Data as of Aug 25, 2026 · Based on 273 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
For businesses using the Profit First accounting method, 
Brands AI recommends here
Relay is the preferred choice for Profit First because of its specialized automation, supporting up to 20 free checking accounts and automated percentage-based transfers for tax and profit allocation.
RelaySource | Citation share |
|---|---|
 5 Best Banks for Profit-First Real Estate Investorshttps://www.baselane.com/resources/best-banks-for-profit-first-real-estate-investors | 5.1% |
Official Banking Platform for Profit First | Bank with Relayhttps://relayfi.com/profit-first/ | 4.7% |
Best Accounting Software for Small Business | Novohttps://www.novo.co/blog/profit-first-accounting-method | 4.1% |
4 best banks for Profit First with free checking accounts | Relay | Bloghttps://relayfi.com/blog/best-banks-for-profit-first/ | 3.2% |
 What Are the 6 Profit First Bank Accounts? - North One Bloghttps://www.northone.com/blog/business-banking/profit-first-bank-accounts | 2.6% |
Relayhttps://relayfi.com/blog/best-banks-for-profit-first | 2.5% |
The 5 Profit First accounts and how to use them | Bloghttps://relayfi.com/blog/profit-first-accounts/ | 2.2% |
 Discover the Profit First Package | Impressia Bankhttps://impressiabank.bank/profit-first-package/ | 2.0% |
 What is The Profit First Method and How Does it Work?https://www.brex.com/spend-trends/accounting/profit-first-method | 2.0% |
Official Banking Platform for Profit First | Bank with Relayhttps://www.relayfi.com/profit-first/ | 1.8% |
Yes. If you're looking specifically for Profit First-style banking—where you can separate Income, Profit, Owner's Pay, Taxes, OpEx, etc.—there are several good options, but they differ significantly in how "real" the sub-accounts are.
| Platform | Sub-accounts | Automation | Profit First fit | My take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| relayfi.com | Up to 20 checking accounts | % allocations + scheduled Profit First rules | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best overall |
| mercury.com | Multiple accounts + Treasury | %/scheduled transfers | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best tech/UI alternative |
| novo.co | Sub-accounts/buckets | Transfers, but less PF-specific | ⭐⭐⭐ | Good simple option |
| lili.co | Sub-accounts/buckets | Automated money management | ⭐⭐⭐ | Good for solo businesses |
Relay is unusually well suited to Profit First because it was specifically built around the methodology.
You can have up to 20 checking accounts, name them things like:
More importantly, Relay has an actual Profit First auto-transfer rule. You can set your Income account's maximum balance and have excess money automatically allocated to your Profit, Tax, Owner's Comp, and OpEx accounts according to percentages.
Relay explicitly calls itself the official banking platform for Profit First Professionals, and its current documentation says the platform supports up to 20 checking accounts under one login.
If your primary goal is implementing Profit First correctly with minimal manual work, I'd start with Relay.
Mercury also works quite well for Profit First.
Mercury allows you to distribute funds across multiple accounts using fixed dollar amounts or percentages, triggered either by incoming funds or on a schedule. Mercury's own documentation specifically lists "profit-first accounting" as a use case for these rules.
The distinction is that Mercury isn't as specifically designed around Profit First as Relay. Its automation is more general-purpose.
I'd choose Mercury if you also care heavily about a modern banking interface, integrations, APIs, and broader treasury/cash-management capabilities.
Novo offers sub-accounts that let you earmark money for things such as Taxes, Payroll, Operating, Profit, and Emergency Fund.
However, there's an important structural distinction: Novo says its sub-accounts share the parent account's routing and account number. They're more like buckets within the primary account than independent checking accounts.
That can work perfectly well for a simplified Profit First system, but it's less powerful if you want each envelope to behave like a separate bank account.
Lili is another option worth considering, particularly for a solo business. It provides money-management and tax-oriented features, and its current product ecosystem competes directly with Relay, Mercury, Novo, and Found.
I'd put it behind Relay and Mercury if Profit First itself is the primary requirement.
1. Relay — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best if you want a genuine Profit First implementation with multiple accounts and percentage-based automation.
2. Mercury — ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Excellent if you want Profit First automation plus a broader, tech-oriented business banking platform.
3. Novo — ⭐⭐⭐ Good if you mainly need simple buckets for Taxes/Profit/Payroll/etc.
4. Lili — ⭐⭐⭐ Worth considering for a solo business, particularly if you value its integrated bookkeeping/tax-oriented features.
One particularly important distinction is "sub-account" vs. "separate checking account." Relay's accounts are actual checking accounts with individual account numbers, whereas some competitors' "sub-accounts" are essentially internal buckets. Relay's documentation explicitly describes its accounts as real checking accounts, which makes it particularly clean for a traditional Profit First setup.
