Business bank account for agencies: what marketing and dev shops need
An agency's money moves in three directions at once: client payments in, freelancer payouts out, ad spend on cards. The account that fits handles all three without converting everything through dollars.
- Published
- Reading time
- 1 min read
Agencies are the segment that runs into account limits fastest. Clients pay from several countries, freelancers sit in several more, and ad platforms charge cards daily.
The three flows
| Flow | Need |
|---|---|
| Client payments in | Local details in USD, EUR, GBP so clients pay domestically |
| Freelancer payouts out | Local payouts in each freelancer's currency |
| Ad spend | A card per client ad account with a limit |
A month at a 12-person agency
- Receives $60,000 from US clients, €20,000 from Germany and £15,000 from the UK.
- Pays 18 freelancers in 9 countries.
- Funds 14 client ad accounts.
Through a dollar-only account, every euro and pound converts on arrival, every freelancer payment converts on the way out, and ad cards spend from one shared limit.
What fixes it
- Euro and sterling details so European clients pay locally.
- Payouts from the right balance in each freelancer's currency.
- One card per ad account, with limits, frozen when a client leaves.
- Approvals for freelancer runs and large ad top-ups.
Paying into the United States: the local rail
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Local rail | ACH for batch payments; RTP and FedNow for instant transfers |
| Run by | Nacha for ACH; The Clearing House for RTP; the Federal Reserve for FedNow |
| Settlement | Same-day ACH within the business day, standard ACH the next; RTP and FedNow in seconds, 24/7, where both banks take part |
Source: Nacha: Same Day ACH. Checked when this guide was last updated; the scheme's own page has the current figures.
Where Rivet fits
Rivet gives agencies USD details on Starter and EUR and GBP on Growth, payouts to 120+ countries, unlimited cards with per-card limits, and approvals for 10 members on Growth. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds. See virtual cards for ad spend and Payouts.
Questions people ask
What is the best bank account for an agency?
One that lets clients pay in their currency, pays freelancers on local rails, issues a card per ad account and supports approvals.
Should I keep client ad money separate?
Many agencies keep a separate balance or card per client for ad spend, which makes rebilling and disputes easier.
How do agencies pay freelancers abroad?
By local payouts in the freelancer's currency, with W-8BEN forms on file for foreign individuals.
Do I need a US bank too?
Many agencies keep a US bank for payroll and taxes and a multi-currency account for clients and freelancers abroad.
Sources
Alexia compares the accounts, cards and payment tools companies weigh before they switch, and writes Rivet's market guides for founders in a specific country. Prices in Alexia's comparisons come from each provider's own pricing page on the date given in the article, rules come from the regulator or tax authority that sets them, and every source is listed at the end.
More from Alexia M. →This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; check the sources above and the provider’s current terms before you act on them.
- business bank account for agencies
- agency banking
- ad spend cards
- freelancer payouts
- client payments
- us
