🏆 Top 5 banks for freelancers
Here is our selection of the best banks suited to freelancers: Qonto, Shine, Propulse by CA, Blank and Swapn.
📊 Detailed comparison
Compare the key features of each tool at a glance.
| Criterion |  Qonto From €9/month excl. VAT (solo, French offer, may differ locally) |  Shine Free plan, then from €11 excl. VAT/month (French offer) |  Blank From €6 to €39/month excl. VAT (French offer) |  Swapn Formation €0, accounting from €29 excl. VAT/month (French offer) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French IBAN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free plan | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Physical card included | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cheque deposits | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Built-in invoicing tool | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| French support (chat / phone) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- French IBAN
- ✓
- Free plan
- ✗
- Physical card included
- ✓
- Cheque deposits
- ✓
- Built-in invoicing tool
- ✓
- French support (chat / phone)
- ✓
- French IBAN
- ✓
- Free plan
- ✓
- Physical card included
- ✓
- Cheque deposits
- ✓
- Built-in invoicing tool
- ✓
- French support (chat / phone)
- ✓
- French IBAN
- ✓
- Free plan
- ✗
- Physical card included
- ✓
- Cheque deposits
- ✗
- Built-in invoicing tool
- ✓
- French support (chat / phone)
- ✓
- French IBAN
- ✗
- Free plan
- ✓
- Physical card included
- ✗
- Cheque deposits
- ✗
- Built-in invoicing tool
- ✗
- French support (chat / phone)
- ✓
💡 Why a freelancer needs a dedicated business account
The most common mistake among freelancers who are starting out: collecting their first invoices on their personal current account. After a few months, you end up with a bank statement mixing groceries, Netflix subscriptions and client transfers, and it is hell to untangle at annual accounting time or, worse, during a tax audit.
Legally, an auto-entrepreneur can stay on a personal account as long as revenue stays under €10,000 a year for two consecutive years. Beyond that, or for any company (EURL, SASU, SARL: French limited-company forms), an account dedicated to the business becomes mandatory. And even below the threshold, your personal bank can close your account if it detects professional use: it is in their terms.
But the real gain of a modern freelance business account is not compliance, it is the time saved. A business neobank automates expense categorisation, generates invoices and quotes, exports your accounting in one click, and can even file your URSSAF declaration for you. Over a year, that means 30 to 60 hours of admin saved.
Tax risk
Mixing business and personal flows makes URSSAF and the tax office nervous in an audit. A dedicated account separates the flows cleanly and speeds up any justification.
Time risk
Without built-in tools (quotes, invoices, accounting exports), you lose 5 to 10 hours a month on manual admin. Over a year, that is the equivalent of a €1,500 assignment you did not invoice.
Account closure risk
Traditional banks can close your personal account if it is clearly used for business. A business bank removes that risk and gives access to tailored services (virtual card terminal, financing, insurance).
🔍 What a business bank for freelancers really offers in 2026
Before choosing, understand what sets the offers apart. Four pillars structure the market today.
🏦The business current account
- What it covers
- A French IBAN dedicated to your business, SEPA transfers, direct debits, a payment card (Visa Business or Mastercard) and suitable limits. It is the basic foundation, found everywhere.
- Who is it for?
- Any freelancer who separates their flows. Choose a French IBAN (FR...) rather than a foreign one: some clients (administrations, large accounts) refuse non-FR IBANs for direct debits.
- How much it costs
- €0 to €15 excl. VAT per month for standard offers. Expect €25 to €50 per month for premium offers with high limits, black cards or international transfers included.
⚙️Built-in management tools
- What it covers
- Quotes and invoices, automatic expense categorisation, receipt scanning, pre-formatted accounting exports (Pennylane, Tiime, Indy), and for auto-entrepreneurs: automated URSSAF declaration.
- Who is it for?
- Almost all freelancers, except those who already have an accountant with their own tools. This is the criterion that saves the most time day to day.
- How much it costs
- Often included in the base plan or as an option at €3-10 per month depending on the features enabled.
💳Payment collection solutions
- What it covers
- Beyond transfers, business banks offer payment links (Stripe-like), a virtual card terminal to take card payments without hardware, sometimes a physical terminal for rent, and integration with invoicing platforms for one-click payment.
- Who is it for?
- Essential for e-commerce freelancers, coaches with direct sales, trainers collecting from individuals, service providers accepting cards or with foreign clients.
- How much it costs
🤝Credit and premium banking services
- What it covers
- Authorised overdraft, professional micro-loans, invoice factoring, capital deposit for company formation, cashback programmes or discounted partnerships on SaaS tools, premium card insurance.
- Who is it for?
- Freelancers in a company (SASU/EURL) looking for a real banking partner, or established freelancers who need financing for growth. Real banks (Propulse by CA) have the advantage here.
- How much it costs
🧭 How to choose your bank well as a freelancer
Five concrete criteria to tell offers apart beyond the marketing.
