A job can be finished, an invoice can be due and the customer can genuinely intend to pay - yet the money still sits in limbo while someone looks for bank details, types a reference or promises to make the transfer later. To accept bank app payments is to remove that avoidable gap between asking for money and receiving a confirmed payment.
For businesses collecting deposits, stage payments and final balances, Pay by Bank gives customers a direct, familiar route to pay from the banking app they already use. Rather than sending account details and hoping the right amount arrives with the right reference, you send a defined payment request. The customer reviews it, authorises it in their bank app and you can see the status of the payment request without chasing blindly.
What bank app payments actually mean
Bank app payments usually refer to Pay by Bank payments made through open banking. They are bank-to-bank payments that a customer authorises through their own online or mobile banking service.
The process is different from asking a customer to make a manual bank transfer. With a manual transfer, they need to enter your sort code, account number, amount and reference themselves. A small mistake can create more work for everyone, while no payment confirmation leaves your team wondering whether to book in the job, release goods or close the invoice.
With a payment request, the amount and reference are set before the customer opens their bank app. They follow a secure checkout journey, select their bank and approve the payment using the authentication method their bank requires. That might be Face ID, a passcode or another familiar bank-app check.
The result is a more controlled collection process, particularly when the payment is too substantial to leave to an informal text asking a customer to "send it over when you can".
How to accept bank app payments in four steps
The practical appeal of Pay by Bank is that it fits around the channels most businesses already use. You do not need to change how your office speaks to customers. You need a clearer way to turn that conversation into a payment request.
1. Create a payment request
Enter the amount due and a useful reference, such as an invoice number, vehicle registration, customer surname or job address. A clear reference makes it easier to match the payment to the work without searching through a bank statement later.
For a kitchen installer, this might be a 50% deposit. For a garage, it could be the balance due before collection. For a clinic or professional-services firm, it may be an invoice or appointment-related payment. The request should state exactly what the customer is being asked to pay.
2. Send it where the customer will see it
Share the request by WhatsApp, SMS or email, or display a QR code for the customer to scan. The best channel depends on the moment. A quote deposit may suit email or WhatsApp; a completed driveway job may be paid while the team is still on site through a QR code or text message.
This is not about forcing customers into a new app. It is about giving them a straightforward prompt that takes them into their existing banking environment when they are ready to approve.
3. The customer approves in their own banking app
The customer opens the request, checks the amount and chooses their bank. They then authenticate directly with their bank. Their bank login details are not shared with your business or with Kube Pay.
Regulated payment initiation infrastructure handles the secure hand-off to the customer's bank. The customer remains in control: they see the payment details and decide whether to authorise it. As with any payment method, bank availability and individual customer eligibility can vary, so it is sensible to retain an alternative route for the occasional customer who cannot or does not wish to use Pay by Bank.
4. Track the outcome and follow up properly
A good payment-request system shows whether a request has been sent, viewed, paid or remains outstanding. That makes follow-up specific and professional. Instead of asking, "Have you paid that transfer?", your team can resend the request or send a polite reminder with the payment details already attached.
Once paid, confirmation and receipts help close the loop for both sides. Records, exports and reporting also make it easier to reconcile payments, investigate queries and give the bookkeeper a cleaner audit trail.
Why accept bank app payments for larger jobs?
For small everyday purchases, a card terminal may remain the quickest choice. But the economics and workflow change when you regularly collect £250, £500, £2,000 or more.
Percentage-based card charges grow with the value of each transaction. On a sizeable deposit or final invoice, that can become a meaningful cost of getting paid. Manual bank transfers avoid card charges, but often replace them with delay, uncertainty and administration.
Pay by Bank sits between those two approaches. It gives customers a guided bank-payment route while helping the business request the correct amount, apply a reference and monitor the result. Kube Pay uses a subscription model with a fixed £1 charge per payment, which can be easier to predict than a percentage fee when payment values are high.
The operational gain can matter just as much as the payment cost. A roofing firm waiting for a materials deposit cannot always schedule work with confidence. A body repair business may not want to release a vehicle until the balance is settled. A professional-services practice needs a clear record of what has been requested and paid. In each case, a structured request reduces the ambiguity that comes with sending bank details in a message.
Give customers confidence without making payment complicated
Customers are rightly cautious about unfamiliar payment messages. The best experience is clear rather than clever. State what the payment is for, use a recognisable business name and send the request through the channel already used for the job or invoice.
It also helps to explain the process in plain English: the customer will approve the payment securely with their own bank, and you will never ask for their bank login details. That reassurance is particularly useful for larger deposits, where customers may take more care before paying.
Branded hosted payment pages can add another layer of confidence by presenting the request consistently rather than sending customers a bare set of bank details. They also reduce the risk of errors in amount or reference because those details are already set.
Do not overcomplicate the message. A short note is normally enough: "Your payment request for the agreed deposit is below. Please approve it securely through your bank app." If a customer has questions, your team can explain that it is a direct bank payment authorised by them, not a request to disclose credentials.
Build a payment process your team will actually use
Technology only improves cash flow when it becomes part of the routine. Decide when payment requests are created and who owns the follow-up. For example, send deposit requests when a customer accepts a quote, send stage-payment requests before ordering materials and send final balance requests when work is signed off.
Keep references consistent. If the office uses invoice numbers, use those in the request. If site teams work from job numbers, include them too. This small discipline prevents the familiar end-of-week task of matching unidentified transfers to the right customer.
Set sensible reminder timings based on the type of payment. A booking deposit may need a reminder before an appointment can be held. A final job payment might justify a same-day prompt while the customer still has the paperwork and the work is fresh in their mind. The aim is not to pressure customers. It is to make paying the easiest next action.
When Pay by Bank is not the only answer
Pay by Bank is especially useful for invoices, deposits and job payments, but it does not need to replace every payment method. Some customers will prefer cards, some may pay in person and some businesses have recurring-payment needs that require a different setup.
The sensible approach is to match the method to the payment. Use a bank-app payment request where a larger, defined amount needs to be collected with a clear record. Keep alternatives available where customer preference, timing or bank support makes them necessary. Choice can improve conversion, but too many unclear options can slow customers down.
When comparing providers, focus on the everyday details: whether you can set an exact amount and reference, how requests are sent, what status updates you receive, how reminders and receipts work, and whether pricing remains understandable as your payment values rise. Security and presentation matter too, because the request represents your business at the point the customer decides to pay.
The strongest payment process is the one your team can send in seconds and your customer can approve with confidence. Make that the final step of every quote, invoice and completed job, and payment chasing becomes the exception rather than part of the work.