Top Business Bank Accounts for Freelance Tech & IT Pros: Mercury, Brex, Relay Compared

The Quick Answer

Mercury is the easiest choice for most solo freelance developers, IT support, or web designers. It has a simple layout, no fees, and works well for getting paid by clients or Upwork. Relay is better if you hire other contractors for your projects or need to keep money separate for different budgets, like an AWS hosting fund versus your software license fees. Brex Cash works if you already use Brex for project cards and want to see all your tech spending in one place.

Side-by-Side Breakdown

**Mercury:** No monthly fees mean more money stays in your pocket from your freelance projects. No minimum balance needed. Your funds are protected up to $5M through partner banks. They offer a Treasury product to earn interest on larger project reserves. Its strong API is great if you're a developer wanting to automate financial data or connect to accounting tools like QuickBooks for tracking SaaS subscriptions (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud, GitHub Copilot). Handles ACH, wires, and checks for all client payment types.

**Relay:** Offers no monthly fees (Relay Pro at $30/month adds more features). You can get up to 20 separate checking accounts and 50 debit cards. This is perfect for freelance tech pros who want to separate funds for different projects, taxes, or specific tech expenses like AWS credits, cloud hosting, or software licenses (e.g., for JetBrains IDEs). Strong team controls are useful if you bring on contract developers or virtual assistants for project work.

**Brex Cash:** Free if you use a Brex card. Funds protected up to $6M. Earns high yield on your everyday cash balance, which is great if you have large sums for project equipment or pre-paid cloud services. Tightly connected with Brex expense management, ideal for tracking all your tech-related spending, like Google Cloud bills, Figma subscriptions, or project management software, in one place. You can't open a standalone Brex Cash account without their card.

When to Choose Mercury

Choose Mercury if you're a solo freelance developer, IT support specialist, web designer, or AI prompt engineer. It’s perfect if you want a simple, no-fee business account that works right away for receiving client payments, whether from direct contracts or platforms like Upwork. Its strong API is a plus if you like to build custom integrations for tracking project profitability or automating your financial records. If you need one place for your operating cash and an easy way to save larger project funds, Mercury works well. It's often the fastest to set up, with approvals in 24-48 hours, so you can focus on coding or client work.

When to Choose Relay

Choose Relay if your freelance tech business involves hiring other contractors, like a specialized developer, a UI/UX designer, or a virtual assistant, and you need to give them specific payment access. It’s also ideal if you want to strictly separate your money by category, such as dedicated accounts for taxes, ongoing SaaS subscriptions (e.g., Zoom, Slack, project management tools), client project budgets (e.g., for buying stock photos, specific software tools), or your own owner's pay. Relay’s ability to create many sub-accounts makes it easy to manage finances like paying for AWS servers from one pot and marketing tools from another, similar to the Profit First method.

When to Choose Brex Cash

Choose Brex Cash if you are already using Brex for your corporate card to pay for significant tech expenses like cloud computing (Azure, GCP), enterprise software licenses, or high-value hardware. It brings all your spend management, including client reimbursements and your cash balance, into one dashboard. If you carry a good amount of cash for large projects or future tech investments and want to earn yield on that operating balance without moving it around, Brex Cash is a strong option. It lets you see your project card spending and bank balance together, simplifying financial tracking for your IT or development business.

The Verdict

For most solo freelance tech professionals – developers, IT support, web designers – start with Mercury. It's user-friendly, has no hidden costs, and supports the core needs of a one-person operation. If your business grows and you start working with other contractors or need to manage distinct budgets for client projects and tech expenses, then consider Relay for its multi-account features. Only add Brex Cash if you are heavily invested in the Brex corporate card ecosystem for your significant tech purchases.

How to Get Started

**Mercury:** Apply at mercury.com. You'll need your EIN (if you have one, or SSN for sole proprietors), business formation documents (like LLC articles for a dev shop, or a 'Doing Business As' registration), and a personal ID. Approval is usually quick, from same-day to 48 hours.

**Relay:** Apply at relayfi.com. Before you open, think about how you want to split your money. Deciding on accounts for client income, taxes, software subscriptions, or subcontractor payments upfront will save you time later.

**Brex Cash:** Open this through the Brex application process when you apply for their corporate card. Remember, you can't open Brex Cash by itself without also getting the Brex card.

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