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80+ years of combined experience covering small-business and personal finance.
60+ business bank accounts rated with our objective, comprehensive business bank account rubrics (Methodology).
NerdWallet's business banking content — including our ratings, reviews and recommendations — is produced by a team of writers and editors who specialize in small-business finances. Their journalism has appeared in The Associated Press, Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage.
Best Business Checking Accounts From Our Partners
Best Business Checking Accounts From Our Partners
Sort By
Best overall online business checking account
APY
1.50%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions; no overdraft fees.
- Earn 1.50% interest on account balances up to and including $250,000. Terms apply.
- Access up to $3 million in FDIC insurance with Insured Cash Sweep.
- No fees at MoneyPass ATMs.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
Cons
- No fee-free cash deposits.
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- Does not offer jointly-owned accounts.
Best overall online business checking account
Bluevine Business Checking
Best for Online banking
APY
1.50%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions; no overdraft fees.
- Earn 1.50% interest on account balances up to and including $250,000. Terms apply.
- Access up to $3 million in FDIC insurance with Insured Cash Sweep.
- No fees at MoneyPass ATMs.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
Cons
- No fee-free cash deposits.
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- Does not offer jointly-owned accounts.
APY
1.30%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
30,000 points
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- No excess transaction fees and no charge for domestic incoming wires.
- Earn 1.30% APY on balances up to $500,000.
- 24/7 customer support.
- No fees on withdrawals at more than 70,000 MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs in the U.S.
Cons
- Can’t deposit cash.
- No outgoing international wire transfers.
- Does not offer jointly owned accounts.
American Express® Business Checking
Best for 24/7 customer support
APY
1.30%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
30,000 points
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- No excess transaction fees and no charge for domestic incoming wires.
- Earn 1.30% APY on balances up to $500,000.
- 24/7 customer support.
- No fees on withdrawals at more than 70,000 MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs in the U.S.
Cons
- Can’t deposit cash.
- No outgoing international wire transfers.
- Does not offer jointly owned accounts.
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions; no overdraft fees.
- Cash deposits via compatible Allpoint ATMs.
- No foreign transaction fees when you use your Relay Visa® Debit abroad.
- Free incoming wires and low outgoing wire transfer fees.
- Up to 50 debit cards.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
- Direct integration with Shopify.
Cons
- Deposited checks are held for up to 6-7 business days.
- No bill pay feature in the free plan.
Relay Business Checking
Best for Expense management tools
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions; no overdraft fees.
- Cash deposits via compatible Allpoint ATMs.
- No foreign transaction fees when you use your Relay Visa® Debit abroad.
- Free incoming wires and low outgoing wire transfer fees.
- Up to 50 debit cards.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
- Direct integration with Shopify.
Cons
- Deposited checks are held for up to 6-7 business days.
- No bill pay feature in the free plan.
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$15.00
Waived with $2,000 minimum balance
Bonus
$500
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Chase, Member FDIC
Pros
- No minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free electronic and debit card transactions.
- Integrated credit card processing.
- No overdraft fee unless account is overdrawn by more than $50; 24-hour grace period applies to overdrafts beyond that amount.
- 24/7 customer support.
- No fees at 16,000 Chase ATMs and access to around 4,700 branches.
- Supports Zelle for Business.
Cons
- $15 monthly fee.
- Monthly limit on fee-free cash deposits ($5,000) and physical transactions (20).
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
Chase Business Complete Banking®
Best for Full-service banking
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$15.00
Waived with $2,000 minimum balance
Bonus
$500
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Chase, Member FDIC
Pros
- No minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free electronic and debit card transactions.
- Integrated credit card processing.
- No overdraft fee unless account is overdrawn by more than $50; 24-hour grace period applies to overdrafts beyond that amount.
- 24/7 customer support.
- No fees at 16,000 Chase ATMs and access to around 4,700 branches.
- Supports Zelle for Business.
Cons
- $15 monthly fee.
