10 Best Checking Accounts for Freelancers 2023

We found the business checking accounts with the right perks, costs, and tools for freelancers.

Best overall
Found
$0 monthly fee
  • pro
    Business checking
  • pro
    Online bank
Learn Moreon Found's website
Best freelancer tools
Lili logo
Lili
Starting at a
$0 monthly fee
  • pro
    Business checking with sub-accounts
  • pro
    Online bank
Learn Moreon Lili's website
Best software integrations
Novo
Novo
$0 monthly fee
  • pro
    Business checking
  • pro
    Online bank
Learn Moreon Novo's website
Best for checking
BlueVine
Bluevine
$0 monthly fee
  • pro
    Interest-bearing business checking
  • pro
    Online bank
Learn Moreon Bluevine's website
Fastest approval
Small Business Bank
Small Business Bank
$0 monthly fee
  • pro
    Business checking
  • pro
    Online bank
Read Reviewon Small Business Bank's website

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure.

As a freelancer, you may have noticed that lots of business bank accounts aren’t designed with you in mind. Many charge monthly fees that can only be waived with large account balances, and they come with lots of features you don’t need.

So what’s a budget-conscious freelancer to do? Well, it turns out there are affordable business checking accounts out there, some of which have features just for freelancers―but they probably don’t come from the banks you know.

Don’t worry though―we’ve done the research for you and rounded up the best freelancer bank accounts. For most freelancers, Bluevine’s interest-bearing checking is the best account option. Let’s look closer at it and your other best options.


Our top-rated banking solution for self-employment: Lili

Starting at $0/month, Lili offers a checking account with time-saving tax optimization and accounting features specifically built for entrepreneurs.


Compare the Best Freelancer Checking Accounts

Brand
Min. opening deposit
Monthly fee
Free transactions per month
Open an account
$0$0Unlimited
$0Starting from $0Unlimited
$0$0Unlimited
$0$0Unlimited
$5$0Unlimited

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

How to Choose a Freelancer Bank Account

Now that you’ve seen our favorite checking accounts for freelancers, how do you actually pick a bank? We suggest you consider a few factors.

First, think about costs. As a freelancer, you already have to pay for things like self-employment taxes and business expenses. You shouldn’t waste money paying monthly fees or other pricey fees on your checking account. That’s why we stuck to banks that charge fewer fees than typical banks. Most of our picks don’t charge any monthly fees or transaction fees―so you get to keep more of your money.

Next, consider integrations. If you have business software you can’t live without, you might want to find a bank account that can integrate with it. For example, if you use a certain accounting or payment processing software (like Square or Stripe), it might be in your best interest to find a bank account that plays nicely with that software.

Then you can think about other useful features. Like if you have an accountant do your taxes each year, look for a checking account that offers accountant access so you don’t have to turn over all your passwords. Or if you want to make sure you set aside enough money for your quarterly tax payments, you might find sub-accounts helpful. Or if you want your account balance to do more for you, look at interest-bearing accounts.

Put simply, freelancer checking accounts can come with lots of useful features, so make sure you look for the features you need most.

bullet
Online banks

All of our recommended banks for freelancers happen to be online banks. That’s because online banks offer free checking accounts, while physical banks usually don’t.

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Found: Best Freelancer Accounts

Found
Found
Checking fee is
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Banking, taxes, bookkeeping and invoices included

Data as of 3/6/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Found is an all-in-one platform making it easy for gig workers and freelancers to bank, send and receive invoices, and care for their bookkeeping and taxes. The only trick is that Found does not allow for add-ons like employee accounts. This is a checking account for solopreneurs who are only in business with themselves.

What makes Found especially helpful is that Found links to Venmo or PayPal and other apps for accepting payments. 

It just takes a quick online application that does not require your credit score. Then, you are free and easy with no monthly fees and unlimited transactions. 

