NBKC Bank Business Checking Review 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Business Banking.
NBKC Bank (often stylized as “nbkc bank”) is a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC)-insured online bank with branches in Kansas and Missouri. It is an excellent choice for small business owners in need of affordable business banking solutions. The NBKC business checking account charges no fees for monthly maintenance, day-to-day transactions, incoming wire transfers, or out-of-network ATM fees. Additionally, it offers a $12 reimbursement allowance for any operator surcharges you may incur while using out-of-network ATMs.
NBKC Bank is primarily an online bank. Although it only has four brick-and-mortar branches in Kansas City, Leawood, and Overland Park, its business products are available to all permanent United States residents operating businesses in the US. You can open your account through the NBKC Bank website.
Pros
- No monthly maintenance fees, minimum balance requirements, and opening deposit requirements
- ATM fee reimbursements up to $12 per month
- Available in all states via online banking
Cons
- Brick-and-mortar branches (only in Kansas and Missouri)
- No interest-earning checking
- Steep international wire transfer fees
Features
- Three business checking accounts
- Mobile and online banking options
- Support for eStatements
- Free Visa debit card
- Business interest accounts, savings accounts, zero balance accounts, sweep accounts, lending products, and insurance solutions also available
How NBKC Bank Stacks Up With Its Competitors
Annual Percentage Yield (APY) | Cash Deposit Fee | ATM Fee | Minimum Opening Deposit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Business Account | None | None at NBKC Bank and MoneyPass ATMs | Refunds ATM fees up to $12 per month | None |
 Business Checking | None | None, cash is deposited through money orders | Refunds all ATM fees | None |
Visit Novo
Novo is a financial technology (fintech) platform backed and FDIC-insured by a supporting bank partnership with Middlesex Federal Savings.
| ||||
 Business Checking | $4.95 per deposit at Green Dot locations | None | ||
Visit Bluevine
Bluevine is a fintech platform backed and FDIC-insured by a supporting bank partnership with Coastal Community Bank.
| ||||
When NBKC Bank Is a Good Fit
- You want to save on transaction fees and monthly service fees: NBKC Bank does not require a minimum opening deposit or a maintaining balance and does not charge monthly service fees or incoming domestic wires. There are also no transaction limits when you deposit cash or checks or transfer funds.
- You send and receive domestic wire transfers regularly: Under NBKC, incoming domestic wire transfers are free, while outgoing domestic wire transfers cost $5.
- You want to save on ATM fees: ATM transactions are free in MoneyPass and NBKC machines. NBKC charges no fees for nonnetwork use and refunds any third-party operator fees you may incur, for a maximum of $12 per month.
When to Use an Alternative
- You want to earn interest on checking deposits: The NBKC business checking account does not earn interest. If interest-earning potential is high on your list of business banking priorities, look into Bluevine, which offers 2.00% APY on balances of $250,000 and less if you meet its monthly activity requirements. Read our Bluevine business checking review for more information.
- You want nationwide access to in-person banking: Currently, there are only four brick-and-mortar NBKC branches in operation, which are all located in the Kansas City area. If you need a bank with a wider service area, consider Chase, which has branches in 48 states. Our Chase business checking review can help you determine which of its accounts is best for your business.
- You use international wire transfers regularly: NBKC charges $45 for both incoming and outgoing international wire transfers. A good alternative is the fintech solution Mercury, which charges $0 for all wire transfers. For more details, check out our Mercury business checking review.
Check out our roundup of the best small business checking accounts for additional recommendations.
NBKC Bank Business Checking Overview
NBKC Bank Business Checking Requirements
You can visit the NBKC Bank website to open a business bank account. You are required to provide your name, address, date of birth, and other details, including your business information and a government-issued ID. Only applicants who meet the following criteria are eligible to open an account:
- Your business is located in the US
- You are a permanent resident of the US
- You have a valid mailing address in the US
- You have a Social Security number
Additional NBKC Bank business checking requirements depend on your business entity type. Documents NBKC typically requests include the following:
- Articles of incorporation
- Articles of organization
- Proof of employer identification number (EIN)
- Partnership agreement
- Fictitious name certification
You may refer to our guide on how to open a business bank account for assistance. We included a downloadable checklist of required documents to help you through the process.
