Best business checking accounts in 2026
The first number is the monthly fee. The APY is a bonus, and it is still far below business savings.
Grasshopper Bank Small Business Checking is the no-fee interest checking account: 1.00% on the first $25,000, 1.35% from $25,000 to $250,000, $100 to open, read Oct 17, 2026. Axos Bank Basic Business Checking lists no monthly fee, no opening deposit and no APY, plus a $200 new-business bonus. Axos Bank Business Interest Checking lists 1.01% on balances under $50,000 with a $10 fee waived at a $5,000 average daily balance. Personal checking is ranked separately.
Business checking is a fee-and-access product. Yield is not the point: even the highest checking APY we list, 1.01% at Axos Interest and 1.00% to 1.35% at Grasshopper, is a fraction of Axos Premium Savings at 3.50%. The business bank directory groups checking with savings and money market. This page keeps the three published business checking accounts.
How we ranked: no monthly fee first, then the published APY, then the opening minimum. Figures were read on 17 October 2026. A commission never changes the order (how we make money). This is general information, not financial advice.
Top Picks
Each figure is what the provider's own page states, with the date we read it.
| Product | Lead figure | Best for | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grasshopper Bank Small Business Checking | 1.00% APY | Digital business checking that should pay some interest with nothing to waive. | |
| Axos Bank Basic Business Checking | see page | A new small business that wants $0 checking and will not park cash here to earn. | |
| Axos Bank Business Interest Checking | 1.01% APY | An operating balance kept under $50,000 when the $5,000 waiver is easy. |
Digital business checking that should pay some interest with nothing to waive.
A new small business that wants $0 checking and will not park cash here to earn.
An operating balance kept under $50,000 when the $5,000 waiver is easy.
More Checking Accounts in the catalog
Other products in this category that we track. Open one to see its figures and the date we read them.
What a business checking account is
A business checking account is a deposit account in the company's name, with a debit card, ACH, wires and usually accounting export. Axos Bank and Grasshopper Bank, N.A. are the banks on these three pages. Coverage is standard FDIC up to $250,000, with ICS or IntraFi sweeps named on each page. It is not a merchant account, and it is not personal checking.
A $10 fee wipes out a 1% checking yield on a small balance
On $5,000, Grasshopper's 1.00% APY is about $50 a year before tax if the rate holds. Axos Interest's 1.01% is about the same, and the $10 monthly fee is $120 a year unless the $5,000 average-balance waiver holds every month. Axos Basic lists no APY and no fee, so a missed waiver cannot appear. That is why the fee is the sort, not the yield.
What to look for
Grasshopper and Axos Basic list $0. Axos Interest lists $10, waived at a $5,000 average daily balance.
Grasshopper lists 1.00% to 1.35%. Axos Interest lists 1.01% under $50,000, then 0.20% and 0.10%. Axos Basic states no APY.
Grasshopper and Axos Interest ask for $100. Axos Basic lists none.
Grasshopper is fee-free at Allpoint, MoneyPass and SUM. Axos reimburses domestic ATM fees without a cap on both checking products. Grasshopper outgoing domestic wires are $5. Axos Basic reimburses two domestic outgoing wires a month.
Match the account to the fee you will actually hit
If you want interest and no monthly fee, Grasshopper is the account. Budget 1.00% unless the balance will stay at $25,000 or more.
If you want no fee and no opening minimum, and a $200 bonus is useful, Axos Basic. It pays no interest.
If you will keep $5,000 in the account anyway, Axos Interest's $10 fee can drop out and the 1.01% APY applies under $50,000.
Idle cash belongs in business savings, not in checking.
Evaluation Checklist
Read the monthly fee and the waiver before the APY.
If the account pays interest, read the tier that matches the balance you will actually keep.
Price one outgoing wire and one cash deposit. Grasshopper is online-only for cash.
Idle cash should be compared on the business savings guide, not here.
Rates and fees overview
Grasshopper Bank Small Business Checking, $100 to open.
Axos Bank Basic Business Checking, with a $200 new-business bonus through January 31, 2027.
Axos Bank Business Interest Checking if the $5,000 waiver is automatic.
Pricing Comparison
| Account | Monthly fee | APY | Min. to open | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasshopper Bank Small Business Checking | None | 1.00% (1.35% at $25,000 to $250,000) | $100 | Online only; outgoing domestic wire $5 |
| Axos Bank Basic Business Checking | None | Not stated | None | $200 bonus needs $3,000 average in four of five cycles |
| Axos Bank Business Interest Checking | $10 | 1.01% under $50,000 | $100 | Fee waived at $5,000 average; 0.20% then 0.10% on higher tiers |
Issuer pages were checked on 17 October 2026. APYs are variable.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Choosing Axos Interest for the highest checking APY and then keeping $80,000 in it at 0.20%.
- ×
Treating these three as personal checking. They are business accounts.
Tips
- →
Use Grasshopper or Axos Basic as the bill account, and put surplus in Axos Premium Savings at 3.50%.
- →
The full small-business catalog, including Melio, Engine X, Credibly and Grasshopper SBA, is on best banks for small business.
Red Flags to Watch For
- !
A 1.01% APY that needs a $10 fee is a loss on balances where the waiver fails.
- !
A $200 bonus that needs $3,000 in the account for four cycles is not free money if you close early.
The Bottom Line
Grasshopper Bank Small Business Checking is the no-fee interest checking account. Axos Bank Basic Business Checking is the no-fee, no-minimum account. Axos Bank Business Interest Checking is the 1.01% account if you will hit the $5,000 waiver and keep the balance under $50,000. Figures read October 17, 2026.
Cite this: FinanceRadar, "Best business checking accounts (2026)", October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best business checking account?
Grasshopper Bank Small Business Checking if you want no monthly fee and a published APY (1.00% to 1.35%). Axos Bank Basic Business Checking if you want no fee, no opening minimum and no APY. Axos Bank Business Interest Checking if you will waive the $10 fee and keep the balance under $50,000 for the 1.01% tier.
Does Axos Basic Business Checking pay interest?
The product page does not state an APY. Axos Interest Checking is the interest-bearing Axos business checking product.
Are these personal checking accounts?
No. Personal checking is ranked on the checking directory. Business checking is compared in its own section there and on this page.
Sources
Rates, fees and terms on this page were checked on each provider's own site:
- Grasshopper Bank Small Business Checking, checked
- Axos Bank Basic Business Checking, checked
- Axos Bank Business Interest Checking, checked
Related Guides
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See every product in this category ranked on one page, each with the date its figures were read.