The short answer
Choose Ferry if the tip split itself needs fixing. Ferry Tip Manager calculates every shift by your pool rules and can run before your payouts change, then Ferry Pay sends each share out.
Branch is a workforce-payments app with its own tip calculator, TipCalc. It suits restaurants whose Branch payouts already run well.
Also weighing Kickfin? See Branch vs Kickfin.
Ferry vs Branch at a glance
A check means built in and publicly documented. A half mark means partial, varies by setup, or no public source shows it, so ask in the demo.
| Capability | Ferry | Branch | Cash and spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tip pools by role or job code | Built in | Built in | Partly, or varies |
| Pools by points, hours, shift or location | Built in | Partly, or varies | Partly, or varies |
| Downloadable record of every shift | Built in | Partly, or varies | Partly, or varies |
| Digital tip payouts, no cash on hand | Built in | Built in | Not available |
| Pay card funded in under 60 seconds | Built in | Partly, or varies | Not available |
| Staff paid without a bank account | Built in | Built in | Built in |
| Earned wage access for staff | Built in | Built in | Not available |
- Built in
- Partly, or varies
- Not available
Where Branch falls short, according to users
Branch pays fast and hands out cards on day one. The friction staff report sits in the move from the Branch account to the bank they actually use.
Instant cash-out costs extra
Branch lists $2.99 to $4.99 on its fee schedule and 2% (minimum $2.99) in its card agreement to move money off the Branch Wallet instantly, while the $0 transfer takes a few business days.[1][2]
Some staff pay that fee often
Tipped workers in app reviews report paying the instant fee regularly rather than wait days for the free transfer.[3]
A daily cap on instant transfers
Instant transfers out are limited to $300 a day.[1]
Another account to manage
Some workers would rather get tips in the checking account they already use.[4]
End-of-day can hold tips up
Tips usually land the next day, and some workers report longer waits when the store's end of day is not run.[5]
Sources
- [1] Branch fee schedule (branchapp.com/legal/fee-schedule)
- [2] Branch cardholder agreement (branchapp.com/legal/card)
- [3] Branch app reviews, Apple App Store
- [4] Reddit, r/jimmyjohns: How does Branch work
- [5] Reddit, r/Dominos: required to use tip cards
How Ferry handles the work, feature by feature
Set every tip pool once, by your house rules
A tip pool splits a group's tips by a rule; a tip-out is a set share one role passes to another. Tip Manager builds both by percentage, points, hours, role or job code, shift and location.
- Role poolsServer, bartender, busser and food runner each start with their own pool.
- Direct or indirect tip-outsEach pool takes direct tips, indirect tips or both.
- Split method per poolHours worked by default, and a change applies from the next processing cycle.
Individual pools: every role starts with its own tip pool. Server is Direct, Bartender is Direct + Indirect, Busser is Indirect and Food Runner is Indirect. Each pool splits by Hours Worked on a Daily cycle. Custom pools: create shared pools for one or more roles. Support Pool combines Busser and Food Runner. Bar Pool covers Bartender. Both split by Hours Worked.
What this Ferry screen shows: Individual pools: every role starts with its own tip pool. Server is Direct, Bartender is Direct + Indirect, Busser is Indirect and Food Runner is Indirect. Each pool splits by Hours Worked on a Daily cycle. Custom pools: create shared pools for one or more roles. Support Pool combines Busser and Food Runner. Bar Pool covers Bartender. Both split by Hours Worked.
Answer any pay question from one shift record
Every shift leaves a downloadable record, so yesterday's tips trace to each person's amount. No public source shows Branch's shift-level records, so ask Branch to trace one shift to each payment.
- Per-person payoutsHours, direct tips, indirect tips, tip-outs and payout for each person on the shift.
- Shift detailsClock-in, clock-out and hours behind each amount.
- Tips payable breakdownDirect tips, indirect tips and tip-outs add up to one payable amount.
