How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- The shortlist for most small businesses: Gusto ($49/month + $6 per employee), OnPay ($49/month + $6 per worker) and Patriot Full Service ($37/month + $5 per worker), all with published prices and tax filing.
- Already on QuickBooks Online? QuickBooks Payroll ($50/month + $6.50 per employee) fits, but the accounting subscription is extra.
- Restaurants and shops on Square POS should look at Square Payroll ($35/month + $6 per person), where hours and tips sync from the register.
- ADP Run and Paychex Flex publish no prices: get the full fee schedule in writing before comparing.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Gusto | US small businesses from solo owners to ~100 employees | $49/month + $6/employee/month (Simple plan) | No (no free trial advertised) |
 ADP Run | Small businesses that want an established compliance-first provider | See website (all plans custom-quoted) | No (3-month-free promo reported by reviewers, unverified) |
 Paychex Flex | Businesses that want a named payroll specialist | See website (custom quote only) | No (no free trial advertised) |
 QuickBooks Payroll | Small businesses already running QuickBooks Online | $50/month + $6.50/employee/month (Core plan) | Free trial (30 days, per reviewers) |
 Rippling | Startups through enterprises wanting HR, IT and payroll unified | $35/month + $12/employee/month (payroll starting point) | No (no free trial confirmed) |
 OnPay | US small businesses that want one simple flat structure | $49/month + $6/worker/month (single plan) | First month free (no permanent free plan) |
 Patriot Software | Very small US businesses with straightforward payroll and tight budgets | $37/month + $5/worker paid/month (Full Service plan) | Free trial (30 days) |
 SurePayroll | Businesses with 1 to 10 employees that want payroll handled, nothing more | $29/month + $7/employee/month (Full Service plan) | No (promo: 6 months free during the first 12 months, alternating months) |
 Square Payroll | Restaurants, cafes and retail shops already on Square POS | $35/month + $6/person paid/month (full-service payroll) | No (free trial mentioned by reviewers, length unverified) |
Is your product missing or out of date?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.
The best payroll software
Run payroll for 10 people and the quotes you collect will range from $87 a month to over $200, for products that all claim to do the same thing. The difference is the per-employee fees, the tax filings, the direct deposit speed and the add-ons that appear after you sign. These nine services cover the real small-business payroll market, with the per-employee math worked out for each.
#1
Gusto
Best for: US small businesses from solo owners to ~100 employees
Visit gusto.com
Starting price$49/month + $6/employee/month (Simple plan)
Free planNo (no free trial advertised)
Gusto is the default small-business pick for one reason: predictability. Pricing is published, sign-up is self-serve, and a 10-person team on Simple pays $109 per month with unlimited runs. Tax filing covers federal, state and local forms on every plan, with year-end W-2 and 1099 filing included. Integrations cover QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, Expensify and Homebase.
The honest catch is the tier structure. Growing teams realistically need Plus at $80 base plus $12 per employee for multi-state payroll, next-day direct deposit and time tracking; same-day pay is Premium-only. Standard direct deposit on Simple runs about four days. Month-to-month with no contracts.
What we like- Transparent published pricing with no contracts and free setup
- Unlimited payroll runs on every plan with no off-cycle fees
- Full-service tax filing (federal, state, local) plus W-2/1099 generation on all plans
Watch out for- Per-employee fees scale fast as headcount grows
- Time tracking, PTO policies and next-day direct deposit sit on Plus, not Simple
#2
ADP Run
Best for: Small businesses that want an established compliance-first provider
Visit run.adp.com
Starting priceSee website (all plans custom-quoted)
Free planNo (3-month-free promo reported by reviewers, unverified)
ADP Run (RUN Powered by ADP) is the compliance-first pick for businesses with 1 to 49 employees that expect to grow into ADP's bigger products. The concrete strength is depth: automated tax filing with a penalty guarantee, background checks on every plan, SUI management, garnishment handling and HR help desk at higher tiers, backed by ADP's benchmarking data. Because ADP also sells Workforce Now, TotalSource PEO and 140-plus-country payroll, you never outgrow the vendor.
