Visibility in this ranking can be paid for. Payment gives a vendor more visibility, higher up on the review pages; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review. The largest vendors in business bank accounts
cannot hold places 1 to 3. Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category,
wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure ·
editorial process.
The 12 tools, reviewed
#1 Relay
Multi-account US business checking with bill pay and invoicing · United States · relayfi.com
Multiple accounts Bill pay Invoicing
Relay treats the account as a set of purposes: one checking account for payroll, another for sales tax, another per client, up to 20 on the free tier and 50 on Scale. Every plan includes unlimited users, so a bookkeeper or a project lead can be added without a seat charge.
- Pricing: Flat monthly tiers. Starter is $0 a month, Grow is $30 and Scale is listed at $120, shown at a discounted $90. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Owners running many envelopes of cash
- Strengths: Up to 20 checking accounts on Starter; Unlimited users; Invoice creation and tracking.
Where it falls short
Relay is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank; banking runs through Thread Bank, so deposit insurance depends on pass-through conditions the page spells out.
Wrong for
A business that needs foreign-currency accounts, euro IBANs or a bank outside the US should look at Wise Business or Qonto.
Visit Relay →
#2 Holvi
Nordic and DACH business account with bookkeeping prep · Finland · holvi.com
Pay-as-you-go Bookkeeping prep Nordic IBAN
Holvi started in Helsinki in 2011 and prices its account by transfer volume rather than by feature tier: Flex has no monthly fee and charges €0.25 a transfer, Lite includes 100 transfers a month and Pro includes 500 with invoicing and e-invoicing. Receipts are scanned and sorted as you go, and an accountant can be invited.
- Pricing: Flat monthly tiers. In Finland, Flex has no monthly fee and charges €0.25 per transfer. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Small European firms wanting bookkeeping included
- Strengths: Finnish IBAN accounts; Physical and virtual cards; Receipt scanning.
Where it falls short
Holvi is an authorised payment institution supervised in Finland, not a bank. The page shows features differing by country, for example interest accounts only in Finland and an investment tool only in Germany.
Wrong for
Companies based outside Finland, Germany and Austria cannot use it.
Visit Holvi →
#3 Found
Free US business account with taxes and bookkeeping built in · United States · found.com
Tax tools Freelancers Pockets
Found starts from the tax return and works backward. Money can be parked in Pockets, expenses are categorized on arrival, a running tax estimate shows what to set aside, and W-9s and 1099s for contractors are handled inside the app. Invoicing is unlimited on the free tier.
- Pricing: Free tier + paid upgrades. Free tier at $0 a month. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Freelancers and sole proprietors in the US
- Strengths: Up to 20 Pockets; Automated expense categorization; Real-time tax estimates.
Where it falls short
Banking is provided by Lead Bank, and Found is not a bank. Domestic wires cost $15 on the free tier and Plus, $10 on Pro, and paper checks cost $1 each below Pro.
Wrong for
A company with employees across several entities, or one needing an expense policy and approval chains, should look at Relay or Brex.
Visit Found →
#4 Novo
Fee-free US checking for independent businesses · United States · novo.co
No monthly fee ATM refunds Reserves
Novo focuses on one promise: a checking account with no monthly fee, no minimum balance and no transaction limits. Reserves let an owner split money into up to 20 buckets inside the one account, filled by percentage rules from incoming funds.
- Pricing: Free account. No monthly fees, no minimum balance and no transaction limits are stated for business checking; the page lists no paid tier. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Solo operators wanting a plain free account
- Strengths: Reserves, up to 20 buckets; Free standard ACH; Free incoming wires.
Where it falls short
Novo is a fintech, not a bank, with deposits held at Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. The pages checked mention no interest on checking and no team expense policies.
Wrong for
Teams that need approval workflows, multiple users with permission levels, or interest on idle cash should look at Relay or Mercury rather than Novo.
Visit Novo →
#5 Lili
US checking for solo owners, with paid accounting tiers · United States · lili.co
Solo owners Tax savings Tiered plans
Lili aims at the self-employed. The free Core account provides checking, a Visa debit card and access to savings advertised at up to 4.00% APY, with FDIC coverage up to $3M through a sweep network.
- Pricing: Flat monthly tiers. Lili Core is $0 a month. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Self-employed owners wanting tax tools
- Strengths: Visa debit card; Savings up to 4.00% APY; Express ACH and wires.
