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ACH & payouts
Flat-fee ACH. Not a percentage.
Tuition, dues, invoices and B2B bills move bank to bank for a flat per-item fee instead of a percentage. The business decides whether the payer covers it. On a $5,000 invoice, the fee is the same as on a $500 one.
Flat per-item feeRecurring and installment plansAutomatic retries on returnsVendor and contractor payouts
Pay by cardA percentage of $5,000Pay by ACHOne flat per-item feeWho covers the ACH feeThe business decidesDoes the fee grow with the invoice?Card: yes · ACH: no
Illustrative. Exact fees are in your agreement and on your statement.
What ACH is for
The right rail for big and regular payments
Cards are built for a $40 ticket at the counter. ACH is built for a $5,000 invoice or a $1,200 tuition installment. Our platform routes each payment to the rail that fits.
TuitionTen monthly installments from a parent's bank account, with a card on file as backup. The workhorse of our school editions.
Dues and membershipsShul dues, gym memberships and association fees drafted on the first of the month without a card expiring.
InvoicesEvery invoice carries a pay-by-bank button next to the card button. Customers pick; most pick the flat fee.
B2BCaterers, contractors and wholesalers collecting four- and five-figure bills without handing a percentage to the networks.
Collections
Set the plan once. The platform does the rest.
Recurring ACHWeekly, monthly, by semester or a custom schedule. Each draft posts to the customer's ledger and your accounting the day it settles.
Returned paymentsThe processor's return fee passes through at cost, with two automatic retries. The payer gets a text with a link to update their bank details. You see what recovered.
Who covers the fee is your callThe business decides whether the payer covers it. By default it shows as a flat convenience fee; absorb it for a program, a customer or a single invoice when you prefer.
Accounts verified at setupBank details are checked when the payer enrolls, which cuts returns and typos before the first draft ever runs.
Money out
Paying people and vendors from the same place
Money that comes in by ACH goes out the same way: to vendors, to contractors and to staff, from the same dashboard.
Vendor and contractor payoutsPay suppliers, landlords and 1099 contractors by ACH credit from the dashboard. Schedule them, approve them from your phone, and reconcile them against the bill.
PayrollW-2 staff and 1099 contractors paid by direct deposit, taxes filed, forms issued, on the same login as your payments, through our payroll partner. See payroll.
Reserve sub-accountsSet aside payroll tax or a security deposit as each deposit lands, as part of business banking, provided through our partner bank.
The math
One invoice, two kinds of fee
A card fee is a percentage of the invoice, so it grows with the invoice. An ACH fee is a flat amount per item, so it does not. The difference compounds every month.
A percentage on a cardThe fee scales with the ticket and comes out of your margin. On a five-figure invoice that is real money.
A flat fee by ACHThe same per-item fee on a $500 invoice and a $50,000 invoice, covered by the payer by default if you choose.
Your numbers, not oursSend a statement and tell us which payments could move to ACH. We show the math for your mix within one business day.
Cards where customers expect them. ACH where the ticket is big.
Pair ACH with a compliant zero-cost card program and processing stops being a line on your P&L. See how zero-cost processing works.
FAQ
Questions about ACH
How long does an ACH payment take?
An ACH debit typically settles in a few business days; the exact window is set by the bank network and confirmed at approval. The invoice shows as pending the moment the payer approves it and paid when the funds settle, so your records are never ahead of your bank.
Who pays the ACH fee?
The business decides whether the payer covers it. By default it appears as a flat convenience fee on the invoice or tuition plan; a business or institution can choose to absorb it instead, per program or per invoice. Either way it is a flat per-item fee, not a percentage.
What happens if an ACH payment is returned?
The platform flags the return (insufficient funds, closed account, stopped payment) and texts the payer a link to fix the bank details. The processor's return fee passes through at cost, with two automatic retries. You see every return and every recovery in one report. Verifying accounts at setup cuts returns sharply.
Can I pay vendors and contractors by ACH?
Yes. Payouts by ACH credit run from the dashboard: you schedule them, approve them from your phone and reconcile them against the bill. Full 1099 payroll with year-end forms runs on the same login.
Can I run payroll through Merch FinTech?
Yes. Payroll runs through our payroll partner: W-2 staff and 1099 contractors paid by direct deposit, taxes filed, forms issued, on the same login as your payments. Get started on the payroll page.
Is ACH always cheaper than a card?
For large tickets, usually. ACH is a flat per-item fee, not a percentage, so the saving grows with the ticket. Cards still make sense where customers expect them or want rewards; many businesses offer both and let the customer choose. Send a statement and we show the math for your mix.
Move the big payments to a flat fee.
Tell us what you collect and how. We will show which payments belong on ACH and what that changes in a year.
305-954-7362 · hello@merchfintech.com