Setting up ACH payments isn’t complicated, but the right path depends on your business type, your existing software, and who you’re collecting from. For some industries, like high-risk industries, ACH serves as the primary payment method due to regulatory restrictions that limit access to traditional card networks. Here’s what you need to know.
What You Actually Need to Get Started
To accept ACH payments, you need three things: a merchant account, a payment gateway or platform that supports ACH, and a way to collect customer bank account information securely. In most cases, your payment processor handles all of this and connects it to whatever software you’re already using.
The setup process generally looks like this:
- Apply for a merchant account with a processor that supports ACH
- Choose a gateway or platform (more on this below)
- Set up your authorization process so customers can securely provide their bank details
- Run a test transaction before going live
Most businesses are up and running within a few days of approval. If you’d like us to elaborate on this process, we’d be happy to help. Just give us a call at 651-628-4000 or connect with us online.
How Long Do ACH Payments Take to Process?
Standard ACH transactions take one to three business days to settle. Same-day ACH is available for an additional fee and settles within the same business day if submitted before the cutoff window. Weekends and federal holidays do not count as processing days, so timing your batches around those helps avoid delays.
Returns, when they occur, typically appear within two to three business days. That’s worth factoring in if you’re running recurring billing or high-volume collections.
Which Platform Makes Sense for Your Business?
The right tool depends on how your business already operates.
accept.blue is a strong fit for businesses that want a full-featured gateway with ACH built in. It handles electronic invoicing, recurring billing, and a customer vault alongside card processing, and it integrates with QuickBooks, NetSuite, and several other platforms. If you’re looking to offer both card and ACH from a single gateway, accept.blue covers both cleanly.
Hyfin:If you’re a QuickBooks shop looking to give customers more ways to pay without eating card fees, take a look at Hyfin. It lets customers choose between paying by card or ACH/direct debit at checkout, and every transaction flows straight back into QuickBooks, no manual reconciliation, no re-keying invoices. On top of that, Hyfin’s dual pricing option shifts card processing costs onto the card-paying customer, so businesses that bill on terms can offer ACH as the low-cost default while still accepting cards without absorbing the fee.
Biller Genie is worth considering if your business runs on QuickBooks and you want ACH to fit directly into your accounts receivable workflow. Invoices go out, payments come in, and everything reconciles automatically inside QuickBooks without manual entry. It’s built for businesses that bill on terms and want ACH to be part of a streamlined collections process.
Greencard is built for cannabis operators that need ACH designed around the compliance requirements of the industry. It operates as a bank-to-bank payment solution with a clear audit trail built in, making it a practical fit for dispensaries and cannabis businesses that need a reliable, compliant way to collect payments without relying on card networks.
Does Your Industry Change the Setup?
Yes, and it’s worth knowing upfront. Standard ACH setup works well for most businesses, but certain industries require a more specialized approach.
Cannabis businesses, for example, can’t access traditional card networks and need ACH solutions built specifically for their compliance environment. Greencard, which Evolve Payment works with, is designed for exactly this: bank-to-bank ACH payments with a clear compliance framework built in, not bolted on.
Other high-risk industries, including certain e-commerce verticals, subscription businesses, and regulated industries, may also face underwriting restrictions that affect which processors will approve ACH on standard terms. If your business operates in a complex or regulated space, it’s worth working with a processor familiar with your industry before assuming a standard ACH setup will go through without issue.
Ready to Get Started With ACH Payments?
Evolve Payment can walk you through the right ACH setup for your business, whether that’s a straightforward gateway integration or something built for a more complex environment. Connect with our team to learn more.