Where it falls short
Lili is not a bank; services come from Sunrise Banks, N.A., and wires are processed through Column Bank.
Wrong for
Multi-person companies needing roles, approval rules and several linked accounts should use Relay or Brex.
Visit Lili →
#6 Tide
Free UK business account with company formation tools · United Kingdom · tide.co
UK only Company formation MTD tools
Tide pitches itself at the moment a UK company is created: company formation from £1 using its secretary tool, then a free current account with auto-categorized transactions, invoicing, payment links and Tap to Pay. Paid plans add more bank transfers (30 a month on Smart, unlimited on Pro and Max), 0% foreign card fees, extra current accounts and team cards.
- Pricing: Flat monthly tiers. The free plan costs £0 a month. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: UK freelancers and new limited companies
- Strengths: Free plan with pay-per-use fees; Company formation; Making Tax Digital tools.
Where it falls short
Tide is not a bank; current accounts are powered by ClearBank and protected by FSCS up to £120,000.
Wrong for
Anyone outside the UK, or a business with heavy transfer volumes that cannot afford the free tier limits, should look at Starling or Wise Business.
Visit Tide →
#7 Starling Business
UK bank account with free accounting tools · United Kingdom · starlingbank.com
UK bank Sole traders Multi-currency
Starling Bank Limited is registered in England and Wales and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority, which sets it apart from the e-money providers in this list. A limited company and a sole trader each get their own account type with no monthly fee.
- Pricing: Free account. Both the business current account and the sole trader account are described with no monthly fees. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: UK limited companies and sole traders
- Strengths: Business current account; Sole trader account; Accounting Essentials.
Where it falls short
The pages checked state that fees apply to certain tools and features but list neither the amounts nor a paid tier I could verify.
Wrong for
Businesses expecting to pay suppliers abroad often, or to receive in several currencies with local details, should compare Wise Business.
Visit Starling Business →
#8 Bluevine
US checking with accounts payable and credit lines · United States · bluevine.com
US checking Credit lines AP automation
Bluevine began as a lender and added checking, so credit is part of the product: a line of credit up to $250,000, term loans up to $500,000 through partners, and SBA 7(a) introductions. The account itself has no monthly or overdraft fee, free standard ACH and sub-accounts, with accounts payable workflows for approvals.
- Pricing: Free tier + paid upgrades. Standard checking has no monthly fee. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: US firms that also want working capital
- Strengths: No monthly or overdraft fees; Free standard ACH; Accounts payable approvals.
Where it falls short
Bluevine is a fintech, not a bank, with deposits at Coastal Community Bank and program banks.
Wrong for
A business that never borrows and wants flat, simple banking should look at Novo or Found.
Visit Bluevine →
#9 Wise Business
Multi-currency account for cross-border payments · United Kingdom · wise.com
Multi-currency Cross-border Batch payments
Wise Business is the tool for businesses whose payments cross borders. A single £50 fee opens the account, which can receive in 22 currencies with local details, convert and send from 0.24% depending on the currency pair, and pay up to 1,000 contacts in one batch. Transfers above £20,000 a month earn volume discounts.
- Pricing: Setup fee + usage fees. One-time £50 setup fee; sending and converting from 0.24% depending on currency; USD wire receipts carry a 6.11 USD fixed fee. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Importers, agencies and sellers paying abroad
- Strengths: Account details in 22 currencies; Batch transfers up to 1,000 contacts; Multi-currency debit cards.
Where it falls short
Wise is an authorised e-money institution, not a bank, so balances are not covered by a deposit guarantee scheme in the same way.
Wrong for
A business that mainly banks domestically and needs credit, approvals or a lender should pick Relay, Qonto or Tide.
Visit Wise Business →
#10 Qonto
Euro-area business account with invoicing and cards · France · qonto.com
Euro IBAN SME teams Invoicing
Qonto is built for companies in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands, with a local IBAN and a published plan ladder: Basic at €9 a month for 30 transfers, Smart at €19 with 100 transfers and cash-flow forecasting, Premium at €39 with 200 transfers, Instant cards and 0.56% foreign exchange.
- Pricing: Per tier / month. Basic is €9, Smart €19 and Premium €39 per month excluding VAT on annual billing, with a one-month trial; add-ons start at €12. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Euro-area SMEs wanting a local IBAN
- Strengths: Local IBAN; Physical and virtual cards; Electronic invoicing.
