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Novo is positioned for businesses that want no-fee checking, invoicing and vendor payments. The catch in our published material: express ACH transfers carry charges, and ATM reimbursements cap at $7 a month. If either matters to your workflow, compare the alternatives below before switching. Bluevine and Relay suit small-business cash flow; Mercury and Rho offer broader finance tools. The Reddit threads we read concern Novo Nordisk or employment, not Novo’s business account, so they don’t establish customer complaints about the account.
01Why people leave Novo
Express ACH adds a charge
Novo’s free-checking pitch has a qualification: express ACH transfers carry charges. If you often need faster transfers, compare the relevant fees before moving.
ATM reimbursement is capped
Novo’s monthly ATM reimbursement cap is $7. If your business regularly uses cash, check whether that limit works for your withdrawal pattern.
Your workflows may have outgrown it
Novo is positioned around checking, invoices and vendor payments. For multi-currency payments, spend controls or multi-entity expenses, compare services built around those needs.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Checking and invoicing
BluevineBluevineBluevine is the closest fit if you want to leave Novo without giving up the appeal of free online checking. Its listing highlights built-in invoicing and checking APY tiers, which may suit owners who want those functions together. The listing includes a free plan and a starting price of $30; confirm which plan includes the features you need.
Trade-off: Plan fees and user-reported account issues temper the offer.
7.2/10from
$30/mofree plan - Organized cash flow
RelayRelayRelay is worth comparing if vendor payments and day-to-day cash organization matter more than a bare checking account. Its listing names small businesses organizing cash flow, teams managing bills and cards, and solopreneurs seeking free banking tools as target users. It has a free plan; the listed starting price is $30.
Trade-off: Check paid-tier value and transaction fees first.
7.2/10from
$30/mofree plan - No-fee core banking
MercuryMercuryMercury may suit a business that wants no-fee core banking plus cards, spend controls and accounting integrations. Those are the use cases in its listing, alongside a free core plan. The listed starting price is $23.95, so check what sits outside the free tier before treating it as a like-for-like replacement.
Trade-off: The listing flags fintech support risks.
7.1/10from
$23.95/mofree plan - Banking and bill pay
RhoRhoRho is a fit to investigate if you want banking, bill pay and expense or accounting workflows in one toolkit. Its listing says it has $0 subscription fees and names businesses combining banking and bill pay as a target. It also warns that extra costs exist, so check the fee details rather than assuming every workflow is free.
Trade-off: Extra costs and user feedback need scrutiny.
7.8/10from
Freefree plan - Multi-entity expenses
BrexBrexBrex is a stronger match than a simple checking substitute if your team needs to consolidate cards and bill pay or manage multi-entity expenses. Its listing describes a broad finance suite with a free entry tier. Premium is listed at $12 per user monthly, making the cost worth checking against your team size and required features.
Trade-off: Premium costs $12 per user monthly.
7.3/10from
$12/mofree plan - International payments
Wise BusinessWise BusinessWise Business is a more relevant switch if you pay international suppliers, manage payments across currencies or send large payment batches. Its listing highlights broad currency support and low monthly cost, with a free plan listed. It may be a better fit for cross-border payments than choosing an account mainly for domestic checking.
Trade-off: Account-access reports are a serious caveat.
5.4/10from
Freefree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Novo Novo (current) | 7.0 | Free | Yes | Businesses seeking no-fee checking |
| Bluevine Bluevine | 7.2 | $30/mo | Yes | Small businesses wanting free online checking |
| Relay Relay | 7.2 | $30/mo | Yes | Small businesses organizing cash flow |
| Mercury Mercury | 7.1 | $23.95/mo | Yes | Businesses wanting no-fee core banking |
| Rho Rho | 7.8 | Free | Yes | Businesses seeking $0 subscription fees |
| Brex Brex | 7.3 | $12/mo | Yes | Startups wanting a free finance platform |
| Wise Business Wise Business | 5.4 | Free | Yes | Businesses paying international suppliers |
Questions people ask
Is Novo’s checking account free?
The published material lists Novo as having a free plan and describes its checking as no-fee. That does not mean every service is free: express ACH transfers carry charges, and ATM reimbursements are capped at $7 monthly. Check the terms for the transactions your business uses.
Which Novo alternative has a free plan?
The listings identify free plans for Bluevine, Relay, Mercury, Brex, Wise Business and Rho. A free plan does not establish that every feature or transaction is free. Compare the listed starting prices and check plan details before moving payments or cards.
What should I compare before leaving Novo?
Start with your actual use: express ACH, ATM withdrawals, invoicing, vendor bills, international payments and team spending. Novo’s stated ATM reimbursement cap is $7 monthly, and express ACH carries charges. Then compare each alternative’s plan limits, transaction fees and the price of the features you need.