Bank
Relay
Best business bank for profit-first cash flow management with zero fees.
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Monthly fee
$0 (Free), $39/mo (Pro)
Minimum balance
$0
APY range
1% (free), up to 3.49% (Pro)
Rating breakdown
Pros
- No monthly fees, no minimum balance, no overdraft fees
- Up to 20 checking accounts for profit-first budgeting
- Built-in budgeting and cash flow tools
- 1% APY on savings, up to 3.49% with Relay Pro
Cons
- No physical branches
- No cash deposits
- Lower APY than Mercury's Treasury account
- Some features require Relay Pro ($39/month)
Who Relay is for
Relay is ideal for small businesses that want to manage cash flow without a spreadsheet. The standout feature is the ability to create up to 20 separate checking accounts, which makes profit-first accounting practical. Instead of one big pool of money, you can allocate funds to separate accounts for taxes, operating expenses, owner pay, and profit.
Where it falls short
Like Mercury, no physical branches and no cash deposits. The APY on savings is lower than Mercury’s Treasury offering, though Relay Pro bumps it to 3.49%. The Pro plan at $39/month adds expense categorization and same-day ACH, which some businesses will need and others won’t.
Bottom line
Relay is the best option if you practice (or want to start) profit-first accounting. The multiple-account system makes it dead simple to allocate money where it needs to go. For businesses that just want a straightforward bank account with the best yields, Mercury may be a better fit. But for cash flow discipline, Relay’s structure does the work for you.
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