Every European business banking tool reviewed
Paris, France
Self-employed plans Basic €9, Smart €19 and Premium €39 a month; team plans Essential €49, Business €109 and Enterprise €199 a month; all excl. VAT and billed annually (€108, €228, €468, €588, €1,308 and €2,388 a year)
1-month free trial on each plan
Best for: Small EU companies wanting published plans and local IBANs
Qonto leads this list because it is the broadest and most openly priced of the European business accounts. The vendor shows versions for France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands, claims over 750,000 businesses, and lists every plan with a price. Self-employed plans are Basic €9, Smart €19 and Premium €39 a month, and team plans are Essential €49, Business €109 and Enterprise €199, all excl. VAT and billed annually, each with a one-month free trial.
The legal picture is French and plainly stated. Qonto SA is registered at the Paris Trade Register under 819 489 626, with its headquarters at 6 Impasse Bonne Nouvelle, 75010 Paris. It is a licensed payment institution authorised by the ACPR under registration number 16958, granted on 21 June 2018. The vendor says directly that it is not a bank, and that customer funds are held apart from its own treasury.
Qonto does not state where its systems are hosted on the pages checked. It also lists an AI agent and an MCP connection to Claude on its plans, which is a product choice rather than a data-location statement.
What Qonto does well
- French payment institution with a stated ACPR registration number
- Versions for eight European countries, each with a local IBAN
- Every plan has a published price, with a 1-month free trial
- Separate self-employed and team plan ladders
- Customer funds kept apart from Qonto's treasury, per the vendor
Where Qonto falls short
- Not a bank, so no deposit guarantee, only safeguarding
- Data hosting location is not stated on the pages checked
- Plan fees apply from the first month after the trial
- Plan prices exclude VAT and assume annual billing
Standout feature. It is the only account here that pairs a French authorised institution with versions for eight European countries and a published price on every plan.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
bunq Free Business for sole proprietors at €0; Core Business €7.99, Pro Business €13.99 and Elite Business €23.99 a month
Best for: Sole traders and small firms wanting a full bank in the app
bunq is a Dutch bank, and its business plans are priced from free to €23.99 a month. bunq Free Business is for sole proprietors, bunq Core Business is €7.99, Pro Business €13.99 and Elite Business €23.99 a month. The vendor says its money is protected by the Deposit Guarantee Scheme up to €100,000, which is the difference from a payment institution. Opening a business account needs a verified personal account first.
The privacy statement identifies bunq B.V. as the data controller, registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under 54992060, with its headquarters at Basisweg 32, 1043 AP Amsterdam. The About page says bunq received an EU banking licence. The statement also says bunq stores the majority of its operational data in the AWS cloud, with servers in Frankfurt, which is one of the few clear data-location statements in this category.
Where providers outside the EU are used, transfers are covered by standard contractual clauses and the EU US Data Privacy Framework. The regulator is not named on the business pages checked beyond a reference to the Dutch Central Bank in the guarantee scheme context.
What bunq does well
- A Dutch bank with Deposit Guarantee Scheme cover up to €100,000
- A free tier for sole proprietors
- States AWS in Frankfurt as the main data location
- Clear plan ladder from €7.99 to €23.99 a month
- Dutch registration number and Amsterdam address published
Where bunq falls short
- Needs a verified personal account before the business account
- Operational data runs on a US cloud provider, albeit in Germany
- Eligibility depends on country and legal form
- The regulator is not named on the pages checked
Standout feature. It is the only account here that combines a Dutch banking licence, a free sole-proprietor tier and a named data location in Frankfurt.
Aarhus, Denmark
Simple 241 kr, Essential 366 kr and Limitless 491 kr a month on annual payment (2,890, 4,390 and 5,890 kr a year); Simple has a 1,495 kr setup fee
Best for: Danish, Swedish and Norwegian companies wanting a local bank
Lunar is a Danish bank that sells a business account in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The vendor says it has its own banking licence and is supervised by the Danish FSA, and that deposits are covered by the Danish Guarantee Fund up to EUR 100,000. It claims over 1,000,000 users across the three countries, personal and business combined.
