As a freelancer, which business banking app has the lowest fees and best invoicing?

For a U.S. freelancer, Bluevine Business Checking is a particularly strong combination of low banking fees and built-in invoicing.

| Bluevine | Found --- | --- | --- Monthly fee | $0 on Standard | $0 on Free Invoicing | Unlimited, branded invoices + payment links | Built-in invoicing Card payment fee | 2.9% + $0.60 | Varies by payment method ACH invoice payments | 1% | Available Interest on checking | 1.3% APY when eligibility requirements are met | Depends on plan Bookkeeping/tax tools | Basic integrations | Stronger built-in tools

Bluevine's Standard account has no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance requirement, and includes unlimited customizable invoices. NerdWallet Bluevine Its invoicing supports payment links and card, digital-wallet, and ACH payments; current listed processing fees are 2.9% + $0.60 for cards and 1% for ACH.

Found is worth considering if your priority is bookkeeping and taxes rather than banking alone. Its free plan includes automated bookkeeping, invoicing, and tax tools, while paid tiers add more features. Found NerdWallet likewise identifies Found as a strong choice specifically for tax planning and invoicing.

Bottom line

• Lowest ongoing banking cost + strong invoicing: Bluevine
• Best if you want banking + bookkeeping/tax organization in one app: Found
• If you mainly need simple invoices and want to avoid monthly software subscriptions: I'd compare Bluevine vs. Found Free closely.

If you tell me roughly how many invoices you send per month and whether clients usually pay by ACH or credit card, I can calculate which one would cost you less annually.

When you're freelancing, keeping overhead at zero while making it as frictionless as possible for clients to pay you is the ultimate goal. Online fintech business checking accounts dominate this category because they have $0 monthly maintenance fees and built-in invoicing tools.

The top options break down as follows when comparing lowest fees and invoicing functionality:

• Novo (Best Overall for Freelancer Invoicing & Free Flexibility)
  • Monthly Fees:$0
  • Invoicing Features: Allows you to create and send unlimited, professional, custom-branded invoices directly inside the app . You can track statuses, send automatic reminders, and let clients pay via Stripe , Square, PayPal , or ACH.
  • Why it shines for freelancers: Novo doesn’t force you into a proprietary payment gateway. Instead, it integrates smoothly with the tools you likely already use (Stripe, Wise, QuickBooks , Xero) and offers great perks—like up to$5,0 0 0 in waived Stripe credit card processing fees.
• Relay Financial (Best for Robust Cash Flow & Zero-Fee ACH)
  • Monthly Fees:$0 for their standard checking tier.
  • Invoicing Features: Offers built-in Small Business Invoices by Relay with status tracking, automated reminders, and recurring billing.
  • Why it shines for freelancers: If your clients pay via ACH / Pay-by-Bank , Relay charges a$0 per-transaction fee on its starter plan. Credit card processing fees are competitive (around 2.9%), and higher tiers let you pass credit card surcharges directly to the client. It is also phenomenal if you use a "Profit First" multi-account budgeting system.
• Bluevine (Best if you want to earn high APY on your cash)
  • Monthly Fees:$0 for standard checking.
  • Invoicing Features: Allows you to create unlimited custom invoices and payment links powered by integrated payment processing.
  • Why it shines for freelancers: Bluevine allows you to transition seamlessly from estimates to invoices, but its standout feature is earning a high yield (APY) on your operational funds if you qualify through transaction or balance requirements, making it great for parking tax savings. Processing fees are standard (2.9%+$0.6 0 for cards; 1% for ACH direct debit).

Summary Recommendation

• Go with Novo if you want the most seamless, completely free native invoicing ecosystem that connects to third-party processors like Stripe and PayPal without fuss.
• Go with Relay if you want powerful multi-account tracking and prefer fee-free ACH invoice collections.

To help narrow this down, let me know:

• How do your clients usually pay you? (ACH/Bank transfer, credit cards, PayPal, or international wire transfers?)
• Do you need accounting software integrations like QuickBooks or Xero?

Finding the sweet spot between zero banking fees and robust, built-in invoicing usually means choosing between an all-in-one fintech "neobank" built for solopreneurs or a dedicated invoicing/accounting platform that partners with a bank.

