The short answer
Ferry is the TipHaus alternative for restaurants whose tip rules change by role, shift or location. Tip Manager gets the split right first, a manager can sign off before money moves, and Ferry Pay adds card or bank payouts when your team is ready. You can start with Tip Manager alone and keep your current payout routine.
Weighing more options? See seven TipHaus alternatives.
Ferry vs TipHaus at a glance
| Capability | Ferry | TipHaus | Spreadsheets and cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pools by role, hours, points or shift | Built in | Built in | Partly, or varies |
| Separate rules for each location | Built in | Partly, or varies | Partly, or varies |
| Line-by-line view of each person's share | Built in | Built in | Not available |
| Manager sign-off before payout | Built in | Partly, or varies | Partly, or varies |
| Digital tip payouts instead of cash | Built in | Built in | Not available |
| Pay card with no other bank account | Built in | Partly, or varies | Not available |
| Earned wage access beyond tips | Built in | Partly, or varies | Not available |
| Named POS and payroll connections | Built in | Partly, or varies | Not available |
- Built in
- Partly, or varies
- Not available
Both automate tip math and both show staff their share, and both can run calculation only while payouts stay in the paycheck. Ferry pulls ahead on location-specific rules and sign-off before payout. TipHaus suits teams that already reconcile cleanly in it and whose workers like HausDirect or HausMoney. A half mark means partial, varies by setup, or no public source confirms it, so ask to see it in the demo.
Where TipHaus falls short, according to users
TipHaus shows staff what they earned, shift by shift. The friction sits in fees, timing and tip-outs that do not match.
Fees on bank payouts
HausDirect payouts to a personal debit card carry a fee of up to $1.25, set by the venue; HausMoney payouts are $0.[1]
Some staff pay it every time
Workers report paying a per-payout fee to keep tips in the bank their bills come from.[2]
Slow transfers off the card
Some HausMoney users report free transfers to an outside bank taking days, with a fee to move money instantly.[3]
Part of the tips held back
A venue can reserve a share of eligible tips until the pay period ends, and payouts can run only on set days.[1][4]
Tip-outs that do not match the POS
Some servers report a TipHaus tip-out that differs from the shift report with nothing explaining the gap.[5]
Sources
- [1] TipHaus employee guide to Earned Tip Access (appguide.tiphaus.com/en/articles/8598073-employee-guide-to-earned-tip-access-eta-sign-up-payouts-settings)
- [2] Reddit, r/Serverlife: Tiphaus??
- [3] HausMoney app reviews, Apple App Store
- [4] Reddit, r/Serverlife: Anyone else use Tiphaus?
- [5] Reddit, r/ToastPOS: tip-out discrepancy with TipHaus
What Ferry does that teams switch for
Tip pools that match your house rules
Ferry splits tips by percentages, points, hours, roles, shifts and locations. Set the policy once and every shift follows it; TipHaus reviewers report friction onboarding complex rules.
- Role poolsEach role starts with its own pool and tip-out type.
- Split by hours workedThe default split, changeable per pool.
- Shared poolsBundle bussers and runners, or the bar, into one pool.
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 "why did my share change?" in one look
When a bartender asks why Tuesday's number dropped, the manager points at the line that changed instead of rebuilding the math.
- Hours per shiftEach person's hours sit beside their role and shift.
- Tips and tip-outsDirect tips, indirect tips and tip-outs in separate columns.
- Tips payableOne total per person, built from the lines above it.
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.
Catch a bad clock-out before anyone is paid
Ferry offers automatic or manual approval; in manual mode a manager confirms each pool before payout.
- Pause by locationHold processing for one store while tips keep collecting.
- Manual approvalA manager confirms each pool before payout.
- Daily scheduleCutoff, calculation, finalization and reconciliation report run at set times.
