Best Banks for Startups in 2026

If you’re bootstrapping, choose a small-business bank with low fees that can grow with you. If you have professional funding, look for Insured Cash Sweep coverage to protect your reserves.

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Best banks for startups

  • Bluevine: Best for high-yield checking, access to credit.
  • Brex: Best for venture-backed startups, spend management.
  • Chase: Best for brick-and-mortar startups.
  • Found: Best for solo founders, freelancers.
  • Grasshopper: Best for bootstrapped startups.
  • Live Oak Bank: Best for SBA loans, high-yield savings.
  • Mercury: Best for seed-stage startups.
  • Relay: Best for startups with complex cash flow.
  • Rho: Best for cash management and yield.
  • Silicon Valley Bank: Best for high-growth startups, venture debt.
Bank/institution Best for NerdWallet rating Monthly fee APY Bonus Learn more
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.
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.
Mercury Business Bank Account

Mercury Business Bank Account

Seed-stage startups

4.5 /5
$0

N/A

$300

Requirements to qualify

at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • Free domestic and international U.S. dollar wire transfers.
  • Unlimited refunds on all domestic ATM fees.
  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction fee on U.S. dollar transactions or overdraft fees.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Mercury IO Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • Can’t deposit cash.
  • Choice Financial Group, one of Mercury’s banking partners, is currently under a federal consent order.
Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Bootstrapped startups

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.
Relay Business Checking

Relay Business Checking

Startups with complex cash flow

4.8 /5
$0

N/A

N/A

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.
  • Thread Bank, Relay’s banking partner, is currently under an FDIC consent order.
Rho Business Checking

Rho Business Checking

Cash management and yield

4.3 /5
$0

N/A

$350

Requirements to qualify

at Rho, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Free same-day ACH transfers.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Rho Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • No cash deposits or ATM access.
  • Not available to sole proprietors.
Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

SBA loans, high-yield savings

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.
Brex Business Account

Brex Business Account

Venture-backed startups, spend management

4.5 /5
$0

N/A

N/A

at Brex, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Ability to put cash in a money market fund to earn yield.
  • Includes rewards-earning Brex corporate credit card.
  • Free domestic and international wire transfers.

Cons

  • Can't deposit or withdraw cash.
  • Only available to venture-backed startups and mid-market companies.
  • Not available to sole proprietors or other unincorporated businesses.
Found Small Business Banking

Found Small Business Banking

Solo founders, freelancers

4.5 /5
$0

None Required*

2.00%

Terms Apply¹

$125

Bonus Terms Apply²

at Lead Bank, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No required monthly fee*, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
  • Free, 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.
  • Not available to partnerships or nonprofit organizations.
Bank/institution
Bank/institution
Best for
Best for
NerdWallet rating
NerdWallet rating
Monthly fee
Monthly fee
APY
APY
Bonus
Bonus
Learn more
Learn more
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

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

Mercury Business Bank Account

Mercury Business Bank Account

Seed-stage startups

4.5 /5
$0

N/A

$300

Requirements to qualify

at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Bootstrapped startups

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

Relay Business Checking

Relay Business Checking

Startups with complex cash flow

4.8 /5
$0

N/A

N/A

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Rho Business Checking

Rho Business Checking

Cash management and yield

4.3 /5
$0

N/A

$350

Requirements to qualify

at Rho, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

SBA loans, high-yield savings

4.5 /5

$0

2.85%

With $0.01 min. balance for APY

N/A

at Live Oak Bank, Member FDIC

Brex Business Account

Brex Business Account

Venture-backed startups, spend management

4.5 /5
$0

N/A

N/A

at Brex, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Found Small Business Banking

Found Small Business Banking

Solo founders, freelancers

4.5 /5
$0

None Required*

2.00%

Terms Apply¹

$125

Bonus Terms Apply²

at Lead Bank, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for High-yield checking, access to credit

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.
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 startups

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.

Mercury Business Bank Account

Best for Seed-stage startups

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$300

Requirements to qualify

at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • Free domestic and international U.S. dollar wire transfers.
  • Unlimited refunds on all domestic ATM fees.
  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction fee on U.S. dollar transactions or overdraft fees.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Mercury IO Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • Can’t deposit cash.
  • Choice Financial Group, one of Mercury’s banking partners, is currently under a federal consent order.