The legal footer names Lunar Bank A/S at Hack Kampmanns Plads 10, DK-8000 Aarhus C, CVR 39697696, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lunar Group A/S. Prices on the page checked were in kroner: Simple at 241 kr a month, Essential at 366 kr and Limitless at 491 kr on annual payment, with a setup fee of 1,495 kr on Simple and none on the other two.
The business account asks for a CVR number, though the vendor also offers free CVR registration when opening the account. Integrations include Billy, Dinero and e-conomic for bookkeeping. Data location is not stated on the pages checked.
What Lunar does well
- Own Danish banking licence, supervised by the Danish FSA
- Deposits covered up to EUR 100,000 by the Guarantee Fund
- Serves Denmark, Sweden and Norway
- Free CVR registration when opening the account
- Danish company number and Aarhus address published
Where Lunar falls short
- Prices on the page are in kroner, so euro comparison needs conversion
- A 1,495 kr setup fee applies on the Simple plan
- Built for the Nordic market, not a pan-EU account
- Data hosting location is not stated on the pages checked
Standout feature. It is the only account here with a Danish banking licence and local coverage across Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
Paris, France
Payments Core and Payments Scale from €449 excl. VAT a month; Core has no commitment, Scale an annual commitment with volume-based pricing
Best for: Companies automating payments by API at scale
Memo Bank is a French credit institution aimed at companies with large payment flows, not at freelancers. It describes itself as an API-first bank authorised by the ECB and says it processes more than 4 billion euros in flows each month, with more than 800 companies automating payments. The products are Payments Core, with no commitment, and Payments Scale, with an annual commitment and volume pricing. Both start at €449 excl. VAT a month.
The legal notice names Memo Bank SA, 50 avenue des Champs-Elysees, 75008 Paris, SIREN 829226760, bank code 17338, supervised by the ACPR as a credit institution. Hosting providers are named as Amazon Web Services in Luxembourg and Google Cloud in Paris, which is the clearest hosting statement on this page after bunq. The vendor calls itself the first independent French bank created in 50 years.
Included features are bi-directional virtual IBANs, IBAN verification, next-day collection and an API sandbox, with a dedicated account manager. It is a different category of buyer from the app-first accounts above.
What Memo Bank does well
- A credit institution authorised by the ECB and supervised by the ACPR
- API-first with a sandbox and virtual IBANs
- Names its hosting providers and their cities
- Published starting price of €449 excl. VAT a month
- Dedicated account manager included
Where Memo Bank falls short
- Priced for companies with payment volume, not small businesses
- Hosting runs on US-owned cloud providers in EU regions
- Scale plan requires an annual commitment
- The pages checked are largely in French
Standout feature. It is the only account here built as an API-first payments bank, with an ECB-authorised French credit institution behind it.
Paris, France
Start €9, Plus €20 and Business €45 a month excl. VAT on annual billing (€108, €240 and €540 a year)
Best for: French freelancers and small firms wanting e-invoicing built in
Shine is a French business account for freelancers and small companies, now part of Cegid, which acquired it in November 2025 according to the vendor. Plans are Start at €9 a month, Plus at €20 and Business at €45, excl. VAT on annual billing, so €108, €240 and €540 a year. Shine also operates as an approved e-invoicing platform, so invoices can be sent and received inside the account.
The legal notice names Shine France SAS, 122 rue Amelot, 75011 Paris, 828 701 557 RCS Paris, a payment institution within the meaning of article L. 522-17 of the French monetary and financial code, authorised and supervised by the ACPR under number 71758. Client funds are held on a dedicated account at Societe Generale and are covered by the French deposit guarantee fund up to 100,000 euros per customer if Societe Generale fails.
The pages are in French, and the account is built around French business formalities. Data hosting is not stated on the pages checked.
