Originally published in July 2020. Last updated on January 16, 2025.
Ever had to dry out a soggy check a client left under a doormat? Waited around for a client to go to the bank to take out cash so you can get paid? Or asked a client to replace a lost or damaged check?
Getting paid doesn’t have to be that hard. Online payment methods keep paper out of the picture, making transferring funds from a client to your business easy. Plus, they’re convenient, secure, and easier to track.
But before you make the switch, you need to decide which online payment methods make the most sense for your business and clients. From credit card transfers to a digital wallet, use this guide to learn which option best suits your needs.
5 online payment methods to get paid faster:
1. Credit cards and debit cards
Online credit and debit payments is a popular payment method for many service providers. They’re convenient and common across various industries.
To accept credit and debit payments, you’ll need to choose a payment processor like Jobber Payments, Square, or PayPal to facilitate transferring the funds from your customer’s account to yours.
Payment processors ensure payments are secure and that compliance requirements are met, like data privacy related to your customer’s banking information. While most can transfer funds from customers’ credit and debit card accounts, some also support mobile payments from digital wallets like Apply Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Once you choose a payment processor, you need to make credit and debit card options available to your customers by doing things like:
- Adding payment links to your invoices
- Sending payment links via email or text message at the end of a job
- Including a payment form or pay now button on your website
Jobber makes it easy for customers to make credit or debit card payments online. They can pay invoices or deposits in client hub, their self-serve customer portal, and even reward you for your excellent service with a tip.
How long do payments take?
Debit and credit card payments usually take 2-5 days to be deposited into your account.
How much does it cost?
In exchange for securely transferring funds between accounts, some payment processors charge a monthly base amount as well as a fee per transaction, like 1%.
2. Payment platforms
Payment platforms are similar to payment processors but offer more comprehensive services.
For example, payment software like Jobber can:
- Automatically invoice customers
- Handle a variety of payment methods, like credit, debit, digital wallets, and bank transfers
- Facilitate recurring payment
- Track accounts receivable
- Send overdue payment reminders
Many payment processors are also comprehensive payment platforms, but not all offer the same options. If you’re looking for a payment platform that can handle more than just facilitating online payment methods, choose the one that will best support your business needs and budget.
How long do payments take?
The time it takes for a payment to show up in your account depends on how it was made. For example, a credit card payment can be processed in as few as 1-2 days, while payments from digital wallets may be available instantly.
How much does it cost?
How much a payment platform costs depends on a variety of factors, such as:
- The type of platform you choose and what you need it to do
- How many transactions are made each month
- Which payment methods are used
Similar to payment processors, some payment platforms may charge a monthly subscription fee as well as a fee per transaction.
3. Customer financing
Customer financing is when you offer customers a way to pay for your services on credit, either through a third-party lender or an in-house loan.
This helps clients who can’t pay for your services upfront or in full to spread out costs for large or unexpected jobs over time.
Using this online payment method, you need to decide whether you want to offer customer financing yourself or through a lender like Wisetak, Affirm, or Klarna.
If you choose a third-party financing platform, you’ll get paid in full upfront by the lender, and the customer will make installation payments to them until their balance is cleared.
If you offer customer financing yourself, it will be up to you to decide which customers you extend the payment option to based on considerations like the job, your relationship, and how it will impact cash flow.
How long do payments take?
If you use a third-party customer financing platform, you’ll usually receive your payment within 1-3 days.
If you provide your customer with an in-house loan, you will need to determine the amount of each payment, when installments are due, and whether you’ll charge interest. You can either offer a loan for the entire amount of the job or ask for a deposit upfront.
How much does it cost?
Fees for third-party lenders vary but usually fall between 3-6% per transaction or a flat fee of around $50 per month depending on the transaction value, type of service, and payment terms.
If you offer customer financing yourself, you may not have direct costs, but you run the risk of not getting paid back after the work’s done. This makes it essential to only offer in-house financing if your cash flow can sustain it and to properly vet clients before providing a loan.
Through Jobber’s Wisetak integration, you can offer flexible payment options to customers without putting your business at risk.
4. Bank transfers
Bank transfers are another online payment method service providers can use to get paid faster. They transfer funds directly from one bank account to another and are typically made via:
- Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers
- Wire transfers
- Email transfers
All three types of bank transfers are very secure as the transactions are processed between banks.
ACH transfers
Offering ACH payment is low-cost but may take longer to deposit (1-3 days) than other types of bank transfers because they’re processed in batches. ACH payments are only available in the U.S.
ACH transfers are often used for direct and recurring payments and you can accept them using Jobber Payments, helping you to get paid faster for less.
Wire transfers
Wire transfers are faster than ACH transfers and can be deposited within 1-2 days, but come with a higher cost (generally $10-$50+) because they’re processed individually.
They work well for urgent or high-value payments and can be used for domestic and international transactions.
Email transfers
Email transfers are the fastest type of bank transfer and are usually processed either instantly or within a few hours, depending on the bank and transaction.
While sending email transfers comes with a small fee ($1-$1.50 per payment), receiving them is free.
Email transfers are more popular in Canada than in the U.S.
5. In-person online payments
Just because you want to accept electronic payments doesn’t mean you can only accept them via email or text. Some payment processors and platforms offer a blend of online and offline payment methods that service providers can use.
For example, with Jobber Payments, you can use a card reader to accept payments from credit and debit cards before you leave a job site, saving you from having to worry about losing or misplacing cash or checks.
Payments accepted via hardware take the same amount of time to process as online (2-5 days) and have similar transaction fees but may come with an additional cost to cover a card reader.
The benefits of using online payment methods
Online payment methods come with tons of benefits for service providers. If you plan to offer them to clients, you can expect to:
1. Improve cash flow
The more payment methods you offer, the easier you make it for clients to pay you on time and in full. This helps to improve cash flow by keeping it steady and balanced, preventing mishaps caused by damaged checks, misplaced cash, or clients who find your existing payment options inconvenient.
2. Boost customer experience
Clients like to work with businesses that prioritize their experience, and offering electronic payment methods makes paying you more straightforward and convenient. Online payment methods are also more secure and ensure that your customers’ financial payment information is protected, building trust and confidence in your business.
3. Get more leads
The more payment options you offer, the more customers you serve. If a customer who doesn’t carry cash has to choose between a service provider who accepts online payments and another who only accepts cash, their decision will probably be pretty easy.
Making online payment methods available to your clients also shows that your business is keeping up with current trends, positioning you as both forward-thinking and professional. This can give you a competitive edge over other service providers who are resistant to change.
4. Reduce your administrative workload
Online payment methods are easier to track, monitor, and process than paper payments. And if you use a payment platform like Jobber, it can handle everything from invoicing and payment processing to online booking and scheduling, giving you back the time you need to focus on growing your service business instead of just running it.