Relay Review
Business checking with up to 20 accounts, cards, and bill pay built in
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Looking for a Relay alternative? See our ranked comparison.→What is Relay?
Relay is a business banking platform built around running money through more than one account at once. A single Relay login gives you up to 20 (or 50 on Scale) checking accounts, so you can split cash into buckets like payroll, taxes, and profit without opening separate bank relationships. Deposits sit with Thread Bank, Relay's partner bank, and are FDIC-insured up to $3,000,000 through a sweep program.
On top of checking, Relay bundles bill pay, invoicing, expense cards with spend controls, and accounting sync with QuickBooks and Xero. The paid Grow and Scale plans add automation like batch vendor payments, recurring invoices, and cash flow forecasting, plus free same-day ACH transfers on Scale.
Relay screenshots
Who it's for
- ✓ Businesses running a Profit First or envelope-style cash system across multiple checking accounts
- ✓ Agencies and service businesses that want bill pay, invoicing, and cards in one login instead of stitching together separate tools
- ✓ Teams that want a genuinely free checking account with no monthly fee or minimum balance
Who should look elsewhere
- ✗ Businesses that need in-person branch banking or cash deposits
- ✗ Teams that move a lot of money fast and can't tolerate a compliance hold on the account
Pros
- + Starter plan is free with no monthly fee, no minimum balance, and no overdraft fees
- + Up to 20 checking accounts (50 on Scale) under one login makes it easy to separate payroll, taxes, and reserves
- + Bill pay, invoicing, and card controls are built in rather than bolted on
- + FDIC coverage up to $3,000,000 through the deposit sweep program
Cons
- – Grow and Scale carry real monthly fees ($30 and $90) on top of what used to be a free-only product
- – Multiple Trustpilot reviewers report accounts frozen for compliance review (RFIs) lasting weeks to months, with support giving no clear timeline during the hold
- – Same-day ACH and wire limits depend on which plan you're on, so the free Starter plan is more restrictive on fast transfers
Relay pricing
What you pay for
Relay's Starter plan is free with no monthly fee, no minimum balance, and no overdraft fees, and covers checking, cards, bill pay, and invoicing. Grow ($30/month) and Scale ($90/month, discounted from $120) add higher savings rates, cash back, and automation. Pricing is public and posted on the site, not quote-only.
It has a free plan, so you can start at no cost in Startup Banking.
| Plan | Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | No monthly fee, no minimum balance, no overdraft fees · Up to 20 checking accounts · Up to 50 debit cards and 5 credit cards per cardholder · Bill creation, approval rules, and receipt capture · Invoicing with automated follow-ups · QuickBooks and Xero sync |
| Grow | $30/mo | Everything in Starter · Higher savings APY and cash back on cards · Lower payment fees · Bookkeeping automation, spend approval requests · Batch vendor payments, recurring invoices |
| Scale | $90/mo | Everything in Grow · Highest savings APY and cash back · 10 free same-day ACH transfers a month · Bill payment automation, cash flow forecasts · Up to 50 checking accounts · Faster phone and email support |
Scale is discounted from a $120/month list price to $90/month as of this check, labeled a limited-time discount with no stated end date. Starter has no monthly fee. Grow and Scale prices are flat per account, not per seat. Savings APY runs 1.11% on Starter, 1.75% on Grow, and 3.00% on Scale; the vendor states these rates are accurate as of 5/1/2026 and are variable, tied to the Federal Funds rate.
Pricing verified July 7, 2026 · source
How Relay's pricing compares
Relay next to its closest alternatives on entry price, billing, and whether pricing is public.
Is Relay still actively developed?
Last significant update: March 2026. Launched Relay Term Loans under a new Relay Capital line, letting businesses prequalify from inside their Relay account in minutes and get funded in a matter of days, with the loan amount customized to what they qualify for. Funding is provided by Fundbox or its bank partner, Lead Bank.
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Relay FAQ
Is Relay actually free?+
The Starter plan has no monthly fee, no minimum balance, and no overdraft fees. You only pay if you upgrade to Grow ($30/month) or Scale ($90/month) for higher savings rates, cash back, and automation.
What bank holds Relay deposits?+
Relay isn't a bank itself. Deposits are held at Thread Bank, an FDIC member, and spread across a sweep program for up to $3,000,000 in coverage.
Do people have problems with Relay freezing accounts?+
Some Trustpilot reviewers describe funds frozen for a compliance review (an RFI) lasting weeks and sometimes months, with support giving little clear timeline while the hold is in place. It's not universal, but it comes up often enough to plan for if you rely on fast access to cash.