Senior writer | Small business banking and credit cards, Paycheck Protection Program, consumer spending, and household finances
Kelsey Sheehy is a NerdWallet authority on small business. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. Kelsey has appeared on the <a href="https://www.today.com/video/christmas-in-july-sales-to-take-advantage-of-now-64075333536">"Today"</a> show, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/tax-code-changes-leave-many-americans-with-unhappy-returns-1440385091860">NBC News</a> and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/cost-smartphones-reaching-time-high-54166111">"ABC World News Tonight"</a> and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC and American Banker, among other publications. Email: <a href="mailto:ksheehy@nerdwallet.com">ksheehy@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Senior writer | Small business banking and credit cards, Paycheck Protection Program, consumer spending, and household finances
Kelsey Sheehy is a NerdWallet authority on small business. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. Kelsey has appeared on the <a href="https://www.today.com/video/christmas-in-july-sales-to-take-advantage-of-now-64075333536">"Today"</a> show, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/tax-code-changes-leave-many-americans-with-unhappy-returns-1440385091860">NBC News</a> and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/cost-smartphones-reaching-time-high-54166111">"ABC World News Tonight"</a> and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC and American Banker, among other publications. Email: <a href="mailto:ksheehy@nerdwallet.com">ksheehy@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
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.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
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objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Senior writer | Small business banking and credit cards, Paycheck Protection Program, consumer spending, and household finances
Kelsey Sheehy is a NerdWallet authority on small business. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. Kelsey has appeared on the <a href="https://www.today.com/video/christmas-in-july-sales-to-take-advantage-of-now-64075333536">"Today"</a> show, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/tax-code-changes-leave-many-americans-with-unhappy-returns-1440385091860">NBC News</a> and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/cost-smartphones-reaching-time-high-54166111">"ABC World News Tonight"</a> and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC and American Banker, among other publications. Email: <a href="mailto:ksheehy@nerdwallet.com">ksheehy@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Senior writer | Small business banking and credit cards, Paycheck Protection Program, consumer spending, and household finances
Kelsey Sheehy is a NerdWallet authority on small business. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. Kelsey has appeared on the <a href="https://www.today.com/video/christmas-in-july-sales-to-take-advantage-of-now-64075333536">"Today"</a> show, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/tax-code-changes-leave-many-americans-with-unhappy-returns-1440385091860">NBC News</a> and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/cost-smartphones-reaching-time-high-54166111">"ABC World News Tonight"</a> and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC and American Banker, among other publications. Email: <a href="mailto:ksheehy@nerdwallet.com">ksheehy@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
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.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking
Overview
The bottom line:
With unlimited ATM fee refunds and free cash deposits via compatible Allpoint and MoneyPass ATMs, Axos Bank’s Basic Business Checking's is a strong fit for cash-heavy businesses.
Bank account details
Monthly fee
$0
APY
N/A
Bonus
$400
Business owners get up to $400 welcome bonus!* Open a business checking account by September 30 and get up to $400 when you use promo code NW400 on your application.*
Requirements to qualify
Pros & Cons
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.
Axos offers two standout business banking products: Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking and the Axos Business Premium Savings Account. This online-only bank has other business accounts, including a high-yield business checking account and a business money market account. But they fall short compared to other banks' options due to low interest rates and high balance requirements.
Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking is a free business checking account with fee-free cash deposits and no ATM fees nationwide (Axos automatically reimburses third-party ATM fees). The bank's Business Premium Savings Account is one of the best business savings accounts on the market, with an industry-leading 3.80% APY, no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements.
While this review includes information on both Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking and Business Premium Savings Accounts, the star rating indicated above is specific to the Axos Basic Business Checking account.
Is Axos FDIC insured?
Axos Bank is a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.-insured institution and provides all of its business banking products and services directly. That's different from many online business checking accounts offered by neobanks like Bluevine and Relay, which rely on a partner bank to provide banking services and FDIC insurance.
Axos also offers Insured Cash Sweep services that can extend your FDIC coverage from the standard $250,000 per depositor, per institution to up to $240 million.
Axos business banking is best for small-business owners who:
Want a free business checking account and/or high-yield business savings account.
Need fee-free ATM access throughout the U.S.
Have more than $250,000 in deposits and want an Insured Cash Sweep account.
Looking for a high-yield business checking account? Bluevine Business Checking has no monthly fee and earns 1.30%APY (terms apply). Businesses can earn even more (up to 3.50%) with Bluevine's premium accounts: Bluevine Plus and Bluevine Premier. Both have high monthly fees, which can be waived if you have substantial cash flow and deposits. While Bluevine does accept cash deposits, there are limits and fees to consider if you regularly use this feature.
Axos business banking at a glance
Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking
0.0
NerdWallet rating NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
Axos Business Premium Savings Account
4.5
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
Monthly fee:
$0.
