Best Business Bank Accounts for Startups in 2026

Why your startup's bank account matters more than it looks

The first bank account a startup opens tends to become its financial home. Payroll gets connected, investors wire funds to it, cards are issued from it, and the accounting software learns its feeds. Moving later is possible but tedious, so it is worth choosing with the next two years in mind, not just the first week.

For a US startup, especially one raising venture money, the questions are different from a typical small business. Large balances after a raise make FDIC coverage above $250,000 a real concern. Wires to lawyers, vendors and overseas contractors are frequent, so per-wire fees add up. Founders may live outside the US. And many teams never touch cash.

This guide compares six accounts that US startups commonly consider: Mercury, Brex, Relay, Bluevine, Novo and Chase Business Complete Banking. Every price, fee, rate and coverage limit below comes from the provider's own pricing page, fee schedule or help center as checked in October 2026. Rates and yields are variable and can change at any time; treat the numbers as a snapshot, not a promise.

A note on fintechs and banks. Five of the six providers here (Mercury, Brex, Relay, Bluevine and Novo) are financial technology companies, not banks. Your deposits sit at one or more partner banks that are FDIC members, and FDIC insurance protects you if an insured bank fails, not if the fintech fails. Pass-through coverage depends on certain conditions being met. Chase is itself a bank: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. Each review names the partner bank so you know where your money is held.

This article describes features and costs. It is not financial, tax or legal advice.

What to look for in a startup bank account

1. FDIC coverage on large balances. Standard FDIC insurance is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category. Several fintechs use sweep networks that spread your deposits across many program banks so more of the balance is covered. In this comparison, coverage ranges from $250,000 (Novo, Chase checking, Brex Checking on its own) to $3M (Relay, Bluevine), $5M (Mercury) and $6M (Brex Vault). Read how each one works: at Brex, for example, only funds placed in Vault get the higher coverage.

2. Yield versus deposit interest. Some providers pay interest (APY) on deposits, which stay FDIC-insured. Others offer a treasury product that invests in money market funds. Treasury products can pay more but are investments: they are not FDIC-insured and can lose value. Mercury Treasury and Brex Treasury are in the second group. Relay savings and Bluevine checking are in the first.

3. Wire and payment fees. If you send ten wires a month, a $25 fee is $250 a month. Mercury and Brex charge $0 for domestic and USD international wires; the others charge per transfer. Same-day ACH and foreign exchange fees vary too.

4. Cash handling. Many software startups never deposit cash. If you run a hardware pop-up, events or retail tests, check this carefully: Mercury, Brex and Novo do not accept cash deposits.

5. Cards and spend controls. Most startups want employee cards with limits. Credit or charge cards that do not require a personal guarantee are a common reason founders choose a startup-focused provider.

6. Eligibility. Some providers focus on funded companies. Brex, for example, states its service is aimed at companies that have received equity investment (or plan to), have more than $500,000 a year in revenue, or are referred tech startups. Non-US founders should also check country support.

7. Accounting integrations. A clean feed into QuickBooks Online, Xero or NetSuite saves your bookkeeper hours. Some providers go further with categorization rules and receipt sync.

Mercury: full review

What it is. Mercury is a fintech that provides business checking and savings through two partner banks, Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., both Members FDIC. Mercury says it received conditional approval from the OCC in April 2026 to establish Mercury Bank, N.A., and that it is working toward final approvals. Until then, deposits continue to sit at its partner banks and their sweep networks.

Key features for startups.

