Best Business Bank Accounts in 2026
Mercury checking has no monthly fee, and Plus is the paid plan when the free tier falls short. Bluevine pays yield only if the account stays active, and Chase bills monthly unless a balance test clears.
Mercury is the 2026 account for a US company that wants free domestic wires and a ledger feed it can trust. Checking has no monthly fee and Plus is $29.90/mo billed annually if you outgrow the free tier. Bluevine is the yield pick at 1.3% APY on Standard if the activity test holds, and Relay fits books that need many checking accounts.
Rho fits bill pay without a seat fee, Brex fits when spend is already there, and Novo fits if you pay only for speed. Grasshopper is the charter that pays interest, Chase is the branch for cash, and Found is the Schedule C tax pocket.
Key facts9 tools compared: Mercury, Bluevine, Relay, Rho, Brex, Novo, Grasshopper, Chase Business…
- 9 tools compared: Mercury, Bluevine, Relay, Rho, Brex, Novo, Grasshopper, Chase Business Complete Banking, Found
- Bluevine (best for: Teams that want yield on the checking balance): Free Standard plan, 1.3% APY; Plus $30/mo, Premier $95/mo, both waivable.
- Relay (best for: Books that need many checking accounts): Free Starter plan, 1.19% APY; Grow $30/mo; Scale $90/mo (list $120).
- Rho (best for: Finance teams that want AP and cards without a seat fee): Free checking plan; Treasury from $50,000, annual fee 0.60% under $2,000,000.
The best business bank account in 2026 is the one whose fee, yield, and insurance match the cash you reconcile each month. Mercury is the default when domestic wires are free and QuickBooks or Xero syncs on the free plan. Bluevine wins when checking itself should earn, and Relay wins when each bucket needs an account number.
Toolradar data: Toolradar, the directory we run, evaluated 1,040 finance tools in its September 2026 finance ranking. This page is the operating-account cut, and prices were verified on each vendor's US pages in September 2026. See the Mercury review, the Wise review for foreign currency, and the Finpresso brief.
Top Picks
Based on features, real-world fit, and value for money.
Free plan; Plus $35/mo ($29.90 billed annually); Pro $350/mo ($299 billed annually).
US companies that want free wires and a ledger sync
Free Standard plan, 1.3% APY; Plus $30/mo, Premier $95/mo, both waivable.
Teams that want yield on the checking balance
Free Starter plan, 1.19% APY; Grow $30/mo; Scale $90/mo (list $120).
Books that need many checking accounts
| Tool | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Free plan; Plus $35/mo ($29.90 billed annually); Pro $350/mo ($299 billed annually). | US companies that want free wires and a ledger sync |
| Bluevine | Free Standard plan, 1.3% APY; Plus $30/mo, Premier $95/mo, both waivable. | Teams that want yield on the checking balance |
| Relay | Free Starter plan, 1.19% APY; Grow $30/mo; Scale $90/mo (list $120). | Books that need many checking accounts |
| Rho | Free checking plan; Treasury from $50,000, annual fee 0.60% under $2,000,000. | Finance teams that want AP and cards without a seat fee |
| Brex | Essentials is free; Premium $12/user/mo. Account wires and ACH have no Brex fee. | Teams that already run company spend on Brex |
| Novo | Free plan; express ACH 1.5% ($0.50 to $20); domestic wire up to $45. | Small firms that want free standard ACH |
| Grasshopper | Free plan after a $100 opening deposit; checking APY up to 1.35%. | Owners who want a chartered bank with interest checking |
| Chase Business Complete Banking | $15/mo, waived with a $2,000 daily balance or another single test; pays no interest. | Companies that deposit cash and need a branch |
| Found | Free plan; Plus $35/mo or $315/yr; Pro $80/mo or $720/yr. | Schedule C founders who set taxes aside in the app |
Pricing read from each vendor's own pricing page, checked Sep 2026. Every vendor here publishes a price.
- Pricing
- Free plan; Plus $35/mo ($29.90 billed annually); Pro $350/mo ($299 billed annually).
Best for: US companies that want free wires and a ledger sync
Pros
- Domestic ACH, domestic wires, and a standard international USD wire are free, so routine transfers add nothing.
- QuickBooks and Xero sync on the free plan, while enriched NetSuite starts on a paid plan, so the ledger sets the bill.
- Treasury nets 3.46% through $2,000,000 and 3.91% on the top band, as of 18 September 2026, and that is not checking.
Cons
- Not a bank: conditional OCC approval for Mercury Bank, N.A., was April 2026, and deposits still sit at Choice Financial Group or Column N.A.