- 1
The origin of the IBAN (FR vs foreign)
A French IBAN (FR76...) is accepted everywhere. Some foreign neobanks (N26, Revolut) issue German or Lithuanian IBANs, which are sometimes refused by French administrations (URSSAF, CAF, some health insurers) or by institutional clients for SEPA direct debits. Check: Qonto, Shine, Propulse and Blank all have a French IBAN.
- 2
Real pricing (and hidden fees)
A “business account at €9/month” can hide €1 per transfer beyond 30 a month, €2 per cheque deposited, or premium cards billed separately. Read the full price list, especially: SEPA transfers included, ATM withdrawals, cheque deposits, additional cards. On 100 transfers a month, the gap between Blank Simple (€1 per transfer) and Qonto Smart (unlimited) can matter more than the difference in subscription.
- 3
Integration with your accounting
A clean CSV export is the minimum. Native sync with your accounting software (Pennylane, Tiime, Indy) is what saves you time. If you have an accountant, ask which exports they accept. If you do your own accounting, check that the export format is compatible with your tool (Excel, FEC, etc.).
- 4
French-language customer service (and its real hours)
“7-day support” can mean a 24/7 chatbot plus a human on weekdays. Check the availability of human chat and phone. Qonto advertises 24/7 chat + phone, Shine 7 days a week, Blank 6 days a week. When something goes wrong (blocked card, urgent transfer), this is what makes the difference between 5 minutes and 48 hours of stress.
- 5
Security (FGDR + banking licence)
Check under which status your provider operates: bank (full banking licence) or payment institution / e-money institution (ACPR-approved). All offer FGDR deposit guarantee up to €100,000 per depositor, but real banks (Propulse by CA via Crédit Agricole) add access to traditional banking services. Confirm the ACPR approval number before signing.
💰 How much does a freelance business account really cost in 2026?
The “advertised price” often hides higher real costs depending on your usage. Here are the ranges seen.
Most freelancers spend between €0 and €25 excl. VAT per month on their business account, i.e. €0 to €300 a year: a modest cost compared with the 5 to 10 hours of admin saved each month. If you are on the actual-expenses regime, these fees are 100% deductible. As an auto-entrepreneur (micro), you deduct nothing because the flat-rate allowance already covers all expenses. The trap: paying for features you do not use. The sensible rule is to start with a base plan and move up only when you feel a gap.
Shine Free (€0) covers the basics. If you want automatic URSSAF declaration, move up to Blank Simple (€6) or Shine Start (€9).
Qonto Smart (€19) or Shine Plus (€17.90) cover unlimited transfers, quotes/invoices, accounting integrations. Add €5/month if you want unlimited scanned receipts.
Propulse by CA (≈€10-20/month) or Qonto Business (€35-45) to get access to an overdraft and an adviser. Capital deposit included in most company-focused offers.
The subscription barely matters: it is the cost of transactions that weighs. Compare Stripe-equivalent fees: 1.4 to 2.5% + €0.25 per payment. Qonto and Shine are competitive here.
🎯 Which bank should you pick for your profile?
💼Auto-entrepreneur or new freelancer
If you are starting with modest revenue, go for a free or low-cost account with automated URSSAF declaration: it is the winning combo to avoid blowing your budget while staying tidy on admin. Shine offers a genuinely free plan (1 account, limited features), and Blank starts at €6 excl. VAT per month with automatic URSSAF declaration included. Avoid traditional banks at €15-30 per month for an account you will barely use.
🌱Established freelancer with high revenue
From €60-100k of annual revenue, your time is expensive and advanced features pay off quickly. Qonto and Shine become competitive thanks to their ecosystem (multi-user, Pennylane/Tiime integrations, sub-accounts, automatically scanned receipts). Expect €19 to €35 per month for a comfort plan that will save you 5-10 hours a month of admin.
🚀E-commerce freelancer or one with frequent card payments
If you sell online or take card payments regularly, your number one criterion becomes the cost of collection, not the subscription. Qonto has a native Stripe partnership. Shine and Blank offer payment links with clear fees (1.4 to 2.5% + €0.25 per transaction). Also check how long funds take to become available: D+1 at Qonto and Shine, D+2 at some competitors.
🔧Company (SASU, EURL, SARL) needing financing
For a company, especially if you plan to ask for credit, leasing or an overdraft, a real bank changes the game. Propulse by CA, a Crédit Agricole subsidiary, opens access to traditional banking services (business credit, factoring, insurance) while keeping a modern interface. Expect €8-15 per month for the Start plan, more depending on the services enabled.
👨👩👧Freelancer with several accounts or several activities
Do you juggle several activities, projects or legal statuses? Qonto excels here thanks to its sub-accounts (up to 25 dedicated IBANs on the Smart plan), ideal for setting aside VAT, separating several brands or tracking a specific assignment. Shine also allows several accounts but with less flexibility. Expect €20-50 per month depending on your needs.
🏁 Our verdict: which bank for which need?
There is no universal “best bank”. Here is which tool to pick depending on what you value most.
