Qonto
Best account for growing companies
from €9/month
- Sole proprietor to GmbH: all entity types
- Sub-accounts, team cards, roles
- DATEV export for tax advisors
- 30 transactions free, SEPA instant free
Business Account Comparison: The Best Accounts for Freelancers
9 business accounts in test, focused on fees, bookkeeping integration, and the features freelancers and founders actually need. Updated: May 2026 · 9 providers tested · Read time: 8 min
Our Top 3 Picks
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Vivid Freelance
Cashback & unlimited cards, €0
€0/month
- Unlimited transactions, €0 fee
- Up to 6% cashback on selected brands
- Unlimited physical + virtual cards
- SEPA instant included
Tide
Cheapest business account for small firms
€0/month
- SEPA transfers currently free
- Invoicing directly in the app
- Mastercard debit + virtual cards
- Fast account opening via app
Winners by category
A different account fits depending on your entity type, cash needs, and bookkeeping workflow.
Finom Solo
€0 per month, German IBAN, invoicing + DATEV export: everything freelancers need to start.
Open Finom →Qonto
Scales from solo to GmbH with 50 employees. Sub-accounts, team roles, DATEV export.
Open Qonto →Kontist
Real-time tax calculation, VAT return filing, lexoffice integration.
Open Kontist →FYRST
Real Deutsche Bank / Postbank branch network, €3 per €5,000 cash deposit. For tradespeople and hospitality.
Open FYRST →N26 Business
€0 per month, unlimited digital transactions, 0.1% cashback. Account opened in 10 minutes.
Open N26 Business →How we tested
Three criteria decide the order in the comparison, and we re-check them every month.
Updated: May 2026 · 9 providers tested · Read time: 8 min
Real-world fees
We model a typical freelancer setup (20 transactions, 1 card, SEPA instant) and look at what's actually left over.
Bookkeeping integration
Open banking, DATEV export, automatic matching: we test how much manual work is left at month-end.
Account features
Sub-accounts, team roles, cash, e-invoicing, international transfers: we score what goes beyond a plain IBAN.
All 9 Business Accounts Compared
Updated: May 2026 · 9 providers tested · Read time: 8 min
Scroll right for all columns →
| Provider | Price / Month | Free Transactions | Bookkeeping | Cards | Cash | Entity Types | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QontoAllrounder Growing companies | from €9 | 30 free (then €0.40) | DATEV export, sub-accounts, receipts | 1 phys. + virtual | Sole, partnership, UG, GmbH | Open → | |
VividFree Cashback & multi-card | €0 | unlimited | Export possible | unlimited phys. + virtual | Sole, partnership, UG, GmbH | Open → | |
TideSME Pick Cheapest SME account | €0 | SEPA currently free | Invoicing in app | Debit + virtual | limited | Sole, small firms | Open → |
Finom Solo Budget-conscious starters | €0 | Included contingent | Invoicing, DATEV export | virtual + physical | Sole, partnership, UG, GmbH | Open → | |
N26 Business Solo freelancer | €0 | unlimited digital | Export possible | 1 virtual (phys. €10) | CASH26 (1.5%) | Self-employed only | Open → |
Kontist Tax automation | €0–€25 | depends on plan | Real-time tax, VAT filing, lexoffice (Duo) | Debit card | Freelancer, sole proprietor | Open → | |
Holvi Invoicing + banking | €0–€15 | up to 500 (from Lite) | Invoices, e-invoicing (ZUGFeRD) | digital cards | Sole, small companies | Open → | |
FYRST Cash & branch network | €0 | 50 free (then €0.19) | Export, no tool | Giro + debit | €3 / €5,000 | Sole, GmbH/UG | Open → |
Commerzbank Full-service & loans | from €12.90 | package-dependent | DATEV interface | Giro + credit card | Branch network | All | Open → |
All business accounts in detail
QontoAllrounder
From freelancer to GmbH: one account that grows with you
Qonto scales from solo to teams with 50 employees. 30 transactions included, sub-accounts for projects or tax reserves, role-based team access, and clean DATEV export: the first choice if you work with a tax advisor or your business is growing.
Open Qonto →- Monthly fee
- from €9 (often discounted)
- Entity types
- Sole, partnership, UG, GmbH, etc.
- Cards
- 1 phys. + virtual
- Cash deposits
- No
- SEPA instant
- Unlimited free
- Bookkeeping
- DATEV export, receipts, sub-accounts
- Norman integration
- Yes, open banking
Vivid FreelanceFree
Cashback king with unlimited cards
Vivid is strong on extras: up to 6% cashback on selected brands, unlimited physical and virtual cards. Useful if you need separate cards for clients or projects. Supports sole proprietors, partnerships, UG, and GmbH. No cash, no integrated bookkeeping.
Open Vivid →- Monthly fee
- €0
- Entity types
- Sole, partnership, UG, GmbH
- Cards
- Unlimited phys. + virtual
- Cash deposits
- No
- SEPA instant
- Yes
- Bookkeeping
- Export possible
- Norman integration
- —
TideSME Pick
Affordable start as a British fintech
Tide positions itself as Germany's cheapest business account. The basic account is free, SEPA transfers currently as well. Invoicing is integrated in the app. The limitation: as a newer provider it's not as established as the competition.
Open Tide →- Monthly fee
- €0
- Entity types
- Sole, small firms
- Cards
- Debit + virtual
- Cash deposits
- Limited
- SEPA instant
- Depends on plan
- Bookkeeping
- Invoicing in app
- Norman integration
- —
Finom Solo
The best start with no monthly costs
Finom Solo costs €0 and still delivers: German IBAN, one physical and virtual card, invoicing directly in the account, and DATEV export for your tax advisor. If you need more cards or sub-accounts, upgrade to Basic (€10.99) or Smart (€27.99).
