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.

Jump to

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?

Table of contents

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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.

Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.

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 $35/month or $315/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 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield 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.

To view rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash® Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, see this page.

Last updated on February 25, 2026

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.

Meet the editorial team

Rosalie Murphy

Lead Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business credit cards

Rosalie Murphy has covered small-business banking, credit cards, insurance and lending at NerdWallet since 2021. She writes and edits the Starting Small newsletter, and her reporting has appeared in publications like the Associated Press, MarketWatch and Nasdaq. Rosalie is an MBA candidate at Kent State University and has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California.

Best Banks for Startups in 2026

Best banks for startups

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for High-yield checking, access to credit

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for High-yield checking, access to credit

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Brick-and-mortar startups

Chase Business Complete Banking®

Best for Brick-and-mortar startups

Relay Business Checking

Best for Startups with complex cash flow

Relay Business Checking

Best for Startups with complex cash flow

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Bootstrapped startups

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for Bootstrapped startups

Mercury Business Account

Best for Seed-stage startups

Mercury Business Account

Best for Seed-stage startups

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Solo founders, freelancers

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Solo founders, freelancers

Rho Business Checking

Best for Cash management and yield

Rho Business Checking

Best for Cash management and yield

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for SBA loans, high-yield savings

Live Oak Bank Business Savings

Best for SBA loans, high-yield savings

Brex Business Account

Best for Venture-backed startups, spend management

Brex Business Account

Best for Venture-backed startups, spend management

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?

Notes from providers

Methodology