- A higher monthly line is waived until 31 December 2026, so an FAQ quote overstates the Plus bill.
Bluevine
Checking pays interest, and the fee drops only if balance and spend both hit.
- Pricing
- Free Standard plan, 1.3% APY; Plus $30/mo, Premier $95/mo, both waivable.
Best for: Teams that want yield on the checking balance
Pros
- Standard pays the checking rate up to the cap only if you spend $500 or take $2,500 in customer payments that month.
- Premier pays 3.0% APY on every dollar, with 50 sub-accounts, and the $95 fee drops only with a $100,000 balance and $5,000 of spend.
- FDIC coverage is described up to $3,000,000 through Coastal Community Bank and program banks, once one bank is not enough.
Cons
- Miss the activity test and Standard pays nothing that month, and cash over the cap earns nothing on Standard or Plus.
- A standard domestic wire is $15, and same-day ACH gets cheaper only on the paid plans, so the free plan taxes speed.
Relay
Twenty free checking accounts, with savings yield only if you pay.
- Pricing
- Free Starter plan, 1.19% APY; Grow $30/mo; Scale $90/mo (list $120).
Best for: Books that need many checking accounts
Pros
- Starter includes 20 checking accounts plus QuickBooks and Xero, and savings pay 1.19% APY as of 17 September 2026, not checking.
- Grow adds approvals at 1.87% APY, and Scale is $90/mo (list $120) at 3.21% APY, so you pay to lift the savings rate.
- Deposits can qualify for up to $3,000,000 of FDIC coverage through Thread Bank's sweep, once cash outgrows one bank.
Cons
- The APY is on savings rather than the checking you pay from, and it can move, so operating cash earns nothing.
- Not a bank, extra transfer fees apply, and the wire table is not printed, so you see the wire cost when you send.
Rho
Free bill pay, and treasury that opens below Mercury's minimum.
- Pricing
- Free checking plan; Treasury from $50,000, annual fee 0.60% under $2,000,000.
Best for: Finance teams that want AP and cards without a seat fee
Pros
- No monthly fee, no per-user fee, and no domestic ACH or wire fee, with QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct, so seats stay free.
- Treasury opens at $50,000 at a 0.60% fee, and net T-bills were 3.38% as of 19 September 2026, which is not the checking rate.
- Checking is FDIC-insured at Webster Bank, while savings can reach $75,000,000 via a 400-bank network as of August 2026.
Cons
- Sole proprietorships cannot apply, because Rho wants a US LLC or corporation, so a Schedule C founder should use Found.
- Treasury is not a deposit: SIPC covers up to $500,000, cash has a lower sublimit, and market loss is not covered.
Brex
Checking and a money-market sweep, included on the free software plan.
- Pricing
- Essentials is free; Premium $12/user/mo. Account wires and ACH have no Brex fee.
Best for: Teams that already run company spend on Brex
Pros
- Essentials is free per user and includes cash, ACH, checks, and wires, so the paid seat is optional.
- Brex charges no fee on domestic wires, international wires, ACH, or checks, unlike a bank that bills each wire.
- Treasury return is 4.01% below $500,000 and 4.36% on the top band, from the 4 August 2026 figure.
Cons
- That return is not the fund's 7-day yield, DGVXX shares are not FDIC insured, and checking sits at Column N.A., so the sweep is not cash.
- International cards can add an FX markup of up to 3%, and sales tax can hit the software bill, so this is a poor FX rail.
Novo
Free next-day ACH, with speed and wires priced as you send them.
- Pricing
- Free plan; express ACH 1.5% ($0.50 to $20); domestic wire up to $45.
Best for: Small firms that want free standard ACH
Pros
- No monthly fee, no minimum, and no Novo fee on standard ACH or mailed checks, per the 13 September 2026 help page.
- Invoicing, bookkeeping, and reserves are included at no extra charge, so no second app is required.
- Novo ATM fees are zero, and other ATM fees are reimbursed up to $7/mo, so that cap is the free limit.
Cons
- Express ACH costs 1.5%, from $0.50 to $20, and a domestic wire is up to $45, so speed is the real price.
- There is no published checking APY and no overdraft line, so idle cash earns nothing and a shortfall is yours.
Grasshopper
No monthly fee after opening, with interest paid on checking.
- Pricing
- Free plan after a $100 opening deposit; checking APY up to 1.35%.
Best for: Owners who want a chartered bank with interest checking
Pros
- No monthly fee after a $100 opening deposit, with free ACH and free incoming wires, so the charter is not a monthly toll.