- Monthly limit on fee-free cash deposits ($5,000) and physical transactions (20).
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$500
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at U.S. Bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly service fee.
- Welcome bonus for new customers (terms apply).
- Unlimited fee-free electronic and debit card transactions.
- Supports Zelle for Business.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
- Accept payments with free mobile card reader, no monthly software fee. Processing fees apply.
Cons
- $100 minimum opening deposit.
- Low limit on fee-free cash deposits.
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- High overdraft, wire transfer fees.
- $1 fee for outgoing domestic ACH transfers.
U.S. Bank Business Essentials
Best for Free account at a brick-and-mortar bank
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$500
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at U.S. Bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly service fee.
- Welcome bonus for new customers (terms apply).
- Unlimited fee-free electronic and debit card transactions.
- Supports Zelle for Business.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
- Accept payments with free mobile card reader, no monthly software fee. Processing fees apply.
Cons
- $100 minimum opening deposit.
- Low limit on fee-free cash deposits.
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- High overdraft, wire transfer fees.
- $1 fee for outgoing domestic ACH transfers.
APY
1.80%
With $25,000 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- Unlimited 1% cash back on qualified debit card purchases.
- Earn up to 1.80% APY.
- No monthly fees, transaction fees or overdraft charges.
- Free, built-in bookkeeping and invoicing software.
- Free incoming domestic wires; low fees on other wire transfers.
Cons
- Can’t deposit cash.
- $100 minimum opening deposit.
- No weekend support.
Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account
Best for Cash back on debit card purchases
APY
1.80%
With $25,000 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- Unlimited 1% cash back on qualified debit card purchases.
- Earn up to 1.80% APY.
- No monthly fees, transaction fees or overdraft charges.
- Free, built-in bookkeeping and invoicing software.
- Free incoming domestic wires; low fees on other wire transfers.
Cons
- Can’t deposit cash.
- $100 minimum opening deposit.
- No weekend support.
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$125
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No required monthly fee or minimum opening deposit.
- No excess transaction fees or overdraft fees; free incoming domestic wires.
- Free, built-in invoicing, bookkeeping and tax-planning features.
- Integrates with popular business and gig work apps, including Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, Etsy and PayPal.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
- Built-in payroll features for contractors.
Cons
- No weekend or after-hours phone support.
- Not available to partnerships or nonprofit organizations.
- No fee-free cash deposits.
Found Small Business Banking
Best for Self-employed business owners
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$125
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No required monthly fee or minimum opening deposit.
- No excess transaction fees or overdraft fees; free incoming domestic wires.
- Free, built-in invoicing, bookkeeping and tax-planning features.
- Integrates with popular business and gig work apps, including Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, Etsy and PayPal.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
- Built-in payroll features for contractors.
Cons
- No weekend or after-hours phone support.
- Not available to partnerships or nonprofit organizations.
- No fee-free cash deposits.
APY
2.50%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
Learn more
at North One, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or excess transaction fees.
- Same-day deposits from Amazon, Cash App, Square, Stripe and Venmo. Direct payments supported from a variety of other business platforms, including Etsy, Lyft, Shopify and Airbnb.
- Sub-accounts that you can use to save for specific goals.
- Direct integration with Shopify, Etsy and Amazon.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
Cons
- Low cash deposit limits ($1,500 per day, $5,000 per month). Service fee of up to $4.95 per deposit.
- No free ATM network, though North One will reimburse up to two ATM fees per month by request. ATM withdrawals limited to $2,000 per day.
- Can’t send or receive international wires.
- No weekend customer support.
- Not available to nonprofit organizations.
- No spend controls on employee debit cards.
North One Standard Business Checking
Best for High APY
APY
2.50%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
Learn more
at North One, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or excess transaction fees.
- Same-day deposits from Amazon, Cash App, Square, Stripe and Venmo. Direct payments supported from a variety of other business platforms, including Etsy, Lyft, Shopify and Airbnb.
