• Business account not for freelancers?

Nice to see you offer business accounts for german customers now!


Buuuut... what do freelancers do?

It's only for registered companies, right?


Just asking, maybe I'm missing something, a look in the FAQ and a search here didn't turn up anything useful.

    Hey Sascha, It's correct that currently only registered companies can open a business account :). Some freelancers are also using their personal account for business purposes, but this is a personal decision. You can always contact the tax authorities to get some advise about this! :)


    👮‍♂️ Sander: update: this is no longer allowed. Freelancers must open a Business account. [Edited 2019-Jun-11]

      :-) At least I didn't miss an FAQ entry, probably that information should be there though...


      The reasons for using dedicated business accounts as a freelancer is not so much a tax issue.

      It's just that most "banks" don't allow commercial use of personal accounts.

      As well as not all do offer the possibility to have an account with the designation of your business as a freelancer showing.


      ==> I understand that I could use a personal bunq account for commercial purposes as a freelancer if I'd like to do that - but I have no option to have a dedicated business account, let alone one with the business name I am using at the moment - correct?

        This is not only a problem for freelancers. In Germany, all the one-man businesses and partnerships (GbR in German, VOF in Dutch) and all 'Gewerbes', (labour focussed companies, like bakers, painters, plumbers, dentists, shop-owners, builders, architects and many many more) operate without the chamber of commerce registration number. They do have to pay a fee, though, but they don't get an entry in the register.


        There are thousands and thousands of companies in Germany that don't have this Handelskammernummer. And applying for such a number is way too much effort, just for a change of banks. It means transforming to another business entity.


        Can you please consider identifying companies by their VAT Registration Number? Most companies already have such a number - and if not, they can apply for one for free. VAT Registration Numbers (Umsatzsteuer Identnummer, UStIdNr) are unique and can be verified for free also.


        Here you can check if the number exists: https://evatr.bff-online.de/eVatR

        If the number does exist - you can check if the address people give you, belongs to that company. There is an interface to do this automatically.


        Hope this helps!


        Can't wait to kick out the old-fashioned banks and shift our company to Bunq!

          11 days later

          Hi folks,

          Is there any news on this topic yet? Can I help you on this in any way?

            In Holland if you are a freelancer you must register as a company. Registering is simple and there's just 50 euro one time fee. I do not know if this is different in Germany. But as Bunq is from Holland, I think they expect a freelancer to have a registration as a company.

              In Germany you also have to register your company, but you don't register with the chamber of commerce. You just register with the city council. In Germany, there are more companies without a Chamber of Commerce registration, than with one.

                a month later
                6 days later

                Let's push this - Interested in this as well!

                  13 days later

                  Just to add: In Europe some freelancers (eg journalists, artists, ...) do not need to register at all. For journalists being registered would even infringe against the freedom of the press. However, they need to pay tax and have a tax ID -- but nothing more.

                    3 months later

                    and push! Any updates on this? specially with the new business account?

                      8 days later

                      In Germany you need not to be in register if you are self employed and working under your own Name as a natural Person. It's also not from interest to use a special Company Account for the financial Institut as an not registered natural Person. But some Banks only allow *Kleingewerbe* (up to 17.500/year income) to use a privat Account even for Business. Some other require a Business Account even for this. So it depends on the Bank rules. So i think, if the rules dont say no, it's not a no xd

                        2 months later
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