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 | 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>.
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, comprehensivebusiness 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. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective editorial perspectives.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements that appear on our site or when you click to or take an action on their website. This compensation helps us provide tools and services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other factors include your credit profile, product availability and proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews. 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 | 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>.
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, comprehensivebusiness 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. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective editorial perspectives.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements that appear on our site or when you click to or take an action on their website. This compensation helps us provide tools and services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other factors include your credit profile, product availability and proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews. Here is a list of our partners.
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.
Chase Business Complete Banking®
The bottom line:
Chase Business Complete Banking® earned our pick for best brick-and-mortar business account thanks to its branch access, built-in invoicing and card processing. High wire fees are worth factoring in before you sign up, though.
Bank account details
Monthly fee
$15.00
Waived with $2,000 minimum balance
APY
N/A
Bonus
Earn up to $500
Earn up to $500 when you open a new Chase Business Complete Checking® account. For new Chase business checking customers with qualifying activities.
Requirements to qualify
Pros & Cons
Pros
Welcome bonus for new customers (terms apply).
Unlimited fee-free electronic and debit card transactions.
No fee on cash deposits at Chase ATMs.
Overdraft grace period/amount (24 hours and up to $50).
Built-in invoicing and Zelle for Business.
Accept credit card payments using the Chase mobile app.
Cons
$15 monthly service fee.
Fee for using out-of-network ATMs, no ATM fee refunds.
Want a free business checking account with no minimum balance to worry about? U.S. Bank Business Essentials has no monthly fee, includes unlimited electronic transactions and a growing list of digital tools. You get a free mobile card reader and next-day access to most funds (transaction fees apply). The account also includes built-in bill pay tools that let you import invoices via photo or email and schedule recurring payments.
If branch access and cash deposits aren’t a priority, Bluevine is a great option. This high-yield business checking account has no monthly fee and earns 1.30% APY (terms apply). It’s also loaded with features, from invoicing to bill pay to in-app card payments. Bluevine Business Checking was also our pick for best online business checking account in 2026.
Full review
Chase Business Complete Banking® delivers the best of both worlds. You get a massive network of 5,000-plus branches — crucial for in-person support and easy cash deposits — alongside digital tools like built-in invoicing and card acceptance. This combo earned Chase our editorial team’s pick for best brick-and-mortar business account in NerdWallet’s 2026 Best-Of Awards.
This business checking account isn’t without its flaws, though. Like most big banks, Chase charges high fees for overdrafts and wire transfers. But you do get a pass on overdrafts under $50. And incoming wires from other Chase accounts are free.
Another complaint that popped up when I interviewed business owners and checked online forums: Chase closing accounts with little notice or recourse. This is often the result of Chase’s anti-fraud systems.
All banks must follow fraud-related regulations, which means closures can happen anywhere. Still, I see the most frustration at big-name banks (like Chase) and online-only institutions. At the former, small-business owners feel like “just a number.” At the latter, customer service sometimes starts and ends with an email.
Community banks are a good alternative if you're wary of account closures. These institutions typically aren’t as quick to close your account. And most will give you the courtesy of a conversation. The tradeoff? Clunkier mobile apps and fewer online tools.
Earn up to $500 when you open a new Chase Business Complete Checking® account. For new Chase business checking customers with qualifying activities.
Chase offers three business checking accounts, two savings accounts and business certificates of deposit.
For business checking, we rate the entry-level account. That allows us to fairly compare accounts, apples-to-apples. We don’t currently rate any of Chase’s business savings accounts as most offer interest rates far below the national average. That said, Chase does offer competitive rates on select business CD terms.
Other accounts from Chase include:
Chase Performance Business Checking.
Chase Platinum Business Checking℠.
Chase Business Total Savings℠.
Chase Business Premier Savings℠.
Chase Business Certificates of Deposit.
💬 From our Nerds: Not an "average" account
Chase gives you lots of ways to avoid the monthly fee. But that doesn’t mean it makes this easy, especially for the smallest businesses.
One option is to keep at least $2,000 in your account. But there’s a catch buried in the fine print.
You need a balance of at least $2,000 at the end of each business day. Fall below that even once during your statement cycle and Chase hits you with the $15 monthly service fee — unless you hit on one of the other requirements:
Deposit at least $2,000 into your account from Chase QuickAccept transactions or other eligible Chase Payment Solutions transactions.
Link a Chase Private Client Checking account.
Similar accounts set a lower bar.
Bank of America waives your fee if you spend $500 on your debit card or keep an average balance of $5,000. They also waive the fee for the first 12 months.
Wells Fargo requires a $2,000 daily minimum balance, similar to Chase. But you can also avoid the fee with a $5,000 average combined balance across all of your Wells Fargo business accounts: checking, savings, money market and certificate of deposit.
