Which neobank to choose between Shine, Qonto and N26?
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Are you looking for the ideal neobank to support you in the day-to-day running of your business? Are you hesitating between Shine, Qonto and N26? Our comparison takes into account features, quality of customer service and rates to help you make the right choice. At the end of this article, we'll suggest an alternative to these 3 neobanks.
Sommaire
- Our opinion on Shine vs Qonto vs N26 Business in brief
- Introducing Shine
- Shine's main features
- Shine rates and offers
- Introducing Qonto
- Qonto's main features
- Qonto rates and offers
- Introducing N26
- N26's main features
- N26 rates and offers
- Feature comparison
- Price comparison
- Customer support and reviews
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Which solution should you choose between Shine, N26 and Qonto?
- What's the alternative to Shine, Qonto and N26?
Our opinion on Shine vs Qonto vs N26 Business in brief
Shine, Qonto and N26 are three tried-and-tested solutions. Judging by their ratings on the various platforms dedicated to this purpose, their respective users appear to be satisfied with functionality s offered, despite certain shortcomings.
Hero does, however, offer a number of additional features that make up for their shortcomings.
Hero | Shine | Qonto | N26 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Recipes | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
Customer service | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
Features | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Solution | 💰Price💰 | ✅Avantages✅ | ❌Disadvantages❌ |
---|---|---|---|
Shine | From 7.90 euros | Competitive pricing + Easy account set-up + Billing and accounting management tools + Value for money Good value for money + Intuitive application Intuitive application | Foreign transaction fees +. Customer support available by email only |
Qonto | From 11 euros | An intuitive application + SWIFT transfers + Integration with over 80 accounting tools | No financing offer + No cash deposit No cash deposit + High costs High costs |
N26 | From €4.90 per month ///////. One free account | No traditional banking services such as overdrafts or checkbooks + No cash deposits or withdrawals No cash deposits or withdrawals + No financing offers (unlike Shine and Hero) + No cash advances No financing offer (unlike Shine and Hero) + High costs High costs | No banking products such as cheque payment, cash deposit or overdraft +. Customer support accessible only via livechat on the app |
Introducing Shine
Shine is a neobank launched in 2018 by Nicolas Reboud and Raphaël Simon.Originally, it was a French payment solution. Then, things began to change when the brand was acquired in 2020 by Société Générale.
Shine now has all the hallmarks of a bank, with a range of services including neobank to be precise. In other words, its services are available via a mobile application.
Its target market? Mainly self-employed workers, but also VSEs and SMEs .
Shine's main features
Here are the main features of Shine :
A comprehensive but simplified billing tool
Shine includes a billing tool that allows you to :
Create e-invoicing-compliant quotations and invoices
Send them to your customers
Receive notifications when an invoice is viewed or paid
View invoice and collection history
Set up automatic reminders for late payments
Cash your customer invoices via SumUp
Expense management
Shine you also lets you manage your business expenses from a single interface. The solution supports a variety of payment methods:
Physical maps
Virtual and/or ephemeral cards
What's more, you can modify the parameters from the interface:
Setting or modifying ceilings
Lock/unlock
Activate/deactivate contactless payment
Pay online
For optimal follow-up, you are notified in real time of all expenses incurred.
You can also make transfers, set up recurring transfers, pay for your purchases via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Bank loan products
Shine you provides access to loans The loan application procedure is simplified and 100% online. Funds are released within 72 hours.
Insurance and protection
Shine also offers professional insurance products to protect equipment, employees and revenues.
Shine also includes legal assistance.
Accounting functions
Shine simplifies accounting management through a number of features:
Upload and archive your payment receipts
Send your accounting documents to your accountant and give him/her access to the tool
Integration with your accounting tools
Shine rates and offers
Shine offers 3 price plans:
Shine Basic
Available at 7.90 euros per month, this offer includes :
A French IBAN
A Mastercadr Basic bank card
Virtual maps
A free billing tool
30 transfers per month
40,000 euros in monthly payment limits
Shine Plus
With a subscription fee of 14.90 euros per month, this offer includes :
A payment ceiling of 60,000 euros per month
A monthly withdrawal limit of 2,500 euros
500 euros maximum cash deposits per month
Une carte Mastercard Business world débit
20 virtual cards
60 transfers per month
Shine Pro
This is the most comprehensive offer for businesses. Available at 29 euros per month, it includes :
100 transfers per month
3,000 euros in cash deposits
A range of insurance products: computer breakage and theft insurance and legal assistance
Priority 24/7 access to customer support and callbacks
Introducing Qonto
Founded in 2016, Qonto is one of the very first neobanks. Co-founders Alexandre Prot and Steve Anavi designed it specifically for meet the needs of the self-employed and small businesses.