Pros
pro No monthly maintenance fees
pro Free bookkeeping and tax tools included
Cons
con Not available to business owners with employees

Lili: Best Account Tools

Lili
Lili logo
Lili
Checking fee starts at
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Free sub-accounts, tax tools, & cash back program

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Lili offers a free checking account it says was designed just for freelancers. And based on its unique tools for freelancers, that seems to be true.

Lili’s free checking accounts come with standout features like free sub-accounts (so you can plan ahead for quarterly estimated tax payments). You can even specify a percentage of each account deposit to get automatically set aside for taxes. Lili also offers features like expense reports and integrations with online platforms (like Upwork, Etsy, and Shopify). 

With a paid Lili account ($9.00 a month), you can even get invoicing tools, interest-bearing savings, and a cashback debit card. Just note that Lili has a spending limit of $5,000.

Even with those small caveats, there’s plenty to like about Lili and its tools for self-employed people. And Lili doesn't just specialize in bank accounts for solopreneurs anymore either—they've opened up their services to all business types. So if you're thinking of changing business types in the future, you can keep your account with Lili.

Pros
pro No-fee checking
pro Tax and emergency sub-accounts
pro Cash deposits at retail stores
pro (Paid) invoicing tool
Cons
con Can only earn interest on Pro account

Novo: Best Software Integrations

Novo Bank
Novo
Novo
Checking fee is
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Discounts for other business products

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Novo bank accounts have lots of software integrations. It works with popular accounting software, virtual wallets, and even credit card processing software (among other things). Plus, Novo gives you discounts on things like web hosting, travel, and some software.

Between those integrations and the lack of fees in its checking accounts, there’s a lot to like about Novo. It does have some troubling negative reviews (complaining about bad customer service and unexpectedly closed accounts). But if you like the sound of its discounts and integrations, you might want to try Novo anyway.

Bluevine: Best Checking Account for Freelancers

Bluevine
BlueVine
Bluevine
Checking fee is
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Free checkbooks

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Bluevine offers the best checking account for freelancers.

Why? Well, Bluevine has a lot going for it. Bluevine doesn’t charge most normal banking fees (such as monthly maintenance fees, transaction fees, or overdraft fees). Bluevine as a whole has great customer reviews (though there aren’t a ton of banking-specific reviews yet).

Plus, Bluevine makes it easier to deposit cash than most banks on this list. (Just find a GreenDot location near you.) And Bluevine throws in two free checkbooks when you open an account.

Then there’s the fact that Bluevine checking accounts earn interest. From the moment you open a Bluevine account, you’ll start earning a 2.0% interest rate on your balance (for balances up to $250,000, at least). That’s a great rate for a business bank account ― especially a checking account. It’s a higher rate than most business savings accounts these days. In other words, Bluevine lets you make the most of your hard-earned money.

Put simply, a Bluevine checking account can help you get more from your freelancing funds ― no extra hours or invoicing required.

Pros
pro Interest-bearing checking
pro Very competitive interest rate
pro Easy cash deposits
Cons
con Few customer service reviews (of banking service)
con No interest on balances over $250,000

Small Business Bank: Fastest Account Approval

Small Business Bank
Small Business Bank
Small Business Bank
Checking fee is
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Free high-yield savings accounts

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

If you need a freelancer bank account as quickly as possible (maybe so you don’t miss a client’s next pay cycle), then you’ll like Small Business Bank.

Small Business Bank has the fastest approval time for new accounts of the lenders on this list. Lots of online lenders can take days or even weeks to get your new account up and running. But Small Business Bank can approve your new account the same day you apply (depending on when you apply). It also has unusually long support hours for an online bank, making your chances of same-day approval even better.

And like Lili and Bluevine, Small Business Bank charges almost no banking fees, making its accounts fast and affordable. The tradeoff? Small Business Bank has a pretty outdated website and mobile app, so don’t expect the latest and greatest features from your mobile banking. (It still has all the essential banking tools.)

If that doesn’t worry you, then you can get started with Small Business Bank in no time.

