MSN Bill Pay was a popular online bill payment service used by many customers for years. However, in 2009 it was replaced by CheckFree Web Bill Pay after Microsoft partnered with CheckFree. As MSN Bill Pay was discontinued, customers had to move over to CheckFree Web for managing and paying bills online. This transition represented a major change for longtime MSN Bill Pay users.
In this guide, we will cover the shutdown of MSN Bill Pay, the switch over to CheckFree Web Bill Pay, and how customers can navigate this billing transition.
The Shutdown of MSN Bill Pay
Microsoft offered a bill payment feature called MSN Bill Pay as part of their MSN Money suite of financial tools and services. It provided a way for customers to receive, view, and pay bills from multiple providers in one interface.
In 2009, Microsoft made the decision to exit the bill pay market and partnered with CheckFree to transition MSN Bill Pay accounts to CheckFree Web Bill Pay instead.
As part of this change, MSN Bill Pay was permanently shut down in November 2009. On November 5, 2009, customers could no longer log into their MSN Bill Pay accounts
Any remaining payment history and account data could only be accessed temporarily until January 2010 when it was removed for good.
Switching Over to CheckFree Web Bill Pay
With MSN Bill Pay shutting down, customers had to sign up for CheckFree Web Bill Pay accounts to continue paying bills online.
Microsoft coordinated with CheckFree to automatically migrate MSN Bill Pay users and payment information over to new CheckFree accounts in 2009.
Customers were notified by email and letter about setting up their new CheckFree login credentials to ensure continued access to bill pay services.
During the transition period, MSN Bill Pay account history could be downloaded for transfer to CheckFree Web Bill Pay. After January 2010, no historic transaction data could be retrieved.
Key Impacts on Customers
The switch from MSN Bill Pay to CheckFree Web Bill Pay had several notable impacts on customers:
- Mandatory new account signup with new login details
- Loss of access to old payment history and statements
- Changes to website design and bill payment interface
- Potential changes to available billers and fees
- Disruptions to existing autopay and recurring payments
- Need to reconfigure payment settings and alerts
The transition meant customers had to take proactive steps to avoid payment disruptions when MSN Bill Pay shut down.
Reconfiguring Bill Pay Settings in CheckFree Web
To ensure continuity of bill payment, customers needed to rebuild key settings in CheckFree Web Bill Pay:
- Set up scheduled/automatic payments
- Re-establish payment accounts
- Select paperless billing
- Assign bill due alerts
- Set preferred payment methods
- Update account profile details
Thankfully CheckFree offered dedicated customer support to help manage the transition from MSN Bill Pay.
Many banks also provided resources to guide customers through the switch. But individuals still had to actively rebuild their bill pay setup in the new system.
Key Features of CheckFree Web Bill Pay
As customers adopted CheckFree Web Bill Pay for online billing, they had to get accustomed to new features:
- Combined view of bills across providers
- Ability to add/remove payees
- Scheduled one-time or recurring payments
- Auto-pay capability for set payments
- Email bill notifications
- Online bill archival and PDF download
- Fewer billers supported than MSN Bill Pay
- Payments debited 2-3 days before due date
Learning the CheckFree Web Bill Pay interface and options ensured customers could successfully manage monthly billing online.
Top Tips for Switching Bill Pay Solutions
When transitioning between bill pay services, as MSN Bill Pay users had to do with the switch to CheckFree Web, here are some helpful tips:
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Download any old statements for your records before account closure.
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Research alternative bill pay solutions fully to find the best option.
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Update payment details directly with each biller.
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Set payment reminders/alerts for any bills not on auto-pay.
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Confirm scheduled payments transfer over properly.
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Review payment history regularly at first to verify accurate billing.
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Contact customer service with any transition questions.
Adapting to Life After MSN Bill Pay
The shutdown of MSN Bill Pay after many years caused major disruptions for customers who then had to adopt CheckFree Web Bill Pay for their online bill management needs. But with some diligence on rebuilding bill pay settings and learning the new platform’s features, customers could successfully transition to CheckFree for seamless bill payment.
While jarring at first, shutting down one bill pay service in favor of another better option allowed customers to move to a more full-featured, dedicated billing platform in CheckFree Web Bill Pay. Bill payment could live on thanks to the availability of alternative established solutions.
The key was approaching the transition proactively – downloading statements, noting payment details, understanding the new platform, and contacting customer service. With some legwork upfront, MSN Bill Pay users were able to shift to CheckFree Web Bill Pay and continue conveniently managing bills online.
Starting to Use CheckFree Bill Pay
To start using CheckFree Bill Pay:
| Add a bill. Tell us who you want to pay by going to the Quick Add a Company or Person to Pay page and adding the information we use to make your payments. You can also add an electronic bill from billers that can send them. |
| Pay a bill. Pay the bill you added by going to the Payment Center. You can also use the Payment Center to view your pending and recent payments. |
Using CheckFree Bill Pay Features
You can also use CheckFree Bill Pay to:
- Pay several bills at once or make one-time payments from the Payment Center. You can also view your pending and recent payments.
- Receive some of your bills online through CheckFree Bill Pay. We can receive electronic bills from hundreds of billers nationwide.
- Set up automatic payments to pay your electronic bills or to automatically schedule payments of a set amount at regular intervals.
- Review your bills and payments for the past 18 months.
- Download your bill payment information to your personal financial software.
If you have more questions about how CheckFree Bill Pay works, read through our list of frequently asked questions (click the FAQs button at the top of this help topic).
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Why was CheckFree web bill pay discontinued?
According to Fiserv, CheckFree Web Bill Pay was discontinued due to the declining usage of the platform over time. As more billers and financial institutions moved their own bill pay services online, fewer customers relied on third-party consolidated bill pay sites like CheckFree Web Bill Pay.
What is mycheckfree bill pay service?
MyCheckFree is an online payment center that’s powered by Fiserv. It’s one option to consider if you want to streamline paying bills. Our MyCheckFree review offers a closer look at how this service provider works. What is the MyCheckFree Bills Pay Service?
What is CheckFree pay & how does it work?
The CheckFreePay service from Fiserv gives customers the ability to pay bills from more than 2,500 companies. Payments can be made at the Walmart MoneyCenter or customer service desk using cash or a pin-based debit card. What is CheckFree web? Check Free Bill Pay lets you pay your bills online through your Online Banking.
How do I pay my bills through checkfreepay?
Paying bills through CheckFreePay is simple and only takes a few minutes. Just follow these steps: The site securely stores your payment information to simplify future transactions. You can also set up recurring payments on fixed dates for added convenience. There are many advantages to using CheckFreePay for your online bill payments:
What is checkfreepay ®?
A simple, secure way to pay. Today. Made possible with CheckFreePay ® from Fiserv. CheckFreePay provides payment solutions for consumers who prefer to pay their bills in person. CheckFreePay from Fiserv is the largest processor of walk-in bill payments in the United States, processing 57 million transactions in 2023.
What is check free bill pay?
Check Free Bill Pay lets you pay your bills online through your Online Banking. You can pay anyone in the United States that you would normally pay by check or automatic debit, even if you do not receive bills from the company or person you want to pay. Learn About Money Movement. What is checkfreepay®? A simple, secure way to pay. Today.