By: Money Navigator Research Team
Last Reviewed: 29/01/2026
FACT CHECKED
Quick Summary
Tide Payment Links charges a transaction fee that is deducted from each card payment before the remaining amount is paid out, and Tide’s published documents also reference chargeback and refund-related deductions and timelines.
Funds from card payments are typically paid out within a stated multi-business-day window, while “Pay by Bank” bank transfers (when used for invoice payment links) are usually much faster.
On statements, Tide describes specific “from” labels (such as “Tide Payout”) and warns that unfamiliar descriptors can increase chargeback risk.
This article is educational and not financial advice.
What fees can apply to Tide Payment Links?
1) Transaction fee (the main cost on each payment)
Tide describes Payment Links as charging a fee per transaction, deducted automatically from the payment before the payout is credited.
Tide’s Help Centre provides a table of example fee rates by card type and whether a card is domestic or international in “What are the fees for using Payment Links?” (Tide Help Centre: What are the fees for using Payment Links?).
Separately, Tide’s Payment Links terms describe a “blended” fee approach (with different rates for consumer vs commercial cards) and state that these fees are deducted from the payout amount, with potential promotional fee discounts mentioned in the same document (Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
Where Tide publishes multiple fee presentations, the practical outcome is the same: the fee is taken from the incoming payment, and what reaches the Tide account is the net amount after fees.
Chargebacks are disputes initiated through card issuers/issuers’ banks rather than via the merchant directly.
Tide’s Payment Links statement-descriptor guidance explicitly notes that unrecognised wording can lead to more chargebacks and encourages clear communication about what will appear on descriptors (Tide Help Centre: How will the payment link transaction appear in the account statement?).
UK Finance also explains chargeback as a mechanism for a card provider to reclaim money from the retailer’s bank in certain circumstances (UK Finance: Chargeback and Section 75).
Tide’s Payment Links terms also describe a chargeback fee (and other chargeback-related mechanics) as part of the service terms (Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
Refunds are often misunderstood because there can be two separate questions: (1) what is returned to the customer and (2) what happens to the original processing fee.
Tide’s Help Centre states that when a refund is issued, the total payment amount plus related transaction fees may be deducted from the account, and it also gives a typical timeframe for refunds (Tide Help Centre: Will I be charged for issuing a refund, and how long does one take?).
Tide also separately states that while a payment can be refunded, the fees charged on the original transaction are not refunded (Tide Help Centre: Can I refund a payment that’s been paid using Tide Payment Links?).
Taken together, this means refunds can affect net position in ways that do not mirror a simple “undo” of the original transaction.
4) VAT and monthly fees (where relevant)
Payment Links can sit alongside Tide membership plan pricing and VAT treatment for certain subscription fees.
For Tide’s broader approach to plan billing (billing dates, invoices and VAT on monthly fees), see the internal billing explainer (Tide Membership Billing: Monthly Fees, VAT, Billing Dates and Invoices).
Any VAT position for a specific fee type ultimately depends on the exact fee and how it is invoiced/charged in practice.
When do Payment Links funds arrive in the Tide account?
Card payments are typically not credited as cleared funds the moment a customer clicks “Pay”. There is an authorisation step and then settlement/payout.
Tide defines a “Payout Schedule” as the period between customer payment and the crediting of funds to the Tide Platform account, and states it expects to make a payout within a stated business-day window, while also noting reliance on its payment processor for processing times (Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
Tide’s invoicing help page (for invoices paid by Payment Link) gives a similar timing expectation for card payments and also distinguishes bank transfer “Pay by Bank” payments as typically much faster (Tide Help Centre: My invoice was paid by Payment Link – when will I receive the money?).
For background on how UK Faster Payments typically works and why bank transfers can be near-immediate, Pay.UK provides an overview of Faster Payments timescales and conditions (Pay.UK: How Faster Payments work).
Why payouts can take longer than the “expected” window
Even when a provider states an expected payout timeline, individual payments can take longer due to operational checks, processor processing times, or exceptions (for example, disputes/chargebacks, refunds, or transaction verification).
Tide’s terms explicitly flag that the payout schedule can be longer depending on processor processing times (Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
What will the payer see, and what will you see on statements?
