Kickfin
Kickfin is a US-based digital tip management software provider for the restaurant and hospitality industry, automating tip pool calculations via direct POS integrations and delivering instant cashless payouts directly to employees' bank accounts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Kickfin does
Kickfin, Inc. is a privately held US software company founded in 2017 and headquartered at 111 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, that builds digital tip management software for the restaurant and hospitality industry. The company's core platform automates tip pool calculations by pulling real-time data via direct API integrations with more than ten leading point-of-sale systems (Toast, Square, SkyTab, Aloha, Union, RPOWER, Heartland, PAR, SpotOn, Genius POS) and delivers cashless tip payouts directly to employees' bank accounts on a 24/7/365 basis, eliminating bank runs, manual cash counting, and the operational drag of after-shift tip distribution. Complementary modules include a configurable tip pooling calculator supporting complex policies (per-segment sharing, split-evenly, check-level edits, change-log auditability), tip tracking and reporting with payroll export, separate tips-versus-auto-gratuities tracking aligned to 2025 No Tax on Tips compliance, and a Blended Payouts feature that reconciles cash and digital distributions within one accounting workflow. Kickfin reports having processed over $2 billion in cumulative payouts to restaurant employees and describes itself as the largest provider of instant tip payouts in the market.
Kickfin monetizes via transaction-based pricing on each tip payout, with no upfront contracts, no setup fees, and an overnight implementation model — a pay-as-you-go structure that aligns cost to operator cash flow. Go-to-market is a hybrid product-led and channel-partner motion: prospects self-serve demo requests via the company website, sales-assisted for multi-location enterprise accounts, while POS partners (Toast, Square, Union, RPOWER), payroll partners (ADP Run, Paylocity, Restaurant365 Payroll), and a $200 referral program covering food distributors, accounting firms, employees, and industry advisors drive lower-cost acquisition. Customers range from national chains (Bar Louie, Dave & Buster's) and large hospitality groups (Fabio Viviani Hospitality, Southern Proper Hospitality, Riot Hospitality, RAVentures, Broadway Hospitality, CRS Hospitality) through mid-market franchisees (Rock N' Roll Sushi, Marco's Pizza) down to single-location craft operators (Hidden Ships Distillery, Pork Barrel/Homegrown). Vertical focus is exclusively US restaurants and hospitality, and the company has earned Deloitte Technology Fast 500 recognition in 2024 and 2025 (the only tip-management vendor on the list) along with multiple Inc. 5000 placements. The company has raised approximately $13.55M across a 2020 round (Loomis), a 2022 $6M Series A led by Silverton Partners with Acronym Venture Capital, and a 2024 round from Connexa Capital. Leadership consists of co-founders and co-CEOs Brian Hassan and Justin Roberts.
Kickfin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kickfin
- Legal name
- Kickfin, Inc.
- Website
- https://kickfin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Kickfin is a US-based digital tip management software provider for the restaurant and hospitality industry, automating tip pool calculations via direct POS integrations and delivering instant cashless payouts directly to employees' bank accounts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kickfin industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant Tip Management Software
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- A2A Payment Initiation Service Providers (PISPs) (FSAMAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Payment Initiation & Account-to-Account (A2A) Payments (PIS, RTP initiation) (FSAGACAI)
Keywords
Where Kickfin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kickfin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction-based Tip Payout Fees: Kickfin charges transaction fees for processing tip payouts. The company is described as the largest provider of instant tip payouts, having processed over $2 billion in employee payments. Direct-to-bank transaction fees are described as more competitive than competitors due to multiple payment processor relationships and scale.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | No upfront costs - transaction-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Kickfin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kickfin develops and operates a gratuity management software platform that automates tip pool calculations and delivers instant, cashless tip payouts directly to restaurant and hospitality employees' bank accounts. The platform integrates directly with leading point-of-sale systems via APIs to read sales data, calculate complex tip pools based on customizable policies, and execute same-day direct-to-bank payouts 24/7/365 without requiring employees to download an app or carry a pay card. It also provides tip tracking, reporting, audit trails, payroll syncing, blended cash-and-digital payouts, and compliance support for tip pooling regulations and the 2025 No Tax on Tips legislation.
Product overview
Kickfin is a unified tip management platform designed specifically for the restaurant and hospitality industry. The core platform consists of several integrated modules: Instant Tip Payouts enables real-time cashless payments directly to employees' bank accounts; Automated Tip Calculations (Tip Pooling Calculator) integrates with POS systems to auto-calculate tip pools and shares; Tip Tracking and Reporting provides compliance-ready digital paper trails and payroll syncing. The Blended Payouts feature extends functionality by combining cash and digital payouts in a single workflow. All modules share a common data layer and integrate with leading POS systems (Toast, Square, Heartland, SkyTab, Aloha, PAR, Union, rPOWER) and payroll providers (ADP Run, Paylocity, Restaurant365 Payroll) for end-to-end automation of tip distribution workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kickfin Tip Management Platform Unified gratuity management software platform for restaurants and hospitality operators that automates complex tip pool calculations using real-time POS data, delivers instant cashless tip payouts directly to employees' bank accounts 24/7/365, creates a digital paper trail for every payout, syncs with payroll systems, supports compliance with tip pooling regulations and 2025 No Tax on Tips legislation, and replaces cash-based tip distribution for full-service, quick-service, bars, breweries, franchises, and enterprise hospitality groups.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% reduction in managers' time spent on tip distribution
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Kickfin
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kickfin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
Feature10 records
Kickfin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Union POScoreIntegration partnership with Union POS, a purpose-built point-of-sale platform for high-volume bars and restaurants. The direct API integration enables automated tip pool calculations and instant cashless payouts. KPG Hospitality was among first operators to activate the integration, reporting 30 minutes saved per shift.