The price of that depth is opacity. ADP publishes nothing; third-party estimates put RUN Essential around $79 per month plus $4 to $5 per employee, but ADP never confirms it. Reviewers report implementation fees, off-cycle run fees and extra year-end charges, and most say RUN costs more than Gusto or Patriot under 20 employees. Setup goes through a sales rep. If you want a price today, look elsewhere.
What we like- Enterprise-grade tax compliance with a penalty guarantee on full-service plans
- Background checks included on all RUN plans
- 900-plus integrations and a product line you never outgrow
Watch out for- Zero price transparency, so buyers enter a sales process blind
- Implementation friction and add-on fees reported by reviewers
#3
Paychex Flex
Best for: Businesses that want a named payroll specialist
Visit paychex.com
Starting priceSee website (custom quote only)
Free planNo (no free trial advertised)
Paychex Flex sells the human touch: a dedicated payroll specialist assigned to your account instead of a rotating support queue. The platform bundles payroll with HR, benefits, retirement and insurance, plus a PEO option. Multi-state compliance handling suits growing companies.
The commercial reality is rougher. Paychex publishes no prices now, so every number online is an estimate and every buyer talks to sales. Reviewers report setup fees, year-end fees, separately billed add-ons and early termination fees of $1,500 to $3,000 on annual contracts. Get the full fee schedule in writing before signing anything.
What we like- A dedicated payroll specialist assigned to your account, the differentiator reviewers cite most
- True all-in-one HR scope (payroll, benefits, retirement, insurance, PEO option)
- Scales from tiny teams to hundreds of employees
Watch out for- No published pricing at all in 2026
- Reviewers report year-end fees, separately billed add-on modules and early termination fees on annual contracts
Starting price$50/month + $6.50/employee/month (Core plan)
Free planFree trial (30 days, per reviewers)
QuickBooks Payroll makes sense for one reason: your books already live in QuickBooks Online, and payroll entries sync straight into the ledger. Core covers next-day direct deposit; Premium and Elite upgrade to same-day. Taxes are filed for you, including multi-state, and unlimited 1099 e-filing is included.
The honest catch is stacking. A 10-employee company on Core pays $115 per month for payroll alone, before the QuickBooks Online subscription. Intuit runs frequent new-signup promos (currently 50 percent off), so never pay the first price you see. If you are not on QuickBooks already, there is no reason to start here.
What we like- True full-service payroll with taxes calculated, filed and paid for you
- Elite includes tax penalty protection up to $25,000 per year
- Unlimited 1099 e-filing built into all plans
Watch out for- Payroll is an add-on, so you also pay for the QuickBooks Online subscription
- Core has the priciest starter base fee of this set
#5
Rippling
Best for: Startups through enterprises wanting HR, IT and payroll unified
Visit rippling.com
Starting price$35/month + $12/employee/month (payroll starting point)
Free planNo (no free trial confirmed)
Rippling is an everything platform that does payroll. The pitch is the single source of truth: a raise, a new hire or a benefits change updates payroll automatically, because HR, IT, benefits and spend share one employee record. Payroll starts at $35 per month plus $12 per employee per Rippling's own FAQ, with unlimited runs and automatic tax filing.
The catch is the stack. That price sits on top of the core platform ($8 per user per month plus a $40 base fee) and any modules you add: a 10-employee setup runs $155 per month before the platform layers. If you just need payroll, the specialists above are cheaper and simpler.
What we like- One employee record drives HR, payroll, benefits, IT and spend, so changes flow through automatically
- Automatic tax calculation with filing to the right agencies
- Unlimited pay runs at no extra cost
Watch out for- Modular pricing stacks fast on top of core platform fees
- Most configurations require a sales quote for the full price
#6
OnPay
Best for: US small businesses that want one simple flat structure
Visit onpay.com
Starting price$49/month + $6/worker/month (single plan)
Free planFirst month free (no permanent free plan)
OnPay's appeal is the absence of decisions. One plan: $49 per month plus $6 per worker, with unlimited pay runs and all tax filings, W-2s and 1099s included. Multistate payroll, garnishments and multiple pay rates all ride on the same price. A 10-person team pays $109 per month. The first month is free.
