Top ACH payment processors for small businesses

Types of ACH Merchant Services

There are several ways that merchants can accept direct electronic payments over the ACH Network. The most common ACH processing solutions are are:

• Standalone ACH processor — These providers are for businesses that don’t accept credit card payments (such as cannabis companies) and only need ACH or eCheck processing services. 
• Merchant services provider (MSP) — If you use a company to manage your debit and credit card processing, the MSP will probably offer an ACH processing service, either included in your plan or as an add-on. 
• Payment service provider (PSP) — A PSP works by making a merchant account on behalf of many merchants as an aggregator. This way, your business doesn’t need to be underwritten separately for a dedicated merchant account in order to process ACH or credit card payments. 
• High-risk processor — There are several industries that have high chargeback rates, which makes them high risk for payment processing services. A high-risk processor is made specifically for these industries and will provide added protection for ACH transactions in terms of fraud prevention and anti-chargeback features. 

What to look for in ACH Merchant Services

Before you sign up with an ACH merchant services provider, there are a few things you want to consider. The best ACH payment processing service will meet your business’s needs while being cost-effective and easy to use.

Cost of ACH processing

Pricing is something that all business owners want to take into account when finding the right ACH payment solution. ACH processors can charge a number of processing fees, from a monthly fee of $15-$30 to a percentage or flat fee per transaction. Some may also charge a set-up fee, plus fees for declined ACH transfers or disputed transactions. It’s a good idea to check for processing rates. If you already have a credit card processing company that handles other electronic payment methods for you, it may include ACH processing at no additional cost. Be aware that your ACH transaction fee should generally be lower than your credit card transaction fee. 

Ease of use 

As with other payment processing methods, ideally you’ll be able to set it and forget it. You want to make sure that the solution you choose has all the functionality you need, like the ability to accept both one-time ACH payments and recurring payments and bank transfers. Access to payment gateways and virtual terminals so that you can manually input ACH transfers are both important. And if you’re an ecommerce business, you’ll probably want features like an integrated shopping cart or website services. Customer service is particularly important in case you have an issue with recurring billing or chargebacks. The right tool for your business will also give you reporting features so you can analyze your revenue.

Integrations with business software

The best ACH merchant services solutions will work with your other business software, especially your point of sale (POS) system, so you can accept payments directly. In fact, many ACH processing services are included in POS systems. You’ll also want a system with a good application programming interface (API), which will allow you to work with other computer systems, such as those at the financial institutions involved in the transactions. Ideally your system will integrate with your accounting software, such as QuickBooks, so you sync up your accounting and bookkeeping with your sales and payments. 

Data security and safety

As with any type of payment that takes personal information, whether it’s online payments or in-person, you need to make sure that your ACH transfer management solution keeps your customers’ data (and yours!) safe and secure. The best ACH processors will be compliant with standards like the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and guidelines set forth by the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA). 

How to set up ACH billing and payment processing

Setting up payment processing solutions can be simple with the right payment processing service. There are a few basic steps you’ll need to follow:

1. Set up your merchant bank account, which will be your ACH account (find out more about business checking accounts here).
2. Select your ACH payment processor (this can also be your credit card processor).
3. Apply and fill out any necessary paperwork.
4. Determine what types of ACH payments you’ll be using (eCheck, paper check conversion, web, telephone) and their entry classes.
5. Carefully review all ACH terms and conditions.

Your bank or financial institution may provide ACH payment processing services as part of your business bank account, so you may be able to receive direct deposits without having to do much set up. 

Best ACH payment processing services

The top ACH payment processing services will meet your business needs. Check out a few of these for ideas.

