The Quiet Revolution: How ACH Is Leaving Checks Behind in B2B Payments

Michael Johnson · 2026-09-22

Remember when paper checks ruled the business world? They were the go-to for paying suppliers, settling invoices, and just about everything else. But times are changing, and ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments are quietly taking over. In fact, ACH has been the most-used B2B payment method since 2020, and its growth shows no signs of slowing. ### The Numbers Don't Lie According to the Cleveland Fed, the number of B2B payments made via ACH more than doubled from 3.6 billion in 2015 to 8.7 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, checks have been on a steady decline. In 2015, checks were the most widely used B2B payment method with 4.6 billion payments. By 2024, that number had fallen to 2.7 billion, and checks' share of total B2B payments dropped from 32% to 13%. But here's the thing: despite the decline, nearly 90% of businesses still used checks in 2025. So why the slow transition? It's about cost, automation, and reducing risk. ### Why ACH Is Winning "The slow move towards ACH away from checks is about cost, automation, and reducing risk," said Ben Danner, Senior Analyst of Debit at Javelin Strategy & Research. "If you think about paper checks, there is a huge risk with mishandling, counterfeit, and alterations just to name a few things. When you add up all the costs associated with paper checks, ACH is just a better modality and also gives businesses the option of speed with same day ACH. Businesses have slowly followed consumer trends in moving towards digital payments in general." Let's break down the advantages: - **Cost savings**: The median fee for sending or receiving an ACH payment is 25 to 50 cents per transaction. Checks, by comparison, carry a median fee of $1 for sending organizations and just under $1 for receiving organizations. - **Speed**: ACH offers same-day processing, while checks can take days to clear. - **Security**: ACH is less prone to fraud, loss, or theft compared to paper checks. - **Automation**: ACH can be easily integrated with accounting software, reducing manual effort. ### The Middle Ground ACH and checks tend to be used for mid-sized B2B payments. In 2024, the average ACH transaction was $8,084, compared with $5,577 for checks. Wires were used for significantly larger payments, averaging nearly $3.2 million per transaction. Credit and debit card transactions, meanwhile, averaged $275 and $119, respectively. So while ACH is growing, it's not replacing high-value wire transfers or small card payments. It's carving out its own space in the middle. ### What About Other Payment Methods? As ACH has gained ground and checks have declined, the other major payment methods have seen relatively little change. Credit cards and wire payments accounted for nearly 30% and 2% of B2B payments, respectively, with both shares remaining largely unchanged over the decade. Debit cards saw somewhat more movement, increasing from 13% to 17%. ### The Road Ahead The shift from checks to ACH is part of a broader digital transformation in business payments. As more businesses adopt electronic payments, the benefits of speed, cost, and security will become even more apparent. If you're still relying heavily on checks, it might be time to consider making the switch. Your bottom line—and your team's sanity—will thank you. So, what's holding you back? The future of B2B payments is here, and it's digital.