Best Banks for Small Business of March 2026

The best banks for small business help you manage your everyday expenses with a free or low-fee business checking account. Beyond that, they can help you get financing, take payments and save for the future.

Get personalized matches in seconds

Get custom matches in seconds

question   1 of 7

Do you plan to bank in person?

Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

Best banks for small business

  • American Express: Best for 24/7 customer support.
  • Axos Bank: Best for high APY on savings.
  • Bluevine: Best non-bank option. Banking services are provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.
  • Capital One: Best for cash deposits and withdrawals.
  • Chase: Best for brick-and-mortar banking.
  • Grasshopper Bank: Best online bank with interest and cash back on checking.
  • Live Oak Bank: Best for business savings accounts, SBA loans.
  • Navy Federal Credit Union: Best for military-affiliated entrepreneurs.
  • nbkc: Best for straightforward online banking.
  • U.S. Bank: Best for free checking account at a national brick-and-mortar bank.
Bank/institution Best for NerdWallet rating Monthly fee APY Bonus Learn more
American Express® Business Checking

American Express® Business Checking

24/7 customer support

4.8 /5
$0

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

30,000 Points

Requirements to qualify

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 with your debit card.

Cons

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

Bluevine Business Checking

NerdWallet mini logo

2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

5.0 /5
$0

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

$500

Requirements to qualify

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No requited 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.
Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Online banking with interest, cash back

5.0 /5
$0

1.35%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

N/A

Clock icon Cash back on debit

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.
nbkc Business Account

nbkc Business Account

Straightforward online banking

4.8 /5
$0

N/A

N/A

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.
U.S. Bank Business Essentials

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

Free checking account at a national brick-and-mortar bank

4.5 /5
$0

N/A

$400

Requirements to qualify

Clock icon Best free account

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.
  • Receive and send payments via Zelle.
  • Accept payments with free mobile card reader, no monthly software fee. Processing fees apply.

Cons

  • $100 minimum opening deposit.
  • Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
  • High overdraft, wire transfer fees.
  • $1 fee for outgoing domestic ACH transfers.
Chase Business Complete Banking®

Chase Business Complete Banking®

NerdWallet mini logo

2026 BEST Brick-and-mortar Business Checking Account

4.5 /5
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

N/A

$500

Requirements to qualify

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.
  • No fees at 14,000 Chase ATMs and access to around 5,000 branches.
  • Receive and send payments via Zelle.

Cons

  • $15 monthly fee.
  • Monthly limit on physical transactions (20).
  • Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
Business Premium Savings Account

Business Premium Savings Account

High APY on savings

5.0 /5

$0

3.60%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

$600

Requirements to qualify

at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC

Pros

  • Industry-leading APY.
  • No minimum balance to earn interest.
  • Access to Insured Cash Sweep network for expanded FDIC insurance.

Cons

  • Fee for excess transactions.
  • No ATM or debit card access.
Capital One Business Basic Checking®

Capital One Business Basic Checking®

Cash deposits and withdrawals

4.4 /5
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

N/A

$500

Requirements to qualify

at Capital One, Member FDIC

Pros

  • Unlimited fee-free digital transactions, including mobile deposits, ACH transfers and some bill pay.
  • Full suite of business services, including business credit cards and loans.
  • No fees at nearly 80,000 ATMs, including the Capital One, MoneyPass and Allpoint networks.
  • No fee on cash deposits at Capital One and select Allpoint ATMs.

Cons

  • No free business checking account options.
  • Potential for up to 4 overdraft fees per day.
Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Business savings, SBA loans

4.5 /5

$0

2.85%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

N/A

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

Pros

  • High APY.
  • Earn interest on balances of $0.01 and higher.
  • No monthly maintenance fee or minimum deposit.

