NorthOne Bank Review

NorthOne Bank is a New York-based fintech company that provides digital business banking services to small business owners, freelancers, and startups.

NorthOne was founded in 2017, and its mission is to make the financial system more inclusive by rebalancing the economy from the bottom up.

With a user-friendly mobile app, transparent pricing, and tech-driven banking tools, NorthOne serves up a fresh take on business bank accounts.

NorthOne’s current product offerings are pretty simple, with a single business checking account and access to SBA PPP loans.

NorthOne Business Checking Account

NorthOne’s business checking account is the bank’s backbone.

This is the only permanent banking product that NorthOne offers, and by design, it makes managing your finances easier so you can focus on running your business.

Business Checking Account Top Features

The NorthOne digital bank account is driven by its mobile banking app experience.

You’ll be able to manage your account history, categorize purchases, connect with a payment processor, and make payments from the mobile app.

With sub-accounts, you can easily organize funds for specific expenses, and intuitive financial tools help optimize cash flow.

NorthOne doesn’t offer a savings account, so you won’t have the ability to earn on interest, but sub-accounts allow for the same budgeting and long-term planning that come with traditional savings.

Business Checking Account Pricing

The account comes with an unavoidable $10 monthly fee and allows for unlimited transactions, including payments, deposits, transfers, and debit card use.

There’s also no limit on app integrations or sub-accounts. NorthOne doesn’t have any minimum balance requirements, but you’ll need an initial deposit of at least $50 to open an account.

Overall, NorthOne’s digital banking solution is a sleek, modern take on business banking.

It might not have APY earning potential, but it should serve you well in terms of functionality, and allow you to take care of the financial aspects of your business.

NorthOne Bank SBA PPP Loans

Since the inception of the CARES Act, NorthOne has helped to facilitate more than $130 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans for its customers.

If you’re a small business owner seeking a PPP loan, you can apply directly through NorthOne — all you need is business documentation, including tax returns and payroll forms, along with account and routing numbers.

NorthOne Bank Features

Online-Only

NorthOne doesn’t have any physical locations it is an online-only bank, so all of your banking is done online or through its mobile app. You’ll be able to manage your account, send ACH or wire transfers, pay bills and deposit checks, right from your smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

NorthOne’s mobile banking app is well-liked overall but does seem to perform a little better on iOS than Android

The app currently has a 4.7-star rating (out of 5) in the App Store and has 3.7 stars (out of 5) in the Google Play store.

300,000 ATMs

NorthOne partners with both MoneyPass and NYCE, so customers have access to more than 300,000 fee-free ATMs. You can search for nearby ATMs on its website or mobile app.

You shouldn’t have much of a problem with so many ATMs available, but keep in mind that NorthOne doesn’t reimburse for out-of-network ATM fees, so be sure to make a note of in-network ATMs in your area.

Cash Deposits

Unlike most online banks, NorthOne allows for cash deposits at any of its network ATMs.

Just use your NorthOne Mastercard debit card, and you’ll be able to get cash added to your account balance.

Dedicated Tax Accounts

To help keep track of your taxes or other major expenses, NorthOne allows for sub-accounts that help keep your long-term expenses in order.

There’s no limit to how many sub-accounts you can keep, and you can easily move funds in and out of each one.

Cashflow Reporting

NorthOne’s app has built-in cashflow reporting tools to help you understand your revenue in relation to your expenses.

Insights into monthly, quarterly, and yearly trends help you get a sense of where your business stands. You can also easily search through your transaction history to keep tabs on incoming and outgoing cash.

Integrations

Whether you use bookkeeping, eCommerce, or point of sales software, NorthOne has you covered with easy integrations to keep everything running smoothly.

Here’s a look at the platforms that are currently compatible with a NorthOne account:

• Expensify
• Freshbooks
• Quickbooks
• Wave
• Xero
• Amazon
• Paypal
• Shopify
• Stripe
• Square
• Toast
• TouchBistro
• Uber
• Etsy
• Venmo
• AirBnb

There’s no limit to how many platforms you can integrate, so every digital aspect of your business should be covered.

NorthOne Bank Fees

NorthOne’s fee structure goes against the grain of what we’ve come to expect in the online banking world.

Unfortunately, this means that customers will run into some fees.

The good news is that none of them are hidden, and NorthOne is upfront about what it does charge for.

Take a look at what you can expect it to cost to bank with NorthOne.

Monthly Maintenance Fee

Banking with NorthOne will cost you $10 per month, and there’s no way to get around it.

If you’re familiar with digital banking, you probably know that monthly fees are uncommon with most online banks, but NorthOne tries to add value in other areas to compensate for it.

Wire Transfer Fees

There’s a $10 fee for incoming or outgoing domestic wires and a $25 fee for international. Though fees, in general, are never fun, these rates are significantly better than what you’re likely to see from bigger, traditional banks.

Overdraft Fees

If you overdraft your account, you’ll be charged a $5 daily fee until the balance gets resolved. Since NorthOne only offers one account, there’s no option for overdraft protection, so be sure to keep a close eye on your balance.

NSF Fees

In addition to the $5 overdraft fee, there’s a $25 non-sufficient funds (NSF) fee that kicks in when your bank account balance is too low to cover a payment drawn on the account.

This fee doesn’t seem too bad when you consider that traditional banks often charge much more.

