Kerry fintech Prima Finance has launched its new personal finance app Azucko following approval from the Central Bank of Ireland.

The Azucko app aims to give employees more flexibility over their finances by allowing them to access a portion of their income each month before payday, based on the hours they have already worked. 

Azucko operates by integrating with employers’ payroll or time and attendance systems, allowing employees to see what they’ve earned and how much they can draw down during each month.

The Azucko app has also been developed to link with user bank accounts, track spending habits, and pay monthly bills. Users can also assess their borrowing capacity for a personal loan, car loan or a mortgage via the app.

For employers, the service costs €1.50 per employee, per month. For employees, there is no monthly charge, but each drawdown has a fixed charge of €2.50.

In Association with

Managing director Brian Leslie explained: “Azucko enables employees to draw down a portion of their income they have already earned but have not yet been paid by their employer. This gives employees greater control and flexibility over when they get paid and how they manage their money and deal with sudden and unexpected expenses.

“From an employer perspective, when staff feel more secure in their finances, they’re likely to be more productive and motivated, meaning everybody benefits.”

Leslie (pictured) added: “While there are other personal finance apps out there, Azucko is the first in Ireland to bring all of these key features together."

The Azucko App is operated by Prima Finance Ltd, a regulated payment institution by the Central Bank of Ireland, where it is authorised to handle client funds, make payments, and provide Account Information (AIS) and Payment Initiation (PIS) services in Ireland and across the European Union.

The Azucko App is available for download on Apple and Android stores.