What Shine does well
- French payment institution with a published ACPR number
- Approved e-invoicing platform built into the account
- Funds held on a dedicated Societe Generale account
- Published plans at €9, €20 and €45 a month excl. VAT
- Full French registration details in the legal notice
Where Shine falls short
- Not a bank, so safeguarding rather than a direct deposit guarantee
- Parent is now Cegid, so it is no longer an independent start-up
- Pages and support are in French
- Data hosting location is not stated on the pages checked
Standout feature. It is the only account here with an approved French e-invoicing platform built into the business account.
Berlin, Germany
N26 Business Smart €4.90 a month (EU business account page)
Best for: Freelancers wanting a cheap German-bank account with sub-accounts
N26 Business brings the German bank to freelancers and small companies. The account page for the EU states that the Business Smart account costs €4.90 a month, which makes it the cheapest paid plan on this list. It includes one free physical Mastercard, up to six virtual cards, 0.1% cashback on card payments, and up to ten Spaces sub-accounts that each get their own IBAN for taxes and budgets.
The imprint says the website is provided jointly by N26 SE, Voltairestrasse 8, 10179 Berlin, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg HRB 271693 B, and N26 Bank SE, same address, HRB 271697 B. The responsible supervisory authority is BaFin. The Germany-specific business page lists different plan names, so the available plan depends on the country version.
The page does not state a data location, and the deposit-guarantee wording was not part of the pages checked. The plan is aimed at self-employed people rather than larger teams.
What N26 Business does well
- A German bank supervised by BaFin
- Business Smart at €4.90 a month, the lowest paid plan on the list
- Up to ten Spaces sub-accounts, each with an IBAN
- One free physical card and up to six virtual cards
- Berlin address and commercial register numbers published
Where N26 Business falls short
- Plan names and prices differ between country versions
- Aimed at freelancers, with less for larger teams
- Data hosting location is not stated on the pages checked
- Additional physical cards cost a one-time €10 each
Standout feature. It is the lowest-priced paid plan here, at €4.90 a month, from a BaFin-supervised German bank.
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Start €0; Basic €6.90 a month; Pro €18.90 a month (as shown on the business page with a monthly or annual payment toggle)
Best for: Companies wanting a free tier from an EU e-money institution
Vivid Money offers a business account with a free Start plan, a Basic plan at €6.90 and a Pro plan at €18.90 a month. The vendor says its servers are hosted in the European Union and that it is overseen by European financial authorities. Start gives free accounts with unique IBANs and virtual and physical cards at no charge.
The imprint says the electronic money and payment services of the Vivid Business Account are issued by Vivid Money S.A., 21 Rue Glesener, L-1631 Luxembourg, authorised by the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance and supervised by the CSSF as an electronic money institution, register number W00000015, commercial register B234303. Investment and crypto services are separate and are provided by Vivid Money B.V. in Amsterdam under AFM supervision; this directory does not assess them.
It is an e-money institution, not a bank, so funds are safeguarded rather than covered by a deposit guarantee. The pricing page shows a monthly or annual payment toggle, and the figures above are those displayed.
What Vivid Money does well
- Luxembourg e-money institution with CSSF register number W00000015
- A free Start plan, free accounts with unique IBANs
- States EU hosting for its servers
- Basic at €6.90 and Pro at €18.90 a month
- Clear separation of payment and investment entities in the imprint
Where Vivid Money falls short
- Not a bank, so safeguarding rather than a deposit guarantee
- Investment and crypto sit with a separate Dutch entity
- Incoming SWIFT is free but outgoing SWIFT is not available on Start
- The monthly or annual basis of the displayed prices is a page toggle
Standout feature. It is the only account here with a free plan from an e-money institution that states EU hosting for its servers.
