Does PenFed Offer Business Bank Accounts?
Best for | NerdWallet rating▼ | Monthly fee▼ | APY▼ | Bonus▼ | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Military families Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking | 4.2/5 | $0 | 0.01% With $0 min. balance for APY | N/A | |
Easy-to-join credit union Digital Federal Credit Union Free Business Checking | 4.6/5 | $0 | 0.10% With $0 min. balance for APY | N/A | |
Online bank with ATM access Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking Learn more at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC | 4.9/5 | $0 | N/A | $400 Requirements to qualify | Learn more at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC |
Cashless businesses 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 |
Earning interest Bluevine Business Checking Learn more at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured | 4.7/5 | $0 | 2.00% With $0 min. balance for APY | $300 Requirements to qualify | Learn more at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured |
National business bank 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 |
Credit union account with unlimited transactions First Tech Federal Credit Union Simple Business Checking | 4.7/5 | $6.00 Waived with $1,000 minimum balance | N/A | N/A | |
Early access to payments Lili Basic Business Checking Learn more at Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured | 4.4/5 | $0 | N/A | $300 Requirements to qualify | Learn more at Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured |
Best for | NerdWallet rating▼ | Monthly fee▼ | APY▼ | Bonus▼ | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Military families Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking | 4.2/5 | $0 | 0.01% With $0 min. balance for APY | N/A | |
Easy-to-join credit union Digital Federal Credit Union Free Business Checking | 4.6/5 | $0 | 0.10% With $0 min. balance for APY | N/A | |
Online bank with ATM access Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking Learn more at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC | 4.9/5 | $0 | N/A | $400 Requirements to qualify | Learn more at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC |
Cashless businesses 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 |
Earning interest Bluevine Business Checking Learn more at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured | 4.7/5 | $0 | 2.00% With $0 min. balance for APY | $300 Requirements to qualify | Learn more at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured |
National business bank 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 |
Credit union account with unlimited transactions First Tech Federal Credit Union Simple Business Checking | 4.7/5 | $6.00 Waived with $1,000 minimum balance | N/A | N/A | |
Early access to payments Lili Basic Business Checking Learn more at Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured | 4.4/5 | $0 | N/A | $300 Requirements to qualify | Learn more at Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured |
I'M INTERESTED IN:
Our pick for
Military families
Our pick for
Easy-to-join credit union
Digital Federal Credit Union Free Business Checking
With $0 min. balance for APY
20 deposits free per day, 10¢ per item processing charge above 20
Pros
- Access to more than 80,000 ATMs nationwide via the Allpoint, SUM and Co-op networks and 5,000 branches via the Co-op network.
- No monthly fee or minimum opening deposit.
- APY of up to 0.10%.
- Anyone can join by donating to a participating nonprofit.
Cons
- No customer support on Sundays.
- Can’t open an account online.
Our pick for
Online bank with ATM access
Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking
Unlimited
Requirements to qualify
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.
Our pick for
Cashless businesses
American Express® Business Checking
With $0 min. balance for APY
No cash deposits.
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.
Our pick for
Earning interest
Bluevine Business Checking
With $0 min. balance for APY
Fees vary by location.
Requirements to qualify
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free transactions; no overdraft fees.
- Earn 2.00% 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.
- Free incoming wires and low outgoing wire transfer fees.
Cons
- Fee for cash deposits.
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- Does not offer jointly-owned accounts.
Our pick for
National business bank
Chase Business Complete Banking®
Waived with $2,000 minimum balance
Up to $5,000 per month.
Requirements to qualify
Pros
- No minimum opening deposit.
- Unlimited fee-free electronic 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.
Cons
- $15 monthly fee.
- Monthly limit on fee-free cash deposits ($5,000) and physical transactions (20).
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
Our pick for
Credit union account with unlimited transactions
First Tech Federal Credit Union Simple Business Checking
Waived with $1,000 minimum balance
Unlimited
Pros
- Access to more than 30,000 ATMs and 5,000 branches nationwide via the Co-op network.
- 24/7 phone support.
- No limits on transactions or cash deposits.
- Anyone can join by joining a participating association.
Cons
- $33 overdraft fee with a grace window of just $5. Up to 5 overdrafts can be charged per day.
- Must make an appointment to open an account, though the appointment can be virtual.
Our pick for
Early access to payments
Lili Basic Business Checking
Fee of up to $4.95 per cash deposit.
Requirements to qualify
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.
Cons
- Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
- Third-party fees for cash deposits (via Green Dot).
- Low monthly limits for cash deposits, incoming ACH transfers.
- Bill pay not included; must upgrade to Lili Smart or higher.
How to choose a PenFed alternative business account
- Do you want access to a branch? If so, avoid online-only options like American Express, Bluevine and Axos. Focus instead on national banks, like Chase and Bank of America, as well as regional banks and credit unions.
- Do you prefer a longstanding institution? Traditional banks (online and brick-and-mortar) rarely make sudden changes to their business bank accounts. The same can't be said for neobanks — financial technology companies like Lili and Bluevine that offer banking services via an FDIC-insured bank. Neobanks often pride themselves on innovation and tend to make more frequent changes to their product lineups, fee schedules and software tools.
- Do you value credit union customer service? Many credit unions are well-loved for their relationship banking. If getting help in person or over the phone is important to you, stick to credit unions and banks that offer branch access. Neobanks vary widely in their customer service offerings — some boast 24/7 or highly rated customer support, but with others, support may be provided mostly via live chat or email.
- How many fees can you tolerate? One drawback of brick-and-mortar banks is that they tend to charge monthly fees (though these can usually be waived if you maintain a certain average balance). You’re also more likely to encounter fees for overdrafts, ATM usage, wire transfers, and excess transactions or cash deposits at a traditional bank versus. Online banks and neobanks are more likely to offer free business checking accounts with few additional fees.
- How often do you deal with cash? Online business checking accounts may charge fees for cash deposits or have low limits on how much you can deposit at one time, although they generally have no monthly limits. Brick-and-mortar banks generally cap free cash deposits around $5,000 per month, though you can deposit more for a fee.
- What benefits are most important to you? If you take advantage of PenFed’s member discounts, sticking with a credit union may be your best bet. Brick-and-mortar banks may be more likely to offer sign-up bonuses, which offer cash to new users who meet certain deposit or transaction requirements within a few months. Online banks are more likely to pay high interest rates, and they also tend to have more sophisticated software tools to support tasks like tax planning and invoicing.