Market leader with the most mature ecosystem: sub-accounts, quotes/invoices, receipt scanning, native Pennylane/Tiime/Indy integration, 24/7 support. From €9 excl. VAT per month, move up only if you need more transfers or users.
A genuinely free plan (€0/month) that covers the basics, and paid plans from €9 with automated URSSAF declaration and built-in invoicing. A Société Générale subsidiary, so reassuring on longevity. Ideal to start with no commitment.
A Crédit Agricole subsidiary with a modern interface and a full banking licence. You get traditional banking services (overdraft, micro-loan, leasing) while keeping the ergonomics of a neobank. More relevant for companies (SASU/EURL) than for auto-entrepreneurs.
Starts at €6 excl. VAT per month with automated URSSAF declaration included: the cheapest on the market for auto-entrepreneurs. ACPR-approved via Okali, FGDR security guaranteed. Limits: no cheque deposits and fewer advanced integrations than Qonto.
Frequently asked questions
For an auto-entrepreneur, a business account becomes mandatory beyond €10,000 of revenue for two consecutive years. For any company (EURL, SASU, SARL, SAS), an account dedicated to the business is mandatory from formation (notably for the capital deposit). Even below the thresholds, it is strongly recommended: your personal bank can close your account if it detects business use, and separating flows greatly simplifies accounting and any tax audit.
Business neobanks for freelancers range from €0/month (Shine Free) to €6-9/month for base plans (Blank, Qonto Basic, Shine Start) and €15-30/month for comfort plans (Qonto Smart, Shine Plus). Traditional banks often charge €15-30/month for a business account with equivalent services. Watch the variable fees: extra transfers (€0.5 to €1), cheque deposits (often paid beyond a volume), ATM withdrawals, additional cards.
Yes, provided you check two things: ACPR approval (the French banking and insurance supervisor) and the FGDR guarantee. Qonto, Shine, Blank and Propulse by CA are all regulated in France and offer deposit protection up to €100,000 per depositor. In practice, if one fails, your funds are protected at the same level as in a traditional bank. Always check the status (bank vs payment institution) according to your financing needs.
A French IBAN (FR76...) is universally accepted. Some foreign neobanks (German N26, Lithuanian Revolut) issue non-FR IBANs, which can cause problems for SEPA direct debits from certain administrations (URSSAF, CAF, health insurers, tax office), even though this is normally forbidden by European regulation. In practice, aiming for a French IBAN avoids all refusals and speeds up collections. Qonto, Shine, Blank and Propulse by CA all use a French IBAN.
With neobanks: 5 to 30 minutes online to complete the file, and 24 to 72 hours to receive your IBAN and card. The documents requested are almost standard: ID, proof of address, Kbis (company registration extract) for companies, or INSEE certificate for auto-entrepreneurs. With traditional banks: 1 to 3 weeks, with a mandatory appointment in most cases. The capital deposit for a company formation usually takes 24 to 48 hours with digital players.
Yes, in full, if you are on the actual-expenses regime (BIC or BNC) or corporate tax. This includes the monthly subscription, transfer fees and commissions on card payments. Under micro-entreprise (BIC or BNC with flat-rate allowance), you deduct nothing individually because the allowance (34% to 71% depending on the activity) already covers all expenses. Keep your invoices as proof.
Absolutely, and it is sometimes even advisable: one account per activity if you juggle several projects, a dedicated account to set VAT aside, or a second account at a different bank to limit operational risk in case of an incident. Qonto offers sub-accounts (up to 25 IBANs) at no extra cost. Beware of stacking paid subscriptions that add up.
Closing is free and possible at any time with almost all business neobanks (Qonto, Shine, Blank, Propulse). You do it from the app or by email, generally with 1 to 2 months' notice to allow recurring direct debits and transfers to be moved. Remember to update your details with your clients, your accountant and URSSAF. Business account portability does not yet exist like it does for personal banks, so plan the move ahead.
Both are solid, but they target different uses. Qonto is designed for French self-employed workers and small businesses: French IBAN, built-in quotes/invoices, native accounting integrations (Pennylane, Tiime, Indy) and French-language support, ideal if you mostly invoice French clients and want a complete management tool. Revolut Business shines internationally (multi-currency, good exchange rates, payments worldwide) but issues a Lithuanian IBAN (LT...), sometimes refused by certain French administrations for direct debits. In short: Qonto for a tidy France-only setup, Revolut Business if international and multi-currency are at the heart of your business.
Yes. Shine offers a free plan (€0/month) that covers the basics: French IBAN, card, SEPA transfers, enough to start as an auto-entrepreneur with few transactions. Note that the free plan stays limited (no automated URSSAF declaration, restricted management features). As soon as you want to automate URSSAF and invoicing, Blank (from €6 excl. VAT/month) or Shine Start (from €9 excl. VAT/month) quickly pay for themselves. Remember that as an auto-entrepreneur under €10,000 of revenue over two years, a dedicated business account is not legally mandatory, but it is still strongly recommended to separate your flows.