Huntington Bank Business Checking Review 2023
Tricia has nearly two decades of experience in commercial and federal government lending. Her expertise is highlighted throughout small business loan content on Fit Small Business.
Ricci Recto has two years of writing experience creating digital marketing content for finance clients. She specializes in business banking.
This article is part of a larger series on Business Banking.
With no monthly fee, a monthly cash deposit allowance worth $5,000, and 100 fee-free transactions per month, the Huntington Business Checking 100 account is a cost-effective choice for small businesses with low monthly transaction volume. As your business grows, you can upgrade to Unlimited Business Checking ($20 per month, waivable) or Unlimited Plus Business Checking ($40 per month, waivable) for unlimited free transactions and higher cash deposit limits per month. All three accounts provide free debit cards, online and mobile banking, and 24-hour grace periods for overdraft and returned item fees.
Only businesses operating in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin are eligible to open business bank accounts with Huntington Bank.
What We Like
- No minimum opening deposit
- 24-Hour Grace® Overdraft and Return Fee Relief
- No monthly fees for the Business Checking 100
What's Missing
- Expensive domestic and international outgoing wire fees
- High maintaining balances to waive monthly fees for Unlimited Business Checking and Unlimited Plus Business Checking
- Branch service areas limited to 10 states: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
Features
- Free debit Mastercard
- Online and mobile banking
- Deposit checks, send money, and pay bills online
- $50 Safety ZoneSM feature lets you avoid an overdraft fee
- Bonus services include free desktop check deposit scanner, payroll discount, and free incoming wires
- Access to Huntington SmartTax® service allowing timely tax payments
- Access to The Hub for financial management tools
How Huntington Bank Stacks Up With Its Competitors
Monthly Fee | Monthly Transaction Limit Before Fees | Monthly Cash Deposit Limit Before Fees | Geographic Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Business Checking 100 | N/A | 100, then 50 cents per item | $5,000; then 30 cents per $100 | Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin |
 Business Advantage Fundamentals Banking | $16 | 200, then 45 cents per item | $7,500, then 30 cents per $100 | Except for Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming |
 Business Complete Banking | $15 | Unlimited digital transactions; 20 paper transactions, then 40 cents per item | $5,000, then $2.50 per $1,000 | Except for Alaska and Hawaii |
When Huntington Bank Is a Good Fit
- You’re a startup or small business with a low monthly transaction activity: With Huntington Business Checking 100, you get up to 100 free transactions and up to $5,000 in free cash deposits each month. If you need higher limits, you can upgrade to Unlimited Business Checking or Unlimited Plus Business Checking.
- You want to save on monthly fees: Huntington’s Business Checking 100 account has no monthly fee.
- You need access to Small Business Administration (SBA) loans: In our list of the best banks for small business loans, we named Huntington Bank the best for small-scale SBA loans. In 2022, it was the number one SBA lender in the country, having approved approximately more than 5,600 SBA loans for almost $1 billion.
- You want a welcome bonus for opening an account: Huntington Bank offers welcome bonuses from $100 to $1,000, depending on your account of choice. You must meet Huntington’s activity requirements to earn the bonus.
When Huntington Bank Is Not a Good Fit
- Your business operates outside the Huntington Bank service area: Huntington operates exclusively in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. If you want a bank with a larger physical presence, choose Chase, which has locations in 48 states. Read our Chase business checking review to determine which of its accounts best suits you.
- Your business sends and receives wire transfers frequently: Huntington charges steep fees for fire transfers. Under Mercury, all wire transfers are free. Learn more through our Mercury business checking review.
- You’re looking for a free checking account that offers high annual percentage yield (APY): Among Huntington’s business checking accounts, only Unlimited Business Checking Plus earns interest. The best small business checking account for earning interest is Bluevine, which earns 2.00% APY on qualifying balances of $100,000 and less, provided you meet its activity requirements. Check out our Bluevine business checking review to learn more about Bluevine’s APY conditions.
Huntington Bank Business Checking Overview
Huntington Bank Business Checking Requirements
You can visit the Huntington website or go to one of its branches to open a business bank account. You’ll need to provide personal information, such as your name, address, EIN, if applicable, tax ID number, and date of birth.
A government-issued ID is required, such as:
- Driver’s license
- REAL ID card
- United States Department of Defense ID card
- Passport/passport card
- Social security card
- Birth certificate
You can open an account online if you are:
- Authorized to open accounts and transact on behalf of the business
- 18 years and older
- A US citizen
- Based in the US and operating in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
Click on your entity type to view the bank’s additional business checking requirements.
