What is a payout API?

A payout API is an application programming interface (API) that enables companies to automate the disbursement of funds to recipients such as employees, vendors, contractors, or customers. Payout APIs streamline various types of payments, including salaries, reimbursements, refunds, affiliate commissions, royalties, and more. These APIs connect the company’s financial systems with payment gateways or financial institutions, allowing for secure, efficient, and automated payment transactions.

How does a payout API work?

A payout API enables companies to integrate automated payments directly into their software. It connects financial systems (like accounting, payroll, or e-commerce platforms) with payment processors or business accounts to facilitate the seamless transfer of funds to recipients. Here’s how a payout API works: API Integration You integrate the payout API into its existing systems (like accounting, payroll, or invoicing software). This involves configuring the necessary endpoints and authentication mechanisms using the API's documentation. The business usually receives an API key or token from the payout provider. This auth must be passed with each request to verify and authorise the transaction, ensuring secure communication between the business’s platform and the API provider. Initiating a Payout Request The business sends a payment request to the payout API to initiate a payout. This contains details like: The recipient’s information ( bank account details, email, mobile number) The payout amount Currency (USD, EUR, etc) Payment method (bank transfer, digital wallet, or debit card) Schedule (real-time or scheduled payment) Any additional metadata or payment notes For example, in a gig economy platform like Uber, the system would send a payout request to the API after a driver completes a ride. Processing the Payout The payout API validates the request to ensure that all required fields are filled out and that the payment method is supported. It may also check whether funds are available. The API provider often performs compliance checks to verify that the transaction complies with regulatory requirements such as Anti-Money Laundering (AML) or Know Your Customer (KYC) rules. Once validated, the payout API processes the transaction by connecting to a payment processor, bank, or payment network. Depending on the recipient’s location and payment method, the API may initiate a bank transfer, digital wallet transfer, or credit/debit card transaction. Confirmation and NotificationsTransaction Confirmation Once payment is processed, the payout API sends a confirmation response to the business’s system. This includes the transaction ID, status (success, pending, or failed), and the estimated settlement time. The payout API triggers notifications (such as email or SMS) to the recipient, informing them that a payment has been made and providing the right docs and transaction details. For example, in an e-commerce business, a customer might receive an email confirming a refund has been issued through the payout API. Additional Steps Settlement time may be instant or take a few days The company can monitor the status of the transaction Comprehensive reporting features for payout activity Error handling with corrective action Retries and failures for unsuccessful payments

What can I do with the Tipalti payout API?

With Tipalti’s multi-entity payout API, your business can onboard and manage payees and make global mass payouts to freelancers, contractors, creators, streamers, developers, affiliates, publishers, and suppliers using efficient batch payments with multiple electronic payment methods in over 200+ countries and territories, and 120 currencies. These payouts are automatically coded and recorded in your ERP or accounting system through a data sync.

How do you integrate a payout API into an existing financial system?

To integrate a payout API into an accounting or financial system, such as an ERP, your company can use REST APIs and resource-oriented URLs encoded in JSON formats with enhanced filtering, HTTP status codes, and business codes by following the third-party software company’s instructions for software developers.

One API, Endless Possibilities

Get access to our robust payments infrastructure and global banking network via the Tipalti API. Quickly send payouts to freelancers, contractors, creators, streamers, affiliates, publishers, suppliers, and more.

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Payout API Features

One Simple API for All Your Payouts

Automate payments with no hassle, and keep your business running smoothly—without complicated setups. Whether you’re sending money locally or globally, you stay in control as your business grows.

Simple Integration

Tipalti’s API is well-documented and easy to integrate, allowing you to get up and running quickly. Our Developer Hub provides sample code and developer tools, including a dedicated sandbox environment to help you get started on creating and testing integrations before deployment to production.

Customise Your Payouts

Our API provides you with the flexibility to tailor end-to-end payout workflows that meet your unique business requirements, from payee creation to payment execution. Create, retrieve, and manage endpoints like payments, payees, and more.

Automate Global Payments

Our platform and API support reliable payouts to 200+ countries and territories in 120 currencies with 50+ payment methods, all on top of a multi-entity architecture, making it easy for you to scale your business globally. All API calls are authenticated for maximum security.

Integrations

Pre-built connections to extend automated workflows

Easily extend and simplify your workflows with pre-built integrations and powerful APIs for your ERPs, accounting systems, performance marketing platforms, HRIS, SSO, Slack, credit cards, and more.

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Customer Stories

Don’t just take our word for it,

see what our customers are saying

Ninja Tune

Since adopting Tipalti, Ninja Tune has reduced its payment processing time by 50% and typically pays artists about a week earlier than before.

Product

Mass Payments

Region

United Kingdom, Global

Industry

Music royalties

Size

Sub 100

Spitfire Audio

Manual, Excel-based processes for managing royalty payouts were time-consuming, prone to errors, and hindered global growth

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Smartshoot

SmartShoot saved 24 days/year on payouts, eliminated tax penalty risks, and freed finance to focus on strategic growth.

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The Language Group

The Language Group cut hours of data entry to keystrokes, reduced payment runs from 4× to 1× monthly, and avoided hiring as contractors grew.

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Region

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Size

Lenus

Lenus cut payment processing time by 35%, scaled global payments across 11 countries, and supported 550+ vendors worldwide.

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Region

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Size

Symphonic

Symphonic automated royalties for 100K+ clients, paid artists worldwide, and unified all payment methods into one streamlined system.

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Region

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Size

Tapjoy

Tapjoy cut payment workload by over 50% and boosted developer satisfaction with timely, flexible payment options.

Product

Mass Payments

Region

United States, Global

Industry

AdTech

Size

100 – 1000

Kittl

Kittl automated 300+ monthly payouts and cut payment processing time from a full day each week to just two hours.

Product

Mass Payments

Region

Germany, Global

Industry

Affiliates and influencer networks

Size

100 – 1000

Sovrn

With Tipalti, Sovrn significantly reduced payments workload by 48 days annually, scaled payout operations, and avoided hiring two full-time resources

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How It Works

Up and Running in Weeks, Not Months

Collaborative customer support with customised onboarding to get you operational quickly

Step 1

Plan

Kickstart your success with a comprehensive initial call to align on goals, scoping, and technical configurations for your setup and to prepare you for training.

Step 2

Configure

Customer onboarding experts configure Tipalti sandbox and production environments, test the hosted payee portal or embedded iFrame, execute sample payment runs, and establish integrations.

Step 3

Deploy

In-depth training on the Tipalti Hub and end-to-end payment automation functionalities will ensure thorough knowledge transfer to turbocharge your successful launch.

Step 4

Adopt

Tipalti supports user adoption and change management during launch with the option to guide payees through onboarding too. Once set, you’ll be ready to fund your Tipalti Virtual Account, execute your first batch of payments, and officially launch Tipalti.

Step 5

Optimise

Following your setup, technical support teams are always available by phone and email, and the Tipalti customer success team will continuously advise you on achieving your goals.

Transparent, Scalable Pricing

Our flexible pricing adapts to businesses of all sizes. Pay only for what you use—no extra costs, no client-based fees. Simple, predictable, and budget-friendly.

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