Some people believe that recurring payments are the same as automatic payments, but this is not necessarily true. Recurring payments are scheduled to be made on a regular basis, typically monthly or yearly. Automatic payments, however, are made without needing input from the payer. There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of payments. With recurring payments, the payer has more control over when and how much they want to pay. Automatic payments, on the other hand, can be helpful for people who might forget to make a payment or who want to make sure their bills are always paid on time.