Best High-Yield Savings Accounts for Business in 2026
If your business has cash sitting in a checking account earning 0%, you're leaving money on the table. At current rates, a $50,000 balance earning 4% APY instead of 0% generates $2,000 per year in passive income. That's free money for doing nothing more than moving funds to a different account.
Business high-yield savings accounts work the same way personal ones do: you deposit cash you don't need immediately, it earns interest daily, and you can transfer it back to checking whenever you need it. The difference is these accounts are designed for business entities with EINs.
Quick Comparison
| Account | APY | Monthly Fee | Min Balance | FDIC Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluevine (checking) | 2.0% | $0 | $0 | $3M (sweep) |
| Relay Savings | 2.68% (Scale) | $0-39 | $0 | $3M (sweep) |
| Mercury Treasury | Up to 5.08% | $0 | $500K+ | $5M (sweep) |
| Found Savings | 2.04% | $0 | $0 | $250K |
| LendingClub Business | Up to 4.0% | $0 | $100 | $250K |
| Live Oak Bank | 3.5%+ | $0 | $0 | $250K |
Note: APY rates change frequently. These are approximate rates as of publication. Check current rates before opening an account.
Bluevine: Best for Businesses That Want Simplicity
Bluevine pays 2.0% APY on checking balances up to $250,000 with no separate savings account required. If you're already using Bluevine for business checking, you're earning interest automatically.
To qualify for interest, you need to either spend $500/month on the Bluevine debit card or receive $2,500 in customer payments each month. For most active businesses, this happens naturally.
The appeal is simplicity. There's no separate savings account to manage, no transfers to schedule, no additional login. Your operating cash earns interest where it already sits. FDIC coverage extends to $3 million through Bluevine's sweep network.
Where it falls short: 2.0% APY is competitive for a checking account but below what dedicated high-yield savings accounts offer. If you have significant cash reserves ($100,000+), the difference between 2.0% and 4.0% is $2,000/year. That gap matters.
Who should choose this: Businesses that value simplicity over maximizing every basis point. If your idle cash is under $50,000, the convenience of earning interest in your checking account outweighs the extra yield from a separate savings account.
Relay: Best for Profit First Cash Management
Relay offers savings accounts as part of its multi-account banking structure. The Starter plan (free) earns 0.91% APY on savings. The Scale plan earns 2.68% APY. You can create multiple savings accounts for different purposes: taxes, profit reserves, emergency fund, equipment fund.
The multi-account approach works well for businesses using the Profit First methodology, where cash is allocated into separate buckets for specific purposes. Having each bucket earn interest means your tax reserves and profit accounts grow while they wait to be used.
FDIC coverage extends to $3 million through Relay's insured cash sweep program via Thread Bank, which is important for businesses holding significant reserves.
Where it falls short: The best APY (2.68%) requires the Scale plan, which costs $39/month. If your savings balance is small, the plan fee may exceed the interest earned. The free tier's 0.91% APY is below market.
Who should choose this: Businesses that want to segment cash into multiple savings buckets (taxes, profit, reserves) while earning interest on each. The structure is the value, not just the rate.
Mercury Treasury: Best for Large Cash Reserves
Mercury Treasury offers up to 5.08% APY on balances of $500,000 or more, invested in U.S. Treasury bills and money market funds. This is the highest yield on this list, but the minimum is well above what most small businesses hold in cash.
The Treasury product is essentially an automated sweep: funds are invested in short-term government securities and can be withdrawn back to your Mercury checking account within 1-2 business days. FDIC coverage doesn't apply to Treasury investments (they're backed by the U.S. government directly), but Mercury's sweep program provides up to $5 million in FDIC coverage for checking balances.
Where it falls short: The $500,000+ threshold puts this out of reach for most small businesses. The 1-2 day withdrawal delay also means this isn't suitable for operating cash you might need immediately.
