Payactiv Reviews & Product Details

Payactiv makes access work—for people, for business, for growth. As the creator of Earned Wage Access, we work within payroll to provide responsible access to earned wages, proving that when people move forward, companies do too. Retention improves, staffing becomes more reliable, engagement rises, and teams contribute with greater consistency and commitment. In 2012, Payactiv introduced a simple but transformative idea: No one should wait to use what they’ve already earned. Employees should be able to access their earned wages—responsibly and securely—without interest, or disruption to payroll. This model bridges the gap between hours worked and pay received, helping employees avoid late fees, overdrafts, and payday loans that erode financial stability. But Payactiv goes beyond EWA. The platform is designed as a comprehensive financial growth infrastructure, offering a suite of tools that help employees manage, save, and plan for their future. For employers, it delivers measurable outcomes through real-time data, adoption insights, and ROI reporting, all within a compliant, payroll-aligned framework. More than 40,000 employers and 5 million employees across healthcare, retail, manufacturing, logistics, and hospitality trust Payactiv to drive measurable business and human outcomes. Core capabilities include: ✔︎ Earned Wage Access: Employees can access wages they’ve already earned—on demand, with no payday loans or credit checks. ✔︎ Financial growth tools: Built-in savings, bill pay, budgeting, built-in deals & offers, and goal-tracking features to build long-term financial health. ✔︎ Financial education and counseling: In-app learning resources and access to 1:1 financial counseling to support informed decisions and long-term financial confidence. ✔︎ Pay solutions: Payroll cards, digital tip and mileage disbursement, and off-cycle pay options that ensure every form of earned value is available when needed. ✔︎ Employer insights: Dashboards and reporting that measure engagement, retention, and ROI over time. ✔︎ Responsible design and compliance: SOC 2, PCI, and ISO certified, compliant in all 50 states, and built in partnership with regulators. ✔︎ Employee and employer support: Dedicated onboarding, optimization, and 24/7 customer care to ensure lasting adoption and success. Because when people have the means to move ahead, they bring their best to work—and workplaces built on that momentum grow stronger from the inside out, gaining the stability, loyalty, and performance that make growth mutual.

Product Website

Seller

Payactiv

Discussions

Payactiv Community

Overview by

Amin Akhtar (Director of Marketing Operations @ Payactiv)

Pricing

Pricing provided by Payactiv.

Employer Cost

Free

View More Pricing Information

Payactiv Media

Payactiv Demo - Put financial wellness in reach

Employees can immediately access money for hours already worked, transfer to their bank, load it on a Payactiv card, or pick up cash at Walmart. They can even use their earned wages to call an Uber and get daily necessities from Amazon. We supply the money so your employees are covered without di...

Employees can pay bills directly through the Payactiv app keeping them ahead of their finances.

Payactiv fronts the money so employees automatically get tips and mileage reimbursement at the end of each shift. Improve payroll efficiency, save time and money, and give your employees the freedom to access their earned wages any day—for free.

Official Downloads

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The EWA Blueprint - how to choose the right provider

Urban Outfitters transforms employee financial wellness with Payactiv

How NRHS reduced employee financial stress and boosted retention

Payactiv Reviews (63)

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Concepsion C.

Quality Assurance Specialist Sales

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

11/23/2025

"Payactiv Transformed Our Workforce with Early Wage Access and Seamless Integration"

5/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

Payactiv has been a game-changer for our company. The ability for employees to access their earned wages early has significantly improved morale, reduced financial stress, and increased overall productivity. The platform is easy to use, secure, and integrates smoothly with our payroll system.

Perks we’ve noticed:

• Reduced employee turnover

• Higher attendance and reliability

• Better recruiting interest

• Stronger employee satisfaction

• Fewer HR/payroll questions since staff can access funds directly

Overall, Payactiv has become an essential benefit for our workforce, and we’ve seen a clear improvement in engagement and performance since adopting it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

1. Fees for Some Transactions

• There can be a fee (e.g., ~$3) for instant cash transfers, depending on how you move money.

• If you don’t have the Payactiv prepaid card with direct deposit, there may be a monthly program fee (some report up to $5).

2. Access Limitations

• You may only be able to access up to ~50% of your earned wages before payday, depending on your employer’s policy.

• This means it may not cover very large emergencies if you need more than that.

3. Customer Service / Support Issues

• Some users say it’s really hard to get help when something goes wrong.

• According to BBB complaints, problems like account deactivation or access issues can drag on.

• Verification (for example, uploading paystubs) can be cumbersome; one person said the app required a pay stub photo, instead of easier verification methods. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Payactiv solving and how is that benefiting you?

1. Cash Flow Gaps Between Paychecks

• One of the biggest issues many workers face is not having enough cash between paydays. Payactiv gives you access to wages you’ve already earned, so you don’t have to wait until the official payday.

• This can prevent the need to take out payday loans, which are typically very expensive.

2. Avoiding High-Cost Debt & Fees

• Without early access to pay, you might rely on overdrafts, payday loans, or other high-interest credit just to cover short-term expenses. Payactiv helps you avoid or reduce these costs.

• According to Payactiv, its on-demand pay options (some of them) are very low cost or even free, which makes it a less risky liquidity option than predatory lending.

• In fact, they claim people save on average $200 a month in fees (like overdraft or late fees) by using the Earned Wage Access instead of more expensive options.

