Hi again, @HeidiMarcotte. Let me clarify things out.
In QuickBooks Online, the requirement to pay your contractors for Direct Deposit is to have an active payroll.
To learn more about this, here's a great resource that you can read: Contractor direct deposit.
However, if you're under a non-payroll subscription, you can continue to write a check, expense and create a bill for your contractors.
If you have any other questions, let me know by commenting below. I'm here for you. Have a great day!
