Vertical SaaS Providers Put Payments at Core of Recurring Revenue

Vertical SaaS providers are moving beyond subscription-only economics by embedding payments into scheduling, invoicing, inventory and customer-management workflows. The model lets software companies earn recurring revenue from merchant transaction activity while making their platforms more central to daily operations. It also opens a path into working capital, banking, payroll and card issuing. Combining payment and operating data can improve reconciliation, cash-flow forecasting and automation, raising customer attachment and long-term enterprise value in a crowded software market.

In a PYMNTS Summer School interview published July 20, 2026, Billi Jo Wright, executive lead and general manager for integrated and platforms, PayFac, at Worldpay, now Global Payments, said 82% of businesses would consider switching software platforms for better payment capabilities. She said providers must account for onboarding, settlement, compliance, risk management and customer support, not just technology. No transaction value was disclosed. PayFac-as-a-Service can let platforms retain more control of the customer experience and revenue opportunity while relying on a payments partner for operational responsibilities.