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Transfer

  • Transfer Overview
  • Transfer Application
  • Creating transfers
  • Monitoring transfers
  • Plaid Ledger flow of funds
  • Transfer Dashboard
  • Refunds
  • Recurring transfers
  • Transfer UI
  • Platform Payments
  • Errors and troubleshooting
  • Testing in Sandbox
  • Legacy Flow of funds
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Transfer Application

Get approved to create transfers

Request AccessCreate Transfers

When you request access to Transfer in Production, Plaid will collect information from you regarding your business and customer verification processes. If your company is privately held, you will also need to submit identity verification details for a "control person" (such as an executive or senior manager).

Originators vs Platforms

As part of your application, Plaid will confirm what type of Transfer customer you are - either an Originator or a Platform.

Originators need to move money between their business and their direct customer, no other parties are involved (retail business icon connecting to end customer icon). Platforms need to move money between their business, another party/business, and their customers (retail business icon connecting to a big office building icon, which connects to end customer icon).
Types of Transfer customers

Platform Payments is still in beta. If you are interested in Platform Payments, contact sales or your Plaid account manager, or see the Platform Payments documentation to learn more.

What is an originator?

An Originator initiates ACH payments and is the main beneficiary of these funds. Originators are a party to every transfer and have a direct contractual relationship with the consumer. If you are not contractually obligated to be the main beneficiary of the funds, you are likely a Platform.

Examples of Originators:
  • Neobank funding a new user account
  • E-commerce website offering ACH as a payment method
  • Lender disbursing loan funds to a user
What is a Platform?

A Platform onboards originators of their own and facilitates money movement between them and their consumers. Platforms do not have a direct contractual relationship with their originator's consumers and are not obligated to be paid; they are simply an intermediary.

Examples of Platforms:
  • Marketplace website that brings buyers and sellers together
  • Any reseller partner, such as a payment processor that provides an SDK to their customers using Plaid transfer functionality
  • SaaS provider that sells account funding tools or payment services
  • Crowdfunding website for nonprofit organizations

To learn more about Plaid's Platform Payments solution, see the Platform Payments documentation.

Transfer pricing

Transfer is typically billed as a fee for each transfer, plus a flat fee for each Transfer Item and for each call to /transfer/authorization/create. For details of the transfer pricing model, see the Transfer billing documentation. Exact transfer pricing will vary depending on the details of your business, payments activity, and Plaid integration. After you have completed the Transfer Application form, Plaid will contact you with more information about the pricing that applies to you.

Transfer is available only via a Custom plan with a 12-month minimum contract and is not available via Pay-as-you-go.

Prohibited industries

There are certain types of businesses, products and industries that can't use Plaid's Transfer services. You must not use Plaid's Transfer services for any illegal activities or for the businesses, product types, or industries listed below. The types of industries listed here are representative of prohibited categories, but this is not an exhaustive list.

  • Adult content or services
  • Marijuana dispensaries and related products
  • Payday lending
  • Weapons or munitions

To use Plaid's Transfer services, you must remain compliant with these industry limitations. There are additional restricted industries that are subject to enhanced due diligence for approval for Transfer usage.

If you have questions about prohibited or restricted industries for Transfer, please contact us.

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