The short answer
An eCheck is an ACH debit: a payment pulled from a customer's U.S. bank account over the ACH network, the system U.S. banks use to move money between accounts. Accepting one usually costs much less than a card.
- One published example: Authorize.Net's direct price list, checked October 13, 2026, shows 0.75% per eCheck, a $10 monthly minimum, $3 per returned item and $25 per eCheck chargeback. Published eCheck fees
- Against cards: on a $2,000 payment, 0.75% is $15. Authorize.Net's published all-in-one card price (2.9% + 30¢) is $58.30. Worked examples
- The catch: returns, slower funding and monthly minimums. On small or few payments, the gap with cards shrinks.
- Through a provider, prices vary. Ask for every fee in writing.
The ACH Processing Fees Providers Charge
Most eCheck price lists mix the same seven fee types. Few providers charge all of them, but you should know which ones are on yours.
| Fee type | What it is | When you pay it |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage (discount rate) | A share of each payment, such as 0.75% | Every eCheck |
| Per-item fee | A flat amount per payment, used instead of or on top of a percentage | Every eCheck |
| Monthly minimum | The least you pay in processing fees each month | Months when your fees fall below it |
| Gateway or monthly fee | The software that sends the payment (the gateway) or the account itself | Every month |
| Return fee | Charged when the customer's bank sends a payment back, for example for insufficient funds or a closed account | Per returned payment |
| Unauthorized return or chargeback fee | Charged when the customer tells their bank they didn't authorize the payment | Per dispute |
| Same Day ACH fee | An extra charge for faster settlement, if your provider offers it | Per same-day payment |
How providers combine them. Three common shapes:
- Percentage plus a monthly minimum. Cheap on small payments, more expensive as tickets grow.
- Flat per-item fee. The same cost on a $50 payment and a $50,000 one, so it favors large tickets.
- Percentage with a per-payment cap. A percentage up to a set dollar limit. Good for very large invoices.
Some providers also use tiers, where the rate drops as your monthly volume rises. Compare the total for your typical payment and month, not the headline rate.
The Same Day ACH fee
Standard ACH payments settle over one or more business days. Same Day ACH settles the same business day. Nacha, the body that runs the ACH network, sets a Same Day Entry Fee of 5.2 cents that the business's bank pays the customer's bank for each Same Day ACH payment. Nacha said on May 7, 2026 that the fee won't change for the next two years. Whether your provider offers Same Day ACH, and what it charges you for it, is up to the provider. For timing details, see how long an eCheck takes to clear.
eCheck Fees on One Published Price List
Most providers don't publish eCheck prices. Authorize.Net does. Its eCheck service is called eCheck.Net. Here are its direct prices, checked on its pricing page on October 13, 2026:
| Fee (Authorize.Net direct) | Published price |
|---|---|
| Discount rate | 0.75% ("may be based on cumulative or stepped tier pricing") |
| Monthly minimum | $10 ("the minimum eCheck.Net processing service fee charged per billing cycle") |
| Returned item | $3 per returned eCheck |
| eCheck chargeback | $25 each |
| Gateway + eCheck plan | $25 a month; cards on that plan are 10¢ per transaction plus a 10¢ daily batch fee |
Three things to note:
- No per-item fee and no cap is listed. Authorize.Net's eCheck feature page says eCheck fees are "capped at 0.75%" but doesn't say what the cap covers. The tier note means the rate could be lower at higher volume. Read the terms on your own account.
- U.S. only. The pricing page says "eCheck only available for businesses based in the U.S."
- These are Authorize.Net's direct prices, not START's. Through a merchant services provider, that provider sets the rate, minimum and return fees.
For every other gateway and card fee on that price list, see Authorize.Net pricing and fees. For how eCheck.Net is set up and funded, see Authorize.Net eCheck.Net.
eCheck vs Credit Card Fee Calculator
Enter the dollar amount you'd move to eCheck each month and your average payment. The calculator compares your card cost with eCheck at the published 0.75% rate and $10 minimum. Add a return rate to include $3 per returned payment.
The card rate starts at 2.9% + 30¢, Authorize.Net's published all-in-one price. Change it to match your own statement. These are published direct prices, not START's.
Card cost / month
$586.00
eCheck cost / month
$150.00
Difference / month
$436.00
Example: $20,000 a month in $1,000 payments. Cards at 2.9% + 30¢ cost $586.00; eCheck at 0.75% costs $150.00.
Uses Authorize.Net's published direct prices, checked October 13, 2026: eCheck 0.75% of each payment with a $10 monthly minimum and $3 per returned payment; the card default is its All-in-One price of 2.9% + 30¢ (change it to your own rate). These are not START's prices, and gateway monthly fees are left out. Prices through a provider vary, so ask for them in writing.