Tip processing status: 0 paused, 2 active, 0 in setup. Downtown (DEMO-STORE-001) and Riverside (DEMO-STORE-002) are Active, each with a Pause button, so one location can pause while tips keep collecting. Processing method: Automatic finalizes tip calculations after the review period; Manual approval, selected, means a manager confirms each pool before payout. Tip processing schedule, every business day: Business Day Cutoff 4:00 AM, Tip Calculation 4:30 AM, Tip Finalization 5:00 AM, Reconciliation Report 5:30 AM.
What this Ferry screen shows: Tip processing status: 0 paused, 2 active, 0 in setup. Downtown (DEMO-STORE-001) and Riverside (DEMO-STORE-002) are Active, each with a Pause button, so one location can pause while tips keep collecting. Processing method: Automatic finalizes tip calculations after the review period; Manual approval, selected, means a manager confirms each pool before payout. Tip processing schedule, every business day: Business Day Cutoff 4:00 AM, Tip Calculation 4:30 AM, Tip Finalization 5:00 AM, Reconciliation Report 5:30 AM.
Different rules for every location, one account
"We have several locations that all have different policies," one operator wrote while shopping for tip tools. Ferry scopes each tip-out rule to the stores it covers and connects to Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, 7shifts, ADP, Gusto and Paychex, with CSV upload as a fallback.
- New rulesAdd a tip-out rule when a store changes its policy.
- Location scopeEach rule lists the stores it applies to.
- Active or pausedPause a weekend brunch rule without touching the rest.
Rules, with a Create New Rule button. Support staff tip-out, scope Downtown and Riverside, Active, updated Mar 4, 2024. Bar tip-out, scope Downtown and Riverside, Active, updated Mar 4, 2024. Weekend brunch tip-out, scope Downtown, Paused, updated Mar 4, 2024.
What this Ferry screen shows: Rules, with a Create New Rule button. Support staff tip-out, scope Downtown and Riverside, Active, updated Mar 4, 2024. Bar tip-out, scope Downtown and Riverside, Active, updated Mar 4, 2024. Weekend brunch tip-out, scope Downtown, Paused, updated Mar 4, 2024.
Payouts staff choose, earned wages kept separate
Paycheck
TipHaus workers who skip Earned Tip Access "continue to receive your tips via paycheck". With Ferry, payroll payouts stay until you add Ferry Pay.
Card
Ferry's Pay Card is a Visa prepaid payroll card, not credit, and needs no other bank account; eligibility applies. TipHaus offers a HausMoney account with virtual and physical cards.
Existing bank
Ferry Pay and TipHaus's HausDirect both reach one. One worker's reason: "my bills & student loan payments are on autopay from there".
Earned wages
Ferry's Express Pay is optional, separate from tips and subject to eligibility; an instant transfer costs $2.99. TipHaus's Earned Tip Access centers on tips, so ask whether it reaches wages.
Proven at BJ's Restaurants
- 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
Read the BJ's Restaurants case study. Its scale shows what Ferry can run, not a minimum size to start.
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 TipHaus FAQ
Is Ferry a good TipHaus alternative?
Yes, for restaurants whose tip rules vary by role, shift or location and who want a manager to approve pools before payout. Ferry calculates first, so you can move the tip math without changing how staff get paid on day one. If your team already reconciles cleanly in TipHaus, switch only to close a gap you can name.
What does switching from TipHaus 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 TipHaus'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 TipHaus 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 TipHaus, 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.
Do my staff need a bank account to get paid with Ferry?
No. The Ferry Pay Card is a Visa prepaid payroll card, and staff need no other bank account to get tips on it; eligibility still applies. Staff who already have a bank they like can move money there by standard transfer at no cost. Not every worker has to use a card: payout methods depend on your setup.
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. TipHaus details come from its public employee guides and user reviews; neither product was tested side by side.
Bring your messiest TipHaus shift. Ferry will show its work.
Tip Manager splits it by role, shift and location, lists every person's share in one Distribution view, and can hold payout for a manager's sign-off. Payouts stay as they are until you are ready for Ferry Pay.
- Rules by role, shift and location
- Manager sign-off before payout
- Keep payouts, add Ferry Pay later