Technology-first companies are increasingly seeking to leverage payroll and HR data to better serve their customers, despite the challenge posed by the fragmented U.S. payroll market, which comprises nearly 6,000 providers and over 660 systems. To stay competitive, companies must develop a successful integration strategy, often utilizing APIs to access a wider range of data and build quicker, more efficient solutions. The payroll market remains fragmented, with the top three providers—Intuit Quickbooks, ADP Run, and Paychex Flex—covering nearly half of SMB employers, while the rest are served by a plethora of smaller, niche providers like Gusto and Rippling. Several trends are driving this fragmentation, including SMBs' tendency to choose providers based on demographics, the impact of world events on payroll purchasing decisions, and the rise of white-labeled and embedded payroll solutions. To address these challenges, companies like Finch offer solutions such as a Unified Employment API that integrates with over 220 payroll systems, providing standardized and scalable access to the fragmented payroll landscape.