Bank payments and local methods · Payment methods
ACH Direct Debit for online stores: how US bank debits work
Checked
ACH Direct Debit takes payment from a customer's US bank account over the ACH network, which Nacha says reaches every US bank and credit union account. The customer signs in to their bank (or verifies with small test deposits) and accepts a mandate. Results take up to four business days, consumers can dispute a debit for 60 days, and those disputes are final. Stripe refunds ACH payments in full only, within 180 days.
- Type
- Bank debit under a mandate
- Where it works
- US bank accounts
- Currency
- USD, minimum $0.50
- Confirmation
- Delayed: up to 4 business days (2 with Stripe's faster settlement, if eligible)
- Disputes
- 60 calendar days for personal accounts, 2 business days for business accounts; final
- Refunds
- Full refunds only, within 180 days; up to 3 business days
- Recurring payments
- Yes
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC checkout does not take ACH today; US shoppers pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal (all usable for subscriptions), or by Klarna up to $10,000 or Afterpay up to $2,000 on one-time orders.
How a customer pays by ACH
The customer chooses ACH, signs in to their bank in a pop-up (or a redirect on mobile) so the account is verified instantly, and accepts the mandate by completing the purchase. If they type their account numbers instead, Stripe verifies them with microdeposits, and the customer has 10 days to confirm them.
Nacha rules require the customer to receive a copy of the mandate; Stripe emails it by default.
Disputes and failed payments
- Consumers have 60 calendar days to dispute; disputes in that window cannot be contested.
- A dispute cancels the mandate; a second dispute makes Stripe block that bank account.
- Payments can fail after you were credited (for example insufficient funds), and Stripe then removes the money.
- Stripe can retry an insufficient-funds failure up to two times within 40 days.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does an ACH payment take?
- Up to four business days with Stripe's standard settlement, or two days for eligible US businesses using faster settlement.
- Can I partially refund an ACH payment?
- Not with Stripe: ACH Direct Debit supports full refunds only, within 180 days.
- Can I fight an ACH dispute?
- No. Disputes within the 60-day consumer window are final. Stripe may ask for proof of authorisation only for rare late returns.
Sources
- ACH Direct Debit payments — Stripe
- ACH Network — Nacha
Related
- SEPA Direct Debit — Euro bank debit across the EU: the shopper gives an IBAN and signs a mandate; you collect later.
- Bacs Direct Debit — UK bank debit under the Direct Debit Guarantee; 4–7 business days to confirm.
- Trustly — Pay-by-bank provider: shoppers approve a payment from their bank account in their bank app.
- PayTo — Australian real-time bank payment: the shopper approves a PayTo agreement in their banking app.
- FPX — Malaysia's online banking payment run by PayNet; shoppers pick their bank and approve.
- PayNow — Singapore's instant bank transfer; shoppers scan a PayNow QR code in their bank or wallet app.
- PromptPay — Thailand's QR bank payment: shoppers scan a PromptPay QR code with their Thai banking app.
- UPI — India's real-time bank payment: shoppers approve in a UPI app by QR code or app switch.