Best business checking accounts for September 2025
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Reviewed by
Edited by
Reviewed by
What to know first: Business owners want to focus on their businesses, not necessarily on where to bank, which is why choosing the right business checking account is important. Top banking priorities of many business owners include having easy access to the business’ funds, without being nickel-and-dimed by various bank fees.
Bankrate’s take:
Established in 1999, NBKC offers a wide range of business financial products including business checking. NBKC is notable for requiring no minimum balance to avoid fees, no overdraft fees for your account. Each business checking account also comes with a debit card that can be used wherever MasterCard is accepted.
Who it’s for
Business owners looking for a simple business banking platform will enjoy NBKC’s streamlined approach to checking.
Bankrate’s take:
Relay offers a comprehensive suite of financial management tools for your business. Their checking account adds a lot of value for small businesses due to its wealth of features and high interest rates, but you’ll probably want to use the account in concert with Relay’s other offerings to get the most value from your account.
Who it’s good for:
Entrepreneurs looking for business banking as well as expense management, invoicing and other useful features.
Bankrate’s take:
U.S. Bank's new Business Essentials checking account is a flexible spending account that has no minimum balance requirements or monthly service fees. We like the intro offer of $500 for businesses that deposit $5,000 and maintain that balance for two months. U.S. Bank also offers strong small-business lending products, making it a good banking option if you think you might need financing in the future.
Who it’s good for:
Businesses that want an affordable, flexible spending account, but still want access to physical branch locations.
Bankrate’s take:
Grasshopper offers many of the perks you’d expect from a fully digital bank. Not only does it offer generous APY and cash-back, but the user experience is highly streamlined thanks to an intuitive mobile app.
Who it’s good for:
Business owners that are willing to trade physical branch location access with a high APY and cash-back rewards.
Bankrate’s take:
Bluevine offers generous perks if you don’t mind doing business with an online company. The APY offered for checking accounts is better than other banks and institutions we looked at, and the company also offers a knowledge base of articles that can help you learn more about money management and strategy.
Who it’s good for:
Business owners looking for an intuitive banking experience complemented by educational content to help them along their financial journey.
Bankrate’s take:
North One is a neobank that partners with The Bancorp Bank to provide FDIC insurance for their business banking services. With North One’s business checking accounts, account holders can create unlimited sub-accounts (called Envelopes) to better organize funds. The standard account is free and offers plenty of great features, although you’re only allowed one free cash deposit per month. North One Plus costs $20 per month but comes with dedicated relationship managers and a number of lower transaction fees such as free same-day ACH payments.
Who it’s good for:
Those who are self-employed or running small businesses can take full advantage of built-in integrations with many of the most popular online business platforms, including Etsy, Shopify and Stripe.
Bankrate’s take:
The American Express Business Checking account has no monthly minimum balance requirements or maintenance fees while also paying a competitive yield. The account offers membership reward points and easily integrates with QuickBooks accounting software.
Who it’s good for:
Business owners of all sizes who want to bundle their business banking, lending and payment services with American Express.
Bankrate’s take:
Axos Bank's basic checking account allows you to manage your money without worrying about monthly service fees, overdraft fees or ATM fees, making it a good option for newer businesses that are still building monthly revenue. Plus, new businesses that maintain an average daily balance of $3,000 over the first four months will receive an added $200 cash bonus.
Who it’s good for:
Businesses of all sizes and startups looking to open their first business checking account.
Bankrate’s take:
Bethpage Federal Credit Union offers a solid free business checking account that comes with no transaction limits and pays some interest. Bethpage customers also get access to branches and free telephone banking.
Who it’s good for:
How Bankrate works
How Bankrate works
Learn about the top accounts
Using Bankrate's methodology, our team selects the top banks with business checking options.
Narrow down your options
Compare the available banks based on features, pros and cons and other details to narrow down your selection.
Get a checking account
Click "learn more" to start the process of creating a business checking account if you qualify.
A closer look at the top business checking accounts
NBKC Bank
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NBKC Bank is a Kansas City-based bank that also operates online and is available to businesses all over the country. If you're not located near a branch, its network of over 55,000 ATMs still offers the ability to withdraw and deposit money at any time. Its business checking account has no monthly service fees, no penalty fees and doesn't require a minimum deposit to open.
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Why we like it
- No monthly service, ATM or penalty (NSF, overdraft, etc.) fees.
- Unlimited cash deposits.
- Easy to access live customer support.
What to watch for
- Branch locations are only in the Kansas City metro area.
Relay
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Relay is a digital-first financial services company that offers business banking, accounts payable, expense management and more. The company’s business checking services offers integration with outside platforms like Venmo, Expensify and Plaid to help foster seamless management of your company’s cash.
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Why we like it
- Integration with business software platforms such as Plaid and Venmo
- Availability of other financial services in addition to banking services
- Intuitive user interface
What to watch for
- No physical branch locations
- No APY for checking accounts
US Bank
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U.S. Bank is a among the biggest financial institutions in the United States. It offers up to $1,000 with new business checking accounts depending on which options you choose and what qualifications you meet. According to the company, they serve more than one million small businesses around the country.
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Why we like it
- More than 2,900 branches countrywide.
- Cash bonuses for opening a new account.
- Mobile app available for remote account management.
What to watch for
- No option to earn interest on the basic account.
Grasshopper Bank
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Grasshopper is a digital bank that offers an APY of up to 1.8% for its business checking account. They also offer 1 percent cash back on all transactions. And while there are no physical branch locations, the bank offers fee-free withdrawals from more than 40,000 ATM machines nationwide through the Grasshopper Business Debit Card.
