1st Formations vs Tide
1st Formations and Tide can both register your business, but they come at it from different angles. 1st Formations is a dedicated company formation agent with specialist business services – best if you want expert support and compliance help beyond incorporation. Tide is a business banking provider that bundles company formation into its wider offering – suitable for those who already know they want a Tide business bank account. Here's an honest look at both.
1st Formations vs Tide
A side-by-side look at what each provider includes.
Starting price
£39.99
when you take our accounting service
(includes the £100 Companies House Fee)
£14.99
when you take a Tide business account
(includes the £100 Companies House Fee)
Formation-only package available
Company formation specialist
Choice of banking referrals
Telephone support
Live chat with UK team
In-app chat only
Mobile app
Business startup resource hub
B Corp certified
Same day incorporation service available
Free ID verification and personal code
Non-resident support available
Accepts multiple shareholders
Shareholders must also be directors
Accepts multiple directors
Printed company documents
Business document templates
Address services
Registered office & service address only
In-house digital mailroom
Business telephone number
Various company types supported
Limited by shares
Limited by guarantee
Limited by guarantee (for charities)
Limited liability partnerships
Multiple share class
Public limited company
Compliance services
Confirmation statement
Director appointments and resignations
Issue of shares
Transfer of shares
Persons with significant control filings
PSC name changes only
Change of company address
Company name change
ICO registration
Company dissolution
Certificate of Good Standing
Apostilled documents
Accounting services
Support from real accountants
Year-end accounts
Corporation tax return
VAT registration and returns
Filed by software - not real accountants
PAYE registration and payroll
Filed by software - not real accountants
Self assessments
Tax efficiency reviews
Accounting software
Dormant accounts
Which should you choose?
Choose 1st Formations if you:
- Want a dedicated company formation agent with a wider choice of packages at every price point
- Need a structure other than a company limited by shares, such as limited by guarantee or an LLP
- Would like a choice of business bank accounts, including leading UK high street banks
- Want a full set of address services, including a registered office, service address and business address for mail from customers, suppliers and banks
- Need support after company formation, such as our compliance service and full accounting service
- Are a non-UK resident, and you want to set up a UK limited company, with VAT registration and a choice of 3 international banking referrals
Consider Tide if you:
- Are forming a standard private company limited by shares and don't need any other structure
- Want company formation and a business account set up in a single flow
- Want the cheapest formation fee and nothing else – once you add address services, Tide becomes the dearer option
- Are happy to open a Tide business account, as Tide only offers company formation alongside its business account
- Don't need a business address for mail from customers and suppliers
- Plan to manage your company's compliance and accounting yourself
How do real customers rate 1st Formations and Tide?
Both 1st Formations and Tide have a significant number of Trustpilot reviews. 1st Formations is the best-rated company formation agent, with 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot and 4.9 out of 5 on Google. Tide has an average review of 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot and 2.3 out of 5 on Google. Tide has more reviews overall, but these are mainly focused on its banking services. Over 90% of 1st Formations' Trustpilot reviews are verified, compared to fewer verified reviews for Tide.
We'd always encourage you to read reviews for any service before you commit. Customer experience can tell you more than any comparison table.
A deeper dive
What does each company specialise in?
1st Formations has been the UK's top-rated company formation agent for over a decade. Tide specialises in business banking, with company registration introduced more recently as a gateway to its banking services.
UK's top-rated company formation specialist since 2014
Over one million companies successfully formed
Rated 4.9 / 5 on Google, and 4.8 / 5 on Trustpilot (fewer than 1% of reviews are 1-star)
Company formation packages for most company structures and types
Full compliance service beyond incorporation, keeping your company compliant and supporting you day to day with our Business Document Template Library
Full accounting service managed by ACCA-qualified accountants, including tax efficiency advice, corporation tax returns and annual accounts
Digital business banking platform
Expanded into company formation more recently as a route into its banking services
Rated 2.3 / 5 on Google, and 4.4 / 5 on Trustpilot (16% of reviews are 1-star). Reviews are primarily for banking, not company formation.
Company formation depends on approval for a Tide business account, which comes with ongoing per-transaction charges and limits your banking choice
Address services provided by a third party at extra cost, with no business address for mail from customers and suppliers
In-app chat support, with no dedicated company formation specialists or qualified accountants
How do they compare on flexibility and choice?
If you already want to open a Tide business account, its company formation service may be a convenient choice. But if you'd rather keep your options open, 1st Formations offers a wider selection of banking providers, and you don't have to choose one during the company formation process.
Bank account optional, with flexibility to choose from up to ten UK business banking providers including leading high street banks
Compare company formation packages for a range of company structures, including companies limited by shares, limited by guarantee, and limited liability partnerships (LLPs)
Multiple directors and shareholders supported at no extra cost
Ongoing address, compliance and accounting services, all in one place
Full accounting service provided by ACCA-qualified accountants and an experienced London-based support team
460+ business document templates with our compliance service, saving you on legal fees
Lifetime support from real company experts by email, live chat and phone
Efficient if you know you want a Tide account
Supports multiple directors at no extra cost
Limited by shares company structure only. Tide doesn't cater for shareholders who aren't directors
Company formation may depend on eligibility for a Tide account
Services rely on technology rather than a dedicated team, with no advice from qualified professionals
No accounting service, only software that helps with VAT returns and tax estimates but not annual accounts or corporation tax, and without the support of an accountant
Which is best for non-UK residents?
If you're not a UK resident but want to set up a UK limited company, Tide isn't an option – it doesn't form companies for non-residents. 1st Formations has a dedicated package for exactly this.
