Why Add an ACH Processing Fee?
While ACH payments have lower processing fees than credit cards, some organizations choose to pass these fees to members to cover processing costs. This is especially common for large transactions where even small percentages add up.
Before You Begin
Requirements:
Your organization must have ACH payment processing approved and activated through ECRYPT
You need admin access to edit forms in Member Splash
The form must be set up to accept payments
Important: ACH processing fees are calculated differently than credit card fees. Make sure you understand your ECRYPT fee structure before setting up the fee.
Step 1: Navigate to Your Form
Log in to your Member Splash dashboard
Go to Forms in the main menu
Select the form where you want to add the ACH processing fee
Click Edit Form
Step 2: Add the Processing Fee Field
In the form editor, locate the Pricing section or wherever your payment fields are
Click Add Field
Select Product field type
Configure the field with these settings:
Field Settings:
Field Label: "ACH Processing Fee" or "Bank Transfer Fee"
Field Type: Product
Price: This depends on your fee structure (see calculation examples below)
Required: No (members only pay this if they choose ACH)
Step 3: Calculate Your ACH Processing Fee
ACH fees are 0.5% per transaction. You have two options:
Option A: Flat Fee (Simpler)
Add a fixed dollar amount that covers most transaction sizes.
Example: If most memberships are $500, the fee would be:
$500 × 0.005 = $2.50
Set the product price to $2.50
Option B: Percentage-Based Fee (More Accurate)
Use a formula field to calculate the exact fee based on the transaction amount.
This requires:
A calculation field that takes the membership/product total
Multiplies by 0.005 (0.5%)
Note: Percentage-based fees require custom setup. Contact Member Splash support if you need help implementing this.
Step 4: Set Conditional Logic (Show Only for ACH)
You only want this fee to appear if the member selects ACH as their payment method.
Click on the ACH Processing Fee field you just created
Go to Conditional Logic settings
Set the rule: Show this field if Payment Method is ACH
Conditional Logic Settings:
Show this field if: Payment Method
Operator: is
Value: ACH / Bank Transfer
This ensures the fee only appears when members choose to pay by ACH.
Step 5: Add Description Text
Help members understand what they're paying for:
Click on your ACH Processing Fee field
Add Field Description text:
Example description:
"This fee covers the cost of processing your bank transfer payment. Credit card payments have different processing fees."
Or:
"ACH processing fee: 0.5% per transaction"
Step 6: Save and Test Your Form
Click Save to update your form
Test the form by going through the checkout process:
Complete the form and select ACH as payment method
Verify the processing fee appears
Select Credit Card as payment method
Verify the processing fee disappears
Complete a test transaction to ensure the fee is calculated correctly
Common Questions
Q: Should I charge the same fee for ACH and credit cards? No. ACH fees (0.8% + $0.20) are much lower than credit card fees (2.9% + $0.30). If you're passing fees to members, they should be different amounts.
Q: Can I make the ACH fee required? Yes, but only if you set conditional logic so it's required when ACH is selected. Otherwise, it should be optional since not everyone pays by ACH.
Q: What if someone tries to avoid the fee by selecting credit card instead? That's fine - credit card processing actually costs you more (2.9% vs 0.8%), so you may want to consider adding a credit card processing fee as well. See: Adding a Service Fee to Forms
Q: Is it legal to charge processing fees? Processing fee rules vary by state and payment type. Consult with legal counsel to ensure compliance in your jurisdiction. Some states prohibit credit card surcharges but allow ACH fees, while others have different rules.
Q: Can I use this for renewal forms too? Yes! The same process works for any form that accepts payments - registration, renewals, one-time purchases, etc.
Q: The fee isn't showing up when I select ACH. What's wrong? Check your conditional logic settings. Make sure the payment method field name exactly matches what you used in the conditional logic rule.
Tips for Success
Be transparent: Clearly explain why you're charging the fee and how it's calculated. Members appreciate honesty about processing costs.
Consider absorbing small fees: For transactions under $100, the ACH fee might only be $1-2. Some organizations absorb these small costs to simplify the member experience.
Test thoroughly: Always test your form with both payment methods before launching to members.
Monitor feedback: If members complain about the fee, consider whether the administrative benefit outweighs member satisfaction.