Cons

  • No ATM or debit card access for Business Savings account.
  • No weekend customer support.
Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Military-affiliated entrepreneurs

4.3 /5
$0

0.01%

With $0 min. balance for APY

N/A

Pros

  • No monthly fee and unlimited fee-free electronic transactions.
  • No dollar limit on cash deposits (other limits may apply).
  • 24/7 member 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.
Bank/institution
Bank/institution
Best for
Best for
NerdWallet rating
NerdWallet rating
Monthly fee
Monthly fee
APY
APY
Bonus
Bonus
Learn more
Learn more
American Express® Business Checking

American Express® Business Checking

24/7 customer support

4.8 /5
$0

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

30,000 Points

Requirements to qualify

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

Bluevine Business Checking

Bluevine Business Checking

NerdWallet mini logo

2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

5.0 /5
$0

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

$500

Requirements to qualify

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Online banking with interest, cash back

5.0 /5
$0

1.35%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

N/A

Clock icon Cash back on debit

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

nbkc Business Account

nbkc Business Account

Straightforward online banking

4.8 /5
$0

N/A

N/A

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

Free checking account at a national brick-and-mortar bank

4.5 /5
$0

N/A

$400

Requirements to qualify

Clock icon Best free account

at U.S. Bank, Member FDIC

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Chase Business Complete Banking®

NerdWallet mini logo

2026 BEST Brick-and-mortar Business Checking Account

4.5 /5
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

N/A

$500

Requirements to qualify

at Chase, Member FDIC

Business Premium Savings Account

Business Premium Savings Account

High APY on savings

5.0 /5

$0

3.60%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

$600

Requirements to qualify

at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC

Capital One Business Basic Checking®

Capital One Business Basic Checking®

Cash deposits and withdrawals

4.4 /5
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

N/A

$500

Requirements to qualify

at Capital One, Member FDIC

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Business savings, SBA loans

4.5 /5

$0

2.85%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

N/A

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Military-affiliated entrepreneurs

4.3 /5
$0

0.01%

With $0 min. balance for APY

N/A

American Express® Business Checking

Best for 24/7 customer support

Close
APY
1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
30,000 Points

Requirements to qualify

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 with your debit card.

Cons

  • Can’t deposit cash.
  • No outgoing international wire transfers.
  • Does not offer jointly owned accounts.
Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Non-bank option

Close
APY
1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$500

Requirements to qualify

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No requited 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.

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Online banking with interest, cash back

Close
APY
1.35%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

Clock icon Cash back on debit

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.

nbkc Business Account

Best for Straightforward online banking

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

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.

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

Best for Free checking account at a national brick-and-mortar bank

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$400

Requirements to qualify

Clock icon Best free account

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.
  • Receive and send payments via Zelle.
  • Accept payments with free mobile card reader, no monthly software fee. Processing fees apply.

Cons

  • $100 minimum opening deposit.
  • Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
  • High overdraft, wire transfer fees.
  • $1 fee for outgoing domestic ACH transfers.
Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST Brick-and-mortar Business Checking Account

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Brick-and-mortar banking

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

Bonus
$500

Requirements to qualify

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.
  • No fees at 14,000 Chase ATMs and access to around 5,000 branches.
  • Receive and send payments via Zelle.

Cons

  • $15 monthly fee.
  • Monthly limit on physical transactions (20).
  • Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.

Business Premium Savings Account

Best for High APY on savings

Close
APY
3.60%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$600

Requirements to qualify

at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC

Pros

  • Industry-leading APY.
  • No minimum balance to earn interest.
  • Access to Insured Cash Sweep network for expanded FDIC insurance.

Cons

  • Fee for excess transactions.
  • No ATM or debit card access.

Capital One Business Basic Checking®

Best for Cash deposits and withdrawals

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

Bonus
$500

Requirements to qualify

at Capital One, Member FDIC

Pros

  • Unlimited fee-free digital transactions, including mobile deposits, ACH transfers and some bill pay.
  • Full suite of business services, including business credit cards and loans.
  • No fees at nearly 80,000 ATMs, including the Capital One, MoneyPass and Allpoint networks.
  • No fee on cash deposits at Capital One and select Allpoint ATMs.

