How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Cheap payroll means the all-in monthly cost, not the base fee: a 17 dollar base plan without tax filing can cost more than a 40 dollar full-service plan once filing is added.
- Patriot Full Service at 37 dollars plus 5 dollars per worker is the lowest published full-service price, at 87 dollars per month for 10 workers.
- For 5 employees, all-in monthly costs range from 37 dollars on Patriot Basic to about 70 dollars on Gusto Simple and OnPay.
- Tax filing is the key difference between cheap and full-service plans: Basic plans calculate pay but leave filing to you, while full-service plans file and pay taxes for you.
- Payroll tax rules vary by state, and this guide is general information only, not tax advice, so confirm details with your accountant before choosing.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Patriot Software | Lowest full-service price | $17 per month | No |
 Square Payroll | Retail and restaurant teams on Square | $35 per month | No |
 Gusto | Small teams wanting payroll plus HR | $49 per month | No |
 OnPay | Simple full-service payroll | $40 per month | No |
 QuickBooks Payroll | QuickBooks Online users | $45 per month | No |
 Wagepoint | Smallest US and Canada teams | $20 per month | No |
 SurePayroll | Low-cost payroll outsourcing | $19.99 per month | No |
 Payroll4Free | Free base for teams under 25 | Free | Yes |
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The best cheap payroll software
Starting price$17 per month
Free planNo
Patriot Software is the budget leader, with Basic payroll at 17 dollars per month plus 4 dollars per worker paid, and Full Service at 37 dollars plus 5 dollars per worker, which includes tax filing. For 10 workers, Full Service costs 87 dollars per month, the lowest published full-service price on this list, and for 5 workers, Basic costs 37 dollars per month. Patriot also offers 30 days free, then 50 percent off for 3 months, which lowers the first-year cost further.
The drawbacks are filing gaps and feature limits. Basic calculates pay but does not file taxes, so owners who pick Basic to save money must handle filings themselves or upgrade, and HR and benefits add-ons are limited next to Gusto. Patriot suits budget-conscious teams that want the lowest full-service price and do not need a full HR suite.
What we like- Basic plan at 17 dollars plus 4 dollars per worker
- Full Service at 37 dollars plus 5 dollars
- 30 days free then 50 percent off for 3 months
Watch out for- Tax filing only in Full Service
- Basic year-end filings can cost extra
- Limited HR and benefits add-ons
#2Square Payroll
Best for: Retail and restaurant teams on Square4.2/5 on
G2 (31 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit squareup.com
Starting price$35 per month
Free planNo
Square Payroll costs 35 dollars per month plus 6 dollars per person paid, with tax filing, direct deposit, and unlimited pay runs included, which puts a 10-person team at 95 dollars per month. Its strength is integration: businesses already using Square point of sale and timecards get hours flowing into payroll automatically, which cuts manual entry for hourly retail and restaurant teams. Contractor payments are also included, which suits businesses with mixed staff.
The limits are scope and ecosystem fit. Square Payroll has no HR or benefits suite, so growing teams eventually need a second system, and businesses outside the Square ecosystem gain less from the integration. Square Payroll suits retail and food businesses already running Square that want simple, full-service payroll.
What we like- 35 dollars plus 6 dollars per person paid
- Unlimited pay runs
- Integrates with Square POS and timecards
Watch out for- No HR or benefits suite
- Per-person fee counts only workers paid
- Less suited outside Square ecosystem
#3Gusto
Best for: Small teams wanting payroll plus HR4.6/5 on
G2 (13,355 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit gusto.com
Starting price$49 per month
Free planNo
Gusto is the default recommendation for a typical American small business, with Simple at 49 dollars plus 6 dollars per person, Plus at 80 dollars plus 12 dollars, and Premium at 180 dollars plus 22 dollars. Simple covers full-service federal and state tax filing, contractor payments, direct deposit, and new-hire onboarding where employees enter their own tax and bank details. Add-ons for health benefits, workers compensation, and time tracking turn Gusto into a light HR suite without a second vendor.
The drawbacks are small-team cost and international limits. A two-person company pays 61 dollars a month for a tiny payroll run, which stings when Patriot does the same math for less, and Gusto assumes a US-based team, so hiring abroad needs a second solution. Gusto suits domestic teams of roughly 5 to 100 people that want polish plus HR features.
What we like- Simple plan at 49 dollars plus 6 dollars per person
- Full-service tax filing
- Onboarding, benefits, and time tracking
Watch out for- Pricey for very small teams
- International payroll limited
- Higher tiers cost 80 and 180 dollars
#4OnPay
Best for: Simple full-service payroll4.8/5 on
G2 (407 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit onpay.com
Starting price$40 per month
Free planNo
OnPay charges 40 dollars per month plus 6 dollars per person, with full-service tax filing, direct deposit, and contractor payments included, which puts a 5-person team at 70 dollars and a 10-person team at 109 dollars per month. Its strength is multi-state simplicity: businesses with employees in several states get filings handled without the per-state surcharges some rivals add. Support by phone and email is included, and the interface stays simple for owners who run payroll themselves.
The limits are HR depth and extras. OnPay HR and benefits features trail Gusto, and there is no free tier for testing, though trials are available. OnPay suits small businesses that want simple, full-service payroll with multi-state coverage at a mid-range price.
What we like- 40 dollars plus 6 dollars per person
- Full-service tax filing
- Multi-state simplicity
- Phone and email support
Watch out for- Fewer HR features than Gusto
- No free tier
- Benefits add-ons cost extra
Starting price$45 per month
Free planNo
QuickBooks Payroll starts at 45 dollars per month plus 5 to 6.50 dollars per employee depending on plan, with tax filing on select plans, and it is sold bundled with QuickBooks Online accounting. That bundling is the main advantage: payroll entries flow into your books automatically, which saves reconciliation time for businesses already running QuickBooks. A mid-level bundle lists at 125 dollars per month, with promotions of 50 percent off for 3 months shown.
