Mercury vs Brex vs Ramp vs Slash: which is best for startups?
Quick answer: Slash is the best all-around pick for most startups: up to 2% cash back on the Slash Visa Platinum Card, NetSuite and Sage Intacct sync on both plans, no per-user fees, and no published minimum balance, for $0 or $25 a month per entity. Pick Mercury if you want free wires on a $0 plan, Ramp if you want the deepest expense automation and hold at least $25,000 in a business bank account, and Brex if you're a funded startup with $50,000 or more in cash and a global team.
All four combine a business account with corporate cards and bill pay. They differ most on who can qualify, how rewards pay out, how pricing grows with headcount, and which accounting systems sync on which plan.
Competitor details checked November 11, 2026, on each provider's own site.
Fees, rates, and eligibility rules change. Confirm current terms with each provider before you apply.
Which should you pick?
- Pick Slash if You want one account for banking, cards, and bill pay, flat per-entity pricing, NetSuite or Sage Intacct sync without paying per user, and the highest published cash-back rate of the four.
- Pick Mercury if You want free domestic and USD international wires on a $0 plan and don't need Sage Intacct.
- Pick Ramp if Expense automation is your top priority, you hold at least $25,000 in a business bank account, and you're comfortable paying $15 per user for Plus to sync NetSuite or Sage Intacct.
- Pick Brex if You're a funded startup with at least $50,000 in cash, you run entities in more than one country, and points worth 0.6 cents each as cash are acceptable to you.
How do pricing and per-user fees compare?
Slash charges a flat $0 on Free or $25 a month on Pro for each entity, with no per-user fees. Mercury's paid plans are priced per account, not per user: Plus is $29.90 a month billed annually ($35 monthly) and Pro is $299. Ramp and Brex both start free, but their paid plans charge per user.
Headcount is where the gap shows. A 20-person team on Ramp Plus pays $300 a month before Ramp's platform fee, and Ramp Plus is the plan that includes NetSuite and Sage Intacct sync. The same team on Brex Premium pays $240 a month. On Slash Pro, that team pays $25 a month per entity, with NetSuite and Sage Intacct sync included on both plans.
Who can qualify?
Slash serves US-registered LLCs, C-Corps, and S-Corps, with no published minimum balance and no venture funding requirement. Sole proprietorships are not eligible.
Ramp requires a registered corporation, LLC, or LP with an EIN and at least $25,000 in a business bank account. Brex requires a US EIN, incorporation, and operations; funded startups need at least $50,000 in cash, and commercial businesses need more than $500,000 in annual revenue for monthly payments. Capital One has owned Brex since April 7, 2026. Mercury is a fintech, not a bank; its banking partners are Choice Financial Group and Column N.A.
How do the corporate cards and rewards compare?
The Slash Visa Platinum Card earns up to 2% cash back with no cap. It's a charge card issued by Column N.A. that settles daily from your Slash business checking account, so there's no interest and no carried balance. Its foreign transaction fee is 1% (minimum $0.40).
Mercury's IO card pays 1.5% cash back automatically each month and charges 3% on non-USD card transactions. Ramp's charge card has a 30-day payback and $0 foreign transaction fees, but Ramp doesn't publish its cashback rate. Brex earns 1x points on most spend and up to 7x in some categories; a point is worth 0.6 cents as cash or a statement credit, or 1 cent on Brex travel.
Which ones sync with NetSuite and Sage Intacct?
Slash syncs with QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct on both Free and Pro. For NetSuite, Slash imports your chart of accounts, vendors, customers, classes, departments, locations, and subsidiaries, and Bill Pay bills and payments sync back. See how Slash connects corporate cards to NetSuite and Sage Intacct.
Ramp includes QuickBooks and Xero on Free and adds NetSuite and Sage Intacct on Plus. Mercury offers a NetSuite bank feed on every plan and enriched NetSuite automations on paid plans, but doesn't list Sage Intacct. Brex includes NetSuite on its free Essentials plan.
How much FDIC coverage does each offer?
Standard FDIC insurance covers $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category. Slash deposits are eligible for up to $200M through Column N.A. and the IntraFi sweep network. Brex offers up to $6M through 24 partner banks, Mercury up to $5M through its partner banks' sweep networks, and Ramp uses IntraFi's ICS network without publishing a limit. Our FDIC insurance guide explains how sweep coverage works.
How do payments and treasury compare?
Mercury charges $0 for ACH, domestic wires, real-time payments, and USD international wires on every plan. Ramp and Brex offer free same-day ACH from their business accounts. Slash Pro includes $0 same-day ACH, domestic wires, and outgoing FedNow and RTP payments; on Free, those cost $1, $6, and $5, and international wires cost $25 on both plans.
For idle cash, Slash Treasury has no minimum balance, and Ramp and Brex list no minimum deposit. Mercury Treasury requires a $250,000 Mercury balance.
Where does each one fall short?
- Slash: Sole proprietorships aren't eligible, and the Free plan charges for same-day ACH, domestic wires, and real-time payments.
- Mercury: Sage Intacct isn't listed, the IO card charges 3% on non-USD purchases, and Treasury needs a $250,000 balance.
- Ramp: You need $25,000 in the bank to qualify, ERP sync requires per-user Plus pricing, and the cashback rate isn't published.
- Brex: Funded startups need $50,000 in cash, Premium is priced per user, and points are worth 0.6 cents each as cash.
For one-on-one detail, see Slash vs Mercury, Slash vs Ramp, Slash vs Brex, and Slash vs BILL.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Slash better than Mercury for startups?
It depends on what you need. Slash pays up to 2% cash back versus 1.5% on Mercury's IO card and syncs with both NetSuite and Sage Intacct on every plan, for $0 or $25 a month per entity. Mercury is the better choice if free wires on a $0 plan matter most.
Is Ramp or Brex better for a startup?
Ramp is stronger for expense automation and requires $25,000 in a business bank account. Brex suits funded startups with at least $50,000 in cash and teams in several countries. Both charge per user on their paid plans; Slash doesn't.
Which startup business account has no minimum balance?
Slash has no published minimum balance and no venture funding requirement. Ramp requires $25,000 in a business bank account to qualify, Brex asks funded startups for $50,000 in cash, and Mercury Treasury requires a $250,000 Mercury balance.
Which startup corporate card pays the most cash back?
Of the four, Slash publishes the highest rate: up to 2% cash back with no cap. Mercury's IO card pays 1.5%, Brex points are worth 0.6 cents each as cash, and Ramp doesn't publish its rate.
Do Mercury, Brex, Ramp, and Slash integrate with NetSuite?
Yes, on different plans. Slash includes NetSuite and Sage Intacct on Free and Pro. Ramp includes both on Plus at $15 per user. Brex includes NetSuite on Essentials, and Mercury offers a NetSuite bank feed on every plan but doesn't list Sage Intacct.
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