If you tell me your business type, approximate monthly revenue, and whether you're a sole proprietor/LLC/S-corp, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 and compare fees, account limits, ACH, integrations, cards, FDIC coverage, and Profit First automation side-by-side.
When implementing the Profit First accounting method—which requires splitting incoming revenue into separate buckets like Profit, Tax, Owner's Pay, and Operating Expenses—choosing the right neobanking platform makes a massive difference.
The gold standard for this specific framework relies on platforms that offer real, distinct individual accounts (each with unique account/routing numbers) rather than just "virtual envelopes" or sub-balances, allowing for cleaner allocations and automated transfer rules.
Top Neobanking Platforms for Profit First
If you'd like, let me know:
I can help you pick the exact platform that fits your workflow.
Implementing Mike Michalowicz’s Profit First accounting system requires a true multi-account structure (distinct account numbers for Income, Profit, Owner’s Pay, Tax, and Operating Expenses) rather than just "virtual envelopes" inside a single account. True separate accounts allow you to set up automated percentage-based transfers and prevent you from accidentally spending money earmarked for taxes or profit.
The top neo-banking and financial technology platforms that explicitly cater to or fully support the Profit First methodology include:
Key Comparison: Separate Accounts vs. "Envelopes"
When picking a platform, ensure you know how they handle the split:
If you'd like to narrow this down, tell me:
Yes. Several fintech/neobanks can support a Profit First setup, but they differ substantially in how “real” the sub-accounts are and how much automation they provide.
| Platform | Sub-accounts / buckets | Profit First automation | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| relayfi.com | Up to 20 checking accounts | Excellent — percentage-based auto-transfers | Best overall for Profit First |
| mercury.com | Multiple checking/savings sub-accounts | Excellent — percentage-based rules | Startups and businesses wanting a polished fintech stack |
| bluevine.com | Up to 5 sub-accounts on applicable plans | Moderate | Small businesses wanting banking + credit |
| novo.co | Reserves/buckets | Good for earmarking money | Solo businesses and freelancers |
Relay Financial is the standout if Profit First is the primary reason you're looking for multiple accounts.
Relay explicitly markets itself as the official banking platform for Profit First Professionals. You can create up to 20 checking accounts, name them things like:
And, importantly, you can create percentage-based automatic transfers from your Income account to the other accounts.
That makes a classic Profit First allocation such as 5% Profit / 15% Tax / 40% OpEx / 40% other allocations relatively easy to automate.
Mercury also supports a Profit First-style system. Mercury specifically introduced percentage-based auto-transfer rules that can distribute money from the main checking account to sub-accounts, including rules based on percentages, timing, and even transactions.
Mercury is particularly attractive if you also need things such as startup-oriented banking, treasury management, APIs, bill pay, and integrations.
The distinction I'd make is:
Relay feels like a Profit First system that happens to be a bank. Mercury feels like a sophisticated business banking platform that can implement Profit First.
Bluevine supports sub-accounts that can be used as Profit First buckets—for example, Tax, Profit, and Payroll. Current comparisons indicate that Bluevine provides fewer buckets than Relay, and its sub-accounts are more like virtual envelopes than completely separate banking relationships.
It's worth considering if access to a business line of credit is important alongside cash allocation.
Novo has Reserves, which let you earmark money for categories such as taxes, profit, and subcontractors. That's quite compatible with the concept of Profit First, although it's less purpose-built than Relay.
I'd put Novo in the “simple envelope budgeting” category rather than the “full Profit First banking system” category.
If Profit First is the deciding factor:
One particularly important distinction is actual separate accounts vs. virtual buckets. If you're trying to implement the behavioral side of Profit First—where money is genuinely segregated so you can't casually spend your Tax or Profit allocation—I'd favor Relay over a platform that merely displays virtual envelopes.
If you tell me your business type, approximate monthly revenue, and how many Profit First buckets you want, I can compare Relay vs. Mercury vs. Bluevine vs. Novo specifically for your situation, including fees, account limits, ACH, cards, QuickBooks, and automation.
The distinction I'd make is:
Relay feels like a Profit First system that happens to be a bank. Mercury feels like a sophisticated business banking platform that can implement Profit First.
Bluevine supports sub-accounts that can be used as Profit First buckets—for example, Tax, Profit, and Payroll. Current comparisons indicate that Bluevine provides fewer buckets than Relay, and its sub-accounts are more like virtual envelopes than completely separate banking relationships.
It's worth considering if access to a business line of credit is important alongside cash allocation.
