Qonto vs Tide: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Qonto and Tide to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Qonto
6.4/10
Qonto is a European online business account for freelancers and SMEs, combining a local IBAN, payment cards, transfers, invoicing, and expense tools.
Tide
6.4/10
Tide is a UK app-based business current account for sole traders and small firms, with optional built-in invoicing, accounting, VAT filing and payroll.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.4/10 | 6.4/10 |
| Scalability | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Compliance | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Cost | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €9/mo Basic | £12/mo Smart |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €49/mo Essential | Free Lite |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Corporate Cards | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
Qonto vs Tide cost by team size
| Team size | Qonto | Tide |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | €9/moBasic | FreeLite |
| 5 users | €49/moEssential | FreeLite |
| 10 users | €49/moEssential | FreeLite |
| 25 users | €49/moEssential | FreeLite |
| 50 users | €49/moEssential | FreeLite |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Qonto
- Higher Scalability score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Integration score (8/10 vs 7/10)
Why choose Tide
- Has a free plan (Qonto does not)
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Compliance score (7/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
Qonto
Pros
- Low entry price: the Basic solo plan costs €9 a month, and every plan has a one-month free trial with no commitment.
- Team plans include unlimited users, so costs do not rise with headcount.
- A large integration directory covers DATEV, Sage, Tiime and Stripe, plus Zapier, Make and a public API.
- Accountants get unlimited access from the Smart plan, which makes bookkeeping handoffs easier.
- Reviewers on G2 and Capterra praise the interface and quick onboarding.
Cons
- Reviewers often report account freezes during compliance checks that hold funds for days.
- Support is described as slow or generic when an issue is complex.
- International transfers cost 0.56% to 1.8% with a €5 minimum, which adds up for businesses that pay in many currencies.
- Qonto is a payment institution, not a full bank, and offers no broad lending products.
- There is no full general ledger or financial statements, so a separate accounting tool is still needed.
Tide
Pros
- A free Lite plan includes a sort code account, card, payment links and Tap to Pay with no monthly fee.
- MTD VAT returns can be filed to HMRC directly from the app.
- Every plan syncs with major UK accounting packages, including Xero, QuickBooks, Sage and FreeAgent.
- Deposits are FSCS-protected through ClearBank, up to £120,000.
- Limited companies can be registered cheaply during sign-up.
Cons
- Reviewers frequently report accounts frozen or paused without explanation.
- Support responses can take days, according to user reviews.
- There are no overdrafts or business credit cards.
- Plans cap the number of team cards and users, at most 5 users on Max.
- The accounting tools lack a full general ledger and multi-entity features.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Qonto and Tide both score 6.4/10 on our Finance Software criteria. The largest gap is in Cost: 6/10 for Qonto and 8/10 for Tide.
Tide has a free plan; Qonto does not list one.
