The evolution of payments: from cash to embedded financing

Not too long ago, a contractor would finish a job, walk out to their truck, haul in a clunky machine, plug it in, and then finally run a credit card. 

"It was this really awkward back and forth," said Sean Devlin, VP of Product at Wisetack, the leader in embedded payments for home services. “Neither party enjoyed it.”

That awkward process created stress and felt unprofessional, undermining the quality of the job, even when the work itself was excellent. 

Today, modern, embedded payments feel seamless. Contractors are paid faster, and the experience builds trust with customers.

The shift from outdated methods like checks and standalone card readers is transforming how contractors sell, how customers buy, and how software tools support business growth. What used to be a fragmented process is now becoming streamlined and digital.

Legacy payments are holding businesses back

For years, contractors stuck with what they knew: checks, cash or a clunky card reader. But these methods are increasingly out of sync with customer expectations and modern business needs. 

“There are so many payment options out there now, and if you're just taking checks, you’re limiting your business,” said Nate Wilson, Director of FinTech at JobNimbus, a leading platform for contractor businesses. “Contractors are finally opening their eyes to modern payment solutions, and it’s accelerating their business rapidly.”

And this shift isn’t just about speed, it’s about aligning with how customers want to pay.

Financing isn’t just flexible. It’s fundamental.

As prices rise and customers grow more cost-conscious, monthly payments have shifted from a “nice-to-have” to a necessity, especially for urgent, high-ticket services like HVAC or roof replacements. 

But for financing to be successful, it needs to be fast, simple, and trustworthy. If it’s even slightly confusing, contractors won’t use it and customers won’t trust it.

“Our vision for Wisetack was to make financing as easy to use as a credit card,” Sean explained. “So we focused on speed of merchant onboarding. That’s getting a pro up and running in the short window we have their attention.”

The real barrier: fear of losing credibility

“The number one worst thing that can happen to a pro is to be embarrassed in front of their customer,” Sean shared.

And with financing, that fear is understandable. “Contractors get questions about how it works, and they don’t know how to answer it.” Many are often afraid they’ll mess up that conversation and lose the sale. 

This fear isn’t limited to new users or small businesses. Financing directly affects how contractors get paid, how they price their jobs and how they're perceived by the customer. That emotional weight can stall adoption, even when the upside is clear. 

Solving it: product + partnership

Real adoption doesn’t happen through features alone. It happens through partnership. That was a key driver behind why JobNimbus chose to work with Wisetack.

“We wanted a partnership where there’s skin in the game on both sides,” Nate said. “What can we do together to address this problem of training and adoption?”

For JobNimbus, integrating financing into their platform wasn’t just about flipping a switch for a single user. It meant enabling the entire org — from sales to admin to production. And that kind of lift requires a partner sharing ownership and being committed to the effort. 

This approach helps build the contractor confidence needed to stick with financing. “It's a high investment,” Nate admitted. “But it’s super rewarding. You see their invoicing volume start to pump up as they start adopting financing and other payment methods.”

Bottom line: embedded financing is the next frontier

Contractors don’t need more tools, they need better ones. 

Embedded financing is reshaping how they do business, bringing speed, flexibility and professionalism into every job. The evolution is already happening, and those who adopt it are pulling ahead.