Chase does not offer an average option. Worse? It does on some of its personal checking accounts. So if you already bank with Chase, you may be extra surprised.
— Kelsey Sheehy, senior writer covering small business
Where Chase Business Complete Banking® stands out
Invoicing, card processing with same-day deposits
Chase Business Complete Banking® comes with two built-in payment tools, making it easier for your business to collect and access funds.
With Chase invoicing, you can create a digital invoice and send it by text or email. Customers can pay by card, Zelle, cash or check.
You can also accept in-person payments via the Chase mobile app. Tap to Pay on iPhone lets you accept contactless payments (requires an iPhone XS or later, plus the latest iOS version). Android users need a mobile reader to take card payments — or you can key in card info.
No matter how you collect payment, deposits land the same day at no extra cost, as long as you route funds to your Chase business checking account. That beats many processors, which hold funds for a day or two before they reach your bank.
Chase offers competitive payment process rates. In-person transactions cost 2.6% plus 10 cents each. Keyed-in sales are more (3.5% plus 10 cents). That’s standard practice, but the cost difference — and the hassle — add up if you take payments regularly.
🤓
Nerdy Tip
Chase card readers aren’t cheap. You’ll pay at least $99 versus $59 for a similar Square reader (albeit without a screen). But you’ll pay higher processing rates with Square, and funds can take longer to hit your bank account.» MORE: Compare point-of-sale systems
Big sign-up bonus
Chase consistently offers one of the best business checking account bonuses. Right now, you can earn up to $500 when you open a new account. To earn the full bonus, you need to:
Deposit $10,000 within 30 days.
Maintain that balance for 60 days.
Complete five qualifying transactions within 90 days.
If $10,000 in new money is a stretch, you can snag a $400 bonus if you deposit $2,000 and meet the balance and transaction requirements above.
This isn't the biggest welcome offer out there, but it's one of the most accessible — especially the $400 bonus. For example, U.S. Bank Business Essentials and Bank of America business checking both offer a $400 bonus tier. But they require a $5,000 deposit to qualify (among other activities).
Unlimited fee-free digital transactions
Brick-and-mortar banks typically cap your monthly transactions, allowing anywhere from 100 to 250 before charging additional fees. Chase is one of the few — and was one of the first I can recall — to break that mold.
Chase Business Complete Banking® has unlimited electronic transactions. This includes:
ACH transfers.
ATM transactions.
Debit card purchases.
Internal transfers.
Mobile deposits.
This setup better supports modern businesses that rely more on online payments than paper checks. Chase caps in-person and paper transactions for this account at 20 per month. That’s on par with other banks that have similar policies.
Generous overdraft grace period
Small businesses run on tight margins. Accidental overdrafts can happen. Chase gives you breathing room. There is no overdraft fee if your account is negative by $50 or less. Overdrawn by more than $50? You have one business day to bring your account current.
I examined overdraft policies for more than 50 business checking accounts. Only four banks, including Chase, offer a safety net of $50. The others are Huntington Bank, TD Bank and First Internet Bank. Most online banks will automatically decline or return transactions that would put your account in the red.
Not all of Chase’s overdraft policies are as forgiving, though. If you don’t bring your account current in time, the bank will hit you with a $34 fee. That’s high, but not outlandish. Bank of America charges $10 per overdraft, for instance. That’s on the low end of the spectrum. U.S. Bank tops Chase with a $36 overdraft fee. Neither offers any real wiggle room.
But Chase will charge that fee up to six times per day. Bank of America and U.S. Bank top out at two and three, respectively.
Where Chase Business Complete Banking® falls short
High wire transfer fees
Wire transfers aren't cheap with this account. Incoming wires cost $15, whether domestic or international — unless the wire comes from another Chase account, in which case it's free. Sending wires costs even more. Domestic outgoing wires run $25 if you initiate them online, or $35 in-branch. International outgoing wires are pricier still: $40 digital, $50 in-branch.
Chase isn't the worst offender here, but it's not the cheapest either. Wells Fargo doesn't charge for incoming wires at all. U.S. Bank's outgoing international fee can climb as high as $75.
If wire transfers are a core part of your operations, opt for an online business account like Bluevine, Relay or Mercury.
With Bluevine Standard, wire transfer fees top out at $25 for outgoing international wires. Upgrade to Plus or Premier and payment fees drop. The same is true for Relay Business Checking, which also offers free incoming wire transfers. And Mercury Business Account doesn’t charge for wire transfers at all (yes, including international wires).
