Business financing made easy

To use installment payments, you must first sign the functionality contract and meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• be a Qonto customer for at least 6 months; 
• have a company registered for more than 9 months; 
• have your business domiciled in France; 
• have activated two-step authentication (2FA) in the Qonto app.

Based on the data we have on your company, we calculate the credit you can access for installment payments.

Note that the available credit amount can increase or decrease each month depending on our reassessment of your repayment capacity.

Your eligibility must be maintained to continue using installment payments on Qonto. Access to the feature is revoked by Qonto in the following cases: 

• your company is seized due to debts; 
• your Qonto account balance is insufficient when one of the three installment payments is debited.

For more information on installment payments and eligibility conditions, check our dedicated FAQ.

Each partner sets its own eligibility criteria. Therefore, the possibility of obtaining financing for your company mainly depends on: 

• the date your company was established; 
• the age of your Qonto business account; 
• your country of residence; 
• your revenue; 
• your financial liabilities.

Other factors may work in your favor, such as a strong growth potential or high equity.

Note that Qonto does not guarantee loan approval, even if you meet the eligibility criteria. Each partner is free to accept or reject your financing request based on the quality of your application.

With Qonto, your company can get what it needs, when it needs it. 

This allows you to:  

• manage your daily expenses: protect your cash flow with an immediate cash advance to finance your supplier purchases;  
• boost your growth: finance your activity peaks with funds available at the best time for your stock purchases, equipment, or high marketing expenses;  
• handle urgent expenses with ease: cover payment delays, repair needs, and other unforeseen expenses for your business.

Most businesses need money to expand or develop their activity. 

Here are the 3 main financing methods companies can use to improve their cash flow.

1. Equity financing

Equity financing remains essential when starting a business. To cover cash flow needs at the launch of the activity, partners make cash contributions.

This step involves proceeding with the capital deposit to finalize the company's registration procedures.

During the company's life, business development may require increasing equity. To meet these financing needs, partners have several options: 

• increase capital to make new contributions; 
• contribute funds via a partner current account; 
• open the company's capital to other investors.

If your financing needs are related to investments, contact local authorities for investment grants. The main advantage of this financing method: companies are not obliged to repay the borrowed sums.

2. Professional bank loan

Among the different sources of financing, professional credit remains one of the preferred options for businesses. However, convincing banks is not always easy for an entrepreneur.

Banks want to minimize the risks involved in case your business launch fails. Therefore, they usually require significant personal contributions: between 10 and 50% of the credit amount.

In addition to a contribution and a convincing business plan, banks require solid guarantees on assets held by the company or partners before granting a professional credit to a business. For example: 

• joint and several guarantee that allows banks to transfer the debt to the managers without having to act against the company first; 
• pledging of shares or business assets.

3. Other external financing

You don't have sufficient financial assets and personal contributions to improve your credibility in the eyes of banks? Other financing methods exist to develop your business if you encounter difficulties accessing bank credit.

If you want to acquire movable or immovable equipment, leasing is an excellent alternative to finance this need. To do this, you contact specialized companies that will buy these goods to rent them to you.

At the end of the leasing contract, three options are available to you: 

• return the asset to the company; 
• renew the leasing contract; 
• purchase the asset at a lower price, as it takes into account the rents paid.

Little known to SMEs in France, factoring is among the best alternatives for companies looking to improve their cash flow. This method allows a company to sell its commercial receivables to a specialized organization, called a factor.

In addition to covering your short-term financing needs, implementing factoring frees you from the risk of unpaid debts. Indeed, the factor is responsible for debt collection.

Among external financing sources, crowdfunding is increasingly attracting SMEs in France. Opting for a crowdfunding platform allows you to quickly raise funds from a large audience of contributors: individual investors.

More than an alternative to bank loans, crowdfunding generally complements a professional credit.

Does your entrepreneurial project have strong growth potential? Turn to venture capital companies or individuals experienced in financial investments: business angels.

If you are starting a business, know that you can obtain financing, including a bank loan. However, banks will refuse to cover your financing needs if you do not have a personal contribution, regardless of your industry. 

In this case, other sources of financing can help you gather the necessary funds to launch your business: 

• find partners: this task will be easier if your project has strong growth potential; 
• apply for an honor loan from specialized organizations such as France Active or ADIE (Association for the Right to Economic Initiative); 
• raise funds from family and friends: this financing method is called "love money"; 
• launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds from individual investors; 
• request a microcredit. Limited to €10,000, this solution is recommended for projects with a low risk rate, such as a craft activity.

