Qonto review: a polished business account for German freelancers and SMEs

This Qonto review looks at one of the most popular online business accounts for freelancers and small companies in Germany. Qonto, founded in Paris, combines a business current account with a German IBAN, physical and virtual cards, invoicing and bookkeeping tools such as DATEV sync, and it offers separate plans for solo businesses and for teams.

Based on Qonto's own plan descriptions, its regulatory disclosures and published customer feedback, we explain what each plan family includes, how safe your money is, where Qonto shines compared with N26 Business and Revolut Business, and where it falls short.

What is Qonto?

Qonto was founded in 2016 by Alexandre Prot and Steve Anavi and launched its service in France in 2017. It obtained a payment institution licence in 2018 and expanded to Germany, Spain and Italy in 2019. Since then it has grown into one of Europe's best-known business finance apps, added features through acquisitions such as Regate and launched a payment terminal in 2025.

Qonto is aimed squarely at businesses: freelancers and sole traders, founders setting up a GmbH or UG, and small and medium-sized companies with teams. The account is opened and managed online, through the app and the web.

Is Qonto a bank and is my money safe?

Qonto is a regulated payment institution supervised by Banque de France, not a bank. That distinction matters. Banks are covered by statutory deposit guarantee schemes, while payment institutions must safeguard customer money by keeping it separate from their own finances. Qonto says customer funds are held completely separately from the company's own money, at partner institutions.

In practice, safeguarding is designed to protect you if Qonto itself fails, but it is not the same as the familiar deposit insurance of up to 100,000 euros. Qonto applied for a banking licence in 2025. Businesses that hold large reserves may prefer to keep part of them at a traditional bank.

Qonto plans: Solo and Business

Qonto splits its offer into two families. Solo plans are for self-employed people and single-owner companies, and Business plans are for teams with several users. All paid plans come with a one-month free trial and no long-term contract, and you can switch plans as you grow. Prices range from budget to premium, and higher tiers add transfers, cards and tools rather than changing the core account.

• Basic (Solo): German IBAN, one physical and two virtual cards, around 30 transfers a month, payment links, e-invoicing and DATEV connection
• Smart (Solo): more transfers and cards, a sub-account, cash flow tracking, accountant access and fuller DATEV features
• Premium (Solo): the highest solo allowances, more sub-accounts and priority support
• Essential (Business): unlimited team members with custom roles, more cards, team expense reports and budgets
• Business and Enterprise: larger card and transfer allowances, supplier invoice imports, automatic accounting sync and advanced dashboards

Bookkeeping, invoicing and getting paid

Accounting support is where Qonto pulls ahead of many rivals in Germany. The DATEV integration lets your tax adviser access transactions and receipts, you can capture receipts in the app, and e-invoicing helps with Germany's move towards mandatory electronic invoices between businesses. Higher plans add cash flow forecasting and automatic sync with accounting tools.

For getting paid, Qonto offers payment links, Tap to Pay on a smartphone and a POS terminal option, so small retailers and service providers can accept cards without a separate provider. Teams benefit from virtual and physical cards per employee, spending limits and expense reports.

App experience and customer reviews

Qonto is widely praised for its clean, intuitive interface. On Trustpilot it holds a high score from tens of thousands of reviews, with customers frequently highlighting ease of use and helpful support. Complaints tend to focus on slower responses in some cases and on accounts being restricted during compliance checks with limited explanation, a pattern seen across most online business accounts.

Opening an account happens fully online, and support is available through the app. For German users, the combination of a German IBAN and a German-language interface removes the usual objections to a foreign provider.

Qonto vs N26 Business and Revolut Business

N26 Business is simpler and cheaper but only open to self-employed people trading under their own name, so a GmbH cannot use it. N26 is a licensed bank with deposit protection, but it offers far fewer accounting tools. Revolut Business, also a licensed bank in the EU, is stronger for multi-currency and international payments, while Qonto is stronger on German bookkeeping, DATEV and invoicing.

If your business mostly operates in euros in Germany and your tax adviser works with DATEV, Qonto is often the more convenient choice.

Who should choose Qonto?

Qonto suits freelancers who want tidy books, founders of GmbHs and UGs who need a business account quickly, and small teams that want cards, approvals and expense reports in one app. It is less ideal for businesses that need a full bank with deposit insurance, cash-heavy businesses, or companies that mainly trade in foreign currencies.

Key specs

Provider

Qonto, Paris; founded 2016 by Alexandre Prot and Steve Anavi

Regulation

Payment institution supervised by Banque de France (bank licence applied for in 2025)

IBAN

German IBAN for German customers

Plans

Solo: Basic, Smart, Premium; Teams: Essential, Business, Enterprise

Cards

Physical and virtual Mastercard cards, number depends on plan

Accounting

DATEV integration, e-invoicing, receipt capture, accountant access

Getting paid

Payment links, Tap to Pay, POS terminal

Trial

One month free on paid plans

Alternatives to consider

• N26 Business: A licensed bank with a free entry plan and cashback, but only for self-employed people trading under their own name.
• Revolut Business: A better pick for multi-currency accounts, international transfers and interbank exchange rates.
• Holvi: A German-focused alternative for freelancers that combines a business account with invoicing and bookkeeping.

Frequently asked questions

Qonto remains one of the best online business accounts in Germany in 2026 for freelancers, GmbHs and small teams that value bookkeeping as much as banking. The German IBAN, DATEV integration, e-invoicing and team card controls make daily admin noticeably easier. The main caveats are that Qonto is a payment institution rather than a bank, and that the most useful features sit in the mid and upper plans. If those trade-offs work for you, Qonto is well worth the free trial month.

How we research: Reviews are based on the maker’s specifications, published independent tests and owner reports. Scores compare the product with others in its class.