Comparison
Penta vs Mercury
A side-by-side look at Penta and Mercury — pricing, regions, integrations, pros and cons. Use the recommender if you'd rather have an AI pick for you.
Penta
The digital business account for German SMEs.
Penta is a German business banking platform offering accounts, Mastercard cards and accounting integrations.
Mercury
Banking built for startups.
Mercury is a tech-forward business bank for startups, offering checking, savings, treasury, debit cards and the IO charge card with up to 1.5% cashback.
Side-by-side
| Spec | Penta | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | The digital business account for German SMEs. | Banking built for startups. |
| Headquarters | Berlin, Germany | San Francisco, USA |
| Founded | 2017 | 2017 |
| Regions | EU | US |
| Card type | Mastercard debit | Debit + IO Credit |
| Pricing | From €9/mo Starter to €79/mo Enterprise. | Banking free; Mercury IO requires $25k+ avg balance. |
| Rewards | — | 1.5% cashback on Mercury IO. |
| Best for | German SMEs | US-incorporated startups, VC-backed companies, Remote founders |
| Integrations | Datev, Xero, Lexoffice | QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite |
Penta: pros & cons
- German market specialist
- DACH-only
Mercury: pros & cons
- Best banking UX for startups
- No monthly fees
- Strong treasury product
- US incorporation required
- Not a traditional bank — partner bank model