Helsinki, Finland
Founded 2011
Finland page: Flex €0; Pro €18 and Business €50 a month plus VAT, with a lower price on a 1-year subscription; SEPA transfers €0.25 each; SWIFT €1; 1% foreign exchange fee
Best for: Self-employed people in Finland, Germany and Austria
Holvi is a Helsinki-founded business account for the self-employed and small teams, with plans in Finland, Germany and Austria. The Finland page lists Flex at €0, Pro at €18 and Business at €50 a month plus VAT, with a lower price on a one-year subscription. Transfers cost €0.25 per SEPA transfer and €1 per SWIFT transfer, with a 1% foreign exchange fee. It also offers invoicing, receipt scanning, and bookkeeping preparation.
The About page says Holvi was founded in 2011 in Helsinki, with offices in Helsinki and Berlin, and that it is a payment institution and Mastercard principal member. The footer says Holvi Payment Services Ltd is regulated by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Finland as an authorised payment institution and that cards are issued by Holvi Payment Services Oy. The security page names FIN-FSA, BaFin and the German Federal Ministry of Finance, and the About page names the Austrian FMA.
Those pages do not agree on the entity form or the regulator, and the legal terms page was not reachable, so the exact contracting entity and its register number were not verified here.
What Holvi does well
- A free Flex plan with no monthly account fee
- Invoicing, receipt scanning and bookkeeping prep in one account
- Transfers in 18 currencies directly in the account
- Cards, SEPA and SWIFT fees published on the pricing page
- Offered in three countries with country-specific pricing
Where Holvi falls short
- Entity naming and regulator are stated inconsistently across the vendor pages
- Legal terms and register number were not reachable for checking
- Not a bank, so safeguarding rather than a deposit guarantee
- Limited to Finland, Germany and Austria
Standout feature. It is the only account here that bundles invoicing, receipt scanning and bookkeeping prep into a payment-institution account for the self-employed.
Brussels, Belgium
No fixed monthly plan on the page; fees are charged per transfer, with reduced fees above 20,000 GBP of monthly transfers
Best for: Businesses paying and receiving in many currencies
Wise Business is a multi-currency account built around international payments rather than a domestic current account. The vendor says over 900,000 businesses move 14 billion euros a month, that customers can receive payments in 22 currencies, and that one batch can pay up to 1,000 recipients. The page shows no fixed monthly plan: fees are charged per transfer, with reduced fees for monthly transfers above 20,000 GBP or the equivalent.
For EEA customers the operating entity is Wise Europe SA, registered in Belgium under number 0713629988 at Rue du Trone 100, 1050 Brussels, which the vendor describes as an authorised payment institution in Belgium regulated by the National Bank of Belgium. UK customers deal with Wise Payments Limited, authorised by the FCA under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, firm reference 900507. Investment services are provided by a separate Estonian entity and are not assessed here.
It is a payment institution, not a bank. Data location is not stated on the pages checked.
What Wise Business does well
- Regulated in the EEA by the National Bank of Belgium
- Receives payments in 22 currencies
- Batch payments to up to 1,000 recipients
- No fixed monthly plan on the page checked
- Belgian registration number and Brussels address published
Where Wise Business falls short
- Not a bank, so safeguarding rather than a deposit guarantee
- Per-transfer fees vary with currency and amount, with no fixed total
- Fits international payments better than daily domestic banking
- Data hosting location is not stated on the pages checked
Standout feature. It is the only account here built around receiving in 22 currencies and paying up to 1,000 recipients in one batch.
London, United Kingdom
No monthly fees; cash deposits at the Post Office cost 0.7% (minimum £3)
Best for: UK limited companies and LLPs wanting a fee-free licensed bank
Starling Business is a UK bank account for limited companies and limited liability partnerships. The vendor describes it as a fully licensed UK bank account with no monthly fees and 24/7 support, and says more than 500,000 business owners bank with it. Free invoicing, free access for multiple directors and free ATM withdrawals are listed. Cash deposits at the Post Office cost 0.7% with a minimum of £3.
The footer says Starling Bank Limited is registered in England and Wales under No. 09092149 at the Fruit and Wool Exchange, 1 Duval Square, London E1 6PW, and is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and PRA, registration number 730166. It is a UK entity, so the UK compensation scheme applies, not the EU deposit guarantee.