What eCheck Costs at $500, $2,000 and $10,000
Illustration only. These use the published prices above: eCheck at 0.75%, cards at 2.9% + 30¢. Your own prices will differ.
| Payment | eCheck (0.75%) | Card (2.9% + 30¢) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $500 × 0.0075 = $3.75 | $500 × 0.029 + $0.30 = $14.80 | $11.05 |
| $2,000 | $2,000 × 0.0075 = $15.00 | $2,000 × 0.029 + $0.30 = $58.30 | $43.30 |
| $10,000 | $10,000 × 0.0075 = $75.00 | $10,000 × 0.029 + $0.30 = $290.30 | $215.30 |
A busy month. 40 payments of $500 ($20,000) cost $150 by eCheck. If one comes back, add $3: $153. The same month on cards costs $592.
A slow month. One $500 payment costs $3.75 at 0.75%, but the $10 minimum means you pay $10. That's 2% of what you took in, much closer to a card.
The monthly plan fee sits on top of both: Authorize.Net's Gateway + eCheck and All-in-One plans are each listed at $25 a month.
Your card cost may be lower than 2.9% + 30¢. A flat rate is the same for every card. On a merchant account with interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card network's cost plus a fixed markup, which is often less on debit cards. Want to know where your card costs stand? Get a free statement review of your card fees.
Cost isn't the only difference. For speed, refunds and disputes side by side, see eCheck vs ACH vs wire vs credit card.
Can You Pass eCheck Fees to Customers?
Possibly, but check first. Card-network surcharge rules are written for card payments. An eCheck isn't a card payment, so those rules don't apply to it the same way.
State laws on surcharges and convenience fees vary from state to state, and your provider's terms may also limit fees. Check your state's rules and your provider's terms before you add a fee, and show any fee clearly before the customer pays.
Since eCheck usually costs less than cards, many businesses go the other way and simply steer customers toward it on large invoices.
Questions to Ask About ACH Fees Before You Sign
Get the answers in writing:
- What is the rate, and is there a per-item fee? Is there a cap per payment?
- Is there a monthly minimum, a monthly fee or a setup fee?
- What do returns and unauthorized disputes cost?
- Are there limits per payment or per month, and how do I raise them?
- How long until funds reach my bank? Is any money held back as a reserve?
- Is Same Day ACH available, and what does it cost?
- Can I take eCheck on the same account and gateway as my cards?
- Which payment types (online, phone, signed form, business) can I use, and can I refund each one?
We've set up more than 60,000 Authorize.Net accounts, with the merchant account and gateway set up together. Tell us what you sell and how customers pay, and we'll tell you whether eCheck fits. For the bigger picture, start with our guide to eCheck processing.
eCheck Fee FAQ
How much does it cost to accept an eCheck?
It depends on the provider. One published example: Authorize.Net's direct pricing, checked October 13, 2026, lists 0.75% per eCheck with a $10 monthly minimum, $3 per returned item and $25 per eCheck chargeback. Through a provider, prices vary, so ask for them in writing. See published eCheck fees.
Are ACH fees cheaper than credit card fees?
Usually, especially on large payments. At published prices, a $2,000 payment costs $15 by eCheck and $58.30 at 2.9% + 30¢ by card. On very small or few payments, a monthly minimum can close the gap. Compare eCheck vs credit card on speed and disputes too.
Is there a fee for Same Day ACH?
Between banks, yes: Nacha sets a 5.2-cent Same Day Entry Fee that the sending bank pays the receiving bank per same-day payment. What a provider charges you, and whether it offers Same Day ACH at all, varies. See eCheck clearing time.
What does a returned eCheck cost?
You pay the provider's return fee ($3 on Authorize.Net's direct pricing) and you lose the payment unless the customer pays again. Unauthorized disputes can cost more ($25 per eCheck chargeback on the same price list). See ACH return codes.
Can I charge customers a fee for paying by eCheck?
Card-network surcharge rules don't apply to eChecks the same way, but state laws on surcharges and convenience fees vary, and your provider's terms may limit fees. Check both before you add one, and show the fee before the customer pays.
General payments guidance, not legal or tax advice. Rules and prices as of October 13, 2026. Authorize.Net details come from its own pricing, eCheck and developer pages on that date and can change. The Same Day Entry Fee comes from Nacha. Check fee and surcharge rules with your provider or a lawyer. Published prices are Authorize.Net's, not START's.
What would eCheck cost you?
Tell us your monthly volume and typical payment, and we'll tell you what eCheck would cost your business. START has been in payments for 20+ years and has set up more than 60,000 Authorize.Net accounts.
New to this topic? Start with our eCheck Processing overview.