Novo has Reserves, which let you earmark money for categories such as taxes, profit, and subcontractors. That's quite compatible with the concept of Profit First, although it's less purpose-built than Relay.
Several modern neo-banking platforms and fintech-backed financial services explicitly cater to the Profit First accounting system (created by Mike Michalowicz), which requires multiple distinct accounts or sub-accounts (Income, Profit, Owner's Pay, Tax, and Operating Expenses) with zero-to-low monthly fees.
The top platforms offering dedicated support or multi-account structures for this method include:
Would you like help setting up specific allocation percentages or comparing the automation features between Relay and Mercury for your business?
Yes. If by “sub-accounts” you mean separate buckets for Income, Profit, Owner’s Pay, Taxes, and Operating Expenses, several fintech/neo-banking platforms can support a Profit First setup—but they differ significantly in how “real” those accounts are and how much automation they provide.
| Platform | Profit First fit | Sub-accounts/buckets | Automatic allocation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relay | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent | Up to 20 checking accounts on current lower tiers; more on higher tiers | Yes — native Profit First rule | Businesses seriously implementing Profit First |
| Novo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good | Reserves/buckets | Yes, percentage-based auto-allocation | Solo businesses and simple setups |
| Found | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good | Up to 8 Pockets | Some automated allocation features | Solo businesses wanting banking + bookkeeping |
| Bluevine | ⭐⭐⭐ Good | Up to 5 sub-accounts | More limited | Businesses wanting buckets plus interest |
| Mercury | ⭐⭐ Good, but not purpose-built | Multiple accounts | Less Profit-First-specific automation | Startups/companies already using Mercury |
Relay is the standout if you're specifically implementing Mike Michalowicz's Profit First system.
Relay explicitly positions itself as the banking platform for Profit First. You can create separate checking accounts such as:
And, importantly, Relay has a native Profit First auto-transfer rule that can automatically sweep money from Income into the other accounts according to percentages you specify.
The big advantage is that these aren't merely labels inside one balance: Relay describes them as separate checking accounts, each with its own account number.
My pick if Profit First is the primary reason you're switching banks.
Novo uses Reserves, which are essentially buckets within your business checking account.
You can create buckets for:
Novo also supports automatic allocation of incoming deposits by percentage, making it quite compatible with Profit First.
The important distinction is that Novo's Reserves share the parent account's routing and account number, whereas Relay's accounts function more like individual checking accounts.
My pick for a solo consultant/freelancer who wants Profit First without a complicated banking setup.
Found offers Pockets, which let you earmark money for things like taxes, expenses, and other purposes. Current comparisons indicate up to 8 Pockets.
Found is particularly interesting if you want banking + bookkeeping + tax functionality in one application rather than just banking.
Bluevine offers sub-accounts that can work for an envelope/Profit First approach. The limitation is that it isn't as purpose-built around Profit First as Relay, and you get fewer buckets.
It's worth considering if earning interest on reserved cash is an important part of your decision.
Mercury can work with a Profit First structure because you can maintain multiple accounts, but its product is designed more around startup banking, treasury, payments, and financial operations than Profit First.
So I'd choose Mercury because you want Mercury's broader startup/business-banking ecosystem—not because you specifically want Profit First.
If Profit First is the deciding factor, I'd rank them:
1. Relay → best overall / purpose-built 2. Novo → best simple/solo option 3. Found → best banking + bookkeeping/tax combination 4. Bluevine → good buckets, less specialized 5. Mercury → capable, but Profit First isn't its main strength
One subtle but important distinction: Relay's separate checking accounts are much closer to the traditional Profit First philosophy of creating friction between your buckets, whereas Novo/Found-style virtual buckets are more like envelopes inside a single banking relationship. That distinction can matter if you're trying to prevent yourself from accidentally spending your tax or profit allocation.
If you tell me your business type (LLC/sole prop/S-corp), approximate monthly revenue, and whether you need payroll, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 options and show you exactly how I'd structure the Profit First accounts.
Several neo-banking and digital-first financial platforms explicitly support or are well-suited for Mike Michalowicz’s Profit First accounting method. Rather than using single-ledger "envelopes" (which traditional accounting sometimes struggles to reconcile), the best platforms for Profit First allow you to open multiple distinct checking/savings accounts or robust virtual sub-accounts with individual account and routing numbers.
Top neo-banking options for Profit First include:
If you'd like, let me know:
I can help you narrow down which platform fits your business model best.
