Relay vs Bluevine for December 2025 | Best Business Bank Accounts

Item: Relay vs Bluevine
Rating: 5
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Tuesday, December 9th We evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.

2025 Business Bank Account Reviews

Here you can see how Relay and Bluevine match up head-to-head in a battle for the Best Business Bank Accounts in 2025.

Relay

No account fees, overdraft fees, or minimum balances
Can have up to 20 checking accounts and 2 savings accounts
Can send payments via ACH next day (no fee), domestic/international wire ($5/$10 fee), or paper check (no fee)

Relay's business banking is right "on the money", with all of the features you could want and none of the fees you might expect. You can have up to 20 checking accounts and 2 savings accounts (interest-bearing, of course), and there's never an account fee, overdraft fee, or minimum balance required. Relay makes it simple to add and manage users, from co-owners to accountants, and to follow the "Profit First" model if that's relevant to your company. With Relay's 24/7 customer support and integrations with QuickBooks, Gusto, and other platforms, it's easy to see why thousands of customers have given this service a perfect 5-star rating. Relay is our top choice for business banking.

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Bluevine

3 business checking plans to choose from (including one fee-free option)
1-month free trial on upgraded plans
All accounts are interest-bearing

Over 500,000 business owners have turned to Bluevine for banking since 2013. You'll earn interest on your money, even with the lowest-tier, fee-free checking account offered here. Bluevine lets you create up to 5 different sub-accounts for seamless cash flow management, and you'll have no problem integrating platforms like Gusto and QuickBooks or giving account access to multiple users if needed. This business banking fintech earned a perfect score from the BBB and 5-star reviews from over 6,500 clients. We've experienced a few customer support snags while using Bluevine, keeping it from earning our highest ranking, but it's still a service we recommend for your small business banking.

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Running a business means staying on top of your money, and the right banking partner makes that much easier. With so many providers out there, it's easy to feel unsure about where to begin, so start by deciding what matters most to you - fees, account features, online tools, integrations, and support. There's no one-size-fits-all solution - the best choice is the one that fits how you actually operate. Ask other business owners or your accountant for recommendations to quickly narrow the field. When you're ready to open a business account, weigh those factors to pick the bank that truly suits your needs.

Start by looking at your cash flow and how quickly you need to move money. You'll need ready access to funds to cover expenses, run payroll, and keep day-to-day operations humming, so a bank that makes deposits and withdrawals fast and painless is nonnegotiable. If delays leave you scrambling to pay vendors or meet payroll, those hiccups can snowball into bigger problems over time. It's smart to check cut-off times, mobile deposit limits, and whether the bank offers same-day ACH or instant transfers - small details that make a big difference when timing is tight. Pick a banking partner that matches your financial rhythm and won't slow you down.

When you're choosing a business bank account, keep a close eye on the fee schedule, because charges for ATM withdrawals, wire transfers, monthly maintenance, and even dipping below a minimum balance can pile up fast. Before you sign up, think through how you'll actually use the account and compare the total cost across a few banks. Ask if they offer fee waivers, startup bundles, or discounts as your balance or transaction volume grows. The goal is simple - don't pay for features you won't use, and make sure the ones you need fit your budget.

Look for a bank that plays nicely with your accounting stack - seamless connections to your bookkeeping software and secure, easy access for your accountant can save hours and cut down on manual work. Many providers also let you assign roles and permissions to teammates so they can handle payments or reconcile transactions without sharing full account credentials. When bank data syncs in real time, you'll reduce errors and keep your books current. Taken together, these integration features streamline financial workflows and make daily operations far more efficient.