The drawbacks are bundle cost and complexity. Businesses not already on QuickBooks pay for accounting they may not need, and list prices for bundles reach 88 to 125 dollars before per-employee fees. QuickBooks Payroll suits businesses already on QuickBooks Online that want payroll inside their accounting system.
What we like- Deep QuickBooks accounting integration
- Tax filing on select plans
- Payroll data flows into books automatically
Watch out for- Sold bundled with QuickBooks accounting
- List prices reach 88 to 125 dollars for bundles
- Per-employee fee on top
Starting price$20 per month
Free planNo
Wagepoint charges 20 dollars per month plus 3 to 4 dollars per employee, with tax filing included, which puts a 5-person team at about 40 dollars per month, among the lowest full-service totals on this list. It serves the US and Canada, with simple setup and direct deposit, and it suits the smallest teams that want filing included without a large base fee. Its low per-employee fee also keeps costs down as headcount grows slowly.
The limits are support and features. Support is email-only, which frustrates owners who want phone help during a payroll deadline, and HR features are thinner than Gusto or OnPay. Wagepoint suits the smallest US and Canada teams that value low cost and can work with email support.
What we like- Base fee of 20 dollars plus 3 to 4 dollars per employee
- Tax filing included
- Simple setup for US and Canada
Watch out for- Email-only support
- Fewer HR features
- Smaller brand than Gusto or Patriot
#7SurePayroll
Best for: Low-cost payroll outsourcing4.3/5 on
G2 (538 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit surepayroll.com
Starting price$19.99 per month
Free planNo
SurePayroll charges 19.99 dollars per month plus 4 dollars per employee, with tax filing included, and total monthly costs usually land at 39 to 52 dollars for small teams once tax rates and fees are counted. It positions itself as payroll outsourcing for small businesses, with phone and chat support, direct deposit, and W-2 and 1099 filing included. For a 5-person team, the estimated total is about 40 dollars per month, close to Wagepoint.
The drawbacks are total cost opacity and integrations. The final bill varies with tax rates, and integrations trail Gusto and QuickBooks. SurePayroll suits small businesses that want low-cost payroll with phone support and do not need deep accounting integration.
What we like- Base fee of 19.99 dollars plus 4 dollars per employee
- Tax filing included
- Phone and chat support
Watch out for- Total monthly cost usually lands at 39 to 52 dollars
- Fewer integrations than Gusto
- Tax rates vary
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Payroll4Free offers a free base plan with no per-employee fee for businesses under 25 staff, covering pay calculation, direct deposit, and year-end forms, which makes it the cheapest starting point on this list. Tax filing costs 15 dollars per month extra, so a team that needs full service pays 15 dollars total, still below every paid rival. That structure suits micro-businesses that want to start free and add filing only when needed.
The limits are support and features. Tax filing is an add-on rather than included, support is email-only, and features trail paid platforms such as Gusto and OnPay. Payroll4Free suits micro-businesses under 25 staff that want a free base and are comfortable handling some payroll tasks themselves.
What we like- Free base plan with no per-employee fee
- Suits teams under 25 staff
- Direct deposit and year-end forms included
Watch out for- Tax filing costs 15 dollars per month extra
- Email support only
- Fewer features than paid rivals
How we chose
We compared base fees, per-employee fees, tax filing inclusion, and all-in monthly costs for 5- and 10-person teams, using 2026 published list prices. We favored full-service plans that file and pay taxes, since Basic plans that only calculate pay shift work back to the owner, and we flagged where promotions such as 50 percent off for 3 months change first-year costs. We did not treat quote-only providers as cheap options, since their prices cannot be compared without a sales conversation.
How to choose the best cheap payroll software
Start by counting your workers and states, then calculate the all-in monthly cost for each provider, including base fee, per-worker fee, tax filing, and multi-state surcharges. Next, decide whether you need full-service filing or can handle filings yourself, since that choice drives the biggest price gap. Then check whether you need time tracking, benefits, or HR tools, which push you toward Gusto or OnPay rather than the cheapest base plan. Finally, confirm your headcount over the next 12 to 24 months, since per-worker fees compound as you hire, and confirm state tax rules with your accountant.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest payroll software for a 5-person team?
Patriot Basic costs about 37 dollars per month for 5 workers, while full-service options start near 40 dollars with Wagepoint and SurePayroll, and 70 dollars with Gusto Simple and OnPay. The cheapest full-service choice depends on whether you need tax filing included.
Does cheap payroll software file my taxes?
It depends on the plan. Full-service plans file and pay federal and state payroll taxes for you, while basic plans calculate pay and leave filing to you. Always check filing inclusion before comparing prices.
Are there hidden fees in payroll software?
Common extras include multi-state filing surcharges of 10 to 20 dollars per state per month, year-end filing batches, same-day deposit fees, and advanced HR modules at 8 to 20 dollars per employee per month. Ask for an itemized quote before signing.
Can I switch payroll providers mid-year?
Yes, but mid-year switches need year-to-date payroll data transferred carefully, so quarter boundaries are cleaner. Most providers offer free migration help, and you should run parallel payrolls for one cycle to catch errors.
Do I need payroll software if I only have contractors?
Contractors still need 1099 filings and payment tracking, and most payroll tools cover contractor payments. If you have no employees at all, a simpler contractor payment tool may cost less than full payroll software.
Is this guide tax advice?
No, this guide is general information only. Payroll tax rules vary by state and change often, so confirm withholding, filing, and deadline requirements with your accountant or a tax professional before making payroll decisions.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.