Free business checking accounts don't charge monthly fees. The best no-fee options limit other costs, too, with features like free ATM access or no overdraft fees. Most of these business checking accounts come from online-only financial institutions. But a handful of brick-and-mortar banks offer free small-business accounts.
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
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 Free Business Checking Accounts
Best Free Business Checking Accounts
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 business 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 Midsize businesses
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
$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 Brick-and-mortar banking
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
N/A
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 1% cash back on debit card purchases
APY
1.80%
With $25,000 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
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
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free U.S. dollar transactions; no overdraft fees.
- Free domestic and international U.S. dollar wire transfers.
- Advanced digital tools including API access to automate and customize your banking.
- Unlimited refunds on all domestic ATM fees.
Cons
- Can’t deposit cash.
- Mercury is not part of a fee-free ATM network.
Mercury Business Bank Account
Best for Venture-backed startups
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$300
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free U.S. dollar transactions; no overdraft fees.
- Free domestic and international U.S. dollar wire transfers.
- Advanced digital tools including API access to automate and customize your banking.
- Unlimited refunds on all domestic ATM fees.
Cons
- Can’t deposit cash.
- Mercury is not part of a fee-free ATM network.
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 workers
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
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 Simple 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.
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$400
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions and free incoming wires.
- Automatic refunds of all ATM fees (domestic).
- Cash deposits via Allpoint ATMs.
- Welcome bonus for new customers (terms apply).
Cons
- $25 fee for insufficient funds/uncollected funds returned.
- No third-party app integrations.
Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking
Best for ATM fee refunds
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
$400
Requirements to qualify
Learn more
at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions and free incoming wires.
- Automatic refunds of all ATM fees (domestic).
- Cash deposits via Allpoint ATMs.
- Welcome bonus for new customers (terms apply).
Cons
- $25 fee for insufficient funds/uncollected funds returned.
- No third-party app integrations.
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 Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees, transaction fees or incoming wire fees.
- No fees at MoneyPass ATMs.
- Cash deposits via Green Dot network (fees and limits apply).
- Early payment feature allows you to receive funds up to two days sooner than with a traditional bank account.
- Direct integrations with Square, Shopify, Etsy and eBay.
Cons
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- No fee-free cash deposits.
- Low monthly limits for cash deposits, incoming ACH transfers.
- Bill pay not included; must upgrade to Lili Smart or higher.
- Not available to nonprofit organizations.
- No spend controls on employee debit cards.
Lili Basic Business Checking
Best for Gig workers
APY
N/A
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
Learn more
at Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Pros
- No monthly fees, transaction fees or incoming wire fees.
- No fees at MoneyPass ATMs.
- Cash deposits via Green Dot network (fees and limits apply).
- Early payment feature allows you to receive funds up to two days sooner than with a traditional bank account.
- Direct integrations with Square, Shopify, Etsy and eBay.
Cons
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- No fee-free cash deposits.
- Low monthly limits for cash deposits, incoming ACH transfers.
- Bill pay not included; must upgrade to Lili Smart or higher.
- Not available to nonprofit organizations.
- No spend controls on employee debit cards.
APY
0.01%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
Pros
- No monthly fees.
- Unlimited fee-free electronic transactions and free incoming wires.
- No dollar limit on cash deposits (other limits may apply).
- 24/7 customer service.
- No fees to deposit cash at Navy Federal or Co-Op Network ATMs.
Cons
- High opening deposit (up to $255).
- $29 fee for overdrafts, insufficient funds.
- Eligibility limited to veterans, military members, Department of Defense employees and their families.
- Does not offer jointly owned accounts.
- No spend controls on employee debit cards.
Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking
Best for Military-affiliated entrepreneurs
APY
0.01%
With $0 min. balance for APY
Monthly fee
$0
Bonus
N/A
Pros
- No monthly fees.
- Unlimited fee-free electronic transactions and free incoming wires.
- No dollar limit on cash deposits (other limits may apply).
- 24/7 customer service.
- No fees to deposit cash at Navy Federal or Co-Op Network ATMs.
Cons
- High opening deposit (up to $255).
- $29 fee for overdrafts, insufficient funds.
- Eligibility limited to veterans, military members, Department of Defense employees and their families.
- Does not offer jointly owned accounts.
- No spend controls on employee debit cards.
These accounts don't offer unique combinations of features like the ones above. But if you're considering these particular financial institutions, they're solid options.
First Internet Bank is an FDIC-insured, online-only bank. Its Do More Business™ Checking account has a few useful features, including “Balance Optimizer," which makes automatic transfers between your checking and savings or money market account to maintain your preferred minimum balance. The account also integrates with QuickBooks, Xero and Freshbooks and can do automated cash flow forecasting. Accountholders can't make cash deposits, though.
First Internet Bank (Business)
First Internet Bank Do More Business™ Checking
NerdWallet Rating
4.3
Monthly Fee
$0
Read Review
Learn more
at First Internet Bank, Member FDIC
Novo is a fintech company. Its business checking account is a useful option for digital freelancers thanks to its built-in invoicing tools. There isn't much else to set it apart, though.
