Best Business Bank Accounts in 2026

Mercury is a financial technology company that offers business checking and savings accounts to startups and small businesses. It is not itself a bank: deposits are held at Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., both FDIC members, and Mercury states that deposit insurance only covers the failure of an insured partner bank. Through a sweep across partner banks, its plan comparison lists up to $5 million of FDIC coverage.

The base Mercury plan costs nothing per month and includes free ACH transfers, domestic wires, real-time payments and USD checks, along with company cards, invoicing, bill pay and bank feeds for accounting software. USD international wires carry no Mercury fee, while wires sent in other currencies incur a 1% exchange fee. Paid tiers add recurring invoices, 1099 filing and a relationship manager. Banking Dive reported in April 2026 that Mercury had more than 300,000 clients and about $650 million in annualised revenue, and that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) had granted conditional approval for a national bank, Mercury Bank, N.A., to be headquartered in Utah. Final approvals from the OCC, FDIC and Federal Reserve were still outstanding at that time, so the partner-bank model continues. Mercury's published pages do not describe a way to deposit cash, which matters for retail and hospitality businesses.

Relay is a business banking platform from Relay Financial Technologies, Inc. Banking services are provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, and international payments by Community Federal Savings Bank, facilitated by Nium. Relay describes itself as a financial technology company and not a bank. Its distinguishing feature is the number of checking accounts a single business can open: 20 on the Starter and Grow plans and 50 on Scale, which suits owners who split income into separate accounts for tax, payroll, operating expenses and profit. Through Thread Bank's sweep programme, deposits can qualify for up to $3 million of FDIC coverage, subject to pass-through conditions.

Paid plans add bookkeeping automation, batch vendor payments, recurring invoices, surcharging and cash-flow forecasting, and savings rates rise with each tier. PYMNTS reported in August 2025 that Relay had about 110,000 US customers, more than $1 billion in customer deposits and about $3 billion a month in transaction volume, citing co-founder and chief executive Yoseph West. The pricing page states that additional transaction fees apply but does not list wire fee amounts, so total cost for wire-heavy businesses is harder to estimate than at Mercury. In November 2026 the northone.com domain redirected to Relay's site, while Novo's switching page described North One as closing; neither company's pages reviewed here gave terms of any transaction.

Bluevine offers business checking through Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, and its programme banks, which together provide up to $3 million of FDIC insurance per depositor. Unlike most checking products, the Bluevine account pays interest on the checking balance itself. The no-fee Standard plan pays 1.3% APY on balances up to $250,000, provided the business spends $500 a month on its debit card or receives $2,500 a month in customer payments. The Plus plan pays 1.75% on balances up to $250,000 with no activity requirement, and Premier pays 3.3% on all balances.

Bluevine also markets lines of credit to small businesses, and the checking account is positioned as a single operating account for companies that hold meaningful cash and would otherwise move surplus funds to a separate savings product. Both paid tiers carry monthly fees that Bluevine says can be waived, though the waiver conditions are set out in separate disclosures rather than on the product page. The product page does not list cash deposit fees, so businesses that take cash should check the fee schedule before opening. For businesses holding large balances, the uncapped Premier rate is the main differentiator against Mercury and Relay, which pay yield only through separate savings or treasury products.

Axos Bank is a branchless, FDIC-insured bank, which distinguishes it from the fintech platforms in this list: deposits are held by Axos itself rather than a partner. Its Basic Business Checking account has no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum opening deposit and no minimum balance, and allows unlimited transactions without transaction fees. Axos reimburses domestic ATM fees without a cap, waives fees on incoming domestic and international wires, and reimburses two outgoing domestic wires per month.

Standard FDIC coverage is $250,000, and Axos offers an Insured Cash Sweep through IntraFi Network Deposits that it says can extend coverage up to $265 million. At the time of review, Axos advertised up to $200 cash back for new small-business customers whose businesses were formed less than a year earlier, payable at $50 per month when an average daily balance of $3,000 is maintained, with an early closure fee of up to $200 if the account is closed within 180 days. The product page does not explain how cash is deposited, and Axos has no branch network, so owners with frequent cash takings face extra steps compared with a branch bank.

