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Providers/Stream vs Salary Finance

Provider comparison

Stream vs Salary Finance

Side-by-side comparison from the PerkIQ directory. Cover, pricing, regulator status, and fit at a glance.

Stream, formerly Wagestream, and Salary Finance both offer financial wellbeing through the workplace, but in different ways. Stream centres on earned wage access, letting staff draw pay they have already earned before payday, alongside savings and coaching. Salary Finance offers salary-linked loans, savings and financial education.

ST

Stream

Financial WellbeingEarned Wage Access

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SF

Salary Finance

Financial WellbeingFCA-regulated

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Category

Financial Wellbeing

Financial Wellbeing

Best for

Employers with hourly and shift workers

Mid-sized and large employers

Pricing model

On request

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© 2026 PerkIQ Ltd. Registered in England & Wales. Company No. 17102662, 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London W1W 5PF · VAT GB 516 4012 29 · ICO: ZC108098 · info@perkiq.co.uk

On request

UK presence

Since 2018 (as Wagestream)

UK provider

Regulator

Group company FCA-authorised for consumer lending (see FCA Register)

FCA-authorised (see FCA Register)

Strapline

Stream, formerly Wagestream, is a financial wellbeing app offering earned wage access, workplace savings and financial coaching.

Salary Finance offers employees salary-linked loans, savings and financial education through their employer.

What's included

Earned wage access. Employees access pay they have already earned before payday.
Workplace savings. Savings for employees through the app.
Financial coaching. Coaching to help employees with money.
No change to payroll cycle. Works alongside the employer's existing pay dates.

Salary-linked loans. Loans repaid through payroll, typically at lower interest than traditional lenders.
Savings. Savings for employees through payroll.
Financial education. Guidance and tools to help employees with money.
Advance. Access to pay ahead of payday (not regulated lending).

At a glance

Formerly Wagestream
Earned wage access
Workplace savings
Used by Asda, Bupa, Co-op

FCA-authorised
Salary-linked loans
Savings and education
Acquisition by Stream announced

Which should you choose?

Stream may suit you if flexible access to earned pay is the main need, which is often the case for hourly and shift workers.

Salary Finance may suit you if helping employees with the cost of borrowing and building savings is the priority. Its loans are repaid through payroll.

Both work alongside payroll. Stream has announced it will acquire Salary Finance, subject to FCA approval, so check the current position with both.

Keep comparing

Browse the category

All financial wellbeing providers

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Try the free salary sacrifice calculator
Financial wellbeing for UK employees

Pick the right one with data, not a sales pitch

Score your benefits stack with PerkIQ and you'll see which of these (or another provider entirely) closes the biggest gaps for your team.

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Information on this page is editorial, gathered from public sources and the providers' own materials, and does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation. For a quote, contact each provider directly or speak to an FCA-authorised broker. PerkIQ is not a reseller and earns no commission on provider sign-ups.