- Sub-accounts that you can use to save for specific goals.
- Direct integration with Shopify, Etsy and Amazon.
- Account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.
Cons
- Low cash deposit limits ($1,500 per day, $5,000 per month). Service fee of up to $4.95 per deposit.
- No free ATM network, though North One will reimburse up to two ATM fees per month by request. ATM withdrawals limited to $2,000 per day.
- Can’t send or receive international wires.
- No weekend customer support.
- Not available to nonprofit organizations.
- No spend controls on employee debit cards.
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
Learn more
at nbkc bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions, no overdraft fees and free incoming domestic wires.
- Up to $12 in monthly refunds for ATM fees charged by other banks worldwide.
- Unlimited cash deposits via MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs.
- Accept contactless payments via the NBKC app (iOS only). Fees apply.
- Unlimited debit cards.
Cons
- High fee ($45) for international wire transfers.
- Phone support only available during business hours.
- No third-party app integrations.
nbkc Business Account
Best for Low-fee online banking
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
Learn more
at nbkc bank, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions, no overdraft fees and free incoming domestic wires.
- Up to $12 in monthly refunds for ATM fees charged by other banks worldwide.
- Unlimited cash deposits via MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs.
- Accept contactless payments via the NBKC app (iOS only). Fees apply.
- Unlimited debit cards.
Cons
- High fee ($45) for international wire transfers.
- Phone support only available during business hours.
- No third-party app integrations.
The accounts above are excellent choices for virtually any business owner. They were chosen based on their star ratings and how they compare to competitors' products.
The following accounts are good, and may be great for certain business owners. We still recommend these options if they fit your business's needs:
Axos Bank’s Basic Business Checking account includes free, unlimited cash deposits via compatible Allpoint+ ATMs, plus free nationwide ATM access with unlimited refunds for fees charged by other banks and ATM operators in the U.S. You can also make deposits at compatible Allpoint+ ATMs with no fees charged by Axos.
Axos Bank (Business)
Basic Business Checking
NerdWallet Rating
4.7
Monthly Fee
$0
Read Review
Learn more
at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC
Bank of America stands out for its big branch and ATM network, and if your balance is high enough to qualify you for the bank's Preferred Rewards for Business program — meaning potentially higher rewards rates on business credit cards and discounts on business loans.
Bank of America (Business)
Bank of America® Business Advantage Fundamentals™ Banking
NerdWallet Rating
4.4
Monthly Fee
$16
$0 for the first 12 statement cycles.
Read Review
Learn more
at Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC
If you live or work near a Capital One branch, take a look at the bank's entry-level business checking account. It includes unlimited transactions and no fees on cash deposits at Capital One and select Allpoint ATMs. And while it charges a monthly fee, it's relatively easy to waive: You'll need an average minimum balance of $2,000 over the previous 30 or 90 days, whichever is greater.
Capital One (Business)
Capital One Business Basic Checking®
NerdWallet Rating
4.2
Monthly Fee
$15
Read Review
Learn more
at Capital One, Member FDIC
4.3 stars. Membership in First Tech Federal Credit Union is open to anyone who donates to a qualifying organization, and you can open an account during a virtual appointment. The institution's Business Dividend Checking account includes unlimited electronic transactions and its $15 fee can be waived with a minimum balance of $5,000. Here's our list of the best credit unions for business accounts.
Mercury's business checking account stands out for its sophisticated suite of software tools. Wire transfers in U.S. dollars have no fees. Both those features make Mercury a good choice for cashless startups, especially those handling large amounts of money. (If you ever do need to withdraw cash, though, you'll get unlimited refunds on ATM fees.)
Mercury
Mercury Business Bank Account
NerdWallet Rating
4.4
Monthly Fee
$0
Read Review
Learn more
at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured
NerdWallet evaluates business checking accounts on more than 25 different factors. We continually reevaluate and update our business bank accounts rating methodology to reflect evolving industry norms.