ACH/PAD Return Fees

For ACH or (Pre-Authorized Debit) PAD returns, you’ll get hit with a $10 fee. An ACH or PAD return is simply a bounced electronic payment and can happen because of insufficient funds, a stop payment, or incorrect account information.

Getting Started

Getting started with NorthOne is simple, and you can have a new account open in as little as three minutes.

Just head to the NorthOne website, fill out the required forms, and your application will be reviewed and approved immediately.

Once you’re in, you can fund your account through ACH, wire transfer, or mobile check deposit, and you’ll have access to all of your account features right away.

NorthOne Bank Promotions

Here are some of the best NorthOne promotions going on right now:

1. Business Banking - $30 bonus

Expires: Limited Time

Like other neobanks, NorthOne seeks to leverage tech to disrupt the business banking status quo. While most business accounts from the big-brand banks have transaction limits that force you to upgrade to premium accounts as your company grows (read: higher monthly fees), NorthOne charges a flat $10 per month and then no additional fees for ACH payments, deposits, transfers, purchases, or app integrations.

Currently, they're running a business checking account promotion exclusive to BankBonus.com readers: 3-months FREE to try their Business Banking account.

There's no catch and no additional requirements – just sign up using our link, fund your account with any amount and your first two monthly fees will be waived.

How to earn the bonus

The Business Banking sign up offer requires you to complete the following in order to earn the $30 bonus. Full requirements to receive this bonus are:

1. Sign up using our link below.
2. Fund your account with any amount.
3. Your first three monthly fees will be waived.

read the full terms

Apply now to earn the $30 bonus from NorthOne

2. Business Banking - $75 bonus

Expires: Limited Time

Available nationwide with the ability to open online, NorthOne is offering a $75 bonus when you refer a friend or family member to open a new business checking account and they make a deposit. What's even more? Your friend or family member will also earn $75 from NorthOne!

If you're not already a NorthOne customer, you can create a new account using our NorthOne new member bonus offer.

How to earn the bonus

The Business Banking sign up offer requires you to deposit and maintain a minimum balance and use a referral link in order to earn the $75 bonus. Full requirements to receive this bonus are:

1. Be an existing NorthOne customer.
2. Refer a friend or family member using your unique invite code.
3. Ensure the person you referred makes an initial deposit of at least $50.
4. Both referral bonuses will be paid within 30 days of the successfully completing the requirements.

read the full terms

Apply now to earn the $75 bonus from NorthOne

Learn More:

• See all current offers from NorthOne

Security

NorthOne accounts are provided by LendingClub Bank, an FDIC-insured financial institution, so all of your deposits are protected up to $250,000.

Accounts and personal information are secured with biometric authentication and fraud monitoring. You’ll also have the ability to freeze your debit card if it’s lost or stolen.

Customer Service

Even though you won’t have the in-person customer support of a traditional bank, NorthOne provides plenty of contact options when you need some help.

From the app, you can use live chat, schedule a time for someone to call you, or send an email.

Customer Care hours are 5 am to 10 pm Pacific Time, and the phone number is (833) 222-1802. NorthOne’s website also has a wide variety of helpful FAQs to help you get the answer you’re looking for quickly.

NorthOne is still a relatively new bank, so there isn’t much data out there in terms of customer service reviews. With that said, it’s fared pretty well so far, with a respectable 3.6-star (out of 5) rating on TrustPilot.

Pros & Cons

Alternatives to NorthOne Bank

NorthOne is just one of several digital business banking platforms that have popped up in recent years.

For example, Novo,  Bluevine, and Hatch all offer similar digital banking solutions but bring a bit more to the table in terms of perks and interest-earning.

Radius Bank, which also provides its accounts through LendingClub Bank, is another option that offers both personal and business account options.

The key to choosing the right bank for your small business is to find the option that can best serve you.

Whether you’re looking for simplicity, earning potential, or a high level of support, make sure to partner with a bank whose leading features cater to your specific needs.

FAQs

NorthOne is a newer banking option, and with that, a lot of questions tend to come up. Here are the answers to the top things people are asking about NorthOne.

Is NorthOne a real bank?

Yes and no. NorthOne is not a bank itself — it’s a financial technology (fintech) company that provides bank accounts and services through its partner, LendingClub Bank. LendingClub Bank is a Member FDIC, so your NorthOne account is protected.

What device do I need to use NorthOne?

NorthOne’s app is compatible with iPhones as far back as the iPhone 6. It also works on Android, and there’s a desktop version available for online banking.

Is NorthOne secure?

Yes. NorthOne doesn’t provide a ton of information on its specific security measures but assures customers that advance security software and standard are in place to keep you and your money safe while banking online.

Is NorthOne Bank Right For You?

NorthOne offers intuitive banking tools, plenty of options for software integration, and a simple platform that should serve the needs of many entrepreneurs.

Overall, there are two obvious downsides: NorthOne comes with higher fees than average for a digital banking solution. And, without a savings or interest-bearing checking option, you’ll have to look elsewhere to grow your money through interest.

It all comes down to whether or not the features and functionality of NorthOne are valuable enough to compensate for its pricing.

If NorthOne can streamline your finances and help your business run more efficiently, it could end up being more cost-effective than a high-earning account that doesn’t serve you as well.

Either way, you should now have a better idea of what you can expect from NorthOne.

Here’s to taking the next step and finding the best business banking solution to keep you moving forward.