At a Glance: Our Top Picks
One account covers what most small businesses need from savings, with the least work.
Lili
Business checking, savings, and tax tools in one app for freelancers and single-owner businesses. No minimums, no lockups, interest paid daily, and savings comes with every plan including the free Core account. Not the highest rate on this page, but the least work.
Open Lili Account →
Our pick for most freelancers: Lili, because it puts business checking, savings, and tax tools in one app with no minimums and no lockups. Over $250K: Bluevine or Relay, whose sweep networks extend FDIC coverage to $3 million. $250K+ and comfortable outside FDIC: Mercury Treasury pays up to 3.89% in a money market fund.
Full Comparison Table
Rates verified September 15, 2026. APYs are variable and subject to change. Our pick is listed first, then ranked by APY (highest first).
| Bank | APY | Min. Open | Monthly Fee | FDIC | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lili Business Savings Our pick |
2.25% 4.00% on $500K to $1M |
$0 | $0 (Core plan) | $3M via sweep | Open account See review |
|
Mercury Treasury Highest yield |
Up to 3.89% | $250,000 | 0.15%+ AUM | Not FDIC | Details |
|
First Internet Bank MM |
3.64% / 2.94% | $100 | $5 (waived $4K avg) | $250K | Details |
|
Relay (Scale plan) |
3.00% | $0 | $90 (Scale) | $3M sweep | Details |
|
Bluevine Premier |
3.00% | $0 | $95 (waivable) | $3M sweep | Details |
|
nbkc Business MM |
2.75% | $0 | $0 | $250K | Details |
In-Depth Reviews
Detailed analysis of each account, including pros, cons, and the kind of business it fits best.
★ Our Pick
2.25% APY on the first $500,000 with no minimum, no lockups, and interest paid daily, inside a business banking app built for freelancers and single-owner LLCs. The slice between $500,000 and $1 million earns 4.00%, and sweep coverage insures up to $3 million. The savings account comes with every plan, including the free Core account.
- Checking and savings in one app, with tax, invoicing, and expense tools on paid plans
- No minimum balance, no lockups, interest paid daily
- 4.00% APY on the portion of your balance between $500,000 and $1 million
- FDIC coverage up to $3 million through the sweep program
- $0 monthly fee on the Core plan, and savings is included on every plan
- 2.25% on the first $500,000 trails nbkc (2.75%) and Bluevine Premier (3.00%)
- The 4.00% headline only applies above $500,000, and balances over $1 million earn nothing
- Lili is a fintech, not a bank; Sunrise Banks, N.A. holds the deposits
- Accounting and tax tools require the Smart or Premium plan, which carry monthly fees
Pick Lili if you run a one-person business and want checking, savings, and tax tools in a single app with nothing to maintain. On rate alone it trails several accounts here on the first $500,000, so its case is convenience, not yield. The exception is a balance between $500,000 and $1 million, where Lili’s 4.00% tier beats every FDIC-insured option on this list.
Best for $250K+ Cash
Money market fund yield for cash-rich businesses. Up to 3.89% APY but requires a $250,000 minimum balance to qualify and pays an annual fee of 0.15% AUM. Not FDIC insured (held in SEC-registered money market funds).
- Highest yield in this review (3.89%)
- Pairs with Mercury Business Checking
- Best for VC-funded startups parking burn capital
- Not FDIC insured (money market fund)
- 0.15% annual fee shaves your effective yield
- $250K minimum makes it inaccessible for most
Only relevant if you have $250K+ in operating cash and you understand this is a money market fund, not a savings account. For VC-backed startups parking runway, the higher yield is worth the lack of FDIC. For everyone else, an FDIC-insured account like Lili is the safer home.
Best for Profit First
Up to 20 savings accounts under one business banking login. 3.00% APY on the Scale plan ($90/mo). Free Starter and mid-tier Grow plans available at lower APYs. FDIC sweep coverage up to $3 million via Thread Bank.
- Open up to 20 individual savings buckets (Profit First friendly)
- FDIC sweep coverage up to $3 million
- Built-in QuickBooks and Xero integrations
- 3.00% APY requires the $90/month Scale plan
- Lower plans (Starter, Grow) pay 1.11% and 1.75%
- Not a bank itself; banking partner is Thread Bank
Only worth the Scale plan if you have $50K+ in savings and use the Profit First method. At lower balances, the $90/mo fee cancels the APY advantage. For everyone else, the Standard Relay plan is great as a free checking complement.
Best Checking + Savings Combo
Pairs business checking with high-yield savings at 3.00% APY on your full balance. Requires either $100K average balance OR $5K card spend, and pays a $95 monthly Premier fee that is waivable when you hit both hurdles.
- 3.00% APY on entire balance, not capped
- Combined checking + savings in one platform
- FDIC insured up to $3M via sweep network
- Unlimited transactions and unlimited transfers
- $100K average balance + $5K card spend to waive fee
- $95/mo Premier fee if you miss the hurdles
- APY drops significantly on the free Standard tier
Worth it only if you reliably hit both the $100K average balance and $5K monthly card spend. If you do, you get a great combined account. If you do not, the fees eat your yield. nbkc and Lili skip those hurdles entirely.
Simple Money Market
2.75% APY with no minimum, no fees, no activity requirements.
- No minimums or fees
- Pairs with nbkc Business Checking
- Trails Bluevine Premier on rate (2.75% vs 3.00%)
- Standard $250K FDIC limit (no sweep extension)
Solid honorable mention. No minimums, no fees and no activity hurdles. If you already use nbkc Business Checking, the savings account is a fine pair. Otherwise Lili adds checking and tax tools in the same app.
Best for $5M+ Jumbo
3.64% APY on jumbo balances above $5 million, 2.94% on standard. $5 monthly fee (waived with $4,000 average balance). Strong pick only if you are parking $5M+; the standard tier adds small hurdles nbkc does not have.
The jumbo tier (3.64%) is excellent, but most businesses fall into the standard tier (2.94%), which edges nbkc on rate while adding a $100 minimum and a $5 fee to manage. Use it only if you have $5M+ to park or you specifically want a regional online bank.
We reviewed 10 business savings accounts and money market accounts available to US small businesses. Rankings prioritize APY, fees, minimum balance requirements, FDIC insurance, and simplicity (zero activity hurdles). Lili is a paid partner; every other bank here is unpaid, and compensation does not change the rates shown, which are verified against each institution’s own website. Every rate was re-verified on September 15, 2026.
Fora Financial funds $5,000 to $1.5 million, with a decision in as little as 4 hours and money as soon as 24 hours after you accept. It is for businesses open 6+ months with about $240K+ in yearly revenue and a 570+ credit score, and it costs more than a bank loan with short terms, so look at the offer before you say yes.
