Card type · Payroll card

Payroll cards for employees

Pay employees and contractors on a reloadable Visa card. Load wages each pay cycle with no bank account required from the recipient, then reload the same card next time.

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A payroll manager at a laptop showing a payroll screen, holding a gold Zil Money.Com Visa card

The problem

Not everyone you pay has a bank account.

Paper checks get lost and direct deposit needs a bank account the worker may not have.

Unbanked workers wait. A worker without a bank account cannot take direct deposit and waits on a paper check to clear.
Collecting bank details is slow. Chasing routing and account numbers from a large group delays every pay run.
Checks cost time and money. Printing, mailing, and reissuing lost checks adds work to every cycle.

How we fix it

Pay them on a reloadable card instead.

A payroll card is a reloadable Visa card you fund each pay cycle. The worker spends from it wherever Visa is accepted.

No recipient bank account. The worker does not need a bank account to be paid. They receive a card they can use once it's funded.
Reload each cycle. Keep an active card across pay cycles, with funds loaded each pay period.
Pay a group at once. Issue cards to a group from one upload, instead of collecting bank details one by one.
Spend anywhere Visa works. Workers use the card wherever Visa is accepted, in store or online, and add it to a mobile wallet where available.

How it works

How to pay workers on a payroll card.

Fund the wallet. Add the payroll amount to your wallet by ACH or wire.
Issue the cards. Create a card for each worker, or issue to a group from one upload.
Load wages. Set each card's amount for the pay period. The worker can spend as soon as the card is funded.
Reload next cycle. At the next pay run, load the same cards again. No new card needed.

See it in action

Every worker's pay, on one screen.

See each card's balance and spend. Load, reload, or cancel any card from the same dashboard.

Virtual Card Maker dashboard showing payroll cards, balances, and recent transactions for a team

Live dashboard Each worker's card balance, recent spend, and a full transaction log per card.

Create New Card form in Virtual Card Maker showing a reloadable card and amount for a payroll card

Issue payroll cards in a few clicks Create reloadable cards, load the pay-period amount, and send each worker their card.

Controls

What you can set on a payroll card.

Control	What you set	Why it matters
Load amount	Per pay period	Set each worker's wages for the cycle.
Reloadable	Across cycles	Keep an active card and load funds again each pay period.
Cardholder name	Up to 26 characters	The worker's name on the card.
Virtual or physical	Card format	Issue a virtual card once funded, or ship a physical card by USPS (5-7 business days).
Cancel	Anytime	Cancel a card when a worker stops being paid.

In practice

Three ways businesses use payroll cards.

Day labor

After a worker chooses the card as their payment method, load the day's pay onto it. They spend it the same way as cash.

Seasonal crew

Issue reloadable cards to a seasonal team and load wages each week, without collecting bank details from everyone.

Contractor pay

Pay a contractor without a bank account on a card, and reload it for the next milestone.

FAQ

Common questions.

What is a payroll card?+

It is a reloadable Visa card you fund each pay cycle to pay an employee or contractor. The worker spends from it wherever Visa is accepted and does not need their own bank account.

Does the employee need a bank account?+

No. A bank account is not required from the recipient. They receive a card and can use it as soon as it is funded.

Can I reload the same card each pay period?+

Yes. The card is reloadable. You keep an active card across pay cycles and load funds again each pay period.

Is using a payroll card mandatory for workers?+

No. Most state wage-payment laws require employers to offer at least one no-cost alternative method of receiving wages, such as direct deposit or paper check, and federal Regulation E bars requiring an employee to receive wages through a specific institution. Payroll cards must be voluntary for employees. Requirements vary by state, including consent and notice rules, so confirm your state's wage-payment statute before enrolling employees. Virtual Card Maker provides the card tooling. The employer is responsible for classifying workers correctly and offering compliant alternatives. Contractor payments are not wages and are not subject to these employee wage-payment rules.

Can I pay a whole team at once?+

Yes. Issue cards to a group from one upload and load each card's amount for the pay period, instead of collecting bank details one by one.

Are there fees the recipient should know about?+

Card fee schedules are disclosed to recipients at enrollment, before the first wage transfer to the card, as required by federal and state law. Specific fee amounts vary. Please review the cardholder agreement provided at issuance.

How is the money on the card protected?+

Funds loaded onto payroll cards are held at our partner bank, which is Member FDIC. FDIC insurance applies to eligible balances at the partner bank, subject to applicable limits and requirements.

Is this a substitute for full-service payroll?+

No. Payroll cards are a disbursement method, not a full payroll system. They do not calculate taxes, file payroll tax forms, or generate pay stubs on their own. Use them alongside your existing payroll provider or for 1099 contractors.