Cassidy Horton is a finance writer covering banking, life insurance and business loans. She has worked with top finance brands including NerdWallet, MarketWatch and Consumer Affairs. Cassidy first became interested in personal finance after paying off $18,000 in debt within 10 months of graduating college. She later went on to triple her salary in two years by ditching her 8-to-5 job to write for a living.
Cassidy Horton
Cassidy Horton is a finance writer covering banking, life insurance and business loans. She has worked with top finance brands including NerdWallet, MarketWatch and Consumer Affairs. Cassidy first became interested in personal finance after paying off $18,000 in debt within 10 months of graduating college. She later went on to triple her salary in two years by ditching her 8-to-5 job to write for a living.
With eight years of experience as a financial journalist and editor and a degree in economics, Elizabeth Aldrich has worked on thousands of articles within the realm of banking, economics, credit cards, investing, loans, personal finance and travel. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, The Motley Fool, Bankrate, Investopedia, LendingTree, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, USA Today, Credit Karma, NASDAQ, Yahoo! Finance and more.
Fact Checked
Elizabeth Aldrich
With eight years of experience as a financial journalist and editor and a degree in economics, Elizabeth Aldrich has worked on thousands of articles within the realm of banking, economics, credit cards, investing, loans, personal finance and travel. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, The Motley Fool, Bankrate, Investopedia, LendingTree, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, USA Today, Credit Karma, NASDAQ, Yahoo! Finance and more.
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Are you running a business and wondering which sole proprietorship bank account is best for your needs? Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or a seasoned one looking to switch banks, we’ve rounded up the best business bank accounts for sole proprietors.
All account details and annual percentage yields (APYs) are accurate as of July 3, 2024.
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Show Summary
Best Business Bank Accounts For Sole Proprietorships Of July 2024
Best for High-Volume Businesses
PNC Treasury Enterprise Plan
Annual Percentage Yield
N/A
Minimum Deposit Requirement
$100
Monthly Maintenance Fee
$50
Learn More
Read Our Full Review
N/A
$100
$50
Editor's Take
We chose the PNC Bank Treasury Enterprise Plan because it’s a perfect match for sole proprietors who have outgrown basic checking needs and are looking for more advanced banking solutions.
The plan is essentially an upgrade or add-on to your existing PNC Analysis Business Checking. It offers features like higher transaction limits and various treasury management tools.
With PNC’s Treasury Enterprise Plan, you can make up to 2,500 free transactions a month, including deposits, withdrawals and ACH transfers. This is a significant usage upgrade from typical business accounts. It also supports up to $50,000 in monthly free cash deposits. Plus, this account sometimes runs business bank account bonuses that offer cash in exchange for holding a minimum balance.
Read our full PNC Bank Review.
Pros & Cons
- High transaction and cash deposit limits
- Can link multiple business bank accounts
- Occasional cash sign-up bonus
- May earn cash back and earnings credits
- Highly-rated mobile app
- High monthly fee
- Extra fees for business services
- High minimum balance requirement to avoid fees
- Does not earn interest
Details
This plan includes a PNC Analysis Business Checking account and one of two investment accounts—the Premium Business Money Market account or the MMDA Sweep account.
You can have multiple business checking accounts under this plan to consolidate transactions, fees and account management. Four beneficiary checking accounts can be added at no cost, but there is a $10 monthly maintenance fee for each account after that. There is a $100 minimum deposit to open the Treasury Enterprise Plan and a steep $50 monthly fee. To waive this, you’ll need to maintain an average combined balance of $30,000
Fees are assessed for additional banking services. This includes the Cash Flow Insight tools (Payables, Receivables and Accounting Software Sync), which require a $20 monthly subscription. The checking account does not earn interest.
