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Account Account	NerdWallet rating NerdWallet rating	Best for Best for	APY APY	Monthly fee Monthly fee	Bonus Bonus	Learn more Learn more
Bluevine Business Checking	5.0/5 Read expert review	2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account	1.30% With $0 min. balance for APY	$0	$500 Requirements to qualify	Learn more at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured
American Express® Business Checking	4.8/5 Read expert review	24/7 customer support	1.30%	$0	30,000 Points Requirements to qualify	Learn more at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC
Chase Business Complete Banking®	4.7/5 Read expert review	2026 BEST Brick-and-mortar Business Checking Account	N/A	$15.00 Waived with $2,000 minimum balance	Earn up to $500 Requirements to qualify	Learn more at Chase, Member FDIC
Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account	5.0/5 Read expert review	1% cash back on debit card purchases	1.35% With $25,000 min. balance for APY	$0	$300 Requirements to qualify Best for Cash back	Learn more at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC
Found Small Business Banking	4.5/5 Read expert review	Tax planning, bookkeeping and invoicing tools	2.00% Terms Apply¹	$0 None Required*	$125 Bonus Terms Apply²	Learn more at Lead Bank, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Relay Business Checking	4.8/5 Read expert review	Low fees on wire transfers	N/A	$0	N/A	Learn more at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured
nbkc Business Account	4.8/5 Read expert review	Cash deposits and withdrawals	N/A	$0	N/A	Learn more at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

Nerdwallet best-of awards

2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Online banking

5.0

Read expert review

APY

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee

$0

Bonus

$500

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

No required monthly fee, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
Earn 1.30% 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.
Bill pay tools and invoicing with built-in payment links, plus tap-to-pay card acceptance.

Cons

No fee-free cash deposits.
Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
Does not offer jointly-owned accounts.

American Express® Business Checking

Best for 24/7 customer support

4.8

Read expert review

APY

1.30%

Monthly fee

$0

Bonus

30,000 Points

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

Pros

No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
24/7 customer support.
No fees on withdrawals at more than 70,000 MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs in the U.S.
Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for every $2 spent on eligible business debit card purchases.

Cons

Can’t deposit cash.
No outgoing international wire transfers.
Does not offer jointly owned accounts.

Nerdwallet best-of awards

2026 BEST Brick-and-mortar Business Checking Account

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Accepting in-person payments

4.7

Read expert review

APY

N/A

Monthly fee

$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

Bonus

Earn up to $500

Requirements to qualify

Learn more

at Chase, Member FDIC

Pros

Welcome bonus for new customers (terms apply).
Unlimited fee-free electronic and debit card transactions.
No fee on cash deposits at Chase ATMs.
Overdraft grace period/amount (24 hours and up to $50).
Built-in invoicing and Zelle for Business.
Accept credit card payments using the Chase mobile app.

Cons

$15 monthly service fee.
Fee for using out-of-network ATMs, no ATM fee refunds.
High overdraft, wire transfer fees.
Does not earn interest.

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for 1% cash back on debit card purchases

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

5.0

Read expert review

APY

1.35%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee

$0

Bonus

$300

Requirements to qualify

Best for Cash back

Learn more

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

Pros

Unlimited 1% cash back on qualified debit card purchases.
Earn up to 1.35% APY.
No monthly fees, transaction fees or overdraft charges.
Free, built-in bookkeeping and invoicing software.
Low fees on wire transfers.
All account holders are assigned to a dedicated banker or customer support representative.

Cons

$100 minimum opening deposit.

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Tax planning, bookkeeping and invoicing tools

4.5

Read expert review

APY

2.00%

Terms Apply¹

Monthly fee

$0

None Required*

Bonus

$125

Bonus Terms Apply²

Learn more

at Lead Bank, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

No required monthly fee*, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
Built-in invoicing, bookkeeping and tax-planning features.
Built-in payroll features for contractors.
Can manage up to 5 businesses from a single login.

