How to Add Payment Options to a Contractor Estimate (Fees Compared)

Say how you get paid before the customer says yes, and the invoice gets paid faster.

Quick answer

Put a short "How to pay" section at the bottom of the estimate: the methods you take, any card fee, the deposit and when the balance is due. Offer at least one fast electronic option (a card or bank-transfer link) next to check. On a $1,200 job, a card payment through Stripe costs you about $35.10, a Stripe bank transfer $5.00, a Venmo business payment $22.90, and Zelle and checks usually nothing, but Zelle and checks have no built-in record of what the payment was for.

Why list payment options on the estimate

The estimate is where the customer agrees to the price, so it's the place to agree on how the money moves too. If the options are written down before the job starts, nobody is surprised at the end by "do you take cards?" or "can I pay half now?". It also lets you price the card fee in, or state a surcharge where your state allows one, instead of eating it.

What each option costs on a $1,200 job

Method	Listed fee	On $1,200	Worth knowing
Card or Apple Pay (Stripe)	2.9% + 30¢	$35.10	Fastest for the customer. Card payments can be disputed by the cardholder.
Bank transfer (Stripe ACH)	0.8%, $5 maximum	$5.00	Cheapest electronic option on bigger jobs. Takes a few business days to clear.
Venmo business profile	1.9% + $0.10	$22.90	Many homeowners already have Venmo. Tap to Pay in person is 2.29% + $0.10.
Zelle	Set by your bank	Usually $0	Money moves bank to bank and generally can't be reversed once sent. Daily limits depend on the customer's bank.
Check	None	$0	Slowest. Can bounce. Easy for a customer to "put in the mail" for weeks.
Cash	None	$0	Give a written receipt every time. See the receipt template.

Fees from Stripe's pricing page, Venmo's business profile fee page and Chase's Zelle for business guide, checked November 4, 2026. Compare card fees across invoice apps with the card fee calculator.

What to write on the estimate

Keep it to four lines at the bottom, under the total:

Methods: "Pay by card, Apple Pay or bank transfer from the link, or by check payable to [your business name]."
Deposit: "30% deposit ($360) due on approval; balance due when the work is complete." See how much deposit you can ask for, because some states cap it.
Due date: "Balance due on receipt" or "within 7 days". See invoice payment terms.
Card fee, if any: "A 3% fee applies to credit card payments." Only where your state allows it, and never on debit cards. See the surcharge rules.

Which options to offer

Small jobs (under a few hundred dollars): a card link and Zelle or Venmo. The customer pays before you pull out of the driveway.
Bigger jobs: add bank transfer. On $5,000 a Stripe bank transfer costs $5 instead of $145.30 by card.
Customers you don't know: avoid accepting payment apps from strangers who "accidentally" overpay and ask for the difference back. That's a common scam on every app.
Always: write the payment on the invoice and send a receipt, whatever the method, so your records match your bank.

In Settle

Every invoice you send from Settle can carry a pay link. Your customer pays by card, Apple Pay or bank transfer with no account to create, and the money goes to your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard rates; Settle adds no fee. Estimates show the deposit percent and amount under the total. To collect the deposit up front, send an invoice for the deposit amount after the customer approves. Payment by check, cash, Zelle or Venmo can be marked as paid on the invoice.

Questions

Should a contractor take credit cards?

For most solo contractors, yes. Customers pay faster when they can tap a link, and the fee is usually smaller than the cost of chasing a check. Build the fee into your prices or, where allowed, add a disclosed surcharge.

Is Zelle safe for contractors?

Receiving Zelle from a customer you know is generally safe: the money lands in your bank account and payments to enrolled recipients generally can't be reversed. The risk is on the sender's side, which is why some customers prefer a card. Check your bank's limits and any business fees.

Can I charge a fee for paying by card?

In most states, on credit cards only, up to your actual cost and no more than 3% under Visa's rules, with notice to the customer before they pay. Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine ban credit card surcharges. See the full rules.

Should payment options go on the estimate or the invoice?

Both. The estimate sets the expectation before the work starts; the invoice repeats it with the exact amount due and a way to pay.

This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Fees change; check each company's page before you rely on them.

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How to add payment options to a contractor estimate