Relay Payroll lets you pay your W-2 employees and 1099 contractors directly from your Relay account. It's in beta, so it's open by invitation to a small group of customers who are new to payroll while we confirm it's reliable and well supported before opening it more widely.
What is Relay Payroll?
Relay Payroll is built into your Relay account, so you can pay your team from the account your money already lives in. You add your employees and contractors, set a pay schedule, and run payroll, and the funds come straight from your available Relay balance. It's separate from connecting an outside payroll provider to your Relay account.
During the beta, Relay Payroll covers:
W-2 employee and 1099 contractor pay
Employee and contractor onboarding
Federal and state tax setup
Pay schedules
Paystubs and payroll history
Why is Relay Payroll in beta?
Payroll moves your money and affects your team's paychecks and taxes, so we want to get it right before it's widely available. A beta means the product is live, but we're opening it to customers in stages. That gives us the chance to:
Confirm that setup and running payroll work smoothly from start to finish
Learn from early customers about what's clear, what's confusing, and what's missing
Make sure our Customer Experience team is ready to support you as access grows
Who can use Relay Payroll during the beta?
Relay Payroll is available by invitation, sent by email to the business. We're inviting customers who:
Are new to payroll and don't currently use payroll software or another payroll provider
Pay their team today by ACH, Bill Pay, or wire
Pay W-2 employees, or both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors
Have a business based in one of the 50 U.S. states or Washington, DC
Have every employee's work location in the same state as the business (employees can live in another state)
Have an active Relay account in good standing
Can use Relay Payroll on a desktop computer (it isn't available in the Relay mobile app)
What isn't available during the beta?
During the beta, Relay Payroll doesn't support the items below. Some are planned for later releases, and we don't have dates to share yet.
Switching providers and earlier payroll
Switching or migrating from another payroll provider
Entering payroll history from earlier in the year
Team and location
Employees whose work location is in a different state than your business
Businesses based in U.S. territories
Workers outside the U.S.
Account types
Contractor-only accounts (at least one W-2 employee is needed)
Nonprofit organizations
Features
Benefits, 401(k), and time tracking
Using Relay Payroll in the Relay mobile app
What happens after I'm invited to Relay Payroll?
You'll set up your company, add your team, and choose a pay schedule. Plan on 1–2 days to finish setup, though some businesses finish in about 30 minutes. The setup checklist lists everything to have ready.
After setup, Relay reviews your account before your first payroll can run. Most accounts are approved. If we need more information, you'll see a request in Relay to resolve before payroll can run.
How is payroll funded, and when does my team get paid?
Each payroll is paid from your Relay checking account. Relay debits net pay plus payroll taxes for the whole run, so keep enough available to cover the full amount before you submit.
Your team is paid on the scheduled payday. If a bank holiday is coming up, you'll see a notice in Relay to run payroll earlier than usual, so submit before your deadline. Regular payrolls never pay early.
Can the beta requirements change?
Yes. We're expanding access in stages, so who can join and what's included may change. We don't have a date to share yet for when Relay Payroll will be open to all customers.
How do I get access to Relay Payroll?
Relay Payroll is invitation-only during the beta. We send invitations directly to eligible customers, in batches. If you have questions about your account, contact our Customer Experience team.
What if my business isn't a fit for Relay Payroll yet?
If you already use payroll software or another payroll provider, or if anything under Team and location or Account types above applies to your business, Relay Payroll isn't available to you during the beta. Benefits, 401(k), and time tracking aren't available either. The beta is built for businesses that are new to payroll, so there's nothing to migrate and no prior payroll history to enter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Relay Payroll if my employees live or work in another state?
It depends on where they work, not where they live. Each employee's work location needs to be in the same state as your business, and employees can live in another state. If an employee works from a place in a different state, such as from home, that isn't available during the beta.
Can I use Relay Payroll if I only pay 1099 contractors?
Not during the beta. Contractor-only accounts aren't available, so you need at least one W-2 employee to use Relay Payroll.
Can I switch to Relay Payroll from another payroll provider?
Not during the beta. The beta is built for businesses that are new to payroll, so switching from another provider and entering payroll history from earlier in the year aren't available.
Can I use Relay Payroll in the Relay mobile app?
No. During the beta, Relay Payroll isn't available in the Relay mobile app. You can use it on a desktop computer.
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