The “from” labels on your Tide statement
Tide states that Payment Link transactions can appear on the account statement as coming from “Tide Payout”, and invoice Payment Link payments can appear as “Tide Platform Ltd Tide Member’s Name” (Tide Help Centre: How will the payment link transaction appear in the account statement?).
This matters for bookkeeping and reconciliation because the label may not match an individual customer name or invoice number by default; it can present as a settlement/payout label rather than the underlying payer identity.
Billing and statement descriptors (why clarity reduces disputes)
Tide’s own guidance highlights that customers may initiate chargebacks if they see payments to companies they do not recognise, and links this risk directly to billing/statement descriptor wording (Tide Help Centre: How will the payment link transaction appear in the account statement?).
In parallel, the FCA explains that Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) rules affect how banks and payment providers verify customers making certain electronic payments, which can influence what a payer experiences during checkout (for example, additional authentication steps) (FCA: Strong Customer Authentication).
Summary Table
| Scenario | Outcome | Practical impact |
|---|---|---|
| Customer pays by card via Payment Link | Tide deducts a transaction fee and pays out the remainder | Net receipt is lower than the gross amount; reconciliation needs gross vs net visibility |
| Customer uses an international or business card | Published fee tables and/or blended fee rates may differ by card type | Margin and reconciliation can change by card type even when the invoice total is the same |
| Refund is processed | Tide describes refund deductions and separate treatment of original fees | Cashflow can move twice (receipt then deduction); original fees may not be returned |
| Chargeback is raised | Dispute can reverse funds and may trigger additional handling fees | Unexpected negative movement can occur after payout; descriptor clarity affects dispute risk |
| Payment is made via “Pay by Bank” (invoice Payment Link) | Payment typically arrives faster than card settlement | Faster receipt can simplify cash timing, but reconciliation still needs fee visibility |
| Statement shows “Tide Payout” | Settlement label appears instead of the customer name | Bookkeeping needs settlement-level matching to invoices/orders |
Scenario Table
| Scenario-level | Process-level | Outcome-level |
|---|---|---|
| One invoice, multiple Payment Links | Each link settles into payouts/settlements | Multiple net entries can map to one sales ledger line if not tracked |
| Same invoice value paid with different cards | Different fee schedules may apply | Two identical invoice totals can produce different net receipts |
| Refund requested after payout | Refund is processed later than the original settlement | A later deduction can appear in a different accounting period |
| Chargeback filed because descriptor is unclear | Card issuer dispute route is used | Funds can be reclaimed from the acquirer/merchant route, not directly from the seller |
| Card payment is “successful” but payout is delayed | Processor settlement timetable and checks apply | Customer sees payment completed; merchant sees funds later |
Tide Business Bank Account
Tide’s business account offering is covered in our main Tide page, including the broader context of features and plan structure (Tide Business Account Review).
Payment Links sits within that wider product ecosystem, so statement labels, plan billing, and how settlements are surfaced in-app can vary depending on which Tide products are enabled and how transactions are routed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tide describes Payment Links as charging a fee per transaction that is deducted automatically from the payout, and Tide publishes different ways of presenting that fee (for example, fee tables by card type in help content, and “blended” fee rates in terms) (Tide Help Centre: What are the fees for using Payment Links?, Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
In practice, the economic effect is that the amount received into the Tide account is the invoice/payment amount less the applicable fee, which can vary depending on card type and the terms that apply to the specific setup.
Tide’s Help Centre presents one set of fee examples by card category, while Tide’s Payment Links terms describe a blended fee model and also reference promotional fee discounts (Tide Help Centre: What are the fees for using Payment Links?, Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
This can happen when product versions, eligibility, promotions, or documentation contexts differ. The consistent point across Tide’s materials is that fees are deducted from the payout amount; the specific rate that applies is determined by the terms and pricing that apply to the account and the transaction at the time it is processed.
Tide states that fees are automatically deducted from the payout amount rather than being collected later as a separate debit (Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
Tide’s help content describes the same practical effect: the fee is taken from the transaction total (Tide Help Centre: What are the fees for using Payment Links?).
For reconciliation, this means “gross sales” and “net received” can differ, and settlement views (rather than the bank statement line alone) are often where the fee detail is clearest.
Tide’s Help Centre states that when a refund is issued, the total payment amount plus related transaction fees will be deducted from the account, and it gives a typical refund processing timeframe (Tide Help Centre: Will I be charged for issuing a refund, and how long does one take?).
