The opportunity: Accountable saw a chance to solve a major financial challenge for freelancers—helping them automatically set aside tax money instead of scrambling to pay unexpected bills.
The solution: By partnering with Swan, Accountable embedded a freelancer-friendly business account directly into their app, enabling automated tax reserves, seamless invoice payments, and real-time financial clarity.
The impact: In the first week alone, 300+ freelancers opened accounts, gaining better tax compliance, improved financial security, and a smarter way to manage their money.
For freelancers and small businesses, money management isn’t just about tracking income and expenses—it’s about staying ahead of tax obligations, avoiding cash flow surprises, and ensuring financial stability.
Yet, traditional banking wasn’t designed for them. And in the middle of juggling invoices, expenses, and day-to-day core business, there’s one financial mistake that catches nearly every self-employed professional off guard: spending money that isn’t actually theirs.
That’s why Accountable, a leading tax and finance app for self-employed professionals, decided to rethink banking from the ground up.
Building an automated tax reserve system
Accountable had already built a powerful tool to help freelancers create and send invoices, track expenses and file tax returns. But this wasn’t enough. To truly solve the problem, they needed to go a step further—embedding banking into their platform so tax planning became automatic, not an afterthought.
After all, without a dedicated business account, tax money gets mixed into personal finances. Rent, groceries, a client lunch—it all comes from the same pot. Then, tax season hits, and many freelancers are left scrambling to pay a bill they didn’t plan for.
So instead of offering generic bank accounts, they built Accountable Banking—a free, freelancer-friendly business account powered by Swan’s embedded banking technology.
Tino Keller, co-founder of Accountable, put it best:
“Our mission is to give self-employed professionals financial control without the hassle of complex processes. Managing self-employment needs to be easier, especially in economically challenging times. That’s why this business account is completely free.”
From financial management to financial control
Bringing banking into Accountable’s platform wasn’t just about adding another feature—it was about creating a stress-free experience that actually helped freelancers manage their money better. But building a banking solution from scratch? That would have meant navigating a maze of regulatory hurdles, compliance requirements, and operational complexities.
To truly help freelancers, Accountable knew they needed to go beyond open banking connections. Instead of relying on external accounts that required frequent reauthorizations, they wanted full control over the user experience. Embedding banking directly into their app means Accountable can offer:
- Instant syncing of invoices and payments: No delays between getting paid and seeing updated tax reserves.
- Always-on tax automation: Automatically setting aside a percentage of income for tax obligations.
- True financial clarity: Freelancers instantly see what money is theirs to spend and what’s reserved for taxes.
Embedding banking allows Accountable to make financial best practices effortless—without users needing to change their habits.
The search for a fast, compliant path to launching a banking offer
Rather than reinventing the wheel, Accountable sought a partner that could provide a robust, ready-to-go banking infrastructure while still allowing them to tailor the experience to freelancers’ needs. The solution needed to be compliant from day one, deeply integrated into their app, and scalable for future growth. Tino Keller, co-founder of Accountable, shares;
“Freelancers shouldn’t have to stress about setting money aside for taxes—it should just happen. And embedded banking makes this possible. With Swan, we built a business account that automates tax reserves, so our users always know what’s theirs to spend. It’s banking designed for self-employment.”
This is where Swan emerged as an ideal partner. With Swan’s API-driven banking platform, Accountable could launch a business account with a German IBAN, automate tax reserves, and even offer a 2% bonus on invoice payments—all within their existing interface. Most importantly, Swan handles the banking complexity behind the scenes, so Accountable remains focused on what matters most: making financial management effortless for the self-employed.
A game-changer for self-employed professionals
The response to Accountable Banking was immediate and enthusiastic:
- 300+ freelancers opened accounts in the first week
- Users instantly benefited from a 2% bonus on invoices paid on the platform
- Customers now have better tax compliance and improved financial security
For many freelancers, this was their first dedicated business account—one that not only handled transactions but actively helped them manage their finances smarter.
Expanding to support more freelancers across Europe
With such a strong launch in Germany, Accountable is now preparing to expand embedded banking into Belgium and beyond.
As more SaaS companies merge financial services into their platforms, Accountable’s success is a prime example of how embedded banking can drive adoption, improve financial behaviours, and deliver real value for both the financial management business and their end customers.
For freelancers, banking is no longer just about transactions—it’s about smarter money management, better financial planning, and long-term stability.
