Instant payouts are the fastest way to receive your pay, and are designed to reach your account typically arriving in minutes, but can take up to 3 hours.
Visit Receiving Payouts for an overview of payouts on Wingspan.
Overview
An instant payout is an optional way to receive your pay. For a fee, it sends money from a paid invoice through a fast payment network, not a standard bank transfer.
Instant payouts are available only to contractors in the United States and Canada.
In the United States, you can use a bank account or a debit card.
In Canada, you can use a bank account only.
Cost
An instant payout costs 2% of the payout amount. The minimum fee is $0.50.
Wingspan takes the fee before tax withholdings and other deductions. Wingspan charges the fee only once, even if a payout needs a retry.
Note: Please note that the 2% fee for instant payouts is non-refundable if your bank or card provider rejects the payment.
Receiving an instant payout
The instant payout option is a delivery service that allows you to access the funds for an invoice that's been processed for payout by your payer. It doesn't speed up your client's approval or payment of the invoice.
An invoice in the "Awaiting Client" status is not yet eligible for an instant payout. Once your invoice is processed through payroll by your client and moves into the paid status, what happens next depends on your default payout method.
If your default method is instant, Wingspan sends the payout instantly. You don't need to do anything.
If your default method is a standard bank transfer, you can still request an instant payout. You can request it any time before the standard payout is sent. The cutoff depends on your invoice's due date, so request the instant payout as soon as you can.
You can't request an instant payout before your invoice is paid.
Setting up an instant payout method
Go to Settings > Payout & Payment Methods.
Add a bank account. Wingspan checks it against instant payment networks.
If your bank is supported, it appears under Instant payout methods.
If your bank isn't supported, you have other options.
In the United States, add a Visa or Mastercard debit card instead.
In Canada, try a different bank account instead.
You can also save an unsupported bank account for standard payouts.
Note: For US contractors a debit card can only be selected as an instant payout option if your bank does not support instant payouts. Both arrive at the same speed but bank accounts are the preferred and more reliable option.
Requesting an instant payout
You can request an instant payout three ways, depending on your preference.
From the payment confirmation email
Open the email you get when your client pays your invoice.
Click Request instant deposit.
Review the invoice details and the instant payout fee.
Click Confirm instant payout request.
You can also check a box in this step to make instant payouts your default method.
From your Invoices dashboard
Go to Get Paid > Invoices.
Select a paid invoice that's eligible for instant payout. (Invoices not yet in the paid status, or paid invoices that are already being processed to your standard payout method can't be sent as an instant payout.)
Click Request instant payout.
Choose an instant payout method, or connect a new one.
By setting a default payout method
If you'd like to receive all your invoice payouts instantly, you can choose this as your default option.
Go to Settings > Payout & Payment Methods.
Set an instant payout method as your default.
Every future payout is now sent instantly.
Delivery time
Most instant payouts arrive within minutes. While we strive to deliver instant payouts as quickly as possible, network conditions may sometimes result in payouts taking up to 90 minute. You can request an instant payout any day or time, including weekends and holidays. Your bank's own processing time can add delay. If your receiving bank rejects the payout, your receipt of funds is delayed further.
If your instant payout hasn't arrived after 90 minutes, contact Wingspan Support.
Frequently asked questions
The questions below cover less common situations, like failures and refunds.
Why did my instant payout fail?
Wingspan can't guarantee that every bank or card will accept an instant payout. Common causes of failure include:
Your bank's limit on transaction amount or frequency.
A card network issue.
Your bank's fraud check flagging the transaction.
A real-time payment network outage.
A Wingspan service disruption.
Your bank may reject an instant payout without giving a reason. Wingspan can't override a bank's decision to reject a payout.
What happens after a failed instant payout?
Add a new payout method after a failure. Don't re-add the same card or bank account. A method that failed once will likely fail again for the same reason.
Wingspan automatically retries your payout. The retry uses whatever method is set as your default at that time.
If instant payouts keep failing, Wingspan removes the failed method from your account and sends you a notification.
Where is my money if my instant payout fails?
If you have no other payout method, Wingspan deposits your funds into your Wingspan Wallet. Your funds stay safe there until you access them.
To access funds in your Wingspan Wallet, do one of the following:
Add a bank account, then withdraw the balance. This transfer takes one to two business days.
Spend directly with your Wingspan debit card.
The Wingspan Wallet is available to contractors in the United States only.
My bank can't find my instant payout
Instant payouts aren't ACH transfers. Wingspan sends them as a push-to-card payment or as a real-time payment (RTP or FedNow).
If you contact your bank, describe the payment correctly. Tell them it's a push-to-card payment to your card, or a real-time payment to your bank account. A bank that searches only ACH records will find nothing. The payment moved over a different network.
Can I get my instant payout fee refunded?
Wingspan may refund your instant payout fee under certain conditions. The delay must be on Wingspan's side. Delivery to an external account must also exceed Wingspan's service window.
Wingspan doesn't refund the fee in these cases:
Your bank or card provider rejected the payout.
Your client caused the delay, for example by paying the invoice late.
Wingspan sent the payout to your Wingspan Wallet.
See the Instant Payout Refund Policy for full terms. If you believe a late instant payout qualifies for a refund, contact Wingspan Support.
Can I send instant payouts to my Wingspan Debit Card?
The Wingspan Debit Card isn't eligible for instant payouts, but you can receive funds instantly to your Wingspan Wallet. If you'd like to receive instant payouts to your Wingspan Wallet choose the Wallet as your instant payout destination.