The top options for freelancers balancing low/no fees with great invoicing capability include:

• Lili : Best true all-in-one banking app for solo freelancers. Its basic tier (Core ) is $0/month with no minimum balance, and its paid tiers bundle automated expense categorization, tax-saving buckets, and professional invoicing tools directly in the mobile app. (Skip paid tiers if you already use standalone accounting like FreshBooks, but the free banking is great).
• Square : Best if you need both digital invoicing and occasional in-person/card-present payments. Square Business Checking has no monthly fees or minimums, and the ecosystem lets you easily send professional invoices, payment links, and track cash flow from a single clean dashboard. Invoicing processing fees sit around 2.9%+$0.3 0.
• Wave : Best known as free accounting and invoicing software, Wave historically integrated tightly with no-fee business financial solutions. If you prioritize clean, professional, trackable invoicing and basic income tracking without a monthly software subscription, managing payments through Wave is a classic freelancer favorite (paying only standard per-transaction processing fees).
• U.S. Bank : Best traditional bank option with built-in app invoicing. Their Business Essentials checking account has no monthly maintenance fee , and their mobile app allows you to create and send digital invoices/receipts directly, giving you the safety net of a major brick-and-mortar bank with digital invoicing features.

To help narrow this down, let me know:

• Do you mostly invoice clients remotely (ACH/credit card/PayPal) or do you ever take in-person payments?
• Are you already using a software like QuickBooks or FreshBooks , or do you want everything strictly in one app?

My pick: Bluevine for most freelancers. Its Standard business checking has $0 monthly fees, no overdraft fees, unlimited transactions, and integrated invoicing/payment tools; eligible customers can also earn up to 3% APY.

• Best overall: bluevine.com — strongest combination of low fees + invoicing + interest.
• Best for simplest invoicing: novo.co — $0 monthly fee and built-in invoicing; no checking APY.
• Best for bookkeeping/taxes: found.com — particularly good if you want banking, bookkeeping, and tax automation together.

If you tell me roughly how much you invoice per month and whether clients pay by ACH/card, I can pick the cheapest option after payment-processing fees.

When you are freelancing, the absolute dream is combining zero-fee business banking with robust, built-in invoicing so you don't have to juggle five different software subscriptions.

The top all-in-one business banking apps built specifically with freelancers in mind—featuring zero monthly maintenance fees and strong invoicing tools—include the following top contenders:

1. Found (Best All-in-One for Freelancer Banking + Invoicing)

• The Fees: $0 monthly maintenance fees, no minimum deposit, and no hidden overdraft fees.
• The Invoicing: Found lets you create, customize, and send professional invoices directly from the app for free. You can track whether invoices have been viewed or paid, and payments sync directly into your income tracking.
• Why it shines for freelancers: Beyond banking and invoicing, it features automatic tax-saving estimates, expense categorisation, and separate "Pockets" to divide your money for taxes and profit—meaning it acts almost like a lightweight accountant in your pocket. You can check out more details on Found.

2. Lili (Best Mobile-First App for Gig Workers & Sole Proprietors)

• The Fees: Free Core tier with no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirement.
• The Invoicing: Lili's free tier includes built-in invoicing capabilities allowing you to bill clients directly from the app.
• Why it shines for freelancers: It is heavily optimized for single-person operations and sole proprietors. It combines expense tracking, tax preparation helpers, and invoicing right next to your debit card and checking account. You can review their features directly at Lili.

3. Novo (Best for Clean Banking + Integrations)

• The Fees: Completely free business checking with no monthly maintenance fees or hidden charges.
• The Invoicing: Novo has a great built-in invoicing tool (Novo Invoices) that lets you create branded, professional invoices and accept payments via Stripe, PayPal, or Square.
• Why it shines for freelancers: While its native invoicing is solid, Novo’s true superpower is its ecosystem. It integrates seamlessly with heavy-hitters like QuickBooks, Shopify, and Stripe. If you prefer specialized tools over an all-in-one, Novo plays nice with everything. Explore more on Novo.

Alternative: Standalone Invoicing + Traditional Free Banking

If you find that integrated banking app invoices are too basic for your client roster, many freelancers pair a completely free dedicated banking account (like Novo or Found ) with a dedicated, feature-rich free invoicing/accounting platform like Wave Financial (free core invoicing and accounting) or Zoho Invoice (forever-free tier for small client volume).

To help narrow down the right fit, tell me:

• Do you need to accept credit card payments directly through the invoice , or do you just use bank transfers/ACH?
• Are you set up as a sole proprietor or an LLC?

