INBOUND BANK Payments
The new era of paying by bank
Built for higher conversion, fewer failures, and a payment experience customers come back for.
Why pay by bank works better with Plaid
The checkout converts better
Instant account verification helps customers link and fund payments in seconds, so more people complete checkout on the first try.
Money moves faster
Plaid supports every major rail—from ACH to RTP—routing each payment to the fastest eligible path and updating you along the way.
Payments stay predictable
Real-time balance checks and reliable risk signals help reduce failed payments and disputes, so payments stay predictable.
Wylie Kyi
SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER90% of payouts
settle within two days
Help more payments succeed
A smoother flow helps more customers finish paying. Plaid reduces drop-offs by filling in bank details and preventing common errors, while balance checks help avoid failures.
Connect accounts in seconds
For return customers, bank details fill in automatically, so there’s nothing to type or mistype.
Get more payments across the finish line
Plaid checks account and balance information so customers can complete their payment without issues.
Instantly reach more customers
Plaid connects to 12,000+ financial institutions, so most customers can get set up right away.
Help more payments succeed
A smoother flow helps more customers finish paying. Plaid reduces drop-offs by filling in bank details and preventing common errors, while balance checks help avoid failures.
Connect accounts in seconds
For return customers, bank details fill in automatically, so there’s nothing to type or mistype.
Get more payments across the finish line
Plaid checks account and balance information so customers can complete their payment without issues.
Instantly reach more customers
Plaid connects to 12,000+ financial institutions, so most customers can get set up right away.
Move money over the best rail
Plaid automatically chooses the fastest eligible rail—ACH, RTP, or FedNow—and keeps you updated in real time, so you always know where a payment is, even on weekends and holidays.
Move money over the best rail
Plaid automatically chooses the fastest eligible rail—ACH, RTP, or FedNow—and keeps you updated in real time, so you always know where a payment is, even on weekends and holidays.
Catch issues before they hit
Fraud, low balances, and incorrect account details are the biggest reasons payments fail. Plaid spots them early so failures and disputes don’t happen in the first place.
Spot invalid accounts earlierCatch invalid or closed accounts before payments start.
Make sure the balance is thereAvoid insufficient-funds failures with real-time checks.
Flag risky payments before money movesIdentify suspicious payments before they’re processed.
Catch issues before they hit
Fraud, low balances, and incorrect account details are the biggest reasons payments fail. Plaid spots them early so failures and disputes don’t happen in the first place.
Spot invalid accounts earlierCatch invalid or closed accounts before payments start.
Make sure the balance is thereAvoid insufficient-funds failures with real-time checks.
Flag risky payments before money movesIdentify suspicious payments before they’re processed.
customer stories
See what better pay
by bank looks like
The tools behind pay by bank
Take a closer look at the products that verify users, reduce returns, and improve checkout.
Link
Instantly connect and verify bank accounts for quick, easy setup.
Let customers connect instantlySignal
See ACH return risk early with machine learning and insights from the Plaid Network.
Spot insufficient-funds riskTransfer
Move money over the right rail with built-in routing and real-time checks.
Move money over the best railBalance
Check real-time balances before payment to prevent insufficient-funds failures.
Check balances before paymentSee how much you could
save by switching to ACH
FAQs
What is an inbound payment?
An inbound payment is any payment your business receives. This includes customer payments, transfers, and bank-to-bank deposits.
What is an outbound payment?
An outbound payment is money your business sends out—such as refunds, payouts, disbursements, or vendor payments.
Why offer bank payments?
Bank payments can cost less than cards, convert more customers, and help reduce fraud. They also give customers a fast, simple way to pay.
Why switch from cards to pay by bank?
Switching from cards to pay by bank can lower processing costs, reduce chargebacks, and improve completion rates because customers don’t need to enter card numbers or worry about expired cards.
What is Request for Payment (RfP)?
Request for Payment (RfP) is a real-time payment method where a business sends a request and the customer approves a bank transfer directly from their account.
What bank payment rails does Plaid support?
Plaid supports ACH, RTP, FedNow, and wires, and routes each payment over the fastest or lowest-cost rail that’s eligible.
How do recurring ACH payments work?
Recurring ACH payments pull funds from a customer’s bank account on a set schedule after they give permission for ongoing debits.
How does instant bank account verification work?
Instant bank account verification works by connecting directly to a customer’s bank to confirm their account and routing details in real time.
