Picking the wrong bank wastes 2-4 weeks of your launch. Each of the three has a sweet spot.
Quick recommendation
- Mercury for tech / SaaS / VC-track founders. Best UX, free wires, integrates with Stripe natively.
- Wise Business for international freelancers and dropshippers. Best multi-currency, cheapest FX.
- Relay for ecommerce / Amazon FBA / dropshipping at scale. Best for managing multiple sub-accounts.
Mercury — the default pick
Mercury is what 80% of LLCora customers end up with. They support non-resident LLCs explicitly. You apply with your EIN, Articles of Organization, passport, and a business URL.
Pros:
- Best in class UX (used by Y Combinator startups)
- Free domestic + international wires
- API for automation
- Mercury Mansa rewards 1.5% on debit card spend
- Free Stripe-style virtual cards
Cons:
- Strict about restricted countries (Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran fail)
- Sometimes asks for additional KYC even after approval
- Not FDIC insured directly (sweeps to partner banks, $5M coverage)
Approval time: 2-5 business days for clean applications.
Wise Business — the workhorse
Wise gives you US routing + account numbers backed by their UK structure. You also get EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD accounts in the same dashboard.
Pros:
- Multi-currency from day one
- Cheapest FX (mid-market rate + 0.4-0.6% fee)
- Approves applicants from most countries Mercury rejects
- Easy mobile app
Cons:
- US routing is shared across many users (Stripe verification takes 5-7 days extra)
- No US debit card without ITIN
- Slower wires than Mercury
Approval time: same day for most applicants.
Stop reading. Start filing.
Your LLC could be live by tomorrow morning. From $289. 100% money-back if rejected.
Relay — the ecommerce specialist
Relay is built for businesses managing multiple workflows. You can create up to 20 sub-accounts inside one LLC for tax savings, ad spend, payroll, etc.
Pros:
- Up to 20 free sub-accounts (great for budgeting)
- Best integration with QuickBooks and Xero
- Two-user permissions out of the box
- FDIC insured directly up to $250K (or $3M via Thread sweep)
Cons:
- No API
- No physical debit cards for non-residents
- Slower wires than Mercury
Approval time: 3-7 business days.
Country-specific notes
- Pakistan, Iran, North Korea, Syria: Mercury and Relay reject. Wise is your only path.
- Brazil, Mexico, Argentina: All three work. Mercury preferred.
- India: Mercury approves but asks for extra docs 30% of the time.
- UAE, Singapore: All three approve fast.
- EU founders: All three work. Mercury for tech, Wise for freelance, Relay for ecommerce.
Apply to all three
You can have multiple US business accounts. Many LLCora customers run Mercury as primary + Wise as backup for multi-currency. Pick one to start, add others as you grow.
Get started with LLCora
Our Wyoming plan (€429) includes a banking guide PDF with the exact application copy that works for Mercury and Relay. EIN Express adds a 1:1 call where we review your application before submit.