Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Mercury vs TaxJar

Mercury logo

Mercury

Accounting

Banking for startups

From
Free
Rated
-
TaxJar logo

TaxJar

Accounting

Sales tax, simplified

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mercury treasury access requires a $250,000 balance held with Mercury; TaxJar both published plans include only 200 orders per month, so higher volume costs more
  • They diverge on capability: Mercury covers Business checking, TaxJar covers Tax calculation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mercury and TaxJar actually diverge.

Attributes where Mercury and TaxJar differ
AttributeMercuryTaxJar
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Api
Founded20192013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Mercury

  • Business checking
  • Savings accounts
  • Virtual cards
  • Team management
  • API access
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • FDIC insured

Only in TaxJar

  • Tax calculation
  • AutoFile returns
  • Economic nexus tracking
  • Exemption certificates
  • Multi-channel support
  • Shopify
  • Amazon
  • WooCommerce

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • SOC 2
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Mercury

  • Business banking and payments for startupsnot TaxJar
  • Managing treasury, invoicing and corporate cards from one accountnot TaxJar

TaxJar

  • Calculating US sales tax at checkoutnot Mercury
  • Reporting sales tax liability by state and jurisdictionnot Mercury
  • Automatically filing state sales tax returnsnot Mercury

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Mercury

  • Treasury access requires a $250,000 balance held with Mercury
  • Non USD international wires carry a 1% conversion fee
  • Choosing OUR wire coding, which covers intermediary bank charges, costs $15 per wire
  • ACH invoicing is $1 per transaction on Mercury Plus and only free on the $299 a month Pro plan
  • Advanced and recurring invoicing require Mercury Plus at $29.90 a month

TaxJar

  • Both published plans include only 200 orders per month, so higher volume costs more
  • The Starter plan at $39 per month allows only 3 data import integrations
  • AutoFile state filings are metered: Starter includes 2 credits a year and each extra filing costs $50, Professional includes 4 and each extra costs $55
  • Real time tax calculation API access requires the Professional plan at $99 per month
  • Phone support, a Customer Success Manager and a dedicated onboarding specialist require the Professional plan
  • The developer sandbox requires the Professional plan
  • The 10% saving requires annual billing

Pricing, plan by plan

Mercury

Free
  • Mercury (Free)Free
    • ACH payments
    • Domestic wires
    • Real-time payments
  • Mercury Plus$29.9/month
    • Invoice ACH debits
    • Recurring invoices
    • Invoicing API (500/month)
  • Mercury Pro$299/month
    • All Plus features
    • Relationship manager
    • Free ACH invoice debits

TaxJar

Free
  • Starter$39/month
    • Up to 200 orders per month
    • 3 data integrations
    • API access included
  • Professional$99/month
    • Up to 200 orders per month
    • 10 total data integrations
    • 10,000 API calls per minute

Which should you pick?

Choose Mercury if

  • You need business checking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want savings accounts.

Choose TaxJar if

  • You need tax calculation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want autofile returns.

Questions people ask

Is Mercury or TaxJar better?
Neither clearly leads. Mercury starts at Free and TaxJar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mercury or TaxJar?
Mercury starts at Free and TaxJar at Free.
Does Mercury or TaxJar run on more platforms?
Mercury runs on Web, Ios, Android. TaxJar runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Mercury for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mercury best used for?
Mercury is most often used for business banking and payments for startups, managing treasury, invoicing and corporate cards from one account. Of those, business banking and payments for startups and managing treasury, invoicing and corporate cards from one account are not what TaxJar is typically brought in for.
What can Mercury do that TaxJar cannot?
Mercury covers Business checking, Savings accounts, Virtual cards, Team management. TaxJar covers Tax calculation, AutoFile returns, Economic nexus tracking, Exemption certificates. Both handle Stripe, SOC 2, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mercury: Is Mercury business banking free?

Mercury's base banking tier is free and includes ACH payments, domestic wire transfers, real-time payments, Bill Pay, and QuickBooks/Xero automations at no monthly cost.

Source
TaxJar: How much does TaxJar cost?

TaxJar pricing starts at $39/month for Starter and $99/month for Professional. Save 10% or more with annual pricing. A 30-day free trial is available.

Source
Mercury: What does Mercury Plus add beyond the free tier?

Mercury Plus costs $29.90 per month and adds invoice ACH debits, recurring invoice capabilities, invoicing API with 500 calls per month, unlimited 1099 filings, and access to partner benefits.

Source
TaxJar: What is the difference between TaxJar Starter and Professional?

Both plans handle up to 200 orders/month, but Professional includes phone support, dedicated success manager, 10 users, and more data integrations and API capacity.

Source
Mercury: Does Mercury charge monthly account fees?

No, Mercury states there are no minimum account balance requirements, overdraft fees, required monthly fees, or account opening fees. The free tier includes essential business banking, with paid tiers available for additional features.

Source
TaxJar: Does TaxJar offer discounts for annual billing?

Yes, TaxJar saves customers 10% or more when paying annually instead of monthly for both Starter and Professional plans.

Source
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