Business accounts that earn 5 stars are exceptional. These are best-in-class accounts that deliver the most value for the greatest number of business owners.
Business accounts that earn 4.5 to 4.0 stars are excellent. They deliver terrific value and might be the best choice for your businesses depending on your needs.
Business accounts that earn 4.0 to 4.5 stars are good, and potentially great for business owners with relatively specific needs. But other accounts may offer fewer fees, more features or a better customer experience.
Business checking accounts that earn below 4 stars are lacking important features, have many high fees or both. You can likely find a better option.
NerdWallet examines dozens of business checking accounts every year to determine our star ratings and top picks, but we do not review all 4,000-plus FDIC-insured banks in the U.S. We focus on the accounts available to the largest number of business owners. Those include the largest banks in the U.S. by assets, the largest credit unions by membership and online banks with growing market share or notable features.
Your local bank or credit union can be a great choice if you're looking for the following:
- A personal, face-to-face relationship with your banker.
- Highly regarded customer support.
- Traditional banking services, including checks, wire transfers and bill pay.
- In the future, a business loan.
America First Credit Union, American Express, Axos Bank, Bank of America, Bluevine, BMO Bank, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Brex, Capital One, Chase Bank, Citibank, Citizens Bank, City National Bank, Comercia Bank, Consumers Credit Union, Digital Federal Credit Union, First Citizens Bank, First Horizon Bank, First Tech Credit Union, Found, Grasshopper Bank, Huntington Bank, KeyBank, LendingClub, Lili, Live Oak Bank, Mercury, Mountain America Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC Bank, Northern Bank, North One, Novo, PNC Bank, QuickBooks, Regions Bank, Relay, Rho, Santander Bank, Self-Help Credit Union, TD Bank, Truist, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, Western Alliance Bank, Zions Bank.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Some of the accounts on our list come from financial technology companies or "neobanks," not traditional banks. Neobanks typically partner with FDIC-insured banks; the banks actually hold customers' funds while the fintech companies provide the software experience. If a neobank ever fails, you should still be able to recover your funds — but you may have to deal with frozen accounts, failed transactions or other headaches along the way.Anyone who owns a business should have a business checking account. That includes sole proprietors and freelancers. For LLCs, a separate small-business checking account draws a clear line between business and personal expenses — which can help shield your personal assets if your company is sued.
Using a dedicated business bank account for your business income and expenses also helps streamline record-keeping, making it easier to file taxes and gather the financial statements you'll need to apply for business loans.
As you investigate your top choices, pay close attention to the following:
Some business checking accounts charge monthly maintenance fees of around $15. Most offer to waive this fee if you maintain a certain average balance, make a certain number of transactions each month or both. Free business checking accounts have no monthly fee.