For a typical U.S. freelancer, Novo is probably the best overall choice if your priority is the lowest fees + strong built-in invoicing.

| Novo | Bluevine | Relay --- | --- | --- | --- Monthly fee | $0 | $0 Standard | $0 Starter Minimum balance | None | None | None Built-in invoicing | Yes | Yes | Yes Invoice limit | Unlimited | Unlimited | Yes ACH invoice payments | $0 to receive | 1% via Stripe | 1% capped at $10 Recurring invoices | Yes | Yes | Paid plans Automatic reminders | Yes | Yes | Yes Best for | Solo freelancers | Banking + interest | Teams / complex finances

Novo's standout advantage is that invoicing is included with the $0 checking account: you can create branded invoices, send recurring invoices, track payment status, send reminders, and accept ACH without paying Novo an invoice fee.

My ranking

1. Novo — best overall for a freelancer. $0 monthly fee, no minimum balance, and particularly good invoicing. The big drawback is no cash deposits.
2. Bluevine — best if you keep significant cash in the account. Its Standard account is $0/month and currently offers up to 1.3% APY when eligibility requirements are met, while its invoicing is also free.
3. Relay — best if your freelance business is becoming a small team. Its strengths are expense controls, multiple users, bill management, and accounting workflows rather than pure freelancer simplicity.

If you're a solo consultant, designer, developer, writer, photographer, etc. who primarily gets paid by ACH/card: I'd pick Novo.

One nuance: if most clients pay by credit card, the processing fee matters more than the banking fee. Novo passes through the processor's standard card rate rather than adding its own markup.

If you tell me roughly how much you invoice per month (e.g. $5k, $10k, $20k) and whether clients pay by ACH, card, or check, I can calculate which one would actually cost you the least.

If you’re a U.S.-based freelancer/solo business, I’d put Found at the top if invoicing is a major priority.

🏆 My pick: Found

The big advantage is that Found combines banking + invoicing + bookkeeping/tax tools in one freelancer-oriented app. Its free plan includes unlimited invoicing, and there are no account-maintenance or minimum-balance fees.

Its invoicing is particularly good: you can customize invoices, convert estimates into invoices, schedule/recurring invoices, send reminders, and let clients pay online.

One important distinction: sending the invoice is free, but accepting card payments can involve payment-processing fees through Stripe.

When I'd choose Mercury instead

Mercury is arguably the better choice if you're a freelancer who is becoming a small company/startup and cares more about banking capabilities than built-in bookkeeping. Its basic banking has no monthly fee, free ACH, and free domestic/USD international wires.

What about Relay?

Relay is attractive if you want more sophisticated business banking workflows, but its invoice payments aren't as fee-light: card payments are 2.9% + $0.30, while ACH/Pay-by-Bank fees vary by plan.

Bottom line: For a typical freelancer who sends invoices regularly, I'd choose Found Free. It's hard to beat $0 banking + unlimited invoicing + built-in tax/bookkeeping features in one app.

If you tell me roughly how much you invoice per month and whether clients usually pay by ACH, card, or bank transfer, I can calculate which one would actually cost you the least.

Finding the sweet spot between low/zero banking fees and robust, built-in invoicing as a freelancer usually means looking at digital-first fintech platforms or specialized banking-software hybrids. Traditional banks often charge hefty monthly maintenance fees unless you keep a high minimum balance, and their native invoicing is usually bare-bones.

The top options balancing rock-bottom fees and solid invoicing features depend on your specific workflow:

1. Found (Best All-in-One for US Sole Proprietors)

• Monthly/Banking Fees: $0 monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance requirements on their core plan.
• Invoicing: Includes unlimited, professional custom invoicing directly inside the app. You can track when invoices are viewed or paid.
• Why it shines for freelancers: Found combines business banking, built-in bookkeeping, real-time tax calculation, and expense tracking into a single app. If you want to send an invoice and automatically have the incoming payment categorized for self-employment tax, it is hard to beat for simplicity.

2. Novo (Best for Integration-Heavy Freelancers)

• Monthly/Banking Fees: $0 monthly fees, $0 minimum balance. Plus, it refunds incoming ATM fees.
• Invoicing: Offers native, professional invoicing. Novo also integrates tightly with Stripe , allowing you to speed up payouts directly into your checking account.
• Why it shines for freelancers: Novo is purpose-built for solo business owners and digital freelancers. It connects seamlessly with major invoicing and accounting platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, and Stripe, meaning you can sync your preferred workflow without paying extra for corporate software bloat.