3. Financial Stress Reduction

• Financial worry is a huge distraction. By giving you control and flexibility, Payactiv helps reduce day-to-day financial stress.

• This reduced stress can lead to improved mental health, better decision-making, and more peace of mind.

4. Better Financial Planning & Stability

• Because you can access money when you need it, you’re less likely to delay paying bills, which means fewer late-fee penalties.

• Payactiv also offers tools for saving, budgeting, and financial education or counseling to help you build longer-term financial wellness.

• Using earned wage access responsibly gives you a way to “smooth out” your cash flow, so you’re not always in crisis mode when unexpected expenses come up.

5. Accessible for Many Types of Workers

• Payactiv supports many different employment situations: it works for hourly, salaried, part-time, and full-time employees.

• Because it integrates with payroll systems, it’s relatively seamless to use, and doesn’t require you to open a specific bank account.

6. Employer-Sponsored Benefit

• Since your employer offers Payactiv, it’s not just a third-party lending service — it’s a benefit your company provides. That means there’s generally no risk to you of being “judged” for using it — it’s part of your compensation package. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

shenelle b.

security officer

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

11/20/2025

"Convenient Paycheck Advances When You Need Them Most"

5/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

I love that I get to borrow money out my pay check when I am low on cash. You can save on Auto insurance, manage expenses, Earn and Save. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

The least thing is I have to borrow cash a limited amount of cash at a time Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Human Resources

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

9/30/2025

"Payactiv for employee pay cards."

3.5/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

I appreciate that I have the ability to assign pay cards to employees on my own. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

After hiring someone, you have to wait 24 hours for the new hire information to load, which means you can't assign a paycard while still in the office. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Banking

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4/21/2025

"For emergencies only"

0/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

Quick access to wages, accepted by most carriers, ability to pay bills Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

Literally, almost everything else:

- extremely unprofessional

- little to no interdepartmental communication

- lack of continuity between the website or app or back of card

- huge language barriers

- poor user interface

- ineptitude of employees

- unreliable email communication

- poor training

- noncompliance with policies and regulations

- predatory and targeted advertising

- questionable access to private information

- culture of fear of evaluations, reviews or surveys

- culture of fear of escalations

- poor investigations and research before denial of claims Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Manufacturing

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

8/29/2024

"Not recommended."

0/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

PayActiv has been a horrible experience for every employee that tried it. Every employee was overcharged and despite weeks of calls and emails, the money has still not been refunded to them. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

Next to impossible to get assistance. Employees have reported rude and uncaring attitude from PayActive employees. These issues occured in July and it is almost September. Everyone says the money will be refunded to them "tomorrow." It's been two weeks of tomorrows and no one has their money back. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

mari W.

kfc/taco bell

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

6/3/2021

"Great to have your pay when you need it and not have to wait."

4.5/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

Pay when needed. You can get a potion of your pay inminutes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

The fees. You get charged for putting your pay on your pay card. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Mike M.

Owner

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

12/17/2019

"One of my best business decisions"

5/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

We've been using PayActiv for over 3 years now without a single problem. It is absolutely seamless for us, in that it does not cost us time or money. About 20% to 25% of our workforce will use them in any given pay period. I haven't had a single employee ask for an advance on their paycheck since we started using PayActiv. I have recommended them to my fellow franchisees and other business owners that know. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

Nothing to dislike, at least not for me. Once we got them set-up with our payroll company everything has worked beautifully. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Payactiv:

This should be a no brainer decision. It helps your employees and does not cost the company anything Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Payactiv solving and how is that benefiting you?

Employees don't have to come to me asking for an advance - I know that is something they don't want to do and seem almost ashamed when they do it. If you advance pay for one person then you better be prepared to advance pay for everyone and that is not feasible. PayActiv eliminates that problem. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Hospital & Health Care

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

6/24/2022

"Our experience has not been good."

0/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

The service they offer is important in this day and age. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

The service is not working. There have been all kinds of issues once our ee's are given their cards. Very few have actually been able to get their money early. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Payactiv:

Just be prepared for issues if you are trying to integrate it into your payroll system. We use Paycor and it's not working even though they have an integration. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Payactiv solving and how is that benefiting you?

If it worked, it would allow our staff to get their wages early, which is important for our entry level workforce. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Hospital & Health Care

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

6/3/2021

"Outstanding benefit for employees"

5/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

the anonymity for employees is very helpful they are more likely to use the service because they can do it with minimal people knowing and keep their dignity Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

many payperiods we have to reach out to Payactiv to have them upload our hours so that emplyees can access money very frustrating to the employee as well as us because we are a small operation Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Payactiv:

I think the it is a valuable asset to the benefits offered to employees. Our usage has grown over the 2 years we have offered it and I think they are using it for more than the money, I think they are using the other tools as well Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Payactiv solving and how is that benefiting you?

We now have no advances being done in house which was an accounts payable nightmare. the true benefit is the only people that know an employee used payactiv is the employee and the payroll coordinator Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Ricardo Lee M.

Affiliate Marketing Specialist

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

11/11/2021

"Payactiv a good as a virtual visa"

5/5

What do you like best about Payactiv?

I got a 15$ bonus to sign up and they called to offer 10 more upon card activation. A free 25$! Also great for other employees to get items for the office. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Payactiv?

The virtual card Can't be used on google pay, cashapp or PayPal. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.