Relay
- Best for: Small businesses that budget by setting money aside in separate accounts
- What Sets It Apart: Up to 20 checking accounts (10 for sole proprietorships) on a no-fee plan, with rules that split incoming money among them by percentage
- APY: 1.19% on Starter; 1.87% on Grow; 3.21% on Scale; savings accounts only
- Features: FDIC coverage up to $3 million through Thread Bank’s sweep program; unlimited users with role-based access; team debit cards with spending limits; bill pay with approval rules; QuickBooks and Xero sync
- Monthly Fee: $0 on Starter; $30 on Grow; $90 on Scale, discounted from $120 for a limited time
- Cost: No overdraft fee; wires $5 to receive; domestic wires $8 to send on Starter or $5 on paid plans; Green Dot cash deposits up to $4.95
- Eligibility: U.S. sole proprietorships, general partnerships, LLCs, and corporations; some industries excluded, such as crypto and cannabis
- Pros: A separate checking account for each purpose; no monthly fee, minimum balance, or overdraft fee on Starter; free cash deposits at Allpoint+ ATMs; FDIC coverage up to $3 million
- Cons: Top savings rate needs the $90-a-month Scale plan; ATM cash deposits capped at $1,000 each; $5 to receive a wire; no branches
Open Relay if your business budgets by setting money aside, since its free plan gives you separate checking accounts for taxes, owner’s pay, and profit, with rules that split incoming money among them. Upgrade to a paid plan only if you keep enough in savings for its higher rate to cover the monthly fee.
Relay is an online business banking platform whose free Starter plan gives a small business up to 20 checking accounts (10 for a sole proprietorship) to keep money for taxes, owner’s pay, and profit apart. By our math at the rates Relay posted in September 2026, the extra interest that savings earn on the paid Grow and Scale plans covers their $30 and $90 monthly fees only once the balance reaches about $53,000.
Key Features
- Starter plan at $0, Grow at $30 a month, and Scale at $90 a month, discounted from $120 for a limited time
- Up to 20 checking accounts (10 for sole proprietorships, 50 on Scale) and two savings accounts
- Savings APY (annual percentage yield) of 1.19% on Starter, 1.87% on Grow, and 3.21% on Scale
- FDIC deposit insurance up to $3 million through Thread Bank’s sweep program, which spreads deposits across partner banks
- Visa debit cards for your team, each with its own spending limit
Pros
- Automatic rules that split incoming money among accounts by percentage, the setup the Profit First budgeting method uses
- No monthly fee, minimum balance, or overdraft fee on Starter
- Unlimited users, with role-based access for employees and your accountant
- Free cash deposits at Allpoint+ ATMs and free withdrawals at 55,000-plus Allpoint ATMs
Cons
- The top savings rate requires the $90-a-month Scale plan
- Cash deposits capped at $1,000 each and $2,000 a day at ATMs, with fees up to $4.95 at stores in the Green Dot network
- Wires cost $5 to receive on every plan and $8 to send within the U.S. on Starter
- No branches
The free Starter plan covers small businesses that budget by account or give employees cards with spending limits. A business that deposits cash every day is better off at a branch bank, and a freelancer who needs just one account can compare the best bank accounts for freelancers.
Learn more about Relay or see how it compares to the best small business checking accounts.
Relay
Subscribe and we'll send you 101 Essential Money Tips to get you started.
The 101 money moves that matter most, from the foundations to protecting what you’ve built.
Advertiser Disclosure: Many or all of the offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us, and some companies pay for sponsored content. That compensation may influence which products we cover and where and how they appear on a page, including the order in which they appear. We do not include every company or offer available in the marketplace.