- Checking APY is 1.00% below $25,000, 1.35% through $250,000, then 1.00%, so only the middle band is worth parking.
- The money market pays 3.00% APY from $25,000 up, with FDIC coverage up to $125,000,000, for cash you will not spend soon.
Cons
- The 1% debit cash back needs a $10,000 average balance and no NSF item in the prior twelve months, so a thin month kills it.
- Only US citizens or permanent residents can apply, and an outgoing domestic wire has no published flat price, so you cannot budget it.
Chase Business Complete Banking
A waivable monthly fee, and no interest on the balance.
- Pricing
- $15/mo, waived with a $2,000 daily balance or another single test; pays no interest.
Best for: Companies that deposit cash and need a branch
Pros
- One test waives the fee: a $2,000 daily balance, that same amount of eligible payment deposits, or that same amount of Ink spend.
- The first two monthly fees are waived, and electronic deposits, ACH, and debit purchases are free, so the opening is a trial.
- Branch and ATM cash deposits are free, and teller cash above $5,000 in a statement period costs 0.30%, so a big drop has a price.
Cons
- The balance earns no interest, an online domestic wire is $25, and an incoming wire matches the monthly fee.
- Overdraft fees are $34 once you are more than $50 overdrawn, up to six in a day, so a small gap can stack.
Found
Free tax estimates, and in-app payments only on a paid plan.
- Pricing
- Free plan; Plus $35/mo or $315/yr; Pro $80/mo or $720/yr.
Best for: Schedule C founders who set taxes aside in the app
Pros
- No monthly fee, up to 20 pockets, and a Taxes pocket that sets cash aside as you are paid, which suits Schedule C.
- Plus pays 1.50% APY up to $20,000, and Pro pays 2.50% APY with no cap, so free balances earn nothing.
- Plus and Pro can send quarterly federal estimates for Schedule C filers, with a 30-day trial, so only a paid plan remits.
Cons
- The free plan earns no APY and cannot send the tax payment, and a domestic wire is $10 only on Pro.
- A dormant account costs $10 after twelve months, and deposits sit at Lead Bank, because Found is not a bank.
What it is
A business bank account is checking in the company's name, with revenue in, vendors and payroll out, and a feed the ledger can reconcile.
Mercury, Relay, Bluevine, Rho, Novo, Brex, and Found place deposits at partner banks, so the signup name is not the charter. Grasshopper and Chase are the banks with the charter, which matters if a partner bank is not enough. FDIC covers the bank that holds the cash, up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, and a sweep multiplies that only across more banks.
Treasury at Mercury, Rho, and Brex is securities, not a deposit, so a loss in the fund is not an FDIC claim. Relay offers 20 checking accounts on Starter, Bluevine offers 5 sub-accounts on Standard and 50 on Premier, and Found offers up to 20 pockets. A class in Xero does not stop a payment leaving the wrong bucket. How we compared: nine US vendor pages in September 2026, ranked for a close.
Why it matters
Yield on checking cash changes the year when the balance stays put. On a balance at the insurance cap that stays put, Bluevine Standard's checking yield is $3,250 if the rate and the activity test hold. Premier's rate on that same balance is $7,500, a gap of $4,250 against an unwaived Premier fee of $1,140 for the year. The fee does not swallow the extra yield when that Premier rate holds.
Mercury's sweep runs up to $5,000,000, and Bluevine and Relay each describe coverage up to $3,000,000. Rho's larger figure, up to $75,000,000, is a separate savings account, not the checking you pay from. For cards, use the corporate cards guide and the Ramp review, and for vendor files use the BILL review.
Key features to look for
Pricing
Mercury, Relay Starter, Bluevine Standard, Rho, Novo, Grasshopper after the opening deposit, Found's base plan, and Brex Essentials can be free. The first paid rung is Bluevine Plus, Relay Grow, or Mercury Plus. Bluevine pays yield on checking, Relay on savings, and Mercury, Rho, and Brex on a treasury sleeve that is not a deposit.
