9 best free business checking accounts

Best free business checking accounts

Do a deep dive into the best accounts by comparing their pros and cons:

Best overall

NBKC Business Checking

9.2 Excellent

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NBKC takes the win for best overall business checking account. It has very few fees, requires no deposit to open and has no minimum balance requirement. You'll pay $0 on nearly every function, including overdrafts, e-statements, stop payments, and incoming domestic wires. And if you use an out-of-network ATM and incur a fee, the account offers up to $12 in reimbursements per month.

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  NBKC takes the win for best overall business checking account. It has very few fees, requires no deposit to open and has no minimum balance requirement. You'll pay $0 on nearly every function, including overdrafts, e-statements, stop payments, and incoming domestic wires. And if you use an out-of-network ATM and incur a fee, the account offers up to $12 in reimbursements per month.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No monthly or overdraft fees
  • No minimum balance requirement
  • Up to $12 in ATM reimbursements per month

  Cons

  • $45 on international wire transfers
  • $5 on outgoing domestic wire transfers

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
  Fee	$0 per month
  Foreign transaction fee	1%
  Overdraft fee	$0

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

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Best for accountants and bookkeepers

Novo Business

8.4 Great

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Novo earns our best pick for accountants and bookkeepers thanks to its list of supported software integrations: you can connect Novo to Slack, Stripe, Zapier, Venmo and more. The account also carries no monthly fees and has no minimum deposit requirement to open. Plus, there's no ATM fees, foreign transaction fees, incoming wire fees, or debit card replacement fees. This all makes Novo an ideal choice for accountants, but also for other small businesses like restaurants or hair stylists that want to keep their business finances and information all in one place.

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  Novo earns our best pick for accountants and bookkeepers thanks to its list of supported software integrations: you can connect Novo to Slack, Stripe, Zapier, Venmo and more. The account also carries no monthly fees and has no minimum deposit requirement to open. Plus, there's no ATM fees, foreign transaction fees, incoming wire fees, or debit card replacement fees. This all makes Novo an ideal choice for accountants, but also for other small businesses like restaurants or hair stylists that want to keep their business finances and information all in one place.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Free invoicing with multiple payment options, including ACH and card payments
  • Unlimited ATM reimbursements
  • 15+ integrations with business services like Quickbooks
  • Up to 10 Reserve savings accounts

  Cons

  • No outgoing wires built into the platform
  • No recurring bill payments
  • Email-only customer support

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
  Fee	$0 per month
  Nonsufficient funds fee	$0
  ATM transaction fee	$0
  Foreign transaction fee	0%
  Paper statement fee	$0

Partner terms and conditions

Novo is a fintech company; not a bank. Deposit account services provided by Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A., Member FDIC. Physical debit cards issued by Middlesex Federal Savings or Patriot Bank, N.A., Member FDIC; virtual cards issued by Patriot Bank, pursuant to licenses from Mastercard® International Incorporated. Mastercard can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

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Best for team access

Relay

9.6 Excellent

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Relay takes the crown for best account for team access as it allows businesses to create up to 20 checking accounts and customize them as needed, whether as a way to categorize finances or assign accounts to specific teams for their own needs. It's also a flexible business checking account aside from this strength, with a baseline of no minimum opening deposit and no monthly, foreign transaction or ATM fees. This business account also lets you assign up to 50 debit cards to employees, while maintaining control over daily spending and ATM withdrawals. In addition, Relay offers a savings account where you can earn 1.00% to 3.00% APY, depending on your balance.

APY	Up to 3.00%
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  Relay takes the crown for best account for team access as it allows businesses to create up to 20 checking accounts and customize them as needed, whether as a way to categorize finances or assign accounts to specific teams for their own needs. It's also a flexible business checking account aside from this strength, with a baseline of no minimum opening deposit and no monthly, foreign transaction or ATM fees. This business account also lets you assign up to 50 debit cards to employees, while maintaining control over daily spending and ATM withdrawals. In addition, Relay offers a savings account where you can earn 1.00% to 3.00% APY, depending on your balance.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Create up to 20 checking accounts and issue up to 50 debit cards
  • No monthly fee on basic plan
  • No overdraft, bounced check, or ATM fees
  • Set spending limits on any ATM cards you distribute to your team

  Cons

  • No paper checks
  • Requires $1 million savings balance to earn 3.00% APY

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	Up to 3.00% on balances of $1,000,000+ 2.00% on balances of $250,000 to $999,999 1.50% on balances of $50,000 to $249,999
  Fee	$0 per month
  Nonsufficient funds fee	$0
  ATM transaction fee	$0
  Foreign transaction fee	0%
  Overdraft fee	$0

Partner terms and conditions

Relay is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services and FDIC insurance are provided through Thread Bank and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.The Relay Visa® Debit Card is issued by Thread Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted.

