# Best Business Bank Accounts for Bootstrapped Startups (2026) > Mercury, Relay, Bluevine, Novo, Wise, Starling, Monzo and Tide compared for bootstrapped founders: monthly fees, wires, FX, FDIC or FSCS cover and who can open. - Canonical: https://zeroraised.com/blog/best-business-bank-account-for-bootstrapped-startups - Published: 2026-11-07T13:30:00Z - Author: ZeroRaised Team (https://zeroraised.com/blog/authors/zeroraised) - Publisher: ZeroRaised (https://zeroraised.com/) - Section: Revenue - Tags: banking, finance, roundup, saas **Verdict:** If you run a US LLC or C-corp, open Mercury's $0 plan first: no monthly fee, $0 ACH and domestic wires, $0 USD international wires and up to $5M in FDIC insurance through partner banks. If you run a UK company, open Starling (no monthly fees) or Monzo Business Lite (free). If you sell in several currencies, put Wise Business next to whichever one you choose. Every fee, limit and eligibility rule below comes from each provider's own site, checked on 7 Nov 2026. The opinions are ours and are marked as such. This is not financial advice: fees and eligibility change, so confirm on the provider's site before you apply. ## TL;DR - **Mercury:** $0/mo, $0 domestic and USD international wires, 1% FX on non-USD wires. - **Relay:** $0 Starter with up to 20 checking accounts for envelope budgeting. - **Bluevine:** $0 Standard, but $15 per outgoing domestic wire. - **Novo:** $0 maintenance fee and $0 standard ACH; lists Stripe as an integration. - **UK:** Starling, Monzo Business Lite and Tide Lite all start at £0 and state FSCS cover up to £120,000 on eligible deposits. - **Wise Business:** one-time 31 USD or 50 GBP setup fee, conversions from 0.23% to 0.24%. Not a bank. **Disclosure:** ZeroRaised publishes this roundup and is a launch site for bootstrapped products. ZeroRaised has no commercial or affiliate relationship with any provider listed and earns nothing if you open an account. Facts come from the linked sources as checked on 7 Nov 2026. ## What a bootstrapped founder needs from a bank No monthly fee, cheap transfers, clean Stripe payouts in the currency you sell in, eligibility for your situation and clear deposit protection. If you are a non-US founder still forming a US entity, start with our [Stripe Atlas alternatives guide](https://zeroraised.com/blog/stripe-atlas-alternatives-for-bootstrappers); this post starts after you have an EIN. On protection: most names below are fintechs, not banks. Mercury says it "is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank" and that "Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank" ([Mercury pricing](https://mercury.com/pricing)). The same applies to Relay, Novo and Bluevine: cover protects you if the partner bank fails, not if the app does. ## US business bank accounts compared | | Mercury | Relay | Bluevine | Novo | Wise Business (US) | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Monthly fee (entry plan) | $0 (Plus $29.90, Pro $299) | $0 Starter (Grow $30, Scale $90 discounted from $120) | $0 Standard (Plus $30, Premier $95) | $0 maintenance fee | None listed; one-time 31 USD setup | | ACH | $0 same-day and next-day | Fees not listed per transaction; Scale has no same-day ACH fee | Standard $0; same-day $10 on Standard | Standard ACH $0; Express ACH fee shown before sending | Receiving domestic USD free | | Domestic wire out | $0 | Not listed; calculator only | $15 Standard | Not listed; "may carry fees" | Receiving USD wires 6.11 USD | | International wire / FX | USD $0; non-USD 1% FX fee | Via CFSB and Nium; fees not listed | USD $25; FX $25 + 1.5% (Standard) | Not listed | Conversion from 0.23% | | Deposit protection (as stated) | Up to $5M FDIC via Choice Financial Group, Column N.A. and sweep networks | Up to $3M FDIC via Thread Bank sweep program | Up to $3M FDIC via Coastal Community Bank and program banks | Up to $5M FDIC via Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. sweep network | Not a bank; non-interest balances not FDIC insured | | Who can open | US-formed business, US or international address, some countries excluded | Not stated on pricing page | SSN for 25%+ owners, or passport plus US address for supported countries | "Subject to eligibility and verification" | Not stated on pricing pages | | Stripe | Listed integration | Not mentioned | Card processing "via Stripe" | Listed integration | Not mentioned | Sources: [Mercury pricing](https://mercury.com/pricing), [Mercury FAQ](https://mercury.com/faq), [Relay pricing](https://relayfi.com/pricing), [Bluevine