Best for Branch Access
Wells Fargo Business Market Rate Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield
0.01%
Minimum Deposit Requirement
$25
Monthly Maintenance Fee
$5
Learn More
Read Our Full Review
0.01%
$25
$5
Editor's Take
The Wells Fargo Business Market Rate Savings account ranked highly thanks to its low minimum opening deposit requirement and extensive branch network. Wells Fargo has around 4,600 locations nationwide.
This account also has a low $25 minimum opening deposit. Although the 0.01% APY isn’t very high, it’s better than earning no interest at all on a checking account. While it charges a monthly fee, $5 is relatively low, and the requirements to waive the fee are easy to meet. This account offers optional overdraft protection as well to help prevent overdrawing your business checking account.
Read our full Wells Fargo Review.
Pros & Cons
- Overdraft protection for linked business checking
- Check-writing privileges
- Fees for excess cash deposits
- Lower interest rate than similar accounts
Details
Interest is earned on all balances over $0. Interest is compounded daily and credited monthly. While the rate isn’t too impressive at 0.01% APY, this account offers convenience in the form of check-writing privileges and low balance and deposit requirements.
There’s no pressure to save a lot because all balances earn the same rate, and you only need a balance of $300 to waive the $5 monthly fee. You can also waive it by making $25 in automatic transfers from a Wells Fargo business checking account.
Best for Saving
First Internet Bank Business Money Market Savings
Annual Percentage Yield
3.46% or 5.48%
3.46% with a daily balance of $5,000,000 or below or 5.48% with a daily balance above $5,000,000
Minimum Deposit Requirement
$100
Monthly Maintenance Fee
$5
Learn More
Read Our Full Review
3.46% or 5.48%
3.46% with a daily balance of $5,000,000 or below or 5.48% with a daily balance above $5,000,000
$100
$5
Editor's Take
First Internet Bank’s Money Market Savings account earned a spot on this list with its high interest rates. The account pays 3.46% APY with a daily balance of $5 million or below and 5.48% APY with a daily balance above $5 million.
While it’s odd for First Internet Bank to set its maximum APY threshold to $5 million, the base rate of APY is still competitive. This account might still be worth opening—even if you don’t qualify for the best rate.
Opening an account requires a minimum deposit of just $100, but you’ll need a balance of at least $4,000 to avoid the $5 monthly maintenance fee.
Read our full First Internet Bank Review.
Pros & Cons
- Competitive APY
- Highly rated mobile app
- Waivable monthly fee
- ATM cards available for sole proprietors only
- No physical branches
- Monthly transaction limits
- Must maintain a daily balance over $5 million to earn the higher yield
Details
With just $100, you can open this money market account and start earning. The $5 monthly maintenance fee is lower than many competitors and waived with a balance of $4,000. Consider this savings option if you want to maximize your interest earnings on excess funds.
This account allows up to six transfers or withdrawals per calendar month or statement cycle before an excess transaction fee is assessed. Interest is compounded and credited monthly on the last day of the month.
Best for No Fees
Axos Bank Basic Business Checking
Annual Percentage Yield
N/A
Minimum Deposit Requirement
$0
Monthly Maintenance Fee
$0
Learn More
On Axos Bank's Website
N/A
$0
$0
Editor's Take
Both Axos Bank’s Basic Business Checking and its Business Interest Checking topped our list as excellent options if you prefer to manage your finances digitally and avoid fees. The Basic Business Checking account is a standout for its simplicity. It has no monthly maintenance fees, unlimited transactions, unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements and free domestic incoming wire transfers. It’s especially well suited to new businesses.
The Axos Bank Business Interest Checking is ideal if you’re looking to earn interest as it pays up to 1.01% APY on balances below $50,000. While this account may be best for lower balances, you’ll need to maintain a minimum $5,000 daily balance to avoid the $10 monthly maintenance fee.
Read our full Axos Bank Review.
Pros & Cons
- No monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirements
- Unlimited free transactions
- Unlimited domestic ATM reimbursement
- Compatibility with QuickBooks
- Complimentary first set of paper checks
- No physical bank branches
- Fees for paper statements, checks and outgoing wire transfers
Details
This account does not earn interest. You’ll also get unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements, up to 60 fee-free remote deposits each month, and two outgoing domestic wire fee reimbursements each month.