APY	Up to 3.00%
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

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Best for high APY

Bluevine Business Checking

9 Excellent

You can earn $300 when you open a new Bluevine Business Checking account and meet eligibility requirements. Apply with referral code CA300.

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With a rate of up to 1.5% APY, Bluevine wins our pick for best business account for it's high APY on it's free plan option, Bluevine Standard. This is the highest interest rate available on a free business checking account on balances up to $250,000. To earn this, businesses only need to make $500 in debit or credit card transactions each month, or receive $2,500 in customer payments each month. You'll also get high FDIC insurance up to $3 million through Coastal Community Bank and a network of program banks. You'll enjoy no monthly fees, have unlimited transactions, the ability to create subaccounts, take advantage of team management tools, and access Green Dot, Allpoint and MoneyPass ATMs for cash withdrawals and deposits. And if you can swing it, you can choose a paid plan, either Plus for $30 per month or Premier for $95 per month, both of which can offer higher APYs with no activity requirements, and you can waive the monthly fees.

APY	Up to 4.00%
Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  With a rate of up to 1.5% APY, Bluevine wins our pick for best business account for it's high APY on it's free plan option, Bluevine Standard. This is the highest interest rate available on a free business checking account on balances up to $250,000. To earn this, businesses only need to make $500 in debit or credit card transactions each month, or receive $2,500 in customer payments each month. You'll also get high FDIC insurance up to $3 million through Coastal Community Bank and a network of program banks. You'll enjoy no monthly fees, have unlimited transactions, the ability to create subaccounts, take advantage of team management tools, and access Green Dot, Allpoint and MoneyPass ATMs for cash withdrawals and deposits. And if you can swing it, you can choose a paid plan, either Plus for $30 per month or Premier for $95 per month, both of which can offer higher APYs with no activity requirements, and you can waive the monthly fees.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No monthly fees with Standard
  • Earn 1.5% APY on up to $250,000 with Standard plan
  • High 3% or 4% APY with paid plans
  • No required minimum opening deposit
  • 8 software integrations

  Cons

  • 2.9% transaction fee when you pay bills with your credit card
  • Best APY requires paid plan

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	4.00% on balances of $0 to $3,000,000 3.00% on balances of $0 to $250,000 1.50% on balances of $0 to $250,000
  Intro or bonus offer	You can earn $300 when you open a new Bluevine Business Checking account and meet eligibility requirements. Apply with referral code CA300.
  Fee	From $0 per month
  Nonsufficient funds fee	$0
  ATM transaction fee	$0
  Foreign transaction fee	0%
  Overdraft fee	$0

APY	Up to 4.00%
Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

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Best for free reimbursements

Axos Bank Basic Business Checking

9 Excellent

Open a business checking account by January 31 and get up to $400 when you use promo code NEW400 on your application and maintain a minimum average daily balance of $50,000.

Axos Bank's Basic Business Checking account wins a spot on our list thanks to a generous reimbursement policy that few other business bank accounts can match. It offers unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements and two outgoing wire transfer fee reimbursements per month. Axos also gifts the first 50 checks for free, and incoming domestic wire transfers are free as well. To cap off the generosity, there's no monthly fee or minimum opening deposit, resulting in a friendly, lenient business banking champion.