The sole proprietor must be present at a Huntington branch to open the account with the following documentation:
- Two forms of personal identification
- Social Security number
- EIN
- EIN assignment letter
- Assumed name certificate or fictitious name certificate
At least two general partners must be present during account opening at a Huntington branch for a General Partnership Bank Account with the below documentation. The controlling party, along with any beneficial owner who owns 25% or more of a business, will be required to provide additional information and complete a Certification of Beneficial Owner(s) form.
- One form of personal identification for each general partner
- EIN
- At least one form of business identification:
- Partnership agreement
- Government-issued business license
- EIN assignment letter
- Assumed name certificate or fictitious name certificate
At least two General Partners must be present upon account opening. Additional documents may be required before your business deposit account can be opened. The list provided below may change as applicable state and federal regulations change.
- One form of personal identification for each general partner
- EI)
- The EIN assignment letter or business identification must provide verification of the business address, or the business will need to provide an additional document to confirm the address, such as a utility bill or vehicle registration
- Registered certificate of limited partnership
- Partnership agreement
- Assumed name certificate or fictitious name certificate
- The controlling party, along with any beneficial owner who owns 25% or more of the business, will be required to provide additional information and complete a Certification of Beneficial Owner(s) form
At least two LLC members (or manager, if applicable) must be present at account opening for an LLC Bank Account, unless the entity is a sole member LLC. The controlling party, along with any beneficial owner who owns 25% or more of a business, will be required to provide additional information and complete a Certification of Beneficial Owner(s) form.
Huntington will need the following documentation:
- Two forms of personal identification
- Social Security number, if the entity is a sole member LLC
- EIN
- EIN assignment letter
- Assumed name certificate or fictitious name certificate
- Registered articles of organization
- Operating agreement listing the names of member(s) and the manager
All LLP Partners must be present to open an account for a corporation with the following documentation. The controlling party, along with any beneficial owner who owns 25% or more of a business, will be required to provide additional information and complete a Certification of Beneficial Owner(s) form.
- One form of personal identification for each authorized signer
- EIN
- Registration of LLP
- LLP agreement, including the names of the partners
- EIN assignment letter
At least two Officers of the corporation must be present to open an account for a corporation with the following documentation. The controlling party, along with any beneficial owner who owns 25% or more of a business, will be required to provide additional information and complete a Certification of Beneficial Owner(s) form.
- One form of personal identification for each authorized signer
- EIN
- Registration of incorporation
- Assumed name certificate or fictitious name certificate
- EIN assignment letter
At least two representatives of the association or organization, as identified in the governing document, must be present upon account opening.
- By-laws, charter, constitution, or other governing document
- EIN
- The EIN assignment letter or business identification must provide verification of the business address, or the business will need to provide an additional document to confirm the address, such as a utility bill or vehicle registration.
- Assumed name certificate or fictitious name certificate
Additional documents may be required before your business deposit account can be opened. The list provided above may change as applicable state and federal regulations change.
Before opening an account, see our guide on how to open a business bank account. It includes a free downloadable checklist of required documents.
Huntington Bank Business Checking Features
Welcome Bonus
All three Huntington business checking accounts provide welcome bonuses to newly-opened accounts that meet specific new money* deposit requirements.
Business Checking 100 | Unlimited Business Checking | Unlimited Plus Business Checking | |
|---|---|---|---|
Welcome Bonus | $100 | $400 | $1,000 |
Minimum New Money Deposit Requirement | $2,000, deposited within 60 days of account opening | $5,000, deposited within 60 days of account opening | $20,000, deposited within 30 days of account opening |
Your accounts must maintain open status for at least 90 days to become eligible for earning the welcome bonus. Huntington will deposit the bonus into your account 14 days after you meet the requirements.
*“New money” refers to money that isn’t currently on deposit in any Huntington Bank account, except maturing business CDs.
Debit Mastercard BusinessCard
Each Huntington business checking account comes with its own free Huntington Debit Mastercard BusinessCard. The card provides fee-free access to more than 1,800 Huntington ATMs and can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted. It offers the following benefits:
- Zero liability protection protects you against unauthorized transactions.
- Travel assistance services, including visa and passport requirement information, immunization information, and help with lost/stolen travel documents and luggage.
- MasterCard Global Concierge Service offers personalized assistance for securing dinner reservations and tickets to events, coordinating business arrangements, locating hard-to-find items, and booking travel.
- MasterRental car rental collision damage waiver insurance covers the costs of physical damage and theft to rental vehicles.
- Identity theft resolution services assist you with credit bureau notification and credit card replacement and provide you with an ID Theft Affidavit in the event of identity theft.
You can issue new debit cards to authorized personnel. Additional cards can have limited or full functionality, depending on what you choose.
