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The maximum ACH transfer limit varies depending on your financial institution and account type. Potential limits range from $3,500 per day (Bank of America) to $25,000 per day (JPMorgan Chase) for personal checking and savings accounts.
Financial institutions (or FIs, a term that includes banks and credit unions) may choose to set the limit at $10,000 as a result of the Bank Secrecy Act. The Act requires that FIs file a currency transaction report (CTR) whenever a customer attempts to transfer more than $10,000 in one day, over one or multiple transactions.
| Traditional ACH | Wire | |
|---|---|---|
Cost per Payment | $0.20 - $1.50 | $25 - $50 |
Settlement | 2-5 business days | 1 day or less |
Security | Allows returns and reversals | No returns or reversals |
Payment Direction | Credit and Debit | Credit Only |
Direct deposits (an ACH credit often used for payroll) and automatic recurring payments (ACH debits for services like utilities) are common examples of ACH payments.
No, ACH and Zelle are not technically the same thing, although Zelle utilizes the ACH network. Basically, all Zelle payments are (instant) ACH payments but not all ACH payments are Zelle payments.
Whereas an ACH payment can be either a credit (adding money) or debit (withdrawing money), direct deposit is always an ACH credit payment.
Most US banks and other FIs (financial institutions) including credit unions allow ACH transfers.
The biggest reason to use ACH instead of a wire transfer is cost. ACH payments are usually much less expensive than wires.
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