What ECL Direct does

ECL Direct, now operating as Amarris Expertise Comptable, is a French online accounting firm headquartered in Saint-Herblain (Loire-Atlantique) that provides bookkeeping, annual accounts, tax declarations, payroll outsourcing, and company-formation services primarily to freelancers, independent professionals, and very small businesses across metropolitan France. Founded in 2009 as a pioneer of online accounting in France and a member of the Ordre des Experts Comptables for 25 years, the company combines a digital platform with a hybrid service model that assigns each client a dedicated accountant reachable by direct phone and supports in-person consultations through the Amarris Contact cabinet network in Paris, Nantes, Lyon, Montpellier, and Bordeaux.

The underlying technology stack is built around two proprietary platforms: the Fizen (now Plateforme Amarris) accounting and financial-management application, which provides bank-account synchronization, automatic transaction categorization, real-time dashboards, invoicing, and tax-declaration teletransmission, and the Skwarel document-exchange and accounting-annotation portal. These platforms are integrated with third-party banking partners (Qonto, Swan), electronic-invoicing infrastructure (Serensia by Quadient), and a company-formation tool (Lexflow), enabling bundled offerings such as the Compte Pro Amarris business account and Capital Deposit service.

The business model is anchored in tiered monthly subscriptions priced below €50 to above €140 HT/month based on business complexity, supplemented by one-time company-creation fees (free self-service, €150 expert-assisted), payroll and HR service fees, and unit-priced consulting (€85–€140 HT/hour). Revenue is generated through three go-to-market motions: a self-serve online channel for price-sensitive micro-enterprises, a direct-sales cabinet channel for clients preferring face-to-face service, and partner referrals from banks, insurers, and website-creation providers. The firm operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Groupe Amarris and reports a cumulative customer base of more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and 10,000+ companies formed.

Name

ECL Direct

Legal name

ECL Direct

Website

https://expert-comptable-tpe.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ECL Direct, now Amarris Expertise Comptable, is a French online accounting firm serving over 10,000 entrepreneurs and freelancers with bookkeeping, tax declarations, payroll, and company-formation services via a hybrid online platform and five-city physical cabinet network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-herblain

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Accounting Services Subscription: Monthly subscription-based accounting services with tiered pricing based on business complexity. Includes bookkeeping, annual accounts, tax declarations, and dedicated accountant access.
2. Business Creation Services: One-time fee for company formation services, ranging from free autonomous creation to €150 for expert-assisted creation.
3. Payroll and HR Services: Additional services for payroll processing, HR management, and social declarations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ECL Direct (commercially branded Amarris Expertise Comptable) provides outsourced online accounting and advisory services to French entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses. Its offering combines monthly subscription packages of bookkeeping, annual accounts, tax declarations, payroll outsourcing, legal advisory, and company formation with a proprietary cloud platform that delivers bank synchronization, real-time financial dashboards, and teletransmission of fiscal and social declarations.

