United States
activeFeaturedBusiness bankingVirtual card
- HQ
- New York
- Fee
- Software + card; pricing by plan
Brex
US start-up cards and spend. Not a bank, on purpose.
Rate this app
7.3Solid
AlternativesOur take
Desk verdict
Brex is a card and spend platform. Ramp is the rival. Mercury is the checking account you put underneath.
Brex underwrites start-up spend. It is not FDIC-as-a-brand. Pair it with a real operating account.
Brex lists Commercial card + treasury partners under Card issuer / partner banks in United States. On safeguarding we currently write: Treasury/cash sits at partner banks or money-market — cards are credit/charge. Holder / issuer line: Card issuer + treasury partners (confirm live). An AML programme is claimed. There is no IBAN-class local rail on the flags we store. We list 1 live markets on the product. As we score the sticker: monthly Card program; rewards-funded for eligible start-ups; FX Competitive on the card; not Wise; ATM Not the job. This desk would open it for: US start-ups that want Ramp-class cards with a slightly different religion.
What it does well: Virtual cards; Start-up underwriting history; Controls. What to watch: Not a bank; Eligibility walls; They exited SMB banking once already — read the live SKU. Desk score 7.3 / 10 (safety 7.0, fees 7.6, features 8.8, app 8.6). Last verified 2026-08-01. Headquartered in San Francisco, United States; founded 2017. None of this is advice — it is a file so you can read the entity before the card colour.
Best for: US start-ups that want Ramp-class cards with a slightly different religion.
Pros
- +Virtual cards
- +Start-up underwriting history
- +Controls
- +Metal as costume
Cons
- −Not a bank
- −Eligibility walls
- −They exited SMB banking once already — read the live SKU
How it actually works
- Custody
- Issued / held via Card issuer + treasury partners (confirm live)
- Local rails
- ACH / USD
- Built for
- Business
- Settlement
- Card auth in seconds
- Review risk
- Fintech reviews can pause inbound while they check a transfer
- Pay surface
- visa · physical · virtual · metal · Apple Pay · Google Pay
Safety
Treasury/cash sits at partner banks or money-market — cards are credit/charge
Holder / issuer: Card issuer + treasury partners (confirm live)
- Card issuer / partner banksCommercial card + treasury partners · United States
Fees
- Monthly
- Card program; rewards-funded for eligible start-ups
- FX markup
- Competitive on the card; not Wise
- ATM
- Not the job
Features
- –IBAN
- –Fee-free core
- –Multi-currency
- ✓Apple Pay
- ✓Google Pay
- ✓Virtual card
- ✓Physical card
- ✓Metal card
- –Crypto
- –Stocks
- ✓Business
- –Kids
- –Halal
- Virtual cards
- Bill pay
- Travel
- Rewards
- Spend controls
Score
- Safety25%
- 7.0
- Fees20%
- 7.6
- Features15%
- 8.8
- App15%
- 8.6
- Global15%
- 4.4
- Support10%
- 7.2
Change log
Full logStatus
Exited SMB cash / banking SKU once already
Read the live SKU. Cards and spend are the religion now.
Status
Exited SMB cash / banking SKU once already
Read the live SKU. Cards and spend are the religion now.
Available in
FAQ
Is Brex a bank?+–
Brex is not a licensed deposit-taker in the classic sense. Money, if any, sits with Card issuer + treasury partners (confirm live).
How is money protected?+–
Treasury/cash sits at partner banks or money-market — cards are credit/charge
Where is Brex available?+–
We list 1 market desk on the desk. Residency and onboarding rules still sit with Brex.
Card and wallets?+–
visa · physical · virtual · metal · Apple Pay · Google Pay
Ratings and reviews
No published user reviews yet. The desk score still comes from licence, fees, and the product — not from a empty star average.
Alternatives
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