Account | Excess Transaction Fee | ATM Fees | Wire Fees | Complete Rates and Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
American Express® Business Checking | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: MoneyPass and Allpoint networks.* Out-of-network fees: None. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming: Free. Outgoing domestic: $25. Outgoing international: Not supported. | |
Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: Due to fee refunds, every ATM is essentially fee-free. Out-of-network fees: None. Third-party ATM fee refunds: Unlimited domestic. | Incoming: Free. Outgoing domestic: $35. Outgoing international: $45. | |
Bank of America® Business Advantage Fundamentals™ Banking | Unlimited electronic. 20 non-electronic, then 45 cents each. | Fee-free ATMs: Bank of America. Out-of-network fees: $2.50 U.S.; $5 international. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming: $15. Outgoing domestic: $30. Outgoing international: $45. | |
Bluevine Business Checking | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: MoneyPass network. Out-of-network fees: $2.50. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming: Free. Outgoing domestic: $10. Outgoing international; $25. | |
Chase Business Complete Banking® | Unlimited electronic transactions. 20 non-electronic transactions, then 40 cents each. | Fee-free ATMs: Chase network. Out-of-network fees: $3 domestic, $5 international. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming: Free from other Chase accounts. Otherwise, $15. Outgoing domestic: $25, or $35 if sent from a Chase branch location. Outgoing international: $40. | |
Found Small Business Banking | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: None. Found is not part of a fee-free ATM network. Out-of-network fees: None. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming domestic: Free. Outgoing domestic: $15. All international wires: Not supported. | |
Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: MoneyPass and SUM networks. Out-of-network fees: Not disclosed. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming domestic: Free. Incoming international: $5. Outgoing domestic: $10. Outgoing international: $25. | |
nbkc Business Account | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: MoneyPass, Allpoint and NBKC networks. Out-of-network fees: None. Third-party ATM fee refunds: Up to $12 monthly. | Incoming domestic: $0. Incoming international: $45. Outgoing domestic: $5. Outgoing international: $45. | |
QuickBooks Money | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: Four free withdrawals per month at AllPoint network. $3 each after that. Out-of-network fees: $3. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming: Not disclosed. Outgoing domestic: Not disclosed. Outgoing international: Not disclosed. | |
Relay Business Checking | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: Allpoint network. Out-of-network fees: None. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming: None. Outgoing domestic: $5. Outgoing international: $10. | |
Rho Business Checking | None (unlimited transactions). | Fee-free ATMs: None. Rho is not part of a fee-free ATM network. Out-of-network fees: None. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming: None. Outgoing domestic: Free. Outgoing international: Free. | |
U.S. Bank U.S. Bank Business Essentials | 125 free transactions (electronic and non-electronic). 50 cents each after that. | Fee-free ATMs: U.S. Bank ATMs. Out-of-network fees: None. Third-party ATM fee refunds: None. | Incoming domestic: $14 or $16. Incoming international: $16. Outgoing domestic: $30 or $40 if sent from a branch. Outgoing international: $75. |
There are a lot of ways to access the money in your business checking account: checks, ACH transfers, online bill pay and cash withdrawal (in person or via ATM). Traditional brick-and-mortar banks typically offer all of these options, though they tend to limit the number of free transactions you can make each month.
Neobanks are more likely to offer unlimited transactions, but they may not offer those other tools — for instance, they don't always issue checkbooks. Most neobank customers have fee-free access to an ATM network, but no branches.
Several of our top picks have annual percentage yields of 1% APY or higher. Some accounts also pay customers cash back on debit card purchases, similar to what you'd expect from a credit card.
Some financial institutions also offer business bank account promotions to new customers who meet specific requirements, like maintaining a certain balance for several months after opening the account.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Want to earn more in interest? Consider a business savings account or business money market account for longer-term savings. Some business savings accounts earn more than 4% APY.Some online accounts offer built-in invoicing and bookeeping tools. Others integrate directly with gig work or e-commerce apps, like DoorDash and Etsy, or with business software tools, like QuickBooks.
Still other accounts come with payment processing built in. That can help you take customers' credit or debit card payments in person or collect online payments without relying on a third party. (When you use a point-of-sale system or payment processor to take payments, that software can deposit customers' payments into your business checking account, but it may take an extra day or two.)
Some small-business banks charge $2 to $3 if you use an ATM outside of the bank’s own ATM network; others don't. In most cases, you'll have to pay fees charged by the owner of any third-party ATM you use — though a handful of business banking accounts will automatically refund some or all of your ATM fees.
Dipping into the red on your business checking account can cost anywhere from $10 to $39 in overdraft or non-sufficient funds fees, sometimes multiple times per day. Some banks, including Chase, Axos and Huntington, offer a grace period on overdrafts (up to a certain amount) to give small businesses some wiggle room.
Wire transfer fees are common; most customers should expect to pay up to $15 to receive a transfer and up to $40 to send one. If your business relies on wire transfers, consider an account with Mercury or Brex, both of which charge no fees to receive or send.