Where it falls short
Qonto is a regulated payment institution, not a bank. The entry plan is capped at 30 transfers a month and 1 physical card, and the 5% AER interest lasts two months before dropping to 1.5% AER.
Wrong for
US or UK companies should look elsewhere, and so should firms needing credit lines inside the account.
Visit Qonto →
#11 Mercury
US startup banking with Treasury and cards · United States · mercury.com
Startups Treasury Cards
Mercury charges nothing for ACH, domestic wires, real-time payments and USD international wires on the base plan, and its cards earn 1.5% cashback on corporate credit. FDIC coverage up to $5M comes through partner banks and sweep networks. Treasury, offered by an SEC-registered adviser, shows up to 4.09% yield for balances from $250K.
- Pricing: Free tier + paid upgrades. The base account is $0. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: US startups and online companies
- Strengths: Checking and savings; Free ACH, wires and real-time payments; Corporate credit cards.
Where it falls short
Mercury is a fintech, not a bank, with deposits at Choice Financial Group and Column N.A. Non-USD wires carry a 1% exchange fee and card payments in other currencies 3%.
Wrong for
Owners wanting foreign currency accounts or branches should choose Wise Business.
Visit Mercury →
#12 Brex
Corporate cards and spend management with a bank account · United States · brex.com
Corporate cards Spend control Multi-entity
Brex is organized around the card: unlimited global cards, local-currency cards in more than 50 countries, expense policies, bill pay and reimbursements. The business account consists of Checking from Column N.A., plus Treasury and Vault cash management. Essentials is $0 per user a month with up to two entities, and Premium at $12 per user adds approval chains and multi-entity support.
- Pricing: Per user / month. Essentials costs $0 per user per month, Premium is $12 per user per month, and Enterprise and Smart Card are quote only. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Companies standardizing on corporate cards
- Strengths: Corporate cards in 210+ countries; Local cards in 50+ countries; Business account.
Where it falls short
Its site describes Brex LLC as a subsidiary of Capital One, N.A. Treasury funds are not FDIC-insured, and the full pricing for Enterprise and Smart Card is quote only.
Wrong for
Freelancers and shops with no team spending should pick Found, Novo or Relay, which charge nothing per user.
Visit Brex →
Questions and answers
What is the best business bank account in 2026?
Relay ranks first of 12, best for owners running many envelopes of cash. Holvi is second (small European firms wanting bookkeeping included) and Found third (freelancers and sole proprietors in the US). Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands, wherever the category has them.
Why are Mercury, Wise Business, Qonto and Brex not in the top three?
Each is among the largest names in its segment, so our rules place them below the top three to make room for challengers a buyer might not test. Wise Business sits ninth and Mercury eleventh.
Is a business account at a fintech safe if it is not a bank?
It depends on the structure. US fintechs here hold deposits at partner banks and describe pass-through FDIC coverage, with Mercury quoting up to $5M and Novo up to $5,000,000 through sweep networks.
Can a company outside the US open one of the US accounts?
Eligibility varies and is not guaranteed. The US accounts in this list verify US-registered entities and use US partner banks.
Which accounts pay interest on idle balances?
Relay pays 1.19% APY on Starter savings, 1.87% on Grow and 3.21% on Scale. Found pays 1.50% on balances up to $20,000 on Plus and 2.50% on Pro.
How much do wires cost on a free business account?
Fees vary widely. Found charges $15 per domestic wire on the free tier and Plus and $10 on Pro. Mercury lists $0 for ACH, domestic wires, real-time payments and USD international wires, with a 1% fee for non-USD wires.
Which account is best for paying suppliers abroad?
Wise Business is built for it: account details in 22 currencies, batch transfers to up to 1,000 contacts and volume discounts above £20,000 a month.
Do I need a paid tier, or is the free account enough?
The free tier is enough for a freelancer with low volume.
What should I check before moving my existing account?
List the direct debits, card subscriptions, payroll and customer payment details tied to the old account, and keep the old account open until each has moved.
What happens if the partner bank behind my fintech account changes?
Fintech accounts rely on a sponsor bank, such as Thread Bank for Relay, Lead Bank for Found or Column N.A. for Mercury and Brex.
Can an LLC or limited company use a personal account instead?
Usually not without trouble. The account holder generally has to match the legal entity that signs contracts and receives payments, and mixing personal and company money complicates bookkeeping and can weaken liability separation.
