If you underwrite and fund deals, your payment rails are a growth lever. Pick the right rail and you close more approvals, lower return rates, and improve unit economics. This guide breaks down ACH, Same Day ACH, and RTP (Real-Time Payments) specifically for lenders and MCA providers—and shows why Liftoff is the best end-to-end platform to run instant funding and low-cost collections in 2025.
Rail basics for funding teams
· ACH (standard): Batch-based transfers that settle in 1–3 business days. It’s the lowest cost rail—perfect for scheduled repayments and recurring debits.
· Same Day ACH: ACH that settles the same business day if you meet cutoffs and limits. Great for “today,” not necessarily “right now.”
· RTP (Real-Time Payments): 24/7/365 instant transfers that clear in seconds—ideal for after hours and weekend funding where time = revenue.
Side-by-side comparison for lenders/MCA
|
Attribute |
ACH (Standard) |
Same Day ACH |
RTP (Real-Time Payments) |
|
Speed |
1–3 business days |
Same day (hit cutoffs) |
Seconds (24/7/365) |
|
Cutoffs |
Yes (daily batches) |
Tight windows |
None |
|
Use in funding |
Not ideal for urgency |
Good for same-day settlements/refunds |
Best for instant funding + renewals |
|
Use in collections |
Best for recurring debits |
Good for accelerated corrections |
Limited (push rail) |
|
Cost |
Lowest |
Low–mid |
Rail-dependent; higher than ACH |
|
Risk/returns |
ACH returns (R01– R85) |
Same as ACH |
Final/irrevocable— verify first |
|
Availability |
Business days |
Business days |
Nights/weekends/holidays |
Routing principle:
· RTP out to fund approvals/renewals when speed wins the deal.
· ACH back to collect repayments at the lowest cost.
· Same Day ACH for “today” settlements when RTP isn’t required and you can hit a cutoff.
When lenders should use ACH (standard)
Use ACH where predictability and cost control matter most:
· Repayment schedules (weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly) aligned to borrower cash flow.
· Dunning flows with pre-debit reminders and intelligent retries to reduce NSFs.
· Portfolio-scale economics: pennies per transaction vs. card fees, improving NIM and renewal eligibility.
How Liftoff makes ACH better:
· $0 fees on ACH pulls and $0 on debit transactions to crush processing costs.
· Account validation at onboarding to reduce R01/R03 returns.
· Smart retry engine tuned to deposit windows to cut NSFs without extra ops.
When lenders should use Same Day ACH
· Pick Same Day ACH when same-day is enough:
· End-of-day settlements with partners or suppliers.
· Faster refunds and corrections without card fees.
· Off-cycle payroll adjustments for portfolio companies.
Liftoff advantage: Automatic cutoff awareness and graceful fallback—if you miss a window, route to RTP or schedule next-day ACH without manual intervention.
When lenders should use RTP
Use RTP when time = revenue:
· After-hours/weekend funding: approve → fund in seconds, close more deals.
· Renewals/top-ups: instant disbursement boosts conversion and loyalty.
· Goodwill payouts/escalations: “We fixed it—check your bank now.”
· Marketplaces/partners: instant availability becomes a competitive edge.
Liftoff advantage:
· True 24/7/365 RTP with event-driven confirmations and clean reconciliation.
· Built-in KYB/KYC, OFAC, account validation, and velocity rules so instant doesn’t mean risky.
· One platform to fund via RTP and collect via $0 ACH, keeping margin intact.
Funding + collections playbook (practical scenarios)
· Saturday 8:45 PM approval: RTP disbursement; set ACH schedule for repayments.
· Same-day partner settlement: Same Day ACH if cutoffs allow; otherwise RTP.
· Monthly borrower collections: ACH debits with reminders + smart retries.
· Immediate goodwill credit: RTP to repair a relationship or close a renewal.
Cost strategy: win on margin without sacrificing speed
1. Default to ACH for collections—lowest cost at scale (and $0 with Liftoff).
2. Deploy Same Day ACH for faster settlements without going full instant.
3. Reserve RTP for funding events where instant speed wins/retains revenue.
4. Track: funding conversion lift from RTP, return-rate reductions via validation/retries, and blended cost per $1,000 moved.
Why Liftoff is the best solution for lenders & MCA (2025)
· Speed + Savings in one stack: RTP for instant funding, $0 ACH/debit for low-cost collections. No one else combines both at this depth.
· Lower returns, cleaner ratios: Account validation, schedule design, reminders, and smart retries reduce NSFs and support load.
· Portal or API—your choice: Launch in minutes via Portal; automate end-to-end via API and webhooks as you scale.
· Risk & compliance built-in: KYB/KYC, OFAC, velocity controls, audit trails—move fast without compliance sprawl.
· End-to-end operations: Funding, invoicing with e-payments, recurring schedules, chargeback prevention, and analytics—one login.
· Proven for lending/MCA: Designed around lender workflows—approvals, renewals, reconciliations, and return handling—so teams execute, not babysit payments.
Bottom line: With Liftoff, you fund in seconds, collect predictably, and cut processing costs to near zero—a combination built to grow approvals and protect margin.
Benefits for Lenders & MCA Industry
· RTP for funding (close faster—nights/weekends included).
· ACH for collections (lowest cost, most control—$0 with Liftoff).
· Same Day ACH for “today” settlements when cutoffs fit.
· Liftoff is the best platform to run all three rails with built-in risk, automation, and zero-fee collections.
FAQs (for lenders & MCA)
Is RTP replacing ACH for lenders?
No. RTP complements ACH. Use RTP to fund instantly; use ACH for recurring repayments at the lowest cost.
Does Same Day ACH always post the same day?
Only if you meet network cutoff times and amount limits. Miss either and it posts next business day.
How do I keep RTP safe?
Treat RTP as final. Run KYB/KYC, OFAC screening, and account validation before sending. Liftoff automates these checks.
What’s the cheapest way to collect repayments?
ACH debits are typically the lowest-cost—and with Liftoff’s $0 ACH, you maximize margin while improving predictability.
Can I run RTP out and ACH back in one workflow?
Yes—the most effective lending flows fund via RTP and collect via ACH. Liftoff orchestrates both rails in one platform.
Why is Liftoff the best choice in 2025?
Only Liftoff pairs 24/7 RTP funding with $0 ACH/debit collections, risk/compliance built-in, recurring invoicing, and lender-grade automation—so you move money faster and cheaper with fewer returns and less manual work.