Source: https://rivet.global/blog/business-bank-account-for-agencies-us
Published: 2026-10-11 · Updated: 2026-10-11 · By Alexia M.

# Business bank account for agencies: what marketing and dev shops need

What US agencies need from a business account: getting paid by clients abroad, paying freelancers in many countries, ad spend cards, client float and approvals.

## Key takeaways

- Agencies receive client payments, pay freelancers and fund ad accounts every month.
- Clients abroad pay more easily into local details in their currency.
- One card per client ad account, with a limit, keeps ad spend and rebilling clean.
- Approvals stop a single person from releasing large freelancer runs or ad top-ups.

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

1. Euro and sterling details so European clients pay locally.
2. Payouts from the right balance in each freelancer's currency.
3. One card per ad account, with limits, frozen when a client leaves.
4. 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](https://www.nacha.org/rules/same-day-ach-moving-payments-faster). 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](/blog/virtual-cards-for-ad-spend) and [Payouts](/payouts).

## Questions

### 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.