Tip Distribution for the shift. Alice Anderson, Server, AM, 8 hours: direct +$980.25, tip outs -$147.07, payout $833.18. Marcus Reid, Server, AM, 7.5 hours: direct +$905.40, tip outs -$135.83, payout $769.57. Priya Shah, Server, PM, 6 hours: direct +$742.18, tip outs -$111.29, payout $630.89. Danielle Cruz, Bartender, PM, 8 hours: direct +$549.30, indirect +$131.36, tip outs -$54.92, payout $625.74. Jonah Kim, Busser, PM, 6.5 hours: indirect +$179.56, payout $179.56. Sofia Nunez, Food Runner, PM, 5 hours: indirect +$138.19, payout $138.19. Shift details for Alice Anderson (ext-1001), Server, Downtown: clock-in 10:45 AM, clock-out 6:45 PM, duration 8h. Tips payable $833.18.
What this Ferry screen shows: Tip Distribution for the shift. Alice Anderson, Server, AM, 8 hours: direct +$980.25, tip outs -$147.07, payout $833.18. Marcus Reid, Server, AM, 7.5 hours: direct +$905.40, tip outs -$135.83, payout $769.57. Priya Shah, Server, PM, 6 hours: direct +$742.18, tip outs -$111.29, payout $630.89. Danielle Cruz, Bartender, PM, 8 hours: direct +$549.30, indirect +$131.36, tip outs -$54.92, payout $625.74. Jonah Kim, Busser, PM, 6.5 hours: indirect +$179.56, payout $179.56. Sofia Nunez, Food Runner, PM, 5 hours: indirect +$138.19, payout $138.19. Shift details for Alice Anderson (ext-1001), Server, Downtown: clock-in 10:45 AM, clock-out 6:45 PM, duration 8h. Tips payable $833.18.
Tips paid out on their own, with proof of every payment
Ferry Pay pays each share out and funds the Ferry Pay Card in under 60 seconds. Branch pays into a Branch Wallet, where an instant transfer to a debit card costs $2.99 to $4.99 and a standard ACH transfer $0.
- Dated payment historyEvery tip payment for each person, listed by date.
- Automatic payoutsPayments go out without anyone counting envelopes at close.
- Payment statusEach payment shows whether it went through.
Alice Anderson, Tip Payment tab, with a search by date or type and a Status filter. Payments, all Automatic with status Success: 2026-10-29 $833.18, 2026-10-28 $783.19, 2026-10-27 $733.20, 2026-10-26 $833.18, 2026-10-25 $783.19, 2026-10-24 $733.20. 7 results.
What this Ferry screen shows: Alice Anderson, Tip Payment tab, with a search by date or type and a Status filter. Payments, all Automatic with status Success: 2026-10-29 $833.18, 2026-10-28 $783.19, 2026-10-27 $733.20, 2026-10-26 $833.18, 2026-10-25 $783.19, 2026-10-24 $733.20. 7 results.
Earned wages before payday, with the balance in plain view
Express Pay is Ferry's earned wage access (EWA): eligible workers draw pay they have already earned, at $2.99 for an instant transfer to a Ferry card or $0.00 by ACH in 1-5 business days, with eligibility set by the employer. Branch offers its own EWA, On-Demand Pay, so compare fees on the same transfer route.
Comparing wage-access providers more widely? See these DailyPay alternatives.
- Total made availableWhat a worker can draw in the current pay period.
- Completed transfersWhat has already been drawn before payday.
- Express Pay balanceWhat is left to draw before the next pay day.
Total made available $2,916.13: $2,332.90 transferred before payday (includes $2.99 in fees) and $583.23 remaining balance for this pay period. Program status Active. Enrollment status Eligible. Pay period summary: estimated earnings $5,832.26, total made available (a) $2,916.13, completed transfers (b) $2,332.90, Express Pay balance (a-b) $583.23, next pay day Oct 30, 2026.
What this Ferry screen shows: Total made available $2,916.13: $2,332.90 transferred before payday (includes $2.99 in fees) and $583.23 remaining balance for this pay period. Program status Active. Enrollment status Eligible. Pay period summary: estimated earnings $5,832.26, total made available (a) $2,916.13, completed transfers (b) $2,332.90, Express Pay balance (a-b) $583.23, next pay day Oct 30, 2026.
