# Accountable: Business account

> A free German-IBAN business account inside Accountable's tax and bookkeeping app for self-employed people and freelancers in Germany: free SEPA and instant transfers, a free virtual Mastercard and automatic tax sorting. Accounts are issued by Swan, a French e-money institution, with funds held at BNP Paribas.

Finzil profile: https://finzil.com/providers/accountable · Provider website: https://accountable.de · Facts checked: 2026-10-20

## Key facts

- **Monthly fee:** €0
- **Setup fee:** Free
- **Currencies:** 1 (EUR)
- **Onboarding:** 3–5 days (typical)
- **Provider type:** Tax app with a business account; accounts from a French e-money institution
- **IBAN:** German IBAN
- **Payment rails:** SEPA, SEPA Instant, direct debits
- **Cards:** Virtual and physical Mastercard
- **Safeguarding:** Safeguarded at BNP Paribas
- **Remote opening:** Yes
- **Headquarters:** Belgium
- **Trustpilot:** 4.5 from 414 reviews (checked 2026-10-20)

## Who can apply

- **Non-resident owners** (owner or director living outside the company's country): Not published
- **Countries of incorporation accepted:** Germany (only these)
- **Countries of incorporation refused:** Not published
- **Owner residency accepted:** Not published
- **Owner residency refused:** Not published
- **Owner nationality refused:** Not published
- **Company types accepted:** Self-employed people and freelancers with a German tax ID

## Industries

- **Industries served:** Freelancers, Creative, Professional services
- **Prohibited industries (provider's own list):** Not published

## Licences

- Operated by: Accountable SA; accounts provided by Swan SAS

Safeguarding: Accountable does not hold a licence of its own: the account and cards are issued by Swan SAS, a French e-money institution supervised by the ACPR. Accountable says the funds are held at BNP Paribas in France.

## Fees

Source: https://www.accountable.de/en/banking/ (checked 2026-10-20)

### Plans

- **Accountable Banking:** Free

### Incoming

- SEPA: Free

### Outgoing

- SEPA: Free
- SEPA Instant: Free
- SWIFT / international: 0.6% + €5 · Non-EUR transfers: €5 plus 0.6% to 5% by currency group

### Currency exchange (FX)

- FX markup: Not published

### Cards

- Virtual card issue: Free
- ATM withdrawal: €1 · In the SEPA zone; 2% outside

## Opening an account

Opening an account typically takes three to five business days.

1. **Sign up.** Create a free Accountable account and open the Bank screen.
2. **Your activity.** Answer the questions about your professional activity.
3. **Verification.** Verify your identity with an ID and selfie or video, and upload the tax ID, business registration and address proof.
4. **Account live.** Swan reviews the documents and activates the account, usually within 3 to 5 business days.

Documents: Not published

## Pros and cons

- Pro: Free account across all Accountable plans
- Pro: Free SEPA and instant transfers
- Pro: Free virtual Mastercard
- Pro: Tax and bookkeeping in the same app
- Pro: Trustpilot score of 4.5 from about 400 reviews
- Con: Non-EUR transfers cost €5 plus 0.6% to 5%
- Con: ATM withdrawals €1 in the SEPA zone, 2% outside
- Con: For self-employed people with a German tax ID only
- Con: No licence of its own: accounts depend on Swan
- Con: No list of refused industries published

## Finzil's take (opinion)

Accountable gives German freelancers a free account that sorts their transactions for tax as they come in, which is its real selling point. It is a Swan-issued e-money account rather than a bank, and foreign-currency transfers are expensive.

## Alternatives

- [Kontist](https://finzil.com/providers/kontist): Business account · Germany
- [N26 Business](https://finzil.com/providers/n26-business): Bank · Germany
- [FYRST](https://finzil.com/providers/fyrst): Bank · Germany
- [Finom](https://finzil.com/providers/finom): E-money institution · Netherlands

## FAQ

**Is Accountable a bank?**

No. Accountable SA runs the tax app; the account and cards are issued by Swan SAS, a French e-money institution, with funds held at BNP Paribas.

**How much does Accountable Banking cost?**

The account is free on every Accountable plan. SEPA and instant transfers are free; non-EUR transfers cost €5 plus 0.6% to 5%; ATM withdrawals cost €1 in the SEPA zone and 2% outside.

**Who can open it?**

Self-employed people and freelancers with a German tax ID and proof of an active business.

**Does it give a German IBAN?**

Yes, a German IBAN issued through Swan.

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