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Clair secures $23.2 million in Series B funding round to expand its embedded Earned Wage Access services, allowing employees to access wages instantly through existing payroll and workforce apps. The company partners with national bank Pathward® to offer bank-issued advances with no interest, now available at over 29,000 business locations. Recent integrations, including with Gusto, demonstrate high user engagement and growing demand for real-time pay solutions.
The Fintech That Lets You Get Paid Before Payday
Clair offers Earned Wage Access (EWA) directly through workforce and payroll platforms. Through a partnership with FDIC-insured national bank Pathward®, N.A., Clair enables employees to advance wages they have already earned, without incurring interest. This model helps bridge short-term cashflow gaps, offering users financial flexibility between pay periods.
Clair’s technology is embedded into widely used scheduling and payroll applications, providing access to wages in just a few taps. With no cost to employers, the service becomes a straightforward addition to workforce benefit programs.
Why $68.7 Million Says Clair Is Solving a Real Problem
Clair has raised a total of $68.7 million in equity funding. The latest Series B round brought in $23.2 million, led by Upfront Ventures, which also led the company’s seed round. Existing investors including Thrive Capital also participated.
The funding arrives amid growing demand for flexible pay solutions. Research cited by Clair indicates that 78% of people live paycheck to paycheck and 83% prefer to receive their earnings in real time. On-demand pay now ranks just behind medical insurance as the most requested workplace benefit in the U.S.
This demand, combined with the growing adoption of cloud-based payroll and human capital management platforms, positions EWA as an increasingly expected feature in employee compensation.
The Secret Sauce Behind Clair’s Growth
Clair’s advances are issued directly by Pathward®, a national bank, ensuring financial compliance and regulatory stability. This structure enables Clair to provide bank-issued advances with no interest, distinguishing the company from lenders or early pay providers with hidden fees or interest-based models.
The interface is built with usability in mind. Integration takes just a few clicks, and the workflow aligns with employee habits. From inside their existing payroll or scheduling apps, users can access their earned wages quickly and securely.
Clair’s focus on compliance and seamless integration appeals to both HR platforms and employers who require scalable, reliable financial benefits.
29,000 Locations Can’t Be Wrong
Clair is available at over 29,000 business locations spanning 29 industries. This footprint shows a significant penetration into the U.S. workforce, enabling access for frontline workers, who are often the most affected by liquidity issues between pay periods.
This wide availability is also a result of the company’s embedded approach, integrating its services into platforms already used by employees and managers daily. By removing friction, Clair increases user adoption while supporting workforce productivity.
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Meet the Apps That Put Clair in Your Pocket
Clair recently launched a partnership with Gusto, an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits software platform. The integration, released in July 2024, has already proven effective. According to Clair, 43% of employees take their first advance within two minutes of access.
This rapid adoption suggests that employees understand the benefit and act on it quickly. Clair also maintains partnerships with other workforce management platforms to facilitate on-demand pay at scale, moving millions of dollars in advances each month.
The strength of these partnerships demonstrates how embedded fintech allows platforms to offer financial tools without building the infrastructure themselves.
What Makes Employers Say Yes to On-Demand Pay
Clair offers a benefit that enhances employee satisfaction without increasing employer costs. As companies compete to retain talent—particularly in sectors with high turnover—on-demand pay becomes a key differentiator.
Employers use Clair’s solution to:
- Improve retention and reduce absenteeism
- Increase employee engagement and morale
- Expand benefits without new administrative burdens
The integration into existing systems means implementation is simple, and no direct financial exposure is required from the employer.
A Financial Lifeline That Keeps Growing
Clair’s business model combines regulatory security, ease of integration, and a proven employee need. With $68.7 million in equity raised and partnerships in place with payroll leaders like Gusto and national bank Pathward®, the company now supports on-demand pay across a wide network.
As payroll and HR platforms evolve into broader workforce management tools, Clair positions EWA as a fundamental feature, not an optional perk. By embedding secure, no-cost daily pay access directly into apps used by tens of millions of workers, Clair offers a scalable solution to one of the most persistent financial challenges facing U.S. employees.
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