Guide to using Tide Business for international payments

The UK exported around £898 billion of goods and services in 2024, with the EU alone accounting for 41% of those exports.¹ If you're invoicing clients in euros or dollars, the way you move money across borders directly affects your margin.

This article breaks down Tide Business international payment fees, routes and methods. We’ll also show how Wise Business can help you send and receive money worldwide cost-effectively with transparent fees.

💡 Learn more about Wise Business

What international payment methods does Tide offer?

Tide offers a relatively limited but useful set of international payment options from your business account²:

• EUR via SEPA
• USD payments to the US via ACH
• Inbound SWIFT payments in GBP
• Domestic GBP Faster Payments, BACS, and CHAPS for UK transfers

That means Tide Business international payment methods are mainly geared around euro and US dollar routes, plus receiving certain international transfers into your GBP balance.

EUR via SEPA: sending and receiving euros

Tide lets you send and receive euros to and from SEPA countries using dedicated EUR SEPA details attached to your Tide account.

Key points:

• You request free EUR SEPA IBAN and BIC inside the Tide app (Accounts → Details → EUR SEPA)³
• When EU clients pay you using SEPA credit transfer, funds arrive in your EUR SEPA balance and are automatically converted to GBP and credited to your main account, using Tide's FX rate plus markup⁴
• You can also send euros out via SEPA to suppliers or freelancers in SEPA countries

For UK businesses selling into the EU (for example, a Brighton-based e-commerce brand shipping to Spain or Germany), this setup can be a convenient way to collect euro revenue without needing a separate euro account at a high-street bank.

However, you should be aware that you cannot hold euros long-term in Tide. Everything is converted back into GBP automatically, and the conversion uses an FX rate including Tide's markup (covered below).

USD payments via ACH

Tide also supports USD payments to US bank accounts via ACH. These Tide USD payments are another part of its international features.⁵

• You can activate USD ACH in the app and then send USD to US-based beneficiaries
• Fees depend on your Tide plan (Standard/Free, Smart, Pro, or Max)
• Each USD ACH transfer is converted from GBP at an interbank rate plus Tide's FX markup

As a UK company paying US-based SaaS vendors or a freelance developer in New York, this can be a handy option. Just bear in mind that Tide's FX markup and transfer time (often five to six working days for USD payments) can make it slower and potentially more expensive than some specialist providers.

Inbound SWIFT payments in GBP

Tide also allows inbound SWIFT payments to your GBP account.

• Overseas clients can send SWIFT transfers to your GBP details
• Tide says inbound SWIFT payments can take up to five business days to arrive⁶
• Incoming SWIFT transfers are subject to plan-dependent fees (e.g., Free plan: £1 on amounts up to £100, £5 for £100+; Pro and Max: free)⁶

What Tide doesn't support

For clarity, Tide doesn't currently support outbound SWIFT². It also doesn't let you hold balances in foreign currencies. This means that FX into GBP is automatic for EUR SEPA and USD ACH. Lastly, it only supports SEPA for euros, meaning you can't use SEPA to move other currencies⁴.

If your business needs to hold and manage multiple currencies (e.g. EUR, USD, AUD, CAD) or send to a wider range of destinations, a specialist multi-currency solution alongside Tide can be useful. This is where Wise Business can come in as a complement rather than a replacement.

What are the fees for international transfers with Tide?

When comparing business international payment fees, you need to look at two components:

1. Per-payment fees (e.g. 20p after your free allowance)
2. Foreign exchange markup on the GBP→EUR or GBP→USD conversion

Per-payment fees by plan

Tide's general payment fees are structured by plan, including both domestic and international payments. On top of free allowances, there's a 20p charge per payment for many routes⁷.

For USD ACH:

• Standard/Free: 5 free USD ACH payments per month, then 20p per payment
• Smart: 30 free payments, then 20p per USD ACH payment
• Pro and Max: Unlimited free payments, with no per-payment charge for USD ACH

Inbound SWIFT fees (paid by you) depend on your plan:

• Free: £1 for transactions up to £100, £5 for £100 and above.
• Smart: 30 free inbound SWIFT or domestic payments, then the same as Free.
• Pro and Max: Free inbound SWIFT (receiving payment)

EUR SEPA payments themselves don't usually have an additional fixed transfer fee beyond the general payment allowances, but the FX markup still applies when converting between EUR and GBP.

From a UK SME perspective, the per-payment fee (20p or even a pound) is often less important than the FX percentage, especially on larger invoices. A 1–2% difference in the rate quickly outweighs a few pence in transfer charges. That's why many UK businesses look at Tide mainly for convenience and use a dedicated FX provider (such as Wise Business) when they need sharper FX on significant cross-border flows.

What is the FX markup on Tide international payments?

Tide clearly states that it uses an interbank (wholesale) rate plus a markup for its international payments.

For USD ACH payments, Tide applies a 1.5% FX markup on top of the interbank exchange rate for Standard/Free plan members. Paid plan members (Smart, Pro, Max) benefit from a reduced 0.5% FX markup⁵.

For EUR SEPA payments, euro transfers sent or received via SEPA are converted using an exchange rate plus an FX fee, aligning with the same 1.5% / 0.5% structure used for USD ACH^2,4. In practice, for a UK business converting, say, £20,000 into euros:

• A 1.5% FX markup means £300 effectively lost in the spread.
• A 0.5% markup brings that down to £100 but still adds a noticeable cost.

By contrast, Wise Business uses the mid-market exchange rate* with a transparent, separate fee instead of hiding its profit inside the rate. Wise's fees start from 0.33% on international transfers, which can be materially cheaper than a 1.5% markup for many common business routes.

