Branch
Workforce payments platform with embedded digital wallets, instant pay, and Mastercard debit cards.
Overview
Branch is a workforce payments platform that provides instant pay, earned wage access, digital wallets, and Mastercard debit cards to hourly, gig, and 1099 workers. The product is sold to employers (Pay Admin dashboard), embedded into staffing and gig platforms (Branch Embedded, launched September 2025), and offered to consumers through the Branch App. In March 2026, Branch became the embedded digital wallet provider within Stripe Connect — a significant market validation moment that extends Branch's reach to platforms already using Stripe for payments. Branch processes payouts across W-2 and 1099 workforces and offers integrated 1099 tax filing. Banking infrastructure is provided by two sponsor banks: Evolve Bank & Trust (primary, FDIC-insured) and Lead Bank (added July 2025, FDIC-insured). Cards are issued on Mastercard. The platform integrates with 40+ HCM and payroll systems including ADP, Workday, UKG, Paychex, Rippling, Toast, BambooHR, Bullhorn, and 7Shifts. Workers can receive earned wages instantly without employer expense — Branch's revenue comes from $2.99–$4.99 expedited transfer fees paid by workers plus Mastercard interchange on card spending. Founded in 2015 by Atif Siddiqi in Minneapolis (now dual-HQ Minneapolis/Tampa). Raised $75M Series C in March 2022 led by Addition with participation from General Atlantic, bringing total equity to approximately $133M. The company is SOC 2 certified and headcount is 201–500 per LinkedIn. Notable customers and partners include Instacart (Shopper Rewards Card, 2025), Uber Freight, Walmart Spark, Kelly staffing, Indeed Flex, Bullhorn, Domino's, and Henry Ford Health System.
Key features
- Instant pay and earned wage access
- Digital wallet + Mastercard debit cards
- Branch Embedded (Sept 2025) for SaaS/gig platforms
- 1099 payouts + integrated tax filing
- 40+ HCM and payroll integrations
- Stripe Connect embedded wallet (Mar 2026)
Vertical focus
gig economy, staffing, restaurants, retail, healthcare, saas
Notable customers
Instacart, Uber Freight, Walmart Spark, Kelly, Indeed Flex, Bullhorn, Domino's, Henry Ford Health System
At a glance
| Category | payroll |
|---|---|
| Model | ["api","sdk","white_label","managed_service"] |
| Pricing | ["transaction_fee","revenue_share","custom"] |
| Revenue share | Workers pay $2.99–$4.99 for expedited transfers; employers and most platforms pay $0; revenue also via interchange |
| Best company size | ["smb","mid_market","growth","enterprise"] |
| Time to launch | weeks |
| Technical complexity | medium |
| PCI scope | reduced |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Funding stage | series_c |
| Website | https://branchapp.com |
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