$0.
Minimum opening deposit requirement:
$0.
$0.
APY:
None.
3.80%.
Transactions:
Unlimited.
Up to 20 transactions per month (debits, credits and deposited items). Additional transactions are 30 cents each.
Bonus:
$400. Terms apply.
$375. Terms apply.
How to open an Axos business bank account
You can open an Axos business checking or savings account by completing and submitting an application through the bank’s website. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. resident with a verifiable, physical U.S. address and a Social Security number.
Upon approval of a business checking account, you'll receive a business debit card and/or checks (if requested) and can set up and start managing your Axos business account by logging into online banking, downloading the mobile app and transferring additional funds. You can also add other business employees to your account and assign permissions (contact an Axos business relationship manager). The Axos Business Premium Savings Account does not include checks or debit cards.
What you need to open an Axos business bank account
To complete the application, you’ll need to provide basic information about yourself and your business, as well as any additional business owners or authorized signers. You also will need to include personal identification for all owners and signers — a valid driver's license or passport — and legal business documentation, which will vary based on the entity type. Once submitted, you can check the status of your application through the online portal on Axos’s website.
It’s important to note that Axos requires a current email address and physical address (P.O. boxes and registered agent’s address aren't eligible) for the business and all owners and signers in order to process your application.
Axos Bank currently has welcome offers for business checking and Business Premium Savings Account.
Axos business checking promotion
From Axos: "Business owners get up to $400 welcome bonus!* Open a business checking account by September 30 and get up to $400 when you use promo code NW400 on your application.*"
To earn the business checking bonus, you must complete the following requirements:
Complete 10 point-of-sale transactions per month with your Axos business debit card. Transactions must be at least $3.
Set up bill pay and connect it to your Axos Basic Business Checking or Business Interest Checking.
Maintain an average daily balance of $25,000 to $49,999 for a $75 payout or at least $50,000 for a $100 payout. You can earn a total of four bonus payouts over five statement cycles.
Axos Business Premium Savings Account promotion
Earn a bonus of up to $375 when you open a new Business Premium Savings account using promo code BPS375. Terms apply. Offer expires 09/30/2025.
To earn a bonus, you must maintain an average daily balance of $30,000 to $74,999 for a $75 payout or at least $75,000 for a $125 payout. You can earn a total of three bonus payouts over four statement cycles.
Where Axos business accounts stand out
Unlimited ATM fee reimbursements: With Axos business checking, you can use any ATM in the U.S. without incurring fees from Axos. If you’re charged a fee from the owner of the ATM, Axos provides unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements for both business checking accounts.
Industry-leading APY on business savings: Want your cash reserves to work harder? Axos Business Premium Savings Account is an excellent option. You'll earn 3.80% APY, and there is no minimum deposit or balance required to start earning interest. Axos does cap transactions on its Business Premium Savings Account, and there's a charge if you go over. More on that below.
Up to $240 million in FDIC insurance coverage: Axos is part of the IntraFi Network, a consortium of FDIC-insured banks that offer Insured Cash Sweep services for business and individuals with large deposits. Sweep accounts opened with Axos can access up to $240 million in FDIC coverage — far beyond the industry standard, even for ICS accounts.
Welcome bonus: Axos offers generous sign-up bonuses for its business checking accounts (earn up to $400) and Business Premium Savings Account (earn up to $375), if you can hit the lofty balance requirements. Terms apply (see details above).
No third-party app integrations: With Axos business checking, your account is QuickBooks compatible, meaning you can sync your account to automatically upload your transactions to QuickBooks without having to input them manually. Unlike some online business checking account competitors, however, Axos doesn't offer direct integration with popular third-party business tools or apps, such as invoicing software or online payment platforms.
Want an account that syncs all your business tools? Consider Relay Business Checking, which offers direct integration with a host of tools, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, Stipe, PayPal, Venmo and Square.
App rated lower than many competitors: The Axos mobile banking app has mediocre reviews from Android users, garnering complaints about poor user experience, slow load times and frequent crashing. Apple users' ratings are higher on average, but still lower on average than competing digital banks.
If you do most of your business banking on the go, consider American Express® Business Checking* — a free high-yield business checking account with a highly rated business banking app that lets you accept credit card payments from customers and gain cash-flow insights. (One thing you can't do with American Express® Business Checking, though? Make cash deposits.)
Good, but not great, interest checking: The Axos Bank® Business Interest Checking ($10 per month) earns up to 1.01% APY, which is far more than the national average. But you can earn more interest with some of Axos's competitors. Bluevine Business Checking, for example, has no monthly fee and a top-notch APY: Earn 1.30% interest on account balances up to and including $250,000. Terms apply.
*Terms apply. See Axos website for complete eligibility details.
*Accounts offered by American Express National Bank. Member FDIC.