# Payment Methods
Source: https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods

Last updated 24 October 2026.

TL;DR

-   The method your customer picks changes your fees, your fraud exposure, your settlement timing and your dispute rules
-   A 1% fee difference across $1M of volume is $10,000 a year. Your method mix is a cost lever, not a detail
-   Card-not-present fraud runs about 10x card-present. ACH fraud doesn't look like either
-   In a hurry? The [Cheat Sheet](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cheat-sheet/) has cost, timing, disputes and fraud for every method in one place

Say "accept payments" and most people picture a credit card. That's one method out of a dozen, and the one your customer picks changes your fees, your fraud exposure, your settlement timing and what happens when they dispute it.

Where to go next

-   [I want cost, timing and disputes for every method side by side](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cheat-sheet/)
-   [What do card payments really cost me?](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cards/)
-   [Should I take bank transfers instead?](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/bank-transfers/)

Why it matters depends on where you sit:

-   **Merchants**: 1% on $1M is $10,000 a year. That isn't a rounding error.
-   **Fraud teams**: card-not-present runs about 10x card-present, and ACH doesn't behave like either.
-   **Finance**: settlement runs from same-day to a week depending on the method.
-   **Issuers**: every rail has its own economics, risk profile and dispute mechanism.

Need Quick Answers?

The **[Cheat Sheet](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cheat-sheet/)** has all the key tables in one place: cost, timing, disputes and fraud by method. It's the one to bookmark.

## What This Guide Covers

-   Credit, debit, and prepaid cards (including commercial-card data programs)
-   ACH, SEPA, and direct debit systems worldwide
-   Real-time payments (RTP, FedNow, Faster Payments, PIX, UPI)
-   Instant card payouts (Visa Direct, Mastercard Send)
-   Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Skrill, Neteller, Alipay)
-   Pay by Bank and Open Banking
-   BNPL (Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay)
-   Crypto and stablecoins
-   Mobile money (M-Pesa, GCash, GrabPay)
-   Carrier billing and voucher/eCash methods (OXXO, Boleto, Konbini, Paysafecard)
-   Wires (domestic and international)

## Payment Methods at a Glance

| Method | Typical Cost | Settlement | Chargebacks? | Best For |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Credit Card** | 2.5-3.5% all-in | T+2-3 | Yes (120 days on Visa/Mastercard; Amex up to 120, with exceptions; Discover: Not published) | Retail, e-commerce |
| **Debit Card** | 0.5-1.5% all-in on interchange-plus | T+1-2 | Yes (60 days) | Everyday purchases |
| **ACH** | Varies by provider and plan ([examples](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/invoicing/#achbank-transfer-preference)) | Provider-dependent | [Debit return rules](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/bank-transfers/#return-timeframes) | Recurring, B2B |
| **RTP/FedNow** | $0.01-$0.50 | Instant | No | Urgent payouts |
| **Digital Wallets** | Same as card | T+2-3 | Via card | Mobile checkout |
| **BNPL** | 2-8% | T+1-2 | Provider handles | Discretionary goods |
| **Wire** | $25-$40 flat | Same day | No | Large B2B |
| **Mobile Money** | 1-3% | Varies | Provider-specific | Emerging markets |

Discover doesn't publish its dispute windows. For your own response, work to the date on your notice.

Those are all-in costs, markup included. They aren't interchange. Debit only gets to 0.5-1.5% on interchange-plus. On a flat rate you're paying the same for debit as for credit. The interchange underneath is a lot lower than either row looks. Regulated debit is 0.05% + $0.21, and a normal card mix blends to about 0.89% + $0.158 in person, 1.36% + $0.152 online. [Where that comes from](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/reference/cost-model-assumptions/).

## Detailed Guides

### [Card Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cards/)

Credit, debit, prepaid, and commercial cards. Interchange rates, network differences, and commercial-card data programs.

### [Bank Transfers & ACH](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/bank-transfers/)

ACH, SEPA Direct Debit, UK Direct Debit, BECS. Return codes, timing, and when they beat cards.

### [Real-Time Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/real-time-payments/)

RTP, FedNow, and global instant payment systems. Plus push-to-card payouts via Visa Direct and Mastercard Send.

### [Digital Wallets & Pay by Bank](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/digital-wallets/)

Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App. Open Banking and A2A payments.

### [Regional Payment Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/regional/)

When to add iDEAL, Boleto, Pix, OXXO, Alipay and the rest. Which processors support them, and whether it's worth the integration.

-   **[Europe](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/regional/europe/)** - iDEAL, Bancontact, SEPA, Klarna
-   **[Latin America](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/regional/latin-america/)** - Boleto, Pix, OXXO, Mercado Pago
-   **[Asia-Pacific](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/regional/asia-pacific/)** - Alipay, WeChat Pay, GrabPay, Konbini

### [Alternative Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/alternative-methods/)

BNPL, wires, international APMs, mobile money, carrier billing, vouchers, and crypto.

### [International Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/international/)

Cross-border payments, FX, local entities, tax and regulatory questions, and how you get your money home.

### [Choosing Payment Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/choosing-methods/)

Decision frameworks, industry recommendations, fraud profiles, and the push vs. pull mechanics that decide how much risk you're carrying.

### [Cheat Sheet](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/cheat-sheet/)

Every key reference table in one place. Cost, timing, disputes, fraud. It's the one to bookmark.

## Do next

-   [Buying Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/buying-payments/) - Select the right processor
-   [Checkout Conversion](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/checkout-conversion/) - Optimizing checkout
-   [Going Global](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/going-global/) - Full international expansion guide

## Look up

-   [Decline Codes](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/reference/decline-codes/) - Understanding failures

## Deeper

-   [Chargeback Prevention](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/chargebacks/prevention/) - Reducing disputes

**Expanding internationally?**

-   [International Payments](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/international/) - Cross-border considerations

-   **[Digital Wallets](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/digital-wallets/)** - Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal

-   **[Choosing Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/choosing-methods/)** - Decision framework by use case

-   [Authorization and Capture](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/auth-and-capture/) - Transaction flow

-   [Settlement & Reconciliation](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/settlement/) - Funding and fees

-   [Payments Overview](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/) - Payment fundamentals

-   [Auth Optimization](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/auth-optimization/) - Improving approval rates

-   [3D Secure](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/prevention/3ds/) - Authentication requirements

-   [Fraud Prevention](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/fraud/prevention/) - Payment method fraud profiles

-   [Subscriptions & Recurring](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/subscriptions-recurring/) - Recurring billing


**Expanding internationally?**

-   [Alternative Methods](https://paymentsandrisk.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/alternative-methods/) - Local payment methods by region