Comparisons

Capital On Tap vs Tide Business Credit Card: Which is Better in 2026?

By Afshin · 18 April 2026 · 8 min read

Capital On Tap and Tide Business Credit are two of the UK's most-applied-for business credit options in 2026. They look superficially similar — both offer no annual fee, fast onboarding, and strong app experiences — but they're built for very different types of business. Here's the head-to-head.

Quick verdict: which to choose

If you're a Limited Company that pays your statement in full each month and wants a meaningful welcome bonus and ongoing rewards, Capital On Tap wins outright. If you're a sole trader (Capital On Tap doesn't accept you) or a brand-new Limited Company already using Tide for banking, Tide Business Credit is the simpler path even though it offers no rewards.

Fees and APR side-by-side

Both cards have no annual fee. Capital On Tap's representative APR is 35.4% variable on purchases. Tide Business Credit's representative APR is 19.5% variable — significantly lower if you ever carry a balance. Both have 0% FX fees on EUR transactions; Capital On Tap also waives USD fees, while Tide charges 1.5% on USD.

• Annual fee — Capital On Tap £0 / Tide £0
• Representative APR — Capital On Tap 35.4% / Tide 19.5%
• EUR FX fees — Both 0%
• USD FX fees — Capital On Tap 0% / Tide 1.5%
• Cash withdrawal fee — Capital On Tap 2% (min £2) / Tide 3% (min £1.50)

Rewards and welcome bonus

This is where Capital On Tap pulls ahead decisively. Capital On Tap offers 1% unlimited cashback on all spend, or the option to collect 1 point per £1 redeemable for Avios at British Airways. The welcome bonus is 7,500 points worth £75 with referral code 2REFY893A52 after spending £5,000 in 90 days.

Tide Business Credit offers no rewards, no cashback, no points, and no welcome bonus. Tide's view is that the card is a credit utility, not a rewards product — you bank with Tide and the card sits alongside.

Credit limits

Capital On Tap offers limits from £2,000 up to £250,000, decided based on your business turnover, trading history, and credit profile. Most new approvals start between £5,000 and £25,000, growing in 4–6 month review cycles.

Tide Business Credit offers limits from £1,000 up to £15,000 — meaningfully smaller. Tide's product is designed for short-term cash flow, not large-scale spend.

Eligibility differences

Capital On Tap requires a UK Limited Company or LLP, 3+ months trading, and basic credit checks on the director. It does not accept sole traders.

Tide Business Credit accepts Limited Companies, LLPs, and sole traders provided you have an active Tide business bank account in good standing. The minimum trading history is 6 months.

Integration and app experience

Capital On Tap integrates natively with Xero, FreeAgent, and Sage — every transaction syncs automatically with categorisation. The app is functional but standalone (you don't have to bank with Capital On Tap).

Tide Business Credit is fully integrated with Tide's own banking, invoicing, and bookkeeping tools. If your accounting already lives in Tide, the card data is already in the same place.