Best Business Checking with No Fees

Bank fees are a tax on running a business. Monthly maintenance fees, per-transaction charges, minimum balance penalties, wire fees, ATM fees — they add up to $300–$600/year at most traditional banks. In 2026, there's no reason to pay any of it. Multiple banks offer genuinely fee-free business checking: $0 monthly, no minimum balance, no per-transaction charges. Some even pay you interest. Here are seven accounts where your money works for you instead of your bank.

Detailed Reviews

Holdings — $0/mo

Holdings charges zero fees — no monthly maintenance, no minimum balance, no per-transaction charges, no hidden costs. Your entire checking balance earns 1.75% APY. FDIC insurance covers up to $3 million through partner banks. The differentiator: AI-powered bookkeeping is built in, automatically categorizing every transaction for tax time. For businesses tired of paying both bank fees and accounting software fees, Holdings eliminates both. Invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting are included. The limitation: fewer bells and whistles than Mercury for startups or Chase for businesses needing branch access.

Verdict: Best no-fee checking for businesses who want to eliminate both bank fees and bookkeeping software costs.

Bluevine — $0/mo

Bluevine combines zero fees with the highest checking APY on this list — up to 3.0% on qualifying balances. No monthly fee, no minimum balance, no transaction charges. Bill pay, sub-accounts, mobile check deposit, and domestic wire transfers ($15 fee for outgoing wires) are included. Integration with QuickBooks and Xero keeps your accounting synced. The MoneyPass ATM network provides fee-free cash access. For businesses with $50K–$250K sitting in checking, the APY difference is meaningful: 3.0% on $100K = $3,000/year in interest. The limitation: the top APY rate requires qualifying deposits and other conditions. Read the fine print.

Verdict: Best no-fee checking for businesses wanting maximum APY on their balance.

Mercury — $0/mo

Mercury's no-fee checking is paired with a modern, startup-friendly interface and powerful features. Zero monthly fee, zero minimum balance, unlimited transactions. Mercury Treasury earns up to 4.0% APY on invested idle cash (note: Treasury funds are invested in money market funds, not FDIC-insured checking). FDIC insurance on checking extends to $5M+ through sweep networks. Team cards with spend limits, virtual cards for subscriptions, and API access for developers add functionality you won't find at traditional banks. The limitation: the highest APY is on Treasury (invested), not checking. Customer support priority goes to larger accounts.

Verdict: Best no-fee checking for startups and tech companies wanting modern banking with Treasury yield.

Relay — $0/mo

Relay's zero-fee checking comes with up to 20 separate checking accounts — each with its own routing and account number. No monthly fee, no minimum balance, no transaction fees. The multi-account structure enables automated cash management: set rules to sweep profits into a separate account, reserve tax payments, or allocate funds by department. FDIC coverage reaches $3M through partner banks. Relay doesn't pay APY on checking accounts, but their savings accounts earn 1.0–3.0% APY. For businesses that practice profit-first accounting or want to organize cash without spreadsheets, Relay's multi-account approach is unique.

Verdict: Best no-fee checking for businesses wanting to organize cash across multiple accounts.

Novo — $0/mo

Novo is straightforward: free checking, no fees, no minimum balance, unlimited transactions. Novo Reserves let you set aside money for taxes, payroll, or other purposes within your account. The integration marketplace connects directly with Shopify, Stripe, Slack, HubSpot, and business tools. Mobile check deposit and Bill Pay are included. For a small business that wants a simple, no-frills free checking account with good app integrations, Novo delivers. The limitations: 0% APY (your money doesn't earn), standard $250K FDIC (no extended coverage), and customer support is email-only with no phone option.

Verdict: Best no-fee checking for small businesses wanting simplicity and strong third-party integrations.

Lili — $0/mo (Basic)

Lili's free Basic plan includes business checking, a debit card, fee-free ATM withdrawals, and early direct deposit. The standout feature for freelancers: automatic tax bucket — set a percentage of every deposit to be automatically set aside for taxes. This simple automation prevents the quarterly-tax-scramble that plagues self-employed workers. The savings account earns up to 2.5% APY. To access invoicing, expense categorization, and advanced features, you'll need a paid plan. The limitation: the free tier is genuinely basic, and the paid features that differentiate Lili require upgrading.

Verdict: Best no-fee checking for freelancers who want automatic tax savings built into their bank account.

Grasshopper — $0/mo, 2.25% APY

Grasshopper is a digital-first business bank offering free checking with 2.25% APY on the entire balance — no minimum, no qualifying requirements. FDIC insurance is standard ($250K, with extended coverage available through IntraFi network). The bank focuses on innovation-economy businesses: startups, tech companies, and venture-backed firms. Features include ACH payments, domestic wires, mobile check deposit, and virtual cards. The limitation: less well-known than Mercury or Bluevine, fewer integrations, and the product experience — while clean — doesn't match the feature depth of larger platforms.

Verdict: Best no-fee checking for businesses wanting strong APY without qualifying requirements.

What to Look For