We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
It's a split decision.
Choose Bluevine if you want checking with tiered APY, subaccounts, and access to financing applications; its listed paid plans cost $30 or $95 monthly. Choose Novo if you want a $0-maintenance-fee checking account with invoicing, bookkeeping, and reserve accounts listed at no extra charge. Both offer free checking, so the better fit depends on whether Bluevine’s paid features matter to you. Novo’s listed express ACH costs extra, and its ATM reimbursements cap at $7 monthly.
01Side by side
| Bluevine | Novo | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0 Standard; paid plans start at $30/month | $0 monthly maintenance fee |
| Free plan | Standard checking; unlimited transactions and standard ACH | Business checking; no minimum balance requirement |
| Best for | Businesses seeking tiered APY and financing options | Independent businesses seeking free checking and money tools |
| Core strength | Checking, invoicing, payments, and financing applications | Checking, invoicing, vendor payments, and cash-flow tools |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Integrations/data | Two-factor authentication, encryption, and real-time text alerts | Connected tools include QuickBooks integration |
| Team/seat costs | Subaccounts: 5 free, 10 Plus, or 50 Premier | Seat pricing not published |
| Support | Review support score: 5/10 | Review support score: 5/10 |
Bluevine Choose Bluevine if
- Choose Bluevine if tiered APY matters: 1.3% to 3.3% by plan.
- Choose Bluevine if you want up to 50 subaccounts on Premier.
- Choose Bluevine if you want to apply for partner financing.
Novo Choose Novo if
- Choose Novo if you want $0 monthly maintenance and no minimum balance.
- Choose Novo if free invoicing, bookkeeping, and reserve accounts fit.
- Choose Novo if QuickBooks integration is useful to your workflow.
02Pricing compared
Both offer free business checking, but Bluevine has paid tiers and Novo does not list paid checking plans. Bluevine Standard costs $0 per month and includes 1.3% APY up to $250,000. Plus is $30 monthly, with 1.75% APY up to $250,000; Premier is $95 monthly, with 3.3% APY on all balances. The pricing page lists ways to waive both paid-plan fees if you meet its balance and card-spend requirements. Annual prices are not published.
Novo Business Checking costs $0 per month, has no minimum balance, and includes standard ACH transfers at no charge. Invoicing, bookkeeping, and reserve accounts are also listed at $0. Novo Express ACH costs 1.5% per transfer, with a $0.50 minimum and $20 maximum fee. ATM fee reimbursements are capped at $7 monthly. Bluevine also charges for some wires and payment acceptance; check its fee schedule against how you move and collect money.
03Features and depth
Bluevine combines business checking with invoicing, payment acceptance, and applications for financing. It offers unlimited free invoices, and businesses can apply through partners for a line of credit up to $250,000 or a term loan up to $500,000; approval is not guaranteed. Standard checking includes unlimited transactions, standard ACH, up to five sub-accounts, and 1.3% APY up to $250,000. Higher plans add sub-accounts and higher listed yields. Bluevine also advertises two-factor authentication, encryption, and text alerts. It is a financial technology company, not a bank; deposits are FDIC-insured through Coastal Community Bank and program banks.
Novo focuses on checking and everyday business money management: invoicing, getting paid, vendor payments, expense tracking, cash-flow visibility, and connected tools. Its homepage mentions QuickBooks integration. Novo lists invoicing, bookkeeping, and reserve accounts at no extra charge, but its checking offer does not include a published APY. Bluevine may suit businesses that value tiered yield, more sub-accounts, or financing applications. Novo’s tools may be enough if the priority is free checking and basic operations.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Neither product’s published material gives enough detail to compare onboarding steps or quantify how long setup takes. Novo approval timing is not published here, so businesses with an urgent account need should confirm directly before switching.
Our review scores put Bluevine at 7/10 for ease of use and Novo at 6.5/10. Those scores are close, and the review notes flag user-reported account issues for Bluevine without detailing their frequency. Both cover routine tasks such as checking, payments, and invoices; Bluevine adds multiple plan tiers and paid transaction options to understand. Novo keeps its listed checking offer simpler, though Express ACH costs extra and ATM reimbursements stop at $7 per month. Compare the tasks and fees your team actually uses, not just the $0 headline.
Questions people ask
Is Bluevine a fintech bank?
Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Its platform offers business checking, lending, invoicing, and customer payments. The published information says deposits are FDIC-insured through Coastal Community Bank and program banks.
How long does Novo take to approve?
The published Novo pricing and product information does not publish an approval timeline. If timing matters, confirm the current estimate with Novo before moving business deposits or scheduling payments around a new account.
Is Novo a checking account?
Yes. Novo Business Checking is a business checking account with a $0 monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance requirement, and $0 standard ACH transfers, according to the published pricing information. Banking services are provided by Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A., Member FDIC.
What are the disadvantages of Mercury bank?
Mercury is outside this Bluevine-versus-Novo comparison, and the published material does not include Mercury’s features, fees, or limits. We can’t fairly list its disadvantages from these sources. For this comparison, Novo’s known trade-offs include paid Express ACH and a $7 monthly ATM reimbursement cap.