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The Best Business Checking Accounts

Low fees, rewards, and high APY are some of the the perks you should expect from your business checking account.

    Erica Seppala
  • UPDATED

Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through referral partnerships, we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent rating and scoring system.

We evaluated business checking accounts based on fees, features, requirements, rewards, additional services, and usability. These are our top picks.

Compare Our Top Picks

ProviderBest ForOpening DepositAPYRewardsNext Steps
Best For Instant Funds$0NoneNone
Best Overall Business Checking$1001.00% - 1.35%1%
Rho
4.2
Best For Startups$00%None
Best For All-In-One Digital Banking$00%None
Best For High APY$0up to 3%None
Show More Options
Best For Integrations$01.5% - 3.0%1% - 4%
Best For Branch Access$100NoneNone
Best For Freelancers$0up to 2.5%None
Lili
4.3
Best For Built-In Accounting$0NoneVaries
Show Fewer Options

Square Business Banking

Best Overall

Best For Instant Funds

Square Banking is a business checking option for Square sellers that want fast access to sales funds.

Square Checking gives eligible sellers instant access to Square sales, with no monthly fees, no minimum opening deposit, no minimum balance requirement, and no ATM fees. It also connects directly with Square’s broader payment, POS, savings, and business tools.

Banking services are provided by Square’s banking affiliate, Square Financial Services, Inc. or Sutton Bank.

ACH Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Overdraft Fee
N/A

PROS

  • No minimum balances
  • No monthly fee
  • Connects to Square's ecosystem

CONS

  • APY only available for savings

Grasshopper Bank

Best Overall Business Checking

Grasshopper is a strong overall business checking account for businesses that want earning potential without monthly fees.

Grasshopper offers APY on checking balances, cash back, unlimited transactions, no monthly fees, no overdraft fees, no ACH fees, automated savings tools, and invoicing features. Some transaction fees may apply, so businesses that frequently send wires or make international transactions should compare costs carefully.

ACH Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Overdraft Fee
$0

PROS

  • Competitive APY
  • Cash-back checking rewards
  • Lending options available

CONS

  • No cash deposits

Rho

Best For Startups

Rho is a business banking platform for startups that want checking, savings, bill pay, and corporate card tools in one place.

Rho offers no monthly fees, no minimum balance requirements, no ACH fees, no overdraft fees, and no wire transfer fees. Startups also get partner perks, bill pay, a dedicated relationship manager, savings APY, and access to the Rho Corporate Card for cash back.

Rho is a fintech company, not a bank. Checking and card services provided by Webster Bank, N.A., member FDIC; savings account services provided by American Deposit Management Co. and its partner banks.

ACH Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
1%
Overdraft Fee
$0

PROS

  • No monthly fees
  • Free ACH transfers
  • Dedicated relationship managers

CONS

  • No APY on checking balances

Mercury

Best For All-In-One Digital Banking

Mercury is a business banking platform for startups and tech-forward companies that want low-fee checking with modern spend management tools.

Mercury offers no monthly fees, no minimum balance requirements, ACH transfers, virtual cards, corporate cards, spend controls, accounting integrations, automated workflows, and treasury products for eligible businesses. It’s best for companies that want a clean online banking platform without traditional banking complexity.

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

ACH Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
1%
Overdraft Fee
None

PROS

  • No minimum balance requirements
  • Corporate card available
  • No monthly fees

CONS

  • Online only
  • No cash deposits

Bluevine

Best For High APY

Bluevine is a business checking account for businesses that want to earn APY without opening a separate savings account.

Bluevine offers interest-earning checking plans, unlimited transactions, no overdraft fees, no ACH fees, and higher APY options depending on the plan selected. Businesses can also try Bluevine’s paid Plus and Premier plans before committing.

Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Bluevine deposits are FDIC-insured through Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, and partner banks.

ACH Fee
None ($10 for same-day ACH transfers)
Foreign Transaction Fee
Varies
Overdraft Fee
$0

PROS

  • No monthly fees
  • Cash deposits supported
  • Lending options available

CONS

  • Some transaction and service fees
  • Not for high-risk industries

North One

Best For Integrations

North One is a business checking account for businesses that want digital banking with strong software integrations.

