Best Business Bank Accounts for LLCs
The right operating accounts for solo and small LLCs, from tax automation to branch access, re-verified September 2026.
By Alex Compton · Updated
A small LLC has different problems than a funded startup: quarterly taxes, bookkeeping that happens at midnight, the occasional cash deposit, and no finance team to manage any of it. The best LLC accounts either automate the back office or stay out of the way entirely. Every pick here opens online with light documentation for single-member and multi-member LLCs.
#1 · Best overall
Bluevine Business Checking
1.3% on balances up to $250,000 (Standard, with activity); up to 3.0% on Premier (as of September 2026)
$0 (Standard)
None
Free at the Standard tier, 1.3% on balances up to $250,000 with an activity hurdle any operating LLC clears without trying, and FDIC coverage to $3 million. Fast online opening with light documentation for sole props and LLCs, sub-accounts for envelope budgeting, and a built-in accounts payable suite. The default answer for small-business checking.
#2 · Best with branches
Chase Business Complete Banking
Under review
Under review
Under review
Current recommendation withheld pending official-source verification.
#3 · Best for envelope budgeting
Relay Business Banking
Under review
Under review
Under review
Current recommendation withheld pending official-source verification.
#4 · Best zero-fine-print account
nbkc bank Business Account
Under review
Under review
Under review
Current recommendation withheld pending official-source verification.
#5 · Best for tax automation on a budget
Lili Business Banking
Under review
Under review
Under review
Current recommendation withheld pending official-source verification.
#6 · Best for Schedule C filers
Found Business Banking
Under review
Under review
Under review
Current recommendation withheld pending official-source verification.
#7 · Best for freelancers and e-commerce
Novo Business Checking
Under review
Under review
Under review
Current recommendation withheld pending official-source verification.
LLC business bank accounts at a glance
| Account | Monthly fee | Yield | Cash deposits | FDIC coverage | Tax and bookkeeping | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluevine Standard | $0 | 1.3% on up to $250,000 with light activity; 3.0% on Premier | Green Dot retailers and Allpoint+ ATMs, fee applies | Up to $3 million sweep | Sub-accounts, QuickBooks sync | Default operating account |
| Chase Business Complete | $15, waived with $2,000 balance, Ink spend, or QuickAccept deposits | None | $5,000 free per cycle at 4,700+ branches | $250,000 | Basic; pairs with Ink cards | Cash-heavy LLCs; $500 bonus through Oct 15, 2026 |
| Relay Starter | $0 | 1.11% auto-savings; 3.00% on Scale | Allpoint deposit ATMs | Up to $3 million sweep | 20 accounts, 50 cards, Profit First | Envelope budgeting and multi-entity owners |
| nbkc Business | $0 | None on checking | Branches in Kansas City area only | $250,000, real charter | Minimal | Zero-fine-print simplicity |
| Lili Core | $0; Pro $15, Smart $35, Premium $55 | Savings above 2% on up to $500,000 | Green Dot retailers, fee applies | Up to $3 million sweep | Tax bucket and bookkeeping on Pro and up | Tax automation on a budget |
| Found | $0; Plus $35, Pro $80 | 1.50% on up to $20,000 on Plus; 2.50% uncapped on Pro | Retail deposit, $2 per deposit, $4,000 monthly cap | $250,000 | Auto bookkeeping, Schedule C, quarterly payments on paid tiers | Schedule C sole-member LLCs |
| Novo | $0 | None | Not supported | $250,000 | Unlimited invoicing, Stripe and Shopify integrations | Freelancers and e-commerce sellers |
What an LLC actually needs from a bank account
Three things, in order. First, separation: a dedicated account in the LLC's name and EIN is what keeps the liability shield intact, so the account must be a true business account, never a personal one with a nickname. Second, a home for taxes: single-member LLCs pay quarterly estimates and need a place to sweep 25 to 30 percent of every deposit, which Lili Pro and Found Plus automate and Bluevine and Relay handle with sub-accounts. Third, whatever your revenue physically looks like: card and ACH businesses can live entirely online, while a business that touches cash needs Chase's branch network or Relay's deposit ATMs. Yield is fourth, and only Bluevine, Relay, Lili, and Found pay any.