The honest catch is geography: everything is US-centric. HR features cost extra through a $15 base plus $2 per worker add-on. Setup is low effort: in-house experts handle setup and migration within days, with US-based support. For a US small business that wants payroll handled with no tier puzzles, this is the simplest quote on the list.
What we like- One transparent price with unlimited runs and all tax filings included, no hidden fees
- New-hire reporting in all 50 states plus DC
- W-2 employees and 1099 contractors in a single pay run at no extra charge
Watch out for- US-only, with no international payroll
- HR features need a paid add-on instead of being bundled
#7
Patriot Software
Best for: Very small US businesses with straightforward payroll and tight budgets
Visit patriotsoftware.com
Starting price$37/month + $5/worker paid/month (Full Service plan)
Free planFree trial (30 days)
Patriot is the budget pick. Full Service at $37 per month plus $5 per worker paid covers all tax filings and deposits plus year-end forms at no extra fee. A 10-employee company pays $87 per month. The clever part: you are charged only for workers actually paid, so inactive months bill just the base fee.
Know which tier you are buying. Basic at $17 per month leaves the tax filings to you, so budget for the $37 Full Service tier. Each additional state costs $12 per month. Reporting is basic, time tracking and HR cost extra, and standard direct deposit takes four days. Month-to-month with no contracts or setup fees.
What we like- Charged only for workers actually paid each month
- Full Service covers federal, state and local filings plus year-end forms with a reliability guarantee
- Free US-based support and free setup assistance
Watch out for- The cheaper Basic tier ($17/month) is not full-service, so you file your own taxes
- Each additional state costs $12 per month
#8
SurePayroll
Best for: Businesses with 1 to 10 employees that want payroll handled, nothing more
Visit surepayroll.com
Starting price$29/month + $7/employee/month (Full Service plan)
Free planNo (promo: 6 months free during the first 12 months, alternating months)
SurePayroll, backed by Paychex, fits owners with 1 to 10 employees who want payroll handled without HR features they will never open. Full Service at $29 per month plus $7 per employee includes tax filing and deposits, unlimited runs and free 2-day direct deposit. The standout is the flat $9.99 per month multi-state add-on: businesses in three or more states save real money.
The catches are at the edges. Year-end forms cost $50 plus $5 per form annually, and you are billed per employee whether active or not. Past 15 to 20 employees the $7 per-employee fee makes it expensive, so growing teams should compare Gusto or OnPay. Accounting integration costs $4.99 per month extra.
What we like- Multi-state payroll is a flat $9.99 per month add-on regardless of state count
- Full Service includes tax filing and deposits with free 2-day direct deposit
- Month-to-month with no setup or cancellation fees
Watch out for- Year-end W-2/1099 filing costs extra ($50 base plus $5 per form annually)
- Per-employee fees scale fast past ~15 employees
#9
Square Payroll
Best for: Restaurants, cafes and retail shops already on Square POS
Visit squareup.com
Starting price$35/month + $6/person paid/month (full-service payroll)
Free planNo (free trial mentioned by reviewers, length unverified)
Square Payroll exists for one customer: the hourly-workforce business already running Square. Timecards, tips and overtime flow straight from the register into payroll. A 10-person team pays $95 per month. Seasonal businesses pay nothing in months with no payroll. Contractors can be paid by direct deposit or Cash App.
Outside the Square ecosystem it is just another mid-priced payroll tool with thin HR and no dedicated specialist. The contractor-only plan excludes auto payroll, multistate and timecard features. If you run Square POS, the hours-and-tips sync is the reason to choose it. If you do not, pick a specialist.
What we like- Native Square POS integration, so timecards, tips, overtime and commissions flow into payroll automatically
- Free seasonal inactivity (pay nothing in months with no payroll)
- Multi-state payroll and tax filings included at no extra charge
Watch out for- HR and benefits depth is thin next to Gusto or Rippling
- Much of the value disappears outside the Square ecosystem
The per-employee math that decides your bill
Every payroll service charges a base fee plus a per-employee fee, and the per-employee fee is where small quotes become big bills. A 10-person team costs $87 per month on Patriot Full Service, $95 on Square, $109 on Gusto Simple and OnPay, $115 on QuickBooks Core (before the accounting subscription), and roughly $155 on Rippling (before platform fees). At 25 employees the ranking changes, because $5 to $12 per employee per month compounds fast.
