Actual
Ontario, Canada
What it is
Actual provides hospitality businesses with tools for tip distribution, payroll processing, employee scheduling, and operational workflows. Its tip product automates tip calculations, division, and payments, then gives employees detailed reports. Teams can define custom pool rules and allocate tips by shift, with records available at both levels. The Canadian product is intended to help restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops meet federal and provincial requirements for Direct Tips and Controlled Tips. Actual lists integrations with 7shifts, OpenTable, Toast, ADP, Clover, Homebase, Lightspeed, QuickBooks, and Payworks. In the United States, payout schedules can range from daily to bi-weekly. Tips can be sent to Branch debit cards or directly to bank accounts, and Branch card payments are described as free for employers and employees. Actual says its primary infrastructure is hosted in Canada, with some processing by subprocessors elsewhere. Its privacy policy cites PIPEDA compliance and says personal information is not sold or used for advertising. Pricing is available by demo.
For and against
For
- Automates tip calculations and payments
- Custom pool rules and shift allocation
- Daily to bi-weekly payout schedules
- Integrates with listed payroll and hospitality systems
- No-cost Branch card payments
Against
- Pricing is not publicly listed
- Some processing uses subprocessors outside Canada
- Focused on hospitality businesses
The verdict
Actual brings tip rules, scheduling, payouts, and hospitality integrations into one service. Its Canadian hosting and stated privacy practices may matter to operators, while U.S. teams get flexible payout timing and Branch payment options.
Who it suits
It suits restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, and other hospitality operators managing tip pools and employee payouts. Employees can receive tips by Branch card or bank account.
Plans and prices
Actual Tips
Pricing not listed; book a demo
Read 9 Oct 2026 · onactual.com
On the record
- Audience
- Actual describes its tip product for restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, and other hospitality businesses.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Company
- Actual is the business name of Atlas Restaurant Management Systems Inc., a Canadian company headquartered in Ontario.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Company identity
- The privacy policy identifies the provider as Atlas Restaurant Management Systems Inc., doing business as Actual, a Canadian company headquartered in Ontario.onactual.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- The Canadian tip product is designed to help restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops follow federal and provincial Direct Tips and Controlled Tips requirements.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Data protection
- Actual says its primary infrastructure is hosted in Canada and that it uses administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect personal information.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- Actual says its primary infrastructure is hosted in Canada, while some processing is performed by subprocessors in the United States and other jurisdictions.onactual.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Listed technology integrations include 7shifts, OpenTable, Toast, ADP, Clover, Homebase, Lightspeed, QuickBooks, and Restaurant365.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Actual says it was built for hospitality operators and employees, and its tips page names restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops as intended users.onactual.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Payment options
- Actual says employees can receive tips by daily payments to Branch debit cards or directly to a bank, and describes Branch card payments as free for employers and employees.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Payout options
- The US tips page says Actual works with Branch to provide instant tip payments using Branch debit cards, free for employers and employees.onactual.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Payout schedules
- Operators can set customized employee payment schedules ranging from daily to bi-weekly.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Actual says it does not use personal information for advertising or sell it to third parties.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Privacy law
- The privacy policy says Actual handles personal information in accordance with PIPEDA and other applicable privacy laws.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- Actual is a hospitality software platform for managing tip distribution, payroll processing, employee scheduling, and operational workflows.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Rebrand
- The company announced that Atlas changed its name to Actual in March 2026, keeping the same team and ownership.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- Actual says its hospitality-industry team works customer hours so customers are not left waiting for regular business hours.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
- Tip management
- Actual Tips automates tip calculations and division, daily payouts, and detailed employee tip reports.onactual.com · read 9 Oct 2026
