ACH bank payments
Get paid by bank transfer and keep more of it
ACH lets clients pay your invoice straight from their bank account for a fraction of card fees. On a $1,000 invoice that's roughly $4 instead of $29 — money that stays in your pocket.
~$4 on a $1,000 invoice · offered by default · secure & encrypted
Invoice #1042
$1,000
- Paid by
- Bank transfer (ACH)
- Processing fee
- $4
- You keep
- $996
ACH lets clients pay your invoice straight from their bank account, bank-to-bank, instead of through the card networks. Because it skips those networks, the fee is far lower — roughly $4 on a $1,000 invoice versus about $29 by card — so you keep more of every payment. PayNugget offers ACH as the default on each invoice’s secure pay page.
The math
About $25 saved on every $1,000 you bill
Bill $1,000 a week by ACH instead of card and you keep roughly $1,300 more per year. We don't claim to beat the ~2.9% card rate — we just make the cheaper rail the easy default.
- ACH fee on $1,000
- ~$4
- Card fee on $1,000
- ~$29
- Saved per invoice
- ~$25
- Saved per year billing $1k/wk
- ~$1,300
The cost wedge
Why is ACH the cheapest way to get paid?
Cards route through expensive networks, so the fee is a percentage that scales with your invoice. ACH moves money bank-to-bank, so the cost is small and mostly flat — it barely moves as the invoice grows.
That tiny ACH bar next to the long card bar tells the whole story. The bigger the invoice, the bigger the gap.
Fees on a $1,000 invoice
Lead with bank payments and keep more of every invoice.
~25× cheaper!Side by side
ACH versus card, on a typical invoice
Cards are faster and sometimes the right choice. We offer both — ACH just saves you the most when you don't need instant funds.
| Feature | PayNugget | Card payment |
|---|---|---|
| Fee on a $1,000 invoice | ~$4 by ACH | ~$29 by card |
| How it moves | Bank account to bank account | Through Visa / Mastercard networks |
| Cost shape | Low, mostly flat | ~2.9% + 30¢, scales with amount |
| Best for | Larger invoices, retainers, recurring billing | Small or one-off payments needing speed |
| Speed | A few business days | Usually instant |
The verdict: For larger invoices, retainers, and recurring billing, ACH keeps far more of every payment with you — so PayNugget offers it as the default while keeping card one tap away.
How it works
Accept a bank payment in three steps
Connect your bank
During a quick, one-time onboarding, link the bank account where you want payments deposited. No separate merchant account needed.
1Send an invoice
Every invoice you send includes a secure pay page that offers ACH (lowest cost) and card. Your client picks how to pay.
2Money lands in your account
The client pays directly from their bank. PayNugget marks the invoice paid and deposits the funds to you.
3
Built for bigger invoices
The more you bill, the more ACH saves
Card fees are a percentage, so they grow with every dollar you invoice. ACH stays low and mostly flat — which means the savings get bigger exactly when it matters most: large project invoices, retainers, and recurring subscriptions.
That's why PayNugget leads with ACH. Pair it with recurring invoices and you automate retainer billing while paying the lowest possible fee on every cycle.
| Invoice | ACH | Card | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | ~$2 | ~$15 | ~$13 |
| $1,000 | ~$4 | ~$29 | ~$25 |
| $5,000 | ~$5 | ~$145 | ~$140 |
| $10,000 | ~$5 | ~$290 | ~$285 |
Also great for
ACH pays off across these workflows
Large project invoices
Five-figure invoices save the most — a flat-style ACH fee beats a percentage every time. On a $10,000 invoice you keep roughly $285 versus card.
Monthly retainers
Recurring ACH keeps fees tiny on billing that repeats every single month — the savings compound across every cycle and every client.
Automate retainersB2B payments
Businesses are used to paying suppliers by bank transfer — ACH fits how they already work, with no card surcharge to negotiate.
Tight-margin work
When every point of margin counts, ACH keeps more of each payment with you instead of the card networks.
Related features
Works with the rest of PayNugget
Related reading
Keep exploring
ACH bank payments: frequently asked questions
- What is an ACH payment?
- ACH (Automated Clearing House) is the US bank-to-bank payment network — the same rails behind direct deposit and online bill pay. When a client pays your invoice by ACH, the money moves directly from their bank account to yours. Because it skips the card networks, the fee is dramatically lower than a credit-card payment.
- How much cheaper is ACH than a card payment?
- On a $1,000 invoice, a typical card fee of around 2.9% + 30¢ is roughly $29. The same invoice paid by ACH costs only about $4. On large or frequent invoices, choosing ACH can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year. PayNugget always offers ACH as the default so you keep more of every payment.
- How long does an ACH payment take to arrive?
- ACH transfers typically settle in a few business days — slightly slower than a card, which is usually instant. For most invoices that trade-off is well worth the savings, especially on larger amounts. You can always offer card as a faster option alongside ACH.
- Is ACH safe for my clients?
- Yes. ACH is one of the most established and secure payment methods in the US, used for payroll and recurring bills by millions of businesses. Clients pay through a secure, encrypted page — they never share their bank login with you, and you never see their full account details.
- Do I need a special merchant account to accept ACH?
- No. Connect your bank account during a quick onboarding and you can start accepting ACH payments on your invoices right away. There is no separate merchant account to apply for and no monthly subscription to enable it.
- Can I offer both ACH and card on the same invoice?
- Yes. Every invoice's pay page can present ACH (lowest cost) and card (fastest) so your client picks what works for them. Many businesses nudge clients toward ACH to save on fees while keeping card available for convenience.
Start accepting low-cost bank payments
Connect your bank, send an invoice, and keep more of every dollar with ACH. Free to start, no subscription.