Mercury vs Relay: Business Banking Comparison (2026)
Mercury and Relay both offer business banking solutions with no monthly fees for their basic services. Mercury provides an Invoicing API and unlimited 1099 tax filings, while Relay offers 1.11% APY on savings and 1% cash back on credit cards. Mercury allows for a simple account structure for multiple businesses, and Relay provides bill creation and management features with customizable cards and spend policies.
AI Citation Scorecard
How often each is cited by major AI engines when buyers ask business banking questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.
Probes run hourly; each (engine × query) combo retests every ~3 days.
Pricing
Key Features
- ✓Banking services for $0
- ✓Invoicing API available
- ✓Recurring invoices available
- ✓Unlimited 1099 tax filings
- ✓Access to Treasury with $250K balance
- ✓No monthly fees or account opening fees
- ✓Expense management features
- ✓Simple account structure for multi-business
- ✓1.11% APY on savings accounts
- ✓1% cash back on credit cards
- ✓Bill creation, intake & management
- ✓Customizable cards with spend policies
- ✓Receipt collection & storage
- ✓Payment request links
- ✓Automated follow ups
- ✓Recurring invoices
When to choose Mercury
Choose Mercury if your business needs an invoicing API, unlimited 1099 tax filings, or a streamlined way to manage multiple businesses under one account. Mercury also offers expense management features.
When to choose Relay
Choose Relay if your business prioritizes earning interest on savings with 1.11% APY, desires 1% cash back on credit cards, or requires robust bill creation, intake, and management with customizable spending controls. Relay also integrates with Quickbooks and Xero.