Mercury vs Relay: The Best Choice for Non-Residents
Mercury vs Relay: the short answer
Mercury vs Relay is usually decided before you compare features. Mercury onboards foreign-owned US LLCs as a matter of routine — ours opened in 48 to 72 hours from Southeast Asia. Relay is built around multiple sub-accounts and cash-flow budgeting, but non-resident eligibility needs verifying before you apply.
Most Mercury vs Relay comparisons are written for American founders choosing between two good products. That version of the question is genuinely close. The version you are asking — as someone forming a US LLC from outside the country — has a different shape entirely.
Table of contents
Opened remotely in 48–72 hours
Three documents, no US visit, no friction as a foreign owner.
Mercury vs Relay at a glance
| What matters | Mercury | Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident onboarding | Routine, fully remote | Verify before applying |
| Monthly fee | None | None on base plan |
| Minimum balance | None | None |
| Sub-accounts | Limited | Up to 20 checking accounts |
| Built for | Startups and remote founders | Cash-flow budgeting |
| Wire transfers | In and out | Yes |
| Physical branches | None | None |
| Cash deposits | No | Limited |
The question that decides Mercury vs Relay for you
Feature tables are how most Mercury vs Relay comparisons work. For a non-resident, they matter less than one thing: will the provider actually onboard you?
A platform can have the best sub-account architecture in the market and still be useless to you if the application asks for a US Social Security Number you do not have, or requires a US residential address.
This is where the Mercury vs Relay comparison stops being symmetrical. Mercury onboards foreign-owned US entities routinely — it is a documented part of how they operate, and it is what we experienced ourselves. Relay’s eligibility for non-resident owners is something you should confirm directly with them before investing time in an application.
Mercury vs Relay: Mercury in detail
Mercury is the account we opened for our own Wyoming entity, and it is the reason the Mercury vs Relay question resolved quickly for us.
The application was fully remote and completed in 48 to 72 hours. They asked for three things: the Articles of Organization, the EIN confirmation letter, and a passport. Nothing else. No US phone number, no residency verification, no additional documentation because of where we live.
What matters here is not that the process was manageable. It is that it was unremarkable — the same experience an American founder would have described.
Strengths
- Foreign-owned LLCs onboarded routinely
- Fully remote, no US visit
- No monthly fee, no minimum balance
- Wire transfers in and out
- Clean interface built for startups
Trade-offs
- No physical branches
- No cash deposits
- Fewer sub-accounts than Relay
- Requires a formed entity and EIN first
Open from anywhere in 48–72 hours
Articles of Organization, EIN letter, passport. That was the whole requirement.
Mercury vs Relay: Relay in detail
On Mercury vs Relay, account architecture is where Relay pulls ahead. Where most platforms give you one checking account, Relay lets you open up to twenty — which suits owners who allocate income across separate buckets for tax, profit, operating expenses and owner pay.
If you run a cash-flow method that depends on physically separating money rather than tracking it in a spreadsheet, that is a real advantage and Mercury does not match it.
It also handles multiple debit cards and integrates with common bookkeeping tools, which matters more once you have contractors or a small team.
Strengths
- Up to 20 checking accounts
- Built for cash-flow budgeting
- Multiple debit cards
- Bookkeeping integrations
- No monthly fee on the base plan
Trade-offs
- Non-resident eligibility to verify
- Less oriented to remote founders
- No physical branches
- Sub-accounts are overkill for solo owners
Mercury vs Relay: which one should you pick?
Choose Mercury if you are a non-resident owner opening your first US account, you want the application settled in days rather than weeks, or you value a process that treats foreign ownership as ordinary rather than exceptional.
Consider Relay if you run a budgeting method that needs money physically separated across many accounts, you have contractors needing their own cards, or you are already established and adding a second platform.
For most people arriving at this comparison — forming a US LLC from abroad, needing an account that opens without a plane ticket — Mercury vs Relay resolves in Mercury’s favour, and it is not close. The sub-account advantage is real but solves a problem you probably do not have yet.
If you have not formed the entity, start with the US LLC guide for non-residents. If you have but lack the tax ID, you need an EIN without an SSN before either platform will approve you. The wider field is covered in our US business bank account guide.
Frequently asked questions
Mercury vs Relay: which is better for non-residents?
Mercury. It onboards foreign-owned US LLCs routinely and fully remotely — ours opened in 48 to 72 hours. Relay’s non-resident eligibility should be confirmed with them directly before you apply.
Mercury vs Relay: can I open either without visiting the US?
Mercury, yes — our entire application was remote. For Relay, verify current requirements before applying, since a declined application makes future attempts harder.
What documents do I need?
Your Articles of Organization, your EIN confirmation letter from the Internal Revenue Service, and your passport. Having all three ready is what makes approval fast.
Do I need an SSN for Mercury vs Relay applications?
No. The account belongs to your company and is verified through its EIN, not through a personal tax ID. See ITIN vs EIN for the distinction.
Is Relay worth it for the sub-accounts?
Only if you actively use a budgeting method that separates money across accounts. For a solo founder with one revenue stream, twenty checking accounts solve a problem that does not exist yet.
Can I use both?
Yes, and some owners do — one platform for operations and another for allocation. For a first US account, start with one and add the second only when you have a concrete reason.