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Bootstrapped startups

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.

Relay Business Checking

Best for Startups with complex cash flow

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

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.
  • Thread Bank, Relay’s banking partner, is currently under an FDIC consent order.

Rho Business Checking

Best for Cash management and yield

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$350

Requirements to qualify

at Rho, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Free same-day ACH transfers.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Rho Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • No cash deposits or ATM access.
  • Not available to sole proprietors.

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for SBA loans, high-yield savings

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.

Brex Business Account

Best for Venture-backed startups, spend management

Close
APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

at Brex, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Ability to put cash in a money market fund to earn yield.
  • Includes rewards-earning Brex corporate credit card.
  • Free domestic and international wire transfers.

Cons

  • Can't deposit or withdraw cash.
  • Only available to venture-backed startups and mid-market companies.
  • Not available to sole proprietors or other unincorporated businesses.

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Solo founders, freelancers

Close
APY
2.00%

Terms Apply¹

Monthly fee
$0

None Required*

Bonus
$125

Bonus Terms Apply²

at Lead Bank, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No required monthly fee*, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
  • Free, 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.
  • Not available to partnerships or nonprofit organizations.
Sort by:
  • Default
  • NerdWallet rating (High to Low)
  • APY (High to Low)
  • Monthly fee (Low to High)
Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for High-yield checking, access to credit

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.
Best of awards Nerdwallet's badge Nerdwallet best-of awards
2026 BEST Online Business Checking Account

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for High-yield checking, access to credit

Best for High-yield checking, access to credit

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.
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 startups

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.
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 startups

Best for Brick-and-mortar startups

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.

Mercury Business Bank Account

Best for Seed-stage startups

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$300

Requirements to qualify

at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • Free domestic and international U.S. dollar wire transfers.
  • Unlimited refunds on all domestic ATM fees.
  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction fee on U.S. dollar transactions or overdraft fees.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Mercury IO Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • Can’t deposit cash.
  • Choice Financial Group, one of Mercury’s banking partners, is currently under a federal consent order.

Mercury Business Bank Account

Best for Seed-stage startups

Best for Seed-stage startups

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$300

Requirements to qualify

at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • Free domestic and international U.S. dollar wire transfers.
  • Unlimited refunds on all domestic ATM fees.
  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction fee on U.S. dollar transactions or overdraft fees.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Mercury IO Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • Can’t deposit cash.
  • Choice Financial Group, one of Mercury’s banking partners, is currently under a federal consent order.

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Bootstrapped startups

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.

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Bootstrapped startups

Best for Bootstrapped startups

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.

Relay Business Checking

Best for Startups with complex cash flow

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

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.
  • Thread Bank, Relay’s banking partner, is currently under an FDIC consent order.

Relay Business Checking

Best for Startups with complex cash flow

Best for Startups with complex cash flow

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

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.
  • Thread Bank, Relay’s banking partner, is currently under an FDIC consent order.

Rho Business Checking

Best for Cash management and yield

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$350

Requirements to qualify

at Rho, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Free same-day ACH transfers.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Rho Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • No cash deposits or ATM access.
  • Not available to sole proprietors.

Rho Business Checking

Best for Cash management and yield

Best for Cash management and yield

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
$350

Requirements to qualify

at Rho, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Free same-day ACH transfers.
  • Users can apply for the rewards-earning Rho Card, a corporate credit card with numerous expense control tools.

Cons

  • No cash deposits or ATM access.
  • Not available to sole proprietors.

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for SBA loans, high-yield savings

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.

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for SBA loans, high-yield savings

Best for SBA loans, high-yield savings

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.

Brex Business Account

Best for Venture-backed startups, spend management

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

at Brex, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Ability to put cash in a money market fund to earn yield.
  • Includes rewards-earning Brex corporate credit card.
  • Free domestic and international wire transfers.

Cons

  • Can't deposit or withdraw cash.
  • Only available to venture-backed startups and mid-market companies.
  • Not available to sole proprietors or other unincorporated businesses.

