Alternatives · Spend & Bills
Relay alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Relay alternative for most people is Ramp (3.6 GPA), first in our ranking of spend and bill pay tools. It's also the best free one.
Relay compared with 6 alternatives: Mercury, Novo, BILL, Ramp, Brex and 1 more.
Relay has a free plan. Paid plans start at $30 per month. 5 of the 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Relay sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| RelayThis tool | Free plan · from $30/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Mercury | Free plan · from $29.90/mo | Yes | Web, iOS |
| Novo | Free | Free | Web, iOS, Android |
| BILL | Free plan · from $49/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Ramp | Free plan · from $15/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Brex | Free plan · from $12/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Wise Business | From $31 one-time | No | Web, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Relay starts at $30 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 3 of the 5 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Mercury, Ramp and Brex.
BILL scores higher without starting lower. Novo starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Relay
Mercury
Business banking with cards, expenses, bill pay and invoicing
- Mercury starts at $29.90 per month, billed annually.
- Mercury lists no Android app, which Relay has.
- Mercury also covers payroll.
Suits: Startups and small companies that want banking and spend controls in one account
Novo
Free business checking with invoicing, bill pay and debit cards
- Novo is free.
- Novo does not cover bookkeeping, which Relay does.
Suits: Freelancers and small businesses that want banking with no monthly fee
BILL
Bill pay, invoicing and free company cards for small businesses
- BILL starts at $49 per user / month for AP & AR, billing term not stated.
- BILL does not cover bookkeeping, which Relay does.
Suits: Small businesses that pay many supplier bills by ACH or check
Ramp
Corporate cards, expenses, travel and bill pay, with a free plan
- Ramp starts at $15 per user / month, plus a platform fee based on team size.
- Ramp also covers reports.
- Ramp does not cover bookkeeping, which Relay does.
Suits: US companies that want cards, expenses and bill pay in one free tool
Brex
Corporate cards, expenses, bill pay and travel for growing companies
- Brex starts at $12 per user / month, billing term not stated.
- Brex also covers reports.
- Brex does not cover invoicing and bookkeeping, which Relay does.
Suits: Startups that want corporate cards and expenses at no software cost
Wise Business
Multi-currency business account for international payments
- Wise Business starts at $31 one-time set-up fee, then per-transaction fees.
- Wise Business has no free plan, unlike Relay.
- Wise Business does not cover invoicing, bookkeeping, expense tracking and bill pay, which Relay does.
Suits: Businesses that pay suppliers or contractors in other countries
Limits worth knowing in Relay
- Relay is not an FDIC-insured bank; banking services come from Thread Bank, Member FDIC.
- Transaction fees apply on every plan: for example SWIFT international wires are $25 on Starter, $22 on Grow and $20 on Scale.
- Pay-by-bank invoice collection costs 1%, 0.75% or 0.5% of the amount on Starter, Grow and Scale, capped at $10.
- Savings APY and card cash back differ by plan and are variable, so the $0 Starter plan earns less than the paid plans.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Relay?
The alternatives to Relay in this directory are Mercury, Novo, BILL, Ramp, Brex and Wise Business. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Relay.
Is there a free alternative to Relay?
Yes. Novo is free to use. Mercury, BILL, Ramp and Brex have a free plan alongside paid ones.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 18, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.