Single-member LLC versus multi-member LLC
A single-member LLC files on Schedule C, so Found's auto-bookkeeping and Schedule C generation and Lili's tax bucket are built for it. A multi-member LLC files a partnership return, needs cleaner books and often several signers and cards, which is where Relay's 20 accounts and 50 cards, Bluevine's sub-accounts, and Chase's branch relationship earn their place. Either way, open with the LLC's articles of organization, EIN confirmation letter, and the operating agreement if you have one; every account on this list opens online except that Chase may ask you to finish in a branch.
Who should skip each pick
Skip Bluevine if you deposit cash weekly, since retail deposits carry a fee. Skip Chase if your business is entirely digital and you would be paying $15 a month or parking $2,000 just to avoid it. Skip Relay if you do not think in buckets; its structure is the product. Skip nbkc if you want yield or software, and skip Lili and Found if you have a bookkeeper already, because you are paying for tools you will not use. Skip Novo if you hold meaningful balances, since it pays nothing and caps FDIC coverage at $250,000 with no sweep.
How we picked
Every account had to be openable by an LLC online or in-branch with no minimum balance to open and a $0 tier or a waiver a normal small business clears. We ranked on the costs that hit LLCs in practice: monthly fee and waiver, cash deposit access, yield on idle operating cash, FDIC coverage above $250,000, and whether the built-in tax and bookkeeping tools replace software you would otherwise pay for. Fees, rates, and tiers were re-checked against each provider's own site on September 1, 2026.
Common Questions
What is the best bank account for an LLC?
Bluevine Business Checking for most LLCs: no monthly fee, 1.3% on balances up to $250,000 at the free tier, and FDIC coverage to $3 million. Choose Chase Business Complete if you handle cash, Relay if you budget by envelope, and Found or Lili if you want quarterly taxes automated.
Does an LLC need a separate bank account?
Yes. Mixing personal and business money is the most common way owners pierce their own liability protection, and it makes tax filing miserable. Open the account in the LLC's legal name with its EIN, and run every business dollar through it.
What do I need to open a business bank account for an LLC?
The LLC's articles of organization or certificate of formation, the IRS EIN confirmation letter, the operating agreement if one exists, and a government ID for each owner with 25 percent or more. Fintechs like Bluevine, Relay, Novo, Found, and Lili open online in minutes; Chase may ask you to finish at a branch.
Which LLC bank accounts have no monthly fee?
Bluevine Standard, Relay Starter, nbkc, Lili Core, Found's free tier, and Novo all charge $0 with no balance requirement. Chase Business Complete charges $15 unless you keep $2,000 on deposit, spend $2,000 on a Chase Ink card, or take $2,000 through Chase QuickAccept each cycle.
Can a single-member LLC use a free business checking account?
Yes, and it should. Found is built for Schedule C filers with free auto-bookkeeping and receipt capture, Lili Pro adds an automatic tax bucket for $15 a month, and Bluevine is the best free account if you simply want yield and a clean ledger.
Which business bank account pays the highest interest for an LLC?
Among free tiers, Bluevine pays 1.3% on up to $250,000 with a light activity requirement, Lili Savings pays above 2% on up to $500,000, and Relay's auto-savings pays 1.11%. On paid tiers, Bluevine Premier pays 3.0% on all balances and Relay Scale pays 3.00% on savings.
Is there a Chase business checking bonus for LLCs?
Yes. Chase Business Complete Checking is offering up to $500 for new business customers who deposit $2,000 in new money, hold it for 60 days, and complete five qualifying transactions, or who keep $10,000 on deposit for 60 days. The offer expires October 15, 2026.
Bottom Line
Bluevine is the right first account for almost every LLC: free, real yield, and serious coverage. Add Chase as the cash-handling layer if your revenue is physical, or skip straight to Relay if you run your books Profit First. Found and Lili earn their slots the day quarterly taxes stop being a panic. The wrong answer is the one most LLCs still have, which is a big-bank account paying nothing and charging $15 a month for the privilege.
Updated 2026-09-01
Head-to-Head Comparisons
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