Journey Payroll, Inc

What Journey Payroll, Inc does

Journey Payroll & HR is a privately held, franchise-based payroll and human resources services company founded in 2010 by Kevin Welch and Sue Shirley and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado. The company provides payroll processing, HR support, benefits administration, time and attendance, onboarding, applicant tracking, and related employer services to small and mid-sized businesses across the United States. It serves approximately 2,200 clients through a network of 12+ locally owned franchise locations spanning Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Virginia, with a reported 98% client retention rate.

The company operates a proprietary technology platform called Journey Central, developed through its wholly-owned subsidiary Journey Software LLC and launched in December 2024. Journey Central integrates payroll processing, time tracking, benefits administration, applicant tracking, and onboarding into a single cloud-based platform with employee self-service, mobile manager dashboards, WCAG 2.1 accessibility compliance, and emerging AI integrations. The platform is complemented by 11 service modules, and an Integrated Marketplace is scheduled for March 2026.

Revenue is generated through subscription/recurring fees for payroll and HR services plus franchise fees from network operators. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; services are bundled into integrated packages billed monthly. Distribution occurs through the franchise channel, direct website quote requests, and a client self-service portal. The company operates a 4-day (36 hour) work week and reports 66% women shareholders.

Name

Journey Payroll, Inc

Legal name

Journey Payroll & HR

Website

https://www.journeypayrollhr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Journey Payroll & HR is a franchise-based payroll processing and HR services provider founded in 2010, serving approximately 2,200 small and mid-sized businesses across the United States through 12+ locally owned locations and its proprietary Journey Central platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payroll and HR Services

akta.pro primary industry

Managed Payroll Services (Full-Service Payroll Outsourcing) (BPAAAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Payroll Software & Payroll-as-a-Service (SaaS) (BPACAIAB), Full-Service Payroll Processing (BPACAIAA), Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise) (FSAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Payroll processing services
• Human resources outsourcing
• Benefits administration
• Time and attendance tracking
• Franchise payroll services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

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 Services: Core payroll processing services for businesses including tax withholding, direct deposit, payroll tax filing, and wage calculations. Revenue is generated through service fees typically based on the number of employees or pay frequency.
2. Human Resources Services: Comprehensive HR services including compliance support, policy development, employee relations, and HR consulting. Offered as part of integrated service packages.
3. Benefits Administration: Benefit admin and service offerings including retirement plans, workers compensation, and COBRA oversight, provided as integrated solutions.
4. Time and Attendance: Timeclock and time tracking solutions with biometric and digital options for employee time management.
5. Background Screening: Consumer reporting agency services governed by FCRA, including background screening and employment verification services.
6. Franchise Fees: Revenue generated from franchisees who pay for the right to operate Journey Payroll & HR locations, including access to proprietary software, training, and support systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Journey Payroll & HR is a payroll and human resources services company that processes payroll, files payroll taxes, and delivers integrated HR, benefits administration, time and attendance, onboarding, applicant tracking, workers' compensation, ACA/COBRA compliance, retirement, and tax credit services to small and mid-sized U.S. businesses. Services are delivered through locally owned and operated franchise offices using the company's proprietary Journey Central software platform, with revenue generated primarily via recurring subscription-based service fees and franchise fees.

Product overview

Journey Payroll & HR operates a platform-plus-services model centered on its proprietary Journey Central software platform, which provides integrated payroll and human resources solutions. The platform is complemented by 11 service modules covering Payroll, Human Resources, Onboarding, Timeclock, Retirement, Applicant Tracking, Workers Comp, ACA Support, COBRA Oversight, Tax Credit, and Benefit Admin + Service. The company also launched an Integrated Marketplace within Journey Central that connects employer services and employee resources in one place.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Journey Central: Proprietary payroll and HR software platform connecting employer services and employee benefits in one integrated marketplace
• Jimbo

