Lili vs Relay: Which Is The Top Pick in 2025?

Many businesses look to Lili and Relay 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, helping you determine which is the best fit for your business. Additionally, we'll also explore Rho as a third option worth considering.

Lili Overview

Lili operates in the business banking, accounting, payments, and tax preparation sectors. It primarily serves self-employed individuals, entrepreneurs, partnerships, and scaling businesses. Lili's main value proposition is integrating banking, accounting, and tax services into a single platform, aiming to streamline financial management for its users.

Lili Features

Some of the key features of Lili include:

• Business Banking: A business checking account with a Lili Visa® Debit Card, no hidden fees, and no overdraft fees.
• Accounting: Smart bookkeeping, instant transaction categorization, and automated reports for simplified financial management.
• Payments: Bill pay solution and invoicing software to manage cash flow and make payments efficiently.
• Tax Preparation: Automate tax savings, generate auto-generated expense reports, and pre-filled tax forms to streamline tax preparation.

Lili Pricing

Lili offers several subscription tiers to cater to different business needs:

• Lili Premium: $33/month - Advanced business checking, priority support, and comprehensive accounting and tax tools.
• Lili Smart: $21/month - Business checking, cashback debit card, and essential accounting features.
• Lili Pro: $9/month - Basic business checking with expense management tools.
• Lili Basic: $0/month - Standard business checking with essential banking features.

The prices for each tier are publicly listed.

Drawbacks To Lili

General user reviews of Lili highlight its ease of use and convenience, though some users have noted specific issues.

• "Check capture can be tricky on some checks and I wish it connected to Zelle but otherwise I love how sleek it is to use." - Holly S. - Mom Brain Marketing
• "I like the service provided by the bank, especially now with the ability to send and receive international wires." - Marshall L Phillips III

For more detailed reviews, visit the Trustpilot page for Lili.

Relay Overview

Relay operates in the online business banking sector, primarily serving small business owners, accountants, and e-commerce businesses. Its main value proposition is providing users with complete control over their earnings, spending, and savings through multiple checking accounts and seamless integrations with popular accounting software.

Relay Features

Some of the key features of Relay include:

• No account fees: Relay does not charge monthly fees, overdraft fees, or require minimum balances.
• Multiple checking accounts: Users can create up to 20 individual checking accounts for different financial needs.
• Physical and virtual cards: Provides both physical and virtual debit and credit cards for team members.
• Software integrations: Direct integration with QuickBooks Online and Xero for seamless financial management.

Relay Pricing

Relay offers two main subscription tiers for its business banking services.

• Relay: $0/month - No account fees, up to 20 checking accounts, physical/virtual cards, ACH transfers, and ATM access.
• Relay Pro: Starting at $30/business/month - Includes everything in Relay, plus same-day ACH, free domestic wires, and bill payment features.

Drawbacks To Relay

Relay Financial is generally well-regarded for its customer service and features, though some users have experienced issues with ACH timelines and specific customer service incidents.

• "They had the card frozen within minutes, I didn’t have any bogus charges go through... able to sign up for a new card in minutes while having access to my virtual card." - Cindi LeMay
• "Unlawfully Withholding $5,692.18 for 53 Days – Avoid This Predatory Fintech... Relay has caused severe operational harm to my business. DO NOT TRUST THEM WITH YOUR MONEY." - Tony Peacock

For more detailed reviews, visit the Relay Financial Reviews on Trustpilot.

What to Know Before Picking Lili or Relay

Looking at the reviews as a whole, businesses using Lili often face limitations with account limits for deposits and transfers. Additionally, the lack of ATM deposit functionality and tricky check capture can be frustrating for users.

For Relay, common issues include delays in ACH and wire transfer processing, which can disrupt cash flow. Users also report challenges with customer service transparency and accountability, making problem resolution difficult.

Why Rho Is a Better Alternative

At Rho, we understand the challenges businesses face with Lili and Relay, such as account limitations and transfer delays. Our platform is designed to provide seamless financial management, offering robust features and reliable customer support to ensure your business operations run smoothly and efficiently.

Rho Features

• Expense Management: Our platform eliminates the need for manual expense reports, capturing every receipt automatically. This feature addresses the cumbersome process of expense tracking that users often face with Lili.
• AP Automation: Pay hundreds of vendors in minutes with zero platform fees. This capability solves the limitations of handling large-scale vendor payments, a common issue with Lili.
• Corporate Credit Cards: Monitor corporate spend in real-time with custom card controls. This feature offers more robust financial oversight compared to Lili's basic offerings.
• Rho Treasury: Safeguard idle cash and earn competitive yields, providing a higher return on idle funds, which may not be available with Relay.
• Rho Platinum: Earn up to 2% cashback¹ when using Rho for banking and cards, adding value beyond the basic banking services offered by Relay.
• Integrations: Direct integration with accounting, HR, and T&E software simplifies financial management, reducing the manual effort required with Relay.
• Private Banking Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer support, ensuring that your business operations run smoothly and efficiently, addressing the customer service challenges reported by Relay users.

Rho Pricing

We offer a straightforward and transparent pricing structure that makes managing your business finances simple and cost-effective. Unlike Lili and Relay, many of our core services are free to use, ensuring you get the most value without hidden fees or complex pricing tiers.

• $0 Same-Day ACH fees: No charge for same-day ACH transactions, making it easy to move money quickly.
• $0 Wire fees: No charge for wire transfers, except for international wires in USD which may incur additional fees.
• $0 Monthly plans: No monthly subscription fees for accessing our comprehensive suite of financial services.
• $0 Support fees: Enjoy free live support from day one without any additional charges.
• $0 Subscription fees: No subscription fees for using our platform, keeping your costs predictable and manageable.
• $0 Checking account minimum fees: No minimum balance fees for checking accounts, giving you flexibility in managing your funds.
• $0 Connected, in-platform capabilities: Free access to AP, Expense, and Accounting Automation features, streamlining your financial operations.
• $0 Per-user fees: No fees per user for accessing the platform, making it easy to scale as your team grows.
• 1% Foreign currency transfer: A 1% fee on foreign currency transfers, ensuring competitive rates for international transactions.

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 is everything a corporate card program should be - And it's free to the users and employers!" - Tyler M., Chief Financial Officer, Small-Business
• "From day one, using Rho has been simple and straightforward." - Kevin K., Director of Marketing and Analytics, Mid-Market
• "Modern, flexible, tech-centric user experience on traditional credit card services." - Pete S., Mid-Market

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

Which Platform Is Right for Your Business?

Each platform—Lili, Relay, and Rho—has its strengths, catering to different business needs. Lili excels in integrating banking, accounting, and tax services, while Relay offers multiple checking accounts and seamless software integrations.

This is where Rho comes in. We provide robust features like AP automation, real-time corporate spend monitoring, and competitive yields on idle cash. Our transparent pricing and 24/7 customer support ensure your business operations run smoothly and efficiently, 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 streamline your financial management. Get started with Rho today.