Comparison · Updated October 14, 2026
Rotessa vs GoCardless for US and Canadian bank debits
Rotessa
B-
Rotessa is a pre-authorized debit (PAD) and ACH payment service run from Steinbach, Manitoba. Businesses use it to pull scheduled or one-off payments straight from their customers' bank accounts in Canada or the US. It does not take card payments. As of October 2026 its pricing page lists $25 a month plus $0.50 per transaction, a $30 fee for each NSF, stopped payment or 'agreement terms not met' return, and $2 for each online bank verification. There is no setup fee, no cancellation fee and no fixed contract term. The flat per-debit fee is far cheaper than a card percentage on large recurring payments like rent, tuition or retainers. The trade-offs are speed and flexibility. Funds settle five business days after the debit is processed, Rotessa can hold back settlement funds, and after you close the account it can keep what it holds for you until 90 days after your last completed transaction (30 days under its US agreement). You also cannot issue refunds through it. Rotessa Inc. was incorporated in 2010 and is registered with FINTRAC as a money services business and with the Bank of Canada as a payment service provider. It holds an A+ BBB rating with no complaints in the past three years, although there are few independent user reviews to go on.
GoCardless
B
A bank-payments specialist built for recurring billing. GoCardless collects by ACH and other direct debit schemes rather than by card, with published, capped per-transaction pricing — but it processes no card payments at all, and merchant complaints about account freezes and slow support are persistent.
VS
Overview
Both collect recurring payments straight from customers' bank accounts, by ACH debit in the US and pre-authorized debit (PAD) in Canada. Neither takes cards. We compare them country by country, using GoCardless's own US and Canadian pricing pages and Rotessa's single price list, as of October 2026. Rotessa charges $25 a month plus $0.50 per debit, whatever the amount, billed in USD on a US account and CAD on a Canadian one. GoCardless has no monthly fee and charges a percentage plus a fixed fee with a cap. On its cheapest plan that is 0.5% + $0.05, capped at $5, in the US, and 0.75% + $0.40, capped at $3, in Canada. So GoCardless is cheaper on small payments and low volumes, and Rotessa is cheaper once payments are large and regular. In the US, Rotessa wins once you collect six or more payments of about $990 a month, or 13 of $500. In Canada it wins from 11 payments of about $347, or 39 of $100. Failed payments cut the other way. Rotessa charges $30 for each one, against $5 at GoCardless in the US, and GoCardless charges no failure fee in Canada. GoCardless also pays out sooner in the US, lets you refund customers through its platform and collects from 30+ countries. Rotessa does none of those. Showing your business name on customers' bank statements is included with Rotessa but is a paid add-on at GoCardless: $25 a month in the US and $75 a month in Canada. Mollie completed its purchase of GoCardless on 1 September 2026; GoCardless says pricing and contracts are unchanged. Payment Review grades GoCardless B and Rotessa B-.
Key Takeaways
- ✓It depends on payment size and volume. Rotessa's flat $0.50 per debit plus $25 a month beats GoCardless's capped percentage once payments are large and regular. In the US that means six or more payments of about $990 a month, or 13 of $500. In Canada it means 11 or more of about $347, or 39 of $100. Below that, GoCardless is cheaper, and on US payments under $90 it always is.
- ✓If you want your business name on customers' bank statements, Rotessa gets cheaper sooner. It includes the name; GoCardless charges $25 a month in the US and $75 a month in Canada. With that add-on, Rotessa costs less on every US payment above $90 and every Canadian payment above $13.33, at any volume.
- ✓Failed payments cost far more with Rotessa: $30 for each NSF, stopped payment or 'agreement terms not met' return. GoCardless charges $5 per failed payment in the US and no failure fee in Canada. A customer base that often bounces payments can wipe out Rotessa's price advantage.
- ✓GoCardless pays out sooner in the US: three business days after the charge date on Standard and two on Advanced or Pro, against Rotessa's five. In Canada the two are close. GoCardless pays three to four business days after the charge date but needs three business days' lead time; Rotessa pays on the fifth business day and can process the same day.
- ✓GoCardless does more. You can refund customers through it ($0.50 in the US), collect from 30+ countries and connect to 350+ apps, and its support says it runs 24/7. Rotessa has no in-platform refunds, works only within Canada or the US on separate accounts, connects to QuickBooks Online, Xero and Zapier, and offers live support on weekdays, 9am to 5pm Central time.
Rotessa
Rotessa suits a Canadian or US business collecting large, regular payments from reliable customers, such as rent, tuition or retainers, where a flat $0.50 debit beats any percentage and the business name on statements comes included.