checking](https://www.bluevine.com/business-checking), [Bluevine plans](https://www.bluevine.com/business-checking/plans-and-pricing), [Novo checking](https://www.novo.co/business-checking/no-fee-checking), [Novo home](https://www.novo.co/), [Wise US business pricing](https://wise.com/us/pricing/business). ## UK business bank accounts compared | | Starling | Monzo Business | Tide | Wise Business (UK) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Monthly fee (entry plan) | "No monthly fees" | Lite free (Pro £9, Team from £25) | Lite free (Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49, Max £69.99) | None listed; one-time 50 GBP setup | | UK transfers | No fees on UK bank transfers | £0 | Lite: 5 transfers/month; unlimited on Pro and Max | Receiving GBP domestic free | | International / FX | Payments to 34 countries; fee not on main page | Fixed fee under £0.80 for most currencies (from 1 Nov 2026); 1% to convert incoming foreign currency | Card FX 2.75% on Lite, 0% on paid plans | Conversion from 0.24% | | Cash deposits | 0.7%, minimum £3 | £1 per deposit | PayPoint or Post Office; fee not stated | Not offered on pricing page | | Deposit protection (as stated) | FSCS up to £120,000; business accounts treated as one depositor | FSCS up to £120,000 on eligible deposits | FSCS up to £120,000 via ClearBank; some e-money accounts are safeguarded instead | Safeguarded e-money, not FSCS | | Who can open | 18+, UK based; all directors with access must be UK residents | Sole traders or limited company directors in the UK | 18+, UK-based business; non-UK residents need a UK address, UK phone and UK company | Not stated on pricing pages | Sources: [Starling business account](https://www.starlingbank.com/business-account/), [Starling FSCS sheet](https://www.starlingbank.com/legal/account/fscs-protection), [Monzo plans](https://monzo.com/business-banking/plans-pricing), [Monzo fee information](https://monzo.com/legal/business-account-fee-information), [Tide pricing](https://www.tide.co/pricing/), [Tide business account](https://www.tide.co/business-current-account/), [Wise UK business pricing](https://wise.com/gb/pricing/business). ## The picks, one by one ### Mercury: best default for US LLCs and non-US founders Mercury's $0 plan includes $0 ACH, domestic wires and USD international wires. Non-USD wires cost a 1% currency exchange fee and non-USD card transactions 3% ([Mercury pricing](https://mercury.com/pricing)). Plus is $29.90/mo on the pricing page, though the FAQ says paid plans start "at $35/month", so check at checkout. Eligibility is why international founders end up here: customers "must be formed and registered in the United States or a U.S. territory" with existing or planned US operations, and can use "a U.S. or international address", with some countries excluded ([Mercury FAQ](https://mercury.com/faq)). It also has an API, virtual cards and a Stripe integration. **Best for:** a solo founder with a US entity who wants one account that costs nothing and pays US contractors for free. ### Relay: best for splitting money into buckets Relay Starter is $0/month and includes "20 checking accounts" ([Relay pricing](https://relayfi.com/pricing)): one for Stripe payouts, one for tax, one for owner pay. Grow is $30/month. Banking is by Thread Bank, with up to $3,000,000 in FDIC coverage through its sweep program. The pricing page does not list per-wire fees or eligibility rules, so check those first. **Best for:** founders who budget with separate accounts and want that structure at $0. ### Bluevine: best if you want interest on idle cash Bluevine Standard is $0/mo and pays 1.3% APY on balances up to $250K if you spend $500 a month on its debit card or receive $2,500 a month ([Bluevine checking](https://www.bluevine.com/business-checking)). The catch: outgoing domestic wires are $15, same-day ACH $10 and FX wires $25 + 1.5% on Standard ([Bluevine plans](https://www.bluevine.com/business-checking/plans-and-pricing)). FDIC cover is up to $3 million through Coastal Community Bank and program banks. Owners from supported countries can use a passport instead of an SSN, with a US legal address. **Best for:** a US-resident founder who rarely wires money and keeps a cash buffer. ### Novo: best for a sole proprietor who mostly receives money Novo advertises "no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance requirement, and $0 standard ACH transfers", and says receiving wires is always free ([Novo checking](https://www.novo.co/business-checking/no-fee-checking)). Its integrations