In addition to being packed with valuable perks, this account regularly offers one of the best business bank account bonuses, so you can potentially earn a cash bonus just for opening a new account. Welcome bonus offers run for a limited time, and you must meet certain balance and activity requirements to qualify.
This account is compatible with QuickBooks. Accountholders can access up to $175 in insurance coverage through Axos Bank InsureGuard+ Savings from IntraFI Network Deposits.
Bonus
Axos offers a cash bonus of up to $400 when opening an account and meeting certain requirements by August 1, 2024, using offer code NEW400. To qualify, you must make a deposit within 30 days of opening your new account, and your balance will be used to determine the amount of your bonus. To earn $400, which is paid as $100 for up to four statement cycles, you will need to have an average balance above $50,000 in your new account and a minimum of 10 POS transactions of at least $3 each posted to your account each month. You need to submit an application by August 1, 2024 to qualify.
Business owners who are also interested in opening a personal checking account can qualify for a bonus of up to $700 when they open a business checking account and a high-yield Rewards Checking account at the same time. To qualify for this bonus, you will use the code AXOS700 to apply for both accounts by August 1, 2024. Then, you must meet individual bonus requirements for each account.
Best for Earning Rewards
LendingClub Tailored Checking Account
Annual Percentage Yield
Up to 1.50%
1.50% APY on the first $100,000 of any balance and 0.10% APY on balance portions over 100,000
Minimum Deposit Requirement
$100
Monthly Maintenance Fee
$10
$0 with monthly balance of $500
Learn More
Read Our Full Review
Up to 1.50%
1.50% APY on the first $100,000 of any balance and 0.10% APY on balance portions over 100,000
$100
$10
$0 with monthly balance of $500
Editor's Take
LendingClub Tailored Checking was picked as one of the best business bank accounts for sole proprietorships looking to earn rewards because account holders can earn both debit card cash back and checking account interest.
With this account, you earn an unlimited 1% cash back on qualified purchases made with the debit card each month. Plus, you get a high 1.50% APY on the first $100,000 of any balance and 0.10% APY on balance portions over 100,000.
The account offers unlimited ATM fee rebates. It also syncs with Autobooks for digital invoicing and QuickBooks and Quicken for easy accounting and financial management.
Read our full LendingClub Review.
Pros & Cons
- Account earns interest and cash back, provided requirements are met
- Unlimited transactions and ATM fee rebates
- Access to digital invoicing and point-of-sale solutions
- Phone and live chat support available seven days a week
- Monthly maintenance fee on balances under $500
- No physical bank branch locations
- Charges for both incoming and outgoing wire transfers
Details
There is a $10 monthly maintenance fee for this account, but it’s waived if you keep a $500 average monthly balance. There are very few fees, and LendingClub partners with Autobooks for quick and easy digital invoicing and payments. You can also process unlimited transactions and get ATM fee rebates for out-of-network transactions.
If your account has a zero balance for more than three months, LendingClub reserves the right to close it without notice. Interest compounds daily and is credited monthly on the last business day of each statement cycle. Cash-back rewards will be credited to your account by the tenth calendar day of the month following the month in which they were earned.
Bonus
The LendingClub Tailored Checking account does not have active sign-up or referral bonuses at this time.
Summary: Best Business Bank Accounts For Sole Proprietorships
| Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Annual Percentage Yield | Minimum Deposit Requirement | Monthly Maintenance Fee | Learn More | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNC Treasury Enterprise Plan |  |
5.0 |  |
N/A | $100 | $50 | |||
| Wells Fargo Business Market Rate Savings Account |  |
5.0 | |
0.01% | $25 | $5 | |||
| First Internet Bank Business Money Market Savings |  |
5.0 |  |
3.46% or 5.48% | $100 | $5 | Learn More | Read Our Full Review | |
| Axos Bank Basic Business Checking |  |
4.8 | |
N/A | $0 | $0 | Learn More | On Axos Bank's Website | |
| LendingClub Tailored Checking Account |  |
4.8 | |
Up to 1.50% | $100 | $10 | Learn More | Read Our Full Review |
How To Choose a Business Bank Account as a Sole Proprietor
There are many business bank account options out there for sole proprietors. Follow these steps to choose the best one for you.
