Get ACH Transfer Vs. Wire Transfer - What Is The Difference?

If you accidentally provided a wire transfer routing number for an ACH deposit transaction, the funds may not reach your account. In this case, it's best to contact the company and explain the situation. They may be able to cancel the initial ACH transaction and reissue the payment using the correct routing number.

An ACH payment cost can range between zero and $10.00. Payment processing companies may negotiate rates with users having a high volume of ACH transactions. Banks may not charge their customers fees for ACH payments, including online bill pay.

If you initiate a transfer after the scheduled time, you may experience delays. This could result in missing payment deadlines and paying penalty fees. It also means that ACH transfers may not be appropriate for emergency or time-sensitive transactions.

When comparing the two, the advantage of wire transfers is the speed of the transaction. ACH transfers are more convenient, less expensive and more secure. If the funds need to be received immediately, go with wire transfer. If it's something that can potentially wait three days, use ACH transfer.

Bottom line. EFT is a broad term that describes a variety of electronic payment methods. Two of those methods are ACH transfers and wire transfers. While ACH transfers are usually free but take a couple of days to process, wire transfers are generally quick but may cost a high fee.

If you accidentally provided a wire transfer routing number for an ACH deposit transaction, the funds may not reach your account. In this case, it's best to contact the company and explain the situation. They may be able to cancel the initial ACH transaction and reissue the payment using the correct routing number.

A wire transfer is typically used for high-value transactions and is completed through a bank, which makes it faster, but it does have a fee. An ACH transfer is the best to use for smaller transactions that aren't time-sensitive, since they can take longer to process but are usually free.

Whereas wire transfers move directly between banks, ACH payments pass through a clearing house before reaching the final recipient's bank. This process means that ACH payments can take longer than wire transfers to clear—wire transfers usually clear within a day (and often within minutes) whereas ACH can take 2-5 days.