ACH vs Direct Debit: Difference and Comparison

Financial Management is a regular practice in a day to day life in a  business environment. It refers to Strategic planning, organizing, directing, and controlling business entities.

The payment methods are up to the individual; it is his choice the payment is made. Direct debit and Automated Clearing House (ACH) are the method of payment which will help the individual and the organization run the business without any payment hassles.

Key Takeaways

1. An automated Clearing House (ACH) is a network for processing electronic financial transactions, including direct deposits and bill payments; direct debit is a specific type of transaction that allows a business or organization to collect funds from a customer’s bank account.
2. ACH is a broader system encompassing various electronic transactions, while direct debit is a single payment method within the ACH system.
3. ACH and direct debit facilitate electronic fund transfers, but ACH includes a wider range of transaction types, whereas direct debit specifically focuses on collecting payments.

ACH vs Direct Debit

ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments are used for one-time or recurring transactions between individuals or organizations. Direct Debit is used for recurring transactions where the payer authorizes the payee to withdraw funds from their bank account at regular intervals, such as monthly bills.

The bank-to-bank fund’s transfer electronically happens with the help of ACH payment. The transfer is made through the network of ACH instead of other payment networks.

A provider of electronic funds transfer services in the United States, handling automated payments such as direct debit and direct credit. Direct debit is one of the main categories in ACH payments.

Direct debit is a payment method in which the account holder is granted permission to take payments from a bank account to pay a fixed amount (Mortgage loans or rent) or variable amount (utility bills and others) directly to the bank or supplier.

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Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Automated Clearing House	Direct Debit
Meaning	It is a network of financial institutions used for the payment in the US	It is one of the main methods under ACH and is used for payment
Usage	ACH is an electronic clearing and settlement system, transactions carried out electronically between two financial institutions	The account holder grants permission to the bank to pay a fixed amount directly to another party for their services.
Functional Base	ACH includes both Direct Debit and Direct credit, where a fund is pulled from an account and pushed into an account.	Direct debit payment uses the account holder to pay the other party.
Activity	Both the Direct debit payment and direct credit	Only debit from an account to make payment or transfer
Time Factor	Compared to other methods, slow	Compared to other methods, slow but convenient.

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What is Automated Clearing House?

An automated Clearing House (ACH) is a payment method that allows transactions between US banks through its network. NACHA operates it, also called an ACH scheme or network.

All credit and debit transactions are facilitated electronically through ACH. Both the public and private sectors are benefitted from this network.

ACH money transfer takes one business day or more to complete the transaction. The ACH payment process is done together instead of handling it individually.

ACH credits and debits are the two main types of ACH transfers. ACH credit is the funds is the process where an account receives funds from another version, whereas ACH debit is the process where funds are transferred or paid to another account.

Using ACH process payments brings significant benefits to the customer, such as Low cost, High retention, and openness to anyone with a bank account in the US. ACH is considered a bit slow compared to other transfer modes but is widely accepted because of its cost factor.

ACH transfers are also relatively safe, but for either transfer, the payee needs to provide information about the bank account numbers, names, and others. Those details can be used to steal funds from the account and fraudulent transfers from the report.

 

What is Direct Debit?

Direct Debit is a payment method utilizing funds as a commodity between individuals or organizations. It is one of the main methods under ACH, where the funds are transferred to another bank, supplier, or party for their services.

Direct Debit is facilitated through a customer’s bank account upon instructions and initiations. Direct debit is done through payment networks such as ACH.

Direct Debit payments are considered the safest and most versatile mode for any amount. ACH network, which has more than ten thousand financial institutions connected, also helps in Direct Debit payments.

Card payments are faster compared to direct debit. The direct comparison between card payment and direct debit is card payment can happen in a maximum of a day or two, but direct debit can also take 5 days.

Direct debit has many benefits; however, keeping track of every transaction is made easy through direct debit. Direct Debit is the simplest and most convenient way to pay regular and utility bills. ​​​

Debit card payment and direct debit work more or less the same way. The only difference is that direct debit requires a routing number and account number, while debit card requires the customers to type the card number.

Direct Debit is the most common mode of fund transactions in the world. It is considered the safest and most convenient mode of marketing, which is also cost-effective.

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Main Differences Between ACH and Direct Debit

1. The main difference between ACH and Direct debit is that ACH is a network through which both Direct debit and direct credit happen, where funds are deposited into an account and withdrawn. Direct debit is one of the main methods under the ACH that uses funds for transfer to make a payment by an Individual or Organization.
2.  ACH is a network used electronically to transfer funds in a financial institution. Whereas Direct Debit payment is made through the ACH network
3.  ACH network is used only in US banks. At the same time, Direct debit payments are used in different countries with different networks.
4.  ACH is faster in network coordination, while Direct debit payment is slower than the other transactions method, but it is convenient as there is no chance of missing any bills.
5. ACH network is always safe. However, Direct Debit sometimes may deduct more, and the information will be shared late with the customer.

References

1. http://www.medien.ifi.lmu.de/lehre/ws0910/mmn/mmn7.pdf
2. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/570823/
3. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/frbclevreview/pages/1995-1999/68731_1995-1999.pdf