Trusted across 200+ BJ's Restaurants locations
- 200+BJ's Restaurants locations
- 30states
- 66%+lower cash-carrying costs
Since launching this card program, we've reduced our cash-carrying costs by over 66 percent
The result covers cash-carrying costs only, not payroll or labor cost, and one chain's number does not predict yours. Read the BJ's Restaurants story.
Get set up with Ferry
Book a demo with one real shift
Send your pool rules, roles and POS, and Ferry shows what it calculates and what staff see when the money lands.
Connect your POS and set your rules once
Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed and more connect directly, or start from a CSV export. No HRIS integration is needed to get started.
Go live and pay out your way
Ready teams can be up the same day, and most run a first automated payout within days. Keep your current payouts, or add Ferry Pay with instant-issue cards kept at each location.
Ferry vs Branch questions
Is Ferry a good Branch alternative?
Yes, when the tip split is the pain. Ferry is tip software first: Tip Manager applies your pool rules by role, hours, points, shift and location, and Ferry Pay pays out each share. Restaurants happy with Branch payouts can test Ferry's math on real shifts before moving anything.
What does switching from Branch cost?
Ferry prices each location by quote, based on your setup, and publishes no fixed price. Because Tip Manager can run before Ferry Pay, staff do not have to change how they get paid on day one. Ferry does not publish contract or cancellation terms, so get them in writing next to Branch's quote.
How long does it take to get set up with Ferry?
Ready teams can be up and running the same day, and most operators connect their POS, configure their pools and run a first automated payout within days of signing. Timing depends on your tools and how your rules are set up, so treat same day as possible, not promised. No HRIS integration is needed to get started.
Which POS and payroll systems does Ferry work with?
Ferry names Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, POSitouch and Aloha among POS systems, and ADP, Gusto, Paychex and 7shifts for payroll and scheduling. It can also work from a CSV export. A logo on the list does not promise every workflow, so confirm your exact setup and versions in the demo.
Do workers pay fees with Ferry?
The Ferry Pay Card has no activation, monthly or inactivity fee, and moving money to a bank by standard transfer costs $0. In-network MoneyPass ATM withdrawals carry no fee; out-of-network ATM withdrawals in the US cost $3, and an instant transfer to a debit card costs 1.75%, up to $25. With Express Pay, standard transfers are free and an instant transfer costs a flat $2.99, shown before the worker confirms.
Can I keep Branch for payouts while I try Ferry?
Ferry Tip Manager works on its own with the POS and payroll you already have, so you can keep paying out the way you do today and add Ferry Pay later. Public sources do not document a hand-off from Tip Manager into Branch, so ask Ferry to show that step with your account in the demo.
Does Ferry work for more than one location?
Yes. Tip Manager sets pool percentages, points, tip-outs and minimums by role, location or brand, and you can drill down by region, brand, store or shift. BJ's Restaurants runs Ferry across 200+ locations in 30 states. It works from a single location too: Ferry is built for one café or a hundred.
Is the Ferry Pay Card a credit card?
No. The Ferry Pay Card is a Visa prepaid payroll card for receiving and spending pay, and workers can use it without another bank account; eligibility and terms apply.
What support does Ferry give operators?
Operator support covers getting started, tip pool setup, integrations, payroll exports and billing. The team answers email Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm ET, and says it typically responds within a few hours. Workers have their own employee support page for app, card and account help.
Is Ferry payroll software?
No. Ferry is not payroll or scheduling software. Tip Manager reads POS and time data, calculates every share and hands payroll-ready records to your payroll provider through a connection or export. Ferry Pay moves tips to staff, which is different from running payroll.
About this comparison
Ferry publishes this comparison and makes Tip Manager, Ferry Pay and the Ferry Pay Card. Branch details come from Branch's public product, help and fee pages and public user reviews. No hands-on testing of Branch was performed.
Check the split on real shifts before you change a thing
Ferry Tip Manager works alongside the payouts you run today, splitting one real shift by role, hours or points so you can check every share before anything changes. Bring that shift's POS data and your pool rules.
- Rules by role, hours or points
- Runs before you change payouts
- Pay Card, no bank account needed