Understand On-Demand Pay by Clair

QuickBooks is partnering with Clair to offer On-Demand Pay to your employees. 

On-Demand Pay will be available in a gradual rollout, beginning August 1, 2025. There is no cost and no impact to your business or bank account–it’s included free with your QuickBooks Payroll subscription. 

Prerequisites

To be eligible to offer On-Demand Pay to your employees, you need the following: 

• An active QuickBooks Payroll subscription in the USA
• Have run payroll at least once in the last 30 days 
• Pay at least one employee through Direct Deposit

Employees may need to meet some additional criteria on their end, including access to QuickBooks Workforce.

What is On-Demand Pay

On-Demand Pay is an earned wage access solution allowing qualified employees to request advances based on their time and attendance data without disrupting your payroll. It’s offered through QuickBooks’ partnership with Clair, a financial technology company that integrates with payroll providers. Standard advances arrive in your employee’s bank account within 1-3 business days at no cost, or employees can choose to receive their funds instantly² for a $4.99 fee.

On-Demand Pay is an optional feature for your employees–not everyone will need or use this benefit, but it’s there for those who need it, when they need it.

How does it work for employees

If they’re eligible, employees using Quickbooks Workforce can get early access to a portion of their earned wages by requesting an advance through Clair. Advances are issued by Clair’s partner bank, Pathward®, N.A.

Available advance amounts are determined using timeclock and payroll data to estimate the wages the employee has already earned; no credit check required. 

What to expect as an employer

You’ll receive notification 30 days before this benefit is available for your employees. Once On-Demand Pay is enabled for your business, eligible employees can use the service without needing additional approvals from you. 

Advances are made by Clair’s bank partner using their funds, so On-Demand Pay doesn’t affect your books or payroll tax deductions. You’re not responsible for lending the funds or handling repayments, even if you terminate an employee who has an outstanding balance due to Clair. You simply review hours and run payroll as you normally would, with no impact on your bank account or payroll process.

How it benefits you and your team

On-Demand Pay is a benefit that QuickBooks has partnered with Clair to provide as a solution to both employers and employees for their financial well-being. You can:

• Offer a benefit typically offered at large corporations.
• Provide an alternative to employer funded pay advances.
• Help your team feel confident that they are covered for unexpected expenses, while avoiding costly debt options. 

Frequently asked questions

¹Clair is a financial technology company, not a bank. All Advances are originated by Pathward®, N.A. All Advances are subject to eligibility criteria and application review. Terms and conditions apply. 

²Instant Transfers typically occur in seconds, but may take up to 30 minutes. If your employee chooses to have their advance disbursed to their bank account instantly, they’ll be charged a fee, up to $4.99. This instant transfer fee will be taken out of their advance at the time of disbursement.

³Banking Services provided by Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC. Clair by Pathward Limited Demand Deposit Account is established by Pathward, N.A., Member FDIC.

For more details on advances and your employees experience, please see Clair’s FAQs