Yes. If by Profit First you mean the ability to separate incoming revenue into buckets such as Income, Profit, Owner’s Pay, Taxes, and Operating Expenses, several modern business-banking platforms can do this.
| Platform | Sub-accounts / buckets | Automation | Best for Profit First? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relay | Up to 20 checking accounts on Starter/Grow; up to 50 on Scale | Percentage-based auto-transfers | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Bluevine | Up to 5 / 10 / 50 depending on plan | Automated transfer rules | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Found | Up to 10 Pockets | Percentage-based deposit allocations | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Novo | Reserves/buckets | Automated allocations | ⭐⭐⭐½ |
| NorthOne | Envelope-style sub-accounts | Budgeting/automatic allocation features | ⭐⭐⭐½ |
Relay is the closest match to the traditional Profit First architecture. It explicitly markets itself as the banking platform for Profit First Professionals.
You can create separate real checking accounts, rather than merely labeling portions of one balance. Relay says you can have up to 20 checking accounts, give them names such as Income, Profit, Owner's Pay, Taxes and OpEx, and establish percentage-based automatic transfers.
That distinction is important: each account has its own account number, so you can actually restrict spending to the appropriate bucket.
Example:
Then Relay can automate the transfers.
Bluevine has become a more interesting Profit First option in 2026. Its sub-accounts have their own account numbers, and Bluevine specifically describes using them to separate taxes, expenses and profit.
Current limits are:
Bluevine also supports automated transfer rules and debit cards tied to individual sub-accounts.
Why I'd choose it: If you want Profit First plus a higher-yield business checking account, Bluevine deserves serious consideration.
Found uses Pockets, which are sub-accounts with their own account numbers. You can create up to 10, and Found allows you to automatically allocate a percentage of incoming deposits to different Pockets.
For example:
One caveat: Found explains that Pockets are still within the same underlying checking account, so they're more like sub-compartments than Relay's separate checking accounts.
The upside is that Found also includes built-in bookkeeping, tax estimates, invoicing and contractor management, making it particularly attractive for a solo business or small service company.
Novo has Reserves, which let you divide money into buckets for things like taxes, payroll, profit and emergency funds. Novo's own example specifically demonstrates a Profit First-style allocation.
It's a good lightweight option, particularly if you don't need a large number of actual checking accounts.
If your primary objective is implementing Profit First correctly, I'd rank them:
1. Relay — best overall / closest to the Profit First methodology
2. Bluevine — excellent if you want more banking features and interest
3. Found — excellent for solo businesses wanting banking + bookkeeping + tax tools
4. Novo — simple and inexpensive, but less sophisticated
5. NorthOne — worth considering for envelope-style budgeting
The biggest distinction I'd make is “real accounts” vs. “virtual buckets.” For a strict Profit First implementation, I prefer Relay or Bluevine, because the separation is more tangible and easier to enforce operationally. Found and Novo are excellent if you're comfortable with bucket-based accounting inside one checking structure.
If you tell me your business type (e.g. agency, contractor, e-commerce, real estate), approximate monthly revenue, and whether you're an LLC/S-Corp/sole proprietor, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options and show exactly how I'd structure the Profit First accounts.
Several neo-banking and digital business banking platforms explicitly support the Profit First cash management system. They generally approach this in one of two ways: by offering actual distinct sub-accounts (with unique account/routing numbers) or virtual envelope-style "reserves" within a single account.
The top neo-banking platforms for Profit First include:
If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:
I can help you evaluate which platform fits your specific workflow best.
For a Profit First accounting system (the method of allocating income into separate buckets like Income, Profit, Owner’s Pay, Tax, and Operating Expenses), you want a neobank that offers true sub-accounts/checking accounts, not just savings “goals” or labels. The strongest options are:
| Platform | Profit First fit | Sub-account capability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relay Financial | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best fit | Multiple dedicated checking sub-accounts (commonly used for Profit First buckets) | Small businesses, agencies, consultants, service companies |
| Mercury | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong | Multiple accounts + automation rules for allocations | Startups, online businesses, companies wanting integrations |
| Novo | ⭐⭐⭐ Good | “Reserves”/sub-accounts for labeled buckets | Solo operators and freelancers |
| Bluevine | ⭐⭐ Moderate | Limited bucket-style tools compared with Relay | Businesses prioritizing banking features and interest |
| Found | ⭐⭐ Good for solopreneurs | Tax/business expense organization tools | Freelancers and very small businesses |
1. Relay — closest match to the Profit First philosophy
2. Mercury — best if you want automation
3. Novo — simplest for small businesses
One thing to watch: some platforms call something a “sub-account” when it is only a virtual bucket. For Profit First, true separate accounts with their own balances and transfers are usually preferable because the psychological separation is part of the method.
If you’re running a single-member LLC, S-corp, agency, ecommerce business, or trades business, the ideal setup can differ slightly because the number of buckets you need changes.
