There are three ways you can add your payment method through TurboTenant. This article will cover the steps you'll take if you manually add your bank account as your payment method to pay rent.
You can add a credit or debit card. A 3.49% convenience fee is charged with every payment made (the convenience fee is non-refundable).
You can add your account by logging in with your mobile banking credentials using Plaid. Check here to see if your bank is listed on our partnered institutions.
You can add your bank account manually using your routing and account number. A $2.00 fee is charged for ACH payments. The ACH fee is waived based on your landlord's subscription.
Manually Adding Your Bank Account
To manually update or add your payment method, follow these steps:
In your Tenant Portal, go to the Settings tab in the lower-left corner of your screen.
Click on the Payment Methods section.
Choose the appropriate option:
If you already have a payment method on file, click "New Payment Method"
If you don’t have a payment method added yet, click "Add a Payment Method" to begin.
Under the payment options (Debit Card, Credit Card, Bank Account), click Enter bank information manually to proceed.
💡 TurboTip: You'll click the Manual entry three different times during this process. If you do not click it three different times, you'll be prompted to use your bank login.
After clicking Enter bank account manually, follow these steps:
The Plaid app will open within your TurboTenant account.
Click Continue to proceed.
When prompted to enter your phone number:
If you have a Plaid account, enter your phone number. Make sure it is connected to your bank institution.
If you don’t have a Plaid account, click Continue As Guest.
Select the Manual option and click Continue.
Enter your account and routing numbers:
If eligible, your bank will be linked instantly.
Otherwise, it will take 1–2 days to complete.
After you enter your account and routing numbers, you'll provide additional details, such as your name. You'll also need to select the type of account you're connecting - Checking or Savings. For the best experience with TurboTenant, we strongly recommend using a Checking account rather than a Savings account.
The information you use to connect your bank account to TurboTenant must match the information you have on your account with your bank institution in order to verify the account you are connecting.
After entering your information, you'll receive the window to Authorize Deposit. For secure verification, Plaid will make one deposit of $0.01 into your account in about one business day (weekends are excluded). Click Authorize at the bottom of your page.
Verifying Your Bank Account Manually
When you add your bank account manually, a small deposit of $0.01 will be sent to your bank account. This process typically takes 1–2 business days (which excludes weekends and holidays). Once the deposit arrives, you'll receive an email notification. You'll want to check your bank account as the email will not contain the 3-letter code.
💡 TurboTip: Re-entering your bank account information will not speed up the micro-deposit timeline. Each time you manually input your account and routing numbers, the micro-deposit process will be re-initiated and render the previous batch of micro-deposits invalid. This can cause confusion when trying to confirm your bank account, so it is best to enter your credentials once and wait for the micro-deposits.
To complete the verification in your tenant portal, click "Enter Code" and enter the 3-letter code included with the $0.01 deposit in your TurboTenant account. This confirms that your bank account is successfully linked. This process ensures that you are the account owner, preventing any fraudulent activity from taking place.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Can I add multiple payment methods for rent?
A: Yes, you can now add multiple payment methods to pay your rent with. You cannot split the payment for the rent between multiple methods in one transaction, but if your landlord allows partial payments you can submit separate payments with the different payment options.
Q: Can I use a prepaid gift card to pay my rent?
A: No, prepaid cards like Visa or Mastercard gift cards cannot be used for rent payments.
Q: What is Plaid?
A: Plaid is the software TurboTenant uses to securely connect your bank account for rent payments. You’ll use Plaid to add your payment method, whether by logging into your bank account or entering details manually. Plaid also sends the verification code needed for manual bank connections.
Q: I received a message saying, "The credentials you provided are incorrect." What should I do?
A: Double-check that the login details you entered in Plaid match those used for your bank account, including your email and phone number. If the issue persists, try logging in directly to your bank’s website to confirm your credentials.
Q: What online banks don’t integrate well with Plaid?
A: If you're adding a payment method from banks like Chime, BILT MC, or GreenDot, you’ll need to enter your details manually. The Plaid login or card option typically won’t work with these institutions.
Q: Can I bypass Plaid if I manually add my payment method?
A: Manual connection for your bank account still goes through Plaid at this time. Plaid is a secure payment attachment portal used by many companies. You can learn more about their safety standards here: https://plaid.com/safety/.