Tide also states separately that it will not refund the fees charged on the original transaction (Tide Help Centre: Can I refund a payment that’s been paid using Tide Payment Links?). The combined implication is that a refund can move cash out (sometimes including fee-related deductions) while the original processing fee may not be returned, depending on how the refund is actioned and recorded.
Tide states that refunds “normally take 14 business days” in its Help Centre guidance for Payment Links refunds (Tide Help Centre: Will I be charged for issuing a refund, and how long does one take?).
Refund timing can vary across the card payment chain (merchant/processor/acquirer, card scheme, and issuing bank), and the longest part is often the issuing bank’s posting timetable. That is why the outward-facing timeline is typically expressed as a “working day” range rather than an instant reversal.
For invoices paid by Payment Link, Tide states that card payments are paid out (after automatic fee deduction) within a stated business-day window, while “Pay by Bank” bank transfers normally arrive in minutes (Tide Help Centre: My invoice was paid by Payment Link – when will I receive the money?).
Pay.UK explains that Faster Payments funds are usually available almost immediately (with exceptions that can take longer), which supports why bank transfer timing can look very different from card settlement timing (Pay.UK: How Faster Payments work).
Tide states that if a Payment Link has been sent, transactions relating to it can appear in the account statement from “Tide Payout” (Tide Help Centre: How will the payment link transaction appear in the account statement?).
This is consistent with a settlement model where multiple underlying customer payments can be grouped into a payout/settlement entry.
The practical implication is that statement lines can be settlement-centric rather than customer-centric, which can affect how bookkeeping systems match receipts to invoices.
Tide states that where payments are made using an invoice payment link, transactions can appear in the statement from “Tide Platform Ltd Tide Member’s Name” (Tide Help Centre: How will the payment link transaction appear in the account statement?).
This can happen because the descriptor reflects how the payment is routed and identified in the payment chain, not necessarily the payer’s identity. The operational impact is that invoice numbers, internal references, and settlement detail views can matter more than the bank statement “from” field alone for clean reconciliation.
The FCA explains that SCA rules have applied since 14 September 2019 and are intended to enhance payment security by changing how providers verify the person making a payment (FCA: Strong Customer Authentication).
In practice, this means some payers will see extra authentication steps (such as app approval, passcodes, or biometric prompts) depending on their bank/card issuer and the transaction context. That affects payer experience and can also influence payment completion rates, even when the merchant’s side is unchanged.
Payment Links involves a merchant-style flow where funds move from the customer, through processing, into a merchant settlement/payout mechanism and then into the Tide account.
Tide’s Payment Links terms define payout timing expectations and describe how negative balances can arise and be corrected, including in dispute contexts (Tide Payment Links Terms and Conditions).
For a deeper explanation of how balances can sit at different points in the chain (merchant account vs stored balance vs bank balance), this internal explainer maps the moving parts (Merchant Account vs EMI Balance vs Bank Balance).
Disputes/chargebacks can reverse funds after payout, and UK Finance explains chargeback as a mechanism by which the card provider can reclaim money from the retailer’s bank (UK Finance: Chargeback and Section 75).
Payment Links fees, timing, and statement wording are three expressions of the same underlying constraint: card payments move through a multi-party chain (issuer, scheme, processor/acquirer, merchant settlement) and are then surfaced in a banking interface as settlements/payouts.
That structure is why (a) the net receipt differs from the amount the customer paid, (b) funds can take days to be credited even after a “successful” checkout, and (c) statement lines can prioritise the settlement entity or payout label rather than the customer name.
The most common friction points (refunds that don’t reverse original fees, chargebacks triggered by unfamiliar descriptors, and reconciliation gaps between invoices and settlements) are not “bugs” so much as consequences of how card rails allocate risk, timing and identifiers.
That’s also why documentation can present fees in different formats (fee tables vs blended rates) while still producing the same operational reality: the fee is deducted from the payout, and the statement label reflects the payout/descriptor scheme rather than the underlying invoice narrative.
Sources & References
Tide Help Centre: What are the fees for using Payment Links?
Tide Help Centre: How will the payment link transaction appear in the account statement?
Tide Help Centre: Will I be charged for issuing a refund, and how long does one take?
Tide Help Centre: My invoice was paid by Payment Link – when will I receive the money?
Related Content
