Payments · Flat-Rate Processors
QuickBooks Payments / GoPayment Review
Card + ACH that auto-reconciles to your QuickBooks invoices
Reputation warning
Documented pattern of holds/freezes on large, legitimate transactions (reports into the tens of thousands of dollars) during opaque reviews, with uneven support to resolve them. A real cash-flow risk for big-ticket trades jobs — keep a backup processor.
Quick verdict
QuickBooks Payments / GoPayment is best for Contractors who already run their books in QuickBooks and want payments that auto-reconcile to invoices — with a backup plan for the documented large-payment hold risk. Documented account-hold/freeze pattern on large transactions; value locked to using QuickBooks; mid-to-high keyed/invoiced rates; uneven support during holds; Tap to Pay limited to iPhone.
Rates & pricing
Pay-as-you-go: card-present ~2.4%, invoiced/online ~2.9%, keyed ~3.4%, +~$0.25/txn; ACH 1% (uncapped on accounts opened on/after Sep 6, 2023); instant deposit 1.75%. Optional "Pay Monthly" plan lowers swipe/keyed rates. No Payments-specific monthly fee. Rates mid-2025 — reconfirm..
Pricing model: flat rate · Monthly fee: 0
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About QuickBooks Payments / GoPayment
QuickBooks Payments is the payment layer for the contractors already living in QuickBooks, and that's its entire appeal: every card, ACH, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Venmo payment auto-records and reconciles against the matching QuickBooks invoice, eliminating the double-entry that plagues a separate processor. GoPayment is the mobile arm for taking cards in the field, including Tap to Pay on iPhone with no hardware. Uncapped 1% ACH makes collecting large install payments cheap.
The serious caveat is fund holds. QuickBooks Payments has a well-documented pattern of freezing or holding large, legitimate payments (reports range into the tens of thousands of dollars) during opaque reviews, with uneven support when it happens — a real cash-flow risk on big-ticket trades jobs. The value is also locked to using QuickBooks; if your books live elsewhere, the reconciliation magic disappears and the keyed/invoiced rates are mid-to-high. For QuickBooks shops, though, the no-double-entry workflow is hard to beat.
How it works
Add Payments to a QuickBooks account. Customers pay emailed invoices via a Pay Now button (card, ACH, or wallet), or techs take cards in person through GoPayment with a $49 reader or Tap to Pay on iPhone. Every transaction syncs into QuickBooks and matches the invoice automatically; deposits are next business day, or instant for 1.75%. Pay-as-you-go has no monthly fee; an optional monthly plan lowers per-transaction rates for higher volume.
Pros & cons
What works
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Auto-reconciles to QuickBooks
Payments match their invoices in QuickBooks automatically — the single biggest time-saver for any contractor whose books are already there.
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Tap to Pay on iPhone, no hardware
Techs can take contactless cards in the field on an iPhone with no reader to buy or carry.
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Invoice-native payments
Emailed invoices get a Pay Now button accepting cards, ACH, and wallets, so customers pay the invoice directly.
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Cheap uncapped ACH
1% ACH with no cap (on newer accounts) makes collecting large install or project payments far cheaper than card.
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Fast deposits
Next-business-day funding standard, with an instant-deposit option for 1.75% when cash flow is tight.
What doesn't
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Documented large-payment holds
A well-known pattern of freezing/holding big legitimate payments during reviews — a real risk for high-ticket trades jobs.
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Locked to QuickBooks
The reconciliation advantage only exists if QuickBooks is your accounting system; otherwise it's a middling processor.
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Mid-to-high keyed/invoiced rates
Keyed (~3.4%) and invoiced (~2.9%) rates run higher than card-present, adding up on phone/office payments.
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Uneven support during holds
Getting a held payment released can be slow and frustrating, exactly when you need the cash.
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Tap to Pay is iPhone-only
Android typically needs the physical reader, so no-hardware acceptance is limited to iPhone.
Features & integrations
Key features
Integrations
Frequently asked
Does QuickBooks Payments work without QuickBooks accounting?
Technically you can use GoPayment standalone, but the whole reason to choose QuickBooks Payments is auto-reconciliation against QuickBooks invoices. Without QuickBooks as your books, you lose that advantage and the rates aren't competitive enough to pick it over Square, PayPal, or a low-cost interchange-plus processor.
Why do contractors report QuickBooks Payments holding their money?
QuickBooks Payments runs automated risk reviews that can freeze or hold large or unusual payments, sometimes for legitimate big-ticket jobs, and releasing them can be slow. It's the most-cited complaint. If you take large payments, don't rely on it as your only processor — keep a backup so a hold doesn't stall payroll or supplier payments.
How much does QuickBooks Payments cost?
Pay-as-you-go with no monthly fee: roughly 2.4% card-present, 2.9% invoiced/online, 3.4% keyed, plus ~$0.25/transaction, and 1% ACH (uncapped on newer accounts). An optional monthly plan lowers the swipe/keyed rates for higher-volume shops. Confirm current rates on Intuit's site.
Can field techs take cards with QuickBooks Payments?
Yes — GoPayment is the mobile app, and you can take contactless cards via Tap to Pay on iPhone with no hardware, or use a $49 reader. Payments taken in the field still sync and reconcile to QuickBooks. Note Tap to Pay is iPhone-only; Android generally needs the reader.
Other payment processors
Square
Flat-rate payments and POS, the default for small service businesses
Stripe
Developer-friendly flat-rate payments, strongest for online and integrations
Helcim
Transparent interchange-plus pricing with no monthly fee or contracts
Stax
Subscription (membership) pricing — flat monthly fee, no percentage markup
PayPal / PayPal Zettle
Zero-monthly card acceptance with universal brand trust — and Tap to Pay
Clover
All-in-one POS hardware + software — capable, but watch the contract