U.S. Bank's Business Essentials is one of the few business checking accounts from a large national branch bank with no monthly maintenance fee and no minimum balance requirement. Opening requires a $25 deposit. Digital transactions, including debit card purchases, ATM use, electronic transfers, ACH and Zelle, are unlimited, and the account includes 25 free teller and paper transactions per statement cycle, with each additional one charged at $0.50.

The page does not set a dollar limit on cash deposits, but teller deposits count toward the 25 free teller transactions, so businesses that deposit cash several times a week may exceed the allowance. For higher-volume businesses U.S. Bank sells a Platinum Business Checking Package, which at the time of review was advertised with a $1,200 bonus tied to $25,000 in deposits; Gold Business Checking also exists but fees were not shown on the reviewed page. The combination of a physical branch network and a free base account makes Business Essentials a practical alternative to fintech accounts for owners who need in-person service or cash handling.

Chase Business Complete Banking is the entry-level business checking account of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. It carries a $15 monthly service fee, which is waived in any statement period in which the business keeps a $2,000 minimum daily ending balance, receives $2,000 in deposits through Chase QuickAccept or other Chase Payment Solutions, makes $2,000 in purchases on a Chase business credit card, links certain Chase private-client checking accounts, or meets military banking requirements. There is no minimum opening deposit, although new customers must fund the account within 60 days.

The account includes up to 20 paper and teller transactions and $5,000 of in-branch cash deposits per statement cycle. Its main feature is QuickAccept, which lets the account holder take card payments on a phone and receive same-day deposits. Larger businesses can move to Performance Business Checking ($40 a month, 250 debits and $20,000 of cash deposits) or Platinum Business Checking ($95 a month, 500 debits and $25,000 of cash deposits), both of which include incoming wires and a number of free outgoing wires. Chase does not publish QuickAccept processing rates on the product page.

Bank of America sells two Business Advantage checking accounts. Fundamentals Banking costs nothing for the first 12 months and then $16 a month, waived by keeping a $5,000 combined average monthly balance, making $500 of net purchases on a business debit card, or enrolling in Preferred Rewards for Business. Relationship Banking costs $29.95 a month, waived with a $15,000 combined average balance or Preferred Rewards membership; it includes a second Relationship Banking account and a Business Savings account without monthly fees, and waives fees on incoming wires and stop payments.

Preferred Rewards for Business is the bank's loyalty scheme, with Gold, Platinum and Platinum Honors tiers at $20,000, $50,000 and $100,000 of qualifying business deposit and Merrill business investment balances. The scheme rewards owners who consolidate cash with one institution, though the product page does not list the specific benefits. Transaction and cash-deposit allowances are not stated on the product page and are set out in the Business Schedule of Fees. The debit-spend waiver on Fundamentals is easier to meet than balance tests for young businesses with low reserves.

Capital One offers three small-business checking accounts with unusually explicit fee terms on the product page. Basic Checking costs $15 a month, waived with a $2,000 minimum balance; it has no free-transaction cap, and teller cash deposits above $5,000 in a month cost $1 per $1,000. Enhanced Checking costs $35 a month, waived with $25,000, includes five free outgoing domestic wires per month and has no cash transaction fees, being designed for businesses depositing under $40,000 in cash a month. Premier Checking costs $99 a month, waived at $100,000, and includes discounted wires when sent through the Intellix treasury platform.

Cash deposits at Capital One and selected Allpoint ATMs carry no fees on any of the three accounts. Capital One completed its acquisition of Discover Financial Services on 18 May 2025, saying customer accounts and banking relationships were unchanged at closing. The branch footprint is smaller than those of Chase or Bank of America, which makes ATM cash deposit an important part of the offer for cash-handling businesses.

Found is a banking app aimed at sole proprietors and freelancers that combines a business account with bookkeeping, invoicing and tax tools. Banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC; Found describes itself as a financial technology company, not a bank, and funds are insured up to $250,000 per depositor per ownership category. The free plan includes the account, debit cards, bookkeeping, invoicing and tax features without a subscription fee.

