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Check

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Can a single payroll API become the default infrastructure layer powering payroll for every vertical SaaS platform?

HQSan Francisco, CA, USA
IndustryInfrastructure / Payroll
The story

Check was founded to provide embedded payroll infrastructure as an API, enabling vertical SaaS platforms and HR software companies to offer payroll natively without building the tax, compliance, and money-movement stack from scratch. Rather than competing with ADP or Gusto as an end-user payroll product, Check operates as the 'payroll-as-a-service' layer powering other companies' payroll businesses. The company's growth strategy centers on becoming the default payroll infrastructure for the long tail of vertical SaaS platforms — from restaurants (7shifts) to construction (Miter) — that want payroll embedded in their product but lack the resources to build and maintain it.

Last 12 months
2025-01
Product timeline
2019
Check launched as an embedded payroll API platform targeting vertical SaaS and HR platforms.· pivot
2022
Check announced it had processed over $10B in payroll, establishing scale in embedded payroll infrastructure.· banking
2024
Check surpassed 1 million employees paid and $15B processed annually across 35,000+ businesses served via partner platforms.· banking
2025
Check launched Check MCP & CLI, expanding developer tooling for payroll infrastructure integration.· pivot
In the press
embeddedfinancereview.com
Coverage sourced from Embedded Finance Review — a content partner for this report. All articles are © their original authors; click any card to open the source.
◇ article2025-06-20
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The stack
1 layer disclosed in Check’s embedded-finance stack
Ledger
Modern Treasury
Accounting gap: none