A direct deposit is a type of ACH, which is a type of EFT. More specifically, direct deposit is a type of ACH transfer (an ACH credit), whereby an employer deposits an employee’s salary directly into that employee’s bank account. (Other forms of direct deposit include Social Security benefits and tax refunds.) The term EFT (electronic funds transfer) includes ACH and other ways to move funds from account to account. So it’s not a matter of EFT vs. ACH or EFT vs. direct deposit. One form of EFT is ACH, and one type of ACH is direct deposit.