BlueVine Business Checking Accounts Review

Account Features

Bluevine is an online-only bank, so it's no surprise that its online and mobile account management tools are solid. Its accounts allow you to view your balance, transfer funds between banks, pay bills, schedule recurring payments, and lock and unlock your debit card remotely. Those who use the mobile app can also deposit checks using their phone or tablet's camera. Some business checking accounts fail to offer convenient deposit options, but Bluevine makes depositing money in your account easy. You can make cash deposits at more than 90,000 Green Dot locations.

Accounts in Bluevine come in two tiers, Standard and Premier. All accounts also includes a debit card, which you can use to access cash at one of Bluevine's 38,000 in-network, fee-free ATMs. Additionally, Bluevine rates well for integration with other popular finance tools and payment apps, including QuickBooks Online, PayPal, Stripe, and Expensify. Both Standard and Premier accounts are insured for up to $3 million in FDIC insurance, twelve times the national average.

Bluevine's automated accounts payable (AP) feature for business accounts turns what could be the job of an entire department or require additional software — paying off your company’s suppliers or creditors — into a fully automated process. This new feature includes an unpaid bills dashboard, access for additional team members, streamlined review and approval of bills and payments, scheduled payments and payment tracking, and automatic data reconciliation with QuickBooks Online.

Fees and Restrictions

Bluevine business checking accounts aren't encumbered with a lot of fees. For its standard checking account, Bluevine does not charge customers a monthly maintenance fee, a per-transaction fee, or a fee for those who fail to maintain a certain balance. There are also no charges for incoming wire transfers or non sufficient funds (NSF). Bluevine also won't charge you ATM fees, though if you use an ATM out of its network, the ATM owner may charge a fee. You can get around this by sticking to its network of over 38,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide.

The only fees you will run into with a Bluevine standard business checking account are costs for expedited debit card replacement, outgoing wire transfers ($15 per transfer), and cash deposits at Green Dot retail locations. The company doesn't charge for standard ACH transfers, but same-day ACH transfers have a $10 fee. The Bluevine account compares favorably with many business checking accounts, which not only charge you monthly fees but may also charge fees for a variety of transactions.

As important as what you don't have to pay for with a Bluevine checking account is what the account can wind up paying you. Bluevine's business checking accounts are interest-bearing. Currently, the bank is paying 2.0% APY interest on balances up to $250,000 on its standard tier, which greatly surpasses the national average. In order to earn this interest on your balance, you're required to meet one of two eligibility requirements. You can either spend $500 per month with their Bluevine Business Debit Mastercard®, which can be used everywhere Mastercard® is accepted, or receive $2,500 per month in customer payments into your account via ACH, wire transfer, mobile check deposit, or directly from a merchant payment processing provider.

Alternatively, Bluevine's Premier tier allows small business owners to earn up to 4.25% APY on their business checking accounts without minimum qualifications. The tier also features priority customer support and reduced fees on most payment types, including check payments, same-day ACH and domestic and international wires. The tier has a $95 monthly fee which can be waived if clients have a minimum of $100,000 balance and $5,000 debit spend on their debit card.

Account Management and Support

Managing your business checking account with Bluevine is fairly simple if you're familiar with online banking. The user interface is pretty straightforward with a dashboard that conveniently displays each facet of your account — sub-accounts, unpaid bills, scheduled and pending payments, etc. But if you do run into any questions or concerns, you can always reach out to Bluevine’s live agents by phone, email or live chat for assistance. Bluevine’s website also contains many guides to help members with setting up their accounts and all of the features included with its business checking account. 

Reputation and Financials

Bluevine has already garnered quite a following online. While banks are more inclined to receive negative customer reviews than positive ones, Bluevine bucks that trend. It has a 4.1 out of 5 rating on TrustPilot, based on reviews from several thousand customers. More than 80% of reviewers on Trustpilot give the company an excellent rating. That's a pretty good sign that most customers are happy with the service they receive from the bank. The company is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau and currently holds a BBB rating of  A+.