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Best Free Business Checking Accounts of November 2025

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Best Free Business Checking Accounts of November 2025

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Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Online business banking

APY

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

$500

Requirements to qualify

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Bluevine Business Checking

Best for Online business banking

Best for Online business banking

APY

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

$500

Requirements to qualify

at Bluevine, Deposits are FDIC Insured

American Express® Business Checking

Best for 24/7 customer support

APY

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

30,000 points

Requirements to qualify

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

American Express® Business Checking

Best for 24/7 customer support

Best for 24/7 customer support

APY

1.30%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Bonus

30,000 points

Requirements to qualify

at American Express National Bank, Member FDIC

Relay Business Checking

Best for Expense management tools

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Relay Business Checking

Best for Expense management tools

Best for Expense management tools

at Relay, Deposits are FDIC Insured

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

Best for Brick-and-mortar banking

Bonus

$400

Requirements to qualify

Best free account

at U.S. Bank, Member FDIC

U.S. Bank Business Essentials

Best for Brick-and-mortar banking

Best for Brick-and-mortar banking

Bonus

$400

Requirements to qualify

Best free account

at U.S. Bank, Member FDIC

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for 1% cash back on debit card purchases

APY

1.55%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

Cash back on debit

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

Grasshopper Innovator Business Checking Account

Best for 1% cash back on debit card purchases

Best for 1% cash back on debit card purchases

APY

1.55%

With $25,000 min. balance for APY

Bonus

N/A

Cash back on debit

at Grasshopper Bank, Member FDIC

Mercury Business Bank Account

Best for Free wire transfers

Bonus

$300

Requirements to qualify

at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Mercury Business Bank Account

Best for Free wire transfers

Best for Free wire transfers

Bonus

$300

Requirements to qualify

at Mercury, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Self-employed workers

Bonus

$125

Requirements to qualify

at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Found Small Business Banking

Best for Self-employed workers

Best for Self-employed workers

Bonus

$125

Requirements to qualify

at Found, Deposits are FDIC Insured

nbkc Business Account

Best for Simple online banking

Bonus

$250

Requirements to qualify

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

nbkc Business Account

Best for Simple online banking

Best for Simple online banking

Bonus

$250

Requirements to qualify

at nbkc bank, Member FDIC

Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking

Best for ATM fee refunds

Bonus

$200

Requirements to qualify

at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC

Axos Bank® Basic Business Checking

Best for ATM fee refunds

Best for ATM fee refunds

Bonus

$200

Requirements to qualify

at Axos Bank®, Member FDIC

North One Standard Business Checking

Best for High APY

APY

2.50%

With $0 min. balance for APY

at North One, Deposits are FDIC Insured

North One Standard Business Checking

Best for High APY

Best for High APY

APY

2.50%

With $0 min. balance for APY

at North One, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Lili Basic Business Checking

Best for Early access to payments

at Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Lili Basic Business Checking

Best for Early access to payments

Best for Early access to payments

at Lili, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Best for Military-affiliated entrepreneurs

APY

0.01%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Navy Federal Credit Union Business Checking

Best for Military-affiliated entrepreneurs

Best for Military-affiliated entrepreneurs

APY

0.01%

With $0 min. balance for APY

Jump to

Other free business checking accounts

NerdWallet’s editorial team rates more than 50 business checking accounts. We focus on accounts from the largest U.S. banks by assets and the largest U.S. credit unions by membership.

I chose to exclude some accounts with high ratings that aren’t available to the majority of business owners, like Brex. I also included some with relatively lower ratings, like Lili, since they offer something unique.

Here are all the other banks, credit unions and fintech companies we monitor that have free business checking accounts:

  • America First Credit Union.

  • Blue Federal Credit Union.

  • Boeing Employees Credit Union.

  • Brex.

  • Citizens Bank.

  • Comercia Bank.

  • Consumers Credit Union.

  • Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU).

  • Fifth Third Bank.

  • First Citizens Bank. 

  • First Horizon Bank.

  • First Internet Bank.

  • Flagstar Bank.

  • Holdings.

  • Huntington Bank.

  • Northern Bank.

  • Novo.

  • QuickBooks.

  • Rho. 

  • Square.

  • Truist.

What other fees do business bank accounts charge?

Even if your business checking account has no monthly fee, you’ll still have to pay for other banking services. Most banks charge you for using out-of-network ATMs, sending wire transfers, depositing more than a certain amount of cash and other types of transactions.

Before you open an account, ask your potential bank for a copy of its fee schedule. Then check to see whether those costs line up with the standard ones below.

💸 Transaction fees

Most banks allow you to make at least 100 transactions (either electronic, in-person or both) each month. Transaction fees tend to be pretty small — generally around 50 cents apiece — but they can add up over time. Unlimited fee-free transactions are ideal. American Express and Relay both offer that.

💸 Overdraft fees

Overdraft fees kick in if you try to spend more money than you have in your account. They usually cost between $30 and $35 per overdraft. Some banks, like Huntington and Chase, allow you a grace period of up to 24 hours or up to around $50 before you’re charged.

