Counter 05 · Banking & Money
Verified 06 Aug 2026
Mercury
MEBusiness banking built for online founders, not walk-in branches
Mercury is a US business banking platform aimed at startups and online businesses, with no physical branches, fast account opening, and an API for connecting other tools. It's the right pick for a nomad running a registered US company or LLC who needs a business account they can fully manage from anywhere.
What is Mercury?
Mercury is a US fintech banking platform for startups and online businesses: free checking and savings, no physical branches, no monthly fee on the core plan. It isn't a bank itself. Deposits sit with FDIC-insured partner banks, and Mercury builds a fast online signup, a dashboard, and an API on top of that. For a nomad running a US-registered LLC or C-corp, that means you can open and run a business bank account from a laptop and never walk into a branch.
Mercury for digital nomads and remote founders
If your business is incorporated in the US (Delaware C-corp, Wyoming LLC, or similar), you can bank, send wires, pay contractors, and issue virtual and physical debit cards without visiting anyone in person. The interface and support assume you're running everything remotely. Mercury connects to Stripe, QuickBooks, and other startup tools, and the free plan includes ACH transfers, domestic wires, and multiple sub-accounts, useful for keeping client funds, tax money, and runway separate. Mercury Treasury, a separate offering with its own eligibility rules, can move idle cash into money market funds for founders sitting on larger balances.
The honest caveat
Mercury only opens business accounts for US-registered businesses with an EIN. No US entity, no account. Mercury has also closed or frozen accounts tied to crypto-adjacent or high-risk industries, sometimes with little warning. Support runs through chat and email only; there is no phone line for the day something breaks and you need a human fast. New accounts can take a few business days to verify, and international wire fees or foreign-transaction card costs vary by account tier, so check the fee schedule for your plan before assuming everything is free.
Pricing reality
The core account is free: no monthly fee, no minimum balance, which covers most solo founders and small remote teams. Paid tiers add higher transfer limits, more sub-accounts, and treasury features; the naming and pricing on those have shifted over time, so confirm current costs on mercury.com before you commit. The free tier carries no contract and no subscription lock-in.
What works
- Free core account with no monthly fee or minimum balance
- Fully remote account opening and management, no branch visits ever
- Sub-accounts make it easy to separate client funds, taxes, and runway
- Integrates with Stripe, QuickBooks, and other startup tooling via API
What to watch
- Business banking is only for US-registered businesses with an EIN
- Support is chat and email only, no phone line for urgent issues
- Accounts in flagged industries (crypto-adjacent, high-risk) have been closed with little notice
Questions at the counter
Is Mercury good for digital nomads?
It's a strong fit if you already run a US-registered LLC or C-corp: you can open and manage the account entirely online from anywhere. It doesn't work for nomads without a formal US business entity, since Mercury requires an EIN to open a business account.
Is Mercury a real bank?
No. Mercury is a fintech company, not a chartered bank. Deposits sit at FDIC-insured partner banks, and Mercury provides the software layer, cards, and API on top.
Does Mercury charge monthly fees?
The core checking and savings account is free, with no monthly fee and no minimum balance. Higher-tier plans with expanded features and treasury tools carry separate pricing that's changed over time, so check mercury.com directly.
Can I open a Mercury account without a US LLC?
Not for business banking. Mercury requires a US-registered business entity (LLC, C-corp, or similar) with an EIN, so a business with no US registration isn't eligible.