North One connects with tools such as QuickBooks, ADP, Amazon Pay, PayPal, Shopify, and more. Businesses can also access APY on checking, debit card cash back, savings envelopes, loans, lines of credit, and free checking with no minimum balance requirements.

North One is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services for the deposit account provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.

ACH Fee
0% - 1.5%
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Overdraft Fee
None

PROS

  • No minimum balance requirements
  • Cash deposits supported
  • APY available on checking

CONS

  • Some fees on free accounts
  • No traditional savings accounts

Bank Of America Business Banking

Best For Branch Access

Bank of America is a business checking option for businesses that want branch access and a full-service banking relationship.

Businesses can access checking, lending, merchant services, cash management tools, in-person banking, and support for cash deposits. Fees and transaction limits are more traditional than many online accounts, but many fees may be waived with qualifying balances or account activity.

ACH Fee
Varies
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%
Overdraft Fee
$10

PROS

  • Full-service business banking
  • Strong integrations
  • Merchant services available

CONS

  • Transaction limits
  • Higher fees than fintechs

Found

Best For Freelancers

Found is a business checking option built for freelancers, solopreneurs, and self-employed business owners.

Found includes freelancer-friendly tools such as tax estimates, tax savings, invoicing, expense tracking, and no credit check to apply. The free plan has few fees, while paid plans add more advanced bookkeeping, tax, and business management features.

Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC.

ACH Fee
$0 (1.75% for instant deposit)
Foreign Transaction Fee
Varies
Overdraft Fee
$0

PROS

  • Free plan available
  • Unlimited transactions
  • Invoicing included

CONS

  • Advanced features on paid plans
  • No incoming or international wires

Lili

Best For Built-In Accounting

Lili is a business checking option for businesses that want banking and basic bookkeeping tools in one platform.

Lili offers built-in bookkeeping features such as expense tracking, tax support, invoicing, bill pay, financial reports, and accounting tools. A free account is available, but the strongest bookkeeping and accounting features require a paid plan.

Lili is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC. 

ACH Fee
$0
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Overdraft Fee
None (covers overdrafts up to $200)

PROS

  • Built-in accounting features
  • Competitive APY on savings
  • Cash-back rewards

CONS

  • Limited cash deposits

Our Rating Methodology

Each provider gets 10–15 hours of research, is scored by a subject-matter expert, and is reviewed by a second expert before publication. Ratings are not influenced by our referral partnerships.

Fees & Rates
20%
Services
20%
Features
15%
Rewards
10%
Eligibility Requirements
10%
Application Process
10%
Sales & Advertising Transparency
5%
Customer Service
5%
User Reviews
5%

Best Free Business Checking Accounts

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a good business checking account?

A business checking account should have low or no monthly fees, reasonable transaction limits, and give you easy access to your money.

Depending on your business, you may also want cash deposits, low wire fees, accounting software integrations, interest on balances, branch access, ATM access, or a strong mobile app.

Are there free business checking accounts?

Many online banks offer free business checking accounts with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements.

Traditional banks may also offer ways to waive monthly fees, such as keeping a minimum balance or meeting certain activity requirements.

What documents do I need to open a business checking account?

To open a business checking account, you’ll usually need your EIN or Social Security number, a government-issued ID, your business name and address, and any required business formation documents.

Depending on the bank, you may also need an initial deposit. Sole proprietors and online-only banks may have simpler requirements.

Can a sole proprietor open a business checking account?

Sole proprietors can open a business checking account, often using a Social Security number instead of an EIN.

If you operate under a business name that is different from your legal name, the bank may also ask for a DBA registration.

What is the difference between a business checking account and a personal checking account?

A business checking account is built for business transactions, with features like higher transaction limits, employee access, business debit cards, ACH payments, and accounting or payroll integrations. Even if they don’t need all of these features, every business should consider a business checking account to separate their finances.

A personal checking account is meant for everyday personal spending. Using one for business can make bookkeeping, taxes, and separating business finances much harder.

Erica Seppala

Erica Seppala

Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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