Product overview

Amarris Expertise Comptable (formerly ECL Direct) operates as a comprehensive accounting and business management ecosystem. The core offering combines online accounting services with an integrated software platform (Plateforme Amarris, formerly Fizen) that provides bank synchronization, real-time dashboards, invoicing, and tax declarations. Additional services include company creation assistance, payroll outsourcing, legal advisory, and a business payment account (Compte Pro Amarris) powered by Swan. The company also maintains a network of physical offices under the Amarris Contact brand for face-to-face consultations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Amarris Expertise Comptable (Online Accounting Services) Online and in-person accounting services for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses, covering bookkeeping, annual accounts certification, tax declarations, and fiscal optimization.
• Plateforme Amarris (Cloud Accounting Platform) Cloud-based accounting management platform enabling bank account connection, transaction categorization, real-time dashboards (results, balance sheet, assets), invoice/quote editing, and teletransmission of tax and social declarations.
• Création d'entreprise (Company Formation Service) Company formation service offering free self-service via Lexflow partner and assisted creation with a legal expert from €150, including Kbis extraction, status drafting, and Guichet Unique filing.
• Externalisation Paie (Payroll Outsourcing) Payroll and HR outsourcing service handling salary slip production, social declarations, and related administrative tasks for small businesses and SMEs.
• Conseil juridique (Legal Advisory) Legal advisory service for clients covering contract drafting, company modification filings, capital increases, and shareholder agreements.
• Amarris Contact (In-person Cabinet Network) Network of in-person accounting offices in Paris, Nantes, Lyon, Montpellier, and Bordeaux for clients who prefer face-to-face service in addition to online delivery.
• Compte Pro Amarris (Business Payment Account) Business payment account and electronic money service provided in partnership with Swan, enabling payment processing and money management integrated with the Amarris platform.
• Capital Deposit Service Service assisting clients with social capital deposit procedures, enabling subscribers to transfer share amounts to a Cap Pro Amarris account during company formation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 entrepreneurs served since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SwancoreTechnology or IntegrationBanking and payment services partner providing the Compte Pro Amarris (business account) and Capital Deposit services. Swan is an ACPR-licensed electronic money institution (registration 17328). Amarris is registered as IOBSP intermediary (ORIAS 24007374).
• LexflowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree online company creation tool offered to clients. Partnership enables Amarris to provide zero-cost company formation for entrepreneurs preferring self-service.
• SimplébominorGTM or Marketing PartnerWebsite creation partner offering clients 10% lifetime discount on website services. Targets independent professionals and TPE/PME owners.
• Serensia by QuadientcoreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic invoicing platform partnership providing compliance with mandatory e-invoicing requirements (September 2026 deadline). Platform is approved for electronic invoice exchange.
• Tool AdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerB2B software recommendation platform providing comparative analysis of accounting and business software solutions with expert consultation services.
• WemindminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance partner offering health, income protection, and professional liability coverage for independent professionals through member benefits program.
• OrusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional liability insurance partner offering simple online subscription for independent professionals and businesses.
• KoulierminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompany domiciliation partner providing professional address services for business registration with simplified formalities management.
• Le Cercle des IndépendantsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefits program partner offering independent professionals access to employee-style benefits including leisure discounts, professional purchases, and insurance rates.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dougs: French online chartered accountancy firm offering subscription-based accounting, tax, and advisory services to freelancers and small businesses — direct subscription-based competitor to ECL Direct.
• Tiime: French online accounting and financial management platform offering bookkeeping, expense management, and invoicing for SMBs and their accountants — direct platform competitor serving a similar French segment.
• Indy: French all-in-one accounting, invoicing, and tax automation platform for freelancers and micro-businesses. Closely comparable on target customer (indépendants), pricing model, and self-serve SaaS approach.
• Pennylane: French online accounting platform combining bookkeeping, expense management, and invoicing for SMBs and accountants. Most direct competitor to ECL Direct in the French online accounting market for entrepreneurs.

Broad incumbents

• Xero: Cloud accounting platform for SMBs and their accountants with strong bank-connection and bookkeeping automation. Comparable on the underlying software platform layer that ECL Direct's Fizen/Skwarel competes against.
• Sage: Global accounting and payroll software vendor with a strong French footprint serving SMBs and accountants. Overlaps with ECL Direct on bookkeeping and compliance use cases for small businesses.
• QuickBooks (Intuit): Global SMB accounting and bookkeeping platform widely used by freelancers and small businesses. Competes with ECL Direct's self-serve software tier on user experience, integrations, and pricing.
• Cegid: Established French provider of cloud accounting, payroll, and ERP software for SMBs, mid-market, and accountants. Larger incumbent with overlapping accounting and payroll offerings for similar French customers.

Emerging players

• Dext (formerly Receipt Bank): Cloud-based data capture and bookkeeping automation platform for accountants and SMBs. Overlaps with ECL Direct's automated transaction categorization and document processing capabilities.
• Zoho Books: Cloud accounting software for SMBs covering invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation. Competes on the self-serve accounting software tier that ECL Direct offers at its lower price points.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ecldirect
• Facebookfacebook.com/amarrisexpertisecomptable
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/745749
• Instagraminstagram.com/amarris_direct
• Xx.com/ecldirect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ECL Direct