Kontist as a Revolut alternative: Made for the self-employed in Germany
If you are looking for an alternative to Revolut, you are comparing two solutions with different priorities. Revolut Pro is primarily aimed at self-employed professionals who conduct business internationally. Kontist, on the other hand, was developed specifically for the needs of self-employed professionals in Germany and also supports you with taxes, bookkeeping, and financial organization. With Kontist, you benefit from advantages including:
- Automatic tax estimates showing how much money you have available after taxes
- Invoice, receipt, and tax management directly in the app
- Less need for additional bookkeeping and financial management tools
Users love the Kontist app
4.5
on the Google Play Store
4.7
on the App Store
Users love the Kontist app
Is Kontist a good alternative to Revolut?
Whether Kontist or Revolut Pro is the better fit for you primarily depends on what you need from your business account. If you regularly work with different currencies or international payments are an important part of your business, Revolut Pro offers many suitable features.
If you are self-employed in Germany, however, other matters are often more important: planning for taxes, setting aside money for income tax and VAT, and knowing how much of your income is actually available to you at any given time.
Kontist could be the better choice if you:
want a clearer overview of your tax liability
want to spend less time on administrative tasks
want to use as few additional tools as possible
are looking for a solution developed specifically for the self-employed in Germany
Kontist vs. Revolut Pro: Direct comparison
Both providers offer modern business accounts with a wide range of digital features. The differences often become apparent only in day-to-day use. While Revolut Pro focuses on international financial features, Kontist also supports you with many of the administrative tasks involved in being self-employed in Germany.
The following comparison shows how Kontist Plus and Revolut Pro differ in the most important areas.
Banking
Kontist Plus | Revolut Pro (with Premium plan) | |
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Mobile apps (iOS & Android) |
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Web app |
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German IBAN |
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Subaccounts | 5 | Up to 100 |
Free SEPA transfers & direct debits | 100/month | Unlimited in most plans |
Real-time notifications |
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Foreign currencies |
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Debit card | Virtual & physical | Virtual & physical |
Apple Pay & Google Pay |
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Loans |
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Account statements |
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Biometric authentication |
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Standing orders |
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Bulk transfers |
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Automatic tax calculation |
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Bookkeeping & Taxes
Kontist Plus | Revolut Pro (with Premium plan) | |
|---|---|---|
Invoicing tool |
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Receipt scanning |
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Submit VAT returns to the tax office |
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AI-powered bookkeeping |
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Add external transactions |
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Fixed asset tracking |
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Integrations with external accounting software |
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Business reports (BWA) |
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Export
Kontist Plus | Revolut Pro (with Premium plan) | |
|---|---|---|
CSV export |
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BWA export |
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DATEV export with receipts |
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Customer service
Kontist Plus | Revolut Pro (with Premium plan) | |
|---|---|---|
Chat & email |
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Blog & Help centre articles |
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Phone support |
| Available depending on plan |
Automatic tax estimation with Kontist
With real-time tax estimation, you'll always know how much of your money is actually available after taxes. Kontist automatically calculates your income tax and VAT based on incoming payments and sets the estimated amount aside as a tax reserve. The settings can be customised to match your individual tax situation.
Automatic tax calculation: Income tax and VAT are recalculated automatically after every incoming payment.
Build tax reserves: The estimated tax amount is automatically set aside in a separate subaccount.
Fully customisable: Tax rates, VAT settings and tax prepayment intervals can all be adjusted to suit your individual circumstances.
More highlights from Kontist
Many of Kontist's features are designed to help self-employed professionals organise their finances more efficiently and manage important administrative tasks directly within their business account.
Quotes & Invoices
Create and manage quotes and invoices directly in the app without needing additional software.
Automatic Categorisation
Income and expenses are categorised automatically, with the categorisation becoming increasingly accurate over time.
Google Pay & Apple Pay
Pay contactlessly with your Kontist Visa card while keeping full control of your finances directly in the app.
Easy Account Switching Service
Switching to Kontist is completely online and guides you through the process step by step.
Notes & Receipt Scanning
Attach receipts directly to transactions and export everything together whenever you need it.
Kontist vs. Revolut: Pricing comparison
Revolut Pro is not a standalone plan but is available as part of a Revolut personal account. The monthly cost therefore depends on the Revolut plan you choose.
When comparing prices, however, it's worth looking beyond the monthly account fee. For many self-employed professionals, features such as tax planning, bookkeeping and collaboration with their tax advisor are just as important.
Kontist | Revolut Pro |
|---|---|
Free – 0 € | Starter – 0 € |
Start – 11 € | Plus – 2,99 € |
Plus – 25 € | Premium – 8,99 € |
Metal – 15,99 € | |
Ultra – 65 € |
Who is Kontist the best Revolut alternative for?
While Revolut's strengths lie primarily in international payments and foreign currencies, Kontist focuses on tax planning, bookkeeping and managing business finances for self-employed professionals in Germany.
1. Founders
A straightforward solution for banking and taxes without having to build a complex setup using multiple tools.
2. Small business owners (Kleinunternehmer)
A streamlined setup that keeps income, expenses and receipts organised in one place.
3. Self-employed professionals
Automated processes that save time while making it easier to stay on top of your finances and taxes.
4. GmbH/UG/GbR
Businesses also benefit from Kontist's banking, bookkeeping and financial management features. Unlike Revolut Pro, Kontist isn't limited to solo self-employed professionals.
Make the switch easy with the Kontist account switching service
Thinking about switching from Revolut to Kontist but keep putting it off? Many self-employed professionals stay with their existing business account longer than they intended because switching seems like too much work. With the Kontist Account Switching Service, the process becomes much easier. You'll be guided through each step, making it simple to transfer your existing banking setup.
The switching service helps you:
notify your payment partners about your new account
transfer your existing standing orders
follow a guided, step-by-step switching process
10,000s of freelancers trust in Kontist.
"I feel very well taken care of and can wholeheartedly recommend Kontist."
"The best thing about Kontist is that I can see immediately after each transaction how much is left for me and how much goes to the tax office. This saves me from nasty surprises when I file my tax return".