Brex Business Account

Best for Venture-backed startups, spend management

Best for Venture-backed startups, spend management

APY
N/A

Monthly fee
$0

Bonus
N/A

at Brex, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No monthly fee, minimum opening deposit or excess transaction fee.
  • Ability to put cash in a money market fund to earn yield.
  • Includes rewards-earning Brex corporate credit card.
  • Free domestic and international wire transfers.

Cons

  • Can't deposit or withdraw cash.
  • Only available to venture-backed startups and mid-market companies.
  • Not available to sole proprietors or other unincorporated businesses.

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Solo founders, freelancers

APY
2.00%

Terms Apply¹

Monthly fee
$0

None Required*

Bonus
$125

Bonus Terms Apply²

at Lead Bank, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No required monthly fee*, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
  • Free, 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.
  • Not available to partnerships or nonprofit organizations.

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Solo founders, freelancers

Best for Solo founders, freelancers

APY
2.00%

Terms Apply¹

Monthly fee
$0

None Required*

Bonus
$125

Bonus Terms Apply²

at Lead Bank, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Pros

  • No required monthly fee*, minimum opening deposit, excess transaction or overdraft fees.
  • Free, 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.
  • Not available to partnerships or nonprofit organizations.

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Other good banks for startups
How we chose the best banks for startups
Compare best startup banks by cost
How to choose a business bank for your startup
Does your startup need multiple business accounts?

Other good banks for startups

The following banks are also popular with startups. Their accounts are not available through NerdWallet, but our editorial team still recommends them for certain businesses.
Silicon Valley Bank is still a go-to bank for startups, despite its collapse in March 2023. The bank now operates as a division of First Citizens Bank. It’s best for high-growth startups in the technology, life sciences and healthcare sectors. SVB offers venture debt and equity financing, something traditional banks rarely provide.

How we chose the best banks for startups

Our editorial team looked at more than 60 national, regional and online financial institutions to select the best options for startups. We started by evaluating the entry-level business checking account at each, since that’s what businesses typically use most.
We only included accounts that earned at least 4.5 stars and/or provide exceptional services for startups at various stages. Each business account on this list has something that adds value for founders, like:
  • Built-in invoicing. 
  • Easy ways to take customer payments.
  • Low-cost wire transfers.
  • Seamless accounting integrations.
  • Insured Cash Sweep accounts for high deposits.
We also considered a bank’s additional services. Startups mature over time — ideally, quickly. The best banks support that growth with products like business loans, high-yield savings and Treasury accounts.
Local institutions like credit unions are great for relationship building as well. These smaller options often lack the tools and infrastructure of bigger-name banks. We’d still recommend giving them a look based on your startup’s stage and trajectory.
Business accounts that earn 5 stars are exceptional. These are best-in-class accounts that deliver the most value for the greatest number of business owners.
Business accounts that earn 4.5 to 4.0 stars are excellent. They deliver terrific value and might be the best choice for your business depending on your needs.
Business accounts that earn 4.0 to 4.5 stars are good, and potentially great for business owners with relatively specific needs. But other accounts may offer fewer fees, more features or a better customer experience.
Business checking accounts that earn below 4 stars are lacking important features, have many high fees or both. You can likely find a better option.

Compare best startup banks by cost

Most of the financial institutions listed below offer multiple accounts. To keep things consistent, we compared pricing for their entry-level account. Monthly fees will increase if you upgrade to a higher plan.
On the flip side, wire transfers may be less expensive on premium plans. You may also get more included features. See our feature comparison below.
Bank
Monthly fees
Wire transfer fees
Bluevine
No monthly fee.
Incoming: $0 domestic, $15 international.
Outgoing: $15 domestic, $25 international.
Brex
No monthly fee.
No wire transfer fees.
Chase
Starts at $15; can be waived.
Incoming: $15 domestic or international.**
Outgoing: $25 domestic, $40 international.
Found
No required monthly fee*.
Incoming: $0. Outgoing: $15.
No international wires.
Grasshopper
No monthly fee.
Incoming: $0 domestic, $5 international.
Outgoing: $10 domestic, $25 international.
Live Oak Bank
Starts at $10; can be waived.
Incoming: $10 domestic or international.
Outgoing: $19 domestic, $40 international.
Mercury
No monthly fee.
No wire transfer fees.
Relay
No monthly fee.
Incoming wires: $0 domestic or international.
Outgoing: $8 domestic, $25 international.
Rho
No monthly fee.
No wire transfer fees.
Silicon Valley Bank
Fees vary by client.
Incoming: $10 domestic or international.
Outgoing: $12 domestic, $25 international.
**No charge if incoming wire sent from another Chase account (branch, online or in-app).

