Accountable Banking: the free business account for sole traders

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Making business payments often means switching between apps, copying and pasting IBANs, and then matching everything up in your accounts afterwards. That’s now a thing of the past: with Accountable Banking, you can handle all your payments directly within Accountable.

On top of that, Accountable automatically calculates how much money you should set aside for future tax and VAT bills. Not exactly fun, but definitely essential. And did we mention already this business account is 100% free?

What is Accountable Banking?

Accountable Banking is a new banking feature within the Accountable app, made possible by our banking partner Swan, a European financial institution regulated by the National Bank of Belgium.

Accountable is the first and only provider in Belgium where sole traders can open a free* professional account that automatically helps you save for taxes. This brings us one step closer to our goal of making entrepreneurship more accessible.

With Accountable Banking, you can:

• Open a free business account with a Belgian IBAN (no monthly or yearly account fees).
• Manage all your payments directly from one app.
• Automatically set money aside for VAT, taxes, and more in convenient “Spaces.”

You don’t even need a paid Accountable subscription: Accountable Banking is available for everyone in the free plan too. So there’s really no excuse not to open a professional account for your sole trader business.

*Accountable Banking itself is completely free, but some transactions, such as international payments, may incur fees in line with Swan’s general terms and conditions. You can find an overview of all possible fees here.

How to open a free business account?

Opening an Accountable Banking account takes just a few seconds in the Accountable app:

1. Go to the banking screen in the app.
2. Tap “Open your business account.”
3. Complete the authentication process.
4. Receive your Belgian IBAN within a few days.

Once your account is set up, you can:

• Make and receive payments directly from the app, no switching required.
• Create “Spaces” and set money aside for VAT, taxes, or upcoming investments.
• Add your virtual card to Apple Pay or Google Pay for mobile payments everywhere.
• Order a physical Mastercard: free with the MAX plan, or €7.50 with all other plans (including the free plan). You can choose between a standard design or the purple design featuring our mascot, Aldo.

⚠️ You don’t receive a physical card by default. You can request a physical card in Settings > Bank Settings > Card Settings.

Accounting, taxes, and banking: all-in-one with Accountable

The biggest advantage of Accountable Banking is the flow: you no longer have to switch between your business account, bookkeeping software, and separate payment apps. You can receive and make payments directly in Accountable, which means less copy-pasting (IBANs, amounts, references) and smoother administration overall.

On top of that, planning ahead is easier and safer thanks to Spaces. You can automatically set aside money within your account, so important funds aren’t accidentally spent on new gadgets or that expensive course you never actually have time for.

What kinds of Spaces can you create? Think of:

• A Space for VAT.
• A Space for income tax.
• A Space for upcoming investments, e.g. a new laptop.
• Spaces for recurring expenses like social contributions and insurances.

Get started with Accountable Banking

Want to finally manage your bookkeeping and payments in one smooth flow, while automatically setting money aside for VAT and taxes?

→ Open your free business account now

Received your new IBAN?

Using Accountable Banking as your main account

If you open a new business account to use as your main account, it’s best to notify your clients and suppliers as soon as possible. Your social security counter office can assist you with this.

This service is usually free, but sometimes (depending on your social counter office) a small administrative fee may apply. You can also update your primary account yourself via My Enterprise.

You should also share your new IBAN with your accountant, clients and suppliers.

Using Accountable Banking as a secondary account

As a sole trader (whether full-time, part-time, or a student entrepreneur), you’re allowed to have and use multiple accounts.

If you want to use Accountable Banking as an extra account, for example, to save for taxes, and not as your official main account, you generally don’t need to notify anyone. If you work with an accountant, it’s still recommended to let them know.

Your Accountable Banking account will be automatically linked to your Accountable account alongside your other accounts. This makes it easy to continue linking transactions to expenses, keeping your bookkeeping organised and straightforward.

Frequently Asked Questions about Accountable Banking (FAQ)

Author - Alexis Eggermont

Alexis is co-founder at Accountable. He is passionate about leveraging data, AI, technology, and entrepreneurship.

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