Is Pennylane really free for a micro-enterprise?

Yes, up to 1,200 invoices a year: compliant invoicing, a mobile app, support five days a week and collaboration with a chartered accountant are included at no charge as long as the business stays under the micro-enterprise regime.

Where is my accounting data hosted?

In Europe: the main infrastructure runs on AWS in Ireland, and SecNumCloud 3.2-qualified hosting exists at 3DS Outscale in France for uses that require it. Pennylane has been ISO 27001 certified since August 2023.

Will Pennylane be ready for the 2026 e-invoicing reform?

The vendor presents itself as an approved platform, registered pending, and as a dematerialization operator, with the feature integrated free of charge for existing customers ahead of the September 2026 deadline. The word "pending" still appears on its own page as of the verification date.

How much does Pennylane cost to move from the free tier to the first paid tier?

The Starter tier starts at 7 €/month excl. tax for one user. The full accounting module only becomes available at the Premium tier, at 79 €/month excl. tax.

What happens to my data if I leave Pennylane?

Under direct invoicing, you have 30 days to export your data before it is deleted. Under collaborative management with a chartered accountant who stays on the platform, access continues for as long as they remain registered.

Pennylane: our review

Pennylane centralizes accounting, invoicing and cash management for French small businesses and chartered accounting firms, with a free tier for micro-enterprises and an offering built around France's 2026 e-invoicing reform.

Data in the EUFree version, then paid·from €7/monthFrench

Go to Pennylane's website

What we take away from it

What counts in its favor

A free tier dedicated to micro-enterprises, up to 1,200 invoices a year, with compliant invoicing, a mobile app and support five days a week.
Data hosted in Europe — AWS in Ireland, plus SecNumCloud 3.2-qualified hosting at 3DS Outscale in France — with ISO 27001 certification since August 2023.
Status as an approved e-invoicing platform integrated at no extra cost for existing customers ahead of the September 2026 deadline.

What counts against it

The full accounting module — closings, tax filings, financial statements — exists only in the Premium plan at 79 €/month excl. tax, more than ten times the Starter plan's rate.
As of July 30, 2026, the vendor itself describes its registration as an approved platform as "pending": the final status is therefore not yet secured for every use.
Every documented plan is priced per single user; the cost for a team is not shown on the pricing page.

A solid free entry point for a micro-enterprise, and a serious offering for a small business that wants to bring everything together; check the real price of the accounting module before comparing it with a traditional firm.

The facts

First paid tier: €7/month — Starter, excl. tax
Data hosting: Data in the EU · source
Categories: Accounting and finance
Data verified on: 30 July 2026

What happens to your data

Is your data used to train their models?
Subprocessors: The list of sub-processors is referred to the general terms of sale; it is not published in full on the pages reviewed.
Retention: 30 days of export after a subscription ends under direct invoicing; under collaborative management with a chartered accountant, data stays accessible for as long as the accountant remains on the platform.

Pennylane in detail

Pennylane targets sole traders and accounting firms that want to manage invoicing, cash flow and bookkeeping in one place, without re-entering the same figures across three pieces of software. The publisher is French, and the 2026 e-invoicing reform takes up a good part of its current communication.

What it actually does

A micro-business starts for free: compliant invoicing, bank synchronisation, mobile app, up to 1,200 invoices a year. A growing small business moves up a tier — Starter, Basique, Essentiel, Premium — gaining extra features at each step: supplier payments, automatic reminders, cash-flow forecasting, then, only at the last tier, a full accounting module with closings and tax filings. An accounting firm can manage several client files from the same interface, which explains the tool's growing use among firms themselves, not just their clients.

Why it interests us

E-invoicing becomes mandatory in stages from September 2026, and Pennylane has built its offering around that deadline: registered platform status, the feature built in at no extra cost for existing clients. On hosting, the publisher documents two options without ambiguity: a main base at AWS in Ireland, and SecNumCloud 3.2-qualified hosting at 3DS Outscale in France for uses that require it — both stay within the European Union, and the whole is ISO 27001 certified since August 2023. That's the level of precision one expects before recommending a tool to an accounting firm; see our page AI for accounting firms.

Where it falls short

Three points to check before choosing a tier. First, the price of the full accounting module: it only becomes available at the Premium tier, at €79/month excluding tax, more than ten times the entry rate. Second, registered platform status: as of 30 July 2026, the publisher itself qualifies its registration as "pending" — a point to reconfirm before building an entire 2026 compliance strategy on it. Third, every documented tier corresponds to a single user: the pricing page says nothing about the cost for a team of several people.

Our recommendation

For a micro-business starting out, the free offering covers the essentials without raising complex compliance questions. For a small business or firm wanting the full accounting module, compare the Premium tier's price against a traditional accounting firm's fee before deciding, and get written confirmation of the final registered platform status if the 2026 reform is your main motivation.

Who it's for, and who it isn't

Suited for

Micro-entrepreneurs starting out who want compliant invoicing at no cost, with the option to collaborate with a chartered accountant
French small businesses that want to bring invoicing, cash management and accounting together in one tool

Not a fit

Company that needs the full accounting module (closings, tax packages) from the start but whose budget targets the first paid tier
Multi-user team looking for a publicly displayed per-seat rate

Frequently asked questions

Is Pennylane really free for a micro-enterprise?: Yes, up to 1,200 invoices a year: compliant invoicing, a mobile app, support five days a week and collaboration with a chartered accountant are included at no charge as long as the business stays under the micro-enterprise regime.
Where is my accounting data hosted?: In Europe: the main infrastructure runs on AWS in Ireland, and SecNumCloud 3.2-qualified hosting exists at 3DS Outscale in France for uses that require it. Pennylane has been ISO 27001 certified since August 2023.
Will Pennylane be ready for the 2026 e-invoicing reform?: The vendor presents itself as an approved platform, registered pending, and as a dematerialization operator, with the feature integrated free of charge for existing customers ahead of the September 2026 deadline. The word "pending" still appears on its own page as of the verification date.
How much does Pennylane cost to move from the free tier to the first paid tier?: The Starter tier starts at 7 €/month excl. tax for one user. The full accounting module only becomes available at the Premium tier, at 79 €/month excl. tax.
What happens to my data if I leave Pennylane?: Under direct invoicing, you have 30 days to export your data before it is deleted. Under collaborative management with a chartered accountant who stays on the platform, access continues for as long as they remain registered.