As proof of its dazzling success, in February 2021 the neobank will be included in the Next40 index of the most promising French Tech companies.
Qonto offers are now available for the self-employed and small businesses, as well as for SARLs and SASs with larger capital.
Qonto's main features
Here are Qonto's main features:
Simplified accounting management
Qonto allows you to scan :
Your paper receipts
Archive your receipts
Import your supplier invoices
Etc.
In short, you can centralize accounting management from Qonto.
Qonto rates and offers
Qonto offers two types of package, one for freelancers and the other for companies.
It's the corporate offer that interests us here.
The Qonto offer for businesses comes in 3 packages:
Qonto Essential
It is available at 29 euros per month. It includes 2 physical cards, 4 accounts, 3 cheque cashings and 100 SEPA transfers.
Qonto Business is a 99-euro-per-month package . It includes 500 SEPA transfers, 1 cheque cashing and 5 accounts.
Qonto Entreprise available at 249 euros per month . It offers an unlimited number of accounts, 1,000 SEPA transfers and 1 physical card.
Qonto does not offer a Freemium package. However, each package is available as a 30-day, no-obligation trial.
A MasterCard bank card
Every Qonto package lets you have at least one bank card.
An intuitive tool
Easy to handle, Qonto's application allows you to :
Manage your account
Consulter vos soles
Making payments
Making transfers
Etc.
Responsive customer service
Qonto customer support is available by phone and chat.
Introducing N26
N26 is a Berlin-based neobank. It was launched in Germany in 2013 by Valentin Stalf and Maximilian Tayenthal . It has around 8 million customers across Europe, including 2 million in France. N26 has been present in France since the end of 2016.
This makes it one of the most popular neobanks on the continent. It has an application that allows you to manage your account remotely.
N26's main features
Here are the main features of the German neobank:
Mastercard bank card
As soon as you open an account with N26, you get a free e-card.
You also get a physical N26 MasterCard, for €10.
Accounting management functions
N26 allows you to :
Categorize and control your expenses and those of your employees
Check your balance in real time
Etc.
Free foreign currency withdrawals and payments
This is N26's main strength. Withdrawals and payments in foreign currencies are free of charge.
Insurance
N26 offers a range of insurance and protection against :
Cancellation or modification of stay
Medical emergencies
Flight delays
Digital camera theft
Responsive customer support
N26 customer support is available via the app's livechat.
N26 rates and offers
N26 offers 4 packages:
N26 Business Standard
This is N26's free offer. It is aimed at micro-entrepreneurs and includes a virtual card. The physical card costs 10 euros a month;
She allows you to perform routine operations . This offer is ideal for testing the neobank's functionalities.
Other features include
3 free withdrawals per month. Additional withdrawals are charged at 2 euros
1.7% commission on foreign currencies
N26 Business Smart
Available at €4.90 per month, this package includes :
5 free withdrawals
Customer service by phone
A physical Mastercard N26 World
N26 Business You
Available for 9.90 euros a month, it includes Allianz insurance and free cash withdrawals abroad. It gives access to all the features of the Business Smart offer, plus :
Free foreign currency withdrawals
A physical You Mastercard
Insurance services
N26 Business Metal
This is N26's most comprehensive offer at €16.90 per month. It offers :
Premium customer support
Une carte Mastercard World Elite
8 free withdrawals per month
Feature comparison
Here's a comparison of the three neobanks based on the features they offer:
Account management
For neobanks, account management is exclusively via an application.
Shine demonstrates a comparative advantage over its competitors. Shine stands out for its advanced billing and accounting features.
Additional services
The three banks offer complementary insurance and accounting management services.
Ease of use and user interface
When it comes to neobanks, the quality of the application and the user experience plays a key role. fundamental role .
Judging by user reviews and ratings on rating platforms, Shine seems to win out over the other two solutions.
Price comparison
Pricing is an important factor in comparing our 3 tools.
