Kontist vs Qonto: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Kontist and Qonto to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Kontist
6.1/10
Kontist is a German mobile business account for freelancers and small companies, with automatic tax set-asides, invoicing, receipt management and bundled sevdesk accounting.
Qonto
6.4/10
Qonto is a European online business account for freelancers and SMEs, combining a local IBAN, payment cards, transfers, invoicing, and expense tools.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.1/10 | 6.4/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | €11/mo Start | €9/mo Basic |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free | €49/mo Essential |
| Features | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Corporate Cards | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Accountant Access | Not listed | |
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
Kontist vs Qonto cost by team size
Kontist costs less at every team size we checked.
| Team size | Kontist | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree | €9/moBasic |
| 5 users | FreeFree | €49/moEssential |
| 10 users | FreeFree | €49/moEssential |
| 25 users | FreeFree | €49/moEssential |
| 50 users | FreeFree | €49/moEssential |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Kontist
- Has a free plan (Qonto does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs €49/mo
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Compliance score (7/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose Qonto
- Higher Integration score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Scalability score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Better fit for small business (9/10 vs 7/10)
Pros & Cons
Kontist
Pros
- Automatic real-time tax and VAT set-asides, which Trustpilot reviewers repeatedly praise
- Free plan with no monthly fee, a German IBAN and a Visa debit card
- Every plan includes a free period of sevdesk accounting, up to a full year on Plus
- Deposits are held at BaFin-licensed Solaris SE and protected up to 100,000 euros
- The app is available in both English and German, which helps expat freelancers
Cons
- Only available to people who live in and pay tax in Germany
- Reviewers report slow, mostly email-based support that has to be chased repeatedly
- Free tier includes only 5 SEPA transactions a month, and extra transactions cost a fee
- No full double-entry ledger, so proper bookkeeping depends on sevdesk or another tool
- Past complaints include account closures and the handling of unauthorized payments
Qonto
Pros
- Low entry price: the Basic solo plan costs €9 a month, and every plan has a one-month free trial with no commitment.
- Team plans include unlimited users, so costs do not rise with headcount.
- A large integration directory covers DATEV, Sage, Tiime and Stripe, plus Zapier, Make and a public API.
- Accountants get unlimited access from the Smart plan, which makes bookkeeping handoffs easier.
- Reviewers on G2 and Capterra praise the interface and quick onboarding.
Cons
- Reviewers often report account freezes during compliance checks that hold funds for days.
- Support is described as slow or generic when an issue is complex.
- International transfers cost 0.56% to 1.8% with a €5 minimum, which adds up for businesses that pay in many currencies.
- Qonto is a payment institution, not a full bank, and offers no broad lending products.
- There is no full general ledger or financial statements, so a separate accounting tool is still needed.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Qonto scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.4/10 against 6.1/10 for Kontist. The largest gap is in Integration: 5/10 for Kontist and 8/10 for Qonto.
Kontist costs less for 10 users: free on its Free plan, against about €49/mo on its Essential plan for Qonto, billed monthly.
Kontist has a free plan; Qonto does not list one.
Qonto is the better fit for small business: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 7/10 for Kontist.