Got all that? Good. Now you're ready to take a look at some of today's most popular options for business banking, not just big-name financial institutions with both brick-and-mortar and digital services, but also online-only fintech platforms that often have the bells-and-whistles missing from "brand-name" financial institutions. Here's a helpful checklist to help you to compare and decide:

In-person vs. online. Do you need the reassurance of having a physical branch nearby to do your business banking? Or are you comfortable with going fully digital? There are pros and cons to both. You may need a business bank with a brick-and-mortar option if you're going to make lots of cash deposits every month.
Features. What are the absolute must-haves for your business banking? For some, that's the ability to have sub-accounts for easy cash flow management. For others, it's having access to a wide network of ATMS. And don't forget about integration with any software you might already be using (like QuickBooks). It's okay if you don't have that worked out yet, but keep in mind that big banks tend to offer fewer features focused on small businesses.
Fees and limits. Be very aware of what your business banking will cost, both from month-to-month and for the types of transactions you'll be making most often. Pay attention to minimum deposit/balance requirements, limits on wire transfers (inbound/outbound), transaction limits, and so on.
Reputation. See what the Better Business Bureau has to say about the bank, but also what business owners like you have reported. Has the banking experience made life easier to run their company or has it been a hassle?

The experts at Top Consumer Reviews have researched and ranked many of the most popular options for business banking today. This information can help you keep some of the most important factors in mind, so that you can choose an institution that helps you manage your finances effectively and supports your company's success.

Business Bank Account FAQ

How is a business bank account different from personal banking?

A business bank account has more features than a typical personal banking account. For example, business accounts might have overdraft protection. They also might have fewer fees and interest-bearing options to help your money grow while stored in the account. A growing number of business checking accounts have integrations with popular eCommerce, payment, and accounting systems.

Is there a minimum daily balance requirement?

That depends on the bank. Larger banks with greater longevity typically have minimum daily balance requirements. Smaller banks that are trying to gain a foothold in the banking industry will entice new customers by offering a zero minimum balance requirement. While you'll never be able to completely avoid minimum daily balance requirements at all banks, the trend with newer banks is towards eliminating them in favor of the banking customer.

How do I find my bank's ATMs?

You can usually find an interactive, searchable map of ATMs near you on each bank's website. Most banks have an association with networks of ATM providers. MoneyPass®, AllPoint, and Green Dot Network® are examples of such networks. By pooling ATM resources in those networks, banks avoid having to build and operate their own ATMs, thus saving themselves and their customers on fees they would otherwise have to charge and pay, respectively. Some banks cover fees even for non-network ATMs.

How much money do I need to open a business bank account?

There are banks that require up to $1,000 as an initial deposit to open a bank account. There are other banks that have lower initial deposit amounts. There are a few that offer a zero initial deposit to open an account and no monthly fees. Yet others offer zero initial deposit but charge a monthly maintenance or subscription fee.

Can my account integrate with my accounting software?

Software and services like QuickBooks, Shopify, PayPal, Stripe, Square, Venmo, and others have proliferated since the beginning of eCommerce in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In the past 10 years, banks have increased their support for third-party financial software. Today it is more likely than not that you can connect your bank account to QuickBooks to import and reconcile bank statements and to direct funds from PayPal, Venmo, and Stripe directly to your checking or savings account. Newer and more innovative banks are beginning to provide integration with cryptocurrencies and the blockchain.

Can my accountant access my business bank account?

If your bank does not provide the ability to add users to your account, you're stuck sending a copy of your bank statement to your accountant. Or you can share your login credentials with your accountant, which is not recommended. Another option that some banks provide is adding team members. Unfortunately, most of the time those team members have the same ability to move funds that you do, so you're advised to keep a sharp eye on your balances. A few banks have introduced features that allow you to restrict users to specific roles and abilities, or to limit how much money they can handle.

What is a debit card?

A debit card looks like a credit card and is used similarly to a credit card at a point of sale terminal at a store or via an online eCommerce checkout form. But instead of borrowing money, it allows you to spend money directly from your business bank account. It's important to be careful with a debit card because you don't want to withdraw more money than you have in the account. You also don't want to use a debit card to spend money faster than you bring money in.

What does ACH mean?

ACH stands for Automated Clearing House. Banks belong to networks of money transfer computer systems built for the purpose of coordinating electronic payments and automating money transfers. Typically the money going through the ACH system is handled in batches, which is why it can take between 1-7 days for money to arrive in the destination account. Whenever you transfer money from your bank account to another vendor (say, your accountant or a supplier), you're sending it through the Automated Clearing House system.