NBKC Bank Business Checking Features
NBKC Bank’s business checking account provides a free business debit Mastercard, up to $12 worth of ATM refunds per month, and web and mobile banking.
Business Debit Mastercard
The NBKC bank business checking account comes with a free Business Debit Mastercard, which lets you make fee-free transactions at NBKC and MoneyPass ATMs. There is no fee for out-of-network usage, and NBKC will reimburse you for up to $12 for any third-party operator fees you incur when making out-of-network transactions.
ATM Cash & Check Deposits
NBKC Bank lets you deposit cash or checks for free at deposit-enabled NBKC and MoneyPass ATMs. Funds deposited through NBKC ATMs will be released to your account within one business day. However, funds deposited through MoneyPass ATMs take up to five business days to become available.
Online & Mobile Banking
You can access banking services through the NBKC website and mobile app (available for iOS and Android). Digital banking lets you do the following:
- Check balances
- View pending transactions
- Create, approve, cancel, or view fund transfers
- View your transaction history
- Look up branch hours and location information
- Deposit checks via mobile check deposit (mobile only)
Reviews for the app are mostly positive. It earned a rating of 4.4 on the App Store[1] (based on more than 700 reviews) and 4.2 on Google Play[2] (based on 500-plus reviews). Reviewers found the app user-friendly and its layout easy to navigate. However, several users reported that the mobile check deposit function rarely loaded properly.
Other Banking Products & Services
Outside of business checking, NBKC Bank also offers money market accounts, CDs, lending products, credit cards, Autobooks integration, and business solutions.
- Money Market Account: The NBKC Money Market Account offers an APY rate of 2.25%. Although there is no minimum opening deposit, the minimum balance to earn interest is $0.01. Read our NBKC Bank business savings review to learn more.
- CDs: For a minimum opening deposit of $1,000 you can earn interest at rates between 0.10% to 4.50%. CD terms range from six months to five years.
NBKC Bank offers the following types of business lending products:
- Lines of credit
- Equipment loans
- Construction and commercial real estate loans
- SBA loans
You can apply for four types of Visa business credit cards at NBKC Bank. These include cash back credit cards, low-annual percentage rate (APR) credit cards, and rewards-earning cards.
With Autobooks, you can create professional invoices and send them directly to your customers’ emails. The software lets you pay with your debit or credit card, or through an online bank transfer straight into your NBKC business checking account. You can easily monitor the payment activity and access detailed balance sheets or general ledger reports.
Autobooks is free for your first 60 days and costs $10 per month after the trial period.
NBKC Bank allows you to customize your business account according to your needs. You can sign up for monthly or yearly account add-on services, such as automated clearing house (ACH) credits and debits, desktop deposits, business fraud tools, and extended archives. Sweep solutions are also available with their own monthly or yearly fees.
NBKC Bank Business Checking Reviews from Users
NBKC Bank business checking reviews are mostly positive. It has 4.9 stars on WalletHub[3] (based on 10,000-plus reviews) and 4.4 stars on Trustpilot[4] (based on more than 100 reviews). Common sentiments include the following:
- Good value for money: The majority of positive reviews praised the NBKC Bank business account for charging few fees. Users particularly singled out the lack of an overdraft fee.
- Helpful and friendly customer service: Multiple users said that the bank’s representatives exceeded expectations. Staff were described as friendly, knowledgeable, and quick to respond to concerns.
- Slow service: Reviewers complained that the business checking account opening process takes too long, with many having claimed to wait as long as one month to open their accounts and receive their business debit cards. Slowness is also an issue for check-clearing—multiple reviewers said that NBKC Bank held the funds from deposited checks for as long as two weeks.
- Unfair account closures: A few users reported that NBKC Bank closed their accounts without providing a warning or proper explanation.
Bottom Line
With unlimited fee-free transactions, no monthly fees, and no minimum balance requirements, the NBKC Bank business checking account is a great option for business owners wanting to save on fees. Though the bank has very few brick-and-mortar branches, past customers have remarked that its responsive customer service and intuitive digital banking solutions make the banking experience enjoyable. However, user reviews show a tendency toward slowness with account opening, debit card deliveries, and check-clearing.
User review references:
