All Things Compared

All comparisons

Small-business payroll software, compared

Ten payroll services sold to US small businesses, compared by free trial, starting price (a base fee plus a per-employee fee), how each is priced, payroll tax filing, payment methods, contractor payments, benefits and time tracking, integrations, states and setup, support, and contract terms. Every price says which plan, billing term and promotion it covers, and the date it was read.

10 options compared · checked · Markdown · JSON

What do you need?

Gusto

Online

Gusto sells three plans (Simple, Plus, Premium), each a base fee plus a per-person fee, with Simple at $49 per month plus $7 per person. Tax filings, unlimited payrolls and domestic contractor payments are listed in every plan.

Our read Teams that want published month-to-month prices with tax filing, contractor payments and benefits options in one product.

  • Payroll tax filing included
  • Paying contractors and filing 1099-NEC
  • Health benefits and time tracking
  • No contract: cancel any time
Free trial
No free trial or free first month for payroll is listed on the pricing page. The payroll page says you can create a free account and that you pay nothing until you are ready to run payroll. The Time & Attendance Plus add-on is listed as 'Try it free, then $6/mo per person'. A plain request returned a bot-check page, so the page was read in a browser. The pages show no effective date. The free-account wording is from the payroll page at gusto.com/product/payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Simple: $49 per month base fee plus $7 per month per employee (Gusto says 'per person'; U.S. contractors are billed the same per-person price in months they are paid). Regular price, USD, US site, month-to-month. No promotion is shown. Plus is $99 plus $12 per person and Premium is $179 plus $22 per person. Read on the 'Pay My Team' tab. Contractor billing is from the pricing FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
Base fee plus a per-person fee in three tiers. Only active employees are charged, so the price changes as people are added or leave. U.S. contractors are billed the plan's per-person price only in months they are paid. Simple runs basic payroll in one state; Plus adds multi-state payroll. Upgrades take effect at once and downgrades at the start of the next billing period. From the plan cards and the pricing FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read list no free trial for payroll and give no direct deposit timeline for Simple beyond a choice of next-day or two-day pay. The Pay Myself tab on the pricing page was not read. No promotion appeared, so the prices shown are the regular prices.

Homebase

Online

Homebase sells payroll as an add-on to its scheduling and time-tracking plans at $49 per month plus $6 per employee paid, with a limited-time offer of 6 months free. Payroll runs from the same timesheets as scheduling.

Our read Teams with hourly staff who want payroll in the same product as scheduling and a time clock.

  • A free trial with no card
  • No contract: cancel any time
Free trial
The pricing page lists a free 14-day trial of the All-in-One plan and a free Basic plan, each marked 'No credit card required'. For payroll it advertises 'First 6 months free' (and 6 months of the Plus plan) as a 'limited time offer', terms apply, with no end date shown. After that payroll is $49 per month plus $6 per month per employee paid. The pages show no effective date. The page does not say whether the 14-day trial includes payroll; it says payroll can be added to any plan. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Payroll add-on: $49 per month base fee plus $6 per month per employee paid (regular price, USD, US site, pay as you go). Promotion shown on the pricing page: first 6 months free as a limited-time offer, with the regular price beside it; the page also shows '$29 per month for teams up to 5' without saying what it covers. Payroll is added to a Homebase plan, including the free Basic plan (1 location, up to 10 employees). The payroll page at joinhomebase.com/payroll gives the same $49 plus $6 and says only employees who get paid are charged. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
Base fee plus a per-employee fee for payroll, sold as an add-on to a Homebase plan (Basic, Essentials, Plus or All-in-One, which are priced per location). Only employees who get paid are charged. Unlimited payroll runs. The prices of the other plans were not compared here. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read do not name the health benefit partners, say whether contractors can be paid through payroll, name the federal, state and local levels of tax filing, or say what '$29 per month for teams up to 5' covers. The 6-months-free offer is described as limited time and shows no end date.

Justworks

Online

Justworks sells a Payroll plan at $50 per month plus $8 per employee, and PEO plans at $79 and $124 per employee per month with no base fee. The Payroll plan lists W-2 and 1099 filings and all 50 states, with add-ons for health insurance access and time tracking.

Our read Teams that want a payroll-only plan from a provider that also sells PEO plans, with contractor, health insurance and time-tracking add-ons priced on the page.

  • Paying contractors and filing 1099-NEC
  • Health benefits and time tracking
Free trial
No free trial or free first month is listed on the pricing or payroll pages read. Not stated is not no. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2013 to 2026. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Payroll plan: $50 per month base fee plus $8 per month per employee (regular price, USD, US site, billed monthly). No promotion is shown. The two PEO plans are priced per employee only, with no base fee: PEO Basic $79 and PEO Plus $124 per month per employee. The pricing FAQ gives the same Payroll price ('$8 per month per employee plus a $50 base fee'). Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
Payroll: base fee plus a per-employee fee. Part-time employees (29 or fewer expected hours per week) cost $8 per part-time employee per month on Payroll. US-based contractors and vendors are $8 per paid contractor per month, charged only in months payments are processed. Payroll customers are billed monthly for every active member on the 15th of the following month. PEO plans are per employee per month with no base fee. From the pricing FAQ on billing and contractors. The FAQ says any size company can be on Justworks Payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read do not list a free trial, a contract term or cancellation terms, a direct deposit timeline, support hours, named accounting integrations, or whether tax filing covers federal, state and local levels. The PEO plans, where Justworks becomes co-employer, are mentioned here only for their price.

OnPay

Online

OnPay sells one base plan, Payroll Essentials, at $49 per month plus $6 per worker, with federal, state and local filings, W-2s and 1099s included, and add-ons for HR and time tracking. A free first month is listed.

Our read Small teams that want one published price with tax filings, contractor forms, benefits administration and free data migration in the base plan.

  • Payroll tax filing included
  • Paying contractors and filing 1099-NEC
  • Health benefits and time tracking
Free trial
OnPay lists 'Get one month free' and says that during the free month you get full access to its payroll and HR tools and can run as many pay runs as you like. The free 30 days begin once the company setup steps are done and the bank account is verified. The pages read do not say whether a credit card is required. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2026. The pages also say 'one month' in some places and '30 days' in others. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Payroll Essentials: $49 per month base fee plus $6 per month per worker paid (employee or contractor), regular price, USD, US site. The page footer says 'Pricing starts at $55 per month', which is this plan for one worker. The free first month is the only promotion shown. The pricing link at onpay.com/pricing redirects to a page for accounting partners, which shows the same $49 plus $6. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
A base fee plus a per-worker fee on one base plan; only workers on payroll that month are counted, and the page's calculator counts salaried, hourly and independent-contractor workers. Add-ons: HR (+$15 base and $2 per worker), Time Tracking (+$15 base and $4 per worker), Compliance Resources (+$10 base) and Live HR Support (+$65 base). Bundles of these are shown at discounts. Add-on prices are as shown on the page, which does not label a billing term for them. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read do not say whether a card is needed for the free month, give a direct deposit timeline, state the time zone of the support hours, or state a contract term or cancellation terms.

Patriot Software

Online

Patriot Software sells Basic Payroll ($17 per month plus $4 per worker), where you file payroll taxes yourself, and Full Service Payroll ($37 plus $5), where it files and deposits them. A 30-day free trial and 50% off for 3 months are listed.

Our read Small teams that want a low base fee and a choice between filing payroll taxes themselves or having them filed.

  • Health benefits and time tracking
  • No contract: cancel any time
Free trial
The pricing page lists '30 days free + 50% off for 3 months'. The FAQ says Patriot has no free payroll tier but offers a 30-day free trial for all its software products, then 50% off for 3 months. The pages read do not say whether a credit card is required to start the trial. The FAQ wording is from the FAQ section lower on the same pricing page. The pages show no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Basic Payroll: $17 per month base fee plus $4 per month per employee or contractor paid (regular price, USD, US site, billed monthly). Promotion shown on the pricing page: 50% off for the first 3 months ($8.50 plus $2 per worker), with the regular price beside it. Full Service Payroll is $37 plus $5 per worker (promotion $18.50 plus $2.50). The regular and promotional figures are stated in the page's structured data as well as in its markup. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
A base fee plus a fee per worker paid, in two payroll plans. You are charged on the first of each month; a worker not paid in a month is not charged for that month, and in months with no payroll only the base price applies. Time & Attendance and HR are add-ons at $6 per month plus $2 per employee (regular price). Supports 1 to 500 employees. The billing and size statements are from the FAQ at patriotsoftware.com/faqs/. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read do not say whether a credit card is needed for the 30-day trial, or give the amount of the 'nominal' 1099 e-filing fee on Basic Payroll. Patriot's FAQ says Full Service does not handle IRS Form 943 and the software does not handle garnishment or child-support payments.

QuickBooks Payroll

Online

QuickBooks Payroll is sold as QuickBooks Workforce in three plans: Workforce Payroll ($50 per month plus $7 per employee), Premium ($88 plus $13) and Elite ($134 plus $17). New customers see 50% off the base fee for 3 months.

Our read Teams that already keep their books in QuickBooks or want higher plans that add time tracking and expert setup.

  • Paying contractors and filing 1099-NEC
  • Health benefits and time tracking
Free trial
The offer terms list a free 30-day trial for new subscriptions. It applies to the monthly base price only, not to per-employee fees, per-contractor fees or state tax filing fees, and you are charged automatically at the end of the trial. The pages read do not say that no credit card is required. From the 'Important pricing details' section, which opens on the page. A plain request to the site failed, so the page was read in a browser. The page shows no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Workforce Payroll: $50 per month base fee plus $7 per month per employee (regular price, USD, US site, billed monthly). Promotion for new customers: 50% off the base fee for the first 3 months ($25 per month plus the same $7 per employee); the terms say the discount does not apply to per-employee fees, per-contractor fees or state tax filing fees. Premium is $88 plus $13 and Elite is $134 plus $17 per employee. The page shows the regular price struck through beside the promotional figure. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
A base fee plus a per-employee fee in three plans. On Workforce Payroll the contractor price is shown as '+$7/employee/contractor'. The offer terms list per-contractor fees and state tax filing fees as separate from the per-employee fee; amounts are not on the pricing page. The contractor line is from quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/contractor-payments/, which also sells a contractor-only product that was not compared. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read do not give amounts for the state tax filing and per-contractor fees that the offer terms list as separate, say which states are covered, name integrations beyond QuickBooks Online, or display a contract term. The 30-day free trial applies to the base fee only and ends with an automatic charge.

Square Payroll

Online

Square Payroll sells full-service payroll at $35 per month plus $6 per person paid, and a contractor-only plan at $6 per person paid. Full-service files federal and state taxes at no additional charge and imports timecards and tips from Square.

Our read Teams that already use Square for sales or staff, or that need to pay only contractors and have their 1099-NEC forms filed.

  • Paying contractors and filing 1099-NEC
  • Health benefits and time tracking
  • No contract: cancel any time
Free trial
No free trial or free first month is listed on the Square Payroll pages read. Not stated is not no. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2026. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Full-service payroll: $35 per month base fee plus $6 per month per employee or contractor paid (regular price, USD, US site, no commitment). Contractor-only payroll is $6 per month per person paid with no base fee and does not pay employees or file federal and state payroll taxes. No promotion is shown on the pages read. The FAQ on the same page states both prices. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
Full-service payroll: a base fee plus a monthly fee per person paid. Contractor-only payroll: a monthly fee per person paid with no base fee. Mailed paper copies of W-2s and 1099s cost an annual $3 per mailed form. Health insurance, 401(k) and workers' comp are add-ons. From the plan comparison table. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read list no free trial, do not say whether local taxes are filed, and name no integrations beyond QuickBooks Online and Square's own products.

SurePayroll

Online

SurePayroll sells a Full Service plan ($29 per month plus $7 per employee) that files and deposits payroll taxes and a No Tax Filing plan ($20 plus $4). Year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms, extra states and local-tax areas are priced separately.

Our read Small teams that want a low published base fee and accept separate charges for year-end forms, extra states and add-ons.

  • No contract: cancel any time
Free trial
No free trial is listed on the pages read. The pages list a limited-time offer of free payroll on alternate months during the first 12 months (terms apply). Not stated is not no. The pages do not say whether a card is needed for the offer. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
No Tax Filing plan: $20 per month base fee plus $4 per month per employee (you file and deposit payroll taxes yourself). Full Service plan: $29 per month base fee plus $7 per month per employee, with taxes filed and deposited. Regular prices, USD, US site, billed monthly. Promotion shown: every other month free during the first 12 months (terms apply). The pricing page at surepayroll.com/pricing shows 'Starting at $29/month' and a $7 per worker calculator for Full Service only. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
A base fee plus a per-employee fee. The first state is included; multi-state payroll is $9.99 per month, and 'a separate fee applies to areas that require local taxes' (amount not stated). Year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms are billed annually at a $50 base fee plus $5 per form. Add-ons: accounting software integration $4.99 per month, timeclock integration from $5 per month plus $3 per employee, employment law plans from $30 per month. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2026. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read do not give the fee for areas that require local taxes, name the accounting or timeclock software behind the add-ons, say whether paper checks are offered, or say whether a card is needed for the free-months promotion. The pricing page shows only the Full Service plan; the No Tax Filing plan is on the payroll page.

Wave Payroll

Online

Wave Payroll is one US plan at $40 per month plus $6 per employee and $6 per contractor paid, with federal and state tax payments and filings, unlimited direct deposits and a 30-day free trial.

Our read Small teams that already use Wave's accounting and want one flat plan with no long-term contract.

  • No contract: cancel any time
Free trial
Wave lists a 30-day free payroll trial that starts when you approve your first payroll. The help article says you can enter card details at any time during the trial and that billing starts when the trial ends; it does not say that a card is not required to start. A Wave blog post dated May 4, 2018 says you do not need to enter a credit card. The payroll page says you can use Wave Payroll for up to 30 days, commitment-free. The 2018 post is old and is not used for the tag. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
US payroll: $40 per month base fee plus $6 per month per active employee plus $6 per month per independent contractor paid (USD, US site, monthly fee). The prices apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025. One plan; no promotion is shown. Read on the US tab; the Canada tab shows a different price in CAD. Customers who joined before April 2, 2025 are told of changes in their account. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
A base fee plus a fee per active employee and per independent contractor paid, on one plan. The page says there are no set-up fees or hidden charges. Since April 2, 2025 the price is the same in all US states, because Wave's tax service is now offered in all 50 states. From the pricing section and its FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read name no health benefits or time tracking, do not say whether local taxes are filed, and do not say whether a card is needed to start the trial. Wave's tax filing excludes 1099 filings, and paper checks are not mentioned.

Zoho Payroll

Online

Zoho Payroll US has two plans, Standard ($29 per month plus $5 per employee billed annually) and Professional ($49 plus $7), with automatic federal, state and local tax filing and a 14-day free trial with no card.

Our read Small teams that want to try payroll without a card and may already use Zoho Books or Zoho Expense.

  • Payroll tax filing included
  • A free trial with no card
Free trial
A 14-day free trial with 'unrestricted access to all the features', and 'No credit card information required', per the pricing page FAQ. The help article says you can upgrade to a paid plan during or after the trial. The upgrade wording is from the subscriptions help article. The pages show no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Cheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee fee
Standard: $29 per month per organization (base fee) plus $5 per month per employee when billed annually, or $39 plus $6 per month per employee when billed monthly (regular price, USD, US site; prices exclude local taxes). Professional is $49 plus $7 billed annually or $59 plus $8.50 billed monthly. No promotion is shown. Both billing terms are shown on the page's Monthly and Yearly switch, which only changes the displayed prices. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
How it is priced
A base fee per organization plus a per-employee fee, in two plans. Per-use charges are listed: next-day processing $3 per employee (for businesses approved for accelerated processing), mailed W-2s $3 per employee, wire transfer $10 per transfer, amended tax return $150 per filing, delayed tax filing $150 per filing, employer fund transfer failure $100 per return and failed employee payment $8 per employee. The help article describes these as charges applied when relevant; it gives the delayed filing fee as for late filings caused by unavoidable circumstances. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
What isn't clear from public sources

The pages read do not mention contractor payments or Form 1099, time tracking of hours, setup fees, or a contract term. Standard covers single-state payroll; multi-state payroll is in Professional.

Side by side

Full comparison table
Name Free trialCheapest plan: base fee plus per-employee feeHow it is pricedTax filing and year-end formsPayment methods and speedContractorsBenefits and time trackingIntegrationsStates and setupSupportContract and fees
Gusto No free trial or free first month for payroll is listed on the pricing page. The payroll page says you can create a free account and that you pay nothing until you are ready to run payroll. The Time & Attendance Plus add-on is listed as 'Try it free, then $6/mo per person'. A plain request returned a bot-check page, so the page was read in a browser. The pages show no effective date. The free-account wording is from the payroll page at gusto.com/product/payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Simple: $49 per month base fee plus $7 per month per employee (Gusto says 'per person'; U.S. contractors are billed the same per-person price in months they are paid). Regular price, USD, US site, month-to-month. No promotion is shown. Plus is $99 plus $12 per person and Premium is $179 plus $22 per person. Read on the 'Pay My Team' tab. Contractor billing is from the pricing FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Base fee plus a per-person fee in three tiers. Only active employees are charged, so the price changes as people are added or leave. U.S. contractors are billed the plan's per-person price only in months they are paid. Simple runs basic payroll in one state; Plus adds multi-state payroll. Upgrades take effect at once and downgrades at the start of the next billing period. From the plan cards and the pricing FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Tax filings and payments are listed in all three plans, including Simple. The pricing FAQ says Gusto files federal, state and local payroll tax forms on the company's behalf (W-2, 1099, 940, 941, 8974 and others). The payroll page says it files W-2s and 1099s and, for a mid-year switch, files complete W-2s for the year. State tax registration is an add-on priced by state. The W-2 and 1099 wording is from the payroll page FAQ at gusto.com/product/payroll. No separate fee for the regular filings is stated. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Direct deposits or printable checks are listed in all plans, with unlimited payrolls per month and no extra charge for off-cycle payrolls. The direct deposit page says you can choose next-day or two-day pay. Next-day pay is included in Plus and Premium and is an add-on for Simple ($15 per month plus $3 per month per person). Same-day pay ($90 per payroll) and instant pay ($100 per payroll) are included in Premium and available as add-ons in Simple and Plus. The next-day or two-day wording is from gusto.com/product/payroll/direct-deposit. Same-day and instant pay are subject to eligibility, per the page's disclaimers. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Domestic contractor payments are listed in all plans. U.S. contractors are billed the plan's per-person price, only in months they are paid. Gusto's FAQ says it files W-2s and 1099s on the company's behalf and that contractors receive electronic copies. Contractor invoice upload is listed in Plus and Premium. Global contractor payments are an add-on with no monthly per-contractor fee. The 1099 filing wording is from the payroll page FAQ at gusto.com/product/payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Health insurance: Gusto compares medical, dental and vision plans; with Gusto as broker the page says there are no Gusto administration fees and you pay premiums only. A broker integration for plans Gusto cannot support costs $6 per month per eligible employee. Time tracking and scheduling are listed in Plus, and Time & Attendance Plus is an add-on for Simple ('Try it free, then $6/mo per person'). 401(k) pricing varies by plan, and workers' compensation is premiums plus up to $5 per month pay-as-you-go. From the plan table, the add-ons list and the pricing FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The pricing FAQ names accounting programs QuickBooks, Xero, Aplos, ZipBooks, Autobooks and FreshBooks, and other software such as Expensify, Hubstaff, Clover and Homebase, 'and more'. The full integrations list was not read. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page says payroll is offered in all 50 states at the same price whether you run it in one state or all 50; the pricing page says Simple runs basic payroll in one state and Plus adds multi-state payroll. Account setup is free. For companies with more than 10 employees, the payroll page says a dedicated team imports your data into Gusto. Free setup is from the pricing page ('Free account setup'). The two state statements are shown as the pages give them. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Basic support in all plans: a 24/7 online Help Center and phone or chat during business hours; the payroll page says human support is available weekdays 6am to 6pm MST. Priority Support is an add-on for Simple and Plus ($30 per month plus $3 per month per person). Premium includes Premium Account Support with a dedicated partner. Hours are from gusto.com/product/payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The pricing page says no contracts and switch or cancel any time; the FAQ says Gusto is month-to-month. No extra charge for off-cycle payrolls or account setup. Extra fees are listed for add-ons, such as next-day, same-day and instant pay, state tax registration, Priority Support, Business Compliance ($85 per month per state on an annual contract) and Remote I-9 ($20 per submission). From the plan header, the add-ons list and the pricing FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Homebase The pricing page lists a free 14-day trial of the All-in-One plan and a free Basic plan, each marked 'No credit card required'. For payroll it advertises 'First 6 months free' (and 6 months of the Plus plan) as a 'limited time offer', terms apply, with no end date shown. After that payroll is $49 per month plus $6 per month per employee paid. The pages show no effective date. The page does not say whether the 14-day trial includes payroll; it says payroll can be added to any plan. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Payroll add-on: $49 per month base fee plus $6 per month per employee paid (regular price, USD, US site, pay as you go). Promotion shown on the pricing page: first 6 months free as a limited-time offer, with the regular price beside it; the page also shows '$29 per month for teams up to 5' without saying what it covers. Payroll is added to a Homebase plan, including the free Basic plan (1 location, up to 10 employees). The payroll page at joinhomebase.com/payroll gives the same $49 plus $6 and says only employees who get paid are charged. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Base fee plus a per-employee fee for payroll, sold as an add-on to a Homebase plan (Basic, Essentials, Plus or All-in-One, which are priced per location). Only employees who get paid are charged. Unlimited payroll runs. The prices of the other plans were not compared here. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page lists 'Automated tax calculation, filing, and payment' and 'Automated payroll tax payments & filings', and says 1099s, W-2s, tax filings and amendments are included. It does not name federal, state or local filing. No separate fee for filing is stated on the page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Direct deposit and printable checks are listed, along with next-day payroll, and 2-day direct deposit 'for qualified companies'. Unlimited payroll runs, bonus and commission payments, and multiple locations in one run (same EIN, same pay schedule) are listed. The pages read give no other direct deposit timeline. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page lists W-2s and 1099s as included and lists W-9 among the forms new hires complete. The pages read do not say whether contractors can be paid through Homebase payroll or give a per-contractor fee. Not stated is not no: contractor payments may exist and were not described on the pages read. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Time clocks, online timesheets, scheduling and paid-time-off tracking are part of Homebase plans, and payroll runs from the timesheets. The payroll page lists '401K, workers' comp, and healthcare benefit integrations' without naming the partners. A Tip Manager add-on is $25 per month per location. The Tip Manager price is from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page lists a QuickBooks Online accounting integration. The integrations page lists syncs or timesheet exports from Homebase to other payroll providers, including Gusto, QuickBooks Online Plus, ADP RUN and Paychex. The other-provider list is from joinhomebase.com/integrations. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page says payroll is available to US-based customers in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Setup and data transfer are free: a dedicated payroll expert migrates your data and gets you live 'within a week', with 'No implementation fees'. The pages show no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page lists live human support from 7am to 7pm CT and onboarding from a dedicated payroll expert. The pricing page's plan table has rows for 24/7 AI chat support and a Help Center and for live support by chat and phone; which plans include each was not read. The AI chat and live support rows are from the pricing page plan table. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page says 'Pay as you go. Cancel any time.' and the pricing page says you can change plan or cancel any time. Unlimited payroll runs; 1099s, W-2s, tax filings and amendments are included; setup and transfer are free. Other add-ons are priced separately. The change-or-cancel wording is from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Justworks No free trial or free first month is listed on the pricing or payroll pages read. Not stated is not no. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2013 to 2026. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Payroll plan: $50 per month base fee plus $8 per month per employee (regular price, USD, US site, billed monthly). No promotion is shown. The two PEO plans are priced per employee only, with no base fee: PEO Basic $79 and PEO Plus $124 per month per employee. The pricing FAQ gives the same Payroll price ('$8 per month per employee plus a $50 base fee'). Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Payroll: base fee plus a per-employee fee. Part-time employees (29 or fewer expected hours per week) cost $8 per part-time employee per month on Payroll. US-based contractors and vendors are $8 per paid contractor per month, charged only in months payments are processed. Payroll customers are billed monthly for every active member on the 15th of the following month. PEO plans are per employee per month with no base fee. From the pricing FAQ on billing and contractors. The FAQ says any size company can be on Justworks Payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The Payroll plan lists 'Employer Payroll Tax Filings' and 'W-2 & 1099 Filings', and federal and state compliance alerts. The pages read do not name federal, state or local filing in that listing and list no separate fee for the filings. The platform payroll page lists the same items. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Salaried employees can be paid weekly, biweekly (current and in arrears), semi-monthly or monthly, and hourly employees weekly or biweekly. Off-cycle payments and holiday pay are listed, and one-time payments are 'at no added cost'. Direct deposit timing and paper checks are not stated on the pages read. Pay schedules are from the payroll page FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 US-based contractors and vendors can be paid and managed alongside employees as an add-on at $8 per paid contractor per month, charged only in months payments are processed. W-2 and 1099 filings are listed in the Payroll plan. International contractors are an add-on at $39 per month per paid contractor, plus exchange rate fees. The international figure is from the pricing FAQ on contractors. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 A 'Justworks Payroll + Health Insurance' add-on gives access to medical, dental and vision insurance plus COBRA administration at $8 per month per benefits-eligible employee. Justworks Time Tracking is an add-on at $8 per month per employee for Payroll, Basic and Plus plans, and the Payroll plan is listed with access to Time Tracking and basic timecards. 401(k) retirement plans are listed in the Payroll plan. A Health Insurance Reimbursements (CHOICE) option through Thatch is $25 per month per enrolled employee. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The Payroll plan lists 'Accounting Software Integrations' and the page links to an integrations page; the pages read do not name the accounting software. The integrations page was not read. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page says Justworks Payroll is available in all 50 US states and covers remote employees across the US (the business must register in each employee's state). Setup can take 'as little as 30 minutes' and 'as few as two business days' to start paying. 'No Implementation Fee'. Dedicated onboarding support is offered when switching from another provider. The no-implementation-fee line is from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The Payroll plan lists human support by phone, email and chat plus a 24/7 resource center. The pricing FAQ gives a phone number for Payroll customers and mentions email, chat and Slack. Support hours are not stated on the pages read. The phone, chat and Slack wording is from the pricing FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The pages read state no contract term or cancellation terms. The FAQ says you can switch between plans or products, including Payroll and PEO, and to tell support a month or more ahead if possible. Billing is monthly, with 'No Implementation Fee'. Extra fees are listed for add-ons such as contractors, time tracking and health insurance access. Not stated is not no. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
OnPay OnPay lists 'Get one month free' and says that during the free month you get full access to its payroll and HR tools and can run as many pay runs as you like. The free 30 days begin once the company setup steps are done and the bank account is verified. The pages read do not say whether a credit card is required. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2026. The pages also say 'one month' in some places and '30 days' in others. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Payroll Essentials: $49 per month base fee plus $6 per month per worker paid (employee or contractor), regular price, USD, US site. The page footer says 'Pricing starts at $55 per month', which is this plan for one worker. The free first month is the only promotion shown. The pricing link at onpay.com/pricing redirects to a page for accounting partners, which shows the same $49 plus $6. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 A base fee plus a per-worker fee on one base plan; only workers on payroll that month are counted, and the page's calculator counts salaried, hourly and independent-contractor workers. Add-ons: HR (+$15 base and $2 per worker), Time Tracking (+$15 base and $4 per worker), Compliance Resources (+$10 base) and Live HR Support (+$65 base). Bundles of these are shown at discounts. Add-on prices are as shown on the page, which does not label a billing term for them. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The base plan lists 'All federal, state, and local tax filings and payments' and year-end filings, W-2s and 1099s, with 941 and 943 filings both supported. Workers can be paid in as many states as you need at no additional cost, and state tax registrations are automatic. The page's 'no hidden fees' box repeats that W-2s, 1099s, year-end filings and federal, state and local filings are included. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Pay by direct deposit, check or prepaid debit card. Unlimited pay runs with no per-run fees, extra runs for bonuses or commissions, and the option to edit or cancel a pay run. Direct deposit timing is not stated on the pages read. The direct deposit service page was read and gave no timeline. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 W-2 employees and 1099 contractors are paid in the same pay run 'at no extra charge' per the payroll FAQ, and year-end 1099 filings and forms are included in the base plan. The page's calculator shows 'Paying contractors only' with the same $49 base plus $6 per worker. The calculator wording is from onpay.com/payroll/software/costs-pricing/. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Benefits administration is listed in the base plan: group health, dental and vision plans, automated plan administration (you pay premiums only), licensed in-house benefits agents, self-service open enrollment and automated payroll deductions. Workers' comp and 401(k) are integrated (premiums only). Time Tracking is an add-on (+$15 base and $4 per worker) with time clocks, timesheets and overtime rules. From the Benefits, Time Tracking and features sections of the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page names QuickBooks, Xero, TurboTax, Vestwell and ERGO NEXT, and the base plan lists accounting and time-tracking integrations with 'no added integration fees'. The site has an app directory. The app directory was not read in full. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The pricing page says workers can be paid across all 50 states at no additional cost for multiple states, with automatic state tax registrations. Setup is free and includes free migration of prior wage and employee data and dedicated onboarding support; the page lists 'No implementation or integration fees'. The payroll FAQ at onpay.com/payroll/software/ says taxes are filed across all 50 US states plus the District of Columbia. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Phone, email and live chat support for all clients, with extended hours listed as 9am to 8pm on weekdays (time zone not stated). The payroll page also lists 'Unlimited phone, email, and chat'. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The page lists W-2s, 1099s, year-end filings, unlimited pay runs, multi-state pay, support by phone, chat and email, and setup as included, with no implementation or integration fees. A contract term and cancellation terms are not stated on the pages read. Other fees are the add-ons and bundles above. Not stated is not no. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Patriot Software The pricing page lists '30 days free + 50% off for 3 months'. The FAQ says Patriot has no free payroll tier but offers a 30-day free trial for all its software products, then 50% off for 3 months. The pages read do not say whether a credit card is required to start the trial. The FAQ wording is from the FAQ section lower on the same pricing page. The pages show no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Basic Payroll: $17 per month base fee plus $4 per month per employee or contractor paid (regular price, USD, US site, billed monthly). Promotion shown on the pricing page: 50% off for the first 3 months ($8.50 plus $2 per worker), with the regular price beside it. Full Service Payroll is $37 plus $5 per worker (promotion $18.50 plus $2.50). The regular and promotional figures are stated in the page's structured data as well as in its markup. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 A base fee plus a fee per worker paid, in two payroll plans. You are charged on the first of each month; a worker not paid in a month is not charged for that month, and in months with no payroll only the base price applies. Time & Attendance and HR are add-ons at $6 per month plus $2 per employee (regular price). Supports 1 to 500 employees. The billing and size statements are from the FAQ at patriotsoftware.com/faqs/. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Full Service Payroll files and deposits federal, state and local payroll taxes ('federal, state, and most local taxes'), with year-end payroll tax filings at no additional fee (Forms 940, 941, W-2, W-3). Each additional state costs $12 per month. Basic Payroll, the lowest-priced plan, lists no tax filings. The FAQ says Full Service does not handle IRS Form 943. The $12 multi-state fee and the Form 943 wording are from patriotsoftware.com/payroll/ and /faqs/. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Free direct deposit: standard 4-day, expedited 2-day for qualifying customers, plus payroll prefunding or customer-initiated funding by bank wire or instant payments. You can also print or handwrite checks. Unlimited payrolls and off-cycle payroll options. A commercial or business bank account is needed for direct deposit. The bank account requirement is from the FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 1099 contractors are paid in the same payroll run, by direct deposit if enabled, with a free contractor portal. Optional 1099 e-filing (1099-NEC and 1099-MISC) is included with Full Service and carries a 'nominal fee' on Basic Payroll (amount not stated). Contractors count toward the per-worker-paid fee. The per-worker wording is from the pricing page's structured data ('per employee or contractor'). Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Health, dental and vision plans through a free integration with SimplyInsured; 401(k) through Vestwell; pay-as-you-go workers' comp through ERGO NEXT. A Time & Attendance add-on ($6 per month plus $2 per employee, regular price) imports hours into payroll. The add-on price is from the pricing page; the time and attendance features page was read for its feature list only. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page names free integrations with SimplyInsured, Vestwell and ERGO NEXT, and QuickBooks (sync to QuickBooks Online, export to QuickBooks Desktop). Patriot's accounting software integrates with its payroll. Other integrations were not listed on the pages read. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Full Service files in all 50 states, at $12 per month for each additional state. Free payroll setup help is offered (entering employee data and year-to-date payroll) after you sign up for the free trial, and the FAQ says there are no setup fees. Available only to companies with employees working in the USA. The pages show no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Free US-based support by phone, email and chat, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Hours are as the contact page lists them. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The FAQ says 'No long-term contracts here. You can cancel anytime, without penalty.' The terms of service describe a monthly subscription that renews each month. No setup fees or other hidden fees per the FAQ. Listed extras: $12 per month for each additional state, Time & Attendance and HR add-ons, and a nominal 1099 e-filing fee on Basic. The monthly renewal wording is from patriotsoftware.com/about/terms/. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
QuickBooks Payroll The offer terms list a free 30-day trial for new subscriptions. It applies to the monthly base price only, not to per-employee fees, per-contractor fees or state tax filing fees, and you are charged automatically at the end of the trial. The pages read do not say that no credit card is required. From the 'Important pricing details' section, which opens on the page. A plain request to the site failed, so the page was read in a browser. The page shows no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Workforce Payroll: $50 per month base fee plus $7 per month per employee (regular price, USD, US site, billed monthly). Promotion for new customers: 50% off the base fee for the first 3 months ($25 per month plus the same $7 per employee); the terms say the discount does not apply to per-employee fees, per-contractor fees or state tax filing fees. Premium is $88 plus $13 and Elite is $134 plus $17 per employee. The page shows the regular price struck through beside the promotional figure. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 A base fee plus a per-employee fee in three plans. On Workforce Payroll the contractor price is shown as '+$7/employee/contractor'. The offer terms list per-contractor fees and state tax filing fees as separate from the per-employee fee; amounts are not on the pricing page. The contractor line is from quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/contractor-payments/, which also sells a contractor-only product that was not compared. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Workforce Payroll lists full service payroll with automated tax payments and filings for state and federal taxes once tax setup is done; certain local taxes are available in Premium and Elite only. The offer terms list 'state tax filing fees' as separate. 1099 e-file is included (federal e-file for the current year and for payments recorded in QuickBooks, with state filings for eligible states; mailing copies may cost extra). From the plan cards and the feature footnotes in the pricing details section. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Next-day direct deposit on Workforce Payroll (subject to eligibility and cut-off times; contractors cost an additional fee). Same-day direct deposit for employees only in Premium and Elite. Auto payroll is available after the first successful run for salaried or default-hours hourly employees with direct deposit. Paper checks and off-cycle runs are not mentioned on the pages read. Not stated is not no. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Contractors are paid by direct deposit at '+$7/employee/contractor' on Workforce Payroll, and 1099 E-File is listed in all three plans (see the Tax filing row for its limits). Automated 1099s are an add-on with additional fees and need QuickBooks Online or Intuit Enterprise Suite. Next-day deposit for contractors costs an additional fee. The $7 contractor figure is from quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/contractor-payments/. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Health benefits for your team are listed in every plan: insurance information is provided by Intuit Insurance Services through a partnership with Allstate Health Solutions, with plans sold separately, and benefits administration is sold separately for 20 or more employees. 401(k) plans are by Vestwell and workers' comp is by NEXT (not available in OH, ND, WA and WY). Time tracking is included in Premium and Elite only. From the plan cards, the FAQ and the feature footnotes. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Payroll syncs with QuickBooks Online ('Payroll and books, finally in sync'); payroll cost allocation by class or project needs QuickBooks Online Plus, Advanced or Intuit Enterprise Suite. Background checks are through Checkr (Checkr's fees apply). Other integrations are not named on the pages read. The Checkr and cost allocation wording is from the pricing page footnotes. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The FAQ says QuickBooks will help transfer existing payroll information. Guided Setup is a free one-time 60-minute virtual session for new customers within their first 30 days who have not yet run payroll (no data migration). Premium includes an expert review of your setup and Elite has an expert set up payroll for you. Which states are covered is not stated on the pages read. Not stated is not no. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Phone and chat support during business hours in all plans; weekend phone and chat support only with Premium and Elite. A sales line is listed on the page. Hours beyond 'business hours' are not given. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The offer terms describe monthly subscriptions charged monthly at the then-current price until you cancel; no contract term is displayed on the pages read. Fees named as separate: per-employee and per-contractor fees, state tax filing fees, Checkr background checks, mailed 1099 copies, automated 1099s and benefits administration. The page's markup contains the words 'No annual contract' and 'Cancel anytime' in a checkout box that was not displayed, so they are not used here. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Square Payroll No free trial or free first month is listed on the Square Payroll pages read. Not stated is not no. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2026. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Full-service payroll: $35 per month base fee plus $6 per month per employee or contractor paid (regular price, USD, US site, no commitment). Contractor-only payroll is $6 per month per person paid with no base fee and does not pay employees or file federal and state payroll taxes. No promotion is shown on the pages read. The FAQ on the same page states both prices. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Full-service payroll: a base fee plus a monthly fee per person paid. Contractor-only payroll: a monthly fee per person paid with no base fee. Mailed paper copies of W-2s and 1099s cost an annual $3 per mailed form. Health insurance, 401(k) and workers' comp are add-ons. From the plan comparison table. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Full-service payroll lists automated federal and state tax payments and filings (state income taxes and state unemployment tax where applicable) at no additional charge, new-hire reporting, and Form W-2 and 1099-NEC delivery, with multiple tax jurisdiction support. The small-business page says Square Payroll handles sending and filing 1099-NEC forms and Forms 940, 941, 944, W-2 and W-3. Local taxes are not named as filed on the pages read. The contractor-only plan does not include federal or state tax filings but does include 1099-NEC filing for contractors. The 'at no additional charge' wording is from the help article at squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5683-square-payroll-federal-tax-filings; the form list is from squareup.com/us/en/payroll/small-business. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Pay by check, direct deposit or Cash App. Two-day and four-day direct deposit are listed: the page says qualifying businesses can apply for two-day payroll, which shortens the time needed to submit payroll to two business days instead of four. Next-day direct deposit is listed in full-service. Instant Payments let you use funds in your Square balance to run payroll as little as one day before pay day. Unlimited pay runs and off-cycle payments are listed in full-service. The Instant Payments wording is from the FAQ at squareup.com/us/en/payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Contractor-only payroll is $6 per month per person paid, and Square says it will generate, prepare and file Form 1099-NEC online for you. Full-service payroll pays any combination of W-2 employees and contractors. Contractors can download their 1099-NEC from their accounts. Mailed paper copies cost an annual $3 per form. The paper copy fee is from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Health insurance (medical, dental and vision) through Square's partner SimplyInsured is an add-on whose deductions and company contributions sync with payroll; 401(k) and workers' comp are add-ons. Time tracking and scheduling are listed in the plan: timecard import from Square POS or the Square Team App, scheduling up to 10 days out, direct-tip tracking and overtime calculations. The partner name is from squareup.com/us/en/payroll/health-benefits. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 QuickBooks Online integration is listed in both plans. Square Payroll is integrated with Square POS (timecards and tips) and the Square Team App, and employees can be paid to Cash App accounts. Other integrations are not named on the pages read. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Full-service lists multi-state payroll and multiple tax jurisdiction support (the contractor-only plan does not). The help article says you can set up locations across multiple states and localities, and you must provide state tax account numbers for each. Live support for account setup and 'simple onboarding' are listed, and the FAQ says dedicated payroll specialists help with switching. No setup fee is listed on the pages read. The multiple-jurisdiction wording is from squareup.com/help/us/en/article/7624-paying-employees-in-different-tax-jurisdictions. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Square Payroll specialist support Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT in both plans, with live support for account setup, an online support center and the Seller Community. Channels beyond these are not described on the page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The pages say there is no commitment and no long-term contract, and you can cancel any time. Unlimited pay runs per month. Extra fees: mailed paper copies of W-2s and 1099s at an annual $3 per form, paid amendment services and the add-ons. The cancel-any-time wording is from squareup.com/us/en/payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
SurePayroll No free trial is listed on the pages read. The pages list a limited-time offer of free payroll on alternate months during the first 12 months (terms apply). Not stated is not no. The pages do not say whether a card is needed for the offer. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 No Tax Filing plan: $20 per month base fee plus $4 per month per employee (you file and deposit payroll taxes yourself). Full Service plan: $29 per month base fee plus $7 per month per employee, with taxes filed and deposited. Regular prices, USD, US site, billed monthly. Promotion shown: every other month free during the first 12 months (terms apply). The pricing page at surepayroll.com/pricing shows 'Starting at $29/month' and a $7 per worker calculator for Full Service only. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 A base fee plus a per-employee fee. The first state is included; multi-state payroll is $9.99 per month, and 'a separate fee applies to areas that require local taxes' (amount not stated). Year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms are billed annually at a $50 base fee plus $5 per form. Add-ons: accounting software integration $4.99 per month, timeclock integration from $5 per month plus $3 per employee, employment law plans from $30 per month. The pages show no effective date; the footer shows 2026. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Full Service files and deposits payroll taxes; the payroll page FAQ says it files federal, state and local payroll taxes, while the pricing page says a separate fee applies to areas that require local taxes. Year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms are prepared and filed for $50 plus $5 per form, billed annually. On the No Tax Filing plan you are responsible for filing and depositing all payroll taxes. The FAQ and plan descriptions are from surepayroll.com/payroll. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Free 2-day direct deposit, unlimited payroll runs with no extra charge for off-cycle runs, and automatic payroll scheduling. Paper checks are not mentioned on the pages read. The off-cycle wording is from surepayroll.com/solutions/independent-contractor. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 W-2 employees and 1099 contractors can be paid in the same run, both by direct deposit, and SurePayroll prepares and files Form 1099-NEC; year-end forms are billed annually at $50 plus $5 per form. The pages read do not say whether contractors count in the per-employee fee. The annual form fee is from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 SurePayroll says it is partnered with Paychex Insurance Agency, Inc., which sells and services health insurance; 401(k) plans, workers' compensation and employment law plans are also listed. A timeclock software integration add-on (from $5 per month plus $3 per employee) imports hours; the pages read name no time clock and do not describe SurePayroll's own time tracking. The timeclock price is from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 An accounting software integration add-on ($4.99 per month) and a timeclock software integration add-on (from $5 per month plus $3 per employee) are listed; the pages read do not name the software. Not stated is not no. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The first state is included and multi-state payroll is $9.99 per month; areas that require local taxes carry a separate fee. Onboarding with help from real humans is listed as free, and the FAQ says the team will help migrate your data at no extra cost. The migration wording is from the payroll page FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Live phone and chat support is listed with the plans. The contact page lists customer support by phone Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT and sales support Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT; calls after hours are returned the next business day. The 'live phone and chat' wording is from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page says 'Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.' and 'there's no contract holding you here'. Extra fees: multi-state payroll $9.99 per month, local-tax areas, year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms at $50 plus $5 per form, and the add-ons above. The pages show no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Wave Payroll Wave lists a 30-day free payroll trial that starts when you approve your first payroll. The help article says you can enter card details at any time during the trial and that billing starts when the trial ends; it does not say that a card is not required to start. A Wave blog post dated May 4, 2018 says you do not need to enter a credit card. The payroll page says you can use Wave Payroll for up to 30 days, commitment-free. The 2018 post is old and is not used for the tag. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 US payroll: $40 per month base fee plus $6 per month per active employee plus $6 per month per independent contractor paid (USD, US site, monthly fee). The prices apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025. One plan; no promotion is shown. Read on the US tab; the Canada tab shows a different price in CAD. Customers who joined before April 2, 2025 are told of changes in their account. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 A base fee plus a fee per active employee and per independent contractor paid, on one plan. The page says there are no set-up fees or hidden charges. Since April 2, 2025 the price is the same in all US states, because Wave's tax service is now offered in all 50 states. From the pricing section and its FAQ. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 In the US, Wave says it will automatically transfer tax payments and file the paperwork with your state tax agency and the IRS, excluding 1099 filings. The help article says Wave handles payment and filing of federal and state taxes, and that its tax engine computes state, federal and local or district taxes. Local tax filing is not named. W-2 and W-3 forms are generated. In rare cases tax payments may not be automatically transferred, per the page. The engine wording is from the help article. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Unlimited free direct deposits. Funding typically takes three business days from approval if you approve before 3:00 PM Eastern, and the help article also describes paying employees outside Wave. Paper checks and off-cycle runs are not mentioned on the pages read. The unlimited free direct deposits line is from the payroll page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Employees and independent contractors can be paid when you run payroll, at $6 per month per contractor paid. Wave generates W-2, W-3 and 1099-NEC forms, but its tax service excludes 1099 filings. The pages read do not say who files the 1099-NEC. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The pages read name no health benefits administration and no time tracking. They list leave-time and accrual tracking and reports of wage and tax payments. Not stated is not no. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Payroll connects with Wave's accounting, invoicing and online payments, with automatic payroll journal entries. In the US, Wave says it partners with Check for payroll and tax services. Other integrations are not named on the pages read. The Check partnership wording is from the US setup help article. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The tax service is offered in all 50 US states. Setup steps include agreeing to Check's terms of service, authorizing direct deposit and connecting a business checking account to fund payroll and taxes. Switching from another provider is by importing forms and information. The page says there are no set-up fees. The 50-state and no set-up fee wording is from the payroll page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The Help Center and the Mave chatbot are available 24/7. The support team is available Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern by email and live chat, with no inbound phone line. The payroll page lists a priority live chat connection Monday to Friday. The priority chat line is from the payroll page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The payroll page lists no long-term contracts and says you can deactivate your payroll account at any time (Settings, Billing, Deactivate). After the trial you need an active subscription to run payroll and to access the tax service and documents. No set-up fees or hidden charges are stated. The active subscription wording is from the payroll subscription help article. Verified · Nov 2, 2026
Zoho Payroll A 14-day free trial with 'unrestricted access to all the features', and 'No credit card information required', per the pricing page FAQ. The help article says you can upgrade to a paid plan during or after the trial. The upgrade wording is from the subscriptions help article. The pages show no effective date. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Standard: $29 per month per organization (base fee) plus $5 per month per employee when billed annually, or $39 plus $6 per month per employee when billed monthly (regular price, USD, US site; prices exclude local taxes). Professional is $49 plus $7 billed annually or $59 plus $8.50 billed monthly. No promotion is shown. Both billing terms are shown on the page's Monthly and Yearly switch, which only changes the displayed prices. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 A base fee per organization plus a per-employee fee, in two plans. Per-use charges are listed: next-day processing $3 per employee (for businesses approved for accelerated processing), mailed W-2s $3 per employee, wire transfer $10 per transfer, amended tax return $150 per filing, delayed tax filing $150 per filing, employer fund transfer failure $100 per return and failed employee payment $8 per employee. The help article describes these as charges applied when relevant; it gives the delayed filing fee as for late filings caused by unavoidable circumstances. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Standard lists 'Automatic federal, state, and local tax payment and filings'. The features page says Zoho Payroll generates IRS forms 940, 941 and 944 and state forms and sends year-end W-2s through the employee portal. The only filing-related fees listed are for an amended return and a delayed filing ($150 each). The forms wording is from zoho.com/us/payroll/features/. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Direct deposit in 2-day and 4-day timelines, with paychecks that can be printed. Off-cycle pay runs are listed in Standard, and next-day processing is a $3 per employee charge for approved businesses. Pay schedules are weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, semi-monthly and quarterly. The timelines are from zoho.com/us/payroll/pricing-comparison/ and the printing line is from the features page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Not publicly stated The pricing, features, plan comparison and integrations pages read do not mention contractors or Form 1099. Not stated is not no. Benefits management is listed in Standard, with over 16 prebuilt benefits that include health insurance and retirement plans, plus leave and paid-time-off policies; the pages read do not name an insurance partner. Time tracking of hours is not named; the pages list paid time off and time-off tracking. The benefits management line is also on the pricing page plan list. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 The integrations page names Zoho Books and Zoho Expense, and the plans list payroll-accounting and payroll-expense integration. Third-party accounting software is not named on the pages read. Not stated is not no. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Standard lists single-state payroll for all 50 states; Professional adds multi-state payroll. The features page says you can import historic payroll data and switch at any time during the year. No setup fee is listed on the pages read. The import wording is from the features page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Voice and email support in both plans, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM ET. Chat support is not mentioned on the pages read. Verified · Nov 2, 2026 Plans are billed monthly or annually. You can cancel in a few steps, choosing to end the subscription now or at the end of the billing cycle, and your data stays available in read-only mode. The pages read state no contract term. Extra fees are the per-use charges listed above. The billing options are from the pricing page. Verified · Nov 2, 2026

Questions

How were these payroll services chosen?

Each runs payroll for US small businesses, shows plan prices (a base fee, a per-employee fee, or both) on its own site and was on sale on the check date. The starting list was Gusto, ADP RUN, Paychex Flex, OnPay, Rippling, QuickBooks Payroll, Paycor, Patriot Software, Square Payroll, Wave Payroll, Justworks, TriNet, Homebase, Zoho Payroll and Check, and searches added SurePayroll, Eddy and Payroll4Free. Eleven met the rule: Eddy, Gusto, Homebase, Justworks, OnPay, Patriot Software, QuickBooks Payroll, Square Payroll, SurePayroll, Wave Payroll and Zoho Payroll. The page holds at most ten, so one extra rule was applied to all eleven the same way: payroll must be sold as a plan of its own or as an add-on to a free plan, not only as an add-on to a paid plan of the vendor's other software. Eddy's price page lists payroll under add-ons to its paid HR plans, so it is set aside and not listed; that says nothing about its quality. Not listed because no price is published: ADP RUN, Paychex Flex, Paycor and TriNet (quote or request forms; Paycor's page names plans but shows no amounts), Rippling (a custom quote; its page gives a general from-$8-per-employee figure and no payroll price) and Payroll4Free (free for up to nine paid people, with optional paid services and extra-state fees that have no amounts). Check sells payroll to software platforms, not to small businesses, and publishes no price. Justworks is listed by its Payroll plan; its PEO plans, where Justworks becomes co-employer, publish a per-employee price like the others, so no PEO was set aside for lack of one. Gusto, ADP and QuickBooks refused or failed plain requests and were read in a browser; none was left out for access. The page lists the ten in alphabetical order and does not rank them.

Where do the prices come from?

Each provider's own pricing page, plan and feature pages, help centre and terms, in US dollars, read on 2026-11-02. Each price says the plan, the billing term and any promotion, with the regular price beside it where the page shows one: Patriot Software's 50% off for 3 months, QuickBooks' 50% off the base fee for 3 months, Homebase's 6 months of free payroll, SurePayroll's free alternate months and Zoho's different monthly and annual prices. Prices here are base fee plus per-employee fee per month; a per-employee fee is charged per person paid, so what a business actually pays depends on headcount and add-ons. Several pages build prices with scripts or refuse plain requests and were read in a browser, where plan switches were used only to read other displayed prices. This page compares published plan terms; it is not tax, legal or HR advice and does not say how any worker should be classified or which taxes apply. Prices and offers change often, so check the provider before you buy.

What does "Not publicly stated" mean?

The provider's pages did not say. It does not mean the answer is no.

Sources

Every fact above links to the page it came from. 32 pages, each with the date we checked it.

Cite this page: All Things Compared, "Small-business payroll software, compared", facts checked Nov 2, 2026. https://allthingscompared.com/small-business-payroll-software/

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