Zipmark launches out of beta a new payments service with ‘digital checks’ to take on PayPal and Dwolla

Zipmark, a mobile and online payments service that competes with PayPal, Dwolla, and others has announced that its “secure digital check payment platform” is now open to the public. Previously it had been available to businesses by invite-only. The company says that it is the “first online and mobile payment system” that was built around depositing guaranteed funds into a business account on the morning of the next day.

If you’re not familiar with Zipmark, then you might be interested to know that it partners with invoicing platforms to become a payment option directly on invoices sent to customers. Recipients can elect to pay using a realtime electronic check or use a direct deposit settlement platform.

The premise behind Zipmark is that there are some businesses who just cannot pay using PayPal, Square, or any other service. Instead, they must use a signed and authorized check as payment to another company.

The company says that it has created a new payment type by developing a realtime electronic check to direct deposit settlement platform. The service will create an actual check image from a specific payer and even deposit the funds directly into the biller’s bank account.

With the national promotion, users throughout the United States can use its digital check platform. Jay Bhattacharya, Zipmark’s CEO and co-founder, says that his company’s secure digital checks “improve the way small businesses send and collect money from their customers by bringing check payments into the 21st century.” Using the service, small businesses are able to send invoices to customers any day and receive the funds deposited directly into its operating accounts the following morning.

Founded in 2010 by Bhattacharya, who used to work at Citigroup, and Jake Howerton, Zipmark uses the check processing network to manage transactions and charges just 1% with a $5 cap. When we spoke with Bhattacharya, he described it almost like Stripe for checking accounts. The service has a developer API that can be used and easy to set up — the company says that it can be done within an hour.

Zipmark has also integrated itself with e-invoice platforms like FreshBooks, Harvest, and WorkingPoint.

Photo credit: Chumsak Kanoknan/Getty Images