Products and services

• Payroll Services Full-service payroll processing for small and mid-sized U.S. businesses, including wage calculations, tax withholding, direct deposit, payroll tax filing, and compliance management.
• Human Resources Services HR support including policy development, compliance guidance, employee relations assistance, and HR consulting for small and mid-sized business clients.
• Onboarding Employee onboarding solutions that streamline new hire paperwork, orientation, and integration processes for client employers.
• Timeclock Time and attendance tracking service for client employers, including employee hour logging, scheduling management, and biometric and digital timeclock options.
• Retirement Administration Retirement plan administration services for client employers, including 401(k) management and ongoing compliance.
• Applicant Tracking Applicant tracking system solutions for client employers, covering job application management, candidate screening, and hiring workflows.
• Workers Comp Workers' compensation insurance coordination and claims management support for client employers.
• ACA Support Affordable Care Act compliance services for client employers, including reporting and penalty avoidance guidance.
• COBRA COBRA health benefit continuation administration and notification services for client employers.
• Tax Credit Services Tax credit optimization services for client employers, including R&D credits and employment-related tax incentives.
• Benefit Admin + Service Benefits administration services connecting employer-sponsored benefits with employee benefits resources for client employers.
• Journey Central Platform Proprietary integrated cloud-based payroll and HR software platform that consolidates payroll processing, time tracking, benefits administration, applicant tracking, onboarding, employee self-service, manager mobile dashboards, and an integrated marketplace of employer services and employee resources for small and mid-sized businesses.
• Integrated Marketplace Marketplace inside the Journey Central payroll and HR platform that connects employer services and employee resources in a single integrated location for small and mid-sized business clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% client retention rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kyan EvansminorOthers · 5 December 2024NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) partnership with Kyan Evans, a Division 1 NCAA student-athlete point guard from Kansas City, Missouri, attending Colorado State University. Partnership includes brand ambassador activities and community engagement.
• Journey Software LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2024Journey Software LLC is the sister company and technology partner that co-developed the Journey Central platform. Together they unveiled Journey Central as a proprietary software solution revolutionizing workplace efficiency with smart technology.
• Isaiah StevensminorOthers · 21 December 2022NIL partnership with Isaiah Stevens, senior at Colorado State University and starting point guard on the men's basketball team. Partnership involves brand ambassador and community activities.
• Ruby KayserminorOthers · 6 December 2022NIL partnership with Ruby Kayser, a Mountain West Scholar Athlete and volleyball player. She serves as event speaker discussing team building and leadership mindset, conducts client meet-and-greets, and creates social media content.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Patriot Software: Patriot Software offers affordable payroll, HR, and accounting software for small U.S. businesses. It competes with Journey in the lower-SMB segment with a SaaS-first, self-service model.
• OnPay: OnPay is a payroll, HR, and benefits service tailored to small businesses and accountants. Its positioning as a full-service payroll provider with HR and benefits bundling makes it a direct SMB-focused peer to Journey.
• SurePayroll: SurePayroll, owned by Paychex, provides online payroll, tax filing, and HR services targeted at small businesses. It is a direct SMB payroll competitor to Journey, particularly in the smaller end of the SMB market.
• Justworks: Justworks is a PEO providing payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR support to small and mid-sized businesses. It overlaps with Journey on bundled payroll-plus-HR delivery, though Justworks operates a corporate (non-franchise) model.
• TriNet: TriNet is a PEO delivering payroll, benefits, and HR solutions to small and mid-sized businesses. Comparable to Journey in bundling payroll with HR administration and benefits for the same SMB segment.
• Insperity: Insperity is a PEO providing workforce solutions including payroll, benefits, and HR outsourcing to small and mid-sized U.S. businesses. It overlaps with Journey's bundled-service approach for the SMB and lower-mid-market segment.
• Rippling: Rippling offers an integrated platform combining payroll, HR, IT, and finance for SMB and mid-market customers. It competes with Journey on bundled, software-first payroll+HR delivery to growing businesses.
• ADP (Automatic Data Processing): ADP is the dominant incumbent in U.S. payroll and HR outsourcing, serving companies from small businesses (RUN Powered by ADP) through enterprise. Journey competes against ADP's SMB products with a relationship-oriented, franchise-led model.
• Paychex: Paychex is one of the largest U.S. providers of payroll, HR, benefits, and insurance services targeted at small and mid-sized businesses. It is the most direct publicly traded comparable to Journey's SMB payroll and bundled HR outsourcing model.
• Gusto: Gusto is a venture-backed modern payroll, HR, and benefits platform focused on small businesses. It is a close comparable to Journey's bundled, technology-led SMB payroll offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/journeypayroll
• Facebookfacebook.com/journeypayroll
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/journeypayroll
• Instagraminstagram.com/journeypayrollhr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Journey Payroll, Inc