Bookkeeping

ACH Payment Processing for Small Business in the USA: Best in 2025

By October 16, 2020April 3rd, 2025No Comments

best way to accept ach payments

The average time to move and settle standard ACH payments is approximately two to five business days, but it can take up to 10 depending on the bank. For example, Finix’s default timeframe for settling ACH direct debits is 5 business days or T+5. This timeline starts at the date of the transaction and ends when the money is added to the seller’s account and provides ample time for payments to clear.

  • The Federal Reserve Wire Network, not NACHA’s centralized network, routes wire transfers.
  • However, it has add-on invoicing and recurring billing rates, around 0.4% to 0.8%.
  • The site says that $0.48 is the minimum fee per transaction but doesn’t give the whole range.
  • Credit and debit card payments have grown steadily in recent years, now representing more than 60% of overall consumer payments.
  • You can receive wire transfers from international customers, but in most cases, you can’t use ACH if your client doesn’t have a U.S. bank account.
  • Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.

Customer reviews

  • PaymentCloud earned an overall score of 4 out of 5 in our evaluation.
  • If your business is a retail store that handles many cash and credit card transactions, ACH may not help you.
  • The requirements cover security, identity verification, and customer authorization.
  • As attractive as the pricing is from National Processing, be aware of the terms.
  • Enter the relevant payment details, including the customer’s bank account information, payment amount, and transaction frequency, to initiate the transfer of funds securely.
  • Bank-to-bank transfers initiated by your client could be free or very low-cost.
  • Zelle makes the money available immediately in the recipient’s account and settles the transfer later with ACH.

It’s a centralized payment processing network used by banks, credit unions, and other institutions to send and receive money. ACH is administered by the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), an independent organization owned by its member institutions (banks, credit unions and payment processors). ACH is an electronic network that banks and other financial institutions use to process payments electronically.

best way to accept ach payments

Troubleshooting the ACH process

But you’ll probably want to accept online payments for all the opportunities and convenience they add to your business. You can make it easy for clients to pay for your services by using an invoicing platform that enables one-click payments right from their email. This means any transaction above $1,150 will have a flat processing fee of $6. However, if your business often processes transaction amounts lower than $50, Square is a less costly option. Stax doesn’t say a whole lot about its ACH processing on its website, but it does have an incredibly low ACH processing fee.

R03: No bank account/unable to locate account

  • Using ACH payment processing can be an excellent solution for many businesses.
  • For transactions deemed low-risk, businesses can choose to immediately grant access to funds.
  • An ACH discount can look different for every business, but it should be uniform for all customers or for those in similar tiers, such as B2B vs. B2C.
  • They’re also more flexible as they can be initiated by either the payer or the payee, depending on the nature of the transaction.
  • Let us help your business find the best tools and solutions to thrive and grow.
  • ACH direct debit, also known as ‘auto-pay’, offers a simple and cost-effective option for recurring payments.

This indicates that a bank doesn’t allow you to make an ACH withdrawal from that specific bank account. Your customer will assets = liabilities + equity need to provide the bank with your ACH Originator ID in order to enable ACH withdrawals from your company. This code indicates that something about the customer’s account doesn’t match the bank records. This can happen when bank account numbers are given or recorded incorrectly. When this happens, you’ll have to double-check your customer’s account number and routing number to ensure that your bank accounts are connected. Learn about SaaS business credit cards with no credit requirements.

To remedy this, some ACH solutions—including Plaid Transfer—have “balance check” tools. These ensure the customer has enough funds in their account to cover the transaction. Otherwise, businesses risk sending goods without payment and customers risk incurring unintended fees. If you already accept credit cards, you may be able to use your credit card processor to accept ACH payments.

Cost of Accepting ACH Payments

National Processing also excels in customer service, which we’ve found to be a virtual accountant critical feature for any merchant services provider. Stax also charges an additional monthly fee to add ACH processing to your account, but unfortunately does not list the pricing for this add-on. Developers can easily create custom checkouts with Stripe as the payment processor. Businesses that have had trouble getting approval from other merchant service providers may find it easier to get an account with Merchant One. Almost any small business could benefit from using Payment Depot for ACH payment processing thanks to its low rate and cap per ACH payment. Dozens of payment platforms facilitate ACH payments for payers and payees.

But some ACH payment processing systems allow individuals to transfer money from one bank account to another. If you’ve ever sent someone money using an app such as Venmo or Zelle, you’ve been making a direct ACH payment. Whatever the method of authorization, it should also include relevant payment details, including the bank name, account type, account number, routing number, and customer name. Account information can be verified using tools like microdeposits, ensuring the account details are correct before taking a larger payment. Fees for ACH payments are normally around 1% when charged as a percentage of the transaction.

best way to accept ach payments

How To Initiate an ACH Transfer

best way to accept ach payments

Use a rent payment platform such as Avail to let tenants pay online through a bank transfer, and get the money deposited automatically into your account. Neither you nor your tenants want to bear the fees that accompany a credit card payment for several hundred or thousands of dollars, and cash and checks are outdated, slow and inconvenient. With Airwallex, you can open a USD account and transact like a local, saving you time and money. This streamlined approach ensures smoother financial operations and better control over your global transactions. In recent years, fintech companies have made it possible for global businesses to use local payment networks like ACH without a physical presence in the country. For example, Airwallex can provide access to local payment systems through its platform, allowing you to receive and send money as if you were operating from that country.

How are ACH payments different from wire transfers?

Most processors charge a percentage per ACH transaction plus a flat fee. They usually cap prices so you aren’t hit with super high expenses on large product or service payments. Credit and debit card processing is expensive and getting more so all the time. Although based on an older (and slower) payments network, ACH payment processing offers a convenient and more affordable way best way to accept ach payments for your customers to pay you. While both ACH and wire transfers enable money transfers directly between bank accounts, they are different payment methods. Though generally more expensive and less versatile, wire transfers can be used to send money across borders and send money at any time of day.

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