Qonto vs Shine: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Qonto and Shine to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
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.
Shine
6.1/10
French online business account for freelancers and small companies, with Mastercard cards, built-in invoicing, receipt capture and accounting exports.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.4/10 | 6.1/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €9/mo Basic | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €49/mo Essential | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Corporate Cards | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
Qonto vs Shine cost by team size
Shine costs less at every team size we checked.
| Team size | Qonto | Shine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | €9/moBasic | FreeFree |
| 5 users | €49/moEssential | FreeFree |
| 10 users | €49/moEssential | FreeFree |
| 25 users | €49/moEssential | FreeFree |
| 50 users | €49/moEssential | FreeFree |
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 Qonto
- Higher Integration score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Scalability score (6/10 vs 4/10)
Why choose Shine
- Has a free plan (Qonto does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs €49/mo
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Cost score (7/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
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.
Shine
Pros
- A real free plan that includes unlimited quotes and invoices with automatic reminders
- Cash deposits through tobacconists, which few online business accounts offer
- Strong Trustpilot ratings of about 4.6 to 4.7 out of 5 across thousands of reviews, and an in-house support team based in France
- Paid plans have a 30-day trial and no commitment
Cons
- As a payment institution it offers no overdraft, loans or interest-bearing account
- Higher fees than some rivals on non-euro card payments and international transfers
- No phone support on the Free plan, and reviewers report accounts blocked without warning
- Garnishment processing fees of 10 percent, capped at 100 EUR, criticised as poorly signposted
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Qonto scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.4/10 against 6.1/10 for Shine. The largest gap is in Integration: 8/10 for Qonto and 6/10 for Shine.
Shine costs less for 10 users: free on its Free plan, against about €49/mo on its Essential plan for Qonto, billed monthly.
Shine has a free plan; Qonto does not list one.
