Found vs. Relay: Which Business Bank Account Is Better?

Found and Relay are both online business banking apps with free plans, no minimum balance and no monthly fee to start. They are built for different businesses. Found is a one person business’s bank, bookkeeper and tax estimator in one app. Relay is cash management for a business with a team, bills to pay and money to split across many accounts.

Found vs. Relay at a glance

	Found	Relay
Monthly cost	$0 (Found), $35 (Plus), $80 (Pro)	$0 (Starter), $30 (Grow), $90 (Scale, discounted from $120)
Yearly option	Plus $315, Pro $720	Not listed
Interest	None on free; 1.50% APY on up to $20,000 (Plus); 2.50% APY on all balances (Pro)	1.19% APY (Starter), 1.87% (Grow), 3.21% (Scale), on savings accounts
Accounts	Up to 20 sub accounts, called Pockets	20 checking accounts (50 on Scale)
Cards	Mastercard debit, team cards with limits; 1% cash back on Pro	Up to 50 debit cards per cardholder per account; Visa credit card with 1% to 1.5% cash back
Domestic wires out	$15 ($10 on Pro)	$8 on Starter, $5 on Grow
Bookkeeping and taxes	Built in: expense categories, profit and loss, tax estimates, Schedule C, 1099 filing	QuickBooks and Xero sync; bookkeeping automation on Grow
Invoicing	Unlimited free invoices	Invoice creation and tracking on every plan
Bank partner	Lead Bank, Member FDIC (certificate 8283)	Thread Bank, Member FDIC (certificate 9499)
FDIC coverage	$250,000 standard	Up to $3,000,000 through Thread Bank’s sweep program

From Found’s and Relay’s pricing pages, checked Oct 27, 2026. APYs are variable. Found and Relay are financial technology companies, not banks; FDIC insurance applies through their partner banks. Certificates from the FDIC BankFind database.

Which one pays more interest?

On the free plans, Relay: 1.19% APY on savings vs. nothing at Found. On paid plans it depends on your balance.

• $20,000 balance: Found Plus pays 1.50% (about $300 a year) for $315 a year, so the interest roughly pays for the plan. Relay Starter pays 1.19% (about $238 a year) for $0.
• $50,000 balance: Found Pro pays 2.50% (about $1,250 a year) for $720 a year if paid yearly. Relay Scale pays 3.21% (about $1,605 a year) for $90 a month, or $1,080 a year.

If interest is the goal, a high yield savings account pays more than either. The top account we track with no monthly rules (Pibank Savings) pays 4.40% APY. Business owners can also look at American Express Business Checking, which pays 1.00% APY on balances up to $500,000 with no monthly fee.

Found is better for freelancers and sole proprietors

• Bookkeeping is built in on the free plan: expense categories, receipt scanning and a profit and loss report.
• Real time tax estimates and a Taxes Pocket that sets money aside as you get paid.
• It creates Schedule C and corporate tax forms (1120 and 1120S), requests W9 forms from contractors and files their 1099 NEC forms electronically.
• Unlimited free invoices, and Tap to Pay to get paid in person.

The trade offs: no interest unless you pay for Plus or Pro, $15 outgoing wires on the free plan, fees for cash deposits, and a $10 dormancy fee after 12 months with no activity. Read our Found review.

Relay is better for teams and cash management

• Up to 20 checking accounts on the free plan (50 on Scale), so you can split money for payroll, taxes and profit.
• Unlimited users and up to 50 debit cards per cardholder per account, with spend controls.
• Bill pay with approval rules, and QuickBooks and Xero sync.
• Up to $3 million in FDIC coverage through Thread Bank’s deposit sweep program, well above the standard $250,000.
• Cheaper wires: $8 on Starter and $5 on Grow, vs. $15 at Found.

The trade offs: no built in tax estimates or Schedule C, and the best features and rates sit on $30 and $90 plans. Read our Relay review.

Are Found and Relay safe?

Yes, within the FDIC rules. Neither is a bank. Found’s banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC, in Kansas City, Missouri (certificate 8283). Relay’s are provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, in Rogersville, Tennessee (certificate 9499). Relay says deposits qualify for up to $3,000,000 in coverage when Thread Bank places them at program banks in its sweep network; certain conditions must be met for that coverage to apply. Found deposits have the standard $250,000 limit. Learn more about how to insure more than $250,000.

Other options

Comparing more business accounts? See Bluevine vs. Found, Relay vs. Bluevine and every account on our business banking page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Found or Relay better for a small business?

Found is better for freelancers and sole proprietors who want free bookkeeping, tax estimates and 1099 filing in their bank. Relay is better for businesses with a team, many accounts or bills to manage, and it pays 1.19% APY on savings on its free plan.

Does Found or Relay pay interest?

Relay pays 1.19% APY on savings on its free Starter plan, 1.87% on Grow ($30 a month) and 3.21% on Scale ($90 a month), as of Sep 17, 2026. Found pays no interest on its free plan, 1.50% APY on up to $20,000 on Plus ($35 a month) and 2.50% on all balances on Pro ($80 a month).

Are Found and Relay FDIC insured?

Yes, through partner banks. Found uses Lead Bank (FDIC certificate 8283) with standard $250,000 coverage. Relay uses Thread Bank (certificate 9499) and offers up to $3 million in coverage through a deposit sweep program.

How much do wire transfers cost at Found and Relay?

Found charges $15 per outgoing domestic wire ($10 on Pro). Relay charges $8 on Starter and $5 on Grow.

Do Found and Relay have monthly fees?

Both have free plans with no monthly fee or minimum balance. Found Plus is $35 a month ($315 a year) and Pro is $80 a month ($720 a year). Relay Grow is $30 a month and Scale is $90 a month (discounted from $120).