Eligibility is narrow. The company must be registered at Companies House, general partnerships and charities that are not limited companies are not supported, and the directors and limited partners with access to the account must be UK residents. Data location is not stated on the pages checked.
What Starling Business does well
- Fully licensed UK bank, PRA authorised, registration 730166
- No monthly fees on the business account
- Free invoicing and free multiple directors
- Free ATM withdrawals
- Full UK registration details in the footer
Where Starling Business falls short
- United Kingdom only, outside the EU deposit guarantee
- Excludes holding companies, general partnerships and charities
- Directors with access must be UK residents
- Cash deposits cost 0.7% with a £3 minimum
Standout feature. It is the only UK bank here with no monthly fee and a PRA authorisation number published in its footer.
London, United Kingdom
Lite free as standard; Pro £9 a month; Team from £25 a month; terms apply
Best for: UK sole traders and small firms wanting a free plan to start
Monzo Business is the UK bank's business account, with a free Lite plan as standard, Pro at £9 a month and Team from £25 a month. Terms apply. Pro and Team add a Making Tax Digital tool for filing tax from the app, and expense cards and bulk payments are available on the higher plans. The pricing is delivered with the page, so it is visible without the app.
The page footer says Monzo Bank Limited is a company registered in England and Wales (No. 09446231), authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and PRA, Financial Services Register number 730427. The terms list the address as Broadwalk House, 5 Appold Street, London EC2A 2AG. The text checked was the personal terms, so the business-specific contract was not independently read.
It is a UK bank, so the UK compensation scheme applies, not the EU deposit guarantee. Data location is not stated on the pages checked.
What Monzo Business does well
- UK bank authorised by the PRA, register number 730427
- A free Lite plan as standard
- Making Tax Digital filing inside the app on Pro and Team
- Pro at £9 a month and Team from £25 a month are published
- Registration number and London address published
Where Monzo Business falls short
- United Kingdom only, outside the EU deposit guarantee
- The business-specific terms were not read, only the personal terms
- Some features are limited to the Team plan
- Data hosting location is not stated on the pages checked
Standout feature. It is the only UK bank here with a free plan, a £9 Pro plan and a Team plan from £25, all published on the page.
London, United Kingdom
Free plan with no plan fee; Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49 and Max £69.99 a month as listed on the pricing page
Best for: UK sole traders and limited companies wanting bookkeeping tools
Tide is a UK business finance platform with a free plan and paid Smart, Pro and Max plans at £12.49, £27.49 and £69.99 a month as listed. The vendor highlights free Making Tax Digital tools for bookkeeping and filing, company registration through a company secretary tool, and a range of business tools. It also acts as a broker for loans, which is not assessed here.
The footer says Tide Platform Limited designs and operates the website and app, that Tide is not a bank, and that it is authorised by the FCA under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 to issue e-money (FRN 900843).
The registered office is 4th Floor, The Featherstone Building, 66 City Road, London, and the company number is 09595646. Its current and savings accounts are powered by ClearBank Ltd, with eligible deposits protected up to £120,000 per depositor by the FSCS across all accounts with ClearBank.
Some members hold e-money accounts powered by PrePay Technologies Limited, which holds an equivalent amount in a safeguarding account. Data location is not stated on the pages checked.
What Tide does well
- FCA-authorised e-money institution with a published FRN
- A free plan with no plan fee
- Free MTD-ready bookkeeping and tax filing tools
- FSCS protection on ClearBank-powered accounts, up to £120,000
- Company number and London address published
Where Tide falls short
- Tide itself is not a bank, and the account type depends on the member
- United Kingdom only, outside the EU framework
- The licensed bank behind the accounts is ClearBank, a separate company
- Data hosting location is not stated on the pages checked
Standout feature. It is the only account here that separates the platform (an FCA e-money institution) from the licensed bank (ClearBank) that holds FSCS-protected deposits.
