Checkwriters, Inc.
Checkwriters is a privately held, founder-led SaaS provider of payroll, HR, time and attendance, benefits administration, and recruiting software, serving thousands of SMB, mid-market, education, and nonprofit clients across all 50 US states from its Northampton, Massachusetts headquarters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersNorthampton, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Checkwriters, Inc. does
Checkwriters, Inc. is a privately held, founder-led payroll and HR software company founded in 1989 by Jim Hebert and headquartered in Northampton, Massachusetts. The company delivers a cloud-based, all-in-one SaaS platform spanning payroll processing, applicant tracking and background screening, digital onboarding, time and attendance, performance management, benefits administration, reporting and analytics, and compliance tooling for OSHA, FMLA, ADA, and ACA, with mobile apps for iOS and Android. Pricing is structured as annual subscriptions across three primary tiers — HR Essential, HR Premier, and HR Premier + Benefits — supplemented by upgrade modules for recruiting, performance management, HR OnDemand (Ask a Pro), enhanced benefits administration, and compensation management.
The business operates on a recurring subscription model with implementation fees and custom per-organization quotes based on size and selected feature set. GTM motion is sales-led and consultative, combining field sales, inside sales, and website lead capture (Request Demo and Request Meeting), supported by competitive comparison content against ADP, Paylocity, Paychex, and Gusto. The company targets SMBs, mid-market organizations (20–200+ employees), educational institutions, and nonprofits, with a documented customer base of thousands of clients across all 50 states plus US territories. Primary differentiators include Massachusetts-based human support, SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II certified infrastructure with AES-256 encryption, full-service tax filing across all 50 states and territories, and an integration catalog of 57+ partners spanning retirement, benefits, earned wage access, time and attendance, and accounting.
Ownership is concentrated with founder Jim Hebert as CEO and his son Dakota James Hebert as Executive Vice President, with no disclosed external private equity or venture capital backing. The company has operated continuously for 35+ years without recorded M&A, funding rounds, or restructuring events, suggesting a self-funded, cash-generative operating posture. Leadership includes a CPA CFO, CPP-certified implementation director, FPC-certified tax manager, and CSPO/CSM-certified development leadership, reflecting credentialed operational depth.
Checkwriters, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Checkwriters, Inc.
- Legal name
- Checkwriters Inc.
- Website
- https://checkwriters.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Checkwriters is a privately held, founder-led SaaS provider of payroll, HR, time and attendance, benefits administration, and recruiting software, serving thousands of SMB, mid-market, education, and nonprofit clients across all 50 US states from its Northampton, Massachusetts headquarters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Checkwriters, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payroll and HR Software
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise) (FSAMAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Payroll Tax Filing, Compliance & Regulatory Reporting (BPAAAHAB), Full-Service Payroll Processing (BPACAIAA)
Keywords
Where Checkwriters, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northampton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Checkwriters, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription-based HR and Payroll Software: Multi-tiered subscription model for HR and payroll software with tiered pricing based on feature sets and organization size. Additional fees for implementation and certain add-on modules.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | HR Essential - Entry-level HR solution with core features |
| Subscription | Annual | HR Premier - Most popular full HR solution |
| Subscription | Annual | HR Premier + Benefits - Robust solution with benefits administration |
| Subscription | Annual | Upgrade Modules |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Checkwriters, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Checkwriters delivers cloud-based payroll and HR software for U.S. employers, providing full-service payroll processing with automated tax filing across all 50 states and U.S. territories, alongside integrated modules for applicant tracking, onboarding, time and attendance, performance management, benefits administration, and compliance. The platform is paired with concierge-level onboarding, U.S.-based human support, and a mobile self-service app for employees.
Product overview
Checkwriters offers a unified all-in-one HR and payroll platform combining core modules into an integrated system. The platform architecture consists of the Checkwriters Platform as the central hub, with core products including Payroll, Applicant Tracking & Background Screening, Onboarding, Tracking & Compliance, Reporting & Analytics, Performance Reviews & Management, and Attendance. The product tiers (HR Essential, HR Premier, HR Premier + Benefits) build progressively on each other, with optional add-on modules for Recruiting, Performance Management, HR OnDemand, Enhanced Benefits Administration, and Compensation Management. The Employee Mobile App extends platform access to iOS and Android devices. All modules are designed to integrate with each other, with onboarding data flowing into payroll and attendance data syncing with payroll processing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Checkwriters Platform Unified all-in-one HR and payroll platform that combines core modules for recruiting, hiring, onboarding, payroll, attendance, performance management, and compliance into a single integrated system for U.S. employers.
- Payroll Full-service payroll processing with automated tax filing across all 50 states and U.S. territories, gross-up calculations, direct deposit, and real-time compliance monitoring for employers.
- Applicant Tracking & Background Screening Recruiting software with one-click job posting to multiple boards, video interviewing, pre-employment testing, and comprehensive background screening including criminal searches, SSN validation, education verification, and driving records for employers.
- Onboarding Digital onboarding software that eliminates paperwork through customizable templates, video uploads, electronic signatures, and automatic data flow into payroll and HR systems for new hires.
- Tracking & Compliance HR tracking and compliance tools including time-off calendar with approval workflows, electronic signatures compliant with ESIGN Act, and ACA dashboard with OSHA, FMLA, and ADA forms for employers.
- Reporting & Analytics HR reporting and analytics module with pre-loaded standard reports, custom report writer for organization-specific reports, visual trend identification, and real-time data access for HR teams.
