An electronic bank-to-bank payment sent through the US Automated Clearing House network, cheaper than wire transfers but usually taking one to three business days.
An ACH transfer moves money bank-to-bank over the US Automated Clearing House network. It’s how direct deposit and most online bill payments work. For freelancers, it’s usually the cheapest way to get paid — often free or a few cents, versus the 3% a card processor takes.
For sellers, ACH means you keep more of each payment. The tradeoff is speed: funds typically land in one to three business days, not instantly. On large invoices, that fee savings dwarfs a wire transfer or card. For buyers, paying by ACH is simple and low-cost, and it creates a clean bank record for your books.
The catch is trust and setup — ACH needs the recipient’s bank details, and reversals are possible (though rare) within a window. For ongoing client work, ACH is the quiet workhorse; for a first payment from someone you don’t know, some sellers prefer a payment processor that handles the details and adds a layer of protection.