ACH transfers are usually free, but they take one or two business days to complete. Expect to pay a fee for same-day ACH.
Most brick-and-mortar business checking accounts offer 100 to 500 free transactions per month and charge fees for additional ones. A monthly cash deposit limit of up to to $5,000 is typical for entry-level accounts at these financial institutions; beyond that, you'll likely pay a fee.
Online business checking accounts usually include unlimited fee-free transactions, but you'll face other limits — for instance, on how much you can deposit or transfer per day.
Note on
American Express® Business Checking
: At Allpoint® and MoneyPass® locations in the U.S., you can withdraw cash and get balance information with no fee. Access to ATMs outside of the Allpoint® and MoneyPass® networks are subject to fees by the ATM owner and/or network. ATM withdrawal limits apply. American Express applies foreign exchange fees to withdrawals in foreign currencies. American Express does not accept ATM cash deposits into your Business Checking account at this time. Visit americanexpress.com/atm-locator to find participating ATMs in the U.S.Last updated on May 22, 2025
Methodology
NerdWallet evaluates more than 50 business bank accounts from national, regional and online banks. Collectively, these accounts represent the largest banks by assets and the largest credit unions by membership, along with notable and emerging fintech companies and online banks.
We consider more than 20 data points for each account, including services, fees, features and rewards. We gather this information from rates and fees documents, deposit account agreements, financial institution websites and company representatives.
Our editorial team regularly reviews and updates our data to ensure consistency and accuracy. We also update our scoring on an ongoing basis to reflect changing industry norms and business owner needs. For instance, in 2025, we introduced bonus points for notable built-in software features, like the ability to accept tap-to-pay payments from customers using a mobile app.
Final star ratings are presented on a scale of one to five stars, where a five-star score represents the best available product for the largest number of business owners. Learn more about how we rate business checking accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
A business checking account is a secure place to store your company's cash. You can access the money in your business checking account immediately by withdrawing cash, using a debit card, writing checks or sending ACH or wire transfers.
Technically, if your bank allows it, you can use a personal bank account for business purposes. But opening a business bank account in your company's name is almost always a better choice. Having separate accounts — and separate record-keeping — makes it easier to identify business expenses for tax deductions and pull financial records for business grants and loans. A dedicated business account can help protect your personal assets if legal action is taken against your company. And business bank accounts may come with software tools that help you run your business, like built-in invoicing.
If your credit union offers business checking accounts, then it can be a great option. Credit union business accounts typically have low or no monthly fees and higher cash deposit limits than big brick-and-mortar banks, making them a good choice for restaurants and other businesses that deal mostly in cash. Some credit unions are also community development financial institutions, which focus on lending to businesses in low-income and underserved communities — so you may be able to work with yours to get a business loan in the future. See our picks for best credit union business accounts.
To open a business checking account, you'll need to provide personal information, such as a government-issued ID and Social Security number, and details like your address and phone number. You'll also need legal business documentation, like your articles of organization or incorporation, and information like your business address and employer identification number (EIN). Here's a list of what you need to open a business bank account.
You don't need an EIN to open a business bank account if you operate a sole proprietorship or single-member LLC. Businesses organized as a partnership, multimember LLC or corporation, however, do need an EIN to open a business checking account. Here are some business accounts available to businesses without EINs.
You may get denied for a business bank account if you have negative marks on your ChexSystems report. A ChexSystems report lists occurrences like bounced checks, overdraft fees and forced closed accounts. Banks generally do not check your credit, however, and it's unlikely you'll be denied for a business bank account based on your credit history. Here's how you can open a business bank account despite a negative ChexSystems history.
Business checking accounts are typically insured by the FDIC up to the standard $250,000 per depositor, per institution. That means, if the bank holding your funds fails, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. would cover up to $250,000 in lost cash. Credit unions are similarly insured through the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Some accounts may offer greater protection via Insured Cash Sweep programs. Do not use a checking account that isn't FDIC or NCUA insured.
