What tradespeople typically need
Quick invoicing that can be raised from a phone on-site, a card reader or tap-to-pay option for taking payment on completion, a simple way to log materials receipts against a job, and — for trades that do take cash — a workable, if not free, route to bank it. Many trades also run a mix of card, bank transfer and occasional cash from different customers.
How Tide addresses this
Tide's card reader and tap-to-pay options let a tradesperson take payment on the spot rather than chasing an invoice later, and the payment matches automatically to a job invoice in the same app. Receipt capture for materials purchased at a trade counter feeds into expense categorisation without extra data entry, which matters for a business that generates receipts constantly and on paper.
Features and plan that usually fit
A sole trader or small trade business with moderate transfer volume typically sits well on Free or Smart, depending on how many supplier and subcontractor payments go out each month. If you regularly pay subcontractors under CIS, factor that payment volume into the plan comparison rather than looking at customer payments alone.
Costs and operational considerations
- Card reader and card payment processing costs are separate from the account's own transfer fees — check both.
- Cash deposits from cash-paying customers are charged per deposit, which adds up for trades that still take a meaningful share of cash.
- CIS deductions and subcontractor payments are a bookkeeping matter that sits alongside the account rather than something Tide manages for you.
- Team expense cards are useful once you run apprentices or a small crew making materials purchases.
Where Tide may be unsuitable for tradespeople
A trade business that takes a large proportion of payment in cash — some plumbing, gardening or cleaning businesses do — will find the per-deposit cash charge a real ongoing cost, and should weigh that against a provider or arrangement with cheaper cash handling. A larger trade business needing equipment finance or a vehicle loan will not get that from Tide directly.
Application and eligibility for tradespeople
Most tradespeople operate as sole traders and follow that eligibility route: identity verification and confirmation of UK trading, no company registration needed. Trades that have incorporated follow the limited company route instead. Either way, approval depends on Tide's own checks and is never guaranteed.
The REFER200 offer for tradespeople
Standard mechanics apply: up to £75 for £100 of qualifying card spend within 30 days of opening, and up to £125 for a £5,000 Instant Saver deposit held for 30 days. Materials purchases on the business card at a trade counter typically count toward the card-spend step — check our card spend requirement page. The savings step suits a trade business with a seasonal quiet period where £5,000 can sit untouched.
Alternatives for tradespeople
Starling Business and Mettle are both commonly used by trades and worth comparing on cash deposit handling specifically, since that is often the deciding cost for this audience. See our full comparison page for a fee-by-fee breakdown.
The money-flow problems tradespeople actually face
Payment timing is the recurring issue: some customers pay on the day by card, some by transfer days or weeks later, and some in cash, all for the same type of job. A second problem is materials receipts generated constantly at trade counters, often on paper, that need capturing before they're lost. A third, for cash-taking trades specifically, is that banking cash costs money and time, unlike a card payment that settles automatically.
A typical week's workflow
Raise an invoice or take payment on completion via card reader, photograph a materials receipt at the counter before it's lost, pay a subcontractor under CIS if applicable, and periodically bank any cash received, factoring in the per-deposit cost. The card-reader-to-invoice matching is where Tide saves the most real time compared with a traditional bank account paired with a separate card machine.
Which features matter most and why
Card readers and tap-to-pay matter directly to revenue collection speed. Receipt capture matters because trade receipts are generated constantly and are otherwise easy to lose. Expense cards matter once apprentices or a small crew are buying materials independently. Cash deposit handling matters most to the subset of trades still taking meaningful cash, and is Tide's clearest weak point for this audience.