Found Business Banking vs Relay Business Banking
By Alex Compton · Updated
Found and Relay solve different problems for a free business checking account. Found is built around taxes: Schedule C prep, quarterly payment automation, and 1099 tooling for a self-employed owner who dreads filing season. Relay is built around structure: up to 20 checking accounts and 50 cards for an agency or multi-entity owner running Profit First. Both offer a real free tier, so the right pick depends on which headache you actually have.
| Found Business Banking | Relay Business Banking | |
|---|---|---|
| APY | None on the free tier; 1.50% up to $20,000 on Found Plus; 2.50% on all balances with no cap on Found Pro | Auto-savings pays 1.19% (Starter), 1.87% (Grow), or 3.21% (Scale) as of 10/5/2026 |
| Monthly Fee | $0 (free tier) | $0 (Starter) |
| Minimum to Open | None | None |
| ATM Access | No Found ATM fees but no fee-free network; cash deposits cost $2 and cap at $4,000/month | Fee-free at Allpoint ATMs, including cash deposits at deposit-enabled machines |
| Insurance | FDIC insured up to $250,000 through Lead Bank | FDIC insured up to $3 million through Thread Bank's deposit sweep program |
| Our Rating | 7.5 | 8.5 |
Where Each Wins
Account structure
RelayRelay's free Starter plan includes up to 20 checking accounts and 50 debit cards, enough to run separate envelopes or entities from one login. Found's free tier caps out at 10 Pockets sub-accounts, which cover basic budgeting but not multi-entity structure.
Tax automation
FoundFound Plus generates Schedule C, 1120, and 1120-S forms and automates quarterly federal tax payments for $35 a month. Relay has no tax tooling at any tier; its sub-accounts can approximate a tax bucket manually, but nothing files or pays on your behalf.
Contractor and 1099 tooling
FoundFound collects W-9s and e-files 1099-NEC forms for contractors on every plan, including free. Relay has no built-in contractor payment or 1099 tooling, so a business that pays freelancers needs a separate workflow.
Savings yield
RelayRelay's auto-savings pays 1.19% on the free Starter plan, rising to 3.21% on the $90-a-month Scale plan. Found pays nothing on its free tier; Plus pays 1.50% capped at $20,000, and only the $80-a-month Pro tier unlocks an uncapped rate, at 2.50%, still behind Relay's top tier.
Cash deposits
RelayRelay takes cash at Allpoint deposit-taking ATMs with no fee from Relay. Found charges $2 per cash deposit and caps cash deposits at $4,000 a month, a real limit for a cash-heavy business.
FDIC coverage
RelayRelay's sweep through Thread Bank reaches $3 million in coverage. Found holds deposits at a single bank, Lead Bank, capping coverage at the standard $250,000.
The Verdict
Pick Found if quarterly taxes are the actual pain point: the Schedule C automation, 1099 tooling, and in-app tax payments are the best integrated tax toolkit on this page, and they are worth the $35-a-month Plus fee for a solo owner who dreads filing. Pick Relay if your problem is structure, cash handling, or multiple accounts, since it wins on checking-account count, savings yield, cash deposits, and FDIC coverage at every comparable tier. A business that needs both should expect to pay for Found Plus and keep a second account at Relay for the sub-account structure.
Updated October 2026
Common Questions
Is Found Business Banking or Relay Business Banking better?
Pick Found if quarterly taxes are the actual pain point: the Schedule C automation, 1099 tooling, and in-app tax payments are the best integrated tax toolkit on this page, and they are worth the $35-a-month Plus fee for a solo owner who dreads filing. Pick Relay if your problem is structure, cash handling, or multiple accounts, since it wins on checking-account count, savings yield, cash deposits, and FDIC coverage at every comparable tier. A business that needs both should expect to pay for Found Plus and keep a second account at Relay for the sub-account structure.
Does Found or Relay charge a monthly fee?
Found Business Banking: $0 (free tier). Relay Business Banking: $0 (Starter).
Which earns a higher APY, Found or Relay?
Relay. Relay's auto-savings pays 1.19% on the free Starter plan, rising to 3.21% on the $90-a-month Scale plan. Found pays nothing on its free tier; Plus pays 1.50% capped at $20,000, and only the $80-a-month Pro tier unlocks an uncapped rate, at 2.50%, still behind Relay's top tier.
Which is better for account structure?
Relay. Relay's free Starter plan includes up to 20 checking accounts and 50 debit cards, enough to run separate envelopes or entities from one login. Found's free tier caps out at 10 Pockets sub-accounts, which cover basic budgeting but not multi-entity structure.
Found vs Relay: which is better for a small business?
It depends on the problem you are solving. Found is built for tax automation: Schedule C prep, quarterly payment automation, and 1099 tooling, all for $35 a month on Plus. Relay is built for account structure: up to 20 checking accounts and 50 cards on a free tier. A self-employed owner who dreads filing fits Found; an agency or multi-entity owner fits Relay.
Does Found or Relay pay more on savings?
Relay, at every comparable tier. Its free Starter plan pays 1.19%, ahead of Found's 0% free tier, and Relay's top Scale tier pays 3.21% against Found Pro's uncapped 2.50%.
Can I deposit cash with Found or Relay?
Yes at both, but Relay is the better fit for real cash volume. Relay takes cash at Allpoint deposit-taking ATMs with no fee. Found charges $2 per deposit and caps cash deposits at $4,000 a month.
Which has better tax tools, Found or Relay?
Found, and it is not close. Found Plus generates Schedule C, 1120, and 1120-S forms and automates quarterly tax payments, and every Found plan includes W-9 collection and 1099-NEC e-filing for contractors. Relay has no tax or 1099 tooling at any tier.
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