Hello Bank Pro
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Hello Bank Pro is BNP Paribas' online professional account offering, launched in 2021 to compete in the fast-growing market of digital business banking. The product is designed specifically for freelancers and self-employed professionals (indépendants), including micro-entrepreneurs and those operating as SASU or EURL. Being a BNP Paribas product, it carries the weight of France's largest bank behind it, while adopting the speed and simplicity of a fintech interface. The account is not a separate entity; it is a genuine BNP Paribas professional account with full banking capabilities, not a payment institution managed by a partner.
Opening a Hello Bank Pro account is designed to be fast. The application can be completed online in about 15 minutes, and BNP Paribas can issue an account opening certificate quickly, which is a requirement for formally registering a micro-enterprise or SASU with the French business registry. The speed is a practical advantage for entrepreneurs who want to get their business officially registered without waiting weeks for a traditional bank to process paperwork. Once your account is open, you receive a French IBAN, a Visa Business debit card, and access to the online banking platform.
The regulatory status is straightforward: Hello Bank Pro is a traditional bank account held at BNP Paribas. Customer deposits are protected by the French deposit guarantee scheme (FGDR) up to 100,000 euros, the same as any standard bank account. BNP Paribas itself is a major bank regulated by the ACPR with over 200 years of history and operations across Europe. This traditional banking structure differentiates Hello Bank Pro from fintech competitors like Shine or Blank, which operate through payment institutions or electronic money institutions. If you prefer the straightforward assurance of a deposit account at a named bank, Hello Bank Pro provides that without compromise.
Pricing for Hello Bank Pro starts at around 10.90 euros per month (before tax) for the basic Hello Business plan. The pricing is tiered depending on how many services and card options you select. The base plan includes the professional account, a Visa Business debit card, and access to online banking. Transfers within France are free, as are card payments and withdrawals. Foreign exchange transactions and international transfers incur fees, which is standard across French banks. You can pay by the month without commitment, so if the account does not meet your needs after the first month, you can close it and move elsewhere.
The account comes integrated with URSSAF. Like some competitors, Hello Bank Pro allows self-employed professionals to manage their quarterly URSSAF declarations directly from their account. The platform calculates your declared earnings from transactions, shows you the social contributions owed, and can submit the declaration and process the payment. This automation is genuinely valuable for solo operators who find the quarterly tax filing process burdensome. The integration is not quite as deep as Blank's partnership with URSSAF, but it is functional and reduces the administrative friction.
Hello Bank Pro includes invoicing capabilities. You can draft a professional invoice within the platform, add line items, apply taxes, and send it to clients. The same system can track which invoices have been paid and which are outstanding, which helps you monitor cash flow. For a freelancer who was previously using Word or Excel to create invoices, this built-in tool is a practical convenience that keeps everything in one place. You can export invoices in standard formats if you need to share them with an accountant or use them elsewhere.
The platform also supports expense categorization and basic reporting. You can tag transactions as business expenses in real time, which keeps your bookkeeping organized throughout the year instead of requiring a painful reconciliation at tax time. The platform can generate reports on spending by category, which is useful for budgeting and understanding where money is going. For a solo professional, these built-in reports are often sufficient without needing a separate accounting software subscription.
One advantage of Hello Bank Pro over some fintech alternatives is access to BNP Paribas' broader network. If you need to deposit a cheque or handle cash, you can use BNP Paribas' branches across France. If you ever need business credit or a loan, you can apply through the same bank without switching accounts. If you want to add additional services like business insurance or lines of credit, BNP Paribas can arrange these. The integration with traditional banking services works directly because Hello Bank Pro is actually a BNP Paribas account, not a third-party platform using a white-label bank. For entrepreneurs who see value in being a customer of a comprehensive bank rather than managing multiple vendors, this integration is a genuine advantage.
The mobile app and web platform are modern and functional. The interface is designed for simplicity; BNP Paribas stripped away the complexity of their traditional professional banking platform and created a streamlined version for self-employed professionals. The result is faster to navigate than the main BNP Paribas portal while still offering the essential features you need. You can check your balance, send transfers, review card transactions, and perform most common tasks without logging into a separate portal or contacting customer service.
Hello Bank Pro explicitly prohibits using the account for larger commercial enterprises or companies with employees. If you are operating as a SASU or SARL with employees, you would need to upgrade to a traditional BNP Paribas professional account package. This limitation reflects the positioning of Hello Bank Pro as an entry-level product for solo professionals and small operators. Once your business grows, you would graduate to a more comprehensive offering.
The account is free to close if you want to switch banks later. There are no long-term commitments or penalties for closing the account. This low-friction exit is worth knowing; if you try Hello Bank Pro and decide it is not the right fit, you can move your business elsewhere without cost.
Compared to traditional professional accounts at BNP Paribas, which can run 40 to 50 euros per month or more depending on services, Hello Bank Pro at under 11 euros per month is significantly cheaper. The trade-off is that you are accepting a simplified account without overdraft facilities, credit, or some of the advisory services that come with a traditional business banking relationship. For a solo professional who just needs an account and basic tools, the simplification is worth the savings. For someone who expects to use multiple banking services or wants a dedicated relationship manager, a traditional account might be better despite the higher cost.
Hello Bank Pro appeals to freelancers and self-employed professionals who want a professional account from a major, trusted bank but prefer speed and simplicity over extensive features. The combination of BNP Paribas' regulatory credibility, fast account opening, integrated URSSAF support, and competitive pricing makes it a strong middle ground between fintech startups and traditional professional banking. If you are starting out and want a reliable account from an established bank without unnecessary complexity, Hello Bank Pro delivers on that promise.