Cons

No weekend or after-hours phone support.
Subscription required to earn interest.

Relay Business Checking

Best for Low fees on wire transfers

4.8

Read expert review

APY

N/A

Monthly fee

$0

Bonus

N/A

Learn more

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

No required monthly fee, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
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.

Cons

No bill pay feature in the free plan.

nbkc Business Account

Best for Cash deposits and withdrawals

4.8

Read expert review

APY

N/A

Monthly fee

$0

Bonus

N/A

Learn more

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

Pros

No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
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

Must pay a fee to use built-in software features via Autobooks.

🧾 Important product updates

August 2026: We removed North One Standard Business Checking from this page. We previously listed it as our top pick for a high APY. But this account appears to no longer be available, with the North One website now redirecting to Relay.

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:

Not all personal accounts can be used for businesses activity. 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.
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.
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.
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.

» MORE: Self-employment tax: What it is and how to calculate it

Takeaways from my time freelancing

I had some freelance clients before I joined NerdWallet, but I didn't have a business checking account.

My system was way more complicated. I used a payment processor to send invoices and take payments. I deposited money into my personal savings account. Then, I kept a spreadsheet to track how much I'd earned and how much I owed in quarterly tax payments. After paying taxes, I transferred the remainder — my income — into my personal checking account.

If I were in the same position today, I'd simplify this dramatically by using a business bank account with built-in invoicing and tax planning tools.

— 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.

Notes on Found: Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. The funds in your account are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor for each account ownership category. FDIC insurance only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured depository institution.

*Found's core features are free. Optional subscriptions to Found Plus for $35/month or $315/year or Found Pro for $80/month or $720/year. There are no monthly account maintenance fees, but other fees such as transactional fees for wires, instant transfers, and ATM apply. Read Found Fee Schedule.

¹Customers who have signed up for an account after Nov. 1, 2025 will earn a bonus equal to 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield on the portion of their account balance up to $20,000 for a given month only if they spend $5,000 in qualifying debit card transactions during the month and satisfy other eligibility requirements as described in the Card Spend Bonus Terms. No bonus will be earned on the portion of account balances over $20,000.

²Welcome offer: Earn $125 when you deposit $5,000 within the first 30 days of account creation and maintain it for another 30 days. Offer valid until 12/31/26. Terms Apply.

Relay is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. The Relay Visa Debit Card is issued by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used anywhere Visa cards are accepted.

To view rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, see this page.

Last updated on January 6, 2026

Methodology

NerdWallet’s writers and editors evaluate more than 60 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 2026, we adjusted our expectations for APYs due to falling interest rates.

Final ratings range from one to five stars. 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.

Meet the editorial team

Kelsey Sheehy

Senior writer | Small business, personal finance

Kelsey Sheehy is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She started at NerdWallet in 2015 and spent six years as a personal finance writer and spokesperson before switching gears to cover the financial decisions and challenges faced by small-business owners. Kelsey’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. Kelsey has appeared on the "Today" show, NBC News and ABC’s "World News Tonight" and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC, American Banker, NPR and Vice, among other publications. Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kelsey covered college (and how to pay for it) for U.S. News & World Report. She is based in Washington, D.C.

Best Bank Accounts for Freelancers, Self-Employed of August 2026

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Online banking

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Online banking

American Express® Business Checking

Best for 24/7 customer support

American Express® Business Checking

Best for 24/7 customer support

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Accepting in-person payments

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Accepting in-person payments

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for 1% cash back on debit card purchases

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for 1% cash back on debit card purchases

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Tax planning, bookkeeping and invoicing tools

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Tax planning, bookkeeping and invoicing tools

Relay Business Checking

Best for Low fees on wire transfers

Relay Business Checking

Best for Low fees on wire transfers

nbkc Business Account

Best for Cash deposits and withdrawals

nbkc Business Account

Best for Cash deposits and withdrawals

Do self-employed workers need a business bank account?

Takeaways from my time freelancing

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

Methodology