Quick comparison
| Factor | Huntington | KeyBank |
|---|---|---|
| Entry account | Business Checking 100 | Basic Business Checking |
| Published monthly fee | $0 | $5 or $0 |
| Primary fit | Startups and lower-volume businesses that can stay within 100 transactions, plus growing companies that want unlimited transactions and predictable cash-deposit allowances without immediately moving to analyzed commercial checking. | Businesses that value relationship pricing, high cash-deposit capacity and branch access, especially firms already using KeyBank lending, merchant services or other business balances. |
Checking economics
Huntington
| Account | Monthly fee | Waiver / condition | Published allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Checking 100 | $0 | No waiver needed | 100 included transactions; $2,500 monthly cash deposits at no charge; $0.50 per transaction over 100 |
| Unlimited Business Checking | $20 or $0 | $10,000 qualifying business deposit relationship balance or eligible personal relationship | Unlimited transactions; $10,000 monthly cash deposits at no charge; one bonus service |
| Unlimited Plus Business Checking | $40 or $0 | $50,000 qualifying business deposit relationship balance or eligible premium personal relationship | Unlimited transactions; $25,000 monthly cash deposits at no charge; interest bearing; two bonus services |
KeyBank
| Account | Monthly fee | Waiver / condition | Published allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Business Checking | $5 or $0 | $1,000 average ledger balance or $10,000 qualifying combined business relationships | 200 included combined transactions; up to $25,000 monthly cash deposits without fees |
| Business Interest Checking | $15 or $0 | $5,000 minimum daily balance or $15,000 qualifying combined balances | 100 included combined transactions; interest bearing; up to $25,000 monthly cash deposits without fees |
| Business Reward Checking | $25 or $0 | Linked Key Merchant Services, $7,500 average ledger balance, or $20,000 qualifying combined balances | 500 included combined transactions; wire benefits; up to $25,000 monthly cash deposits without fees |
Decision points
Entry-level economics
Huntington: Business Checking 100 — $0. KeyBank: Basic Business Checking — $5 or $0. Compare the waiver mechanics with balances and activity you already maintain rather than moving money solely to avoid a fee.
Operating capacity
The published transaction and cash allowances differ by tier. A low headline fee can become less important than overage charges if your business regularly exceeds the included activity.
Relationship depth
Huntington is described in our verified review as best suited to Startups and lower-volume businesses that can stay within 100 transactions, plus growing companies that want unlimited transactions and predictable cash-deposit allowances without immediately moving to analyzed commercial checking. KeyBank is described as best suited to Businesses that value relationship pricing, high cash-deposit capacity and branch access, especially firms already using KeyBank lending, merchant services or other business balances.
Treasury and payments
For ACH, wires, merchant services, fraud controls and cash-management tools, compare service-specific pricing separately from checking fees. Treasury economics often matter more once payment volume grows.
Operating fit
Huntington
Huntington is strongest for businesses in its Midwest footprint that want an easy progression from low-volume checking into unlimited transaction capacity. The key advantage is not just branch access: the published transaction and cash-deposit allowances are unusually straightforward, which makes it easier to forecast account costs as activity grows.
KeyBank
KeyBank is most relevant to branch-using businesses across its footprint that want relationship-based fee waivers and a generous published cash-deposit allowance. Its structure is especially attractive to firms that combine deposits, lending or merchant services with the checking relationship rather than treating the account as a standalone product.
Verified reviews
- Huntington Business Banking Review
- KeyBank Business Banking Review
- BusinessBanks.us comparison methodology
- Source standards
Match the account to your real transaction, cash and relationship profile rather than choosing by brand size alone.
Huntington and KeyBank can both work for established businesses, but their entry pricing, waiver mechanics and operating allowances create different cost curves. Model a normal month before deciding.