Pilothouse Payments

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Chase Payment Solutions℠

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Chase Payment Solutions℠

Limited time offer: Get $100 off the Chase Point of Sale (POS)℠ Terminal. Fill out the form and ask a Payments Advisor how to claim.¹ Fast funding at no additional cost. Get deposits as soon as same day.² Get fair and transparent pricing with no hidden fees. 2.6% rate +10¢ per tap, dip and swiped transaction. 2.90% + 25¢ per eCommerce transaction and monthly fee starting at $9.95. 3.5% rate +10¢ per keyed transaction.³ Trusted security – As technology advances, our industry-leading systems help keep your payments and customers safe. Get paid fast and manage your business from anywhere with the Chase Point of Sale system. Use our mobile app, reader and terminal to take payments via tap, dip and swipe.⁴ Process payments with Chase Payment Solutions, the #1 merchant acquirer in the U.S.⁵ Tap to Pay on iPhone offers you the ability to accept contactless cards, Apple Pay and other digital wallets on your iPhone – no additional hardware required.⁵ Chase Customer Insights is a complimentary business intelligence platform that offers simple, actionable analytics and reports to help you make better business decisions and reach more customers.⁶ Chase Customer Insights is a complimentary business intelligence platform that offers simple, actionable analytics and reports to help you make better business decisions and reach more customers.⁷ ¹This offer is for $100 off the purchase price of a Chase Point of Sale (POS)SM Terminal. Promotion available for approved Chase Payment Solutions℠ customers only. The offer is valid through 11:59pm PT on December 31, 2024. Limit one per business relationship, regardless of the number of business locations. Not redeemable for cash (cash value = $0.00) and may not be applied to previous purchases, exchanges or returns. Employees of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and our affiliates are not eligible. Offer not valid with any other offer and subject to change without notice. Use promo code CHASEPOS at checkout on the Chase Payment Solutions Equipment website powered by Maxwell. ²Payments processed, approved, and completed by 5:00 PM Pacific Time (PT) / 8 PM Eastern Time (ET) are eligible for same-day deposits, 6 days a week, excluding Saturdays. In addition, all QuickAccept® deposits are subject to the QuickAccept Terms of Service. Payments held for risk, fraud, or other review may not be eligible for same-day deposits. Payments processed, approved and completed by 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET, Sunday through Friday (including holidays), will be deposited into the business owner's Chase business checking account that night. All payments processed, approved and completed by 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET on Saturdays will be deposited into the business owner's Chase business checking account Sunday morning by 7:30 AM ET. There is no additional cost for same-day deposits, but standard rates and fees will apply for business checking and payment processing. Customers qualify for same-day deposits upon sign-up and depositing into a Chase business checking account. Same-day deposits are available in the U.S. only. Additional exclusions may apply. ³Rate Information: Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, and Chase Transactions involving physical Credit and Signature Debit cards will be assessed 2.6% discount rate and $0.10 per tap, dip or swiped transaction, and 3.5% discount rate and $0.10 per keyed transaction. PIN Debit, EBT Transactions and E-commerce transactions are excluded. Not all businesses may qualify, talk to a payment specialist for more details. ⁴Chase Point of Sale (POS)SM app and Chase Mobile® app are available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply. ⁵Nilson Report, March 2023 ⁶Tap to Pay on iPhone requires the latest version of iOS. Update to the latest version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Tap Download and Install. Some contactless cards may not be accepted. The Contactless Symbol is a trademark owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC. Tap to Pay on iPhone is not available in all markets. View Tap to Pay countries and regions, Opens overlay. For more details, see https://developer.apple.com/tap-to-pay/. ⁷As a benefit of Chase Customer Insights, clients gain access to comprehensive sales, customer and peer benchmarking metrics generated from card transactions processed by Chase Payment SolutionsSM as well as purchases made on Chase-issued cards. As the No. 1 overall U.S. merchant acquirer by processing volume (Nilson Report, March 2023), and the No. 1 U.S. credit card issuer based on sales and outstandings (JPMC Annual Report), Chase Customer Insights are based on an extensive data source. "Chase," "JPMorgan," "JPMorgan Chase," the JPMorgan Chase logo and the Octagon Symbol are trademarks of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC

Key Features

• Accept cards in person
• Accept cards online or over the phone
• Trusted security
• Support when you need it

Cost/Fees

• 2.6% rate +10¢ per tap, dip and swiped transaction.
• 2.90% + 25¢ per ecommerce transaction.
• 3.5% rate +10¢ per keyed transaction.
• Custom pricing available.

Types of Businesses Supported

• Retail
• Restaurants
• Professional Services
• E-commerce
• Healthcare
• and more

Nav’s Verdict: Best ACH payment processing services

Every small business will have its own business needs when it comes to ACH processing. If you already have a POS system or payment processor that can facilitate ACH payments for you, that may be the simplest and easiest way to start accepting ACH payments. You can learn more in our Ultimate Guide to ACH Payment Processing.

Nav can help you find financing for your small business, like small business loans or business credit cards. We use your business data — like business credit scores, time in business, and annual revenue — to match you with the options you’re most likely to qualify for. Find your best options with Nav today. 

Frquently asked questions about ACH Payment Processing

What ACH is best for business services consultants?

The best ACH payment processing service will depend on your specific business needs. Often a business services consultant can receive ACH payments through their business bank account for free, which can make it easy to use. If you wish to receive payments through credit card or debit card, you may have to find another payment processing service. 

What’s the difference between ACH and wire transfer payments? 

ACH payments go through a clearing house and can include eChecks, direct deposits, debit transactions, and electronic funds transfers (EFTs). A wire transfer is done directly between financial institutions and can be much faster than an ACH, but it may be more expensive.