The short answer
Employers here pay by Cash App, Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, or check, and the job post says which one before you apply. Zelle and a check leave the clearest record, cash leaves none, and every method only works if your account is already set up and the name on it matches yours.
The post tells you before you apply
Every job on the board lists how it pays. Read that line before you apply, not after you are hired, because it is easier to pass on a job than to change how somebody pays.
If you have more than one method set up, say which one you prefer when you accept. Most employers do not care, and the one you already have working is the one that goes smoothest.
Cash App
Fast, and most people already have it. The money usually lands in seconds and you can see it in the app right away.
Give the employer your cashtag, and check it letter for letter. Sending to a wrong cashtag sends real money to a real stranger, and it is very hard to get back.
Zelle
Zelle moves bank to bank, so the money lands in your actual account instead of a balance you still have to move. For most people that makes it the cleanest one on this list.
It is also the hardest to argue with later, because both banks have a record of it. If you are choosing, this is a good one to choose.
Venmo
Works the same way as Cash App for you. Money arrives in a Venmo balance, and you move it to your bank when you want it.
Turn off the part that posts your payments publicly. There is no reason for the world to see who paid you and how much.
PayPal
Fine, and widely used. Watch which kind of payment they send, because some kinds take a fee out and some hold the money for a short while.
If a fee comes out, that is money off your day. It is worth asking the employer to send it the way that does not charge you.
Check
A check is a paper record with a date, an amount, and a signature on it, which makes it strong evidence if this ever goes to a wage claim.
The trade is time. It has to clear, which can take a few days, and a check that bounces is its own problem. Look at the check before you leave the site. The date, the amount, and the signature should all be there.
Cash
Cash still happens on job sites, and it spends fine. Just understand that it leaves no record at all unless you make one.
Count it in front of the person before you walk away. Then send yourself a message in the app saying the job, the date, the hours, and the amount you were handed. That note is the only proof that exists.
Set it up before the job, not after
Whichever method you use, have the account working before the morning of the job. Nothing is worse than finishing a day and then spending an hour trying to verify an account so you can be paid.
Make sure the name on the account is your name. A mismatch is the reason most payments sit in pending.
If the payment never lands
Give it a few hours before you worry, because bank transfers and checks are slower than app payments.
After that, ask once in writing through the app, and follow the steps in the guide on what to do if an employer does not pay. Keep everything in the app, because that thread is what a state labor office or a small claims judge will look at.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Rules differ by state and by situation, so talk to your own professional before you rely on it.
Looking for work?
Set up a profile once and apply to jobs near you in a couple of taps.
Create Your Profile