Novo
Novo Business Checking
NerdWallet Rating
4.2
Monthly Fee
$0
Read Review
Learn more
at Novo, Deposits are FDIC Insured
Huntington Bank is one of the few brick-and-mortar banks that offers a free business checking account. It also comes with a competitive sign-up bonus:
For a $100 bonus, make a cumulative new money deposit of at least $2,000 within 60 days after opening an eligible account. For a $400 bonus, make a cumulative new money deposit of at least $5,000 within 60 days after opening an eligible account (not available with Business Checking 100). For a $1,000 bonus: Make a cumulative new money deposit of at least $20,000 within 30 days after opening an eligible account, then maintain a daily balance of $20,000 for 60 days after you've met the cumulative opening deposit requirement. ($1,000 bonus available with Unlimited Plus Business Checking only.)
Customers are limited in other ways, though — you can only make 100 fee-free transactions each month, for instance, and only deposit $2,500 per month in cash before fees kick in. And you'll face high incidental fees on things like wire transfers.
Huntington National Bank (Business)
Business Checking 100
NerdWallet Rating
4.1
Monthly Fee
$0
Free business checking accounts by state
If you want to keep your business local and prefer a smaller bank, choose your state to find free business checking accounts in your area:
Most online banks and neobanks offer free business checking accounts. In part, that's because they have lower overhead by not operating branches. The downside: Online banks often reduce overhead in other ways, too, like limiting phone support hours.
Brick-and-mortar banks tend to charge monthly fees, even for their entry-level accounts. In exchange, you get access to branches and, often, more responsive customer service. Banks usually offer to waive those monthly fees if you maintain a certain average balance or transact often enough.
🙋 Are online banks safe?
Online banks aren’t less safe or secure than brick-and-mortar banks, as long as they offer security measures like fraud alerts and two-factor authentication.
Beyond that, insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. protects customer funds at all the institutions NerdWallet recommends. If the bank holding your cash fails, the FDIC promises to cover up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution.
There’s one wrinkle when it comes to neobanks. These are tech companies, like Bluevine, Relay and Found, that focus on software tools. They partner with FDIC-insured banks for banking services, and those partner banks actually hold your funds.
If one of those fintech companies were to go under, customer funds should be safe in the partner bank's coffers. But account holders could have to deal with the headaches of locating and moving your funds. It can be wise to keep an emergency fund at a different bank to avoid that kind of cash flow interruption.
Finding a small-business checking account with no monthly fees is a great start. But you'll still probably run into other charges, like the following. (You can find all of these fees and limits in a deposit account agreement.)
If your business is likely to encounter any of these fees — if you deposit large amounts of cash, for instance — make sure to compare accounts on those points too.
Most banks allow you to make at least 100 transactions (either electronic, in-person or both) each month. Transaction fees tend to be pretty small — generally around 50 cents apiece — but they can add up over time. Unlimited fee-free transactions are ideal; American Express and Relay both offer this.
Overdraft fees kick in if you try to spend more money than you have in your account. They usually cost between $30 and $35 per overdraft, though some banks allow you a grace period of up to 24 hours or up to around $50 before you're charged. Huntington and Chase, for instance, offer both.
Some online-only neobanks don’t allow overdrafts at all. If you don't have sufficient funds, your purchase won't go through — but you won't be charged a fee either.
Nearly all business banks provide fee-free access to ATMs affiliated with the bank or with an ATM network, like MoneyPass. Need to use an out-of-network ATM? That ATM's provider will most likely charge you a fee. Your bank may or may not charge another one.
Many banks limit how much cash you can deposit per day or per month for free. After you reach that limit — which is often around $5,000 per month — your bank may charge a small volume-based fee, such as 10 cents for every $100 over the limit. Some banks also charge transaction fees for each deposit.
If cash is an important part of your business, look for a bank that offers unlimited fee-free cash deposits like NBKC.
Wire transfer fees are common. Most banks charge fees for both sending and receiving wires, and fees tend to be higher for international wire transfers. Free wires are a rare perk — so if they're a top priority for your business, prioritize them in your search. For example, Mercury offers free domestic and international wire transfers in U.S. dollars (a 1% currency exchange fee applies to transfers not in U.S. dollars).
Lili is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Sunrise Banks N.A., Member FDIC.
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 June 4, 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, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most online banks and business accounts offer free business checking, including Relay, NBKC, Axos and American Express. Free small-business checking accounts are available from local, national and regional banks, too, including:
- U.S. Bank: Essential Business Checking.
- Huntington Bank: Business Checking 100.
- Truist: Simple Business Checking.
- Citizens Bank: Clearly Better Business Checking.
- First Citizens Bank: Business Banking.
Scroll up for a state-by-state breakdown of banks that offer free business checking accounts.
Most online business checking accounts can be opened online with no deposit. A few examples include Bluevine Business Checking, Axos Basic Business Checking, the NBKC Business Account and Huntington Business Checking 100. Each of these business checking accounts has no monthly fees and no minimum deposit requirements, and they can all be opened online.
Although it’s less common, you may also find some regional and local banks that allow you to sign up for a free business checking account online with no minimum opening deposit.
