Azlo Business Checking: Review & Top Alternative Options

Online checking accounts help keep your business finances separate from personal funds. Banking for entrepreneurs typically requires opening a business checking account. This gives you access to various perks such as accruing interest or fast transfers.

According to Statista, 63% of U.S. survey respondents prefer mobile banking.¹ This suggests that this is an important factor in finding a business checking account.

This blog post will explore the best alternatives to the Azlo business checking account.

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What Is Azlo Business Checking?

Azlo Bank was a neobank that offered digital banking services. Azlo closed in 2021, so if you were looking to open a business checking account with Azlo, you'll need to find an alternative.

Among the bank’s offerings was its Business Checking accounts. These accounts were tailored to the needs of freelancers and small business owners.

As such, if you were interested in banking with Azlo, you might like alternative options. Other options offer similar features and cater to small business or freelancers.

Azlo Features and Benefits

Azlo business banking accounts were unique because they were digital-first. This allowed business owners to bank online and enjoy various benefits as a result.

For example, Azlo Business Checking accounts allowed users to integrate their existing tech stack. If you used apps to process payments, such as PayPal, you could sync them with your Azlo Business Checking account. If you used accounting apps to manage your business funds, like QuickBooks, you could connect them as well.

Plus, the account came with an invoicing app so business owners could easily send invoices to their clients.

The bank experienced a surge of popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it expanded its services with Azlo Pro. This premium subscription allowed customers to send instant transfers and schedule invoices. It also let them budget funds automatically.

Target Users for Azlo Accounts

Azlo was clear about the type of customer it sought to attract: small business owners and freelancers. It targeted those who were keen to use technology to streamline and accelerate their business growth.

Most of the Azlo account features were designed to appeal to digital-first entrepreneurs. These were individuals who already used various apps and digital tools to support them in their business endeavors.

What Happened to Azlo Bank?

In January 2021, Azlo Bank started to phase out its accounts and close down. The process was finalized by March 2021.

First inviting new customers in February 2018, the bank was operated through BBVA’s New Digital Businesses division. However, it shut down after just three years of operation.

Some users were blind sided by the sudden decision to close, as the bank initiated a phased account closure in 2021.

This was largely thought to be due to a strategic move by BBVA USA. The goal was to cease its digital banking operations and sell the US retail banking branch to PNC.

Alternatives to Azlo Business Checking

Many business owners appreciated the online-only nature of the Azlo Business Checking accounts. This made managing business finances and streamlining operations easier.

If you’re looking for something similar for small business banking, here are some top alternatives:

Wise Business

The Wise Business account is a digital-only account. Wise is not a bank, but a Money Services Business (MSB) provider and a smart alternative to banks. Like Azlo, Wise offers features for growing businesses and freelancers.

One of the best aspects of the Wise Business account is the ease by which users can send and receive payments internationally. With this account, you can send international payments at the mid-market rate. You can receive payments as if you were a local with various currency account details at your disposal.

Like the Azlo Business Checking account, you can use Wise Business to integrate with important apps. This includes, for example, QuickBooks to help you organize and integrate your finances.

There is no minimum deposit or monthly fees to worry about with Wise. You can open an account for free as a US business to start sending payments. If you also need to receive payments, you can get major currency account details for a one-off fee to receive overseas payments like a local.

There are no pricing tiers with Wise Business either, you get all features included, such as the Free invoicing tool to generate and send invoices.

Open a Wise Business account online

Chase for Business

The Chase Business account has the advantage of being both a digital and brick-and-mortar bank. Unlike Azlo, this means customers have more options for resolving banking issues. Customers can attend a branch in person if necessary.

There’s also the potential to claim a ²$500 sign-up bonus when you create a Chase Business account. For this, you need to meet the qualifying criteria.

Similar to Azlo, Chase Business offers built-in payment options to its customers. As a business owner, you can pay and get paid in various ways including Zelle and iPhone pay.

There’s no opening deposit for the Chase Business account, but there is a ³$15 monthly fee which you can waive in various ways.

Novo Business Banking

Novo, like Azlo, is a digital bank designed primarily with the budding entrepreneur in mind.

The Novo Business Banking account is a suitable option for freelancers starting out. It is also ideal for small business owners looking to expand their operations and use a bank account that adapts to their changing needs.

Like Azlo, the Novo Business Banking account offers Envelope automatic budgeting. It also offers integrations with major apps including Stripe, Xero, and QuickBooks. These features help you streamline your bookkeeping and payments.

There are no minimum balance or monthly fees associated with the Novo Business Banking account.

Bluevine Business Checking

The Bluevine Business Checking account is for small business owners looking for a digital suite of tools. These tools can help them manage their business finances as they scale.

Bluevine offers QuickBooks syncing for straightforward bookkeeping. This is especially helpful as you take on more clients and need sophisticated software integration to stay on top of the numbers.

You can also create sub-accounts with your Bluevine Business Checking account. This makes it easy to budget, and you can use automatic transfer rules to ensure seamless cash flow management.

Bluevine Business Checking comes with no minimum deposit fee, and no monthly maintenance fees.

The Simple Way to Manage Business Finances as You Scale

Wise offers an easy business account setup and a simple way to manage your business funds as you grow and expand your operations.

Wise is not a bank, but a Money Services Business (MSB) provider and a smart alternative to banks. The Wise Business account is designed with international business in mind, and makes it easy to send, hold, and manage business funds in 40+ currencies. You can get major currency account details for a one-off fee to receive overseas payments like a local. You can also send money to 140+ countries.

Customers can enjoy:

• Zero monthly fees
• International payments at the mid-market rate
• QuickBooks integration to track bill payments
• Multiple currencies all in one place
• Inbound payments like a local with major currency account details

Register with Wise Business 🚀

	Author:
	Sam is a UK-based copywriter with 4+ years of experience writing for SaaS and eCommerce brands. He creates comparison guides, informative blog posts, and covers other finance-based topics.

	Editor & Business Expert:
	Panna is an expert in US business finance, covering topics from invoicing to international expansion. She creates guides and reviews to help businesses save time and make informed decisions. You can read more useful business articles on her author profile.

Sources used :

Sources checked February 2025.