• FDIC coverage up to $5M. Mercury spreads checking and savings deposits across a sweep network of up to 20 banks through its partner banks, for up to $5M in FDIC coverage.
• Free money movement. ACH (same-day and next-day), domestic wires, real-time payments, mailed checks and USD international wires are all $0 on every plan. For USD international wires you can choose SHA coding (free to you, the recipient may absorb intermediary fees) or pay a flat $15 for OUR coding so intermediary fees are charged to Mercury.
• Cards. Debit cards and the IO Mastercard, a charge card issued by Patriot Bank, N.A. IO earns 1.5% cashback, has no annual fee and no personal credit check; the limit is based on your balances at Mercury and any linked accounts. Mercury says new customers with lower balances start with daily repayment and can move to 30-day terms once balances reach $15,000.
• Treasury. Mercury Treasury is offered by Mercury Advisory, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. It requires $250,000 across Mercury accounts and is not available to LLCs taxed as sole proprietorships. Net yields shown on October 9, 2026 for the $250,000 to $2M tier were 3.28% in a government money market fund and 3.60% in an ultra-short bond fund, rising to 4.05% at $20M to $50M. These are investments with risk, not FDIC-insured deposits, and yields change.
• Accounting. Bank feeds to QuickBooks Online, Xero and NetSuite, plus automatic categorization for QuickBooks Online and Xero, are free. Enriched NetSuite automations require a paid plan.

Pricing. Core banking is $0 with no minimum balance or overdraft fees. Optional plans add workflow features: Mercury Plus is $35/month billed monthly or $29.90/month billed annually, and Mercury Pro is $350/month billed monthly or $299/month billed annually. Plus adds recurring invoices, unlimited 1099 filings (the free plan charges $5 per filing) and priority support; Pro adds a relationship manager and NetSuite categorizations. Fees to know: a 1% currency exchange fee on non-USD international wires and a 3% fee on non-USD card transactions. Mercury charges no ATM fee of its own, but ATM operators may.

Eligibility. Companies must be formed and registered in the US or a US territory, have existing or planned US operations, and give a principal business address that is not a registered agent, P.O. box or UPS box. Mercury lists countries and regions where founders or financial controllers cannot be supported.

Who it is for. Most incorporated startups, including VC-backed teams and companies with founders outside the US, that want free wires and high FDIC coverage without paying a monthly fee.

Who should skip it. Businesses that deposit cash (Mercury does not support cash deposits), and teams that pay many foreign-currency vendors, where the 1% FX fee adds up.

Brex: full review

What it is. Brex combines a business account, corporate cards, expense management, bill pay and travel. Brex's site states that Brex LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital One, N.A. The business account has three parts: Checking, a commercial checking account at Column N.A., Member FDIC; Vault, which Brex Treasury LLC sweeps across 24 program banks; and Treasury, which invests in the BNY Dreyfus Government Cash Management Fund (DGVXX).

Key features for startups.

• Coverage depends on where funds sit. Checking is covered up to $250,000 at Column. Funds you place in Vault are eligible for up to $6M in FDIC coverage across program banks (Brex notes funds are not insured until they arrive at program banks). Funds in Treasury are invested in a money market fund and are not FDIC-insured.
• Treasury yield from the first dollar. Brex shows a "total treasury return" of 3.57% (balances up to $500,000) to 3.92% ($20M and up) in October 2026. That figure combines the fund's 7-day yield (3.51% when checked) with an additional return paid by Brex Treasury LLC, annualized and compounded. Brex states the rate is variable, the tier schedule can change, and you can lose money in the fund. Uninvested cash earns no yield.
• $0 money movement. Brex's fee schedule lists $0 for domestic and international ACH, checks, and incoming and outgoing domestic and international wires. Recipient or intermediary banks can still charge, and for non-USD wires Brex chooses the exchange rate.
• Corporate card without a personal guarantee. You can apply with an EIN, and Brex says it does not require a personal guarantee. Limits are based on business financials such as cash or revenue. International card transactions carry an FX markup of up to 3%.
• Integrations. Brex lists accounting and ERP integrations including QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct and Workday.

Pricing. The business account is free: no monthly fees, no account minimums and no treasury transaction fees. The spend management software is priced per user: Essentials $0 per user per month, Premium $12 per user per month, and Enterprise at custom pricing (a separate Smart Card program is also custom). Brex's pricing page does not say whether Premium is billed monthly or annually; Brex's help center says software usage is billed either in arrears on net 30 terms or upfront, per your contract.

