wise is a competitor. Confirm the current status and FSCS cover on Revolut's site before you move large balances.
Overseas directors and foreign companies
Tide accepts applicants outside the UK if they have a UK residential address, a UK phone number and are a director of a company registered at Companies House. Revolut's help pages say the company must be registered and show a physical presence in the UK or the EEA. Its list of other supported locations includes the United States, Australia, Singapore and India. Hong Kong and Malaysia do not appear in what we could read. Always check the sign-up form for your company type.
Where OCTIS fits
If you run a Malaysian or Hong Kong company with a UK subsidiary, a UK business account is only the start. The books still need doing. OCTIS bookkeeping can reconcile UK bank statements from Tide or Revolut with your home accounts for group reporting, and the built-in CRM keeps UK customers in one place. OCTIS does not open UK companies or accounts and is not a bank. Moving your accounting work to OCTIS can take 10–30% off your current bill.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tide or Revolut Business better for a small UK company?
Tide is usually simpler for a company that mostly pays and is paid in pounds, because it has a free plan and FSCS-protected deposits. Revolut tends to suit companies that exchange currency often. Both charge for upper plans, so compare your own monthly transfers and foreign spend.
Does Revolut Business have a free plan in the UK?
Revolut's UK plans start at £10 per month on Basic, as reported by comparison sites. Tide's own comparison says the same, and Tide lists a £0 Lite plan. Revolut's live pricing page was not readable, so check it for any promotional free tier.
Are Tide deposits covered by the FSCS?
Tide says eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 per depositor by the FSCS. Its accounts are powered by ClearBank, and Tide says it is not a bank. Check Tide's page for the conditions that apply to your company.
Can a director who lives abroad open a Tide account?
Yes, if they have a UK residential address, a UK phone number and are a director of a company registered with Companies House. Tide may run extra checks. A company registered outside the UK is not covered by this route.
Can a Hong Kong or Malaysian company open Revolut Business in the UK?
Revolut asks for a company registered in a supported country with a physical presence there. Hong Kong and Malaysia were not on the list we could read. A UK subsidiary registered at Companies House is the usual route, so check eligibility on Revolut's sign-up page.
Sources
Checked on the date above. Links open the provider's or regulator's own page.