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GoCardless isn't a solution either. We have to manually set up payments and are limited to $5,000 per transaction. QuickBooks allows for client to pay with their bank account just like with a CC. In fact, Stripe allows this as well. Not sure why Xero would be blocking this feature. Try explaining to a client that they need to initiate a bank transfer to some random account. This needs to be fixed ASAP.

"I just asked Stripe to implement this."

It is already implemented in Stripe. There are two ways to collect an ACH payment with stripe: one works just like a credit card where the user enters their bank info just like a credit card number. The other is the way Xero does it. The problem isn't Stripe, it's Xero being too lazy to implement the other method that Stripe already offers.

I just asked Stripe to implement this. If you want it and use Stripe already (like I do) then maybe jump on their website and post the idea to them.
The more of us that do that, the more likely they are to push Xero to implement it, or create a workaround that we can use - like a Custom URL implenentation.
https://central.xero.com/s/article/Custom-URL

Please expedite the implementation of Stripe ACH Direct Debit functionality through Xero invoices in the US market. This function is critical, and Xero is losing its preference due to QBOs huge advantage in providing this functionality.

GoCardless is not the solution. Stripe ACH Credit is not the solution.

Clients expect to be able to invoice varying values and for their customers to be able to pay through by ACH utilizing a Pay Now link.

The recent product developments from 2024 Xerocon miss the point that clients want ACH Direct Debit functionality through Stripe. The Xerocon announcements utilized vague language which seems to have given management the freedom to push Stripe ACH Credit in order to provide a new product with fanfare when in reality the functionality clients want is still missing.

Customers should not be restricted to just one payment gateway option. Stripe caters for all payment methods including BECS Direct Debit. Why be restrcted to one option being GoCardless. Hopefuly this gets implemented very soon and not have to wati for years.

Roy - the issue is that Stripe offers two ways to do ACH: one that's completely seamless to the end user like a credit card transaction, and one that provides the end user with a virtual bank account number and requires them to do the work to initiate the transaction. At least in the US, this just isn't a thing people do, so lots of friction with that option.

We disabled ACH transactions because there is a possible side-effect to option 2: the virtual account Stripe creates is tied to a specific invoice. If an accounts payable person enters that as "our" bank account number, they can apparently send a transfer there for a future job. But it will be incorrectly applied to an already-paid invoice. The whole setup is just kind of dumb, to be honest, and feels like a temporary work-around that somehow stuck.

That said, it's the one Xero has chosen to go with, probably because it was easier to implement.

Given that, I don't expect them to bother implementing the frictionless version of ACH payments with Stripe, because it would require more work. As demonstrated by many other issues that have been lingering here for many years, they don't seem to like fixing problems as long as they can keep onboarding new suckers.

We're leaving the platform as soon as we're done with our taxes for this year. (Zoho Books is integrated into Stripe for ACH using the first option, by the way, and that's what we're doing). It's too bad. I actually like most aspects of Xero but the complete lack of interest in fixing basic issues is mind-boggling.

We also need this feature as most of our transactions are significant ($5K or more) and the 2.9% card fee is too much. Is this a technical issue with ACH transfers and their small fee which I think is around $0.10 per transaction? If this is a fee that Stripe is incurring then why can't they simply deduct it from the amount just like the credit card settlements do with their fees?

Agreed. This is critical - if XERO is taking control of the Stripe integration and forcing us to use it, at least ensure we're getting reasonable functionality.

We're Australian based and have clients across AU and US (50/50) and want automated direct billing options for BECS (AU) and ACH (US) plus credit card also - we've either got to frankenstein duct-tape a bunch of stuff together (XERO, GoCardless and Stripe) and/or also invoice through Stripe to be afforded their Stripe Billing rates (1/3 the cost) with endless more functionality than XERO.

We're basically punished for being on XERO at this stage.

Adding my name here, though I'm sure it's pointless. Between this and not sending emails through our mail server, I'm on the verge of looking for new accounting/invoicing software.

