Relay for Agencies: Handle Retainers, Team Budgets & Payments Smoothly

If you’re running a creative agency, marketing firm, or client-service studio, you already know: managing finances isn’t just about getting paid—it’s about managing multiple moving parts, from client retainers to team spending.

And traditional banks? They make everything harder.

That’s why more agencies are switching to Relay in 2025. It’s a smarter financial platform designed to help you run your agency like a system—not a spreadsheet.

Here’s how agencies are using Relay to simplify their financial operations and unlock real growth.

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✅ 1. Manage Client Retainers With Sub-Accounts

Relay lets you open up to 20 free checking accounts, which you can nickname and organize however you want.

Perfect for:

• Separating funds by client (e.g. Acme Inc., Solar Brand, etc.)
• Managing ongoing retainers vs. one-off projects
• Holding funds for upcoming work or deliverables
• Allocating money to specific departments (like design, dev, or strategy)

📌 Pro tip: Use one account per client or retainer type to keep everything clean and transparent.

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✅ 2. Control Team Spending With Virtual Cards

Agencies often have:

• Media buyers running ad campaigns
• Account managers using Uber & meals for clients
• Admins paying SaaS tools or subscriptions

Relay makes this safe and manageable.

You can:

• Issue virtual or physical debit cards to team members
• Assign each card to a specific account (e.g. “Ad Budget” or “Team Tools”)
• Set custom spending limits
• Instantly freeze, cancel, or reassign cards

📌 No more sharing one agency card or chasing down receipts.

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✅ 3. Pay Freelancers, Contractors & Vendors Easily

Agencies rely on a flexible workforce. Relay helps you:

• Upload invoices
• Approve payments
• Send money via ACH, wires, or mailed checks
• Keep a full record for tax and reporting purposes

And because you can create separate accounts for each project or team, you’ll always know where the money is going.

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✅ 4. Build Profit First Into Your Agency Workflow

Many agency owners now follow Profit First to stay profitable—even in a high-expense business model.

With Relay, you can automate the system:

• Income account receives all client payments
• Split funds into Profit, Owner’s Pay, Taxes, and Operating Expenses
• Schedule transfers for the 10th and 25th of each month
• Spend only from OpEx

📌 This keeps your agency lean, focused, and ready for any quarter.

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✅ 5. Real-Time Cash Flow Visibility

Relay’s dashboard gives agency owners and ops teams instant insight into:

• Account balances
• Upcoming expenses
• Where team cards are being used
• What clients have paid and what’s pending

You don’t have to open spreadsheets or wait for your bookkeeper. Relay makes it all clear and immediate.

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✅ 6. Sync With Accounting Tools Like QuickBooks & Xero

Relay integrates directly with:

• QuickBooks Online
• Xero
• Gusto (for payroll)

That means your accountant or bookkeeper gets:

• Clean transaction data
• Proper categorization by account
• Fewer errors and reconciliations

📌 Save hours every month and thousands per year in back-office time.

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🧠 Real Agency Example: How a Marketing Studio Uses Relay

“StoryFuel,” a content agency with 12 employees, uses Relay like this:

• Each client gets their own account
• Project managers are issued virtual cards for campaign tools
• Google Ads and Meta spend are on isolated cards with monthly caps
• Contractor invoices are uploaded and paid in one place
• QuickBooks auto-syncs everything for clean reporting

Since switching to Relay, StoryFuel cut billing admin time by 70%—and increased profit margins by 12%.

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Final Thoughts: Agencies Run Smoother on Relay

Relay isn’t just another fintech app. It’s a business banking experience built for modern agency workflows—remote teams, distributed payments, complex retainers, and tight cash flow.

If your agency is growing (or wants to), Relay helps you:

• Organize income
• Control spending
• Automate finances
• Stay profitable

All without monthly fees, clunky bank apps, or waiting in line to talk to a “business banking rep.”

Relay gives you structure—so your agency can scale.