page lists Stripe, Square, QuickBooks, Xero and Wise ([Novo integrations](https://www.novo.co/integrations)). Deposits are insured up to $5,000,000 per depositor through Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. and banks in its sweep network ([Novo](https://www.novo.co/)). Outgoing wire fees are not on the pages we read; Novo points to its fee schedule. **Best for:** a US freelancer or sole proprietor whose money mostly comes in through Stripe and ACH. ### Wise Business: best second account for multi-currency revenue Wise is not a replacement for a bank, and it says so: "We are not a bank" ([Wise US protection](https://wise.com/help/articles/5toCJQjm9MkTs8bEKSm30O/how-our-us-entity-wise-us-inc-protects-customer-funds)). What it does well is currencies. A one-time setup fee of 31 USD (US) or 50 GBP (UK) gets you account details to receive in 22 currencies, domestic receipts in nine currencies are free, and conversion starts from 0.23% in the US and 0.24% in the UK ([Wise US pricing](https://wise.com/us/pricing/business), [Wise UK pricing](https://wise.com/gb/pricing/business)). In the UK, Wise safeguards money by "keeping it separate from our own money" ([Wise safeguarding](https://wise.com/gb/help/articles/2949821/how-does-wise-safeguard-my-money)). In the US, non-interest balances are not FDIC insured; opted-in USD interest balances get up to $250,000 of pass-through cover. **Best for:** paying overseas contractors and converting revenue at low published rates, alongside a main account. ### Starling: best free UK account for a limited company Starling has "No monthly fees" and charges nothing on UK bank transfers ([Starling business account](https://www.starlingbank.com/business-account/)). Its FSCS sheet says business deposits are protected up to £120,000, treated as a single depositor ([Starling FSCS](https://www.starlingbank.com/legal/account/fscs-protection)). It connects to Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent. The limit: all directors with access must be UK residents. **Best for:** a UK-resident director who wants a proper bank at £0. ### Monzo Business: best UK pick if you might upgrade later Lite is free, Pro is £9 a month and Team starts from £25 ([Monzo plans](https://monzo.com/business-banking/plans-pricing)). UK transfers are £0, cash deposits are £1 each, and from 1 November 2026 Monzo's fixed fee for international sending is under £0.80 for most currencies ([Monzo fee information](https://monzo.com/legal/business-account-fee-information)). Monzo states FSCS protection up to £120,000 on eligible deposits. Only sole traders or limited company directors in the UK can apply. **Best for:** UK sole traders who want a free start and a cheap upgrade to Xero sync. ### Tide: best for non-UK-resident directors of a UK company Tide Lite has "No plan fee" but allows five bank transfers a month and charges 2.75% card FX; Smart (£12.49/m) gives 30 transfers and 0% card FX ([Tide pricing](https://www.tide.co/pricing/)). Business current accounts are powered by ClearBank with FSCS cover up to £120,000, though some members hold safeguarded e-money accounts instead ([Tide business account](https://www.tide.co/business-current-account/)). Non-UK residents can apply with a UK residential address, a UK phone number and a Companies House company. **Best for:** a UK company whose director does not meet Starling's residency rule. ## Stripe payouts: the rule that decides most of this Stripe's docs say payout bank accounts "generally must be located in a country where the settlement currency ... is an official currency", and the account currency must match your payout settings ([Stripe payouts](https://docs.stripe.com/payouts)). In practice: a US Stripe account pays USD into a US account, and a UK Stripe account pays GBP into a UK account. Stripe also offers multi-currency settlement for US and UK accounts, with up to 18 currencies, but each extra currency needs its own matching bank account and a fee applies when funds settle into a non-primary currency ([Stripe multi-currency settlement](https://docs.stripe.com/payouts/multi-currency-settlement)). Our read: the simplest setup is one Stripe account, one domestic bank account in the same currency, and Wise only for converting money out. If you sell through a merchant of record, check its payout options instead. ## A worked example Illustrative arithmetic, not data. Say you have a US LLC, pay one US contractor by wire twice a month and one overseas contractor in euros once a month at $2,000. - **Mercury:** domestic