ACH Payments vs First ACH API
ACH Payments
ach-payments.comFirst ACH API
firstach.comSide by side
| Figure | ACH Payments | First ACH API |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.35/mo | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 3 |
| Spec score · ACH Payment Processing Software | 8.6 (#1) | 8.3 (#4) |
| Company headquarters | The terms page gives an office address of 15 Ingersoll Road, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866, United States. | The current contact page lists 2141 East Broadway Road, Suite 202, Tempe, Arizona 85282. |
| Security | The company says its tokenization solutions replace bank account data so it need not be stored on client servers and databases. | First ACH says its hosted applications are protected by managed firewalls, account data is encrypted with a 768-bit key, web traffic uses 128-bit SSL, and network traffic is monitored by an intrusion detection system. |
| Virtual terminal | The virtual terminal is a browser application for one-time or recurring ACH and card transactions, with manual entry, file upload and machine-read input. | The cloud virtual terminal manages customers, payments and reporting. |
| What it does | ACH Payments provides ACH and credit-card processing for businesses, including recurring billing and payment aggregation programs. | First ACH provides ACH and electronic-check payment processing through a hosted payment gateway. |
Plans
ACH Payments
- Recurring ACH calculator assumption$0.25, paid once
- ChurchSquare special pricing$0.35 a month
- ChurchSquare$20 a month
- WaterFlex AutoDebit$29 a month
First ACH API
- Custom solutionsPriced on request
- First ACH APIPriced on request
- First ACH Merchant +Priced on request
In their own words
ACH Payments
ACH Payments provides paid ACH and credit or debit card processing through a web virtual terminal and API. The terminal handles single, future-dated, and recurring payments, with scheduling, recurring billing, user permissions, customizable receipts, and exportable reports. Website tools create hosted payment pages with custom fields for one-time or recurring charges. Its QuickBooks module supports ACH and card transactions, recurring or one-time payments, reporting, and tokenization. A ChurchSquare integration updates payment histories in ChurchSquare while activity remains trackable in the virtual terminal. The company says tokenization replaces bank-account data so it need not sit on client servers or databases. The terminal is described as Level 1 PCI compliant and lists address, velocity, checking-account, and identity verification tools. ChurchSquare special pricing is $0.35 a month, billed as $20.00 monthly for three accounts plus reporting and 800# support, with additional transaction and return fees specified.
First ACH API
First ACH API connects a business’s own interface to the First ACH payment gateway, allowing transactions to move through an existing sales process. Businesses can manage transactions from their account database, submit them as they occur, and receive updates for monitoring inside their own system. The API supports recurring ACH payments and ACH credits. Listed applications include embedding ACH payments in another product, depositing across multiple accounts, and consolidated processing for distributed networks. First ACH describes it for businesses integrating payments with existing systems, merchants adding customer-initiated payments to software or websites, and companies needing custom features. Integration requires a live Internet connection to begin. A 30-day ACH processing trial has no cancellation penalty or termination fee, although processed-payment fees still apply. Technical support is free by phone and email from trained US-based professionals. First ACH cites managed firewalls, encrypted account data, 128-bit SSL web traffic, intrusion detection, NACHA standards, and PCI requirements. Pricing is on request.