Shine subscriptions
Shine subscriptions are available from 7.90 euros per month .
Qonto subscriptions
Qonto subscriptions are chers compared to the other players in our comparison. They are available at From 29 euros per month .
N26 subscriptions
N26 is the only one in our comparison to offer a free account. Apart from that, its pay-as-you-go offers are also the most competitive, starting at just 4.90 euros a month.
Value for money
In terms of value for money, it's N26 wins the duel . In fact, despite its affordable rates, the neobank makes its customers very happy.
Customer support and reviews
Customer reviews are almost the most important tool for comparing solutions
Quality of Shine customer support
The quality of its customer support is one of Shine's key assets. Voted Customer Service of the Year 2024, it is appreciated for its responsiveness.
Quality of Qonto customer support
The quality of customer support is one of the advantages highlighted by Qonto users. The latter is praised for its responsiveness. It is accessible by phone and chat.
Quality of N26 customer support
N26's customer support is only accessible via its bookchat, which can be an inconvenience for some customers.
User feedback
Shine benefits an excellent rating on customer review platforms. It scores 4.6/5 on Google store; 4.6/5 on Trustpilot and 4.8/5 on Apple store. In general, the French neobank receives positive reviews.
User reviews highlight the quality of its customer service and the ease of use of its application.
For its part, Qonto a rating of 4.75 on Trustpilot. Its users are particularly impressed by the responsiveness of its customer support, the features of its bank card and the user-friendliness of its application.
Overall, reviews of N26 are also fairly positive. The German neobank received a score of 4.8/5 on Apple Pay and 3.2 /5 on Google Pay. Our users particularly appreciate our attractive rates and accessible customer service.
Advantages and disadvantages
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each solution:
The benefits of Shine
Here are the main highlights of Shine:
Attractive rates tailored to different needs and structure sizes
Advanced accounting and billing functions
Integration with accounting tools
Responsive customer support
Shine's drawbacks
Shine also has the following disadvantages:
No checkbook
Foreign transaction fees
Customer support available by email only
The benefits of Qonto
Here are the main advantages of the Qonto pro account:
Easy account opening . This is an advantage that Qonto shares with the other two neobanks in our comparison. Indeed, the very essence of a neobank is that you can open an account with just a few clicks from your computer or smartphone.
All you have to do is upload the various documents required, and that's it - you don't have to go to an agency.
An ergonomic, easy-to-use interface. The Qonto application offers a smooth, pleasant user experience.
International transfers . Unlike Shine, Qonto accepts SWIFT transfers. So if you have a clientele on the other side of the Atlantic, this is a significant advantage.
Responsive customer service available 24/7
Integration with over 80 billing, accounting, cash management and messaging tools
Qonto's drawbacks
Qonto also has a number of drawbacks:
The absence of traditional banking services such as overdrafts and chequebooks
No cash deposits or collections
Lack of financing (unlike Shine and Hero)
Relatively high costs
The advantages of N26
Here are the main advantages of N26:
An ergonomic, secure application featuring 3D Secure authentication
A free offer
No income requirement
Free foreign currency payments
A French IBAN
The disadvantages of N26
N26 also has its drawbacks:
The absence of banking products such as cheque payments, cash deposits or overdrafts
Customer support accessible only via the application's bookchat
Which solution should you choose between Shine, N26 and Qonto?
For maximum efficiency, it's best to choose according to your business sector, your needs and your structure.
For freelancers and self-employed workers
If you're a self-employed person who travels a lot or often exchanges internationally, Shine and N26 seem to be of interest.
For VSEs and SMEs
Qonto is popular with VSEs and SMEs who have a greater need for banking products it's best to opt for Qonto.
What's the alternative to Shine, Qonto and N26?
logo-hero
If you're looking for a solution that combines banking products and financing solutions, look no further because Hero ticks all the boxes.
Founded in 2021, Hero offers:
A free pro account with physical and digital bank cards and a deferred payment option
An online payment solution at unbeatable prices
Flexible, no-obligation financing solutions (BNPL in B2B, accelerated payment on marketplaces (Amazon...), receivables and debt financing)
In short, neobanks Shine, Qonto and N26 Each offers its own advantages, but also has its own drawbacks. A newcomer, Hero is positioned as a real alternative, with innovative functionalities aimed particularly at SMEs and VSEs.