You’ve just registered as a Kleinunternehmer, set up your Kleingewerbe, or founded your GmbH. Now you’re wondering: do you really need a separate business account? And if so, which one fits your legal form?

The answer depends on who you are in legal terms. The three terms sound similar, but they come with very different requirements from banks and the tax office.

Here’s how each one works and which bunq business account fits you.

Kleinunternehmer, Kleingewerbe or GmbH? A quick overview

Before you open a business account, it’s worth pinning down your legal form. Not every account suits every type of business, and not every type of business has the same obligations.

If you’re not sure yet what a business account is and what you need it for, start with the basics in our glossary: What is a business account?

Kleinunternehmer (under § 19 UStG)

“Kleinunternehmer” is a tax status, not a legal form of its own. As a Kleinunternehmer, you don’t charge VAT (Umsatzsteuer) on your invoices as long as your turnover was no more than €25,000 in the previous year and doesn’t exceed €100,000 in the current year.

Good to know: you can be a sole proprietor, a freelancer (Freiberufler), or run a Kleingewerbe and still count as a Kleinunternehmer for tax purposes. A separate business account isn’t legally required, but in practice it makes sense.

Kleingewerbe (under § 1 HGB)

A Kleingewerbe is a registered trade that doesn’t need a commercially organized business operation and doesn’t have to be entered in the commercial register (Handelsregister). You register with the trade office (Gewerbeamt), but you have fewer formal obligations than a fully commercial business.

The same applies here: a separate account for your business isn’t mandatory, but in practice it’s hard to do without. Without a clear split between personal and business transactions, your bookkeeping quickly gets messy.

GmbH and UG (haftungsbeschränkt)

A GmbH or UG needs its own business account. The share capital (Stammkapital) has to be paid into an account in the company’s name before the company can be entered in the commercial register. After that, the law also requires a strict separation of company and personal assets.

Quick check: which legal form fits you?

Use this checklist to quickly find out where you stand:

• My turnover was no more than €25,000 last year and I don’t charge VAT. → You’re probably a Kleinunternehmer under § 19 UStG.

• I’ve registered a trade, but I’m not in the commercial register. → You probably run a Kleingewerbe.

• I’m self-employed in a recognized liberal profession (for example doctor, lawyer, author). → You’re a Freiberufler.

• I’ve founded a GmbH or UG. → You need a business account in the company’s name.

Opening a business account for a Kleingewerbe: what changes

If you run a Kleingewerbe, you’re not legally required to have a business account. But the step is almost always worth it.

A separate business account for your Kleingewerbe helps you:

• keep income and expenses clearly separate from day one

• make bookkeeping and your tax return much simpler

• come across as professional to customers and suppliers

• show a clean, traceable picture if your business is ever audited

Mixing personal and business transactions in one account usually means spending a lot of time untangling everything at the end of the year. Time you’d rather put into your business.

To open a bunq business account as a trader (Gewerbetreibender) or sole proprietor, you need:

• A verified bunq personal account

• Your trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung)

Signing up in the app takes about 5 minutes. If we need anything else, we’ll ask for it in the app. As a Freiberufler, you don’t need a trade registration: a copy of your most recent income tax return (Einkommensteuererklärung) is enough instead.

bunq Free Business is available for sole proprietors, traders, freelancers, and registered merchants (eingetragene Kaufleute), with no monthly account fee. Standard transaction fees apply. The paid plans, bunq Core (€7.99/month), bunq Pro (€13.99/month), and bunq Elite (€23.99/month), unlock more accounts, cards, and tools as your business grows. You can compare them in the business plans overview.

With bunq, you open your business account fully online, without visiting a branch.

Open the right business account

Opening a business account for a GmbH or UG: what changes

For a GmbH or UG, a separate business account isn’t optional. In practice it’s a must: without an account in the company’s name, you can’t pay in the share capital or get the company entered in the commercial register.

To open a bunq business account as a GmbH, you need:

• A verified bunq personal account (required for every managing director)

• The articles of association (Gesellschaftsvertrag or Satzung)

• An excerpt from the commercial register (Handelsregisterauszug) and the shareholder list (Gesellschafterliste)

• ID documents for all managing directors and ultimate beneficial owners (anyone holding more than 25%)

• A joint authorization form if your GmbH has more than one managing director

For a UG, the same list applies, and you also need a trade registration. As with every account opening, we review your company and documents before we activate the account.

Note: bunq Free Business isn’t available for GmbHs or UGs. GmbH and UG owners can choose between bunq Core (€7.99/month), bunq Pro (€13.99/month), or bunq Elite (€23.99/month).

Open the right business account

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate business account as a Kleinunternehmer?

It’s not required by law. But a separate account keeps your finances clearly apart, makes bookkeeping easier, and saves you a lot of time on your tax return. For most self-employed people, it’s worth it from the start.

Can I open a business account as a Freiberufler?

Yes. At bunq, freelancers can apply for a business account without a trade registration. Instead, you need a copy of your most recent income tax return. Signing up in the app takes about 5 minutes, then we review your details.

How much does a bunq business account cost?

bunq offers four business plans. bunq Free Business has no monthly account fee and is meant for sole proprietors, traders, freelancers, and registered merchants. Standard transaction fees apply. The paid plans, bunq Core (€7.99/month), bunq Pro (€13.99/month), and bunq Elite (€23.99/month), offer additional accounts, cards, and integrations. See the full picture in the business plans overview.

Does a GmbH need a business account?

Yes. The share capital has to be paid into an account in the GmbH’s name before the company can be entered in the commercial register. After that, company and personal assets have to stay separate.

Can I use my personal account for my business?

We don’t recommend it. Mixed transactions make bookkeeping harder and add work to your tax return. A separate business account keeps it simple. A GmbH or UG needs an account in the company’s name.

The right account for your business

The right business account depends less on the size of your business than on your legal form. Kleinunternehmer and Kleingewerbe owners have more leeway. GmbHs and UGs have clear legal obligations.

Either way: the sooner you separate business and personal finances, the easier your bookkeeping gets and the less stress you’ll have at tax time.

Open your bunq business account right from your phone. Signing up takes about 5 minutes.