Conta Simples

Conta Simples is a Brazilian fintech designed specifically for startups and fast-growing small businesses that need more than a basic current account. Its core proposition is corporate card issuance combined with expense management – giving finance teams and founders visibility and control over company spending without the bureaucracy of traditional banks.

Like Cora and Stone, Conta Simples operates as a payment institution rather than a licensed bank. This is the most important thing to understand about its regulatory standing before depositing business funds.

Is Conta Simples available for Brazilian businesses?

Conta Simples is open to Ltdas, S/As, EPPs, and MEs with a valid CNPJ registered in Brazil. It is primarily positioned at startups, scale-ups, and SMBs with multiple employees who need to issue corporate cards and manage team expenses. MEIs can apply, though the feature set is most relevant to businesses with at least a small team. Application is digital via the Conta Simples website and app.

Regulatory status and deposit protection – read this first

Conta Simples is regulated by the Banco Central do Brasil (Bacen) as a payment institution – it is not a licensed bank. This distinction matters for deposit protection.

As a Bacen-regulated payment institution, Conta Simples is required to segregate client funds from its own operating capital, holding them in a separate account at Bacen or with a custodian. This means your business funds cannot be used by Conta Simples for lending or investment and are ring-fenced in insolvency.

However, Conta Simples is NOT a participant in the FGC (Fundo Garantidor de Creditos). The BRL 250,000 statutory deposit guarantee that applies to licensed banks does not cover balances at Conta Simples. Your protection is the Bacen-mandated fund segregation framework – robust by design, but not equivalent to the FGC. For businesses holding large operating cash balances, this distinction is material. If FGC coverage is a requirement, use a licensed bank (Nubank PJ, Inter Empresas, C6 Bank, BTG Empresas, or PagBank PJ).

Pricing and plans

Fee schedules change frequently for SaaS-model fintech platforms; confirm current pricing at contasimples.com.br before opening.

Key features for small businesses

• Multiple corporate cards per team member (virtual and physical)
• Real-time expense tracking and spend categorisation
• Spend limits and approval workflows per card
• Receipt capture and expense reconciliation
• ERP and accounting software integrations (e.g. Conta Azul, Omie, QuickBooks)
• Pix and TED for business transfers
• Dashboard for finance teams with full transaction visibility
• Reimbursement management for employee expenses

Pros

• Best-in-class corporate card and expense management for Brazilian SMBs
• Multiple cards per employee – essential for growing teams
• Strong ERP and accounting integrations
• Purpose-built for startup finance workflows
• Bacen-regulated with mandatory fund segregation
• Fast digital onboarding for eligible businesses

Cons

• NOT FGC-covered – not suitable for holding large cash reserves
• Paid plans required to unlock full feature set
• Less useful for MEIs or solo freelancers who do not need multi-card expense management
• No investment products or FX services
• Newer institution with a shorter track record than licensed banks

Who should use Conta Simples?

Conta Simples is the top pick for Brazilian startups and SMBs with teams that need to manage corporate card spending, track expenses by employee, and integrate with accounting software. It solves a real pain point that licensed banks largely ignore: giving multiple team members their own cards with controls and real-time visibility. Businesses that primarily need a safe place to hold large cash reserves, or that want investment products, should use a licensed bank as their primary account and consider Conta Simples as a complementary spend-management layer.

Verdict

Conta Simples earns a 4.3 out of 5 for its outstanding corporate card and expense management offering – arguably the best in the Brazilian SMB market. The key trade-off is that it is a payment institution, not a bank: your funds are Bacen-segregated but not FGC-insured. For startups and growing teams that need to control and track employee spending, Conta Simples is a compelling choice; just keep large cash reserves at a licensed bank.

Fees, features, and regulatory status can change. Always confirm current terms on Conta Simples’s official website (contasimples.com.br) and Bacen’s institution register before opening an account.