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Why we like it
- 1 percent cash back on online transactions and signature-based purchases.
- No overdraft or monthly maintenance fees.
- Earn up to 1.8% depending on which account you choose
What to watch for
- Grasshopper does not have physical branch locations.
- Grasshopper does not offer the ability to deposit cash directly into business checking accounts.
Bluevine
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Bluevine is a financial technology company that offers, among other things, banking services for small businesses. The company offers higher interest than other competitors for its checking accounts, and they do not have any monthly service fee.
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Why we like it
- Up to 3.7 percent APY on Premier level checking accounts
- No monthly service fee
- No minimum balance to earn interest
What to watch for
- No physical branch locations
- Fees applicable for out-of-network ATM transactions
North One
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North One is a financial technology company that provides small-business banking services, entirely online. It offers the only business checking account on our list that earned five stars, due to its low-cost, flexible account that also offers the ability to earn 2.50% APY on your checking balance and cash back on your spending.
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Why we like it
- 2.50% base APY.
- No monthly service, ATM or penalty fees.
- Ability to earn cash back on spending.
What to watch for
- No physical branch locations.
American Express
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American Express National Bank offers high-yield deposit products, including CDs, checking and savings accounts. Its Business Checking Account can help you earn Membership Rewards points, which can be redeemed for gift cards, travel and more. At the same time, your money earns a high annual percentage yield (APY). The account charges no monthly service fees.
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Why we like it
- With the American Express National Bank’s Business Checking Account, you can earn 30,000 Membership Rewards points after qualifying activities.
- Account holders earn a competitive 1.30 percent APY on balances of up to $500,000.
- The account charges no monthly maintenance fee.
- Customer support is available on a 24/7 basis.
What to watch for
- Requirements must be met regarding your minimum deposit, monthly balance and qualifying transactions in order to qualify for the bonus.
- The account charges a $25 fee for each outgoing domestic wire transfer.
Axos Bank
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Axos Bank is a digital bank that operates entirely online. Its low-cost, flexible checking accounts meet all the core banking functions that small businesses need, without worrying about maintaining a specific balance or access their accounts nationwide.
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Why we like it
- No monthly service fees or overdraft fees.
- Access to over 55,000 free ATMs and unlimited ATM fee reimbursement.
- Axos also offers savings accounts that can be linked to your checking.
What to watch for
- No physical branch locations.
- To earn interest on your balance, you'll have to level up to the Business Interest Checking.
FourLeaf Federal Credit Union (formerly BethPage FCU)
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Established in 1941, Bethpage Federal Credit Union offers a variety of personal and business savings accounts, checking accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs). Its Business Checking Account comes with a debit card, and there are no transaction limits or minimum balance requirements.
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Why we like it
- The Business Checking account comes with a debit card and doesn’t have a transaction limit.
- The account earns some interest, and you won’t be charged a monthly maintenance fee, no matter your balance.
- Anyone can join Bethpage with a $5 deposit into a savings account.
What to watch for
- Branch access outside of Long Island, New York, is limited.
Should I open a business checking account?
When you’re self-employed, a freelancer or run a small business, it can be beneficial to keep your business’ funds in an account that’s separate from your personal bank account. In addition to providing a clearer financial picture, keeping your funds separate may reduce your personal liability if your business were to be sued. It could also make for a simpler tax filing process than if your personal and business funds were kept in the same account.
If your business accepts cash from customers, having a dedicated business account at a bank could provide you with a convenient place to deposit the money or exchange larger bills for smaller ones. What’s more, some business bank accounts come with perks such as free wire transfers, a lower rate on a safe deposit box or discounted access to business attorneys.
Business checking account features and terms
What to consider when choosing a business checking account
Before opening a business checking account, factors to consider include the basics, such as branch access, fees and requirements, as well as bonuses or other perks:
- Minimum balance requirement
- Some accounts require a set minimum balance to earn interest or avoid service fees.
- Monthly maintenance fees
- When accounts charge this fee, it often can be waived by maintaining a certain minimum balance.
- Cash-processing fees
- Banks may charge businesses a fee for ordering coins or making cash deposits.
- Bonuses
- A bank account bonus is sometimes offered to customers who open a new personal or business account.
- Free or discounted checks
- Some banks provide their customers with a free initial set of checks, and some even provide free subsequent check refills.
- Free items or transactions
- Banks may allow business clients a maximum number of free transactions per month, while charging a fee for each additional transaction.
- Branch access
- Business owners commonly rely on bank branches for transactions such as making cash deposits or cashing in larger bills for smaller ones.
Keeping track of your business’ finances
As a business owner, especially at a small business, you have a lot to keep track of: Bankrate has calculators that may help. You might also opt to use QuickBooks or another software program to help keep track of your business.
Business checking account FAQs
Research methodology
Bankrate's editorial team collects data directly from each financial institution through their websites, representatives and official documentation. Among other details, we collect data on fees, APY offerings, minimum balance and deposit requirements, customer service and accessibility. Each of the business checking accounts on our selected list must meet certain criteria to be considered by our editorial team. These criteria include:
- A Bankrate score of at least 4.4.
- Available to businesses in at least 40 states.
- Access to live customer support.
- Core banking services that include check deposits, wire transfers and ATM access.
- No monthly service fees or the ability to waive after meeting reasonable requirements.
For more details on how we score and evaluate our selected providers, visit our small-business checking review methodology page.