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  Axos Bank's Basic Business Checking account wins a spot on our list thanks to a generous reimbursement policy that few other business bank accounts can match. It offers unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements and two outgoing wire transfer fee reimbursements per month. Axos also gifts the first 50 checks for free, and incoming domestic wire transfers are free as well. To cap off the generosity, there's no monthly fee or minimum opening deposit, resulting in a friendly, lenient business banking champion.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No monthly fees or opening requirements
  • Unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements
  • Accepts cash deposits
  • Integrates with Quickbooks

  Cons

  • Support limited to phone or email

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
  Intro or bonus offer	Open a business checking account by January 31 and get up to $400 when you use promo code NEW400 on your application and maintain a minimum average daily balance of $50,000.
  Fee	$0 per month
  Nonsufficient funds fee	$25
  ATM transaction fee	$0

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

verified_user FDIC Insured

Best for free domestic wire transfers

Mercury

8.8 Great

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Mercury is best for free wire transfers as it offers free domestic wire transfers and free outgoing international wires in USD. This is quite generous for a business checking account, as many accounts at least charge international wire transfers. You'll pay $0 to open and maintain the account and there are no overdraft fees. The only fees featured are on optional functions, like exchanging money in non-US currency or sending money internationally with premium processing. Mercury also offers an array of business integrations like QuickBooks and Stripe, and the potential to open up a cash management account earning a high yield when you have a large enough balance. While the account comes with a checking and savings account, you earn very little back in interest.

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  Mercury is best for free wire transfers as it offers free domestic wire transfers and free outgoing international wires in USD. This is quite generous for a business checking account, as many accounts at least charge international wire transfers. You'll pay $0 to open and maintain the account and there are no overdraft fees. The only fees featured are on optional functions, like exchanging money in non-US currency or sending money internationally with premium processing. Mercury also offers an array of business integrations like QuickBooks and Stripe, and the potential to open up a cash management account earning a high yield when you have a large enough balance. While the account comes with a checking and savings account, you earn very little back in interest.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No monthly or overdraft fee
  • No minimum opening deposit
  • No domestic or international wire transfer fee
  • Robust software integrations

  Cons

  • Low 0.001% APY on savings
  • No cash deposits

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
  Fee	$0 per month
  ATM transaction fee	$0
  Foreign transaction fee	0%
  Overdraft fee	$0

APY	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

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Best for early access to payments

Lili

7.8 Great

30 day free trial for Lili Pro, Lili Smart, and Lili Premium

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While there are other accounts on our list that also offer early access to payments, Lili wins due to the ease. Most other accounts require a third-party app integration or a setup to access early payment features. The free Lili Basic plan has no monthly fee, no minimum opening deposit, and no overdraft fees. The free plan also lets you set up automatic savings for emergencies, receive domestic wires and enjoy a large fee-free ATM network. With the paid plans, starting at $9 per month, you can automatically set aside a portion of your paycheck for taxes as well. And while many digital banks don't support cash deposits at all, Lili accepts them at Green Dot locations.

APY	3.65%
Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  While there are other accounts on our list that also offer early access to payments, Lili wins due to the ease. Most other accounts require a third-party app integration or a setup to access early payment features. The free Lili Basic plan has no monthly fee, no minimum opening deposit, and no overdraft fees. The free plan also lets you set up automatic savings for emergencies, receive domestic wires and enjoy a large fee-free ATM network. With the paid plans, starting at $9 per month, you can automatically set aside a portion of your paycheck for taxes as well. And while many digital banks don't support cash deposits at all, Lili accepts them at Green Dot locations.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Early access to payments
  • No monthly fees with Lili Basic
  • Auto savings for emergencies

  Cons

  • Requires paid plans for best perks
  • Limited customer support

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	3.65%
  Intro or bonus offer	30 day free trial for Lili Pro, Lili Smart, and Lili Premium
  Fee	From $0 per month
  ATM transaction fee	$0
  Foreign transaction fee	0%
  Overdraft fee	$0

Partner terms and conditions

Lili is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Sunrise Banks N.A., Member FDIC.

APY	3.65%
Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

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Best for freelancers

Found

9 Excellent

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Found only services businesses operated by one person like gig workers and freelancers. The base account has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements, and since it's only designed for single-person businesses, it has some great specialized features. You can create invoices, track expenses and income, create basic reports, and calculate and save taxes in Found's savings account. Plus business owners can choose to upgrade to Found Plus for $19.99 a month or $149.99 per year to earn additional perks, such as a 1.5% APY on balances up to $20,000 and custom expense categories

APY	1.50%
Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  Found only services businesses operated by one person like gig workers and freelancers. The base account has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements, and since it's only designed for single-person businesses, it has some great specialized features. You can create invoices, track expenses and income, create basic reports, and calculate and save taxes in Found's savings account. Plus business owners can choose to upgrade to Found Plus for $19.99 a month or $149.99 per year to earn additional perks, such as a 1.5% APY on balances up to $20,000 and custom expense categories

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No required monthly or overdraft fees
  • No opening deposit requirement
  • Automated savings
  • Track expenses and send invoices

  Cons

  • Not available to larger businesses
  • No outgoing wires

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	1.50% on balances of $0 to $20,000
  Fee	From $0 per month
  ATM transaction fee	$0
  Overdraft fee	$0

Partner terms and conditions

Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Piermont Bank, Member FDIC. The Found Mastercard®️ debit card is issued by Piermont Bank pursuant to a license from Mastercard Inc. Found’s core features are free. Found also offers a paid product, Found Plus.