In addition to these financing methods, the State offers various aids to support business creators or buyers: 

• ACRE, which allows you to benefit from a partial exemption from social charges; 
• the NACRE (New Support for Business Creation or Takeover) scheme, which gives you access to a zero-interest loan for financing your business; 
• ARCE, a financial aid provided by France Travail to job seekers who are business creators or buyers. It consists of receiving part of your unemployment benefits as a capital, allowing you to receive 60% of the remaining ARE rights in two installments.

Finally, know that women entrepreneurs can benefit from specific financing sources when they start or take over a business. For example: 

• the "ÉGALITÉ women" guarantee which covers up to 80% of a bank loan, up to €50,000; 
• the "Wom’energy" program which offers peer-to-peer support and provides access to an honor loan ranging from €15,000 to €50,000 for women entrepreneurs.

Whether for starting or developing their activity, a self-employed entrepreneur can apply for a professional bank loan if their application is strong. Indeed, the bank must ensure that the micro-enterprise is trustworthy and that its income is stable. 

Several supporting documents may be requested from the individual entrepreneur, such as:  

• their ID; 
• a proof of address less than three months old;  
• the latest revenue certificate provided by Urssaf;  
• the last three account statements;  
• etc. 

Similarly, a personal contribution of around 20% of the total borrowed amount is often required. 

The bank will also require guarantees to cover the loan in case of default by the self-employed entrepreneur. This could be borrower insurance or a guarantee, for example. 

The micro-entrepreneur can also obtain a professional microcredit, an honor loan, or turn to crowdfunding. 

Finally, you can turn to Qonto to obtain one of the business financings accessible to micro-entrepreneurs through our partners. 

To do this, choose the partner that best suits your needs from the Qonto app and submit your financing request. You will receive the funds within a few days if approved, directly into your business account. 

Whether due to a decline in activity, unpaid invoices, or the loss of an important client, a company can quickly find itself in financial difficulty. 

In this context, several financing solutions exist to help struggling companies regain healthy cash flow and make new investments. 

The first solution is to apply for a loan from a bank. However, it can be difficult to obtain bank financing when the first signs of difficulty appear. Banks are more cautious when it comes to financing a company with an overdrawn bank account. 

These companies can then resort to public aid. In France, several aid schemes exist:  

• the possibility of obtaining a payment delay, a reduction, or a waiver of tax and social debts;  
• support from Codefi (Departmental Committee for the Examination of Business Financing Problems) for companies with fewer than 400 employees;  
• support from Ciri (Interministerial Committee for Industrial Restructuring) for companies with more than 400 employees. 

Companies in difficulty can also contact the Credit Mediation to obtain a bank loan or restructure an existing credit. This free service is offered by the Bank of France. 

Numerous financial solutions exist to help young entrepreneurs get started. For example:  

• honor loans offered by organizations operating at the national level such as Réseau Entreprendre, Initiative France, or France Active;  
• a flat-rate bonus of €1,000 for young entrepreneurs under 30 who have obtained a microcredit from Adie and meet the eligibility criteria;  
• the Aid for Business Creators and Buyers (ACRE) dedicated to young people aged 18 to 25;  
• participation in entrepreneurship competitions to win cash prizes, such as the Pépite prize;  
• regional aids dedicated to young entrepreneurs aiming to establish themselves locally. 

Young entrepreneurs can also benefit from support programs and dedicated statuses, such as:  

• the national student-entrepreneur status;  
• the Young University Business status;  
• the 1jeune 1mentor mentoring program for Entrepreneurship, implemented by Moovjee.

Thanks to the installment payment solution for your invoices on Qonto, eligible users can pay their supplier invoices with borrowed funds when they don't have enough money in their Qonto account.

Here's how it works if you're eligible. 

Qonto grants you a credit of up to €100,000, which is instantly available in your Qonto account. To be eligible, the minimum supplier invoice amount must be €150.

Regarding repayments, the advanced amount and interest are divided into 3, 9, or 12 equal installments: 

• the first installment is automatically debited from your Qonto account 30 days after the initial purchase date;  
• the second installment is debited one month later, 60 days after the purchase;  
• the third and final installment is debited one month later, 90 days after the purchase.

You can also repay your financing early at any time to reduce or even eliminate the remaining interest on the financed invoice.

The nominal monthly rate starts at 0.62%. Effective rates are calculated based on your company's profile and payment history. They are displayed in your account before each financing request.

Financing your invoices on Qonto offers several advantages for your business: 

• you get up to €100,000 in a few clicks;  
• you avoid delays in paying your supplier invoices;  
• you can decide to repay your financing whenever you want, without fees;  
• you limit the risk of default.

Once you have signed the contract to use our installment payment solution, the funds are made available instantly. They can be used at any time from the Financing > Installment Payment section of your Qonto account, or directly when paying a supplier invoice by transfer.