Who should choose this: Funded startups, profitable businesses, or any company sitting on $500,000+ in cash that isn't needed for daily operations. At 5.08% on $500,000, that's $25,400/year in passive interest.
Found: Best for Self-Employed with Tax Savings
Found's savings account earns 2.04% APY and integrates directly with their automatic tax withholding feature. When you receive business income, Found sets aside your estimated tax percentage into savings, where it earns interest until you need it for quarterly payments.
This dual-purpose approach (tax savings + interest) is uniquely useful for self-employed individuals. Your tax reserves aren't just sitting idle; they're earning interest that partially offsets your tax liability.
Where it falls short: 2.04% is moderate. Dedicated high-yield savings accounts offer better rates. Found's savings is also tightly integrated with their tax withholding system, so it's less flexible as a general-purpose savings vehicle.
Who should choose this: Solo business owners already using Found for business checking who want their tax reserves to earn interest automatically.
LendingClub Business Savings: Best Standalone APY
LendingClub offers a business savings account with up to 4.0% APY and a $100 minimum opening deposit. No monthly fees, no minimum balance requirements after opening, and standard FDIC coverage up to $250,000.
This is a standalone savings account, meaning you don't need to use LendingClub for checking or any other banking product. Open the account, link it to your existing business checking account elsewhere, and transfer cash back and forth as needed. Transfers typically settle in 1-2 business days.
Where it falls short: LendingClub's business banking platform is less feature-rich than Mercury or Bluevine. The savings account works well as a standalone product, but if you're looking for a full banking relationship, other options offer more. FDIC coverage is also capped at the standard $250,000, which may be a concern for businesses holding large reserves.
Who should choose this: Any business that wants the highest available APY without switching their primary banking relationship. Park excess cash here, earn interest, transfer back when needed.
Learn more about LendingClub Business →
Live Oak Bank: Best Traditional Bank Option
Live Oak Bank is an FDIC-insured online bank that offers business savings accounts with competitive rates (typically 3.5%+ APY). No monthly fees, no minimum balance, and a straightforward product with none of the fintech complexity.
Live Oak is a real bank (not a fintech backed by a partner bank), which some business owners prefer for the regulatory clarity and stability. They also offer business checking, CDs, and SBA lending, so you can build a full banking relationship if desired.
Where it falls short: APY is competitive but typically below LendingClub and Mercury Treasury. The platform is functional but not as modern as fintech alternatives. No multi-account structure like Relay.
Who should choose this: Business owners who prefer a traditional bank with strong FDIC backing and competitive rates. Good for businesses that want a stable, no-frills savings account from an established institution.
Learn more about Live Oak Bank →
How to Use Business Savings Strategically
Having a high-yield savings account is step one. Using it strategically is where the real value comes from.
Tax reserves. Set aside 25-30% of every payment into savings for quarterly estimated taxes. This money earns interest for 1-3 months before you need to pay it. On a $10,000 quarterly tax payment, earning 4% APY for three months generates about $100 in interest. Small but free.
Operating reserve. Most financial advisors recommend 3-6 months of operating expenses in reserve. Keeping this in a high-yield savings account instead of checking means your safety net is earning 4% instead of 0%.
Equipment or expansion fund. If you're saving for a major purchase (new equipment, office space, hiring), a dedicated savings account earmarks those funds and earns interest while you accumulate them.
Profit reserves. If you follow Profit First, your profit account should be earning interest. Move profit allocations to a high-yield savings account rather than leaving them in a zero-interest checking account.
Bottom Line
If you have $10,000 or more sitting in a business checking account earning nothing, open a high-yield savings account this week. LendingClub offers the best standalone APY for most businesses. Bluevine is the simplest if you want interest without a separate account. Mercury Treasury is the move for large cash positions.
The effort is minimal: one account opening, one transfer. The return is ongoing and automatic. Every month your cash sits at 0%, you're choosing to leave money on the table.
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