There are a number of benefits you can enjoy if you take ACH payments. Continue reading to discover how accepting ACH payments can benefit you and your business.
ACH Payments Are Convenient
One of the benefits of ACH payments is that they are quite convenient for everyone. If your customers make a one-time ACH payment, they will see that the process is easy and that the money is transferred to you efficiently. However, payees can also choose to set up automatic ACH payments if they so choose. This makes ACH payment services even more convenient, as payees can choose to have payments withdrawn from one of their accounts automatically on a specific day each month.
This is more convenient for your business as well, since you will not have to worry about handling checks and spending time manually reviewing each one. ACH payments also eliminate the need to maintain a ledger and endorse all checks. Since ACH payments are totally digital, you don’t have to deposit any paper checks at your local bank, either. Customers also enjoy various ACH benefits, such as avoiding the need to fill out paper checks and eliminating the requirement to insert them into an envelope before mailing. Customers don’t have to venture out to the local post office regularly to mail checks, either.
ACH Payments Are Secure
Naturally, there is no form of payment that is completely safe and totally protected from fraud at all times. However, the data show that fraud affects paper checks the most, far more than ACH payments. We understand that customers and businesses alike sometimes worry about the security and safety of their various digital accounts.
The security measures for digital checks have continually improved over time, while we cannot say the same for paper checks. Paper checks still include both the routing number and the account number. Furthermore, many people still handle paper checks as they are passed from the sender to the recipient.
ACH Payments Are Fast
Paper checks can often take several days to be sent out, received, processed, and posted. Many consumers and businesses alike don’t view waiting for long periods as acceptable. Another benefit of ACH payments is that they occur in seconds. This benefits both the party receiving payment and the party making the payment. Both can rest assured that the transaction will happen in a timely manner.
ACH Payments Are More Accurate
We all realize that people make mistakes. Sometimes, people enter incorrect numbers when inputting data into a database or spreadsheet. At other times, people could miss an envelope because it fell into an obscure corner somewhere. Regardless of the circumstances, these types of mistakes can cause significant problems for customers and the organizations that serve them.
As ACH payment processing becomes increasingly digital, the number of errors decreases accordingly. Fewer errors also means that you can spend more time on other tasks rather than on figuring out problems and working to resolve them.
ACH Payments Cost Less
If businesses accept debit or credit cards, they realize that they will incur processing fees as a result. Naturally, you have to pay fees when you accept ACH payments, too. However, this does not mean that paper checks are the cheapest method of accepting payments. ACH payment services are the most cost-effective method you can use to accept payments when you consider the amount of time and labor necessary to process paper checks.
ACH Payments Improve Your Cash Flow
If you make it more convenient for people to pay, people are more likely to make their payments. This added convenience also makes it more likely that people will make their payments on time since ACH payment processing is not a hassle for anyone. ACH payments simplify the process of people making payments. As a result, your revenue stream is both more reliable and consistent, as payments can be made easily.
ACH Payments Work Well for Subscription-Based Businesses
ACH payments may be a suitable option for your business if it operates on a subscription-based model. If your company uses a subscription-based model, you are likely familiar with the challenges that come with this model, such as high payment processing costs. The primary reason you may encounter high payment processing costs is that your business handles a large number of recurring transactions each month. Another common problem is that your customers may forget to pay their bills on time. Missed payments can cause other issues, such as problems with your cash flow and unpaid invoices.
Lower payment processing costs are a significant benefit of ACH payments. Since ACH payments are an extremely cost-effective payment method, this helps decrease your payment processing costs. These savings can accumulate and significantly help your business’s bottom line. ACH payments also benefit your customers because they won’t have to remember to pay each bill. Recurring ACH payments ensure that the customers pay the bill on time, and you won’t have to contact your customers about late payments, either.
ACH Payments Are a Popular Payment Method
The use of checks declined from nearly 40 billion transactions in 2003 to less than 20 billion by 2012. Conversely, ACH payments increased by 5.1% annually from 2009 to 2012. One reason customers may prefer ACH over paper checks is that they can rest assured of on-time bill payments if they sign up for recurring ACH payments.
The security of ACH payments also helps customers feel more confident about paying for goods and services. Customers are more likely to pay for goods or services from you if you let them pay you via ACH payments. Customers feel more comfortable making payments when you offer them convenient and secure payment options. It is also worth noting that offering customers a variety of payment options could help you attract more customers in the first place.
ACH Payments Let Customers Pay on the Go
When discussing the benefits of ACH payments, it is essential to note that ACH payments enable customers to pay their bills remotely and securely. Credit cards do allow customers to make online payments and even pay over the phone. However, some customers might not want to provide their credit card information.
For these customers, ACH payment processing is a suitable alternative that still allows them to pay remotely, just as they did before. Additionally, some of your customers simply might not have a credit card at all. Customers without credit cards can use ACH payments to make payments without any problems.
ACH Payments Can Improve Customer Relations
An improvement in the relationship between your business and your customers is one of the ACH benefits that is often overlooked. Since customers won’t have to worry about paying bills on time, thanks to recurring ACH payments, it removes some tension from the interactions between your business and your customers. Additionally, if you reach out to customers about late or missed payments, it can sometimes lead to negative interactions. ACH payments eliminate all of those potential problems.
Now, we’d like to hear your thoughts. What benefit seems most useful to you? Leave us a comment, and begin the discussion. For digital check services, browse our website to learn more.
Last updated: September 2025