Think about your day-to-day business transactions. Identify what you need to manage your business finances efficiently to choose an account. Will you need an account that allows cash deposits or unlimited monthly transactions, such as a checking account? What about a place to save for taxes or keep your business’ emergency fund, like a savings account?
Assess monthly fees. Understand the minimum balance requirements, monthly maintenance fees and transaction limits across different accounts. Avoid accounts with excess bank fees that would cut into your profits or high account minimums you won’t be able to meet.
Consider your location needs. Remote or mobile business owners may prefer online or nationwide banks, while those who prefer in-branch banking may prefer local institutions or credit unions.
Review your business bank account periodically to ensure it meets your needs. A bank account that served you well as a new startup may not be the best fit as your sole proprietorship expands. Don’t be afraid to switch banks if needed.
How To Open a Business Bank Account for Sole Proprietorship
Opening your first sole proprietorship business bank account is simple with the proper paperwork.
1. Decide which account(s) you’d like to open.
It may be beneficial to have both a business checking and savings account if you plan on building up cash reserves for taxes, payroll and rainy days. This list is a great place to explore options.
2. Gather your documentation.
Most sole proprietorship bank accounts require a Social Security number or EIN (Employer Identification Number) to open. You’ll also need your photo ID, business license and articles of organization, if you filed any.
3. Fill out your application.
You can open most sole proprietor bank accounts online. But in some cases, you may need to visit a branch. However you apply, follow instructions carefully and make sure all owners are present.
4. Have your basic information ready.
Expect to provide basic business and personal information like your company name, address, nature of business and estimated monthly deposits and withdrawals.
5. Make your minimum deposit.
Many banks require you to deposit $25 to $100 when you open an account, but others may have higher or lower minimums. In many cases, you can do an online transfer from an external account.
6. Start using your new business bank account right away.
Set up account access online or via the bank’s mobile app and request starter checks, ATM cards and other tools as needed.
Having a business account opens the door for more business banking products down the road. Ask about other services you may need, like merchant services, lines of credit or cash management tools.
Find The Best Banks Of 2024
Does a Sole Proprietor Need a Business Bank Account?
In most cases, the answer is yes—it’s highly recommended that sole proprietors open a business bank account. Here’s why:
- It separates your personal and business expenses. This makes it easier to track your income, expenses and eligible tax deductions. It also helps you avoid accidentally spending your business money on personal items and vice versa.
- It can help you qualify for other business banking products. As your business grows, you may need a business credit card or small business loan. Your sole proprietor bank account can help you apply and qualify for these products.
- It projects a professional image. When working with clients and vendors, they’ll see your business name on checks and payments, which adds to your legitimacy as a company.
Can I Use My Personal Bank Account for a Sole Proprietorship?
Yes, you can use your personal bank account for your sole proprietorship, at least initially. A sole proprietorship is not legally distinct from its owner, so you aren’t technically violating any rules by depositing business income into and paying business expenses from a personal account.
If your business is very small and has minimal transactions, you could get by using a personal account for now. But as your business grows, a separate account is almost essential. Keeping business and personal finances separate in a business bank account will make your record-keeping and taxes much simpler, helping you avoid accounting mistakes and drawing from the wrong funds.
Also, keep in mind that banks have the right to close your account at any time, for any reason. If an institution suspects you’re using a personal account primarily for business transactions, it may not go over well. Opening a free business account from the start can ensure you don’t run into unexpected account issues.
