With Paid, the future of payroll is free
[.c-case-study-tag]Introduction[.c-case-study-tag]
Business owners are used to seeing a long list of features when evaluating a payroll product. Everything changed when Paid launched something that had never been done before: a fully featured payroll that’s completely free. Paid believes that businesses are already buried in expenses and need a break. That’s why it’s free. Paid also believes that “big payroll” has enjoyed earning interest on customer funds for too long, so they’re making it faster too: with their new product businesses can pay workers soon after their funds are withdrawn, instead of waiting the typical 7 days between debit and credit.
Paid’s team knows the small business vertical very well: they’re the founding team from Kabbage and they’re experienced at building products that solve real business challenges.
[.c-highlighted]Their goal was to reimagine payroll - - and bring the product to market quickly to satisfy the demand of a huge waitlist. [.c-highlighted]
[.c-case-study-tag]Challenge[.c-case-study-tag]
The Paid team was well versed in payroll and knew that the build versus buy decision would lean heavily toward an embedded model given their pressure to launch a product quickly. However, they were concerned about finding infrastructure that could truly scale (we’ve learned: the market’s only free payroll tool faces enormous demand) and onboard customers quickly. They also needed some things most providers didn’t support: flexibility in payment rails and being able to entrust Paid with collecting the bank details. Paid also wanted help in supporting customers without signing up for enterprise-sized platform fees and minimums.
“Our vision was to create a payroll product that was transformative. Our product vision didn’t fit neatly into any existing boxes and required a partner that could adapt to our vision. With Salsa we were able to exceed the expectations of small business owners, and launch our vision into reality.” Rob Frohwein, CEO
[.c-case-study-tag]Solution[.c-case-study-tag]
Salsa’s collaborative approach ensured that Paid had support every step of the way, from initial concept to final deployment. The dedicated support from Salsa's team was crucial in navigating the complexities of the integration and ensuring that the product met all of Paid's unique requirements.
One of the big reasons behind the choice to partner with Salsa was around architecture. Salsa’s architecture offered unparalleled flexibility, allowing Paid to explore various innovative options without being constrained by typical platform limitations. An early blocker that prevented partnering with other platforms was Paid’s need to self-manage bank accounts and authentication: something Salsa supports. Whenever Paid wanted to implement something outside the box, Salsa’s response was always "yes." This enabled Paid to build a game-changing payroll product without making compromises.
Integration began in May 2024 and first customers were launched in June, with Salsa providing customizable, embeddable components that aligned perfectly with Paid’s brand and operational needs. The ability to quickly adapt and scale the solution was instrumental in meeting the high demand and launching the product ahead of schedule.
“We needed a partner who could understand our urgency and unique product requirements. Salsa’s flexibility and hands-on support allowed us to launch a revolutionary payroll service quickly and without compromise.” - Rob Frohwein, CEO
[.c-case-study-tag]Results[.c-case-study-tag]
With the launch of its free payroll product, Paid has set a new standard in the payroll industry. By eliminating fees and reducing the time between debit and credit, Paid has significantly alleviated the financial burden on small businesses. The new product has been met with overwhelming demand, showcasing the need for such an innovative solution in the market.
This case study illustrates how a strategic partnership with Salsa and leveraging flexible technology can lead to rapid deployment and significant market impact. Paid has not only reimagined payroll but has also reinforced its commitment to supporting small businesses by providing essential services without the heavy costs typically associated with them.
