What Intuit Payment is and who uses it

Intuit Payment is a payment processing system built into Intuit's accounting and business software — primarily QuickBooks, but also TurboTax Self-Employed and other Intuit products. It lets you accept credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers from customers without signing up for a separate payment processor. The money goes into your business bank account, usually within one to two business days.

For homeowners, this matters most if you're a contractor, handyman, property manager, or run any home-based service business. You can invoice a customer through QuickBooks and let them pay the invoice directly through Intuit Payment instead of writing a check or transferring cash. For landlords collecting rent or property managers billing tenants, it's a way to accept digital payments without managing a separate system.

Intuit Payment is not a loan, a line of credit, or a financing tool — it's a way to move money from your customer's account to yours and keep a record of it in your accounting software at the same time.

Key Takeaways

  • Intuit Payment processes credit cards, debit cards, and ACH bank transfers, with money typically arriving in your account within one to two business days.
  • Transaction fees vary by payment method — card payments cost more than bank transfers — and are deducted from what you receive.
  • You need a QuickBooks Online subscription or certain other Intuit products to use Intuit Payment; it's not a standalone service.
  • Invoices sent through QuickBooks can include a payment link, so customers can pay without leaving their email.
  • Intuit Payment is owned by Intuit and integrated with your accounting records, which simplifies bookkeeping but ties you to the Intuit ecosystem.

How transaction fees work

Intuit Payment charges a percentage of each transaction plus a per-transaction fee. The exact rate depends on the payment method and your QuickBooks plan. Credit and debit card payments typically cost between 2.2% and 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. ACH bank transfers (direct from a customer's checking account) cost less — usually around 1% with a $0.25 minimum and $0.50 maximum per transaction.

These fees are deducted automatically from the payment before it reaches your account. If a customer pays you $500 by credit card at 2.7% plus $0.30, you receive $487.15. The fee structure can change, and Intuit sometimes offers promotional rates for new users, so check your current plan details in QuickBooks to see what you're actually paying.

There's no monthly subscription fee specifically for Intuit Payment — you pay only per transaction. However, you do need a QuickBooks Online subscription to use it, which ranges from roughly $15 to $200 per month depending on the plan.

Setting up Intuit Payment on an invoice

If you use QuickBooks Online, Intuit Payment is usually already turned on. When you create an invoice, you have the option to include a payment link. The customer receives the invoice by email with a button that says "Pay Now" or similar. They click it, enter their payment method, and the transaction processes immediately.

You can also send a payment link without an invoice if you just need someone to pay you for a specific amount — useful for contractors billing for a job or landlords collecting a one-time payment. The link can be sent by email, text, or shared directly.

The payment appears in your QuickBooks account automatically and is marked as received. Your bank account is updated separately, usually within one to two business days. This means your accounting records stay current without manual data entry.

When Intuit Payment makes sense for homeowners

Intuit Payment is most useful if you already use QuickBooks for your business or rental property accounting. If you're invoicing customers or tenants regularly and they prefer digital payment, adding a payment link to your invoices eliminates the back-and-forth of asking for payment details or waiting for checks to clear.

For landlords, it's a straightforward way to let tenants pay rent online without setting up a separate rent-collection platform. For contractors and service providers working from home, it keeps payment processing and accounting in one place, which saves time at tax time.

It's less useful if you rarely invoice customers, if your customers strongly prefer checks or cash, or if you don't already use QuickBooks. In those cases, the cost of a QuickBooks subscription may outweigh the benefit of integrated payment processing.

Comparing Intuit Payment to other payment processors

Standalone payment processors like Square, Stripe, and PayPal also accept cards and bank transfers, often at similar or lower rates. The main difference is integration: Intuit Payment is built into QuickBooks, so payments sync automatically to your accounting records. With a standalone processor, you have to manually record transactions or use a third-party connector, which adds a step.

Standalone processors are often cheaper if you process a high volume of transactions, and they don't require a QuickBooks subscription. They're also easier to switch away from if you change accounting software. Intuit Payment locks you into the Intuit ecosystem — if you stop using QuickBooks, you lose access to Intuit Payment.

For a small contractor or landlord processing a few payments per month, the convenience of having everything in one place often outweighs the cost difference. For higher-volume businesses, a standalone processor with lower per-transaction fees may save money.

Security and dispute handling

Intuit Payment uses standard encryption and fraud detection to protect payment information. Customer card details are not stored in your QuickBooks account — they're processed through Intuit's secure payment gateway. This means you're not liable for storing sensitive payment data.

If a customer disputes a charge or claims they didn't authorize a payment, Intuit handles the chargeback process. You'll be notified and given a chance to respond with evidence (like the invoice or email confirmation). Chargebacks can result in fees and, if they're frequent, suspension of your payment processing ability.

Keep records of all invoices and payment confirmations. If a dispute arises, you'll need proof that the customer authorized the payment and received the service or product they paid for.

Withdrawing money and timing

Payments processed through Intuit Payment are deposited into the business bank account you linked when you set up the service. Deposits typically arrive within one to two business days, though this can vary depending on your bank and the payment method used. ACH transfers sometimes take longer than card payments.

You don't have to do anything to trigger the deposit — it happens automatically. You can check the status of pending deposits in your QuickBooks account under the Payments section. If a deposit is delayed, contact Intuit support or your bank to investigate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Intuit Payment without QuickBooks Online?

No. Intuit Payment is only available through QuickBooks Online and a few other Intuit products like TurboTax Self-Employed. If you use QuickBooks Desktop (the older downloadable version), you cannot use Intuit Payment and will need to choose a different payment processor.

What happens if a customer's payment fails?

If a card is declined or an ACH transfer bounces, the customer is notified and you're notified. The invoice remains unpaid in QuickBooks. You can resend the payment link or ask the customer to try a different payment method. There's no fee to you for a failed payment attempt.

Can I refund a payment through Intuit Payment?

Yes. In QuickBooks, you can issue a refund for any transaction processed through Intuit Payment. The refund goes back to the customer's original payment method, usually within one to two business days. You'll still pay a small fee on the refund in some cases, so check your plan details.

Is there a limit to how much I can process per month?

Intuit doesn't publish a hard monthly limit for most users, but new accounts may have lower limits initially. If you process a very high volume, Intuit may review your account. Contact Intuit support if you're concerned about limits on your specific account.

What if I want to switch to a different payment processor?

You can stop using Intuit Payment at any time and switch to Square, Stripe, PayPal, or another processor. Your past transactions in QuickBooks will remain in your records. You'll lose the automatic sync of new payments to your accounting, so you'll need to manually record transactions or use a connector with your new processor.