How to Accept ACH Payments in WordPress (Recurring or One-Time)

As online business owners, we know that some payment methods work better than others.

ACH payments (also called eChecks or direct bank transfers) are a great choice for US businesses.

Unlike credit cards, this bank-to-bank system can significantly lower transaction fees, making it ideal for large or recurring payments, B2B transactions, and subscriptions.

That’s why many businesses choose ACH to save money and simplify payments. In this guide, we’ll show you how to easily accept ACH payments on your WordPress site, step by step.

Why Accept ACH Payments in WordPress?

ACH payments are a smart choice because they save money, stay reliable for subscriptions, and offer secure bank-to-bank transfers.

• Lower Transaction Costs: ACH fees can be as low as 0.8% per transaction, capped at $5. That’s much cheaper than the typical 2.9% + $0.30 credit card fee, especially on larger payments.
• Stable Recurring Payments: Unlike credit cards, ACH transfers don’t expire or get canceled easily. That means subscriptions and recurring payments are much more likely to go through without interruptions.
• Secure and Trusted: Direct bank-to-bank transfers give customers confidence, especially for higher-value purchases.

Even newer options like Apple Pay, when processed as a credit card, still carry the higher fees.

Fee Comparision Examples With Stripe

To see just how much you can save, here’s a quick comparison of typical ACH and credit card fees for different payment amounts:

Payment Amount	ACH Fee	Credit Card Fee	Savings with ACH
$100	$0.80	$3.20	$2.40
$800	$5.00	$23.50	$18.50
$5,000	$5.00	$145.30	$140.30

Now, let’s look at how you can accept ACH payments in WordPress. You can use the quick links below to navigate through the article:

Step 1: Install and Set Up WP Simple Pay

The best way to allow ACH payments in WordPress is by using the WP Simple Pay plugin. It’s a leading Stripe plugin for WordPress and will let you set up one-time payments or recurring payments without setting up a shopping cart.

When testing the tool, we found that it also accepts payments through Affirm (a Buy Now Pay Later service), SEPA, and more. For an in depth look at the tool’s features, see our detailed WP Simple Pay review.

First, you’ll need to install and activate the WP Simple Pay plugin. If you need help, then please see our detailed guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Once the plugin is active, it will automatically launch the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button.

On the next screen, you’ll need to enter the license key. You can easily find the license key in your WP Simple Pay account area.

After entering the key, you can click the ‘Activate and Continue’ button.

Next, you’ll need to connect WP Simple Pay with Stripe.

Stripe is a popular payment gateway that allows you to collect ACH payments on your WordPress site.

Go ahead and click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button.

After that, you can log in to your Stripe account and connect it with WP Simple Pay.

Once your Stripe account is connected, WP Simple Pay will show different email options to configure. You can enable emails for payment receipts, upcoming invoices, and payment notifications.

Next, enter your business email address where you’d like to receive these emails, and then click the ‘Save and Continue’ button.

After that, you’ll arrive at the last step in the setup wizard, where you’ll need to create a payment form. Simply click on the ‘Create a Payment Form’ button.

Step 2: Set Up a WP Simple Pay Payment Form

You can also create a payment form in WP Simple Pay by going to WP Simple Pay » Add New from your WordPress dashboard.

You will see several payment form templates for various methods, like Alipay and SEPA.

You need to hover over the ‘ACH Direct Debit Form’ template and then click the ‘Use Template’ button that appears.

You’ll find yourself on the ‘General’ tab of the payment form editor. If you like, you can rename the form and give it a description.

We will leave the other settings with their default values.

Next, go to the ‘Payment’ tab in the payment form and enter the price amount and label.

You should also set up whether it is a one-time payment or a recurring subscription.

After that, head down to the ‘Form Field’ tab.

Under the Payment Method section, you’ll notice that the ‘ACH Direct Debit’ and ‘Card’ payment options have already been selected for you. If you like, you can also select any other payment methods that you’d like to use in your checkout form.

Next, you can preview your ACH payment form and then publish it.

To do that, simply click the ‘Publish’ button in WP Simple Pay.

Step 3: Add the ACH Payment Form in WordPress

You can now add your ACH payment form anywhere on your WordPress website.

To start, go ahead and add a new page or edit an existing one. Once you are in the content editor, simply add a WP Simple Pay block. After that, you should select your ACH form from the dropdown menu.

Once that’s done, you can preview your page and publish it.

Now, you can visit your website to see the ACH payment form in action. Here’s a preview of what it looks like on our demo site.

Can WordPress eCommerce Plugins Accept ACH Payments?

The above method is the simplest way to accept ACH payments in WordPress without using a shopping cart.

However, if you are using WordPress for your online store or to sell digital downloads, many popular eCommerce platforms and plugins can be set up to accept ACH payments, often through an integrated payment gateway like Stripe.

For example, you can use Easy Digital Downloads to sell digital downloads like eBooks, software, music, and more in your eCommerce store, and it lets you accept ACH payments.

Alternatively, WooCommerce will allow you to sell physical goods and accept ACH payments.

Frequently Asked Questions About ACH Payments

Here are some questions that our readers frequently ask about ACH payments in WordPress:

What is the main advantage of accepting ACH payments?

The biggest advantage of accepting ACH payments is lower transaction fees compared to credit cards. For large or recurring payments, the savings can be significant because fees are often capped at just a few dollars.

How long does it take for an ACH payment to clear?

ACH payments typically take 3 to 5 business days to process and deposit into your account. This is slightly longer than credit card payments, which are authorized almost instantly.

Are ACH payments secure?

Yes, ACH payments are very secure. The network is governed by the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), which has strict operating rules to protect all parties involved.

Can I accept ACH payments from international customers?

No, the ACH network is currently limited to bank accounts within the United States. To process an ACH payment, both your business and your customer must have a US-based bank account.

More Guides on Accepting Payments in WordPress

Now that you know how to accept ACH payments, you may want to see these expert tutorials on accepting other types of payments in WordPress:

• How to Accept Apple Pay in WordPress (The EASY Way)
• How to Collect Cash App Payments in WordPress
• Important Online Payments Statistics, Data, and Trends
• How to Set Up GrabPay Payments in WordPress
• How to Accept Affirm Payments in WordPress (2 Easy Methods)
• Beginner’s Guide on Accepting Deposit Payments in WordPress
• How to Add Bancontact Payments in WordPress
• How to Accept iDEAL Payments in WordPress

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