Brex vs Mercury: Which The Top Pick in 2025?

One key drawback of Brex is the lack of physical checks and the long holds placed on deposited checks, which can disrupt payroll and bill management. For Mercury, the most significant issue is the unreliability of the service, with accounts being closed without prior notice, causing major disruptions for businesses.

Rho could offer a more efficient solution for businesses by combining AP automation and banking products with advanced software to streamline financial operations.

Many businesses look to Brex and Mercury for their financial management needs. However, choosing the right solution can be a complex task.

In this article, we’ll review what each solution offers and how they compare to help you make an informed decision. Additionally, we'll also explore Rho as a third option worth considering.

Brex Overview

Brex is a financial technology platform that offers modern finance software solutions. It primarily serves startups, mid-size companies, and enterprises. The main value proposition is to help businesses "spend smarter" by providing tools for cards, banking, bill pay, accounting, and travel, all enhanced by AI-powered automation for better financial control and efficiency.

Brex Features

Some of the key features of Brex include:

Corporate Cards: Issue local currency cards with custom limits, embedded policies, and cash back.
Expense Management: Manage every type of spend and payment method, automate expense reporting globally.
Travel: Book and manage travel with unbiased inventory and 24/7 agent support.
Bill Pay: Automate the entire global accounts payable process, from invoice to payment to reconciliation.

Brex Pricing

Brex offers a range of subscription tiers to cater to different business needs.

Essentials: $0 user/month - Global card acceptance, AI-powered rules, up to two entities, accounting integrations.
Premium: $12 user/month - Everything in Essentials plus advanced approvals, multi-entity support, customizable integrations.
Enterprise: Custom pricing - Unlimited entities, local card issuance, personalized support, admin center.
Smart Card: Custom pricing - Global cards, local-currency cards, merchant controls, custom approvals.

The prices for each tier are not publicly listed.

Drawbacks To Brex

General user reviews of Brex highlight its user-friendly interface and efficient expense management capabilities. However, some users have noted issues with integration and the approval process.

"Brex is easy to use and works seamlessly with Concur to automatically create monthly expense reports." - U, Verified User, Mid-Market
"The approval process can be cumbersome, and integration with other software like Sage needs improvement." - Paul R., Vice President of Research and Development, Small-Business

For more detailed reviews, visit Brex Reviews 2025.

Mercury Overview

Mercury offers online business banking tailored for startups and small businesses. Their main value proposition is to simplify and transform financial operations through a comprehensive suite of banking services and financial workflows. This makes it easier for entrepreneurs and founders to manage their finances efficiently and securely.

Mercury Features

Some of the key features of Mercury include:

Speed without Compromise: Efficiently manage banking and financial operations from a single dashboard.
Seamless Payments: Set auto-transfer rules and send free USD wires.
Credit Cards: Unlock credit cards with industry-low deposit minimums and earn unlimited 1.5% cashback.
FDIC Insurance: Get up to 20× the industry standard in FDIC insurance through partner banks and sweep networks.

Mercury Pricing

Mercury offers a transparent pricing structure with three main subscription tiers:

Mercury: $0/month - FDIC-insured accounts, online ACH, wires, checks, corporate debit & credit cards.
Mercury Plus: $35/month - All features of Mercury, recurring invoicing, branded invoices, reimburse up to 20 users/month.
Mercury Pro: $350/month - All features of Mercury Plus, ACH debit, reimburse up to 250 users/month, dedicated relationship manager.

Drawbacks To Mercury

Mercury has an overall positive consensus with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 101 reviews. The majority of users appreciate its ease of use, user interface, and customer support.

"Mercury caters to startups and small business. The interface is great, allows for easy tagging of purchases to ease separation/filtering for tax purposes." - Robert R.
"Mercury fee little high from other service provider. Mobile app log out often. If one month not log in it not remembers too." - Naire Q.

For more detailed reviews, visit Mercury Reviews on G2.

What to Know Before Picking Brex or Mercury

Looking at the reviews as a whole, businesses using Brex often face issues with the approval process and integration with other software. Manual entry requirements and a less intuitive user interface are also common pain points.

For Mercury, users frequently report problems with payment processing delays and account closures without clear reasons. Additionally, slow customer support and hidden compliance issues can be significant hurdles for businesses relying on Mercury's services.

Why Rho Is a Better Alternative

At Rho, we understand the challenges businesses face with Brex and Mercury, such as integration issues and slow customer support. Our platform is designed to offer seamless financial management with robust integrations and responsive support, ensuring a smoother and more efficient experience for your business needs.

