Free option —
DE IBAN
ⓘ
✓
Provider type
ⓘ
Payment institution
Accounting integration ✓
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
—
Available on Web
Best for Solo & Team
Business Bank Accounts for Freelancers
Business bank accounts for freelancers and small businesses: compare fees, IBAN region, accounting integrations.
- Full bank vs payment institution clearly labelled
- Free tiers and tax sub-accounts compared
- Kontist, Qonto, Finom, N26 Business & more
| |  |  |  |  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free option | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DE IBAN German IBAN A German IBAN (DE prefix) is still the default for German B2B clients, direct debits and authorities. EU-IBANs are legally equivalent but sometimes rejected. | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Provider type Bank or payment institution? Licensed banks fall under statutory deposit insurance (€100,000 per customer). Payment/e-money institutions safeguard funds in segregated accounts — safe, but not classic deposit insurance. "Partner bank" = the account sits with a licensed partner bank whose deposit insurance applies. | Payment institution | Payment institution | Bank | Partner bank | Bank | Payment institution | Bank | Payment institution | Bank |
| Accounting integration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Tax sub-account | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Available on | Web | Web | Web | Web | Web | Web | Web | Web Mobile | Web |
| Best for | Solo & Team | Solo & Team | Solo | Solo & Team | Solo | Solo & Team | Solo | Solo | Solo |
| Visit site | View offer* | Visit site | View offer* | Visit site | View offer* | View offer* | View offer* | Visit site |
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
✓
Provider type
ⓘ
Payment institution
Accounting integration ✓
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
—
Available on Web
Best for Solo & Team
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
—
Provider type
ⓘ
Bank
Accounting integration ✓
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
✓
Available on Web
Best for Solo
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
—
Provider type
ⓘ
Partner bank
Accounting integration ✓
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
✓
Available on Web
Best for Solo & Team
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
—
Provider type
ⓘ
Bank
Accounting integration ✓
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
✓
Available on Web
Best for Solo
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
✓
Provider type
ⓘ
Payment institution
Accounting integration ✓
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
—
Available on Web
Best for Solo & Team
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
—
Provider type
ⓘ
Bank
Accounting integration ✓
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
✓
Available on Web
Best for Solo
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
✓
Provider type
ⓘ
Payment institution
Accounting integration —
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
—
Available on Web Mobile
Best for Solo
Free option ✓
DE IBAN
ⓘ
✓
Provider type
ⓘ
Bank
Accounting integration —
Tax sub-account
ⓘ
—
Available on Web
Best for Solo
All 9 business bank accounts at a glance
Which business account fits you? A few quick questions to your match
Answer a few quick questions — we match Finom, Qonto, Wise & co., data-driven.
What do you need a tool for right now?
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To the newsletterFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best business bank account for freelancers?
Finom is our 2026 top pick for freelancers in Europe: free tier, local IBANs and invoicing built into the account. US-based freelancers should look at Found or Lili (listed below the table, as they're US-only and don't fit the EU-IBAN comparison). The table compares fees, IBANs and bookkeeping integrations.
Do freelancers need a separate business account?
Legally usually not (as a sole proprietor), but practically yes. Many consumer banks prohibit business use in their terms, and mixing personal and business transactions turns bookkeeping and tax prep into archaeology. A separate account is the single cheapest bookkeeping upgrade there is.
Are there free business bank accounts?
Yes, several providers in the comparison offer zero-monthly-fee tiers. Limits typically apply to the number of free transactions, cash deposits or sub-accounts. Check the “Free” column in the table for the accounts that stay free permanently.
What should I look for in a freelance business account?
Four things decide it: monthly fees (and what's actually included), a local IBAN or ACH details your clients can pay without friction, bookkeeping integrations (or built-in invoicing), and tax sub-accounts that set aside VAT/income tax automatically, the feature that saves freelancers from the classic year-one tax shock.
A business bank account separates private and business finances — the cheapest bookkeeping upgrade there is. The table compares the best 2026 accounts, with Finom as our EU top pick (US freelancers: see Found and Lili below the table).