---
title: "ACH"
description: "The US batch payment network for bank-to-bank transfers — low cost, high volume, settling in same-day or next-day windows."
reviewedBy: "Raj Lad, Founder & CTO"
updated: "July 2026"
canonical: "https://infinite.net/learn/glossary/ach"
---

# ACH

ACH (Automated Clearing House) is the United States’ batch payment network for moving money between bank accounts. Payments are collected into files and settled in scheduled windows — same-day or next-day — which makes ACH the cheapest US rail and the default for payroll, vendor payments, and recurring debits. The network is governed by Nacha and processes tens of billions of payments a year.

ACH supports both credits (pushing funds, like payroll) and debits (pulling funds, like subscription billing). Its trade-offs are timing and revocability: transfers settle in windows rather than instantly, and debits can be returned days later — which is why operating teams pair ACH with faster, final rails for urgent or high-value payments.

On Infinite, ACH is one of three USD rails behind a single API, alongside Fedwire and RTP. You can specify the rail per payment, or let the platform pick the right one for each payment’s size and urgency.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does an ACH transfer take?

Most ACH transfers land in one to three business days. The network itself settles in scheduled windows — same-day for eligible payments submitted before daily cutoffs, otherwise next-day — and the receiving bank’s posting time accounts for the rest. Nothing moves on weekends or holidays. [Same Day ACH](https://infinite.net/learn/glossary/same-day-ach.md)

### Can an ACH payment be reversed?

ACH has return mechanisms — a debit can come back days after settlement. That revocability is why operating teams pair ACH with final rails like Fedwire or RTP for urgent or high-value payments. [USD Payments](https://infinite.net/payments/usd)

### What is the difference between ACH and a wire transfer?

ACH batches payments into settlement windows at low cost, and a debit can be returned after settlement. A wire settles individually, same-day, and finally, at a higher per-payment fee — which is why high-value, time-critical transfers go by wire. [Wire transfer](https://infinite.net/learn/glossary/wire-transfer.md)

## Where it fits on Infinite

- [USD Payments](https://infinite.net/payments/usd)
- [Global mass payouts](https://infinite.net/use-cases/global-mass-payouts)

## See also

- [Fedwire](https://infinite.net/learn/glossary/fedwire.md)
- [RTP](https://infinite.net/learn/glossary/rtp.md)