Dedicated company formation package for non-residents
Includes a digital mailroom with international mail forwarding
Choice of three international banking referrals
Other services include Apostilled Document Service, Certificate of Good Standing and ICO Registration – popular with non-residents
Tide doesn't currently provide company formation services to non-UK residents
Which provides the best address services?
1st Formations provides its own address services, and Tide offers them through a partner, Hoxton Mix. Both keep your home address off the public register, but they differ in what’s included, which types of mail are forwarded and how mail is handled.
Three address services, Registered Office, Service Address and Business Address, all provided directly by 1st Formations, with mail securely handled by our own mail team and digital mailroom
Registered Office and Service Address options replace your home address on the public record
Our Business Address includes forwarding of non-government mail, such as mail from clients, banks and suppliers
Statutory mail is scanned and emailed on the same working day we receive it, at no extra charge. General business mail is scanned and emailed for 50p per item. A PDF copy of every scan is always available in your online customer portal.
Anything that can't be scanned is forwarded by post directly to you, anywhere in the world
Benefit from a prestigious central London address, including free forwarding of government mail
Tide doesn't provide its own address services, and uses a partner, Hoxton Mix
Tide combines a registered office and service address into one service, called a Virtual Office, available as a paid extra with its company formation service
The Virtual Office includes a registered office and service address for statutory mail only and does not include a business address for general correspondence from clients and suppliers, etc.
These services are bundled, so you pay for both even if you only need one
Price comparison
Tide charges £14.99 for company formation when you open a Tide business account, but address services and compliance support cost extra. For £39.99, 1st Formations provides company formation, 12 months of address services, our compliance service and a full accounting service, with nothing to pay for the first month.
Company registration starting price
£39.99
Includes the £100 Companies House fee, one month of accounting, 12 months of address services and compliance support.
£102.99 for standard company formation
£14.99
For company formation with a Tide business account, excluding address services, accounting and compliance support.
Address services
Included from £39.99
All three – Registered Office, Service Address and Business Address – included for 12 months in the Privacy, All Inclusive, All Inclusive with Accounting and Non-Residents Packages. Renews at £161/year.
Standalone: Registered Office £39, Service Address £26, Business Address £96.
£190/year
For Registered Office and Service Address, and the forwarding of Tide business account mail
Compliance services
£149.99/year
Includes access to the Business Document Template Library, discounted company changes, expert support, ICO registration and the filing of your confirmation statement.
No compliance service
Updating of director/PSC names - £26 per change, and filing of your confirmation statement - £70.
Accounting services
£49/month
Full accounting service, including year-end accounts, Corporation Tax and Self Assessment returns, VAT registration and returns, and expert support from ACCA-qualified accountants. Free Xero (worth up to £600/year).
Software only
Tide Accounting is a self-service digital software toolkit and automated bookkeeping feature, not a full-service human accounting firm.
Prices range from £5.99 to £24.99 per month, with user access to your accountant.
All information regarding pricing, services, and ratings was accurate when last reviewed on 9th October 2026.
1st Formations is more than a
company formation agent
Compliance support
Stay compliant with Companies House all year with our Hassle-Free Compliance Service - your confirmation statement prepared and filed, 50% off company changes, expert support, and 460+ legally reviewed business document templates to run your business day to day.
Hassle-Free Compliance ServiceFull accounting service
A full accounting service by ACCA-qualified accountants - annual accounts, Corporation Tax returns, VAT, payroll and tax efficiency advice, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional accountant. Delivered by BSQ Accounting, our sister company in the BSQ Group.
BSQ AccountingSocial impact
We're a certified B Corporation and certified carbon neutral business. We partner with the Wonder Foundation, LSE and Imperial College to open doors for young people, and give 3,000 sq ft of our Covent Garden HQ to seven local charities, completely free of charge.
Impact HubFrequently Asked Questions
Can I use Tide's formation services if I'm based outside the UK?
No. Tide requires a UK residential address to open an account, and company formation is only available with an account. 1st Formations' Non-Residents Package includes a London registered office, VAT registration and a choice of three international banking referrals.
Do I have to open a business account with Tide to register my company?
Yes. Tide only offers company formation to customers opening a Tide business account. The account itself is free to open, with per-transaction fees on the basic plan. 1st Formations lets you choose from up to ten banking providers, including high street banks, or none at all.
Is Tide cheaper than 1st Formations?
On the headline fee, yes: £14.99 for formation with a Tide account, against our Digital Package at £102.99. But Tide's fee covers registration only. Add address services and the picture reverses: Tide's virtual office is £190 a year for a registered office and service address, while our All Inclusive with Accounting Package is £39.99 and includes the Companies House fee, all three address services for 12 months, our compliance service and the first month of accounting.
What company types can I register with Tide?
Private companies limited by shares only, with simple structures: every shareholder must also be a director. Tide doesn't form LLPs or companies limited by guarantee. 1st Formations registers all three online, with multiple shareholders supported.
What are Tide's main pros and cons for company formation?
Pros: the lowest formation fee on the market, and a business account set up in the same flow.
Cons: formation depends on being approved for a Tide account, only simple company structures are supported, address services come from a third party at extra cost, and there's no accounting service or expert-led compliance support after incorporation. Tide also doesn't provide company formation for non-UK residents.
What are the main issues customers have raised about Tide's company formation service?
Tide scores 4.4 on Trustpilot but 2.3 on Google. Lower-starred reviews mainly concern the banking side rather than company formation: support responsiveness, hold times and slow resolution of account issues. Read both platforms before you decide.
What is the best alternative to Tide for company formation?
1st Formations, if you want a choice of banks, a full compliance service, accounting by ACCA-qualified accountants and a dedicated non-residents package, from £39.99.