Pros
pro Same-day account approval
pro Long customer support hours
pro Cash deposits via Shazam ATMs
Cons
con Outdated website and app
con Worsening customer reviews

Honorable Mentions

Not sure the banks above have exactly what you’re looking for? Maybe these honorable mentions will better fit your needs.

Compare Honorable Mention Freelancer Checking Accounts

Brand
Min. opening deposit
Monthly fee
Free transactions per month
Open an account
$1,000Starting at $0Unlimited
$0$0Unlimited
$1,500Starting at $0200
$50$10Unlimited
$0$0Unlimited

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Axos Bank: Best for Scaling Businesses

Axos Bank
Axos
Axos Bank
Checking fee starts at
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Unlimited ATM reimbursement

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Got big plans for expanding your freelancing business? Axos Bank could be right for you.

Axos Bank offers a wide range of bank accounts, with plenty of options for both small and big businesses. So Axos Bank can work for you when you’re a solo freelance writer or when you’ve built a large marketing agency―though you’ll probably end up switching your bank account type somewhere along the way.

Keep in mind that Axos Bank has a larger minimum opening deposit than most of our other recommended banks (for its business interest checking account). That’s part of the reason we recommend it for growing businesses―because Axos can be a bit much for freelancers with no plans of expansion. Also, Axos Bank does charge more fees (like transaction fees) than other banks on this list.

But since Axos Bank can work for larger businesses than many banks for freelancers, it’s still the best option for scaling businesses.

Kabbage: High Interest Rate

Kabbage
Kabbage
Kabbage
Checking fee is
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Free sub-accounts

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Looking for an account that lets you earn the most interest possible? Then let’s look at Kabbage.

Kabbage (like Bluevine) offers an interest-bearing checking account. So while you don’t pay any of the usual bank account fees (like a monthly fee or transaction fees), you do make money on your account balance. In fact, Kabbage offers the highest interest rate we’ve found―1.1% APY (annual percentage yield).

As an added bonus, Kabbage also has free sub-accounts, so you can set aside that tax money (or whatever other money you want to save up). That said, you should know that Kabbage has only just started offering banking services―so we don’t have a lot of reviews to go off of right now. You’re kind of a guinea pig, in other words. (But Kabbage gets consistently good reviews for its financing.)

If you’re fine with that kind of trailblazing, though, Kabbage has plenty to offer with its interest-bearing checking.

Pros
pro No-fee online checking
pro Interest-bearing checking accounts
pro Nationwide availability
Cons
con Checking accounts only
con No interest on balances above $100,000

TIAA Bank: Best ATM Access

TIAA Bank
TIAA
TIAA Bank
Checking fee starts at
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Unlimited ATM reimbursement

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

TIAA Bank mostly stands out because of its big ATM network. Its network includes more than 80,000 ATMs. And if you can’t find an in-network ATM, TIAA will reimburse you for some or all of your out-of-network ATM fees each month (depending on your account balance). So if you plan to withdraw lots of cash, TIAA’s ATM network might be just what you need.

That said, TIAA Bank does have a high minimum opening deposit ($1,500), and you’ll probably end up paying some transaction fees. In other words, it’s not the cheapest option. Still, the convenience of TIAA’s ATM network might make up for the extra costs.

NorthOne: Best for Sub-Accounts

NorthOne
NorthOne
NorthOne
Checking fee is
$10.00/mo.
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Free sub-accounts

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

NorthOne gives you free sub-accounts with your business checking account, so you can squirrel away money for self-employment taxes, an upcoming equipment purchase, or whatever else you can think of. (Think of Lili's tax accounts, but for anything you want.)

The downside? NorthOne charges an unwaivable monthly fee (but no other typical banking fees). Sure, it’s only $10―but that’s $10 you could save each month by choosing a different bank. So we mostly suggest choosing NorthOne if you prefer the user interface on the mobile app or need extended customer service hours.

