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Best Bank Accounts for Freelancers, Self-Employed of December 2024

By Kelsey Sheehy
Last updated on November 5, 2024
Edited by Ryan Lane
Fact checked and reviewed

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The best bank accounts for freelancers and the self-employed are easy to open, easy to access online and charge minimal fees. A dedicated business checking account also helps formally separate your business finances from your personal affairs — a smart move whether you run your own brick-and-mortar business or pick up tasks and gigs as a side hustle.
Our top picks include:
Our complete list below includes additional accounts that may be good fits for some freelancers and self-employed workers.

Best Bank Accounts for Freelancers, Self-Employed

Best forNerdWallet ratingMonthly feeAPYBonusLearn more

Earning interest

Bluevine Business Checking

Learn more

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

4.7/5
$0

1.50%

With $0 min. balance for APY

$300

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

24/7 customer support

American Express® Business Checking

Learn more

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

5.0/5
$0

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

N/A

Learn more

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

1% cash back on debit card purchases

Grasshopper Business Checking Account

Learn more

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

4.5/5
$0

1.80%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

N/A

Learn more

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

Tax planning, bookkeeping and invoicing tools

Found Small Business Banking

Learn more

at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured

4.4/5
$0

N/A$125

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Brick-and-mortar banking

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Learn more

at Chase, Member FDIC

4.5/5
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

N/A$300

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Chase, Member FDIC

Low fees on wire transfers

Relay Business Checking

Learn more

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

4.9/5
$0

N/A$200

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Accepting in-person payments

nbkc Business Account

Learn more

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

4.9/5
$0

N/AN/A

Learn more

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

Business savings account

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Learn more

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

5.0/5
$0

3.70%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

$200

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

Saving for short-term goals

QuickBooks Money

Read Review
4.2/5
$0

5.00%

With $0 min. balance for APY

N/A

Read Review
Best forNerdWallet ratingMonthly feeAPYBonusLearn more

Earning interest

Bluevine Business Checking

Learn more

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

4.7/5
$0

1.50%

With $0 min. balance for APY

$300

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

24/7 customer support

American Express® Business Checking

Learn more

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

5.0/5
$0

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

N/A

Learn more

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

1% cash back on debit card purchases

Grasshopper Business Checking Account

Learn more

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

4.5/5
$0

1.80%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

N/A

Learn more

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

Tax planning, bookkeeping and invoicing tools

Found Small Business Banking

Learn more

at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured

4.4/5
$0

N/A$125

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Brick-and-mortar banking

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Learn more

at Chase, Member FDIC

4.5/5
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

N/A$300

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Chase, Member FDIC

Low fees on wire transfers

Relay Business Checking

Learn more

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

4.9/5
$0

N/A$200

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Accepting in-person payments

nbkc Business Account

Learn more

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

4.9/5
$0

N/AN/A

Learn more

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

Business savings account

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Learn more

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

5.0/5
$0

3.70%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

$200

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

Saving for short-term goals

QuickBooks Money

Read Review
4.2/5
$0

5.00%

With $0 min. balance for APY

N/A

Read Review

I'M INTERESTED IN:

Our pick for

Earning interest

Bluevine Business Checking

Read Review
Learn more

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

APY
1.50%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
No

Fees vary by location.

Overdraft fees
$0
Bonus
$300

Requirements to qualify

Our pick for

24/7 customer support

American Express® Business Checking

Read Review
Learn more

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

APY
1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
No

No cash deposits.

Overdraft fees
N/A
Bonus
N/A

Our pick for

1% cash back on debit card purchases

Grasshopper Business Checking Account

Read Review
Learn more

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

APY
1.80%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$100
Free cash deposits
No

No cash deposits.

Overdraft fees
$0
Bonus
N/A

Our pick for

Tax planning, bookkeeping and invoicing tools

Found Small Business Banking

Read Review
Learn more

at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured

APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
No

$2 fee per deposit

Overdraft fees
$0
Bonus
$125

Requirements to qualify

Our pick for

Brick-and-mortar banking

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Read Review
Learn more

at Chase, Member FDIC

APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
Yes

Up to $5,000 per month.

Overdraft fees
$34
Bonus
$300

Requirements to qualify

Our pick for

Low fees on wire transfers

Relay Business Checking

Read Review
Learn more

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
Yes

Unlimited

Overdraft fees
$0
Bonus
$200

Requirements to qualify

Our pick for

Accepting in-person payments

nbkc Business Account

Read Review
Learn more

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
Yes

Unlimited

Overdraft fees
$0
Bonus
N/A

Our pick for

Business savings account

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Read Review
Learn more

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

APY
3.70%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
No

No cash deposits

Overdraft fees
N/A
Bonus
$200

Requirements to qualify

Our pick for

Saving for short-term goals

QuickBooks Money

Read Review
APY
5.00%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0
Min. opening deposit
$0
Free cash deposits
No

Fees of up to $5.95 may be collected by retailers when depositing cash to your account at their locations.

Overdraft fees
N/A
Bonus
N/A

Do self-employed workers need a business bank account?

Technically, no. A business bank account isn’t required if you're self-employed.
But opening one is a good idea for the following reasons:
  1. Not all personal accounts can be used for businesses. Some financial institutions specify in their depositor agreement that personal accounts can't be used for business purposes. Business accounts, on the other hand, are designed specifically for business use.  
  2. Managing self-employment taxes can be easier. If you make more than $400 in a year from freelancing, you’ll owe self-employment taxes. The tax rate for those earnings is 15.3%. Keeping your business earnings in a separate account can make it easier to set aside funds for those taxes in advance so that you’re not surprised by a bill at tax time. Some accounts, including Found, will automatically set aside tax payments for you. 
  3. Business bank accounts offer helpful tools. Freelancer business accounts may come with features like invoicing, payment processing and expense tracking, which can make it easier to run your business. Others may integrate directly with payment, e-commerce and gig work apps, helping you access the money you’ve earned sooner.
  4. Separating your business finances sets you up for the future. If you decide to expand your business in the future, your business bank account will have a record of your revenue and expense history — which can be helpful when applying for a small-business loan.

💬 From our Nerds: What I wish I knew when I was a freelancer

"I had some freelance clients before I joined NerdWallet, though I didn't have a business checking account. I used several different tools to send invoices and take payments. Then, I kept a spreadsheet to track how much I'd earned and how much I owed in quarterly tax payments.
"If I were in the same position today, I'd look for a business bank account with built-in invoicing and tax planning tools. Using one tool just feels so much simpler than using two or more — especially when I had to build one of them myself."
Rosalie Murphy, lead writer covering small business

What documents do freelancers need to open a business bank account?

The exact documents required will vary by bank and your business type. If you're a sole proprietor, you'll likely need to provide at least the following documents:
  • A government-issued photo ID.
  • Business license.
  • Business tax ID (also called an EIN) or Social Security number.
Other business entities, like single-member LLCs, will require additional information. If you wanted to open a business bank account for an LLC, for instance, you’ll likely need to supply your operating agreement.
Learn more with our complete guide to what you need to open a business bank account.
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 November 5, 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet evaluates more than 30 business bank accounts from national, regional and online banks. Collectively, these accounts represent the largest banks by assets, internet search traffic and other factors, along with notable or emerging players in the industry.
We consider more than 20 data points for each account, scoring them on fees, perks and accessibility, among other factors. This information is gathered from each financial institution's website and company representatives. In addition, data is collected regularly and reviewed by our editorial team for consistency and accuracy.
Final star ratings are presented on a scale of one to five stars, where a one-star score represents "poor" and a five-star score represents "excellent." Learn more about how we rate business checking accounts.
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