3. Wise Business (Best for International Clients)

• Monthly/Banking Fees: One-time $31 fee to get your initial account details set up, but no monthly maintenance fees.
• Invoicing: Includes a completely free, built-in invoicing tool that lets you bill clients globally.
• Why it shines for freelancers: If you work with clients overseas, traditional banks will eat your profits with terrible exchange rate markups and SWIFT wire fees. Wise gives you local bank account details in major currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, etc.) and uses the real mid-market exchange rate with transparently low conversion fees.

4. Wave (Best Free Accounting + Banking Combo)

• Monthly/Banking Fees: $0 monthly software fee for their baseline accounting and invoicing; optional integrated payment processing fees apply when clients pay online (around 2.9%+$0.6 0 per credit card transaction).
• Invoicing: Wave is widely considered the gold standard for free, professional, recurring-capable invoicing.
• Why it shines for freelancers: While Wave evolved primarily out of accounting and invoicing software rather than being a standalone bank, it pairs its powerful invoicing directly with financial management tools.

Quick Comparison to Help You Decide:

• Choose Found if you want an absolute zero-fee mobile app that handles your taxes and tracking automatically alongside client invoices.
• Choose Novo if you rely heavily on Stripe/QuickBooks and want a clean, fee-free hub for your digital business.
• Choose Wise Business if you regularly invoice international clients and want to avoid brutal currency conversion fees.

To help narrow this down, let me know:

• Do you primarily invoice domestic (US) or international clients?
• Do you need automatic tax-saving set-asides , or just clean invoicing and a checking account?

If you’re a solo freelancer in the U.S., I’d narrow it to Found vs. Bluevine.

| Found | Bluevine --- | --- | --- Monthly fee | $0 | $0 Standard Invoicing | Unlimited, free | Unlimited, free Payment links | Yes | Yes Bookkeeping | Built in | More basic Tax tools | Built in | Basic tax-saving subaccounts Best for | Freelancers wanting an all-in-one app | Banking + invoicing + higher interest

My pick: Found if invoicing is your priority. Its free plan includes unlimited invoicing, expense categorization, P&L, real-time tax estimates, tax-saving buckets, and contractor 1099 tools, with no monthly account-maintenance fee.

Bluevine is arguably better if you care more about the banking side: its Standard account has a $0 monthly fee, and it offers free branded invoices, payment links, and built-in invoicing.

Bottom line

• 🥇 Best overall freelancer app: Found
• 🥈 Best banking + invoicing combo: Bluevine
• Best if you want everything in one place: Found
• Best if you keep substantial cash in the account: Bluevine, because its eligible Standard customers can earn interest.
• Avoid paying for premium tiers initially: both have useful $0 options.

found.com ·

If you tell me roughly how much you invoice per month and whether clients pay by ACH, card, or both, I can compare the actual total fees for Found, Bluevine, Novo, and Lili for your situation.

For freelancers looking for zero monthly maintenance fees and built-in invoicing features, Found and Novo stand out as top choices, while pairing a no-fee bank with Wave is the gold standard for robust invoicing.

Because most modern fintech business banking apps do not charge monthly account fees or opening fees, the "best" choice depends on whether you want an all-in-one financial app or specialized invoicing software.

Top Business Banking Apps for Freelancers

Key App Breakdowns

• Found: Combines business banking with expense tracking, tax estimation, and write-off detection. Its built-in invoicing lets you bill clients directly from your phone and track payment status without needing an external subscription.
• Novo: A powerful business checking account partner built for small businesses and freelancers. It features native invoicing capabilities and integrates directly with Stripe, PayPal, and Shopify, though it functions primarily as a pure hub for your money rather than an all-in-one accounting suite.
• Wave (Standalone Invoicing): If your primary pain point is professional client-facing invoices, automated payment reminders, and credit card processing, pairing a free checking account like Novo or NBKC Bank with Wave Invoicing gives you enterprise-grade invoicing capabilities for zero monthly software fees.

To help narrow down the ideal choice, tell me:

• Do you prefer an all-in-one app (banking + invoicing together), or are you okay using a separate tool for invoicing?
• Do you need to accept credit cards/ACH directly through the invoice?