# Always.bank: US business checking > A new US digital business bank from 22nd State Banking Company, an FDIC-insured bank in Alabama: Essential business checking has no monthly fee, with a Mastercard debit card and a $20 fee for outgoing wires. Premium ($99 a month) and Pro ($199) are waitlist-only. US dollar accounts. Finzil profile: https://finzil.com/providers/always-bank · Provider website: https://always.bank · Facts checked: 2026-10-20 ## Key facts - **Monthly fee:** $0 (Essential; Premium $99, Pro $199 (waitlist)) - **Setup fee:** Free - **Currencies:** 1 (USD only) - **Onboarding:** 3–5 days (typical) - **Provider type:** Bank division (FDIC-insured) - **IBAN:** No IBAN; US routing and account numbers - **Payment rails:** ACH, Fedwire wires - **Cards:** Physical Mastercard debit card - **Safeguarding:** FDIC insurance up to $250,000 - **Remote opening:** Yes - **Headquarters:** United States - **Currency codes:** USD ## Who can apply - **Non-resident owners** (owner or director living outside the company's country): Not published - **Countries of incorporation accepted:** Not published - **Countries of incorporation refused:** Not published - **Owner residency accepted:** Not published - **Owner residency refused:** Not published - **Owner nationality refused:** Not published - **Company types accepted:** Not published ## Industries - **Industries served:** Startups and SMEs, Freelancers, Professional services - **Prohibited industries (provider's own list):** Not published - **Permitted industries (provider's own list):** Entrepreneurs; Startups; Sole proprietors; LLCs; Partnerships; Small businesses (SBA, USDA and traditional business loans, invoice factoring and asset-based lending) ## Licences - United States: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Bank, FDIC-insured, 22nd State Banking Company, register no. 16910 (https://banks.data.fdic.gov/bankfind-suite/bankfind/details/16910) Safeguarding: Always.bank is a division of 22nd State Banking Company, Member FDIC. Deposits at Always.bank and 22nd State Bank are combined for FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category. ## Fees Source: https://www.always.bank/faqs-business-banking-accounts (checked 2026-10-20) ### Plans - **Essential:** Free (For sole proprietors) - **Premium:** 99 USD a month (Waitlist) - **Pro:** 199 USD a month (Waitlist) ### Incoming - ACH / local USD: Free - Local transfer from another bank (Domestic wire): Free ### Outgoing - ACH / local USD: Free - Local transfer to another bank (Domestic wire): $20 ### Currency exchange (FX) - FX markup: Not offered ## Opening an account Opening an account typically takes three to five business days. 1. **Open an account.** Start at onboarding.always.bank: create an account, or sign in to continue an application. 2. **Verification.** The bank verifies identity and may ask to see a driver's licence or other ID. 3. **Account live.** Premium and Pro are not open yet: join the waitlist on the site. Documents: Business EIN or the owner's SSN; Filed formation documents (Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization or Partnership Agreement); Business or fictitious name registration; Current business licence and certificate of good standing; Bylaws, operating agreements or board meeting minutes, if they apply to the entity type; Personal identification and authorisation details for all acting owners and signers ## Pros and cons - Pro: No monthly fee on Essential business checking - Pro: A real bank behind it: 22nd State Banking Company, founded in 1917 - Pro: Free standard bill pay and check writing - Pro: Surcharge-free withdrawals at more than 70,000 Allpoint and MoneyPass ATMs - Pro: Also offers SBA, USDA and traditional business loans and invoice factoring - Con: A new launch: Premium and Pro are waitlist-only and mobile check deposit is not available yet - Con: Outgoing wires cost $20 - Con: US dollars only; no international or foreign-currency service published - Con: Eligibility, accepted countries and industries are not published ## Finzil's take (opinion) Always.bank is too new to judge: the free Essential account and the real bank behind it are fine, but Premium and Pro are waitlisted and the site publishes no eligibility rules. Worth watching; established US options like nbkc and Axos have published terms. ## Alternatives - [Relay](https://finzil.com/providers/relay): Fintech company · US - [Novo](https://finzil.com/providers/novo): Fintech company · US - [Bluevine](https://finzil.com/providers/bluevine): Fintech company · US - [Mercury](https://finzil.com/providers/mercury): Fintech company · US ## FAQ **Is Always.bank a bank?** Always.bank is the digital banking division of 22nd State Banking Company, an FDIC-insured bank in Mobile, Alabama (FDIC certificate 16910). Deposits are insured up to $250,000. **How much does Always.bank business checking cost?** Essential has no monthly fee and no overdraft or NSF fees. Premium is $99 and Pro $199 a month, both on a waitlist. Outgoing wires cost $20; standard bill pay is free and expedited bill pay costs $6.95 to $34.95. **Who can open an Always.bank business account?** The site says small business checking is for entrepreneurs, startups, sole proprietors, LLCs and partnerships. It publishes no country or owner-residency rules. **Does Always.bank have a minimum balance?** The business checking pages describe no minimum balance penalties; the account page says Essential has no monthly maintenance fee. --- Finzil (finzil.com) is an independent directory of business accounts. No paid placement. Find providers that accept your business: https://finzil.com/find