HEVN U.S. gives eligible companies in 100+ countries access to USD banking through U.S. sponsor banks — receiving USD via Fedwire, holding USD, paying U.S. counterparties, and settling SWIFT payments. It's paid only: Basic starts at $25/month (up to $50k monthly volume), Pro is $89/month (up to $250k), and Enterprise is custom for $1M+ — there is no free tier. Below are alternatives that offer a real free tier or are free entirely.
Comparison
| Product | Free tier | Starts at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| VaultLeap | Yes | $14.99/mo (Pro) | Non-US founders locked out of Mercury-type accounts |
| Multi-Currency Business Account (Payset) | Yes | Not stated (per-transaction fees) | Businesses that want free account opening, pay only per transfer |
| OURPAY | Yes | $20/mo (Pro) | Sellers who want free start with per-transaction fees |
| Monet | Yes | $0/mo | Getting paid in USD with optional paid add-ons |
| Banking Access Index | Yes (fully free) | Free | Researching which US banks accept your country before applying anywhere |
VaultLeap
VaultLeap offers USD, EUR, and MXN accounts with real ACH routing numbers, built specifically for founders who can't get a US bank account through providers like Mercury. It suits early-stage founders outside the US who've been cut off from mainstream neobanks. The free Standard tier charges 0.75% on transfers; Pro is $14.99/month (or earned free via $1K+/month card spend) at 0.45%; a Zero tier waives fees entirely up to $40k/month with a $4k+ balance requirement. Visa cards are still "coming soon," so card-based spending isn't available yet.
Multi-Currency Business Account (Payset)
Payset's Multi-Currency Business Account is free to open and free to hold monthly, with fees applied only per transaction — receiving from £2, sending from £2, plus currency conversion charges. This suits businesses that want to avoid subscription costs and only pay when they actually move money. It's a good fit for lower-volume or occasional international payers. The limitation: since fees are charged per transaction rather than bundled, frequent transfers could add up faster than a flat monthly plan.
OURPAY
OURPAY is built for sellers who want same-day settlement on global sales. Its Starter plan is free apart from a 50¢ per-transaction fee, making it usable at no monthly cost for low-volume sellers. Pro, at $20/month, adds 3.80% + 40¢ per transaction, with higher tiers at $100 and $400/month, plus a Startup program offering a discounted Scale plan. It suits sellers scaling past a free tier who need faster settlement, though the per-transaction percentage on paid tiers is notably higher than flat-fee competitors.
Monet
Monet focuses on getting paid in USD and sending money anywhere, with free account creation and issuance. Transfers and optional features — including expedited transfers and out-of-network transactions — carry per-transaction fees, but the base account itself costs $0/month. This suits individuals or small businesses that mainly need occasional USD receipt and transfer without a recurring bill. The tradeoff is that "free" only covers the account itself; anyone using expedited or out-of-network features will pay per use, and those fees aren't fully detailed.
Banking Access Index
This isn't a banking account — it's a free, CC-BY 4.0 dataset comparing 19 US business banking providers across 8 countries of residence, with 239 verified claims on which accept non-resident LLC founders. It suits founders who want to research options (including HEVN U.S. and every alternative above) before applying anywhere, since it's downloadable as CSV/JSON with no signup. The obvious limitation: it's a comparison resource, not a product you can bank with, so you'll still need to apply to a provider it points you toward.
How to choose
If you need an actual USD account today, start with VaultLeap, Payset, OURPAY, or Monet based on whether you prefer flat monthly pricing (VaultLeap, OURPAY Pro) or pure per-transaction fees (Payset, Monet, OURPAY Starter). If you're not sure which US bank will even accept your country of residence, check the Banking Access Index first — it's free and can save an application.
FAQ
Does HEVN U.S. have any free option? No, all three plans (Basic, Pro, Enterprise) are paid, starting at $25/month.
Which alternative is cheapest for low volume? Payset and Monet charge no monthly fee, only per-transaction costs, which suits infrequent transfers best.
Is the Banking Access Index a substitute for a bank account? No, it's a free dataset for research, not an account you can hold funds in.