ACH vs RTP

United States

Same job: Move USD between US bank accounts (e.g. a business or payroll payment).

The decision: Pick ACH when batch and low cost win (entries clear end-of-day and settle across Fed accounts on the settlement date); pick RTP when the payment must be instant and final, credit-push only, settled in seconds via the prefunded joint account.

The diff

Pulled from each rail’s audited flow. Highlighted rows are where the two differ.

Attribute	ACH credit push for payroll	RTP real-time B2B payment (The Clearing House)
Jurisdiction	US	US
Primary railsdiffers	ACH	RTP
Rails on the legsdiffers	Payroll file · Nacha file · ACH · Deposit account · Federal Reserve	Bank channel · RTP · Deposit account
Currency	USD	USD
Number of partiesdiffers	7	6
Settlement venuediffers	Fed settlement accounts	RTP prefunded joint account (at FRBNY)
Settlement timingdiffers	Effective date (next-day or Same Day ACH) · Settlement date (T+1 or Same Day ACH)	Real-time · Seconds
Message standarddiffers	Nacha PPD · Nacha	ISO 20022 · ISO 20022 (pacs.002)

Both flows, side by side

ACH credit push for payroll

ACH · USD · US

The employer sends a payroll file to its ODFI. The ODFI submits ACH credit entries through FedACH or EPN. The RDFI receives the entries, posts employee credits on the settlement date, and interbank settlement occurs over Federal Reserve accounts.

How it moves, step by step

1
messageEmployer Payroll processor
Approve payroll
Payroll file
2
messagePayroll processor ODFI
Submit ACH credits
Nacha file
3
messageODFI ACH operator
Batch to operator
ACH · T+0 end-of-day batch
4
messageACH operator RDFI
Route entry
ACH
5
moneyRDFI Employee
Credit wages
Deposit account · Effective date (next-day or Same Day ACH)
6
moneyODFI Fed settlement accounts
Settle ODFI
Federal Reserve · Settlement date (T+1 or Same Day ACH)
7
moneyFed settlement accounts RDFI
Settle RDFI
Federal Reserve · Settlement date (T+1 or Same Day ACH)

Grounded in operator & regulator sources

RTP real-time B2B payment (The Clearing House)

RTP · USD · US

The sending business instructs its bank to send an RTP payment. The RTP network validates the message and forwards it to the receiving bank, which must accept within seconds; RTP then settles instantly by transferring positions within the participants' prefunded joint account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and the receiving bank makes funds available to the receiving business.

How it moves, step by step

1
messageSending business Sender bank
Payment instruction
Bank channel
2
moneySender bank RTP network (The Clearing House)
Credit push
RTP · Real-time
3
messageRTP network (The Clearing House) Receiver bank
Forward payment for acceptance
RTP · Seconds
4
messageReceiver bank RTP network (The Clearing House)
Accept / reject response
RTP · Seconds
5
moneyRTP network (The Clearing House) RTP prefunded joint account (at FRBNY)
Position transfer in joint account
RTP · Real-time
6
moneyRTP prefunded joint account (at FRBNY) Receiver bank
Receiver bank position credited
RTP · Real-time
7
moneyReceiver bank Receiving business
Make funds available
Deposit account · Seconds

Grounded in operator & regulator sources

See each in the studio

ACH credit push for payrollAudited template · loads instantly RTP real-time B2B payment (The Clearing House)Audited template · loads instantly

All rail comparisons

Educational, plain-English explainers. Not legal, compliance, tax, or financial advice. These cover fundamentals, not current fees, limits, or rates (which change). Rails and parties vary by program and country, so verify specifics against primary sources. Last reviewed June 2026.