QuickBooks Checking: Best for QuickBooks Users

QuickBooks Checking
Quickbooks
QuickBooks Checking
Checking fee is
$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    No checking fee with QuickBooks Online subscription
  • pro
    Online banking only
  • pro
    Free sub-accounts and cash flow tools

Data as of 1/10/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

If you use QuickBooks Online for your invoicing and tax needs, you might like the new QuickBooks Checking. It earns a very competitive 1.75% interest rate on envelopes. Plus, it gives you envelopes, or sub-accounts, where you can store money for expenses. And of course, it all syncs easily with other QuickBooks products.

But while QuickBooks Checking is a “free” account (with no minimum opening deposit, monthly service fee, or transaction fees), you do need to be an existing QuickBooks Online customer to use it. That makes this account more expensive than other options on this list. But if you use QuickBooks anyway, QuickBooks Checking is worth looking at.

Your Local Credit Union: Best for In-Person Banking

If you prefer in-person banking, then look at your local credit unions. Credit unions often offer low-cost business accounts, and they usually offer great customer service. Plus, you’ll get all the convenience of in-person banking, like easy cash deposits.

With the number of credit unions in the United States, we can’t possibly review them all. You’ll have to rely on your own best judgment here. But based on the trends we’ve seen at credit unions, there’s a great chance your local credit union has great freelance bank account options.

bullet
Does Chime offer business accounts?

No, Chime doesn’t offer business accounts―and neither do most other free online banks that focus on personal banking. That’s why your favorite (personal) bank may not appear on this list.

Want More Options? Fund Your Business With a Personal Loan

The Takeaway

Freelancer bank accounts should be affordable (if not free) and come with features that make your life as a business owner easier. We’ve rounded up banks that meet both those requirements.

Bluevine offers the best features and pricing overall, making it our favorite checking account for freelancers—but Lili offers loads of useful freelancer tools too. Kabbage lets you earn a lot of interest on your checking account funds, while Small Business Bank offers fast approval, and NBKC gives you options for personal banking too.

In other words, you have plenty of good options―especially if you check out our honorable mentions. So whether you want the ability to plan for expenses with Lili or get extra earnings with Bluevine, we think you’ll find a checking account that meets your needs.

Want a business savings account to go with your checking account? Take a look at our favorite high-yield savings accounts for business.

Related Reading

Methodology

To get our list of the best checking accounts for freelancers, we looked at more than 30 different online and traditional banks. We scored and ranked banks based on factors like checking account costs, customer reviews, and extra tools and perks for freelancers.

Freelancer Checking Account FAQ

You don’t necessarily need a business bank account as a freelancer, but it certainly can’t hurt to have one. It can reduce your liability (if you operate as an LLC), increase your legitimacy, and makes things much easier when it comes to taxes (if you plan to write off expenses).

That said, freelancers can often get away with using just a personal bank account (assuming your bank doesn’t mind, of course).

But when in doubt, we recommend getting a business bank account―especially since most of our recommended freelancer bank accounts won’t cost you anything.

Yes, you can definitely open more than one business bank account. You can have a personal bank account and a business bank account, for example. You can opt to open more than one business bank account (like one account for normal expenses and a separate bank account for taxes).

Just make sure you use good bookkeeping practices to keep track of your finances.

Yes, you can get a free freelancer bank account. In fact, many of our recommended freelancer checking accounts also appear on our rankings of the best free business checking accounts.

Yep, pretty much every bank gives you a debit card when you open a checking account.

You may be able to qualify for a business credit card as a freelancer.

We should note that our recommended banks don’t offer business credit cards. That’s not a problem though―you don’t have to get a credit card from the same place that you do most of your business banking.

Disclaimer

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Chloe Goodshore
Written by
Chloe Goodshore
Chloe covers business financing and loans for Business.org. She has worked with many small businesses over the past 10 years, from video game stores to law firms. Those years watching frustrated business owners try to sift through their many options gave her a passion for breaking down complex business topics. She wants to help business owners spend less time agonizing over their businesses so they can spend more time running them.
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