What is an ACH bank transfer?
An ACH (Automated Clearing House) transfer moves money directly from your customer's bank account to yours. No Visa or Mastercard, no interchange, no card-brand fees. It is the same network that runs direct deposit and most bill pay in the United States.
For a small business, ACH is the cheapest way to get paid on anything with a real invoice attached: contracts, monthly service plans, larger jobs, B2B work.
How much does ACH cost compared to a card?
A typical card payment on a retail flat-rate plan costs 2.9% plus 30 cents. On a $5,000 invoice that is about $145.
With Zend Blue ACH the fee is 0.9% or $0.50 per transfer, whichever is greater, and the fee is capped at $1,000 per transfer. That same $5,000 invoice costs $45. A $20,000 invoice costs $180. A $200,000 transfer costs $1,000, not $1,800, because of the cap.
The cap is the part most processors do not offer. Once a transfer is large enough that 0.9% would exceed $1,000, you simply pay $1,000 and keep the rest.
When should you use ACH instead of cards?
- Invoices over roughly $500 where the percentage savings are meaningful
- Recurring plans — maintenance agreements, retainers, monthly service
- B2B customers who already pay vendors by bank transfer
- Large one-time jobs where a card fee would eat a real chunk of margin
Keep cards for walk-in retail, tips, and customers who want rewards points.
How long do ACH funds take to arrive?
Zend Blue ACH transfers settle in 24 to 48 hours. That is slower than a card (which is usually next business day) but far cheaper, and predictable enough to plan around.
Do ACH payments have chargebacks?
Not in the card sense. A customer can dispute an unauthorized debit with their bank, so we verify bank ownership up front (through Plaid) before a transfer is ever pulled. Authorized business payments rarely come back.
Is there a minimum fee?
Yes, $0.50 per transfer. Below about $55 the $0.50 minimum is more than 0.9%, so for very small amounts cards or the minimum fee are roughly equal. ACH shines from there up.
How do I start taking ACH payments?
Turn it on in your Zend Blue invoice settings. Customers see a "Pay by bank" option next to the card button, connect their bank in a few taps, and you get paid at the ACH rate. No new hardware, no separate account. Text 580-910-9100 and we will switch it on with you.
A worked example: one month of invoices
Say a landscaping company bills $38,000 a month across 40 invoices, average $950. On a 2.9% + 30¢ card plan that is roughly $1,114 in fees. Move the 25 invoices over $500 (about $31,000 of the volume) to ACH at 0.9% and keep the small ones on cards:
- ACH portion: $31,000 × 0.9% = $279
- Card portion: $7,000 × 2.9% + 15 × $0.30 ≈ $208
- New total: about $487 — roughly $627 saved every month, $7,500 a year
The business changed nothing about how it works. It added a "Pay by bank" button to its invoices.
Mistakes to avoid with ACH
- Pulling money before the bank is verified. Always verify account ownership first; it is what keeps returns near zero.
- Using ACH for tiny amounts. Under about $55 the $0.50 minimum is the whole fee; cards are fine there.
- Not telling the customer how long it takes. Set the 24–48 hour expectation on the invoice so nobody thinks it failed.
- Treating ACH like a wire. Wires are same-day and cost $15–$35 each; ACH is cheaper and slower. Use each for what it is good at.
The short version
Cards for small, fast, walk-in sales. ACH for invoices, contracts, and anything big. With a $1,000 fee cap, the larger the transfer, the better ACH gets. Most service businesses cut their total payment cost by a third or more just by offering both.