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Payments
8 min

How To Get Clients Off The Checks Bandwagon And On The EFT Train

Learn how to move your clients from slow paper checks to faster, safer EFT payments.

Gilad Idisis
Published at | Updated:
accountants advising client

Key takeaways

  • Replace paper checks with EFT payments to cut per-check costs and speed up client cash flow.
  • Show clients their own monthly check spending to make the savings from switching concrete.
  • Choose a simple provider like Melio and walk clients through their first payment.
  • Protect clients from rising check fraud by moving sensitive bank details off paper.

What are EFT payments?

An EFT payment is any electronic transfer of money between bank accounts, without paper checks or cash. EFT stands for electronic funds transfer, and it is an umbrella term. It covers ACH transfers, wire transfers, direct deposit, cards, and eChecks. For your clients, an EFT simply means paying and getting paid online instead of by mail.

How do EFT payments work?

EFT payments move money electronically from one bank account to another. The sender starts the payment and shares the recipient’s bank details. The sending bank checks the funds and authorization, then routes the payment through the right network. The recipient’s bank credits the account, often within a day or two.

Types of EFT payments

EFT covers several ways to move money online. The most common types your clients will use are:

  • ACH transfers: bank-to-bank payments for bills, payroll, and vendors.
  • Wire transfers: fast, higher-value transfers, often same day.
  • Direct deposit: paychecks paid straight into an account.
  • Cards: credit and debit card payments.
  • eChecks: digital versions of paper checks.

EFT vs ACH: what’s the difference?

EFT and ACH are often used as if they mean the same thing, but they do not. EFT is the umbrella term for all electronic payments between bank accounts. ACH is one type of EFT that runs on a US bank network and settles in batches. So every ACH payment is an EFT, but not every EFT is an ACH payment.

What are the key benefits of EFT payments?

EFT payments have great selling points, especially over checks. Here are some of the main advantages that may interest your clients:

EFTs are cheaper than checks

Some EFT service providers, like Melio, offer free ACH transfers up to a monthly limit, with no sign-up fees. Compare that to the cost of sending checks. Between buying business checkbooks, envelopes, and stamps, and the handling overhead, it can run roughly $4 to $20 per check. The math here pretty much speaks for itself.

EFTs are faster than checks

A check sent with USPS takes, well, let us just say it is called snail mail for a reason. Paying for courier services like FedEx can get your check there faster, but it will still take up to five business days.

Most EFT payments are faster:

  • Standard ACH: one to three business days.
  • Same-day ACH or wire: the same business day.
  • Cards and single-use virtual cards: almost immediate.

EFTs save time on data entry and reduce bookkeeping errors

If your client does their own bookkeeping, entering check payments by hand takes real time. Because EFT payments happen online, the payment data can flow straight into their accounting software, as long as they use a service that syncs automatically.

Less manual entry also means far fewer typos and wrong numbers. So it is a win on all accounts.

EFTs are much safer than checks

Checks are exposed to many types of fraud. Because they are physical slips of paper, they can be misplaced, lost, or stolen. A check can be forged, and it prints your banking details, like your account and routing number, for anyone to see.

And a check in the wrong hands is easy to misuse. In the Association for Financial Professionals 2025 Payments Fraud survey, checks remained the payment method most targeted by fraud, hitting 63% of organizations in 2024.

Checks are also highly exposed to mail theft. The Postal Inspection Service received 299,020 mail theft complaints between March 2020 and February 2021, a 161% jump over the prior 12 months. Federal data confirms the trend, with FinCEN reporting financial institutions filed 15,417 reports tied to more than $688 million in mail theft-related check fraud over a single six-month period.

EFT payments, on the other hand, are highly regulated, and providers must use strong security measures. Your banking details stay private, unlike on a check. ACH payments in particular are governed by Nacha rules and consumer protections under Regulation E for unauthorized transactions.

For a fuller comparison of how safe each payment method is, read this article.

How to switch clients over to online business payments

Once you have shown that EFTs beat checks, the real challenge is presenting that case in a way that moves your clients to act. Use these four steps to make the switch with little friction.

Show them the numbers

When we say numbers, we do not mean general stats. Those make clients yawn. The numbers that matter are their own, and their own figures show exactly how much they can save.

Take the number of checks they send in a month and add up the costs:

  1. Direct costs: checkbooks, envelopes, and stamps, plus printer cartridges if they print checks.
  2. Mailing costs: what they spend to mail checks by USPS or a private carrier.
  3. Back office costs: time or salary spent handling checks instead of higher-value work.
  4. Error costs: lost or late checks, deposit errors, and late fees on overdue payments.

Add these together. Depending on volume, it often comes to tens or even hundreds of dollars a month. Now do the same math for EFTs:

  1. Direct costs: $0.
  2. Mailing costs: $0.
  3. Back office costs: a fraction of the time it takes to handle a check.
  4. Error costs: $0.

Placing the two sets of numbers side by side tells the whole story.

Address their security concerns

Moving from a familiar system to a new one can worry clients, and the words digital and online often bring uncertainty. Even clients who know the risks of checks may prefer the devil they know.

That is why it helps to be honest that no payment system is 100% fraud-proof. The real question is how much power you have to prevent fraud and recover from it.

With online payments, clients can cut the chance of fraud to a minimum with simple habits, like changing passwords, keeping their details private, and not clicking suspicious links.

By teaching clients the fraud risks around EFTs and how to prevent them, you help them feel safer and more open to the switch.

Introduce the right service provider

The most important part of an easy transition is choosing the right service provider. The right one balances simplicity, cost, and advanced features for those who need them. Take Melio as an example:

  • Simple to set up: your clients can start scheduling bills within minutes, without the extra tools built for large finance teams.
  • Low-cost transfers: the free plan includes up to five free ACH bank transfers a month, with paid plans offering 20 and 50 free ACH transfers a month for higher volumes.
  • Helpful features: schedule batch, partial, and recurring payments, sync with QuickBooks and other accounting tools, manage approval workflows, and pay by card even when vendors do not accept it.

Assist your clients with the onboarding process

As with any big change, it is easier with someone by your side. Clients adapt faster when you walk through the first steps together. For example:

  • Open their account and add their banking information.
  • Sign them up for a product demo.
  • Schedule the first payment together.
  • Show them features that make the service easier to use.
  • Stay available for questions during the adjustment period.
  • Check in to make sure they are on the right track.

Better bill pay makes for happier clients

The change may be challenging, but once your clients board the EFT train, it improves every part of their business. They save money and gain time to focus on growth. In the end, keeping clients happy and helping them grow is what it is all about.

Making the move to EFT payments easier

Helping clients leave checks behind pays off in saved time, lower costs, and fewer fraud worries. Pick a service that is simple to use and fits how your clients work, then guide them through the first payment. Sign up for Melio to help your clients pay bills and get paid online, so they can focus on running their business.

EFT payments FAQs

What is the difference between EFT and ACH payments?

EFT is the umbrella term for electronic payments between bank accounts. ACH is one type of EFT that runs on a US bank network and settles in batches, usually within one to three business days.

How long do EFT payments take to process?

It depends on the type. Standard ACH takes one to three business days, same-day ACH and wires clear the same day, and card payments are almost immediate.

Is Zelle considered an EFT payment?

Yes. Zelle moves money electronically between US bank accounts, which makes it a type of EFT.

Are EFT payments safe for businesses?

Yes. EFT payments are regulated and keep your bank details private, unlike checks that print your account and routing numbers on paper.

*This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial advice.
**Melio does not provide legal, tax or accounting advice, and you should consult with a professional advisor before making any financial decisions.

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