Most businesses default to cards and never revisit that decision. Bank payments (ACH) and stablecoins such as USDC each fit specific situations better. This post compares the three and shows how to offer them side by side. We build SaturnShift, so we use it for the concrete fees and limits; the trade-offs apply to most tools.
Side-by-side comparison
| Bank payments (ACH) | Cards | USDC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SaturnShift platform fee | 0.25% + $0.10 (Starter), 0.05% + $0.10 (Full Suite) | 0.35% + $0.10 (Starter), 0.15% + $0.10 (Full Suite) | 1.00% + $0.10 (Starter), 0.75% + $0.10 (Crypto Suite, Full Suite) |
| Other charges | Stripe's processing charges | Stripe's processing charges | A network fee for the blockchain transaction |
| Reversals | ACH returns (for example insufficient funds, unauthorized) | Chargebacks, often months after purchase | No card-style chargeback process; refunds are a separate step |
| What the customer needs | A US bank account | A card | A wallet holding USDC on a supported network |
| Where funds land (SaturnShift) | Your bank account, paid out by Stripe | Your bank account, paid out by Stripe | Your own payout wallet, in kind, on the network paid on |
| Recurring billing (SaturnShift) | Not available | Yes, on Full Suite | Not available |
Fees are from SaturnShift's pricing page. Card and ACH are on Starter and Full Suite; Crypto Suite is stablecoin only.
There is no "settlement speed" row on purpose. Timing depends on the payment method, the network and processing conditions, so we don't quote one.
Bank payments (ACH): the backbone of US B2B payments
Advantages
- The lowest SaturnShift platform fee of the three on both Starter and Full Suite.
- Familiar to US finance teams and accountants.
- Bank to bank, with no card network involved.
Limitations
- Payers need a US bank account.
- Returns are possible, for example for insufficient funds or an unauthorized claim.
- One-time payments only in SaturnShift (invoices and payment links). Recurring ACH is not available.
Best for: larger one-time invoices from US business clients who already pay suppliers from a bank account.
Cards: the universal option
Advantages
- Most customers have one, and no wallet or bank details are needed.
- You find out at checkout whether the payment was authorized.
- The only method SaturnShift's recurring billing charges (Full Suite, approved merchants).
Limitations
- Stripe's processing charges sit on top of the platform fee.
- Chargebacks: a customer can dispute a payment, often months after purchase depending on card network rules.
- Card-not-present fraud risk for online payments.
Best for: consumers, smaller invoices, clients who want to pay on a company card, and anything recurring.
USDC: dollar-pegged and final on chain
Advantages
- No card-style chargeback process. A confirmed on-chain transfer is not reversed by the network.
- Priced in dollars, so no crypto price exposure.
- Settles in kind to your own wallet; SaturnShift does not hold it.
Limitations
- The customer needs a wallet holding USDC on a network you accept.
- Many customers don't hold stablecoins, so it works as an extra option, not a replacement.
- SaturnShift's stablecoin platform fee is higher than its card and ACH platform fees, although card and ACH also carry Stripe's charges.
- SaturnShift does not convert stablecoins to dollars and offers no cash-out. Convert through your own exchange if you choose.
- No recurring stablecoin billing.
Best for: high-value invoices to clients who already hold stablecoins, where avoiding card disputes matters.
SaturnShift accepts USDC on Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum and Polygon, and USDT on Ethereum and Base.
The fee math: a $10,000 invoice
Here is SaturnShift's platform fee alone on a $10,000 payment:
| Plan | ACH | Card | Stablecoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter ($0 a month) | $25.10 | $35.10 | $100.10 |
| Crypto Suite ($49 a month) | n/a | n/a | $75.10 |
| Full Suite ($69 a month) | $5.10 | $15.10 | $75.10 |
This table is not the all-in cost of a payment. Stripe processes card and ACH payments, and Stripe's own processing charges apply on top of these platform fees. We are not quoting Stripe's charges here; check them before you compare totals. Stablecoin payments carry a network fee for the blockchain transaction, separate from SaturnShift's fee.
Two things fall out of it. On platform fees, ACH is the cheapest rail on both Starter and Full Suite. And once Stripe's card charges are added, the comparison between card and stablecoin depends on your actual Stripe costs, so run your own numbers rather than assuming one rail always wins.
The chargeback problem with cards
Card chargebacks are a real risk on high-value invoices. A customer who disputes a card charge, legitimately or not, can start the process long after the work is delivered, and you then have to respond through the card network's dispute process.
USDC has no card-style chargeback process. If you need to give money back, refunds are supported within your refund window, as a separate step that you control.
ACH sits in between. ACH returns (technically not chargebacks) are possible for reasons such as insufficient funds or an unauthorized claim.
International clients
International payments raise questions about which payment methods a given payer can use. SaturnShift's ACH is for payers with US bank accounts. We don't make customer-country claims for cards or stablecoins in this post, so if you invoice clients outside the US, confirm with SaturnShift which methods they can use before you send the invoice.
The practical answer: offer more than one
For most businesses the answer isn't to pick one method. On SaturnShift's Starter and Full Suite plans, a single invoice can be paid by card, ACH or stablecoin, and the client chooses on the hosted checkout page. You don't build separate collection flows for each, and payments show up in one dashboard with reporting and reconciliation. On Crypto Suite and Full Suite you can also connect QuickBooks Online.
Every account completes a short Stripe onboarding, even for stablecoin-only businesses, and SaturnShift reviews each account separately. You can start accepting payments once your account is approved.
Quick decision guide
US business client, large one-time invoice
Offer ACH first. It has the lowest platform fee; add Stripe's charges when you compare.
Client outside the US
Check first which methods that payer can use.
Consumer or small business
Cards. Familiar, no prerequisites.
Client that already holds stablecoins
USDC or USDT, if they prefer to pay from their wallet.
Subscription or recurring billing
Card. In SaturnShift, recurring billing is a Full Suite feature for approved merchants and charges a card; recurring ACH and recurring stablecoin billing are not available.
High chargeback risk category
Offer stablecoins where the client can pay that way, alongside card.
For a deeper look at card versus ACH on invoices, see our card or ACH post. To compare plans, see pricing.
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