GoCardless
GoCardless suits businesses with smaller or varied payment amounts, customers who sometimes bounce payments, a need for refunds or faster US payouts, or customers in other countries, at the cost of a weak Trustpilot record.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
Neither wins outright. Payment Review grades GoCardless B and Rotessa B-, and the gap reflects how much more GoCardless does, not its price. GoCardless is the better all-round product. It has no monthly fee and charges $5 for a failed US payment (no failure fee in Canada) against Rotessa's $30. It pays out sooner in the US, refunds through the platform, retries failed payments on its higher plans, collects from 30+ countries and connects to 350+ apps. Rotessa is the cheaper tool for one job: collecting large, regular payments from customers who rarely bounce them. Its flat $0.50 per debit plus $25 a month beats GoCardless from six US payments of about $990 a month, or 11 Canadian payments of about $347. It also includes the business name on customers' statements, which costs $25 a month in the US and $75 a month in Canada at GoCardless. Model your own payment sizes and expected return rate before choosing.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
Pricing in the US (USD, as of October 2026)
| Feature | Rotessa | GoCardless |
|---|---|---|
| Per-debit fee, ACH | $0.50 flat | 0.5% + $0.05, capped at $5 |
| GoCardless figures are its Standard plan. Advanced is 0.75% + $0.05 capped at $6.25, and Pro is 0.9% + $0.05 capped at $7. The cap applies to domestic payments only. Rotessa's price is the same at any amount. Its pricing page shows no currency, but its US agreement says all fees are in USD. Per debit, GoCardless Standard is cheaper below $90 and Rotessa is cheaper above it. GoCardless reaches its $5 cap at $990. No winner: which one costs less depends on payment size and on Rotessa's monthly fee (see the crossover rows). | ||
| Monthly fee | $25 | $0 Winner |
| GoCardless says it charges no set-up or monthly fee, only transaction fees plus any optional add-ons you choose. Rotessa's page says 'No set up fees, minimum fees or cancellation fees' next to a $25 monthly fee, and its menu says no payment is required until you process your first payment. If you will have months with no debits, ask Rotessa whether the $25 still applies. | ||
| Business name on customers' bank statements | Included Winner | $25/month |
| Rotessa lists 'Your business name on your customer's statement' as included with every account. GoCardless charges $25 a month for it on every US plan, and payers in other countries still see 'GoCardless'. Customers who do not recognise a debit are a common cause of disputes, so many businesses will want this. | ||
| Which is cheaper (no add-ons) | From 6 debits of $990+ a month | Cheaper on any debit under $90 |
| Rotessa costs less when the debit count times the gap between GoCardless's fee and $0.50 exceeds Rotessa's $25 monthly fee. Compared with GoCardless Standard, that happens at 6 or more debits a month of $990 or more, where GoCardless's $5 cap applies. It takes 13 or more at $500, 32 or more at $250, and more than 500 at $100. For example, 100 payments of $1,500 cost $75 with Rotessa and $500 with GoCardless. 100 payments of $50 cost $75 with Rotessa and $30 with GoCardless. Return and failure fees are not included. | ||
| Which is cheaper, with GoCardless's name-on-statement add-on | Cheaper on any debit over $90 | Cheaper on any debit under $90 |
| With the add-on, GoCardless's $25 a month cancels out Rotessa's $25 monthly fee. What is left is the per-debit comparison: Rotessa's flat $0.50 against 0.5% + $0.05, with the two equal at $90. | ||
| International payments | Not offered | 1.5% + $0.05, uncapped Winner |
| GoCardless US accounts can collect bank payments from 30+ countries in 8 currencies, at the real exchange rate through Wise. The international rate is 1.5% + $0.05 on Standard, 1.75% on Advanced and 1.9% on Pro, and the cap does not apply. Rotessa does not process payments across borders or convert currency. | ||
Per-debit fee, ACH
Rotessa
$0.50 flat
GoCardless
0.5% + $0.05, capped at $5
GoCardless figures are its Standard plan. Advanced is 0.75% + $0.05 capped at $6.25, and Pro is 0.9% + $0.05 capped at $7. The cap applies to domestic payments only. Rotessa's price is the same at any amount. Its pricing page shows no currency, but its US agreement says all fees are in USD. Per debit, GoCardless Standard is cheaper below $90 and Rotessa is cheaper above it. GoCardless reaches its $5 cap at $990. No winner: which one costs less depends on payment size and on Rotessa's monthly fee (see the crossover rows).
Monthly fee
Rotessa
$25
GoCardless
$0
Winner
GoCardless says it charges no set-up or monthly fee, only transaction fees plus any optional add-ons you choose. Rotessa's page says 'No set up fees, minimum fees or cancellation fees' next to a $25 monthly fee, and its menu says no payment is required until you process your first payment. If you will have months with no debits, ask Rotessa whether the $25 still applies.
Business name on customers' bank statements
Rotessa
Included
Winner
GoCardless
$25/month
Rotessa lists 'Your business name on your customer's statement' as included with every account. GoCardless charges $25 a month for it on every US plan, and payers in other countries still see 'GoCardless'. Customers who do not recognise a debit are a common cause of disputes, so many businesses will want this.
