Comparison of pro banks and pro online banks. How to choose the right professional online account?
The banking landscape has been transformed in recent years by the arrival of neo-banks for professionals. These new-generation pro banks often offer much more affordable rates than traditional pro banks. And yet their services are no less high quality. In fact, they offer a degree of price transparency that satisfies many customers.
Business account comparison chart
Comparison of pro financial statements at April 12, 2020
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| Anytime pro account | BNP Paribas pro account | Banque Populaire pro account | Le Crédit Lyonnais LCL pro account | Société Générale pro account | Banque Postale pro account | Crédit Mutuel pro account | |
| - | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | |
| Accepted legal forms | All types of companies and associations | Micro-companies, SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL, SCI, liberal professions, associations | Micro-companies, SAS, SASU, SARL, liberal professions, associations | Micro-companies, SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL, SCI, liberal professions, associations | Micro-companies, SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL, SCI, liberal professions, associations | Micro-businesses, companies, liberal professions, associations | Micro-companies, SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL, SCI, liberal professions, associations |
| Monthly package | From €9.50 | From €19 | From €30 | From €17.33 | From €24 or all-inclusive for €36 with Jazz Pro | From €29.60 | From €14 |
| Movement commission | No transaction fees | From 0.05% per movement | From 0.06% per movement (minimum €15/quarter) | From 0.075% per movement Minimum €15/month | From 0.06% per movement | ||
| Minimum €5/month | From 0.05% \ | ||||||
| Minimum €14.50/quarter | From 0.20% + €0.07 per entry | ||||||
| Bank card prices | 0€/year3 cards included in the offer |
56/year | 53.68/year | 50/year | 50/year | From €43/year | From €52.80/year |
| Bank card type | Mastercard | Visa | Visa | Visa | Visa or Mastercard | Visa Business or Gold Business | Visa |
| Remote banking package | 0€ /year | From €150/year | From €360/year | From €39.60/year | From €228/year | From €150/year | From €96/year |
| Checkbook | Not available | 1,34€ | 1,05€ | 2,93€ | Free | Free | Free |
| Cheque cashing | Up to 10 per month | Unlimited(€67/year) | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Credit or overdraft authorization | Conditionally with Bolden | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customer service | Dedicated telephone advisor available with PREMIUM, PROFESSIONAL and ENTREPRISE offers | Appointments by appointment | Appointments by appointment | Appointments by appointment | Appointments by appointment | Appointments by appointment | Appointments by appointment |
Make the right choice: compare professional account services
To make the most appropriate choice, you'll need to look at the general services offered by each pro bank. First of all, you'll need to check that the pro bank in question accepts your legal form and the type of business you run. If it doesn't, you'll have no choice but to move on.
Note that almost all online pro banks accept micro-entrepreneurs, but not all have a specific offer. Generally speaking, professional banks charge a lot for the services of a business account that is not adapted to the needs of freelancers. On the other hand, some banks only accept companies.
Finally, some banks only accept micro-businesses. This means that if you start out with the aim of changing your business status, you know in advance that your pro bank will not follow you through to the end of your project.
Next, you'll need to take stock of your payment and collection needs. Do you need a checkbook, a payment terminal? What do you need to be able to pay with Mastercard, and what limits do you need? Do you need to be able to accept transfers and direct debits? And if so, should you consider international transfers?
Nor should you overlook the possible need for an overdraft on your business account, the conditions and cost of which can vary greatly from one bank to another. It's worth noting that professional banks generally won't lend unless your company has had a solid balance sheet for 3 years.
Tip: The easiest way to obtain credit on your business account is often to obtain it on a personal basis and subscribe to offers such as Sofinco, Cofidis... The Anytime offer gives you a personal account on which you can receive your credit for the same fee. All you have to do is make a transfer to your business account and declare it in your accounts as a contribution to a partner's current account, which you can repay as and when you need to.
Don't forget the hidden costs of a business account!
Many traditional business banks have pricing conditions that run to several pages, and are not always very clear. So be careful, if you don't pay attention to all the information, your business account could end up costing you a lot of money.
Don't forget to check the amount of withdrawal charges: some professional banks don't hesitate to charge a commission for withdrawals at the counter of another establishment. The same applies to transfers; some professional banks charge a fixed or variable commission on each transfer, especially those to or from foreign accounts.
If you work abroad, the bill can quickly become very high. Professional banks also levy substantial charges for movement commissions.
Some brands also charge for checkbooks, like BNP or BRED. Others do not hesitate to charge for certain services, such as business account statements. To avoid any surprises, don't hesitate to scrutinize everything.
With Anytime, everything is simple. The tariff agreement is just a few lines long, without dozens of options. This means no surprises when it comes to managing yourv business account.
Thinking about the practical side of your business account
Bear in mind that you're going to have to manage your business account on a daily basis. It's a good idea to choose a practical management method. Most traditional business banks offer a personal online space, or even a mobile application, to keep track of your business accounts. Some, but not all, also allow you to carry out day-to-day transactions in just a few clicks.
This convenience is appreciated, but can be costly, so beware! On the other hand, if you want to manage everything at your fingertips, a neobank may be the solution for you. You'll benefit from a dedicated application that's intuitive and easy to learn, enabling you to manage everything at no extra cost. You can even manage payment receipts simply by implementing them directly in the application.
On the other hand, a professional neobank is extremely simple to open. The Anytime pro account takes just a few minutes to open. Once you've uploaded your supporting documents, all you have to do is wait a few days to receive your bank card. This is a far cry from the 15 days to 3 weeks required by most traditional business banks.
Whether you opt for a traditional business bank, an online business bank or a neobank, it's up to you to choose the solution best suited to your needs. Neobanks such asAnytime often offer the best value for money, but it all depends on your expectations. In any case, the choice of your business account can be a strategic one, so it's best not to decide hastily, and to take the time to compare everything.
The banking world is undergoing a profound transformation, and Anytime's analysis shows that by 2025, the vast majority of professionals, businesses and self-employed individuals will have at least two business accounts. Either two accounts with neobanks like Anytime and Qonto, or one professional account with a pro neobank and one professional account with a traditional pro bank.
