ACH stands for “automated clearing house.” The ACH network is an electronic network used to move money between bank accounts throughout the US. For businesses, the choice to make an ACH payment is the easiest way to collect debit payments from customers and minimize both transaction costs and payment failure rates.

In this blog, we’ll discuss how to make an ACH payment and what you can do to streamline the process.

How to Make an ACH Transfer for Your Business

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Wondering how to set up an online ACH payment to send or receive money?

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 Here’s our quick guide:

●  Collect customer bank account information. Whether you’re accepting payment from your customer or acting as a vendor, compiling bank account information is the first step in any ACH payment. The best, most secure way to collect bank routing and account numbers is to use a third-party platform like Plaid, which keeps sensitive bank information secure and prevents exposure of account and routing numbers.

●  Enter payment information. If you’re sending a payment, enter the payment amount into your ACH platform. Double-check the payment amount and date to prevent mistakes. If you’re receiving a payment, create and send a payment link to your customer.

●  Schedule the payment. Once you’ve entered your bank and payment information, you’ll need to schedule the payment for processing. Depending on the platform you’re using, you may pay a fee to receive the ACH transfer. Alternatively, you’ll pay a flat fee to use the software rather than paying a per-transaction fee.

●  Receive the payment. Today, most ACH payments take about 1-2 business days to process. If you use a platform like Seamless Chex, though, you can enjoy same- or next-day funding, which helps you get paid faster and avoid waiting forever for paper checks to arrive.  

While ACH payments are useful for businesses, individuals also use them to pay bills online via a bank account or to send money to family and friends via social payment apps like Zelle and Venmo.

ACH Transfers vs. Wire Transfers

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ACH and wire transfers may seem similar. After all, they’re both types of electronic fund transfers or EFTs. Despite their similarity, though, they’re very different types of transfers.

While wire transfers occur instantaneously, ACH payments can take several days to fully process. ACH payments are often free or facilitated for a minimal fee, while wire transfers are expensive - with fees of up to $30 or more per transfer.

Finally, ACH payments are safer and more secure than wire transfers since there’s no human element in an ACH payment, which can lead to avoidable manual errors. Additionally, ACH transfers are more versatile. Businesses can make an ACH payment and request payment via ACH, while wire transfers are only sendable.

Do All Banks Accept ACH Payments?

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Generally, yes. Banks must be members of the Automated Clearing House network to accept and send ACH payments, but most banks in the US, UK, and Europe are part of said network. If you’re banking with an institution within the US, your bank likely accepts ACH payments.

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Seamless Chex: The Easiest Way to Make an ACH Payment

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If you’re looking for a secure, simple way to make ACH payments as a business, Seamless Chex is here for you. Offering 99% approval rates, same- or next-day funding, and verification features to increase security and reduce payment failure, we’re here to help you master ACH payments.