Incoming Domestic
Incoming International (USD)
Outgoing Domestic
Outgoing International (USD)
Chase
$15 (free from Chase)
$15 (free from Chase)
$25 digital / $35 in-branch
$40 digital / $50 in-branch
Wells Fargo
Free
Free
$25 digital / $40 in-branch
$25 digital / $40 in-branch
U.S. Bank
$14-$16
$20
$30 digital / $40 in-branch
$45 digital / $75 in-branch
Bluevine (Standard)
Free
$15
$15
$25
Relay (Starter)
Free
Free
$8
$5 (Local Network) / $25 (SWIFT)
Mercury
Free
Free
Free
Free
Little recourse for account closures
All banks watch for fraud and money laundering. But if Chase flags your account, disputing it can feel impossible.
This complaint cropped up in interviews I conducted and in online forums like Reddit. Business owners said Chase closed their accounts with little explanation and no clear appeal process. They claim Chase froze their funds for weeks, sometimes months.
I reached out to Chase to better understand their policies. A spokesperson told me that if your account is closed or frozen, you'll get a letter directly from Chase with a number to contact.
But this letter isn't a warning; it comes after the fact. And calling the number won't always provide answers.
"For security and privacy reasons, we may not be able to disclose exactly what triggered a review or the precise controls used," a Chase spokesperson told me. "But we can explain what the customer can do next."
Those next steps are typically limited, though, and appeals take time — something small-business owners can't afford.
"Losing banking access isn't an inconvenience; it's a payroll problem with a deadline attached," says Travis Borkenhagen, owner of Elevation Event Photography. When Chase closed his account unexpectedly, he couldn't collect on invoices already sent or pay contractors as scheduled.
There's no surefire way to prevent an account closure with any bank. Instead, build in a backup plan. Have at least two business bank accounts: your main operating account, plus an emergency account at a separate bank with enough funds to cover expenses for at least 30 days.
How we evaluated Chase Business Complete Banking®
NerdWallet’s editorial team considers more than 20 data points for each business checking account we rate, scoring each on fees, perks and software tools, among other factors (view our complete ratings methodology). For this review, I gathered this information from Chase's website and company representatives.
We score accounts from one to five stars overall, as well as on individual areas that are important for business banking. If a bank offers multiple accounts, we rate the entry-level account.
Here's how Chase Business Complete Banking® stacks up:
Transactions: Unlimited fee-free electronic transactions. (Fees apply for wire transfers and instant transfers, as is the case with most business bank accounts.)
Domestic ATM access, fees: No fee at more than 14,000 Chase ATMs; $3 per transaction at out-of-network ATMs.
Cash deposits: Up to $5,000 included per statement cycle.
Wire transfers: International and domestic wire transfers available (incoming and outgoing).
Minimum opening deposit: $0.
Checks: Can order checks online.
Human support phone hours: Dedicated business service center (800-242-7338) available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight ET and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET on weekends.
App store rating: 4.8 (weighted average of the Apple and Google Play app stores).
Ease of website use: Better than average.
Branch access: More than 5,000 branches in 49 states.
Account availability: Nationwide.
Account opening options: Online, in-person and by phone.
Live chat support: Yes. Live in-app chat staffed same hours as phone support.
Monthly maintenance fee: $15, waived if you hit any one of the following criteria during your monthly statement period:
Deposit at least $2,000 into your account from Chase QuickAccept transactions or other eligible Chase Payment Solutions transactions.
Link a Chase Private Client Checking account.
ATM withdrawal fee: $3 per withdrawal at out-of-network ATMs.
Cash deposit fee: No fee for deposits at Chase ATMs. Up to $5,000 per month in-branch for no fee, then $3 per $1,000 deposited.
Wire transfer fees: Incoming wires: $15 (domestic and international). No fee if wire is from a Chase account. Outgoing wires: $25 digital, $35 in-branch (domestic); $40 digital, $50 in-branch (international).
Overdraft fee: $34 per item (up to six per day) if you overdraw account by more than $50.
APY: None.
Sign-up bonus: Earn up to $500 when you open a new Chase Business Complete Checking® account. For new Chase business checking customers with qualifying activities.
Chase Business Complete Banking® earned additional points for software features thanks to the following:
Built-in invoicing.
Accept tap-to-pay in Chase mobile app.
Zelle for Business.
I also interviewed business owners who banked with Chase and scanned public forums (like Reddit, myFICO and Quora) and online reviews (via sites like Trustpilot and the App Store/Google Play) to understand perks and pain points of banking with Chase. I used AI tools to help gather some of this information.
People post anonymously in forums and review sites, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances. This data does not influence our star ratings. But NerdWallet does contact financial institutions regarding negative feedback that we consistently observe.
How to open a Chase business bank account
You can open a Chase business checking account online or in-person at a local branch.
Here’s what you need to apply online:
Your legal name, home address and cell phone number.
Your date of birth.
Social Security number or EIN.
Country of citizenship.
Ownership percentage.
Your business name, structure, industry and the date you started your business.
Trade name/DBA.
Business phone number and email address.
Online applicants also need to upload a photo of their ID using Chase’s secure site.
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.