Stream (Wagestream) review 2026

What if you could be paid when you need the money instead of at the end of the month?

No reviews yet. Write a review
Valentina Cipriani's headshot
Izzy Thomas's headshot

By

Valentina Cipriani

&

Izzy Thomas

Updated

Fact checked
Wagestream

A startup founded in 2018, Stream (formerly Wagestream) is putting up a tough fight against payday loans by offering cheap and easy-to-set-up salary “streaming”.

What is Stream?

If you’re an employee and your employer works with Stream, you can be “paid as you earn”. With Stream, you can access your earned wages whenever you need them in exchange for a fixed fee of £1.75 per transfer, making it one of the most cost-effective choices in the market.

In practice, this means that if your washing machine suddenly breaks and you need to replace it ASAP, you don’t need to take out a loan that could potentially cost you a fortune in interest. And since it isn’t a loan, you’re not technically going into debt, and it doesn’t impact your credit score – your credit report isn’t even checked.

If you’re an employer, you get to offer a nice perk to your employees in return for a reasonable price and not too much effort. Stream says its service boosts financial well-being and productivity, contributing to employee satisfaction and performance.

Stream also offers a “rainy day pot” where part of an employee’s salary is put aside automatically, making it easier to save and taking away the temptation to spend the money saved for emergencies.

However, it doesn’t loan out money to employees. Many of Stream’s competitors offer loans as an option where repayments are automatically taken from the employee’s salary. These employee loans have an interest but are typically lower than traditional loans.

How does it work?

It’s fairly simple – enough to make you wish you’d thought of it:

  • For employees. Once you’ve registered with the service, you can download the app and see how much you’ve earned so far for the month. If you need to, you can withdraw up to 50% of your monthly earnings. Once you’ve made the request, the money is instantly transferred to you, and you’re charged a flat £1.75 fee for each “stream” when you receive your remaining pay. You can also access tips and articles on financial wellness that Stream has created with the MoneyHelper (formerly the Money Advice Service).
  • For employers. Stream says that setting up the service typically takes 7–10 working days and it provides training to all your staff who need it. There are 3 plans you can opt for with Stream, with pricing between £1.50 and £5 per employee. It won’t affect your cash flow because WagestrStreameam will cover the payments from the moment they’re taken out and payday. Your company’s credit score will be checked (Stream says that this is “for compliance reasons”), but the service is interest-free.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • It helps you avoid an expensive payday loan
  • You're not going into debt, and it doesn't impact your credit score
  • It doesn't matter if you have bad credit
  • No impact on the company's cash flow
  • Also provides financial education resources and a help-to-save option
  • Up to 6% discount at leading supermarkets
  • Up to 30% discount at leading retailers

Cons

  • You can only take out relatively small amounts as Stream only does earned wage payments and not employee loans
  • You may be tempted to overspend during the month
  • Employers need to spend more per month for employee discounts and other perks

Our verdict: Is Stream any good?

Given the alternative could be an expensive payday loan, this seems like a neat solution for people to access what they’ve earned when they need to (for a small fee each time). Because of the limit on the amount employees can withdraw, it may not work for big-ticket emergencies, but it is likely to save some users from interest payments and debt.

Frequently asked questions

Our “Best for” picks highlight top options in specific categories based on our independent evaluation (see our full methodology), while “Promoted” tags indicate sponsored placements. Selected products may not suit everyone. We track selected market offers, which may not cover every product. Products are listed in no particular order unless specified, and inclusion or ordering may be influenced by popularity or commercial agreements. Most comparison table data is provided by Defaqto or sourced directly from providers. Always evaluate your own circumstances and consider independent advice before making major financial decisions.
Valentina Cipriani's headshot
Writer
Add to Preferred Sources

Valentina Cipriani was a writer at Finder UK. She wrote news, features and guides about banking and credit cards, helping people to improve their financial lives. She holds an MA in International Journalism. See full bio

Izzy Thomas's headshot
Co-written by

Senior associate publisher

Izzy Thomas is a senior associate publisher at Finder specialising in credit-based products including credit cards, business loans and personal loans. Izzy has a Masters in Publishing and a Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management. See full bio

Izzy's expertise
Izzy has written 18 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Business and consumer finance
  • Loans & credit cards
  • Building credit
More resources on Finder

More guides on Finder

  • Salary Finance review

    Employee loans? Check. Salary advances? Check. Automated savings accounts? Check. Whatever your finances need, Salary Finance has got it… with a little help from your employer.
  • Hastee review

    An affordable alternative to payday loan, Hastee Pay’s salary advances can be a lifesaver if you need to meet an unexpected expense.
Go to site