APY	1.50%
Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

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verified_user FDIC Insured

Best for landlords

Baselane

9.2 Excellent

Up to 5% cash back on debit card spend

Go to site on Baselane's secure site Read review

Baselane is a free property management account built for landlords and real estate investors, supporting individuals, LLCs, partnerships and corporations. It offers tools like automated late fee settings, transaction importing, cash flow analytics, and integrations with Airbnb, QuickBooks, Venmo and more. Renters can pay rent for free via ACH transfer and opt into rent reporting, and users can create unlimited subaccounts and virtual cards, and import or export CSV files. Earn a competitive 4.19% APY on balances over $50,000, or 1.95% APY for balances under $10,000, plus get unlimited 1% cashback on purchases and up to 5% back on eligible home improvement expenses. With up to $3 million in deposit insurance through Thread Bank, Baselane is a solid choice for property management — but there's no mobile app.

APY	Up to 4.19%
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

• Why we like it

  Baselane is a free property management account built for landlords and real estate investors, supporting individuals, LLCs, partnerships and corporations. It offers tools like automated late fee settings, transaction importing, cash flow analytics, and integrations with Airbnb, QuickBooks, Venmo and more. Renters can pay rent for free via ACH transfer and opt into rent reporting, and users can create unlimited subaccounts and virtual cards, and import or export CSV files. Earn a competitive 4.19% APY on balances over $50,000, or 1.95% APY for balances under $10,000, plus get unlimited 1% cashback on purchases and up to 5% back on eligible home improvement expenses. With up to $3 million in deposit insurance through Thread Bank, Baselane is a solid choice for property management — but there's no mobile app.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • No monthly fees
  • Earn interest and cashback
  • Tons of management tools
  • Multiple software integrations
  • High FDIC insurance

  Cons

  • No mobile app
  • Best APY requires $50,000 balance

• More details

  Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	4.19% on balances of $50,000+ 3.40% on balances of $25,000 to $49,999 2.93% on balances of $10,000 to $24,999
  Intro or bonus offer	Up to 5% cash back on debit card spend
  Fee	$0 per month
  Nonsufficient funds fee	$0
  ATM transaction fee	$0
  Foreign transaction fee	1%
  Overdraft fee	$0

APY	Up to 4.19%
Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

Go to site on Baselane's secure site Read review

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Methodology: How we choose the best accounts

Finder’s banking experts review more than 41 business checking accounts to determine which banks offer the best perks and features to businesses at no extra cost. We choose the accounts with the highest APYs, most software integrations, and least number of miscellaneous fees for a given category on our list. But for our experts to consider an account for this list, it must first meet the following criteria:

• $0 monthly fee
• $0 opening deposit
• $0 overdraft fee
• $0 incoming domestic wire fees or reimbursements for wire fees
• $0 ATM fees or an option for ATM reimbursements

How to find the best free business checking account

Find the best account for your business needs by considering these factors:

• Monthly fees. Some business bank accounts charge a monthly fee. This fee comes in at around $7 a month based on Finder’s internal data.
• Minimum opening deposit. Look for an account with no deposit requirement, so that you don’t have to transfer money during your application process.
• Integrations. Many business accounts come with some form of software integration, such as connecting to QuickBooks. These can make tracking and managing your business finances or taxes much easier.
• Transaction limits. Unlike personal checking accounts, business accounts limit how many deposits and transfers you make each month before you pay a fee. Most have a 200 to 500 transaction limit, but you’ll find some that offer unlimited transactions.
• Interest. While it’s rare for a business checking account to offer interest, there are some like Bluevine that offer strong yields when you meet certain requirements. If you want to grow your money, look for one that earns above the national average which is currently at 0.08% APY for checking accounts, according to the FDIC.
• Overdraft fees. The average overdraft fee will cost around $30, according to the FDIC. If you’re prone to overdraw on your account, these fees can add up quickly and hurt your finances. All of the accounts on our best list omit this fee or offer overdraft protection.
• Cash deposits. Although most online business checking accounts don’t come with the ability to make cash deposits, some like Bluevine are starting to offer it for a fee. Check the bank’s ATM network as well as whether they offer reimbursements for ATM fees.