Which is cheaper (no add-ons)
Rotessa
From 6 debits of $990+ a month
GoCardless
Cheaper on any debit under $90
Rotessa costs less when the debit count times the gap between GoCardless's fee and $0.50 exceeds Rotessa's $25 monthly fee. Compared with GoCardless Standard, that happens at 6 or more debits a month of $990 or more, where GoCardless's $5 cap applies. It takes 13 or more at $500, 32 or more at $250, and more than 500 at $100. For example, 100 payments of $1,500 cost $75 with Rotessa and $500 with GoCardless. 100 payments of $50 cost $75 with Rotessa and $30 with GoCardless. Return and failure fees are not included.
Which is cheaper, with GoCardless's name-on-statement add-on
Rotessa
Cheaper on any debit over $90
GoCardless
Cheaper on any debit under $90
With the add-on, GoCardless's $25 a month cancels out Rotessa's $25 monthly fee. What is left is the per-debit comparison: Rotessa's flat $0.50 against 0.5% + $0.05, with the two equal at $90.
International payments
Rotessa
Not offered
GoCardless
1.5% + $0.05, uncapped
Winner
GoCardless US accounts can collect bank payments from 30+ countries in 8 currencies, at the real exchange rate through Wise. The international rate is 1.5% + $0.05 on Standard, 1.75% on Advanced and 1.9% on Pro, and the cap does not apply. Rotessa does not process payments across borders or convert currency.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
Landlord or property manager collecting monthly rent
Recommended
Rotessa
Rent payments are large and regular, which is where a flat $0.50 debit wins. 100 rent payments of $1,500 cost $75 a month with Rotessa, against $500 on GoCardless's US Standard plan or $300 on its Canadian Standard plan. Each bounced payment costs $30 with Rotessa, though, so the saving depends on tenants paying reliably.
Subscription or membership business with small monthly fees
Recommended
GoCardless
On a $40 US payment GoCardless Standard charges $0.25, half of Rotessa's $0.50, with no $25 monthly fee. Any failed payment costs $5 with GoCardless in the US (nothing in Canada) against $30 with Rotessa. GoCardless's Advanced plan adds automatic retries.
Business with customers in several countries
Recommended
GoCardless
GoCardless collects bank payments from 30+ countries through one account, at 1.5% + $0.05 from a US account or 1.75% + $0.40 from a Canadian one. Rotessa works only within Canada or the US, with a separate account, registered business and bank account for each.
Accountant or professional firm on monthly retainers
Both connect to QuickBooks Online and Xero. Rotessa is cheaper on large retainers, from six US payments of about $990 a month or 11 Canadian payments of about $347. GoCardless is cheaper for a firm with few clients or small retainers, and it can refund clients through the platform, which Rotessa cannot.
US business that needs funds quickly
Recommended
GoCardless
GoCardless's US Advanced and Pro plans pay out two business days after the charge date with Faster ACH, and Standard pays out in three. Rotessa settles on the fifth business day and has no faster option.
Rotessa: Best for 1 use case
GoCardless: Best for 3 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
It depends on how large your payments are and how many you collect. Rotessa charges $25 a month plus $0.50 per debit. GoCardless charges no monthly fee and 0.5% + $0.05, capped at $5, in the US, or 0.75% + $0.40, capped at $3, in Canada, on its Standard plans. Rotessa is cheaper for large, regular payments, from about six US payments of $990 a month or 11 Canadian payments of $347. GoCardless is cheaper for small payments and low volumes, and it charges much less when a payment fails.
Rotessa charges $30 for each NSF, stopped payment or 'agreement terms not met' return. GoCardless charges $5 per failed payment in the US and no failure fee in Canada. GoCardless's US chargeback fee of $5 applies only once you have more than 15 in a month.
Rotessa settles each debit on the fifth business day after it is processed. GoCardless pays out US payments three business days after the charge date on its Standard plan, or two on Advanced and Pro. Canadian payments arrive three to four business days after the charge date, which is six to seven business days after the payment is created.
With Rotessa you need two separate accounts. A Canadian account needs a Canadian-registered business and a CAD bank account; a US account needs a US-registered business and a US bank account. Rotessa does not process payments across borders or convert currency. GoCardless can collect from 30+ countries through one account, at its uncapped international rate.
No. Rotessa's agreements say it does not offer refunds or credits to your customer's account, so you have to send the money back yourself. GoCardless lets you refund in full or in part from its dashboard or API, for $0.50 per refund in the US.
Neither has a fixed term or a cancellation fee. You can cancel Rotessa by written notice by email, and it can hold your funds until 90 days after your last debit in Canada or 30 days in the US. You can end GoCardless's agreement at any time through its dashboard.
Related Comparisons
Explore more payment processor matchups