AdminPlus plan

Bank payments (ACH)

Plus co-ops can let families pay by bank debit (ACH) as well as card. Bank debits cost your co-op far less than cards, so it's worth offering. This guide covers how the option works and what to expect from the parts that behave differently from cards.

Open Billing

Card vs. bank payments

Cards clear instantly, and Stripe's fee is 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction. Bank debits cost much less — 0.8%, capped at $5 — but the money takes about four business days to arrive, and a debit can still fail during that window (insufficient funds, a closed account). Either way the family pays the amount they owe; your co-op is the merchant of record and covers Stripe's fee out of its own balance, so the bank option is the cheaper rail for your co-op.

When bank payments are on, families see two buttons at checkout: pay from a bank account or pay by card. The amount is the same on either one.

Turning on bank payments

Go to Admin → Billing. Below the payment-collection card you'll find Payment options, which opens a modal with a checkbox for bank payments. It requires the Plus plan and a completed Stripe setup, and applies to every online payment surface — class enrollment, join fees, event fees, and balance payments.

The settlement window

A family's bank payment is authorized immediately but settles about four business days later. During that window their balance already reflects the payment (so nobody is asked to pay twice), class seats they enrolled in are held for them, and their Payments page shows a "Bank payment processing" badge. Treasurer reports count the money only after it actually settles.

Tip: A class seat paid by bank debit is held from the moment the family authorizes the payment — another family can't take it while the debit settles.

When a bank payment bounces

If the debit fails, everything it provisionally covered is put back the way it was: the amount reappears on the family's balance, and any class seats it was holding are released. The family gets an email that explains what happened, with a link to pay again (by card, if they prefer), and your co-op's admins get a matching notice so the change isn't a mystery.

Note: Failed debits are uncommon in practice, but they are a real difference from cards. A card either pays or it doesn't, while a bank debit can look fine for days and then bounce.

Disputes

Like cards, bank debits can be disputed. A bank account holder can claim a debit was unauthorized for up to 60 days. Disputes land in your co-op's own Stripe account (you're the merchant of record), and HomeschoolGo records them so your admins have visibility. If you get one, respond through the Stripe dashboard.

Still have a question? Head back to the Help & Support page or reach out to your co-op admin directly from the dashboard.