Banking Comparison
Select up to 3 banking options to compare across key dimensions. Data is approximate and for informational purposes only.
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This month's picks
How we pickThree vendor-neutral options that accept non-US-resident founders. Acceptance, KYC, and supported jurisdictions shift quarterly — verify current state with each vendor before opening.
Wise Business
Best for: Multi-currency revenue, lowest FX spread, EU operations
Visit Wise BusinessLive outside the US? Check acceptance by your country of residence →
The Banking Access Index documents published non-resident policy for 19 US providers × 8countries — 257 verified claims, every cell quoted from provider sources. Free CC BY 4.0 dataset.
Best for US-focused startups. Strong API, FDIC up to $5M through partner banks' sweep networks. Accepts non-US-resident founders of US entities, but the company's physical address cannot be a registered-agent, PO-box or virtual address (an international one is accepted), and ~50 countries of founder residence are excluded. Balances are USD-only, though incoming wires are accepted in 139 currencies and vendor payouts run to 40+ local currencies at a 1% FX fee — note that incoming non-USD wires on Choice Financial Group pass through intermediary banks that typically add a 2–3% markup Mercury does not control. *Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.
Best for multi-currency operations. Local bank details in 9 countries/regions, transparent mid-market rates, and 40+ holdable currencies. Not a bank — Wise US Inc. is a licensed money transmitter; funds are safeguarded by default, with a $250K FDIC pass-through via a Program Bank only if you opt into the interest feature. Address gates are the catch for founders abroad: USD account details are unavailable to addresses in China, Nigeria, Pakistan and Türkiye, and the Wise Business card is limited to a published country allowlist.
- Indian businesses: account details receive foreign currency, but the money cannot be held or sent from Wise. Wise converts it to INR and pays it to your Indian bank account, and charges about 2 USD per transfer to issue the e-FIRC. source
Best for profit-first budgeting. Category-based accounts help separate operating, tax, and profit funds (Relay is the official banking platform for Profit First Professionals, with up to 20 real checking accounts). USD-only balances. Explicitly accepts US entities with non-resident, non-citizen owners, excluding 31 countries of citizenship or residency. If you plan to collect by ACH pull (payment requests sent from your Relay account), read the account-tier limits below first.
- Relay's account agreement names a "Basic" tier for US entities with foreign beneficial owners, assigned at Relay's discretion. In that tier, money you pull in by ACH (payment requests sent from your account, or transfers from your own account at another US bank) is capped at $2,000 a day and $5,000 a month. Electronic deposits a payer sends you, and domestic wires, have no limit. Relay does not publish who lands in this tier. source
Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. FDIC deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. Deposits in checking and savings accounts are FDIC-insured through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A. and their Sweep Program Network Banks. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through FDIC insurance to apply.
The Mercury Debit Cards are issued by Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to licenses from Mastercard®.
Wise is not a bank and is not FDIC-insured. FDIC insurance is provided as pass-through insurance through a Program Bank (currently JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.). Eligible customers must opt in to the interest feature. Availability of FDIC deposit insurance is subject to certain conditions. For customers opted in to receive interest on EUR and GBP, the $250,000 pass-through limit applies to USD, EUR and GBP balances combined.
Wise is not a bank. Interest is paid via an opt-in feature under which balances are held at a Program Bank (currently JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.). Eligible customers must opt in. Rates are variable and were last updated 2026-09-18.
Relay is a financial technology company and is not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. FDIC deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. FDIC insurance available for funds on deposit through Thread Bank, Member FDIC. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through FDIC insurance to apply.
The Relay Visa® Debit Card is issued by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.
All data is approximate and intended for informational comparison only. Pricing, features, and availability change frequently. Verify all figures directly with each provider before making banking decisions.
*Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. FDIC deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through FDIC insurance to apply.
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How We Compared
We compared account features, fee structures, multi-currency support, integration options, and non-resident eligibility. Banking terms change frequently — we verify core features monthly.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
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