Kontist review: the business account that sets your tax aside for you

This Kontist review answers the first question many people ask: yes, Kontist is still available in 2026. The Berlin business account for freelancers and small businesses continues to offer a free plan, a physical Visa debit card and its signature feature, a real-time tax estimate that puts money aside for the tax office automatically.

We have not opened an account ourselves. This review draws on Kontist's current website, its legal notice and plan details, and how it compares with other German business accounts. It covers the plans, safety, tax features, fees and who Kontist suits best.

Is Kontist still available, and who runs it?

Kontist is active and open for new accounts. According to its legal notice, the banking app and technical services are provided by Shine Germany GmbH, formerly Ageras GmbH, in Berlin, while tax-related help is offered by a sister company. The accounts themselves are held by Solaris SE.

Kontist does not have its own banking licence. Solaris is a fully licensed German bank supervised by BaFin and the European Central Bank. It runs the German IBAN accounts, holds the deposits and provides the statutory European deposit protection of up to 100,000 euros. That gives Kontist a clear safety advantage over providers that are only payment institutions.

Kontist plans: Free, Start and Plus

Kontist Free has no monthly fee. It includes a business account with a German IBAN, a physical Visa debit card, SEPA instant transfers, automatic tax reserves and five SEPA transfers or direct debits per month. Beyond that, each transaction carries a small fee, which applies on all plans once the included number is used up.

Kontist Start adds a virtual Visa card, up to three sub-accounts and 30 included transactions per month. Kontist Plus adds integrated bookkeeping, up to five sub-accounts and 100 included transactions. Both paid plans are priced per month plus VAT, which suits VAT-registered businesses.

• Free: German IBAN, physical Visa card, tax reserves, 5 SEPA transactions
• Start: virtual card, 3 sub-accounts, 30 SEPA transactions
• Plus: integrated bookkeeping, 5 sub-accounts, 100 SEPA transactions

Real-time tax estimate and sub-accounts

The tax estimate is why most people choose Kontist. The app calculates the income tax and VAT likely due on each payment you receive and sets that amount aside, so the balance you see is closer to what you can actually spend. For new freelancers who have never faced a large tax bill, this can prevent a nasty surprise.

Sub-accounts let you split money into pots, for example for tax, reserves or a larger purchase. Kontist also supports receipt matching, so you can attach receipts to transactions and avoid missing deductible expenses, and it connects to external accounting tools. It is designed around German VAT and tax rules, which is a strength if you file in Germany and a limit if you do not.

Everyday banking features and support

Kontist covers the basics: SEPA transfers and instant transfers, direct debits, batch transfers, standing orders and cash withdrawals at home and abroad. Kontist mentions an overdraft facility and, together with lending partner Froda, business loans of up to 50,000 euros once your account has existed for at least six months.

Through a partnership with SumUp, card payments you take can be paid out directly to your Kontist account. Account opening is done in the app with a short video identity check via IDnow, and Kontist says you do not need a tax number to sign up, which helps if you are just starting out.

Support is available by email, in-app chat and phone on weekdays during office hours. At the time of writing, Kontist displays ratings of 4.7 in the App Store and 4.5 in Google Play. Businesses that need weekend or round-the-clock help should factor this in.

Who Kontist is for

Kontist is aimed at freelancers, small business owners (Kleinunternehmer), founders and small companies such as GmbH, UG or GbR. To open an account you must be at least 18, officially registered in Germany and file your taxes in Germany.

It is a strong fit for solo freelancers with a modest number of payments who value tax reserves and bank-level deposit protection. Businesses with many monthly transactions, several employees who need cards, or foreign-currency needs will likely be better served elsewhere.

Kontist fees and hidden costs to check

The monthly price is only part of the cost. Kontist includes a fixed number of SEPA transfers and direct debits on each plan, and every transaction beyond that carries a small fee plus VAT. For a freelancer with a handful of clients and a few standing orders, the free plan can genuinely cost nothing. For a business with dozens of supplier payments, direct debits and refunds each month, the fees can quickly exceed the price of a paid plan.

A simple way to decide is to count your outgoing and incoming SEPA transactions for a typical month. If you regularly exceed five, compare Kontist Start. If you exceed 30, look at Kontist Plus or a rival with unlimited SEPA transfers. Also check the Solaris price annex linked on Kontist's site for cash withdrawal and other service fees before you sign up.

Paid plans are priced plus VAT, which VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim. Small business owners under the Kleinunternehmer rule cannot, so the effective price is higher for them.

Is Kontist worth it?

For a freelancer in Germany, Kontist Free is one of the more useful free business accounts available, thanks to the automatic tax estimate and the security of a licensed partner bank. Watch the transaction limits: if you regularly exceed them, compare the fees with a paid plan or with rivals that include unlimited SEPA transfers.

Kontist also suits people who are unsure how much tax to set aside in their first years of self-employment. Seeing the estimated tax next to every incoming payment builds good habits early, and the sub-accounts make it easy to keep reserves out of sight.

Key specs

Operator

Shine Germany GmbH (formerly Ageras GmbH), Berlin

Bank partner

Solaris SE, licensed German bank supervised by BaFin and the ECB

Plans

Kontist Free, Kontist Start, Kontist Plus

Included SEPA transactions

5 (Free), 30 (Start), 100 (Plus) per month

Sub-accounts

Up to 3 (Start) or 5 (Plus)

Cards

Physical Visa Business debit card; virtual card on Start and Plus

Deposit protection

Up to 100,000 euros via Solaris

Eligibility

Adults registered and taxed in Germany

Alternatives to consider

• Holvi: Stronger built-in invoicing and e-invoicing, with plans up to small teams.
• Qonto: A broader business account for growing teams with more cards and expense controls.
• N26 Business: A low-cost account from a licensed German bank with a simple app.

Frequently asked questions

Kontist remains a smart choice for freelancers in Germany in 2026. Its real-time tax estimate, sub-accounts and free plan with a physical Visa card make money management easier, and holding accounts at a licensed bank adds peace of mind. The limits are the small number of included transactions, weekday-only support and a narrow focus on German taxpayers. If that fits your business, Kontist is worth opening.

How we research: Reviews are based on the maker’s specifications, published independent tests and owner reports. Scores compare the product with others in its class.