wires $0; the euro wire costs a 1% FX fee, about $20. - **Bluevine Standard:** two domestic wires at $15 each is $30; the euro wire is $25 + 1.5%, about $55. Total about $85 a month. - **Wise for the euro payment:** conversion from 0.23%, about $4.60 at the lowest rate, though the actual fee varies by currency. On those assumptions Bluevine costs roughly $65 a month, or about $780 a year, more than Mercury for the same payments. Once you have a few months of real transactions, enter them into each provider's own fee calculator instead. ## Our read: which one to open - **US entity, non-US founder:** Mercury. Add Wise if you pay people abroad. - **US entity, US resident, likes budgeting buckets:** Relay Starter, with Mercury as a backup. - **US resident with idle cash and few wires:** Bluevine Standard. - **UK limited company, UK-resident director:** Starling. - **UK sole trader:** Monzo Business Lite, moving to Pro when you want accounting sync. - **UK company, director abroad:** Tide. Keep two accounts at different providers once revenue matters. Fintech accounts can be frozen during reviews, and a second account keeps Stripe payouts and contractor payments moving if one is paused. Pair whichever you open with the tools in our [accounting software guide](https://zeroraised.com/blog/best-accounting-software-for-bootstrapped-saas), and check [free startup perks you can get without VC](https://zeroraised.com/blog/free-startup-perks-without-vc) for credits and discounts on the rest of your stack. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best business bank account for a bootstrapped startup? For a US LLC or C-corp, our pick is Mercury's $0 plan: no monthly fee, $0 ACH and domestic wires, $0 USD international wires and up to $5M in FDIC insurance through its partner banks and their sweep networks. For a UK company or sole trader, start with Starling (no monthly fees) or Monzo Business Lite (free). Add Wise Business if you hold or convert several currencies. ### Can a non-US founder open a US business bank account? Often, yes, if the company is formed in the US. Mercury says customers must be formed and registered in the US or a US territory, have existing or planned US operations, and can have a US or international address for their principal place of business, with some countries excluded. Bluevine says owners from a supported country outside the US can use a valid passport instead of an SSN, but need a legal address in the US. ### Are Mercury, Relay and Novo banks? No. They are fintech companies that provide banking services through partner banks. Mercury names Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Relay names Thread Bank and Novo names Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. Each states extended FDIC coverage through a sweep network: up to $5M for Mercury and Novo and up to $3M for Relay. FDIC insurance covers the failure of an insured bank, not the failure of the fintech itself. ### Is money in Wise Business protected by FSCS or FDIC? Not in the way a bank deposit is. Wise is authorised by the FCA as an electronic money institution and safeguards customer money by keeping it separate from its own. Its US help page says transfers and non-interest balances are not subject to FDIC insurance, though opted-in USD interest balances get up to $250,000 of FDIC pass-through insurance via its program bank. ### Which account works with Stripe payouts? Stripe's docs say the bank account generally must be in a country where the settlement currency is an official currency, and its currency must match your payout settings. So a US Stripe account pays out USD to a US account such as Mercury, Relay, Bluevine or Novo, and a UK Stripe account pays out GBP to a UK account such as Starling, Monzo or Tide. Mercury, Novo and Bluevine also mention Stripe on their own sites. ## Get paid, then get seen Once the money has somewhere to land, [launch your product on ZeroRaised](https://zeroraised.com/submit) for free, alongside other products built without VC. For more guides on running a company on customer revenue, [join the ZeroRaised newsletter](https://zeroraised.com/newsletter). This post is not financial advice. Check each provider's current terms, fees and eligibility before opening an account. ## Sources - [Mercury pricing](https://mercury.com/pricing), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Mercury FAQ](https://mercury.com/faq), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Relay pricing](https://relayfi.com/pricing), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Bluevine