Best business bank account in Italy

Iif you’re new to doing business in Italy, or if you’re a non-resident or expat there, you might find it challenging to select the right account to cover all your needs. This guide will cover both how to open a business account and which banks or providers are best for expats and non-residents.

We’ll cover some major Italian bank options as well as specialist providers like Wise Business which has multi-currency account features with no monthly fees, mid-market exchange rates and perks like accounting integrations to cut down on admin.

Can non-residents open a business account in Italy?

Yes. A non-resident can open a business account in Italy.

If you have an Italian registered business you can choose to open a business account with a bank like Unicredit, or a specialist provider like Wise or Revolut.

Not all Italian banks allow non-resident account opening, and you may not be able to open an account if your business is registered outside of the provider’s service area.

That said, there are options. In this guide we’ll focus on the business accounts available for non-residents of Italy so you can decide which is best for your specific needs.

Best business bank accounts in Italy:

To help you select the best business bank accounts in Italy for your specific needs, we’ve compared a range of account options from specialist providers, alongside major Italian banks.

Methodology: We’ve picked low fee accounts which support applications from Italian business owners including non-residents where possible, and looked at international features and fees including supported currencies and transfer costs, to help the owners of Italian based businesses trading globally find a good fit.

We’ve used Wise, Revolut and Airwallex as specialist providers which are not banks, as well as Unicredit to give an idea of the bank features offered.

Here’s a comparison on important features and fees, with more detail on each option right after.

Provider/Bank	Eligibility	Key fees	Supported currencies	International transfer fees
Wise Business Account	Business owners in Italy and many other countries	Free registration 55 EUR for full feature access No monthly fee	40+ currencies supported to hold Receive 8+ currencies with local account details, and 20+ with SWIFT details	Low, transparent fee from 0.47%
Revolut Business Account	Business owners in Italy with a residence in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland	No account opening fee Monthly fees from 10 EUR – 90 EUR	25+ currencies supported to hold Receive EUR, RON and GBP with local details, and all other supported currencies with SWIFT details	No fee to plan limits, then 5 EUR Currency conversion fees of 0.6% apply when plan limit is exceeded 1% weekend exchange fee applies
Airwallex Business Account	Business owners in Italy and many other countries	No account opening fee Monthly fees from 0 EUR – 999 EUR/month	20+ currencies supported to receive and hold	No fee for local transfers to 120+ countries SWIFT transfers to 200+ countries for 10 EUR – 20 EUR Interbank rate + 0.5% or 1% depending on currencies
Unicredit Imprendo Start Account	Owners of Italian businesses – non-resident applications may be possible, depending on situation	No account opening fee Monthly fees of 16 EUR	EUR	Fees depend on the payment type and value – details available on request from Unicredit

Wise Business Account

💡 Great for: No ongoing fees, with 40+ supported currencies, and mid-market rate currency conversions

Use a Wise Business Account to hold 40+ currencies, and set up account details for your business in 20+ currencies, allowing customers to pay you in their preferred currency conveniently. If you need to send payments overseas, transfers can be fast, and on some routes may be instant*. Wise uses the mid-market rate with fees from 0.47%**, making this a great option for Italian businesses which trade internationally.

Plus get business friendly perks like the Wise card for business to use overseas without foreign currency transaction fees, batch transfers, and integrations with your favourite accounting software and save time on admin. Choose from Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and more.

* The speed of transaction claims depends on individual circumstances and may not be available for all transactions

** The fees vary by currency route, amount and payment method; the total price, including all fees, is shown upfront before you pay

Account fees: No monthly fee, Free registration, 55 EUR for full feature access

Support currencies: 40+ currencies supported to hold, Receive 8+ currencies with local account details, and 20+ with SWIFT details

International payments: Low, transparent fee from 0.47%

Exchange rates: Mid-market rate

Eligibility criteria: Business owners in Italy and many other countries

Required documents: Proof of ID and address, business registration documents – details of beneficial owners also required

Revolut Business Account

💡 Great for: Select between different account plans depending on your transaction needs, with 25+ supported currencies and some no fee transactions monthly

Revolut Business has 3 different off the shelf account plans, as well as enterprise level services, to allow companies of different sizes to access the features that matter to them. All accounts offer business debit and expense cards, and ways to receive and hold 25+ currencies.

There are some no fee transactions included in all account plans, which vary depending on the plan selected. Pick a plan with a higher monthly fee to secure more no fee transactions, or stick with the Basic plan for a low monthly fee and only a small number of no fee transactions.

Account fees: No account opening fee, Monthly fees from 10 EUR – 90 EUR

Support currencies: 25+ currencies supported to hold, Receive EUR, RON and GBP with local details, and all other supported currencies with SWIFT details

International payments: No fee to plan limits, then 5 EUR

Exchange rates: Revolut rate to plan limit. Currency conversion fees of 0.6% apply when plan limit is exceeded, 1% weekend exchange fee applies

Eligibility criteria: Business owners in Italy with a residence in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland

Required documents: Proof of ID and address, business registration documents – details of beneficial owners also required

Airwallex Business Account

💡 Great for: Companies taking customer card payments in multiple currencies, with ways to hold and receive 20+ currencies easily

The Airwallex Business Account is popular with ecommerce and fully digital businesses as it offers a great selection of ways to get paid by customers by bank transfer and with local and global cards. You can choose the most basic account which has no monthly fee, or an account with ongoing costs which unlocks more features and lower per transaction charges.

All Airwallex accounts have features like corporate cards, multi-currency account features and expense management tools.