Chase bills a monthly fee unless one waiver hits, and the balance earns nothing. Twelve months of unwaived Bluevine Premier is $1,140, and the yield gap can cover that bill. Every figure below was read on the vendor's own US page in September 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury checking | No monthly fee | Free domestic wires and ACH, with QuickBooks and Xero on this plan. |
| Mercury Plus | $35/mo ($29.90/mo annual) | Recurring invoices, and ACH debit at $1 a transaction. |
| Mercury Pro | $350/mo ($299/mo annual) | A relationship manager and NetSuite categorizations. |
| Mercury Books | $35/mo, waived to 31 Dec 2026 | Mercury's built-in accounting software, with the fee waived through the end of 2026. |
| Mercury Treasury entry band | 3.20% / 3.46% net | Through $2,000,000, as of 18 September 2026. |
| Mercury Treasury top published band | 3.65% / 3.91% net | Above that, the page says contact us. |
| Bluevine Standard | No monthly fee | 1.3% APY up to the cap, and only in months you qualify. |
| Bluevine Plus | $30/mo or waived | 1.75% APY up to the cap, waived with a $20,000 average and $2,000 of debit spend. |
| Bluevine Premier | $95/mo or waived | 3.0% APY on all balances, waived with a $100,000 average and $5,000 of debit spend. |
| Bluevine Standard domestic wire | Same as the Chase monthly fee | Plus is $12 and Premier is $7.50, and same-day ACH is $10, then $8, then $5. |
| Relay Starter | No monthly fee | 1.19% APY on savings as of 17 September 2026, with 20 checking accounts. |
| Relay Grow | $30/mo | 1.87% APY on savings, plus multi-step bill approvals. |
| Relay Scale | $90/mo (list $120) | 3.21% APY on savings, 50 checking accounts, and no same-day ACH fee. |
| Rho checking | No monthly fee | No domestic ACH or wire fee, and no per-user fee. |
| Rho Treasury entry tier | 0.60% annual fee | Opens at $50,000, with net T-bills at 3.38% as of 19 September 2026. |
| Rho Treasury, IJTXX, entry tier | 3.16% net | A 7-day SEC yield as of 23 September 2026, after the fee. |
| Brex Essentials | No per-user fee | The cash account is included, with no Brex fee on ACH, checks, or wires. |
| Brex Premium | $12/user/mo | Multi-entity support and custom expense policies, and Enterprise is a quote. |
| Brex treasury, under $500,000 | 4.01% total return | The top band is 4.36% as of 4 August 2026, and the shares are not FDIC insured. |
| Novo checking | No monthly fee | Standard ACH is free, and express ACH is 1.5% with a floor of $0.50 and a cap of $20. |
| Novo domestic wire | Up to $45 | Shown before you send, and there is no published checking APY. |
| Grasshopper Innovator checking | No monthly fee | It takes $100 to open, and checking APY is 1.00% / 1.35% / 1.00% by balance. |
| Grasshopper money market | 3.00% APY | Listed from $25,000 up on the checking page. |
| Chase Business Complete | $15/mo | Waived with a $2,000 daily balance or one other test, and the balance earns no interest. |
| Chase online domestic wire | $25 | A branch domestic wire costs more, and an international USD wire online is $40. |
| Found | No monthly fee | Tax estimates and 20 pockets are included, and APY starts on Plus. |
| Found Plus | $35/mo or $315/yr | 1.50% APY on balances up to $20,000. |
| Found Pro | $80/mo or $720/yr | 2.50% APY with no cap, and domestic wires are $10. |
The bottom line
Open Mercury when domestic wires should be free and QuickBooks or Xero should sync before you pay for NetSuite. Move surplus into Treasury only past the minimum if you can hold securities, because payroll cash stays in checking. The Mercury profile maps the fees, treasury bands, and the ledger sync.
Choose Bluevine when checking should earn, Relay when each bucket needs an account number, and Rho when bill pay should not add a seat fee. Choose Brex when the cards are already there, and read the Brex review for the software bill, because that treasury return is not insured cash.
Choose Novo when standard ACH is enough, and Grasshopper when you want a charter with interest on checking. Choose Chase when you need a branch for cash, and Found when the job is a Schedule C Taxes pocket. FX belongs with Wise, and a vendor file that outgrows the bank belongs with B2B payment platforms. This page is general information, not personalized financial advice: APYs, fees and waivers change, so confirm the terms with the bank or its partner bank before you open an account. Cite this: Finpresso, "Best Business Bank Accounts in 2026", September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best business bank account in 2026?
How much does a business bank account cost in 2026?
Is there a free business bank account worth opening?
Mercury vs Bluevine: which business checking account earns more?
Are these fintech business accounts FDIC insured in 2026?
Which business account is best if you still deposit cash?
Do these business accounts sync to QuickBooks or Xero?
Sources
Prices and plan details come from each vendor's own pricing page, re-checked by the Toolradar pricing tracker.
- Mercury pricingchecked Sep 2026
- Bluevine pricingchecked Sep 2026
- Relay pricingchecked Sep 2026
- Brex pricingchecked Sep 2026
Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.
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