Choosing Your Lens: Best Business Bank Accounts for Photographers & Videographers
The world of business banking has great options for photographers and videographers, but it can be confusing. Mercury, Relay, Novo, and Brex are top choices. Each offers different benefits for managing client payments, gear costs, and crew payroll. Picking the right bank early saves you time, money, and stress, letting you focus on capturing amazing shots instead of financial headaches.
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The Quick Answer
Mercury: Best for photography/videography studios ready to grow, perhaps hiring staff or handling larger project budgets. Good if you plan to invest heavily in advanced gear like a RED Komodo or a high-end drone. Relay: Ideal for photographers and videographers who manage different income streams (e.g., weddings, commercial, stock photos) and want separate "buckets" for taxes, equipment upgrades (like a new Sony Alpha III), and marketing. Perfect for studios with bookkeepers. Novo: Great for solo freelance photographers, videographers, and content creators. Fast to set up, perfect for managing client payments through Stripe/Square for wedding deposits or online preset sales. Brex: For larger photography/videography teams (5-50 staff) managing significant operational expenses, travel for shoots, and needing corporate cards for gear rentals or crew meals.
Side-by-Side Breakdown
Mercury: $0/month. FDIC coverage $250K standard, $5M+ through sweep. Best features: treasury management for larger balances, API for custom payment workflows. Best for growing photography/videography studios with significant project budgets. Relay: $0/month (Pro $30/month). FDIC coverage $3M. Best features: up to 20 checking accounts for specific needs (e.g., "Tax Fund," "New Lens Fund," "Wedding Deposits," "Adobe Subscription Budget"), bookkeeper access, team cards for assistants. Best for studios with diverse income streams and detailed budgeting. Novo: $0/month. FDIC $250K. Best features: fast setup, direct integrations with Stripe/Square/Shopify for quick client payments and online print sales, invoicing tools. Best for solo freelance photographers, videographers, and content creators. Brex: $0 basic, varies for full platform. FDIC $6M+. Best features: corporate cards for high-volume expenses (e.g., gear rental, studio space, travel for destination shoots), expense tracking. Best for larger production houses or agencies with a team handling significant operational costs.
When to Choose Mercury
Mercury is often the go-to for photography/videography businesses aiming for serious growth. If your studio is landing bigger commercial clients or planning to expand its team and gear significantly (like investing in a RED camera package or a dedicated studio space), Mercury's robust features become valuable. Their strong treasury sweep network is useful if you start holding large client deposits from multi-day corporate shoots or big wedding packages that exceed standard FDIC limits. The clean interface makes managing funds straightforward, even when your business scales.
When to Choose Relay
Relay is built for photographers and videographers who like to keep their money organized by purpose. Imagine having separate accounts for "Taxes," "Next Lens Fund" (saving for that Sigma Art 24-70mm), "Wedding Client Deposits," "Assistant & Crew Pay," and "Adobe Creative Cloud & Software Subscriptions." Relay lets you create up to 20 checking accounts, making it easy to see where every dollar is. If you use a system like Profit First or have an outside bookkeeper helping manage your studio's finances, Relay's multiple accounts and specific bookkeeper access features are incredibly helpful for clear financial oversight.
When to Choose Novo
Novo is the quickest and easiest choice for solo freelance photographers, videographers, and content creators just starting out. If you're running your business by yourself, taking wedding deposits through Stripe, selling Lightroom presets on your website (maybe built with Shopify), or invoicing clients for headshots and event coverage, Novo's integrations simplify reconciliation. It's genuinely free, with no minimum balance, which is perfect when you're building your client base and your income flow might vary. It handles the basics well, letting you focus on shooting and editing.
When to Choose Brex
Brex makes sense for larger photography or videography production houses that have a dedicated team (say, 5-50 employees) and significant ongoing expenses. If you're managing complex video productions with multiple crew members, extensive gear rentals (like renting an ARRI Alexa Mini or a full lighting grid), frequent travel for destination weddings or corporate shoots, and need corporate cards for your team, Brex can streamline all of that. It brings banking, corporate cards, and expense tracking into one platform. For a solo photographer or a small two-person team, its features might be too much; start with Novo or Relay and consider Brex as your business truly scales into a larger agency.
The Verdict
For growing photography/videography studios, Mercury offers solid financial tools. For those who need to meticulously budget different income streams (like wedding deposits vs. commercial work) or equipment funds, Relay is the clear winner. Novo is the perfect choice for solo freelance photographers, videographers, and content creators seeking a fast, simple setup. Brex is for the much larger production teams dealing with complex expenses and corporate cards. All four are free to open initially. While you can switch banks later, remember it's a hassle to update payment details for your client invoicing, gear rental companies, Adobe subscriptions, and any freelance assistants. Choose wisely for your current and near-future needs.
How to Get Started
All four banks let you apply online in minutes. You'll generally need your business's EIN (Employer Identification Number), your LLC or other business formation documents (if applicable), and a valid government ID. Some may also ask for a business license, which is common for many photography and videography operations. Mercury and Relay might have a short review period, especially for new businesses. Novo is usually the quickest to approve. Pick the bank that aligns best with your studio's current size and financial needs.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Mercury
Best business banking for funded startups and tech founders
Relay
Multi-account banking built for budget management and bookkeeper collaboration
Novo
Fast setup with Stripe, Square, and Shopify integrations
Brex
Banking, corporate cards, and expense management for venture-backed teams
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are these real banks or fintech apps?
They are fintech companies that partner with FDIC-member banks to hold your deposits. Your deposits are FDIC-insured, but you are not banking directly with a chartered bank.
Can I use one of these and also keep a traditional bank account?
Yes. Many founders use Mercury or Relay as their primary operating account and keep a local credit union or Chase account for in-person cash deposits.
What if I am not approved?
Mercury and Relay can decline applications, often due to business type or state restrictions. Novo is generally more permissive. If declined, try another option or use a traditional bank while you build account history.
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