business checking](https://www.bluevine.com/business-checking), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Bluevine plans and pricing](https://www.bluevine.com/business-checking/plans-and-pricing), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Novo homepage](https://www.novo.co/), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Novo no-fee checking](https://www.novo.co/business-checking/no-fee-checking), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Novo integrations](https://www.novo.co/integrations), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Wise US business pricing](https://wise.com/us/pricing/business), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Wise UK business pricing](https://wise.com/gb/pricing/business), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Wise UK: how Wise safeguards your money](https://wise.com/gb/help/articles/2949821/how-does-wise-safeguard-my-money), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Wise US: how Wise US Inc protects customer funds](https://wise.com/help/articles/5toCJQjm9MkTs8bEKSm30O/how-our-us-entity-wise-us-inc-protects-customer-funds), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Starling business account](https://www.starlingbank.com/business-account/), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Starling FSCS information sheet](https://www.starlingbank.com/legal/account/fscs-protection), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Monzo Business plans and pricing](https://monzo.com/business-banking/plans-pricing), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Monzo business account fee information](https://monzo.com/legal/business-account-fee-information), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Tide pricing](https://www.tide.co/pricing/), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Tide business current account](https://www.tide.co/business-current-account/), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Stripe payouts documentation](https://docs.stripe.com/payouts), last checked 7 Nov 2026 - [Stripe multi-currency settlement](https://docs.stripe.com/payouts/multi-currency-settlement), last checked 7 Nov 2026 ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best business bank account for a bootstrapped startup? For a US LLC or C-corp, our pick is Mercury's $0 plan: no monthly fee, $0 ACH and domestic wires, $0 USD international wires and up to $5M in FDIC insurance through its partner banks and their sweep networks. For a UK company or sole trader, start with Starling (no monthly fees) or Monzo Business Lite (free). Add Wise Business if you hold or convert several currencies. ### Can a non-US founder open a US business bank account? Often, yes, if the company is formed in the US. Mercury says customers must be formed and registered in the US or a US territory, have existing or planned US operations, and can have a US or international address for their principal place of business, with some countries excluded. Bluevine says owners from a supported country outside the US can use a valid passport instead of an SSN, but need a legal address in the US. ### Are Mercury, Relay and Novo banks? No. They are fintech companies that provide banking services through partner banks. Mercury names Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Relay names Thread Bank and Novo names Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. Each states extended FDIC coverage through a sweep network: up to $5M for Mercury and Novo and up to $3M for Relay. FDIC insurance covers the failure of an insured bank, not the failure of the fintech itself. ### Is money in Wise Business protected by FSCS or FDIC? Not in the way a bank deposit is. Wise is authorised by the FCA as an electronic money institution and safeguards customer money by keeping it separate from its own. Its US help page says transfers and non-interest balances are not subject to FDIC insurance, though opted-in USD interest balances get up to $250,000 of FDIC pass-through insurance via its program bank. ### Which account works with Stripe payouts? Stripe's docs say the bank account generally must be in a country where the settlement currency is an official currency, and its currency must match your payout settings. So a US Stripe account pays out USD to a US account such as Mercury, Relay, Bluevine or Novo, and a UK Stripe account pays out GBP to a UK account such as Starling, Monzo or Tide. Mercury, Novo and Bluevine also mention Stripe on their own sites.