Open Finom →- Monthly fee
- €0
- Entity types
- Sole, partnership, UG, GmbH
- Cards
- virtual + physical
- Cash deposits
- No
- SEPA instant
- Depends on plan
- Bookkeeping
- Invoices, DATEV export
- Norman integration
- CSV import
N26 Business Standard
The fastest free account for solo freelancers
N26 Business offers unlimited digital transactions, 0.1% cashback on card payments, and account opening in under 10 minutes. Cash access through CASH26 (1.5% fee). Limitation: only for sole proprietors and freelancers, no GmbH, UG, or partnerships.
Open N26 Business →- Monthly fee
- €0
- Entity types
- Self-employed only
- Cards
- 1 virtual (physical €10)
- Cash deposits
- CASH26 (1.5%)
- SEPA instant
- Yes
- Bookkeeping
- Export possible
- Norman integration
- Yes, open banking
Kontist
Business account with integrated tax calculation
Kontist is built for self-employed people who want control over their taxes, without a separate bookkeeping tool. With every incoming payment, you see how much to set aside for VAT and income tax. The Duo plan (€12/month) includes lexoffice: receipt capture, invoices, and bookkeeping run automatically.
Open Kontist →- Monthly fee
- €0–€25
- Entity types
- Freelancer, sole proprietor
- Cards
- Debit card
- Cash deposits
- No
- SEPA instant
- Yes
- Bookkeeping
- Real-time tax, VAT filing, lexoffice
- Norman integration
- —
Holvi
Banking + invoicing in one
Holvi combines business banking with integrated invoicing and expense management. E-invoices in ZUGFeRD and XRechnung formats can be created directly in Holvi, relevant since the 2025 e-invoicing requirement. The Lite plan (€9/month, €4.50 with annual subscription) offers sub-accounts and 500 transactions.
Open Holvi →- Monthly fee
- €0–€15
- Entity types
- Sole, small companies
- Cards
- Digital cards
- Cash deposits
- No
- SEPA instant
- Yes
- Bookkeeping
- Invoices, e-invoicing
- Norman integration
- —
FYRST Base
The cash option with branch network
FYRST belongs to Deutsche Bank / Postbank and offers what no fintech can: real cash deposits through a branch network. 50 transactions per month included, each additional one costs €0.19. For freelancers and entrepreneurs with cash needs (tradespeople, hospitality, retail), one of the few practical options.
Open FYRST →- Monthly fee
- €0
- Entity types
- Sole, GmbH/UG
- Cards
- Giro + debit
- Cash deposits
- Yes (€3 / €5,000)
- SEPA instant
- €0.40 per transfer
- Bookkeeping
- Export, no integrated tool
- Norman integration
- —
Commerzbank Business
Full-service, loans, and personal advice
Commerzbank is the right choice if you need loans, personal advice, or a classic full-service business account. The nationwide branch network, lending options, and personal contacts make it attractive for companies with complex financing needs. The trade-off: by far the highest fees in this comparison.
Open Commerzbank Business →- Monthly fee
- from €12.90
- Entity types
- All
- Cards
- Giro + credit card
- Cash deposits
- Yes (branch network)
- SEPA instant
- Yes
- Bookkeeping
- DATEV interface
- Norman integration
- —
Connect your business account + bookkeeping
The best account doesn't help if you type transactions into Excel by hand. Connect your account to Norman and automate the rest: receipts, income-surplus statement, and VAT return included.
Test Norman for free →FAQ
Do I need a business account as a freelancer?
Legally no. But almost all banks prohibit commercial use of personal accounts in their terms. Mixed accounts make bookkeeping unnecessarily complicated and can become a problem during a tax audit. Short: not required, but strongly recommended.
Which business account is really free?
Finom Solo, N26 Business Standard, and Vivid Freelance Standard have no monthly base fee. But "free" doesn't mean fee-free: cash deposits, extra cards, or international transfers cost extra at all providers. Check which transactions you need regularly before opening.
Which is the best business account with bookkeeping?
Kontist offers the strongest integrated solution: automatic real-time tax calculation, VAT return filing to the tax office, and lexoffice integration in the Duo plan (€12/month). Alternatively, any business account can be connected to bookkeeping software like Norman via open banking. Then you have free choice of bank and still get automatic bookkeeping.
Can I connect my business account to Norman?
Yes. Norman supports open banking and CSV import for most German business accounts. Transactions are imported automatically, categorized, and matched with receipts. The income-surplus statement and VAT return are pre-filled in the background.
Are business account fees tax deductible?
Yes. Monthly fees, transaction costs, and card fees are business expenses and can be deducted in the income-surplus statement or balance sheet. This also applies to credit card fees and cash deposit costs.
How quickly can I open a business account?
With digital banks like Qonto, Finom, N26, or Kontist often the same day. Identification runs via VideoIdent: you just need your ID and a few minutes. With traditional banks for GmbH/UG it takes a few days to two weeks due to document review.
What is open banking / PSD2 and why do I need it?
Open banking (based on the EU PSD2 directive) is the open interface that gives your bookkeeping tool secure read access to your account. That's how Norman pulls in your transactions automatically, without you sharing login credentials or moving CSV files around.
Which business accounts offer a DATEV connection?
Qonto, Finom, and Commerzbank offer direct DATEV export or a DATEV interface. With Kontist the lexoffice integration delivers DATEV-compliant data. If your tax advisor needs DATEV-Unternehmen-Online, these are the safest picks.
How does switching to a new business account work?
Open the new account first, keep the old one running in parallel, then update the IBAN with customers, suppliers, tax office, and health insurance. Standing orders need to be migrated manually: only a few providers offer an automated account switch service. Close the old account only once all direct debits have been moved over.