EarnIn unveils payroll platform with flexible real-time pay

EarnIn has announced the launch of its payroll service aimed at offering employees greater control over wage access and management.

The new EarnIn Payroll system is designed to address longstanding challenges within traditional payroll structures, which have typically been managed wholly by employers. Those legacy systems have meant that employees often do not gain access to their earned income until the designated payday-sometimes weeks after the wages are earned.

By integrating payroll capabilities directly into its app ecosystem, EarnIn's approach seeks to change the central decision-making dynamic from employer to employee. This marks a shift away from the established model, where the timing and frequency of payments are dictated by employers, towards a system over which workers themselves have greater influence.

Employee-centred approach

According to the company, EarnIn Payroll will enable users to access their earnings as they are earned, using tools available through the EarnIn App, including Cash Out, Early Pay, and Live Pay. These features support on-demand and flexible wage access, with additional integration to financial wellness tools to facilitate choice in how and when to receive payment.

The inclusion of the Live Pay feature, which is accessed exclusively via the EarnIn Card, means employees can have their pay streamed to them in real time, reflecting hours worked rather than waiting for a predetermined pay cycle.

"Paychecks today are digital - and they should work like other digital products: flexible and streaming. With EarnIn Payroll, we're transforming payroll from something chosen for employees into something chosen by them. This isn't payroll as usual. It's payroll reimagined to meet the immediate expectations of today's workforce," said Ram Palaniappan, CEO and Founder of EarnIn. 

EarnIn reports that, cumulatively, it has made more than USD $25 billion in earnings accessible to US workers annually, with the app having been downloaded over 27 million times nationwide. The company maintains its offering is available across the US.

Enterprise tools for employers

EarnIn said that employers will be able to leverage enterprise-level payroll features through the new system, supported by a streamlined interface. The platform offers seamless integration with benefits such as retirement and healthcare, allowing for smooth transition away from legacy payroll models irrespective of employer size.

The system includes an employee self-service portal accessible via the app, designed specifically to serve both frontline and hourly workers, endorsing financial flexibility as a standard feature.

For commercial payroll service providers, EarnIn Payroll is positioned as a comprehensive solution integrating essential payroll functions with features such as earned wage access and Live Pay. This integration is anticipated to address the changing expectations regarding how employees wish to access and manage payment for their work.

Wider context of wage access

The introduction of EarnIn Payroll comes amid a broader shift in worker expectations around pay flexibility and real-time access, particularly among hourly and frontline staff. Employees are increasingly viewing on-demand pay and financial tools not simply as optional perks but as necessary aspects of a contemporary employment package.

In outlining the rationale for their approach, the company stated its mission as enabling employees to move "from waiting to get paid" to "choosing how to get paid," alongside real opportunities to build credit and improve financial wellness through integrated app features.

Employers and payroll service providers interested in EarnIn Payroll are advised that it offers compatibility with existing benefits and is designed for a broad range of workforce needs, integrating modern pay features with the essentials of payroll administration.