GoCardless Bank Account Data vs Stripe ACH Direct Debit

GoCardless Bank Account Data is an API for businesses that need account details and transaction data from connected bank accounts. It connects through bank PSD2 APIs and can return account holder names, account identifiers, IBANs, transaction dates, counterparties, descriptions and amounts, plus current and available balances. It can retrieve up to 24 months of transaction history, with continuous access lasting up to 90 days. Data refreshes on demand, and responses use JSON. To connect, an end user chooses a supported financial institution, accepts a GoCardless-hosted consent screen and authenticates through the institution. API requests use an authorization token created with a Bank Account Data portal user secret. GoCardless provides a quickstart guide and instructions for importing the API schema into Postman. Availability is limited to EEA countries subject to PSD2 where GoCardless operates as an authorized AISP. Banks may restrict requests to as few as four calls per account per day. Account verification is available only to paying customers; new accounts are unverified by default. The service is paid, with pricing on request, and is available via API and web.

Stripe ACH Direct Debit lets businesses collect reusable payments from customers’ US bank accounts through Stripe’s API and web checkout tools. It is described as suitable for large or recurring transactions. Customers must be in the US, transactions use USD, and the minimum is 0.50 USD. Standard settlement is $0.80 transaction, capped at 5.00 USD, with settlement four business days after payment creation. Faster settlement costs $1.20 for eligible US users and settles in two business days. Confirmation can take up to four business days. Bank details can be verified through Financial Connections or hosted microdeposits. Checkout, Payment Links, embedded forms, and Payment Element are supported; Express Checkout Element and in-app payments are not. Payments require a mandate, can fail or be disputed, and ACH disputes are final. Full refunds are supported within 180 days; partial refunds are not.