Eligibility. All applicants need a US EIN, a valid US incorporation, US operations and a US physical address, and cannot be in a restricted industry. Brex says it focuses on companies that meet any of these: received an equity investment of any amount (accelerator, angel or VC) or plan to soon; more than $500,000 a year in revenue; or tech startups on that path that are referred by a customer or partner. For the card with monthly payments, funded startups need a $50,000 minimum cash balance (possibly lower through some partners); others may qualify for daily payments.

Who it is for. Funded startups that want banking, cards, reimbursements and bill pay from one vendor, and want yield on idle cash without a balance minimum.

Who should skip it. Bootstrapped companies that do not meet the eligibility rules, and any business that needs to deposit cash or withdraw it at an ATM (Brex supports neither).

Relay: full review

What it is. Relay is a fintech business banking platform. Banking services are provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, which also issues Relay's debit and credit cards. International payments are provided by Community Federal Savings Bank and facilitated by Nium.

Key features for startups.

• Many accounts. Up to 20 checking accounts per business on Starter and Grow, 50 on Scale, plus 2 savings accounts. This suits founders who split money into buckets for payroll, taxes and runway.
• FDIC coverage up to $3M. Deposits can qualify for up to $3M through Thread Bank's deposit sweep program, with up to $250,000 per program bank, if pass-through conditions are met.
• Savings APY by plan. Relay lists 1.19% APY on Starter, 1.87% on Grow and 3.21% on Scale, accurate as of 9/17/2026 and variable with the Federal Funds rate. Relay notes fees may reduce earnings.
• Cash. Cash deposits at Allpoint ATMs are $0; at Green Dot locations up to $4.95. Allpoint cash withdrawals are $0.
• Bills and expenses. Bill intake, multi-step approvals, receipt collection and spend limits, with QuickBooks and Xero sync. Gusto, Plaid and Yodlee integrations are also listed.

Pricing. Starter is $0/month. Grow is $30/month. Scale is listed at $120/month and shown at $90/month as a limited-time discount. Grow and Scale have 14-day trials. Relay's pricing page shows monthly prices only.

Transaction fees (Starter / Grow / Scale). Standard ACH $0 on all plans. Same-day ACH $1 / $0.50 / $0. Domestic wires $8 / $5 / $5. International wires through local networks $5 / $3 / $1.50, through SWIFT $25 / $22 / $20. Currency exchange from 1%. Incoming ACH, domestic and international wires, and mobile check deposits are $0.

Cards. Up to 50 virtual and physical debit cards per cardholder per checking account, and credit cards with cash back of 1% (Starter), 1.25% (Grow) or 1.5% (Scale).

Who it is for. Bootstrapped and early-revenue startups that budget across many accounts, want team cards and bill pay in their bank, and occasionally deposit cash.

Who should skip it. Startups that send many wires (fees apply on every plan) or that want a treasury option for a large raise.

Bluevine: full review

What it is. Bluevine is a fintech offering business checking through Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, plus lines of credit and term loans through lending partners. Its distinguishing feature is interest paid directly on checking balances.

Key features for startups.

• Interest on checking (variable). Standard pays 1.3% APY on balances up to $250,000 if you spend $500 a month with the Bluevine debit card or receive or deposit $2,500 a month in customer payments. Plus pays 1.75% up to $250,000. Premier pays 3.0% on all balances.
• FDIC coverage up to $3M. Bluevine says accounts are insured up to $3,000,000 per depositor through Coastal Community Bank and its program banks, by spreading the standard $250,000 across multiple banks.
• Sub-accounts. Up to 5 on Standard, 10 on Plus and 50 on Premier, with auto-transfer rules.
• Cash deposits. $4.95 per deposit through the Green Dot network, or $1 + 0.5% per deposit at Allpoint ATMs. Cash withdrawals at MoneyPass ATMs are $0.
• Accounting. QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave and FreshBooks sync for bills.

