Startup Plastiq has launched its free iPhone app that lets people in the US and Canada pay bills with their debit and credit cards by snapping a photo.
Once an image of a paper or email bill is captured, Plastiq identifies the biller, their preferred means of receiving payments, the amount due, and the due date.
The app then reminds users when the bill is due and charges payments to preferred credit or debit cards, even if the biller does not normally take cards. Plastiq charges a 1-2.5% service fee.
San Francisco-based Plastiq says that a recent survey it carried out shows that while 98% of Americans pay things such as rent, utilities and tuition by cheque, 79% would rather use their cards.
"No one likes paying bills. People forget to pay them on time, and last year Americans still sent tens of billions of cheques in the mail," says Eliot Buchanan, co-founder and CEO, Plastiq.
"This is because for many industries, accepting credit cards just doesn't make business sense. We bridge the gap, letting anyone pay any bill with any card, regardless of card acceptance."