Updated October 2026. Relay changed its plans and savings rates since this article was first published. The details below reflect Relay’s current offer.
Short answer: Relay is a good fit for small businesses that want free business checking with no minimum balance, several accounts to organize their money, and a direct connection to QuickBooks or Xero. If you need cash deposits at a branch or in-person service, a traditional bank may suit you better.
What is Relay?
Relay is an online business banking and money management platform. It is a financial technology company, not a bank: its banking services are provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. You manage everything from the web or the mobile app: checking accounts, savings, debit cards, bill payments and invoices.
Relay’s plans in 2026
Relay offers three plans. All of them include business checking with no minimum balance:
- Starter ($0/month): up to 20 checking accounts, bill and invoice management, spend controls and QuickBooks and Xero integrations.
- Grow ($30/month): everything in Starter, plus bookkeeping automation, spend approvals, batch vendor payments and recurring invoices.
- Scale ($90/month at the time of writing): everything in Grow, plus bill payment automation, cash flow insights and forecasts, faster phone and email support and free same-day ACH.
Prices and features change, so check
Relay’s pricing page before you choose a plan.
Business savings with Relay
Relay’s savings rate depends on your plan. As of September 2026, the APY ranged from 1.19% on Starter to 3.21% on Scale. Rates are variable and can change at any time.
Through Thread Bank’s deposit sweep program, your deposits can qualify for up to $3 million in FDIC insurance, spread across several program banks. Conditions apply; Relay and Thread Bank publish the full terms on their websites.
Why Relay works well for small businesses
- Separate accounts for each purpose: one for taxes, one for payroll, one for operating expenses. This makes it easier to know how much you can actually spend.
- Clean books: the QuickBooks and Xero integrations send your transactions straight to your accounting software, which saves time every month.
- Team access with limits: you can give employees debit cards with spending controls.
- No monthly fees on the Starter plan and no minimum balance.
When Relay may not be the right choice
- If you handle a lot of cash and need to deposit it often.
- If you prefer to visit a branch and speak with a banker in person.
- If you need loans or lines of credit from the same institution where you bank.
How Brief Financial can help
Brief Financial is a Certified Relay Banking Partner. We help our clients open their Relay accounts, set up an account structure that fits their business, and connect Relay with their accounting software so the numbers are always up to date.
Because we also handle
monthly bookkeeping and
CFO and cash flow management, your bank accounts, your books and your financial reports work together from day one.
Want to open a Relay account or review your current banking setup? Call or text us at
+1 (786) 204-2408 or
send us a message. Your first consultation is free.
Disclosure: Brief Financial is a Relay partner. Relay is a financial technology company and is not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. Plan prices, features and rates are subject to change; check Relay’s website for current terms.