Pricing. Standard is $0/month. Plus is $30/month, waived when you keep an average daily balance of at least $20,000 AND spend at least $2,000 a month on the Bluevine debit card. Premier is $95/month, waived with at least $100,000 average daily balance AND at least $5,000 a month in debit card spend. Both paid plans start with a one-month trial.

Transaction fees (Standard / Plus / Premier). Standard ACH $0. Same-day ACH $10 / $8 / $5. Outgoing domestic wires $15 / $12 / $7.50. International USD wires $25 / $20 / $12.50. International FX wires $25 + 1.5% / $20 + 1.25% / $12.50 + 1.0%. Incoming international wires $15 / $12 / $7.50. Incoming domestic wires and ACH $0. Mailed checks $1.50 each, with 5 free per month on Plus and 20 on Premier.

Eligibility. Bluevine Business Checking is available to qualified US-registered businesses owned by people in select countries.

Who it is for. Startups that keep a steady operating balance and want it to earn interest inside an FDIC-insured checking account rather than in a separate investment product.

Who should skip it. Teams that send many wires, and teams that spend mostly on a credit card, since the fee waivers require debit card spend.

Novo: full review

What it is. Novo is a fintech built for independent and small businesses. Banking services are provided by Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A., Member FDIC, and deposits are insured up to $250,000.

Key features.

• Free checking. No monthly service charge, no minimum balance, no insufficient-funds fee. Novo's fee schedule lists a recommended initial deposit of $1,000.
• Reserves. Up to 20 buckets inside your checking account, with rules that route a percentage of incoming funds automatically.
• Integrations. Novo says it connects to 40+ tools, including QuickBooks, Xero, Stripe, Shopify, Square, PayPal, Wise and Gusto.
• ATM reimbursement. Novo charges no ATM fee and reimburses third-party ATM fees up to $7 per month.
• Credit card. The Novo Business Credit Card, issued by Continental Bank, has no annual fee and earns 2% cash back with a Novo checking balance of $5,000 or more (1% below that) for select customers.

Pricing and fees. From Novo's fee schedule (last revised February 26, 2026): incoming and outgoing ACH $0; Express ACH 1.5% (minimum $0.50, maximum $20); incoming domestic and foreign wires $0; outgoing domestic wires up to $45; express check deposit up to 2% (minimum $0.50). The fee schedule lists an APY of 0%. Novo does not accept cash deposits.

Who it is for. Very early companies with simple banking needs, such as a solo founder billing a few clients, who want a free account with invoicing and set-aside buckets.

Who should skip it. VC-backed startups holding large balances (coverage is $250,000), and anyone who sends wires regularly.

Chase Business Complete Banking: full review

What it is. Chase Business Complete Banking is the main small business checking account from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. Unlike the fintechs above, Chase is the bank. It includes card acceptance through Chase QuickAccept and access to branches, Chase ATMs and Chase business lending.

Key features for startups.

• Cash. Unlimited cash deposits at Chase ATMs, and $5,000 per statement period in branch at no charge; above that, 0.30% of the amount over $5,000.
• Card acceptance. QuickAccept lets you take card payments into the account: 2.6% + $0.10 for tap, dip or swipe; 3.5% + $0.10 for manual entry and payment links; 2.9% + $0.25 for ecommerce checkout.
• Transactions. Electronic deposits, ACH and ATM transactions, Chase QuickDeposit and debit card purchases carry no charge. The first 20 banker transactions and paper checks per cycle are free, then $0.50 each.
• Accounting. Chase documents a QuickBooks Online integration that shares card processing data (sales, refunds, fees, chargebacks and settlement deposits) at no additional cost.

Pricing. The monthly service fee is $15. It is waived when you meet any one of these in a statement period: a $2,000 minimum daily ending balance; $2,000 in eligible deposits from QuickAccept or other Chase Payment Solutions; $2,000 in eligible purchases on a Chase Ink or Sapphire Reserve for Business card; a linked Chase Private Client Checking, JPMorgan Classic Checking or Private Client Checking Plus account; or Chase Military Banking requirements. New accounts get the first two monthly fees waived or refunded. There is no minimum deposit to open. The account does not earn interest.