Rho Features

Rho Platinum: Our Rho Platinum card offers up to 2% cashback¹, helping businesses save more on their spending compared to the lower cashback rates offered by Brex and Mercury.
Expense Management: We eliminate the hassle of manual expense reports by capturing every receipt automatically, addressing the common pain point of tedious expense management faced by users of Brex and Mercury.
AP Automation: Our platform allows you to pay hundreds of vendors in minutes with zero platform fees, providing a cost-effective solution to the higher fees often associated with Brex and Mercury.
Rho Treasury: Safeguard your idle cash and earn dynamic interest rates, maximizing your returns compared to the potentially lower interest rates offered by Brex and Mercury.
Integrations: We offer direct integration with accounting, HR, and T&E software, ensuring seamless operations and addressing the integration issues commonly reported by users of Brex and Mercury.
Private Banking Support: Our 24/7 support ensures that any issues are promptly addressed, providing a level of customer service that surpasses the often slow support experienced with Brex and Mercury.

Rho Pricing

We offer a straightforward and transparent pricing structure that makes managing your finances simple and cost-effective. Unlike Brex and Mercury, many of our core services come with no subscription fees, making it easier for you to focus on growing your business without worrying about hidden costs.

$0 Same-Day ACH Fees: Enjoy no fees for same-day ACH transactions, ensuring quick and cost-free transfers.
$0 Wire Fees: Send wire transfers without any fees, with some exceptions for international wires.
$0 Monthly Plans: Access all our services without any monthly subscription fees.
$0 Support Fees: Get customer support from day one without any additional costs.
$0 Subscription Fees: No fees for subscribing to our comprehensive suite of financial services.
$0 Checking Account Minimum Fees: Maintain your checking account without worrying about minimum balance fees.
$0 Connected, In-Platform Capabilities: Use our AP, Expense, and Accounting Automation features at no extra cost.
$0 Per-User Fees: Add as many users as you need without incurring additional fees.
1% Foreign Currency Transfer: A minimal 1% fee on foreign currency transfers, keeping your international transactions affordable.

You can find all the details about our pricing here.

Why Users Love Rho

We’re proud of what we do, but we think our customers say it best. Take a look at why they prefer Rho over other options.

"Rho offers our users a one-touch experience for reporting company expenses on a corporate card." - Tyler M.
"Centralized system that is easy to use for all levels of the organization with exceptional customer service." - Sean F.
"Now that our company has switched over to Rho for tracking our expenses, I don't put off waiting until the end of the month to submit my expenses." - Kevin K.

Want a firsthand look at Rho? You can request a free demo here.

Which Platform Is Right for Your Business?

Each platform—Brex, Mercury, and Rho—has its strengths, catering to different business needs. Brex excels in AI-powered automation, while Mercury offers seamless banking for startups. However, this is where Rho comes in.

We provide up to 2% cashback¹ with Rho Platinum, zero platform fees for AP automation, and 24/7 private banking support. Our direct integrations with accounting, HR, and T&E software ensure seamless operations, making Rho a superior choice for comprehensive financial management.

Make the Smarter Choice with Rho Today

Curious to see what Rho can do for you? Discover how our platform can transform your financial management. Get started with Rho today.

Rho is a fintech company, not a bank or an FDIC-insured depository institution. Checking account and card services provided by Webster Bank N.A., member FDIC. Savings account services provided by American Deposit Management Co. and its partner banks. International and foreign currency payments services are provided by Wise US Inc. FDIC deposit insurance coverage is available only to protect you against the failure of an FDIC-insured bank that holds your deposits and subject to FDIC limitations and requirements. It does not protect you against the failure of Rho or other third party. Products and services offered through the Rho platform are subject to approval.

The Rho Corporate Cards are issued by Webster Bank N.A., member FDIC pursuant to a license from Mastercard, subject to approval.

Investment management and advisory services provided by RBB Treasury LLC dba Rho Treasury, an SEC-registered investment adviser and subsidiary of Rho. Rho Treasury investments are not deposits or other obligations of Webster Bank N.A., or American Deposit Management Co.’s partner banks, are not FDIC insured, are not guaranteed and may lose value. Investment products involve risk, including the possible loss of the principal invested, and past performance does not future results. Treasury and custodial services provided through Apex Clearing Corp. and Interactive Brokers LLC, registered broker dealers and members FINRA/SIPC.

¹Up to 2% cashback; terms and conditions apply. See eligibility and complete Rho Cashback Rewards Program terms and conditions here.

This content is for informational purposes only. It doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Rho and should not be construed as legal, tax, benefits, financial, accounting, or other advice. If you need specific advice for your business, please consult with an expert, as rules and regulations change regularly.