For UK companies trading regularly with Europe and the US, that difference can be the gap between an international expansion that pays for itself and one that quietly eats into your margin.

How to make international payments with Tide

Here's what the workflow typically looks like for Tide international payments.

Sending EUR via Tide SEPA payments⁴

1. Request your EUR SEPA details: In the Tide app, go to Accounts → Details next to your main account → "EUR SEPA", then accept the terms to generate IBAN and BIC
2. Add a euro payee: You'll need your recipient's name, IBAN and BIC for SEPA transfers within the SEPA zone
3. Initiate the payment: From the Payments tab, select to send a euro payment, choose the SEPA option, enter the amount in EUR, and confirm. Tide converts your GBP to EUR using its FX rate (including markup) and sends it via SEPA.
4. Check confirmation: You'll see both the FX rate and any applicable fee on the confirmation screen before you approve the transfer

Sending USD via Tide USD payments (ACH)⁴

1. Activate USD payments: In-app, you turn on USD ACH payments and accept the specific terms
2. Collect beneficiary details For US recipients, you'll usually need:
   • Account holder name
   • US bank account number
   • ABA routing number (for ACH)
3. Create a USD ACH payment: Enter the amount in USD, check the GBP→USD conversion rate and FX markup, and confirm. As before, Tide shows you the fee and FX rate on the confirmation screen.
4. Track the payment: Tide says USD payments typically take five to six working days to arrive, depending on the networks and correspondent banks involved

Receiving payments in euros via SEPA⁴

For EU clients paying you in EUR:

1. Share your EUR SEPA IBAN and BIC with the payer
2. When they send a SEPA credit transfer in EUR, Tide receives it, runs checks, converts to GBP, and credits your main account
3. Inbound SEPA payments normally arrive within minutes but can take up to a few days if additional checks are required⁸
   For some UK businesses, this automatic conversion into GBP simplifies bookkeeping. For others, it's a downside: you never get to hold euros, which is one reason many firms pair Tide with a multi-currency account like Wise Business that lets them keep EUR, USD, and more.

How long do international transfers take with Tide?

Timings depend on a range of factors including (but not limited to) the route, the networks involved (SEPA, ACH, SWIFT) and any compliance checks.

EUR SEPA timings⁸

Outbound Tide SEPA payments sent before the cut-off (1:50 pm UK time on a working day) usually arrive the same day, though delays can occur due to regulatory checks or the recipient bank.

Inbound SEPA transfers usually take a few minutes to hit your account but can take up to 3-5 business days if checks are needed. This lines up with typical SEPA credit transfer standards in Europe, where standard SEPA transfers are meant to settle within one business day in many cases.

USD ACH timings

For Tide USD payments via ACH, sending money outside the UK in USD typically takes five to six working days for the beneficiary to be credited. Part of that delay comes from how ACH networks batch payments (rather than sending them instantly) and from intermediary banks that may hold funds for checks.

Inbound SWIFT timings

For inbound SWIFT transfers into your Tide GBP account, Tide warns these can take up to five business days to arrive⁶. Given the combination of SEPA, ACH and SWIFT, UK businesses relying solely on Tide may find their international cash flow somewhat unpredictable, especially when compared with providers that specialise in cross-border settlement speed.

How to contact Tide

If you run into issues with Tide Business international payments, you'll usually need to go through Tide's support channels rather than calling a traditional bank branch. Tide's official guidance is⁹:

• First, search the Tide Help Centre, which has detailed help articles on EUR SEPA, USD ACH and SWIFT payments
• If you still need support, contact Tide in-app using the Support/Chat section – this is generally the fastest route to reach their Member Support team
• You can also email hello@tide.co for non-urgent issues or if you can't access the app

Go global with Wise Business: the smart way to manage business finances in GBP and international currencies

UK businesses looking for modern ways to manage their money have a good range of providers to choose from, including Tide. If you work with customers, contractors, or staff in the UK (or internationally), Wise Business is a powerful tool designed for both everyday payment management and scaling globally.

If you already use Tide for everyday banking, Wise Business can sit alongside it to handle most of the heavy lifting on cross-border payments and multi-currency balances. You can send and receive money in 40+ currencies, often at lower overall cost, while keeping everything connected to your existing tools and workflows.

With Wise Business, you can:

• 🌍 Send money to 140+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no sneaky exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
• 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
• 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
• 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
• 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
• ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
• 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
• 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation
• 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
• 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
• 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
• 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
• 📈 Earn returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Capital at risk, growth not guaranteed. Your money is at risk if governments default or interest rates go negative. Visit https://payout-surge.live/gb/interest/%3C/a%3E to find out more)
• 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily
• ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)

Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for all your domestic and global needs.

Be Smart, Get Wise.

Register for Wise Business ✍️

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Investments can fluctuate, and your capital is at risk. Interest is offered by Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise Payments Ltd. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with registration number 839689. When facilitating access to Wise investment products, Wise Payments Ltd acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Wise Assets UK Ltd. Please be aware that we do not offer investment advice, and you may be liable for taxes on any earnings. If you're uncertain, we urge you to seek professional advice. To find out more about the Funds, visit our website.

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*Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QuickPay QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

Sources used in this article:

1. The House of Commons Library – Trade in goods and services: Economic indicators
2. Tide Business – Can I make international payments?
3. Tide Business – How do I start receiving payments in euros via EUR SEPA?
4. Tide Business – Send and receive EUR with your Tide account
5. Tide Business – Are there any fees to send or receive USD via ACH?
6. Tide Business – What do I need to know about inbound and outbound SWIFT payments?
7. Tide Business – Make a payment
8. Tide Business – How long do SEPA payments take?
9. Tide Business – Contact us

Sources last checked: 28-Jan-2026