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Updated Jun 20, 2024

How to Accept Recurring Payments

Your customers and clients won’t always remember to pay on time. Learn how to accept recurring payments to counter this problem.

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Written By: Max FreedmanBusiness Operations Insider and Senior Analyst
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This guide was reviewed by a Business News Daily editor to ensure it provides comprehensive and accurate information to aid your buying decision.
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Think about seeking payment from clients or customers who use your services regularly. What comes to mind first? Maybe you’re at once appreciative of your customers’ loyalty but are annoyed about some late payments. Often, these late payments aren’t intentional. Clients and customers have a lot going on and can easily forget to pay your invoices. Knowing how to accept recurring payments solves this problem, so we’ll walk you through the process.

What are recurring payments?

Recurring payments are any credit or debit card payments that your company receives on a regular basis automatically. They’re different from a customer or client handing you their card or filling in their information online every time they make a purchase or renew your services. Instead, your third-party payment processor keeps the customer’s or client’s payment information on file and charges it on a recurring basis.

Editor’s note: Looking for the right credit card processor for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

Recurring payments can happen monthly or annually as is common in small business affairs. Less commonly, recurring payments can occur weekly or daily. You also have the option to let recurring payments go on forever or end them after a certain date.

Key TakeawayKey takeaway
Most small business recurring payments are monthly or annual but they can be weekly or daily in some cases.

How do you accept recurring payments?

Recurring payments work through your business’s third-party payment processing company. These third parties enable your business to accept credit card payments or payments via debit card. There are also two kinds of payment processors: payment service providers and merchant accounts. The former oversees all processing, securing and depositing of your customers’ or clients’ funds. The latter is solely for depositing funds.

In either case, your payment processing company will trigger a recurring payment by contacting your bank. The company will then contact your customer or client’s credit or debit card network as well. Thereafter, the network will check with the card’s issuing bank to see whether the transaction is valid and funds are available. 

If all appears legitimate, the network will approve the transaction with your payment processor. After a one- or two-day hold to counter fraud, you’ll have your funds. Some payment service providers eliminate this hold period, though this advantage comes with extra fees.

Types of recurring payment structures

Typically, recurring payments fall into two broad categories, both of which have a few subcategories.

1. Fixed recurring payments

Customers or clients who make fixed payments send you the same amount of money with each payment. Common examples include monthly donations to nonprofits or subscriptions to publications. They also include customer product subscriptions as the shipping fees you pay or defer to the customer shouldn’t change between orders.

2. Variable recurring payments

Variable payments are less common than fixed ones, although you’re likely familiar with them from both your business and personal life. The most obvious example is your utility bills. Surely, you’re not using the same amount of electricity, gas or water each month. As such, your monthly costs will vary, as will the size of any recurring payments you’ve made. 

In small business, most products and services are constant in pricing, so variable recurring payments are infrequent. However, for service providers whose offerings vary in quantity, such as a tutor who sometimes provides two hours of tutoring instead of one, variable recurring payments may be better.

FYIDid you know
Variable recurring payments are somewhat rare in business, although they can benefit your company in certain circumstances.

What are the benefits of accepting recurring payments?

These are some of the benefits of accepting recurring payments:

  • Fewer late or missed payments: Let’s say your customers or clients pay you regularly. With recurring payments, the customer no longer has to remember to pay you. Instead, they’ll have their funds withdrawn automatically and sent to you. The result is the near-elimination of late or missed client or customer payments.
  • No need to ask customers or clients for payment: Every small business owner likes earning money, but few enjoy pestering clients for payment. With recurring payments, you’ll get your money automatically without having to ask for it. That means greater cash flow and fewer headaches.
  • Easier accounting and invoicing: Often, recurring payment platforms can integrate with your accounting and invoicing systems. In this case, a recurring payment can trigger the creation of an invoice and the recording of a credit in the appropriate general ledger account. That’s less work for you and more accuracy in your billing and accounting.
  • Easier accounts payable (AP) for clients: When clients know their funds will be withdrawn on a certain date, they don’t need to check their AP to square up. Instead, they can sit back and watch as their AP is credited and their cash account is debited. Plus, if their accounting, invoicing and payment processing are integrated like yours, then your recurring payments will truly perfect their operations.
  • Hassle-free restocking for customers: Let’s say you operate a business-to-consumer company that sells tangible products that become unusable after a certain period. Your customers will then have to find the time to buy new products from you. Recurring payments solve this problem. They automate customer payments and the addition of new customer shipments to your inventory management software.
  • Option for subscription models: If you subscribe to a magazine, newspaper or digital publication, you’re probably already familiar with recurring payments. Think about how useful they could be for your business. With a monthly payment, your clients could maintain hassle-free access to your platform. More efficient, customer-friendly business is possible, if not probable, with recurring payment subscriptions.

Best credit card processing services for recurring payments

There’s no one way to set up recurring payments for your business. Instead, the steps you’ll take will vary based on your credit card processor of choice. We’ve explained how to accept recurring payments with a few of our reviews of the best credit card processing providers.

