What is an eCheck (ACH payment)?
An eCheck is an electronic version of a paper check: it moves money directly from a customer's bank account to a business's bank account over the ACH network, instead of running through a card network. No card, no card fee. It usually costs less to accept than a credit or debit card and it usually takes longer to land, typically one to three business days.
How an eCheck payment actually moves
A customer gives their bank routing number and account number, either typed in directly or connected through their online banking. The business submits that as an ACH debit request. The request goes into a batch that runs through the ACH network, usually once or a few times a day, and the bank on the other end either approves it or returns it. If it clears, the money lands in the business's account, typically one to three business days after the request went in.
That batch-and-settle process is the whole reason ACH is slower than a card swipe. A card authorization checks the account in real time and reserves the funds instantly. An eCheck doesn't get that real-time check; it just gets submitted and waits to see if the bank honors it.
eCheck vs. credit card: the real tradeoffs
Cost is the first difference. Card processing runs on interchange plus markup, which scales with the transaction amount, so a card fee on a $5,000 invoice can run well over $100. ACH pricing is typically a flat fee regardless of the amount, so on larger tickets it is almost always cheaper. See how card processing rates are actually calculated for the comparison in dollar terms.
Speed and risk run the other way. A card is authorized and, barring a chargeback, the money is close to guaranteed. An ACH debit can still bounce days later for insufficient funds, a closed account, or a stopped payment, and getting that money back once it's gone is harder than a card dispute. That's why ACH tends to fit businesses that already have a billing relationship with the customer, rather than one-time retail sales to strangers.
A lot of businesses run both: cards at the counter or for one-time purchases, ACH for invoices, memberships, and recurring billing where the lower cost adds up over volume and time.
Where this fits with the rest of your payment setup
If card fees are the bigger line item on your statement, adding ACH as an option for larger invoices is one lever. Dual pricing and surcharging are others, and which combination makes sense depends on your actual mix of card size, customer type, and how you invoice today. We read the statement, not guess at it.
Send one recent statement for a free rate analysis and we'll tell you plainly whether ACH, a surcharge or dual pricing program, or some combination is worth setting up for your business.
Fair questions
What does eCheck actually stand for?
It's short for “electronic check.” There's no paper involved. A customer enters their bank routing and account number (or connects their bank account online), and the payment moves through the ACH network, the same rail direct deposit and most bill pay uses.
Is an eCheck the same thing as ACH?
Practically, yes. “eCheck” is the consumer-facing name for a one-time ACH debit pulled from a bank account. “ACH” is the broader term for the network itself, which also handles payroll, recurring bill pay, and business-to-business transfers.
Why is an eCheck cheaper than a card?
Card transactions carry interchange, the per-transaction fee card networks and issuing banks charge, which usually runs somewhere around 2-3% depending on the card. ACH pricing is typically a flat fee per transaction, often under a dollar, because there's no card network in the middle taking a cut. On a large invoice, that difference is real money.
What's the downside of taking eChecks?
Speed and certainty. A card authorizes in seconds; an eCheck usually takes one to three business days to fully clear, and it can still bounce for insufficient funds or a closed account after it looked fine. Businesses that need same-day certainty, or that sell to walk-in customers, usually lean on cards or dual pricing instead. Businesses billing invoices, membership dues, or recurring B2B payments often prefer ACH for the lower cost.
Who should be taking eChecks?
Businesses with recurring billing, larger B2B invoices, or membership and subscription models, where the cost savings on volume outweigh the slower settlement. It's less common at a retail counter, where a customer expects to pay and leave in one step.
How does a Washington business start accepting eChecks?
Most modern payment setups can add ACH alongside card acceptance, so the customer or biller picks the option that fits. We set up ACH/eCheck acceptance as part of a full payment stack, and if card fees are the bigger cost on your statement, a free rate analysis shows what switching some of that volume to ACH, or lowering the card fees themselves, is actually worth.
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