How agencies pay contractors and subcontractors
Modern agencies deliver work through flexible teams of independents across projects, clients, and borders. Most tools were built for an older model. Petl Pay is built for how agencies actually operate today.
What agencies need, and how Petl Pay approaches it
| What agencies need | How Petl Pay approaches it | Typical outcome |
|---|---|---|
| One client invoice, many contributors | Work logs and allocations sit inside the project | Cleaner client billing, fewer reconciliations |
| Project margin and settlement visibility | Billables, payables, and settlement tie back to the project | Clearer margins, fewer payment surprises |
| Payments that match how agencies bank | Workflow and allocation first, faster routes layered on | Adoption without ripping out existing tools |
| Distributed team payouts | Built-in wallets for key corridors, bank-to-bank near-instant transfers now live | More reliable contractor and partner payouts |
// Petl Pay is a software platform. Payment execution and custody are handled by connected banks or regulated partners. UK and EU bank-to-bank coverage is rolling out.
Who this is for
- Creative, digital, and marketing agencies
- Consultancies and professional services firms
- Studios working with freelancers and micro-agencies
- Fractional and networked delivery teams
The shift in how agencies work
The old model assumed one employer paying one employee on a monthly payroll cycle. Modern agency reality is many contributors per project, flexible commercial terms such as retainers, milestones, and revenue share, and distributed teams across currencies.
| Old model | Modern agency reality | What Petl Pay supports |
|---|---|---|
| One employer paying one employee | Many contributors per project | Multi-party project allocations |
| Monthly payroll cycles | Milestones, retainers, revenue share | Flexible invoicing logic per project |
| Manual payouts and spreadsheets | Distributed teams across currencies | Clear allocations with settlement tracking |
How agencies typically pay contractors today
Most agencies use a stack of tools that were not designed to work together. The result is manual reconciliation and low visibility. A typical setup includes time tracking, invoicing software, bank transfers, and spreadsheets.
- Contractor time and deliverables captured in one place
- Client invoices created in another
- Payments executed in a bank portal or third-party platform
- Payouts to contractors tracked manually per project
Why cross-border contractor payouts add friction
Agencies paying contractors in South Africa and similar markets often do not have payments embedded into their invoice workflows. Even when invoicing is correct, settlement can be slow and intermediary fees add up.
With Petl Pay built-in wallets, agencies and contractors can receive USD or EUR quickly at average fees around 0.5 percent. Funds can be held in major currencies or withdrawn to an existing bank account, typically within around 60 seconds.
Petl Pay vs common agency stacks
Petl Pay is designed to complement existing tools like Stripe or Wise. Many teams keep those tools for card payments or simple transfers, and use Petl Pay for project logic, multi-party allocation, and settlement visibility.
| Capability | Invoicing tools | Spreadsheets | Bank transfers | Petl Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work becomes the invoice | Separate from time tracking | Manual, error-prone | Not applicable | Logs and approvals flow into invoices |
| One invoice, many contributors | Often manual | Manual mapping | Separate step | Multi-party allocations inside the project |
| Payables and payout visibility | Not designed for it | Used as a workaround | No project context | Tied to the project |
| Cross-border efficiency | Depends on rails | None | Slow with intermediaries | Wallet-based settlement, clearer fees |
| Domestic payments | Outside the workflow | Manual tracking | Disconnected | Wallets plus bank-to-bank near-instant transfers, UK and EU rolling out |
A project-first workflow
STEP 01Create the project
Define scope, rates, and contributors.
STEP 02Log and approve work
Capture activity before it becomes billable, with role-based approvals.
STEP 03Issue one client invoice
Even when many contributors are involved, the client sees one clean invoice.
STEP 04Allocate revenue
Split across freelancers and partners with clear logic and templates.
STEP 05Track in one ledger
Margin, payouts, and status all live inside the project.
Frequently asked questions
Can we use Petl Pay alongside existing tools like Stripe or Wise?
Yes. Many agencies keep Stripe for client card payments or Wise for simple transfers, and use Petl Pay for project logic, multi-party allocation, and settlement visibility.
Does Petl Pay replace payroll?
No. Petl Pay is designed for contractors, freelancers, and partner agencies. Payroll and employment tools remain separate.
Do all collaborators need accounts?
No. Teams can onboard collaborators selectively, depending on how deeply they want to use the workflow and payment features.
Why was this built?
Petl Pay is a direct result of operating Rafiki and living the problem of managing modern, project-based agency work with tools designed for an outdated model.
For all FAQs visit our FAQs pageFinancial infrastructure for doing business in chat.
Petl Pay is the middleware between project finance and the AI your contractors and customers already use. Invoicing, compliance and multi-party payments, callable by people and AI agents through our live MCP and API, and settled over open banking and stablecoin rails.
