No monthly fees, no minimum balances. Here is how the top freelancer-friendly business accounts compare in 2026.
| Account | Monthly Fee | APY | Sub-Accounts | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Mercury | $0 | Up to 4.25% | 20 | Tech freelancers |
| Relay | $0 / $30 Pro | 1-3% | 20 | Profit First budgeting |
| Novo | $0 | 0% | Limited | Stripe/Shopify users |
| Chase Business | $15 (waivable) | 0% | No | Cash deposits |
Mercury is the go-to for tech-savvy freelancers. Free, great UI, and earns up to 4.25% APY on Treasury accounts. Includes 20 sub-accounts for envelope budgeting, free wires, virtual debit cards, and API access.
Limitation: No cash deposits, no branches. Online-only. Not ideal if your business handles physical cash.
Relay offers 20 free sub-accounts — perfect for the Profit First method: income to operating expenses to profit to owner pay to taxes. Makes tax saving visual and automatic.
Key features: Up to 50 virtual cards, QuickBooks/Xero sync, payroll integrations. Relay Pro ($30/mo) adds early direct deposit and priority support.