- Performance Reviews & Management Performance management software with automated evaluation workflows, writing assistants, legal compliance checks, 140+ performance factors with behaviorally-anchored rating scales, 500+ customizable goals, and 350+ evaluation templates for HR teams.
- Attendance Time and attendance tracking with multiple input methods including biometrics, personal computers, and electronic timesheets; real-time dashboard; scheduling with templates and overtime alerts; and seamless payroll integration for employers.
- Employee Mobile App Mobile application for employees providing fingerprint login, access to current and historical pay information, W2 viewing, time-off requests, and benefits selection on iOS and Android devices.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduce administrative expenses by up to 67%
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Checkwriters, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Checkwriters, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration59 records
Feature9 records
Checkwriters, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- ADP BridgecoreIntegration partnership allowing data connectivity between ADP payroll systems and Checkwriters platform for clients migrating from ADP.
- AleruscoreIntegration for retirement benefits administration.
- AugustasupportingApplicant tracking and recruiting integration.
- E-VerifycoreEmployment eligibility verification integration.
- Employee NavigatorcoreBenefits administration and HR compliance integration.
- Fidelitycore401(k) retirement plan integration.
- MineralsupportingHR compliance integration for labor law poster requirements.
- SwipeclockcoreTime and attendance tracking integration.
- ZayZoonsupportingEarned wage access payment solution integration.
- WEXsupportingFlexible spending account (FSA) integration for healthcare expenses.
- QuickBookssupportingAccounting software integration (implied from other QuickBooks-related content).
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Checkwriters, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Justworks: PEO and payroll platform providing full-service payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR support to SMBs, with strong service-led positioning. Overlaps Checkwriters on payroll processing and benefits administration for the small-business segment.
- Zenefits: Cloud HR platform offering payroll, benefits administration, time tracking, and compliance for SMBs. Comparable in HR/payroll SaaS delivery model and SMB target market, though with stronger self-service orientation than Checkwriters.
- Rippling: Unified workforce management platform combining payroll, HR, IT, and spend management for SMB and mid-market employers. Represents the next-generation natively-integrated competitor whose single-platform model challenges Checkwriters' integration-led approach.
- BambooHR: Cloud-based HRIS platform focused on small and mid-sized businesses with employee records, onboarding, performance, time tracking, and (via partnership) payroll. Comparable on the HR side of Checkwriters' offering and explicitly named as a competitor.
- TriNet: PEO providing payroll, benefits, HR, and compliance services primarily to small and mid-sized businesses. Comparable in the bundled payroll + HR + benefits delivery model and target SMB customer base.
Direct peers
- Paylocity: Cloud-based payroll and HCM software provider focused on mid-market employers with 10–1,000+ employees. Overlapping payroll, HR, time, benefits, performance management, and recruiting modules make it a direct functional peer to Checkwriters' all-in-one platform.
- Paycom: Single-database payroll and HR software provider for mid-market employers, offering payroll, talent management, time and attendance, and benefits in a unified platform. Explicitly cited in Checkwriters' comparison content as a competitor and shares similar mid-market positioning.
- Gusto: Cloud-based payroll, HR, benefits, and time-tracking platform purpose-built for small businesses. Competes head-to-head with Checkwriters in the SMB payroll category and is explicitly named as a competitor in Checkwriters' own comparison content.
- Paychex: Largest SMB-focused payroll and HR solutions provider in the US, serving hundreds of thousands of small and mid-sized businesses with payroll, HR, benefits, and retirement services. Directly comparable in target market (SMB/mid-market), core payroll functionality, and service-led GTM approach.
Broad incumbents
- ADP (Automatic Data Processing): Largest payroll and HR services provider globally, serving companies of every size with RUN, Workforce Now, and Vantage HCM. Named by Checkwriters as a primary competitor, particularly in the small/mid-market and education segments where Checkwriters specifically wins migrations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Checkwriters, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceCheckwriters, Inc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Checkwriters, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Checkwriters, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Checkwriters, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Checkwriters, Inc. 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 Checkwriters, Inc.
What does Checkwriters, Inc. do?
Checkwriters delivers cloud-based payroll and HR software for U.S. employers, providing full-service payroll processing with automated tax filing across all 50 states and U.S. territories, alongside integrated modules for applicant tracking, onboarding, time and attendance, performance management, benefits administration, and compliance. The platform is paired with concierge-level onboarding, U.S.-based human support, and a mobile self-service app for employees.
Is Checkwriters, Inc. a public or private company?
Checkwriters, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Checkwriters, Inc. founded?
Checkwriters, Inc. was founded in 1989. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Checkwriters, Inc. based?
Checkwriters, Inc. is headquartered in Northampton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Checkwriters, Inc. make money?
One revenue line is on record: subscription-based HR and Payroll Software.
Who are Checkwriters, Inc.'s main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Justworks, Zenefits, Rippling, BambooHR and TriNet. Direct peers are Paylocity, Paycom, Gusto and Paychex. ADP (Automatic Data Processing) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Checkwriters, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Checkwriters, Inc..
What industry is Checkwriters, Inc. in?
Checkwriters, Inc.'s product category is Payroll and HR Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAKAA, Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise), with a secondary code of BPAAAHAB, Payroll Tax Filing, Compliance & Regulatory Reporting. Its NAICS code is 541214 and its SIC code is 7374.