Holvi is a digital business account platform designed specifically for freelancers, sole traders, and self-employed professionals. Based in Finland and licensed across the EEA, Holvi combines banking, invoicing, expense management, and VAT automation into a single sleek interface for solopreneurs.
We sat down with Henri Isojärvi, CEO of Holvi, to understand how the company is navigating the European neobank landscape, where it’s positioning itself against players like N26 and Revolut Business, and why focusing on “the one-person business” is Holvi’s biggest strength.
Who is Henri Isojärvi?
Henri Isojärvi is a Finnish product strategist and fintech executive with a background at Microsoft and tech-focused VC funds. He became Holvi’s CEO to realign the company’s growth around product focus, compliance, and profitability — steering it through independence after BBVA’s exit.
Interview
What is Holvi in one sentence?
Holvi is a digital business account tailored to the needs of sole traders, combining banking, invoicing, and expense management.
What problem does Holvi solve?
Traditional banks are built for corporations. Freelancers and one-person businesses need simpler tools to manage income, expenses, and taxes — all in one place.
Who is your ideal customer?
Self-employed professionals, freelancers, consultants, digital nomads — typically managing <€100k in annual revenue and needing autonomy with simplicity.
What services does Holvi offer?
- Business account with FI or DE IBANs
- Mastercard business debit card
- Invoicing and quote generation
- Automated expense categorization
- Receipt scanning and storage
- VAT and tax prep tools
- CSV and API export to accountants
What makes Holvi different from Revolut Business or N26?
We are built for freelancers — not SMEs, not corporates. Everything in Holvi is simplified for one-person businesses, not scaled operations.
What licenses do you operate under?
Holvi is a licensed Payment Institution supervised by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA), passported across the EEA.
Is Holvi a bank?
No, we’re a licensed PI. We partner with regulated banks to safeguard funds, offer card issuance, and provide SEPA payments.
Which markets are strongest for Holvi?
Finland, Germany, and Austria are our core markets. We’re expanding again into Spain and the Netherlands.
Do you support SEPA Instant?
Yes, SEPA Instant is available for both incoming and outgoing payments where banks support it.
Do you offer IBANs in the customer’s name?
Yes. Each user receives a personal IBAN, with the option of German or Finnish IBAN depending on location.
Do you integrate with tax tools or accountants?
Yes — we allow CSV and export to tools like DATEV (Germany) and Procountor (Finland), and we’re building deeper integrations.
What’s the onboarding time for users?
Under 10 minutes for most users — full remote KYC with ID scanning and address validation.
Do you charge fees?
We offer both free and paid plans. Paid tiers unlock additional features like multiple accounts, card limits, and accounting exports.
What is your pricing structure?
Basic: Free
Pro: €9/month
Pro+: €15/month
Add-ons include extra cards and accountant access.
Is Holvi profitable today?
We are breakeven and cash-flow positive in key markets. The focus is sustainable growth and retention.
What are your key metrics?
Monthly active users, card spend per user, invoice volume, and churn rate. We also track feature adoption (e.g., invoicing vs expenses).
What’s your current roadmap for 2025?
Launch of the Holvi mobile card app, multi-user business accounts, and AI-based tax suggestions based on categorization patterns.
What trends are you watching?
Freelancer growth, tax digitization, and the rise of solo entrepreneurship in Europe — especially post-COVID.
What’s Holvi’s long-term vision?
To be the #1 financial platform for the self-employed in Europe, with banking, taxes, and admin under one roof.
Competitors
- Revolut Business – Feature-rich but not tailored for freelancers
- N26 Business – Simple UI but limited admin features
- Kontist – Strong in Germany, less EU-wide reach
- Qonto – SME-focused, not freelancer-optimized
- Bunq – Good for tech-savvy users, lacks tax support
Related Searches
- Holvi vs Revolut Business
- Best EU accounts for freelancers
- Holvi Germany IBAN
- Finnish neobank for freelancers
- Holvi invoicing and taxes
- Freelancer business account Europe
FAQ
Is Holvi safe to use?
Yes — Holvi is licensed by the Finnish FSA and user funds are safeguarded under partner banks.
Can I open a Holvi account as a non-Finnish resident?
Yes — Holvi is available across the EEA. Users must have proof of residence in a supported country.
Does Holvi offer a credit card?
No — Holvi provides Mastercard debit cards only.
Is there a mobile app?
Yes, Holvi is fully mobile with real-time notifications, invoicing, and categorization tools.
Can I add my accountant?
Yes — accountant access and data exports are available under Pro+ plans.
Company Services
- Business accounts (FI and DE IBANs)
- Mastercard debit card
- Real-time transaction feed
- Invoicing & quote management
- Expense categorization & receipt capture
- VAT calculation & tax tools
- Accountant integration (CSV/API)
- SEPA & SEPA Instant payments
Product Positioning
- The go-to account for freelancers in Europe
- Focused on self-employed workflows, not SMEs
- Clean UI, no jargon, no bloat
- Fully compliant with Finnish/EEA regulation
- Fast onboarding, real-time notifications, and accountant-ready