- RPOWER POScoreIntegration with RPOWER POS, a restaurant POS system known for handheld devices and robust reporting. Collaboration with Riot Hospitality Group ensured the integration could handle complex tip pooling policies.
- ToastcoreDirect API integration with Toast POS. One of the most frequently referenced integrations, enabling automated tip calculations and payouts. Multiple customer case studies cite the Toast-Kickfin integration as key to operational efficiency.
- SquarecoreDirect API integration with Square POS. Featured in customer success stories (Hidden Ships Distillery) and referenced across the platform as a leading POS integration.
- SkyTabcoreDirect API integration with SkyTab POS. Listed among leading POS integrations on Kickfin's integrations page.
- HeartlandcoreDirect API integration with Heartland POS. Listed among leading POS integrations on Kickfin's integrations page.
- PAR POScoreDirect API integration with PAR POS (also known as PAR Technology). Listed among POS integrations.
- Genius POScoreDirect API integration with Genius POS. Listed among POS integrations supporting automated tip calculations.
- SpotOncoreDirect API integration with SpotOn POS. Listed among POS integrations.
- Aloha POS (NCR)coreDirect API integration with Aloha POS (NCR). Featured on Kickfin's integrations page.
- ADP RuncorePayroll integration with ADP Run enabling seamless export of tip data for payroll processing. Part of expanded payroll integration ecosystem launched in 2025.
- PaylocitycorePayroll integration with Paylocity enabling seamless export of tip data. Part of expanded payroll integration ecosystem.
- Restaurant365 PayrollcorePayroll integration with Restaurant365 Payroll enabling seamless export of tip data. Part of expanded payroll integration ecosystem.
- KPG HospitalityminorTexas and Tennessee hospitality group operating experiential bars. First operators to activate the Kickfin-Union POS integration, providing case study evidence of integration value.
- U.S. FoodsminorFood distributor referenced as recommending Kickfin to Pork Barrel/Homegrown Restaurant Group, serving as an industry vendor referral partner.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kickfin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Restaurant365: Restaurant accounting, inventory, and payroll platform. Has its own tip reporting and payroll integration capabilities, directly adjacent to Kickfin's reporting and payroll export modules.
- 7shifts: Restaurant workforce management platform that includes tip pooling and tip distribution features. Increasingly overlaps with Kickfin's tip management surface area for full-service and QSR operators.
- Homebase: Scheduling and workforce management platform for hourly teams including restaurants, with tip pooling and distribution features. Targets the same SMB/mid-market restaurant operator with an HR-led wedge.
- Push Operations: Restaurant-focused payroll, scheduling, and tip management platform. Competes with Kickfin on tip pooling for restaurant groups in North America.
Others
- Plaid: Bank-account data and A2A payment initiation infrastructure provider that underpins the kind of instant direct-to-bank payouts Kickfin delivers. Functions as a critical infrastructure dependency rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Toast: Largest restaurant POS platform in the U.S. Has built-in tip management functionality as part of a broader restaurant tech suite, and serves as both a critical integration partner and potential competitor to Kickfin's standalone offering.
- ADP (ADP Run): Largest U.S. payroll provider with restaurant vertical offerings and tip-processing features. Currently integrates with Kickfin but also competes for the same financial-buyer wallet as payroll and tax reporting evolve.
- Block (Square): Payments and POS giant with native tip management, instant transfer, and Cash App capabilities. Competes directly in instant-pay-to-bank functionality for tipped workers and serves as a primary POS partner.
- Paylocity: Mid-market payroll and HCM platform serving restaurants with built-in tip and gratuity tracking. Partners with Kickfin today while possessing the scale to compete directly in the long term.
Direct peers
- TipHaus: Direct competitor offering tip pooling and distribution software for restaurants. Overlaps with Kickfin on automated tip calculations, pool management, and POS integrations for full-service restaurants.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kickfin social profiles
Digital presenceKickfin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kickfin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Kickfin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kickfin M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kickfin
What does Kickfin do?
Kickfin develops and operates a gratuity management software platform that automates tip pool calculations and delivers instant, cashless tip payouts directly to restaurant and hospitality employees' bank accounts. The platform integrates directly with leading point-of-sale systems via APIs to read sales data, calculate complex tip pools based on customizable policies, and execute same-day direct-to-bank payouts 24/7/365 without requiring employees to download an app or carry a pay card. It also provides tip tracking, reporting, audit trails, payroll syncing, blended cash-and-digital payouts, and compliance support for tip pooling regulations and the 2025 No Tax on Tips legislation.
Is Kickfin a public or private company?
Kickfin is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kickfin founded?
Kickfin was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Kickfin based?
Kickfin is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kickfin make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction-based Tip Payout Fees.
Who are Kickfin's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Restaurant365, 7shifts, Homebase and Push Operations. Plaid is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Toast, ADP (ADP Run), Block (Square) and Paylocity. TipHaus is listed as a direct peer.
Does Kickfin have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kickfin.
What industry is Kickfin in?
Kickfin's product category is Restaurant Tip Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAFAB, A2A Payment Initiation Service Providers (PISPs), with a secondary code of FSAGACAI, Payment Initiation & Account-to-Account (A2A) Payments (PIS, RTP initiation). Its NAICS code is 52232 and its SIC code is 6199.