Comparison
Relay vs Mercury
A side-by-side look at Relay and Mercury — pricing, regions, integrations, pros and cons. Use the recommender if you'd rather have an AI pick for you.
Relay
Online business banking and money management.
Relay is a US business banking platform built for Profit First and finance ops — up to 20 checking accounts and 50 debit cards.
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.
Side-by-side
| Spec | Relay | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Online business banking and money management. | Banking built for startups. |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Canada | San Francisco, USA |
| Founded | 2018 | 2017 |
| Regions | US | US |
| Card type | Visa debit | Debit + IO Credit |
| Pricing | Free Standard; Pro $30/mo. | Banking free; Mercury IO requires $25k+ avg balance. |
| Rewards | — | 1.5% cashback on Mercury IO. |
| Best for | US small businesses, Bookkeepers | US-incorporated startups, VC-backed companies, Remote founders |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Xero, Gusto | QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite |
Relay: pros & cons
- Best for Profit First
- No credit
Mercury: pros & cons
- Best banking UX for startups
- No monthly fees
- Strong treasury product
- US incorporation required
- Not a traditional bank — partner bank model