> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rc.cleverhub.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# PayID, Bank Transfers, and BPAY

> Compare the main ways Australian customers pay a business into a bank account (PayID, standard bank transfers, and BPAY) on speed, experience, and reconciliation.

Australian customers can pay a business into its bank account in a few different ways. The three most common are **PayID**, a **standard bank transfer** (by BSB and account number), and **BPAY**. They all end with money in your account, but they differ in how fast the money arrives, how easy they are for the customer, and how simply you can match each payment to an order. This page compares them so you can guide customers toward the right one.

<Note>
  This page focuses on how these three methods compare. For a deeper explanation of PayID on its own, see [PayID for C2B payments](/platform-overview/payment-concepts/payid-c2b), and for the platform it runs on, see [what NPP, PayID, and PayTo are](/platform-overview/payment-concepts/npp-payid-payto).
</Note>

## The three methods in brief

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="PayID" icon="id-card">
    The customer sends money to a simple identifier (an email, mobile number, or business domain) and it arrives in real time over the NPP.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bank transfer" icon="building-columns">
    The customer sends money to a BSB and account number. If both banks support the NPP it is instant; otherwise it falls back to the older batch system and can take 1–3 days.
  </Card>

  <Card title="BPAY" icon="barcode">
    The customer pays using a Biller Code and a Reference Number through their banking app. It runs on a daily batch cycle, so it usually takes 1–2 business days.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Side-by-side comparison

|                              | **PayID**                              | **Bank transfer**                                          | **BPAY**                                |
| ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| **Speed**                    | Real-time, arrives in seconds          | Instant if NPP-enabled; otherwise 1–3 business days        | 1–2 business days                       |
| **What the customer enters** | A simple identifier (email or domain)  | A BSB and account number                                   | A Biller Code and Reference Number      |
| **Chance of error**          | Low; the identifier is validated       | Higher; long numbers are easy to mistype                   | Moderate; two codes to enter correctly  |
| **Matching to records**      | Automatic through Hello Clever         | Manual; relies on the customer typing a reference          | Reliable; uses the structured reference |
| **Availability**             | All day, every day over the NPP        | All day if NPP-enabled; otherwise subject to cut-off times | Banking hours, daily batch              |
| **Best for**                 | Real-time payments where speed matters | Occasional or one-off transfers                            | Reusable, saved biller details          |

### Speed

PayID settles each payment on its own the moment it is made, so the money is in your account in seconds. A standard bank transfer is just as fast *if* both banks support the NPP; if one does not, it drops back to the older batch system and can take up to three days. BPAY runs on a daily cycle, so a payment made after the cut-off waits until the next business day.

### Customer experience

With PayID, the customer enters one recognisable identifier and confirms; there is no long account number to get wrong. A bank transfer asks the customer to enter a BSB and account number correctly, which is easy to fumble. BPAY needs a Biller Code and a Reference Number, which can trip up first-time payers but works smoothly for bills people pay regularly.

### Matching payments to orders

Hello Clever matches incoming PayID payments to your orders or invoices automatically, so you always know what has been paid. A standard bank transfer relies on the customer typing a reference, which is often missing or inconsistent, so you may have to match those by hand. BPAY’s structured reference number makes matching reliable, though the one-to-two day delay means your records always lag a little behind.

<Tip>
  For e-commerce and any business that values instant funds and low error rates, PayID is usually the strongest choice. Keep bank transfer as an option for customers who prefer it, and consider BPAY where customers already expect to pay bills that way.
</Tip>


## Related topics

- [PayID for C2B Payments](/platform-overview/payment-concepts/payid-c2b.md)
- [Get Started with Hello Clever](/getting-started/overview.md)
- [Hello Clever Platform Overview](/platform-overview/overview.md)