Best Business Bank Account for Freelancers: Qonto, Shine and Blank Compared
Opening a dedicated professional bank account is one of the first good habits to adopt as a freelancer. While not legally required for micro-entrepreneurs (unlike companies), mixing personal and professional finances creates an accounting nightmare at year-end — and raises flags during audits.
Personal vs business account: what is the difference?
Technically, a micro-entrepreneur is not required to open a professional account. But mixing client revenues with personal expenses means:
- Unreadable accounting when filing URSSAF and tax declarations
- A confusion risk during any audit
- A less professional image with clients
For companies (SASU, EURL), a dedicated account is a legal obligation — the share capital must be deposited in a company-only account.
Key comparison criteria
For a freelancer, what actually matters:
- Monthly fees: ideally under €15/month
- Bank cards included and spending limits
- SEPA transfers: free or capped
- Accounting integrations: Indy, Freebe, Pennylane, etc.
- French IBAN (important for some clients)
- Mobile app quality and reliability
- Responsive customer support
Qonto: the premium reference
Qonto has become the leading professional account for French independents and SMEs. Its strength: a very complete product with well-developed integrations.
Strengths:
- French IBAN, included Mastercard Business card
- Native integrations with Indy, Pennylane, Freebe, Sage, QuickBooks…
- Automatic expense categorisation
- Multi-user support (useful if you have a team)
- Share capital deposit for company creation
- Excellent mobile app
Weaknesses:
- Higher price than competition
- No cashback or special perks
Pricing: from €9/month (Solo plan, 1 user). Business plans from €29/month.
Best for: demanding freelancers, SASU/EURL needing solid accounting integrations.
Shine: the most complete for micro-entrepreneurs
Shine (a Société Générale subsidiary) bets on accompaniment. Beyond banking, it offers financial management tools, a URSSAF contribution calculator and even RC Pro insurance on some plans.
Strengths:
- French IBAN
- Financial dashboard with URSSAF contribution estimates
- RC Pro insurance available (partnership)
- URSSAF contribution payment from within the app
- Intuitive, micro-entrepreneur-focused interface
Weaknesses:
- Fewer third-party integrations than Qonto
- Some advanced features on higher-tier plans only
Pricing: from €7.90/month (Shine), €11.90/month (Shine+).
Best for: micro-entrepreneurs wanting an all-in-one account + management tool.
Blank: the affordable challenger
Blank is the rising newcomer. Designed exclusively for the self-employed, it offers invoicing features built directly into the bank account — a unique proposition on the French market.
Strengths:
- Integrated invoicing (quotes, invoices, payment tracking)
- French IBAN
- Expense management
- Very competitive pricing
- Modern, fast interface
Weaknesses:
- Less mature than Qonto or Shine
- Fewer third-party accounting integrations
Pricing: from €6/month (Basic), €14/month (Pro with invoicing).
Best for: micro-entrepreneurs wanting account + invoicing in one app at a low price.
Pricing comparison
| Account | Entry plan | French IBAN | Invoicing included | Accounting integrations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qonto | €9/month | ✓ | — | ✓✓✓ |
| Shine | €7.90/month | ✓ | — | ✓✓ |
| Blank | €6/month | ✓ | ✓ (Pro plan) | ✓ |
Our recommendation
- Beginner micro-entrepreneur, tight budget → Blank (invoicing included)
- Micro-entrepreneur wanting to manage contributions from the app → Shine
- SASU/EURL or freelancer with an accountant → Qonto (integrations + capital deposit)
Whatever your choice, open your professional account on day one of your activity — catching up on 6 months of mixed transactions is a headache you can easily avoid.