Then add what the base price excludes. Year-end W-2 and 1099 filing is included at Gusto, OnPay and Patriot, but costs $50 plus $5 per form annually at SurePayroll. Multi-state payroll is flat $9.99 per month at SurePayroll, $12 per extra state at Patriot, and gated to higher tiers at Gusto. Direct deposit speed varies from same-day to four days. Model your headcount, your states and your pay frequency, then compare totals, not base fees.
Full-service vs. self-service: know which one you are buying
The cheapest tier on most of these platforms is not full-service payroll. Patriot Basic ($17 per month) and SurePayroll's No Tax Filing plan ($20 per month) leave the tax filings to you, which defeats the purpose for most buyers. The full-service tier is the real product: the vendor calculates, files and pays your federal, state and local payroll taxes, and handles year-end forms.
When comparing full-service plans, check three things. First, the tax penalty guarantee: ADP, Paychex and QuickBooks Elite put money behind their filings; most others do not. Second, what "full service" excludes: contractor payments, multi-state registration and year-end forms are the usual gaps. Third, who does the setup: OnPay and Patriot include assisted setup free, while ADP and Paychex run it as a paid add-on on lower tiers. The cheapest full-service quote is usually the right starting point; the cheapest overall quote usually is not.
How we chose
We started with the categories buyers search: payroll software, small business payroll software, payroll service and HR payroll software. For each candidate we opened the vendor's own pricing page, checked prices against public reviews on G2 and Capterra and practitioner discussion on Reddit, and compared features, tax filing coverage and company-size fit. Where a price could not be verified on the vendor's page we wrote "See website" rather than guessing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does payroll software cost for a small business?
For 10 employees, expect $87 to $155 per month: Patriot Full Service ($87), Square ($95), Gusto Simple and OnPay ($109 each), QuickBooks Core ($115 before the accounting subscription). ADP Run and Paychex Flex are custom-quoted and usually cost more at small headcounts.
What is the difference between full-service and self-service payroll?
Full-service means the vendor calculates, files and pays your payroll taxes and handles year-end forms. Self-service plans calculate paychecks but leave the filings to you. The gap is usually $15 to $20 per month in base fee. Unless you enjoy tax forms, buy full-service.
Do I need HR software too, or is payroll enough?
Payroll covers paying people and filing taxes. If you also need time tracking, PTO, benefits or onboarding, look at Gusto Plus, Rippling, or OnPay with its HR add-on. Businesses under 10 employees usually do fine with payroll plus a separate time tracker.
Which payroll service is best for restaurants?
Square Payroll, if you run Square POS: hours, tips and overtime flow from the register automatically, and no-payroll months cost nothing. Without Square, Gusto and OnPay handle tipped wages and multiple pay rates well. Patriot is the budget alternative.
Can I switch payroll providers mid-year?
Yes, and the transparent vendors make it easy: OnPay and Patriot include free migration, and most competitors offer guided onboarding. The switching risk is lowest on month-to-month plans with no contracts (Gusto, OnPay, Patriot, Square). Avoid switching in December if you can: year-end filings are cleaner when one provider handles the full year.
Does payroll software handle multi-state taxes?
The full-service plans do, but pricing varies. SurePayroll charges a flat $9.99 per month after the first state. Patriot charges $12 per month per additional state. Gusto includes it on Plus and above. If you have employees in three or more states, price that line item specifically before choosing.
Sources we checked (11)
- https://gusto.com/product/pricing
- https://run.adp.com
- https://www.paychex.com
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/
- https://www.rippling.com/pricing
- https://onpay.com/payroll/
- https://www.patriotsoftware.com/pricing/
- https://www.surepayroll.com/pricing
- https://squareup.com/us/en/payroll/pricing
- https://www.g2.com/categories/payroll
- https://www.capterra.com/payroll-software/
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 spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.