Account fees: No account opening fee, service fees from 0 EUR – 999 EUR/month

Support currencies: 20+ currencies supported to receive and hold

International payments: No fee for local transfers to 120+ countries, SWIFT transfers to 200+ countries for 10 EUR – 20 EUR

Exchange rates: Interbank rate + 0.5% or 1% depending on currencies

Eligibility criteria: Business owners in Italy and many other countries

Required documents: Proof of ID and address, business registration documents – details of beneficial owners also required

Unicredit Imprendo Start Account

💡 Great for: Low fee account from a major Italian bank for businesses and freelancers

The Unicredit Imprendo Start Account is available for small business owners and freelancers, and holds EUR only. There’s a low fee of 16 EUR/month which gets you an international debit card, and covers the fees for up to 50 centralized transactions per quarter. As you’re getting an account from an Italian bank you may also get access to additional services like loans and working capital, credit cards and mortgages for your new company.

Account fees: No account opening fee, service fees of 16 EUR/month

Support currencies: EUR

International payments: Check directly with the bank

Exchange rates: Exchange rate markups are likely to apply

Eligibility criteria: Owners of Italian businesses – subject to approval

Required documents: Proof of ID and address, business registration documents – details of beneficial owners also required

How to choose the right account for your business

It’s important to choose the right account for your business to cut the costs of financial transactions and make sure you have access to all the services your business might need right now and in the future.

Italian banks tend to offer everyday and saving accounts which are split by business size, with some tailored to new companies and startups, and others more for growing and established organizations. When you decide which account is best for your needs, you’ll need to consider the following points:

• Ongoing account fees: Ongoing fees can eat into your profits. Italian banks and specialist providers may offer accounts with no monthly charges, or with ways to waive fees.
• Account transaction fees: Other costs apply to most accounts, depending on how you transact. Look at the fees for common transactions carefully to make sure you know what to expect.
• Feature availability: Check the account has all the features you need. Digital accounts may not support cash deposits for example, while Italian banks tend not to offer multi-currency features.
• Eligibility: Some banks limit accounts to people with a local Italian address and businesses registered in Italy, while digital providers may be more flexible.
• Currency options: If you need to hold, send or receive foreign currencies you may benefit from a multi-currency account with ways to get paid in foreign currency without converting back to EUR – options like Wise and Revolut can be a good pick.
• International payments: Paying contractors, suppliers and overseas employees can be costly. Choose a provider which supports low cost transfers with good exchange rates to save on fees.

How to open a business account in Italy:

The exact process to open a business account in Italy can depend on the provider or bank you select. However, the process is usually quite uniform.

Here’s how to open a business account in Italy in a few simple steps.

Step 1: Understand the requirements

If you’re opening an account with an Italian bank you’ll need to check that you’re eligible to apply, based on your residence and business type. Some banks do not offer accounts to businesses owned by non-residents, and in almost all cases there are restrictions on some business types. Aside from this, accounts may have a minimum deposit amount which you’ll want to check out.

Specialist providers like Wise and Revolut do have their own eligibility requirements, but these may be more flexible, depending on your personal situation.

Step 2: Gather your documents

All banks and specialist providers need to see some paperwork to support your application. This usually includes:

• Proof of ID like your passport – a secondary ID document may also be needed
• If you’re a foreigner in Italy you may need to show proof of legal residencyif relevant
• Proof of address like a utility bill
• Your tax information and number
• Business registration documents – the requirements here vary according to entity type

In most cases you also need to provide information and documents for beneficiary owners – anyone with a large stake in your business – and directors. Check with your preferred bank or provider directly so you know what’s needed.

Step 3: Submit your application

Banks often ask you and any co-applicants to visit a branch in person to submit your application. You can make an appointment in advance and a member of the team will take you through the application process. Take along your documents to show for verification.

If you choose a digital first provider, the application, verification and onboarding process is normally done online.

Step 4: Fund your account and start to transact

Once your account is verified – which may be instant or may take a few days – you can fund your account and start to transact. If you’ve applied online, your account materials like a debit card will be mailed to your registered address.

Conclusion

Italian business owners have a good choice of account options depending on entity type and transaction requirements. You can choose an account from an Italian bank or a specialist provider like Wise or Revolut. Ultimately, the best option for your business will depend on your specific business type and residency status.

If you’re an Italian resident and need cash deposit services, a business account from a bank like Unicredit might be a good choice. Or if you’re running a company with a more international outlook, a provider like Wise Business could be an excellent pick for multi-currency payment solutions, low fees and the mid-market rate when you send, spend or exchange currencies.

FAQs

Can a non-resident open a business account in Italy?

Yes. A foreigner can open a business account in Italy. If you have an Italian registered business you can choose to open a business account with a bank like Unicredit, or a specialist provider like Wise or Revolut.

Can I use a personal account for business purposes?

Some entity types must have a dedicated business account by law – but even if you’re a sole trader or freelancer, opening a business account can be an excellent option. Having a dedicated business account makes it easier to view and manage company transactions, track performance and access business friendly features.

How much money is needed to open an account?

Business accounts often have no or low charges to open an account in the first place. However, ongoing monthly fees may apply to some accounts which can mount up quickly.

Useful resources

• Wise Business – Wise Business Italian landing page with links to pricing and features
• Revolut Business – Revolut Business landing page
• Revolut Business pricing – Compare Revolut Business plan features and fees side by side
• Airwallex – Airwallex global landing page
• Airwallex pricing – Airwallex pricing page for the EU
• Unicredit Imprendo Start account – Unicredit business account homepage
• Unicredit Imprendo Start business fees – Comprehensive Unicredit business fee schedule

*Details checked on 13th November 2025