How to choose a business bank for your startup

Banking needs for startups vary by stage. But a few things remain true for bootstrapped businesses to venture-funded companies: You need an account with low fees, easy access to funds and reliable, responsive customer support.
From there, tailor your search based on your business type and startup stage.
Business type/stage
What to look for
Brick-and-mortar businesses
Branch access and easy cash deposits. Your local credit union is a good place to start.
E-commerce startups
Seamless integrations with payment processors like Stripe or Shopify.
Solo founders/freelancers
Built-in tax tracking and invoicing tools to save time, reduce accounting headaches.
Seed-stage startups
High wire limits, sub-accounts and cash sweep features to help manage investor funds.
Venture-backed startups
Strong expense management tools, corporate cards and access to credit or venture debt.
Series A and beyond
Treasury services, higher FDIC coverage and structured cash management tools — often with dedicated support.
Bank
Built-in tools
High-yield savings
Treasury account
Insured Cash Sweep
Business loans
Bluevine
Invoicing with payment links, tap-to-pay card acceptance.
Accounts payable with approval workflows, automatic receipt capture.
Bookkeeping integrations.
Brex
Bill pay with approval workflows, automatic receipt capture.
Expense management with corporate cards, reimbursements.
Bookkeeping integrations with automation.
Corporate travel management.
Chase
Invoicing, tap-to-pay card acceptance.
Bill pay.
Bookkeeping integrations.
Found
Invoicing, tap-to-pay card acceptance.
Accounts payable with automatic receipt capture.
Contractor payment management.
Tax planning and automatic saving.
Grasshopper
Bill pay.
Invoicing and bookkeeping via Autobooks.
Live Oak Bank
Bill pay.
Bookkeeping integrations.
Mercury
Invoicing.
Bill pay with approval workflows, automatic receipt capture.
Expense management with corporate cards, reimbursements.
Bookkeeping integrations with automation.
Relay
Invoicing with payment links.
Bill pay with automatic receipt capture.
Bookkeeping integrations.
Rho
Invoicing.
Bill pay with approval workflows, automatic receipt capture.
Expense management with corporate cards, reimbursements.
Bookkeeping integrations with automation.
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)
Invoicing.
Bill pay and expense management.
International banking.
Bookkeeping integrations.

Does your startup need multiple business accounts?

A single business checking account is fine for microbusinesses and early-stage startups. But it's smart to open additional accounts as your business grows.
Using multiple business accounts insulates your business from account freezes and fraud. It also allows you to save for taxes and long-term goals, and separate different business functions.
At a minimum, keep an emergency fund with a month’s worth of operating expenses in a business savings account at a separate bank from your business checking account. This can help insulate you from a bank failure, as well as other unforeseen expenses or interruptions in your business.
Want to take it a step further: Keep your payroll account at one bank, your personal account at another and your main business bank account at yet another bank.
🤓
Nerdy Tip
Putting all your business funds in one bank can be risky. Many startups learned this the hard way when Silicon Valley Bank collapsed in 2023. While businesses only lost access to funds for a few days, the lesson was clear. Startups need multiple accounts, with multiple banks.

Notes from providers

The information about the Bank of America® Business Advantage Fundamentals™ account has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
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.
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 $19.99/month or $149.99/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 2.0% APY 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.
Last updated on April 3, 2025

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.
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Bluevine Business Checking
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Bluevine Business Checking

$0 monthly fees. 1.30% APY. Built for small business growth

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured