Comparison
Mercury vs Brex
A side-by-side look at Mercury and Brex — pricing, regions, integrations, pros and cons. Use the recommender if you'd rather have an AI pick for you.
Mercury
Banking built for startups.
Mercury is a tech-forward business bank for startups, offering checking, savings, treasury, debit cards and the IO charge card with up to 1.5% cashback.
Brex
The corporate card built for startups and scale-ups.
Brex pairs a charge card with bill pay, travel and global expense tools — designed for venture-backed companies that need fast underwriting based on cash balance, not credit history.
Side-by-side
| Spec | Mercury | Brex |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Banking built for startups. | The corporate card built for startups and scale-ups. |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, USA | San Francisco, USA |
| Founded | 2017 | 2017 |
| Regions | US | US |
| Card type | Debit + IO Credit | Charge card |
| Pricing | Banking free; Mercury IO requires $25k+ avg balance. | Free base plan; Brex Premium $12/user/mo; Enterprise custom. |
| Rewards | 1.5% cashback on Mercury IO. | Up to 7x points on rideshare, 4x on travel, 3x on dining. |
| Best for | US-incorporated startups, VC-backed companies, Remote founders | VC-backed startups, Tech companies, Scale-ups |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite | NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct |
Mercury: pros & cons
- Best banking UX for startups
- No monthly fees
- Strong treasury product
- US incorporation required
- Not a traditional bank — partner bank model
Brex: pros & cons
- Strong limits for startups with runway
- Excellent NetSuite integration
- Great UX
- US-only issuance
- Pulled SMB segment in 2022
- Premium tier is paid