Wire and ATM fees (fee schedule effective 06/14/2026). Incoming wires $15, or $0 if originally sent with a Chase banker or via chase.com or Chase Mobile. Outgoing domestic wires $25 online or $35 in a branch. Outgoing international wires in USD $40 online; in foreign currency $5 online, or $0 for $5,000 or more; any international wire in a branch $50. Non-Chase ATMs cost $3 in the US and $5 outside the US, plus any fee the ATM owner charges.

Coverage. Deposits are insured by the FDIC up to the standard $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category. Business Complete Banking has no built-in sweep to raise that limit.

Opening. You can open online if your business is a sole proprietorship, a corporation, or an LLC managed by a single member or manager. Other structures apply in a branch.

Who it is for. Startups that handle cash, want face-to-face banking, or expect to borrow from a large bank and want to build that relationship early. Some founders also keep a Chase account alongside a fintech account.

Who should skip it. Startups that send many wires or hold a large raise and want more than $250,000 of coverage without extra products.

Cost comparison: a seed-stage startup's monthly banking bill

To make the fee differences concrete, here is one month for an example startup that sends 4 outgoing domestic wires, 2 outgoing USD international wires and 20 standard ACH payments, and keeps a balance well above $20,000. All figures use the published fees above; your bank or the recipient's bank may add fees we cannot predict.

Notes on the table:

• Bluevine's Plus waiver needs a $20,000 average daily balance and $2,000 in monthly debit card spend; Premier needs $100,000 and $5,000. Without the waivers, add $30 or $95.
• Chase's fee schedule lists ACH transactions on the account at no charge, but sending ACH payments may use a separate Chase payment service with its own pricing, which is not in the account fee schedule.
• Novo lists outgoing domestic wires as "up to $45" and says provider fees for wires are shown before you send, so the exact cost is not published.

Coverage on a $1.5M balance. Using each provider's stated maximums: Mercury (up to $5M via sweep networks), Relay (up to $3M via Thread Bank's sweep program) and Bluevine (up to $3M via program banks) can cover the full amount as deposits. At Brex, full coverage requires placing funds in Vault; Checking alone is covered to $250,000. Novo and Chase Business Complete cover $250,000.

How to choose

Start with your balance. If you have just raised and hold more than $250,000, prioritize accounts with sweep coverage (Mercury, Brex Vault, Relay, Bluevine) or plan to spread funds across banks yourself.

Decide where idle cash should live. If you want interest on an insured deposit, look at Bluevine checking or Relay savings. If you are comfortable with a government money market fund, Mercury Treasury (at $250,000 and up) and Brex Treasury (no minimum) are options. Remember that fund yields are not deposits, are not FDIC-insured and change daily.

Count your wires. If you send several wires a month, the $0 wire pricing at Mercury and Brex is worth more than a slightly higher APY elsewhere.

Check eligibility early. Brex focuses on funded or larger companies. Mercury and Bluevine list country restrictions for founders. Chase requires a branch visit for some business structures.

Think about cash. If you will ever deposit cash, rule out Mercury, Brex and Novo, or plan for a second account.

Plan for two accounts. Many startups keep a primary operating account and a secondary account at another institution, both for coverage and for continuity if one provider freezes or delays an account during a review.

Conclusion

For most incorporated US startups, Mercury is the strongest default: no monthly fee, $0 domestic and USD international wires, up to $5M in FDIC coverage through partner banks' sweep networks, and support for founders abroad. Brex is the natural choice for funded startups that want banking, a corporate card without a personal guarantee, and expense management in one product, with yield available from the first dollar. Relay suits bootstrapped teams that budget across many accounts, Bluevine pays interest directly on checking, Novo covers very simple needs for free, and Chase Business Complete Banking is the pick when you handle cash or want a branch relationship.

Whatever you choose, confirm the current fee schedule and rates on the provider's site before opening the account, since yields and fees change often.