Instant Tips — turning tip earnings into instant pay

Instant Tips sat at the intersection of two users with competing needs — sellers wanted flexible automation, while employees needed clarity over when and how they got paid. As lead designer, I shaped the end-to-end system — from seller setup and payout automation to employee Cash App linking and earnings visibility — making transparency the through-line across both sides.

  • Getting staff to create or link an existing Cash App account to their Square employee profile

  • Serving sellers with different needs — from manual payout control to full automation

  • Supporting manual overrides without losing track of what had already been paid out

The result: 100+ sellers onboarded in closed beta, ~$500K in tip volume processed in the first 6 months, and manual workflows replaced with automated daily distribution.

Designed across every surface where tips were earned, tracked, or paid out.

Link at the right moment — Surface Cash App setup at clock-out, when employees are most likely to act.

See what you've earned — Give employees clarity and control over how and when they get paid.

Configure how payouts work — Let sellers set timing, preview settlement, and choose distribution modes.

Step in when needed — Allow manual intervention without breaking compliance.