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APIs · head to head

Griffin vs Qonto

Griffin logo

Griffin

APIs

UK banking-as-a-service from a company that holds its own full banking licence

From
£100/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Qonto logo

Qonto

Accounting

French neobank and finance management platform for freelancers, SMEs and businesses

From
€9/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Griffin platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.; Qonto pricing in EUR only, not USD
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Griffin and Qonto actually diverge.

Attributes where Griffin and Qonto differ
AttributeGriffinQonto
Starting price£100/month€9/month
Pricing modelPer month with usage drawdownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, REST APIWeb
CategoryAPIsAccounting

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Griffin

  • Bank accounts by API
  • UK payment rails
  • Integrated ledger
  • Automated onboarding
  • Debit cards
  • Interest on balances

Only in Qonto

Nothing recorded that Griffin does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Griffin

  • A wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an EMI safeguarding accountnot Qonto
  • A lender wanting UK accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itselfnot Qonto
  • A fintech burned by sponsor bank instability that wants the deposit holder and the API provider to be the same entitynot Qonto
  • A platform needing sub-account ledgering for pooled client funds with a clean audit trailnot Qonto

Qonto

  • Business bankingnot Griffin
  • Team paymentsnot Griffin
  • Cash flow managementnot Griffin
  • Multi-currency transfersnot Griffin
  • Freelancer paymentsnot Griffin

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Griffin

  • Platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.
  • It is UK-only, so a business with European or US operations needs a second banking provider and a second integration for those entities.
  • It is a young bank with a small balance sheet relative to incumbents, and enterprise counterparties still ask hard questions about concentration risk.
  • Holding a banking licence means Griffin applies bank-grade due diligence to its own clients, so onboarding is slower and more selective than an EMI-based provider.
  • Feature breadth is narrower than long-established providers, particularly in card programme management and in payment types beyond core UK rails.

Qonto

  • Pricing in EUR only, not USD
  • Basic tier limited to 30 transfers per month
  • Add-ons for invoice automation and project tracking cost EUR 12-39/month extra
  • Business tier minimum commitment for small team accounts
  • Business plan minimum pricing EUR 49/month vs self-employed EUR 9/month

Pricing, plan by plan

Griffin

£100/month
  • Business Banking$100/month
    • From 100 pounds per month
    • Interest or commission from around 1.75 percent AER variable
    • Operational accounts and UK payment rails
  • Platform Banking$3500/month
    • One-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds
    • Minimum monthly spend of 3,500 pounds, drawn down by usage
    • Higher committed tiers at 5,000 and 10,000 pounds with discounts
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Bespoke account structures and volumes
    • Negotiated interest or commission share

Qonto

€9/month
  • Basic (Self-Employed)$9/month
    • 30 transfers
    • 1 physical + 2 virtual cards
    • Account remuneration 5% for 2 months
  • Smart (Self-Employed)$19/month
    • 100 transfers
    • 2 physical + 50 virtual cards
    • Account remuneration
  • Premium (Self-Employed)$39/month
    • 200 transfers
    • 2 physical + 50 virtual + 50 Instant cards
  • Essential (Business)$49/month
    • 250 transfers
    • 5 physical + 50 virtual cards
    • Multiple sub-accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Griffin if

  • You need bank accounts by api.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want uk payment rails.
Griffin review

Choose Qonto if

Nothing in the data separates Qonto from Griffin on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Qonto review

Questions people ask

Is Griffin or Qonto better?
Neither clearly leads. Griffin starts at £100/month and Qonto at €9/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Griffin or Qonto?
Griffin starts at £100/month and Qonto at €9/month.
Does Griffin or Qonto run on more platforms?
Griffin runs on Web, REST API. Qonto runs on Web.
What is Griffin best used for?
Griffin is most often used for a wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an emi safeguarding account, a lender wanting uk accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itself, a fintech burned by sponsor bank instability that wants the deposit holder and the api provider to be the same entity, a platform needing sub-account ledgering for pooled client funds with a clean audit trail. Of those, a wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an emi safeguarding account and a lender wanting uk accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itself are not what Qonto is typically brought in for.
What can Griffin do that Qonto cannot?
Griffin covers Bank accounts by API, UK payment rails, Integrated ledger, Automated onboarding.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Griffin: Is Griffin actually a bank?

Yes. It received a UK banking licence with restrictions in March 2023 and a full licence in March 2024 after exiting mobilisation.

Qonto: How much does Qonto cost?

Qonto's self-employed plans range from EUR 9/month (Basic) to EUR 39/month (Premium). Business plans range from EUR 49/month (Essential) to EUR 199/month (Enterprise).

Source
Griffin: What does it cost?

Business banking from 100 pounds a month; platform banking from a 15,000 pound onboarding fee plus a 3,500 pound monthly minimum drawn down by usage.

Qonto: What is included in Qonto's Basic plan?

The Basic plan costs EUR 9/month and includes 30 monthly transfers, 1 physical card and 2 virtual cards, plus account remuneration at 5% for the first 2 months.

Source
Griffin: Does it cover Europe?

No. Griffin is a UK bank serving UK accounts and UK payment rails.

Qonto: What is the difference between self-employed and business plans?

Self-employed plans (Basic to Premium) are for individuals and cost EUR 9-39/month. Business plans (Essential to Enterprise) offer more transfers and cards for teams, ranging from EUR 49-199/month.

Source
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