Online Banking & Mobile Banking
Huntington’s Business Online platform lets you do the following:
- Pay vendors, employees, and state and federal taxes
- Deposit checks through remote deposit capture
- Sign up for email, push, or text alerts
- Manage account permissions
It also has a mobile app, called Huntington Mobile, which allows mobile check deposits. Huntington Mobile has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store and 4.6 out of 5 on Google Play.
However, very few positive reviews have been published within the last three years. According to past users, the app does its job but cannot be relied upon to work consistently. Reviewers report that features like push notifications, balance updates, and even network connectivity often stop working. They added that the app is also prone to freezing and crashing.
The Hub for Business
The bank offers access to the Business Hub, an online platform that provides financial tools, Spend Analysis, Look Ahead Calendar, and Cash Position & Cash Flow Forecast. You can keep track of your past expenses, view your future expenses through the calendar’s monthly view, check your business cash levels, and monitor your business’s cash reserves to analyze the cash inflow and outflow.
Overdraft & Return Fee Protection
In the event that your account balance lacks the funds to cover that day’s transactions, Huntington’s 24-Hour Grace® Overdraft & Return Fee Relief will provide you a 24-hour grace period to restore your balance to the appropriate threshold, given that you make your deposits before midnight in T the next business day. Deposits must bring your balance to positive and cover all new transactions from that day. This feature helps you prevent overdraft fees and returned item fees.
Additionally, with Huntington’s $50 Safety Zone, you don’t have to pay overdraft fees when you overdraft your account by $50 or less.
Bonus Services
Opening a Business Checking 100 account gives you access to a 120-day free trial for Huntington’s fraud prevention tool, Reverse Positive Pay. Meanwhile, with an Unlimited Business Checking or an Unlimited Plus Business Checking account, you can select one and two services, respectively. Here are the bonus services that you can choose from:
- Free Huntington Deposit ScanSM Desktop scanner
- 10% discount off Paychex payroll services
- No charge on two incoming domestic wires per month
- No fees for returned checks up to 25 occurrences each month
- Free Reverse Positive Pay fraud prevention tool
Analyzed Checking
If your organization has more complex banking needs, you can upgrade to Business Analyzed Checking, which lets you offset fees through earnings credit. The higher your balance, the more earnings credit you receive.
Treasury Management Services
Huntington provides merchant services, payroll services, remote deposit capture, SmartTax® service, lockbox services, and vault deposit services.
Other Banking Products
Savings Products
Savings products offered include basic savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs.
- Business Premier Savings charges a monthly fee of $5, waivable with a minimum balance of $500
- Business Premier Plus Money Market charges a monthly fee of $10, waivable with a minimum balance of $10,000
- Business CDs charge no monthly fees.
Lending Products
Huntington Bank offers these lending products:
- Lines of credit
- Term loans
- Real estate loans
- Dental and veterinary practice loans
- SBA loans
Credit Card
The Huntington Voice Business Credit Card has no annual and foreign transaction fees. It earns 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases.
Each quarter, you can select a specific expense category that will earn 4% cash back. Cash back will apply to the first $7,000 you spend for that category in that quarter. The categories are:
- Gas stations
- Travel and entertainment
- Restaurants
- Discount and warehouse stores
- Grocery stores
- Utilities and office supply stores
- Electronics, computer, and camera stores
- Department, apparel, and sporting goods stores
- Home improvement stores
- Auto parts and service stores
Insurance
Huntington Bank offers the following insurance services:
- Bonds
- Business succession planning
- Commercial title insurance
- Employee benefits
- Franchise or association benefits
- Property and casualty insurance
- Professional liability insurance
- Risk management programs
Huntington Bank Business Checking User Reviews
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Friendly customer service | Poor security |
| Closes accounts and freezes without justifiable reasons | |
| Slow check clearing times | |
Huntington has a rating of 3 stars on WalletHub (based on around 600 reviews) and 3.7 out of 5 on ConsumerAffairs (based on more than 700 reviews). The few positive reviews published within the last three years report that Huntington Bank provides helpful and friendly customer service. However, many negative reviews noted the opposite and that the bank takes too long to connect customers to live representatives.
According to many customer anecdotes, the bank seems to have a few problems with fraud detection. Several reported having their debit or credit cards frozen due to the bank erroneously flagging regular transactions as fraud. In some cases, the bank went so far as to close the customer’s account. Additionally, many said that the bank failed to protect their funds when actual fraudulent transactions occurred.
Bottom Line
With its fee-free basic account, Business Checking 100, Huntington Bank is suitable for small businesses and startups that generate low monthly transaction volume and want to save on fees. However, upgrading to Unlimited Business Checking or Unlimited Plus Business Checking also provides a number of cost-saving benefits. Although their monthly fees and minimum balance requirements are significantly higher, they provide unlimited free transactions, high cash deposit limits, and access to additional business services.