Some online-only neobanks don’t allow overdrafts at all. If you don’t have sufficient funds, your purchase just won’t go through. But you won’t be charged a fee either.

💸 ATM fees

Nearly all business banks provide fee-free access to ATMs affiliated with the bank or with an ATM network, like MoneyPass or Allpoint. Need to use an out-of-network ATM? That ATM will most likely charge you a fee. Your bank may or may not charge another one.

Axos offers the best-case scenario. They refund out-of-network ATM fees, allowing you to withdraw cash virtually anywhere for free. But if your bank has several ATMs that are convenient to where you live and work, you should be able to go to an in-network ATM for free most of the time.

💸 Cash deposit fees

Most banks limit how much cash you can deposit per day or per month for free. After you reach that limit — which is often around $5,000 per month — your bank may charge a small volume-based fee, such as 10 cents for every $100 over the limit. Some banks also charge transaction fees for each deposit.

Some brick-and-mortar banks only charge for deposits with a bank teller. You can make unlimited deposits at ATMs. That’s the case with Capital One and Chase (though neither bank offers a free account).

💸 Wire transfer fees

Wire transfer fees are common. Most banks charge fees for both sending and receiving wires, and fees tend to be higher for international wire transfers. Free wires are a rare perk — so if they’re a top priority for your business, prioritize them in your search. For example, Mercury offers free domestic and international wire transfers in U.S. dollars (a 1% currency exchange fee applies to transfers not in U.S. dollars).

How to waive the monthly fee on a business checking account

Entry-level business checking accounts at brick-and-mortar banks usually have monthly fees of $10 to $15. Often, if you keep a certain amount of money in your account or meet certain activity requirements, the bank will waive that fee.

That might be easy. For example, BMO charges $10 per month for its Simple Business Checking account. It waives that fee when you keep an average balance of $100 or more. And Mountain America Credit Union waives the $5 fee on its Business Essential Checking account if you enroll in e-statements.

If your business has steady cash flow and you’ll typically meet the necessary requirements, it’s worth considering these banks. That’s especially true if you’re thinking ahead to getting a business loan. If you already have an account with a bank, they may be more open to lending to you.

When should you upgrade to an account with a monthly fee?

Brick-and-mortar banks usually have a few business checking accounts at different price points. Higher monthly fees usually come with higher transaction limits and lower fees on other services, like wire transfers.

Some online banks have free accounts, but offer extra software features if you pay a monthly subscription fee. Bluevine, for instance, ups your APY and lowers your wire and ACH transfer fees when you upgrade.
Fees for premium accounts generally start around $30. Most banks will waive these fees if you maintain a higher minimum balance. My recommendation: Start with the free account and use it for a few months. If you want more advanced software tools or need a higher transaction limit after that, consider upgrading. If you’re consistently meeting the higher minimum balance requirement, it’s likely worth it. If not, add up the fee savings or use our compound interest calculator to see if the perks offset the cost.

Why are so many free business accounts from online banks?

Most online banks and neobanks offer free business checking accounts. In part, that’s because they have lower overhead by not operating branches. Unfortunately many also reduce overhead in other ways, like limiting customer support.

Brick-and-mortar banks tend to charge monthly fees, even for their entry-level accounts. In exchange, you get access to branches and, in general, more responsive customer service. Banks will usually offer to waive those monthly fees if you maintain a certain average balance or transact often enough.

🙋 Are online banks safe?

Online banks aren’t less safe or secure than brick-and-mortar banks, as long as they offer security measures like fraud alerts and two-factor authentication.

Beyond that, insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. protects customer funds at all the institutions NerdWallet recommends. If the bank holding your cash fails, the FDIC promises to cover up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution.

There’s one wrinkle when it comes to neobanks. These are tech companies, like Bluevine, Relay and Found, that focus on software tools. They partner with FDIC-insured banks for banking services, and those partner banks actually hold your funds.

If one of those fintech companies were to go under, customer funds should be safe in the partner bank’s coffers. But account holders could have to deal with the headaches of locating and moving your funds. It can be wise to keep an emergency fund at a different bank to avoid that kind of cash flow interruption.

Notes from NerdWallet partners

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

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.

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

Note on American Express® Business Checking : At Allpoint® and MoneyPass® locations in the U.S., you can withdraw cash and get balance information with no fee. Access to ATMs outside of the Allpoint® and MoneyPass® networks are subject to fees by the ATM owner and/or network. ATM withdrawal limits apply. American Express applies foreign exchange fees to withdrawals in foreign currencies. American Express does not accept ATM cash deposits into your Business Checking account at this time. Visit americanexpress.com/atm-locator to find participating ATMs in the U.S.


Last updated on October 22, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Most online banks and business accounts offer free business checking, including Relay, NBKC, Axos and American Express. Free small-business checking accounts are available from local, national and regional banks, too, including:

Scroll up for a state-by-state breakdown of banks that offer free business checking accounts.

Methodology

NerdWallet evaluates more than 50 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 2025, we introduced bonus points for notable built-in software features, like the ability to accept tap-to-pay payments from customers using a mobile app.

Final star ratings are presented on a scale of one to five stars, where 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.

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