Business bank account for a French micro-entrepreneur: is it compulsory, and which one?

A French micro-entrepreneur must have a bank account dedicated to the business once turnover exceeds €10,000 in two consecutive calendar years. If the activity is commercial (buying and reselling, selling products, digital ones included), the dedicated account is compulsory from day one. In both cases, the account does not have to be a “business account”: a second personal current account, used only for the business, is enough, if the bank allows this use and the account name carries the mention “EI”.

Business bank account rules for a micro-entrepreneur

Dedicated account and “business” account: what is compulsory, depending on your situation (rules checked on 8 October 2026)

Your situation	Dedicated account compulsory?	“Business” account compulsory?
Commercial activity (selling, buying and reselling, digital products)	Yes, from the start (Code de commerce, art. L123-24)	No
Services or professional (libérale) activity, turnover of €10,000 a year or less	No, but strongly advised	No
Turnover above €10,000 in two consecutive calendar years	Yes (Code de la sécurité sociale, art. L613-10)	No

The official service-public.gouv.fr page (in French) says the same: the dedicated account can be a business account or a simple current account, separate from your personal accounts.

A detail often forgotten: an account opened for your business must carry, in its name, your name followed or preceded by “entrepreneur individuel” or “EI” (sole trader status in French law; Code de commerce, art. R526-27). Ask your bank for it when you open the account.

Why open one even if it is not compulsory

• Your Urssaf declaration becomes simple. The Urssaf is the social security body that collects your contributions. You add up the payments received on the account, with no personal spending to sort out.
• You are ready for an inspection. Your income is readable and kept separate.
• Your invoices are clearer. An IBAN in the name of your business spares your client questions.
• E-invoicing is simpler. Some approved platforms automatically match invoices and payments when they are linked to your account.

The 3 options for a French business bank account

1. A second personal account, used only for the business. This is the cheapest solution, often free with an online bank. Limits: no business services, and some banks forbid business use of a personal account in their terms. Check them before opening the account.
2. An online business account (neobank). It opens online, costs from €0 to a few euros a month depending on the offer, and often includes tools: invoices, reconciliation, accounting export.
3. A business account with a traditional bank. It is useful if you need an adviser, a loan or frequent cash deposits.

Business account offers worth knowing

Offers read on the banks’ websites on 8 October 2026. Offers change: check before opening an account.

Three offers noted on 8 October 2026 (alphabetical order, no ranking)

Bank	Type	Price of the first offer	Point to check
BoursoBank	Second personal account	Free account; free Welcome card, with no usage condition	Business use forbidden: its online help reserves the personal account for private use and points to its business offer
Qonto	Online business account	Basic: €9 excl. VAT a month on an annual plan (€108 excl. VAT a year); monthly billing is possible, at a price the pricing page does not show	30 transfers a month included; 1 physical card and 2 virtual cards
Shine	Online business account	Free: €0 a month	3 SEPA transfers or direct debits included each month, then €0.50 excl. VAT each; physical card optional (€7 excl. VAT); cash deposit charged at 5%

We noted what each bank writes on its website; we did not open an account to test it. The table is in alphabetical order and does not depend on any partnership.

How to choose a business account in 4 questions

1. Is your activity commercial? If so, you need a dedicated account right away.
2. Do you get paid in foreign currencies? If so, compare the exchange fees. A multi-currency account such as Wise can sit alongside your main account (see the guide on invoicing a foreign client from France).
3. Do you need cash or cheques? If so, online banks are often limited or charge for this: look at the “deposit” line in their price list.
4. Do you want built-in tools (invoices, Urssaf, accounting)? If not, a simple account and a free invoicing tool are enough, such as the Clairsmith invoice generator.

Once the account is open, put its IBAN on your invoices so you get paid, and check the required invoice details while you are at it. The 2027 e-invoicing checklist covers this step along with the others.

Our own case

Clairsmith will sell digital products, which is a commercial activity. The dedicated account will therefore be opened before the first sale; sales stay closed until the opening formalities are complete.

Common questions