What ConnectPay does

ConnectPayUSA, LLC, operating as ConnectPay, is a US-based payroll and tax compliance services company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Mansfield, Massachusetts, with an additional Electronic Money Institution entity in Lithuania. The company exclusively serves small businesses with a tiered subscription platform: Starting Line Up at $39.99/month, MVP at $69.99/month, and Premium at $149.99/month, each adding white-glove onboarding, multi-state tax filing, dedicated payroll specialists, and HR/time-tracking capabilities. Its core technology is the proprietary Relay payroll dashboard, which supports step-by-step payroll processing, custom reporting, and integrations such as biometric timekeeping via Swipeclock.

ConnectPay monetizes through monthly subscription fees, per-employee charges beyond included headcount, and a suite of add-on modules — workers' comp pay-as-you-go ($25/mo), workplace compliance posters ($12.95/mo), Section 125 plan documents ($30/mo), HR Resource Center ($34.95/mo), and timekeeping (starting at $25/mo) — which create layered wallet share within the SMB base. The go-to-market combines direct website sales, sales-led consultation with dedicated payroll specialists, and a formal partner program for CPAs, benefits brokers, insurance agents, and bookkeepers structured around revenue share and perpetual discount arrangements. The company also operates a 'Sell My Payroll Business' program targeting independent payroll operators for transition or partnership, indicating a roll-up posture in the fragmented SMB payroll market.

The Lithuania-based EMI entity operates the proprietary Mars core banking system, launched in early 2026, which ConnectPay developed in-house to replace third-party core infrastructure, reduce licensing costs, and enable EU instant payments. Leadership comprises co-founders Paul Altavena (President) and Michael Young (CEO), with Drew Schildwachter as COO and Joseph Gildea as SVP Finance. The company has raised approximately $8.36 million in disclosed funding (2016 and 2019) and was named a 2025 Boston Business Journal Fast 50 honoree.

Name

ConnectPay

Legal name

ConnectPayUSA, LLC

Website

https://connectpayusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ConnectPay is a US-based, SMB-exclusive payroll and tax compliance provider offering tiered subscription payroll processing (Relay platform), compliance add-ons, and CPA/broker partner programs, with a separate Lithuania EMI operating an in-house core banking system for EU payments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Foxboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Payroll Processing Subscriptions: Monthly subscription fees for core payroll processing services with three tiered plans (Starting Line Up, MVP, Premium) offering escalating features including white-glove onboarding, full-service payroll, multi-state capabilities, and dedicated specialists.
2. Add-on HR and Compliance Services: Additional monthly fees for workers' compensation pay-as-you-go ($25/mo), workplace compliance posters ($12.95/mo), Section 125 plan documents ($30/mo), HR Resource Center ($34.95/mo), and timekeeping solutions (starting at $25/mo).
3. Per-Employee Pricing: Additional per-employee charges after initial included employees (e.g., $3 per employee after 4 on Starting Line Up, $2 per employee after 4 on MVP).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ConnectPay provides subscription-based payroll processing and tax compliance services exclusively for U.S. small businesses, delivered through its Relay Payroll Dashboard platform with three tiered plans (Starting Line Up, MVP, Premium). The offering is bundled with dedicated payroll specialists, multi-state tax filing, W-2/1099 generation, direct deposit, and add-on modules including pay-as-you-go workers' comp, workplace compliance posters, Section 125 plan documents, HR Resource Center, and biometric/PIN/card/GPS timekeeping. The firm also operates a Lithuania-based EMI running the proprietary Mars core banking system for EU payment services.