Cons

  • No free business checking account options.
  • Potential for up to 4 overdraft fees per day.

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for Business savings, SBA loans

Close
APY
2.85%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

Pros

  • High APY.
  • Earn interest on balances of $0.01 and higher.
  • No monthly maintenance fee or minimum deposit.

Cons

  • No ATM or debit card access for Business Savings account.
  • No weekend customer support.

Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Best for Military-affiliated entrepreneurs

Close
APY
0.01%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

Pros

  • No monthly fee and unlimited fee-free electronic transactions.
  • No dollar limit on cash deposits (other limits may apply).
  • 24/7 member 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.
Sort by:
  • Default
  • NerdWallet rating (High to Low)
  • APY (High to Low)
  • Monthly fee (Low to High)

American Express® Business Checking

Best for 24/7 customer support

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

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 with your debit card.

Cons

  • Can’t deposit cash.
  • No outgoing international wire transfers.
  • Does not offer jointly owned accounts.
Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Non-bank option

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Non-bank option

APY
1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$500

Requirements to qualify

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No requited 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.

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Online banking with interest, cash back

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Online banking with interest, cash back

APY
1.35%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

Clock icon Cash back on debit

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.

nbkc Business Account

Best for Straightforward online banking

nbkc Business Account

Best for Straightforward online banking

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

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.

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

Best for Free checking account at a national brick-and-mortar bank

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

Best for Free checking account at a national brick-and-mortar bank

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$400

Requirements to qualify

Clock icon Best free account

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.
  • Receive and send payments via Zelle.
  • Accept payments with free mobile card reader, no monthly software fee. Processing fees apply.

Cons

  • $100 minimum opening deposit.
  • Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.
  • High overdraft, wire transfer fees.
  • $1 fee for outgoing domestic ACH transfers.
Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST Brick-and-mortar Business Checking Account

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Brick-and-mortar banking

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Brick-and-mortar banking

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

Bonus
$500

Requirements to qualify

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.
  • No fees at 14,000 Chase ATMs and access to around 5,000 branches.
  • Receive and send payments via Zelle.

Cons

  • $15 monthly fee.
  • Monthly limit on physical transactions (20).
  • Fee for using out-of-network ATMs.

Business Premium Savings Account

Best for High APY on savings

Business Premium Savings Account

Best for High APY on savings

APY
3.60%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$600

Requirements to qualify

at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC

Pros

  • Industry-leading APY.
  • No minimum balance to earn interest.
  • Access to Insured Cash Sweep network for expanded FDIC insurance.

Cons

  • Fee for excess transactions.
  • No ATM or debit card access.

Capital One Business Basic Checking®

Best for Cash deposits and withdrawals

Capital One Business Basic Checking®

Best for Cash deposits and withdrawals

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$15.00

Waived with $2,000 minimum balance

Bonus
$500

Requirements to qualify

at Capital One, Member FDIC

Pros

  • Unlimited fee-free digital transactions, including mobile deposits, ACH transfers and some bill pay.
  • Full suite of business services, including business credit cards and loans.
  • No fees at nearly 80,000 ATMs, including the Capital One, MoneyPass and Allpoint networks.
  • No fee on cash deposits at Capital One and select Allpoint ATMs.

Cons

  • No free business checking account options.
  • Potential for up to 4 overdraft fees per day.

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for Business savings, SBA loans

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for Business savings, SBA loans

APY
2.85%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

Pros

  • High APY.
  • Earn interest on balances of $0.01 and higher.
  • No monthly maintenance fee or minimum deposit.

Cons

  • No ATM or debit card access for Business Savings account.
  • No weekend customer support.

Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Best for Military-affiliated entrepreneurs

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 fee and unlimited fee-free electronic transactions.
  • No dollar limit on cash deposits (other limits may apply).
  • 24/7 member 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.