nbkc Business Checking
$0 monthly fee + unlimited cash deposits at partner ATMs; bank (not fintech)
Relay Business Checking
Startup / Profit First multi-account checking — $0 Starter, up to 20 checking buckets, QBO/Xero sync; no APY on checking
Costs & Fees
| Metric | nbkc Business Checking | Relay Business Checking |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly maintenance | $0 unconditional | Starter $0; Grow $30; Scale $90 limited-time (list $120). Paid plans billed from designated checking account. |
| Fee waiver | N/A — already $0; no balance or activity hoops | No balance waivers — Grow/Scale are subscriptions, not waivable by balance |
| Transaction fees | Unlimited — no per-item, per-check, or excess transaction fees on published schedule | No per-item checking cap published. Unlimited standard ACH and digital items. Same-day ACH extra: $1 Starter / $0.50 Grow / included Scale. |
| Overdraft/NSF | $0 Overdraft, Returned Item, Insufficient Funds. Bank not obligated to pay overdrafts. No published OD protection program. | $0 overdraft fees; transactions that would overdraw decline. Optional backup account internal pull (not a priced OD product). |
| ATM fees | $0 at nbkc, MoneyPass, and Allpoint ATMs. Out-of-network operator surcharge possible; auto rebate up to $12/month. | Allpoint in-network $0 Relay fee. Out-of-network owner surcharge not rebated. Allpoint+ cash deposit $1,000/txn; cash withdrawal $400/txn. |
| Wire/ACH | Incoming domestic: $0. Outgoing domestic: $5/wire (online, cutoff 3:30 PM CT). Incoming international: $45. Outgoing international: $45 (cutoff 2:00 PM CT). Incoming ACH: $0. Originating ACH credits/debits: $15/mo or $150/yr add-on. | Incoming domestic: $5 (Aug 2026 official table). Outgoing domestic: $8 Starter / $5 Grow / $5 Scale. Incoming intl: typically $0. Outgoing intl Local Network $5/$3/$1.50; SWIFT $25/$22/$20. Standard ACH in/out: $0. |
Interest & Yields
| Metric | nbkc Business Checking | Relay Business Checking |
|---|---|---|
| Checking APY | None — non-interest-bearing by design | None — non-interest-bearing checking |
| Savings APY | Business Money Market: 2.75% APY on all balances from $0.01; $0 monthly fee (as of 2026-09-02). Separate account, not checking APY. | Plan-tiered on up to 2 savings accounts: Starter 1.11%, Grow 1.75%, Scale 3.00% APY (as of 2026-05-01). Variable; savings cannot originate ACH/wires. |
| FDIC coverage | Standard FDIC $250,000 per depositor per ownership category at nbkc bank | Standard FDIC $250,000 per depositor per ownership category at Thread Bank — combined across all Relay sub-accounts |
Features & Access
| Metric | nbkc Business Checking | Relay Business Checking |
|---|---|---|
| Branch/ATM network | 4 branches (KC metro only). MoneyPass + Allpoint + nbkc ATMs — 90,000+ marketed globally. Cash deposit at deposit-enabled partner ATMs. | No branches. Allpoint network (32k–55k+ cited). Cash deposit at Allpoint+ only ($1k/txn). Green Dot retail. |
| Mobile app | iOS ~4.4–4.5; Android ~4.2 (~700 reviews) | iOS ~4.8; Android ~4.5 (~3.5k / ~1.1k reviews per 2026 aggregators) |
| Virtual cards | Not disclosed; multiple physical debit cards allowed | Included — physical + virtual Visa debit with freeze, limits, spend policies |
| Opening deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Eligibility | U.S.-located/registered entities — corp, LLC, partnership, DBA, sole prop (SSN), nonprofit. Controlling person needs SSN. Foreign businesses not accepted. | U.S.-registered sole prop, LLC, C-corp, S-corp, partnership, nonprofit. Not supported: personal, escrow, trusts, Series LLCs, 401(k)s. |
Pros & Cons
nbkc Business Checking
Pros
- $0 monthly, $0 min, $0 OD/NSF/stop/returned-item on Nov 15, 2024 fee schedule
- Unlimited fee-free cash deposits at eligible MoneyPass/Allpoint ATMs — rare among online business checking
- $0 incoming domestic wires and $5 outbound domestic — cheap vs big-bank business checking
- Direct FDIC member bank (Cert #35014), not fintech + partner-bank stack
- $12/mo out-of-network ATM rebate plus 90,000+ ATM network; optional Business MMA at 2.75% APY
Cons
- Checking earns 0% APY — yield requires separate Business Money Market account
- Originated ACH ($15/mo), scanner RDC ($15/mo), and positive pay ($5/mo) are paid add-ons
- Only 4 branches, all Kansas City metro; no weekend lobby
- International wires $45 in and out; standard $250k FDIC only
- Weekday 7–6 CT support; new-account and ATM-cash holds are operational drag
Relay Business Checking
Pros
- Starter $0 with no minimum balance, $0 OD fees, and no per-item checking cap
- Up to 20 checking accounts (50 on Scale) with auto-transfer rules — rare on free tier
- Native QuickBooks Online and Xero feeds on all plans including Starter
- Outbound domestic wires $8/$5/$5 — below typical big-bank $15–$30
- IntraFi sweep to $3M; Scale savings 3.00% APY; unlimited users and virtual debit cards
Cons
- Checking earns 0% APY — savings yield is plan-gated and mid-pack at Starter/Grow
- Mobile check funds can take up to 7 business days
- Cash deposits via Allpoint+/Green Dot only — retailer fee up to $4.95, low caps
- Official Aug 2026 table lists $5 incoming domestic wires (conflicts with free-inbound marketing)
- BaaS structure (Thread Bank); sub-accounts do not multiply $250k FDIC; weekday-only support
Verdict
nbkc Business Checking
nbkc Business Account is a single-tier, non-interest-bearing checking at nbkc bank (FDIC #35014) — a real Kansas-chartered bank, not a BaaS fintech. The Nov 15, 2024 fee schedule prices monthly service, OD, NSF, stop payment, and inactivity at $0 with $0 to open. Standout features are unlimited $0 cash deposits at deposit-enabled MoneyPass/Allpoint ATMs, unlimited items, $0 incoming domestic wires, and $5 outbound domestic. Checking yields 0%; park idle cash in Business MMA at 2.75% APY (Sep 2, 2026). Costs appear only for add-ons: ACH origination ($15/mo), scanner RDC ($15/mo), positive pay ($5/mo), Autobooks ($10/mo). Best for cost-conscious and cash-heavy operators who accept weekday support, 4 KC branches, and standard $250k FDIC.
Relay Business Checking
Relay Business Checking is an online SMB platform from Relay Financial Technologies with deposits at Thread Bank, Member FDIC, and IntraFi sweep to $3M. Checking is non-interest-bearing across Starter ($0), Grow ($30), and Scale ($90–$120) plans; savings APY is 1.11%/1.75%/3.00% as of May 1, 2026. Differentiator is operational: up to 20–50 checking buckets with auto-allocation, unlimited users, virtual Visa debits, and native QBO/Xero on Starter. Official Aug 11, 2026 fees: incoming domestic wire $5, outgoing $8/$5/$5, same-day ACH $1/$0.50/included. Weak on cash deposits, check holds (7 days), 0% checking, and BaaS partner-bank structure. Strong for Profit First digital SMBs; weak for cash retail and same-day check users.