Product overview

ConnectPay operates as a dual-entity company: (1) A US-based payroll services company offering a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on its core Payroll Solutions with three pricing tiers (Starting Line Up, MVP, Premium), supplemented by add-on modules including Relay Payroll Dashboard, Custom Reporting, Pay-As-You-Go Workers' Comp, Workplace Compliance Posters, Section 125 Plan Documents, HR Resource Center, Time Clock, and CPA Partner Solutions; (2) A Lithuania-based EMI (Electronic Money Institution) operating the proprietary Mars Core Banking System for payment services supporting EU instant payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Payroll Solutions Core subscription-based full-service payroll processing for U.S. small businesses, including payroll runs, federal and state tax filing, W-2/1099 generation, direct deposit, paperless delivery, and access to dedicated payroll specialists across three monthly tiers ($39.99 Starting Line Up, $69.99 MVP, $149.99 Premium).
• Pay-As-You-Go Workers' Comp Subscription add-on module that integrates workers' compensation premium payments into the payroll cycle at $25/month, improving cash flow, accuracy, and audit posture for eligible small businesses.
• Workplace Compliance Posters Monthly subscription service at $12.95/month that supplies and maintains required federal, state, and local Department of Labor workplace compliance posters for display to on-site and remote/hybrid employees.
• Section 125 Plan Documents Monthly subscription service at $30/month that provides the required Section 125 cafeteria plan documents for businesses offering pretax health benefits, helping them remain audit-ready.
• HR Resource Center Monthly subscription service at $34.95/month providing unlimited expert HR Q&A, onboarding tools, and continually updated HR resources covering hiring, training, and compliance for small businesses.
• Timekeeping Subscription add-on service starting at $25/month offering flexible, secure, customizable time tracking with biometric, PIN, card, or GPS-based clock-in options, integrated with payroll and PTO tracking.
• Mars Core Banking System Proprietary in-house core banking platform developed by ConnectPay's Lithuania-based EMI entity, providing direct control over uptime, faster product iteration, and structural cost savings by eliminating third-party core banking licensing fees; underpins EU payment services and instant payments compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Client saved $4,200 in IRS penalties through compliance review
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SwipeclocksupportingTechnology or IntegrationConnectPay integrates with Swipeclock biometric timekeeping equipment, which scans fingerprints and converts them into templates for timekeeping, security, and fraud prevention purposes. Subscribers lease Swipeclock equipment through ConnectPay to provide compliant biometric timekeeping for their employees.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gusto: Gusto is a leading US payroll, benefits, and HR platform built primarily for small businesses — directly competing with ConnectPay on SMB payroll processing, tax filing, and add-on HR services with a similar subscription pricing model.
• Paychex: Paychex is a major US payroll and HR solutions provider with deep penetration in the small business segment, offering payroll processing, tax administration, and benefits services through both direct and partner channels — directly comparable to ConnectPay's core offering.
• OnPay: OnPay is a cloud-based payroll and HR services provider focused on small businesses, offering full-service payroll, tax filing, and HR tools with tiered pricing — closely mirroring ConnectPay's SMB-only positioning and product mix.
• Justworks: Justworks is a PEO providing payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR support to small and mid-sized businesses — competes with ConnectPay in the SMB payroll and HR services space with a PEO/co-employment model.
• Patriot Software: Patriot Software provides payroll and accounting software specifically designed for small businesses, offering full-service payroll, tax filing, and basic HR tools at low price points — directly comparable to ConnectPay's SMB-only, low-priced tier structure.
• SurePayroll: SurePayroll is a national online payroll service focused exclusively on small businesses, offering full-service payroll, tax filing, and HR solutions — a near-direct competitor with comparable SMB-only positioning and pricing tiers.

Emerging players

• Rippling: Rippling is a fast-growing workforce management platform that unifies HR, IT, and payroll, with a growing SMB segment served by its payroll product — competes with ConnectPay on SMB payroll while offering a broader platform.

Broad incumbents

• Square Payroll (Block): Square Payroll, offered by Block, provides full-service payroll for small businesses and integrates with Square's payments ecosystem — competes with ConnectPay on SMB payroll while leveraging Block's broader commerce platform.
• ADP Run: ADP Run is the small business division of ADP, the largest US payroll services provider, offering payroll, tax filing, and HR tools to companies with up to ~50 employees — a much larger incumbent serving the same SMB payroll market as ConnectPay.

Regional players

• Wave Payroll: Wave Payroll, part of H&R Block, offers payroll services targeted at very small US businesses (often under 10 employees) with simple pricing — comparable in SMB-only positioning, though historically with Canadian origins and a narrower feature set than ConnectPay.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/connectpay
• Facebookfacebook.com/ConnectPay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/connectpay-payroll-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/connectpayusa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ConnectPay