Clover

Clover is our favorite two-in-one point-of-sale and credit card processing platform. You can use Clover’s virtual terminal to accept and process payments entirely digitally. Log in to the Clover web dashboard and accept all pending transactions. You’ll pay a fee for this service, including a 1 percent rate to optionally avoid the one- or two-day hold. 

Beyond its tools for accepting recurring payments, Clover has all kinds of business-friendly features. You can use Clover to create gift cards, generate sales reports, build an e-commerce website and more. Clover also offers merchant cash advances (MCAs) that can help you obtain extra funding for your business. Read more in our Clover credit card processing review.

TipTip
MCAs can be a good option for seasonal businesses or any other business that needs some extra help with temporary cash flow.

Merchant One

Merchant One’s credit card processing is our top choice for businesses that need easy approval to start using credit card processors. You can access Merchant One’s payment processing services anywhere you can access the internet. The platform also includes an invoice generator and a QuickBooks plugin to integrate your recurring payments fully. You’ll get payer authentication and anti-fraud tools as well. 

When you use Merchant One to accept recurring payments, you pay a monthly fee that starts at $13.95 for the company’s introductory plan. Your processing fee for swiped transactions will range from 0.29 percent to 1.55 percent. For keyed-in transactions, the maximum is 1.99 percent. No matter how you enter customers’ card information, you can store it securely in your Merchant One customer vault. Learn what other features are included in our Merchant One’s credit card processing review.

Stax

Stax is our top credit card processor pick for small businesses. On its dashboard, you can create recurring invoices that generate recurring payments. Stax makes it easy to set an automatic recurring payment or invoice schedule when you create an invoice. 

Stax pricing for businesses starts at $99 per month, with subscription pricing depending on the number of transactions you process each month. While this platform tends to have higher fees initially, Stax lacks the hidden fees common with other brands. Find out what other features you’ll get in our Stax credit card processing review. 

Payment Depot

If you expect to process a high volume of recurring payments, Payment Depot is our top choice for your business. Its uncommon model of membership-based pricing and wholesale rates can keep your costs lower than paying fees that increase with transaction volume. Payment Depot doesn’t bind you to long-term contracts, meaning you can switch easily if you’re not happy. 

This guide should help you decide which credit card processor will best fit your recurring payment needs. Once you do, easier accounts receivable management is right around the corner.

Recurring payments FAQs

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions from businesses considering whether to accept recurring payments.
The cost of accepting recurring payments will depend on your specific credit card processor. However, it’s typical for recurring payment fees to be the same as any other transaction where a physical credit card isn’t present.
Businesses across a range of industries can benefit from recurring payments. Automated recurring payments are especially helpful for membership or subscription-based services. From streaming services to gym memberships, recurring payments mean uninterrupted services for your customers and continued cash flow for your business.
To implement recurring payments, you’ll need to select a credit card processor that offers this capability. When choosing the right provider, it’s essential to consider factors, such as your business model and the volume of transactions you process each month. You’ll also want to select a provider with robust security features, so you and your customers’ information stays safe.
After you select a credit card processor for recurring payments, there are some other logistics to consider. You’ll need to decide how frequently to charge customers, as well as a mechanism for customers to opt into recurring payments. You should also do your due diligence and ensure all recurring payment processes are legally compliant with state and federal laws. If you accept international transactions, there may also be additional regulatory requirements you’ll need to meet.
After the initial setup, your credit card processor will assist with most of the work of processing recurring payments. It’s still important to keep a close eye on the process, especially in case of failed payments. This can happen, for instance, when a customer’s credit card expires and they forget to update their information. You may need to reach out and ask the customer directly to re-enter their information if your credit card processor doesn’t have automated features to address failed payments. You may also want to set up advanced notifications, so your customers get an alert when recurring payments are coming up. This extra effort can go a long way in showing your customers you prioritize transparent communication.
Automatic payments function similarly to recurring payments. Instead of charging a customer’s credit or debit card, automatic payments allow you, as a merchant, to collect payment directly from a customer’s bank account.

Keep business moving with recurring payments

If you offer a product or service that repeats regularly, recurring payments can remove the hassle for you and your customers. Choose a credit card processor that best fits your business needs, so everything runs smoothly. In addition to streamlining your financial processes, it’s also an important part of delivering the best customer experience possible. 

Natalie Hamingson contributed to this article.

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Written By: Max FreedmanBusiness Operations Insider and Senior Analyst
Max Freedman has spent nearly a decade providing entrepreneurs and business operators with actionable advice they can use to launch and grow their businesses. Max has direct experience helping run a small business, performs hands-on reviews and has real-world experience with business technology. At Business News Daily, Max covers accounting software, POS systems and digital payroll solutions, as well as leading medical software and text message marketing services. Max has written hundreds of articles for Business News Daily on a range of valuable topics, including small business funding, time and attendance, marketing and human resources.
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