Found Plus ($35 a month or $315 a year) adds 1.50% APY on balances up to $20,000, business credit-building, free mailed checks and $12 domestic wires; Found Pro ($80 a month or $720 a year) pays 2.50% APY on all balances, adds 1% cash back on eligible card purchases, a metal debit card, a dedicated account manager and $8 domestic wires. Both paid plans have a 30-day free trial. Found does not advertise a sweep network, so its insured limit is the standard $250,000, lower than Mercury, Relay, Bluevine or Novo. Its emphasis on tax set-asides and expense categorisation makes it closer to a freelancer finance tool than to an operating account for a growing company.

Novo is a fintech that offers business checking with no minimums and no monthly fees, free standard ACH transfers and free invoicing. Banking services and the debit card are provided by Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A., Member FDIC, while Novo's credit card and loans are issued by Continental Bank. Eligible deposits are insured up to $5 million per depositor through Middlesex and other banks in its sweep network.

Instead of paying interest, Novo advertises cash back on eligible purchases: 2% when the checking balance is $5,000 or more and 1% below that. The homepage does not describe ATM fee refunds, cash deposit methods or a paid plan, so businesses that handle cash need to check the account agreement. In 2026 Novo published a switching guide for customers of North One, stating that North One was closing and advising customers to keep that account active during the transition. Novo's appeal is a free account with high insured limits for small online businesses and sole traders; its documentation on fees beyond the core account is thinner than that of the banks in this list.

Lili is a business banking platform whose accounts are provided by Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC, with wire transfers handled by Column Bank N.A.. Deposits are insured up to $3 million through a sweep network. The free Core plan includes checking and a savings account that pays 2.25% APY on balances up to $500,000 and 4.00% on balances above $500,000 up to $1 million; balances above $1 million earn nothing.

Paid plans add accounting features progressively: Pro ($15 a month) adds tax-category expense sorting, receipts and automatic tax set-asides; Smart ($35) adds bookkeeping, profit-and-loss and cash-flow reports, unlimited invoicing and bill management; Premium ($55) adds a priority specialist and a metal debit card. Each paid plan has a 30-day free trial, and a BusinessBuild credit-building add-on costs $30 a month after an introductory period. Lili states that in-network ATM use is free but does not name the network on its plans page. Like Found, Lili targets freelancers and small owner-run firms more than multi-person finance teams.

Wells Fargo offers three main business checking accounts. Initiate Business Checking costs $15 a month, avoided with a $2,000 minimum daily balance, a $5,000 average combined business deposit balance or ownership of certain premier or private-bank personal accounts. Navigate Business Checking costs $25 a month, avoided with a $10,000 minimum daily balance or $15,000 combined balances. Optimize Business Checking carries a $75 maintenance fee that can be offset by an earnings allowance, includes up to five linked accounts and charges $30 for each additional account. Each account can be opened with $25.

The checking page does not set out transaction or cash deposit allowances, referring instead to the Business Account Fee and Information Schedule. The earnings-allowance structure of Optimize is closer to commercial account analysis than to small-business flat-fee pricing, making it relevant to companies with larger balances and higher volumes. For owners who already bank personally with Wells Fargo, linked premier accounts can remove the Initiate fee.

TD Bank, the US arm of Toronto-Dominion Bank, offers several small-business checking accounts. Business Simple Checking costs $10 a month with no minimum daily balance requirement and includes professional invoicing and online card and ACH payment acceptance; up to $5,000 of cash deposits per statement cycle are included, with $0.30 per $100 charged above that. Business Convenience Checking Plus waives its fee with a $2,500 minimum daily balance across the business account and a TD personal checking account, and has the same $5,000 cash allowance.

Business Premier Checking includes free incoming wires, reimbursement of fees on the first two outgoing wires per cycle and free money orders and official checks, while Business Interest Checking Plus pays interest for higher-balance customers. The product page reviewed did not publish monthly fees for every tier and showed conflicting terms for a promotional fee waiver, so owners should rely on TD's account disclosures. TD's branch network is concentrated in the eastern United States, which limits its usefulness elsewhere.