How to Accept ACH Payments

ACH lets customers pay by connecting their bank account directly instead of using a credit card. This guide explains how ACH payments work in Zipper, why there's a timing delay, and how customers set up their bank account at checkout.

What is ACH and how does it work?

ACH (Automated Clearing House) is the US banking network used to move money directly between bank accounts. When a customer pays with ACH in Zipper, the money is debited from their bank — similar to a direct debit — instead of being charged to a card.

Why customers use it: No credit card required, and there are typically no card processing fees on their end.

Unlike credit cards (authorized in seconds), ACH bank transfers take 5–7 business days to fully settle. The money moves through the banking system in batches overnight.

This means:

A payment may show as “processing” in Stripe for several days before the money actually transfers
Your Stripe payout for ACH funds takes longer than for card payments

How Zipper Handles Credits During the Pending Window?

When a customer completes ACH checkout, Zipper issues their membership credits immediately — even though the bank payment hasn’t fully cleared yet. This is intentional so customers can start using their membership right away without waiting a week.

What this means for your studio: You’re extending access before the money arrives. In most cases this works smoothly. If the ACH payment fails later, Zipper processes the failure the same way as a failed card payment.

What Happens When an ACH Payment Fails?

If a bank rejects an ACH debit (for example, insufficient funds or an incorrect account), Stripe sends a notification and Zipper processes the failure. You’ll see it in Payment Collector → Failed Payments.

From there, you can reach out to the customer to update their payment method or collect payment through another channel.

How Customers Set Up ACH at Checkout

Customers connect their bank account when purchasing a subscription or package:

At checkout, they select Bank Account (or ACH) as the payment method in the Stripe payment form
Stripe may verify the account using micro-deposits — two small deposits (each under $1) sent to the bank account, usually within 1–2 days
Once verified, the customer confirms the two deposit amounts and their bank account is saved

Note: The micro-deposit step can surprise first-time users. Let them know to watch their bank statement for two small deposits (each under $1) and to have those amounts ready when prompted.

Tips for Studio Owners

Monitor Payment Collector → Failed Payments regularly — ACH failures can occur days after the original purchase
ACH is typically not available by default on new Stripe accounts. If customers don’t see a bank account option, contact Zipper support to confirm your Stripe account supports it
Consider letting members know about the 5–7 day delay when they first set up ACH — it avoids confusion when the debit doesn’t appear on their bank statement right away

Troubleshooting

“I don’t see a bank account option at checkout” Your Stripe account may not have ACH enabled. Contact Zipper support to check your Stripe configuration.

“A customer’s ACH payment shows as pending for days” This is normal. ACH takes 5–7 business days to settle. The payment will resolve on its own. If it fails, you’ll see it in the Failed Payments tab.

“Micro-deposit verification is confusing my customer” Tell them to check their bank statement for two deposits under $1 (they usually appear with a description containing “Stripe”). They enter both amounts to verify the account.

Need a hand?

Email our team at support@joinzipper.com and we'll usually reply within a few hours.

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