The current ACH setup through Xero is bizarre and unfamiliar, and can potentially lead to overpayments. Why isn't Stripe's ACH Direct Debit flow enabled in Xero? Stripe describes exactly what we want, which is what we had with Quickbooks:

“ACH Direct Debit payments enables customers to pay by providing their bank account details. Customers must accept a mandate authorizing you to debit their account and verify ownership of the account through instant verification or micro-deposits.”

This is a payment flow that makes sense to the end user, because it's EXACTLY like the credit card payment flow. The only difference is that instead of entering your credit card number, you enter your bank account/routing number.

When the user is presented with a list of account/routing/SWIFT numbers and told to go to their bank to initiate a transfer, guess what? They're not going to do it. We've had this enabled for a few months and not a single customer has used it.

Also, nobody in the US that I've asked has ever heard of GoCardless. Why should I have to pay $25 per month to get something I already have enable through my Stripe account?

None of my B2B customers want automatic debit from their accounts so GoCardless is useless to me. The Stripe ACH integration with Xero is a joke. Nobody is going to their online bank and entering a swift code for each invoice. But based on the votes for this we must be in the minority. I regret not choosing Quickbooks every day for this reason and the fact you can't have bundled products. I might just have to bit it and make the switch because I spend too much time looking to work around such simple problems.

Come on Xero deploying this shouldn't be difficult!?
Bank transfers and BACS DDs are available in Stripe, why restrict Xero to only cards and wallets and expect us to run two payment systems.

Personally I've had no problem with GoCardless but it makes no sense to run both. Come on Xero!
... or is there a Xero alternative that does...

This needs to be a priority!

This is need

GoCardless has soo many problems

Have an alternate partner other than GoCardless. I don't understand why Xero doesn't support ACH payment through Stripe, but there have been many cases where GoCardless drops the ball or even drops clients (has literally happened to one of my clients for asking too many questions). Which means, there is no ACH alternative. (I have yet to hear any client that has enjoyed GoCardless, it is an awful platform).

This is a great feature I want to use. I set up Stripe thinking it would work, but got the ACH credit which is a completely different process no one wants to use here. ACH Debit would make for an easy interaction with our clients in the way they expect. Please enable the feature!

Stripe does not record my clients card and comes through as ACH. I therefore cannot use the invoice system I prefer which is Xero. Because I want to send the Invoice the client and then charge the card on file. I have to go through Stripe to do this while I prefer the invoice structure of Xero.
I have other payment apps that allow me to do this with Stipe but not Xero.

The competition that stripe will provide will ensure we are not ripped off my gocardless too.
The benefits of stripe are endless, convenience (same login for cc and dd) and ease of use being my top

I agree with Zev, Jacob, and Jessica's comments. We had a terrible onboarding process with GoCardless that took a couple weeks to get verified only to be randomly audited and have our account shut down with no explanation. Our Xero bookkeeper has also said GoCardless is not a good solution.

Without Stripe's ACH Debit option, we can't use Xero invoicing and have to either (1) use Stripe's Billing product directly or (2) implement a new property management system that has better payment options. The current Strip ACH Credit option is a non-starter for our customers because it's too onerous for them to have to create an ACH and many don't have outgoing ACH capabilities in their personal banking.

You're missing a great opportunity to make Xero much more sticky for your customers!

For others in property management looking for a better solution, I recommend checking out Buildium for payments and a full suite accounting and property management system.

Stripe has facilities for DD Bacs payments, I wish you can integrate it with Xero like you have done with GoCardless, the benefit will be that people will only need to deal with one provider for card payments and DD, and also give DD capabilities for people that GoCardless kicked off the platform without giving any reason like they have done to us.

Pre-Authorized Debit Payments too for Canadians :)

Stripe has native functionality for both. Just noticed Freshbooks allows this with their Stripe integration would be nice to see for Xero as well.