Expert tip: Consider where your business will operate before opening an account.

Some banks only allow you to open a business bank account in the same state where your business operates and where one member of the LLC resides. If you need to access your account in other states as well, look at banks that service a wide network in the US, such as Chase or Capital One. Also look at online and digital business bank accounts, which offer more flexibility in this area.

— Steven Dashiell, .

Free business checking accounts by state

Use this table to find which free business checking accounts are available in your state or online. Compare features like monthly transaction limits and minimum opening deposits of each to find one that best suits your needs.

What do I need to open a free business checking account online?

Applying online for a business account typically takes a few minutes with the right documents in hand, but the exact steps will look different from bank to bank. Here is what you’ll need to bring with you.

1. Social Security number
2. Government-issued ID
3. Employee Identification Number (EIN)
4. Business certifications
5. Ownership agreements

Can I open a free business checking account online with no minimum deposit?

Yes, there are many free online business accounts that don’t require a minimum opening deposit or minimum balance. A few examples include NBKC Business Checking, Lili, Found, Novo and Bluevine Business Checking.

Because digital business accounts have less overhead costs than traditional accounts, they’re able to offer better perks, like no minimum opening deposits to their customers.

Compare top business checking accounts

Narrow down business accounts by monthly fee, APY and ATMs to find the best for your budget and financial goals. Select Compare for up to four products to see their benefits side by side.

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Updated regularly

Product USFSA-CHK	Finder Score	Fee	Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	FDIC Insured Amount	Software Integrations	Account management	Bank transfer fee	Offer
Airwallex	Finder score 8.8 Great	$0 per month	N/A	Up to $250,000	Amazon, Quickbooks, Zapier, Shopify, Xero, Hubspot and more	Online, App, Phone	$0		Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
North One Business Banking	Finder score 8 Great	From $0 per month	N/A	Up to $250,000	PayPal, Stripe, Square, Etsy, Airbnb, Amazon and more	Online, App, Phone	$0		Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Novo Business	Finder score 8.4 Great	$0 per month	N/A	Up to $250,000	Quickbooks, Stripe, Square, Xero, and more	Online, App, Phone	$0		Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Found	Finder score 9 Excellent	From $0 per month	1.50% on balances of $0 to $20,000	Up to $250,000	QuickBooks, Stripe, Cash App, PayPal, Square, etc.	Online, App, Phone	$0		Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Business Complete Banking®	Finder score 7.6 Great	$15 per month (can be waived)	N/A	Up to $250,00	N/A	Branch, Online, App, Phone	$0	Earn $300 when you open a new Chase Business Complete Checking® account. For new Chase business checking customers with qualifying activities.	Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Bottom line

Whether you started your business today or have been making money for years, there’s a free business checking account out there to meet your banking needs. Be sure to find one that can accommodate the size of your business and won’t hit you with little fees if you have a better month than usual. The best business checking accounts are ones that offer a perfect mix of features, high transactions and low fees.

Written by

Cassidy Horton

Writer

Cassidy Horton is a freelance personal finance copywriter and past contributing writer for Finder. Her writing and banking expertise have been featured in Forbes Advisor, Money, The Balance, Money Under 30, Insure.com, and other top digital publishers. She holds a BS in public relations and an MBA from Georgia Southern University. See full bio

Co-written by

Steven Dashiell

Senior writer

Steven Dashiell is an editor for Bankrate and CreditCards.com and formally a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in credit cards, banking and growing and protecting your income. His insights and expertise has been featured on Nasdaq, U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, ABC, Fox Business, Lifehacker and Martha Stewart Living, among other top media. Steve holds a BA in English from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, minoring in composition and rhetoric. In his spare time Steve nerds out on birds, paints and plays a whole lot of Street Fighter. See full bio

Steven's expertise

Steven has written 60 Finder guides across topics including:

• Credit cards
• Budgeting and saving
• Rewards programs