{"id":66,"date":"2026-10-16T20:47:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T18:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/payroll-software\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T20:47:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T18:47:15","slug":"payroll-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/payroll-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Payroll Software"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"ok-byline\"><div class=\"ok-who\"><span class=\"ok-avatar\" aria-hidden=\"true\">MB<\/span><div><strong>Reviewed by Max Benz<\/strong><span>Updated <time datetime=\"2026-10-16\">October 16, 2026<\/time> \u00b7 24 min read<\/span><\/div><\/div><ul class=ok-chips><li class=\"ok-chip ok-chip--ok\">Prices checked on vendor pages<\/li><li class=\"ok-chip ok-chip--ok\">Review ratings per tool<\/li><li class=\"ok-chip ok-chip--ok\">No sponsored placements<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best payroll software depends on one thing before price: who files your payroll taxes, and in how many states. This guide compares nine US payroll tools on that question, on how fast pay lands, and on what each one costs for a team of 5, 15 or 50 people. Four of the nine publish a monthly price. The other five sell by quote, and we say so wherever that matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<nav class=\"ok-toc\" aria-label=\"On this page\"><p class=\"ok-toc__h\">On this page<\/p><ol><li><a href=\"#best-payroll-software-at-a-glance\">Best Payroll Software at a Glance<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-to-choose-payroll-software-what-to-check-first\">How to Choose Payroll Software: What to Check First<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#who-owns-each-step-from-signed-offer-to-first-paycheck\">Who Owns Each Step From Signed Offer to First Paycheck<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#payroll-software-for-small-teams-on-a-budget\">Payroll Software for Small Teams on a Budget<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#full-service-payroll-with-phone-support\">Full-Service Payroll With Phone Support<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#payroll-software-inside-a-bigger-system\">Payroll Software Inside a Bigger System<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#is-there-free-payroll-software\">Is There Free Payroll Software?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-much-does-payroll-software-cost\">How Much Does Payroll Software Cost?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#payroll-software-buyer-checklist\">Payroll Software Buyer Checklist<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions-about-payroll-software\">Frequently Asked Questions About Payroll Software<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n\n<dl class=\"ok-stats ok-wide\"><div class=\"ok-stat\"><dt>payroll tools compared<\/dt><dd>9<\/dd><\/div><div class=\"ok-stat\"><dt>publish a payroll price<\/dt><dd>4<\/dd><\/div><div class=\"ok-stat\"><dt>sell by quote or publish no US payroll price<\/dt><dd>5<\/dd><\/div><div class=\"ok-stat\"><dt>Capterra reviews behind eight of the ratings<\/dt><dd>20,027<\/dd><\/div><\/dl>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"best-payroll-software-at-a-glance\">Best Payroll Software at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pick by the situation you're in. Prices are the lowest published monthly plan unless a card says otherwise, checked on October 16, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"ok-picks ok-wide\"><li class=\"ok-pick\"><a href=\"#onpay\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/onpay.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__tag\">Best for one flat plan<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__name\">OnPay<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__text\">One base plan includes federal, state and local tax filing and multi-state payroll, for $49 a month plus $6 per worker.<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__meta\"><span class=\"ok-chip\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605<\/span> 4.8 Capterra<\/span><span class=\"ok-chip\">$49\/mo + $6\/worker<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"ok-pick\"><a href=\"#gusto\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/gusto.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__tag\">Best for a growing, mixed team<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__name\">Gusto<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__text\">Plus adds multi-state payroll, next-day pay and contractor invoicing at $80 a month plus $12 per person.<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__meta\"><span class=\"ok-chip\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605<\/span> 4.6 Capterra<\/span><span class=\"ok-chip\">$49\/mo + $6\/person<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"ok-pick\"><a href=\"#adp-run\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/adp.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__tag\">Best for phone support at any hour<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__name\">ADP RUN<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__text\">Every package includes 24\/7 phone and chat support and tax filing. Price is by quote.<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__meta\"><span class=\"ok-chip\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605<\/span> 4.6 Capterra<\/span><span class=\"ok-chip\">Quote only<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"ok-pick\"><a href=\"#quickbooks-payroll\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/quickbooks.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__tag\">Best if your books live in QuickBooks<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__name\">QuickBooks Payroll<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__text\">Payroll is sold with a QuickBooks accounting plan, with same-day direct deposit from the middle tier.<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__meta\"><span class=\"ok-chip\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605<\/span> 4.5 Capterra<\/span><span class=\"ok-chip\">$88\/mo + $6.50\/employee<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"ok-pick\"><a href=\"#patriot-payroll\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/patriot.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__tag\">Best for the lowest base price<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__name\">Patriot Payroll<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__text\">Basic starts at $17 a month, but on Basic you file and deposit the taxes yourself.<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__meta\"><span class=\"ok-chip\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605<\/span> 4.8 Capterra<\/span><span class=\"ok-chip\">From $17\/mo; Full Service $37\/mo<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"ok-pick ok-pick--ours\"><a href=\"#the-people-ops-manager\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md ok-fav--ours\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/pops.svg\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__tag\">Our product \u00b7 for the handoffs around payroll<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__name\">The People Ops Manager<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__text\">It isn't payroll software. It tracks the finance task and the other handoffs that must finish before a new hire is ready.<\/span><span class=\"ok-pick__meta\"><span class=\"ok-chip\">Invite-only<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"ok-compare ok-wide\" data-filter=\"1\"><div class=\"ok-scroll\"><table><thead><tr><th scope=\"col\">Tool<\/th><th scope=\"col\">Category<\/th><th scope=\"col\">Tax filing<\/th><th scope=\"col\">Starting price<\/th><th scope=\"col\" data-sort=num>Rating<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr data-cat=\"HR and payroll suite\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/gusto.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>Gusto<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">HR and payroll suite<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Included on every plan<\/td><td>Simple $49 per month plus $6 per person<\/td><td data-v=\"4.6\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.6 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 4,137)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"Small business payroll\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/onpay.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>OnPay<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">Small business payroll<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Federal, state and local included<\/td><td>$49 per month plus $6 per worker<\/td><td data-v=\"4.8\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span> 4.8 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 464)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"Small business payroll\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/patriot.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>Patriot Payroll<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">Small business payroll<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Full Service only; Basic leaves filing to you<\/td><td>Basic from $17 per month; Full Service from $37 per month; per-worker fee on top<\/td><td data-v=\"4.8\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span> 4.8 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 3,640)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"Full-service payroll\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/adp.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>ADP RUN<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">Full-service payroll<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Included in all four packages<\/td><td>Quote only; no prices published<\/td><td data-v=\"4.6\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.6 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 1,456)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"Full-service payroll\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/paychex.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>Paychex Flex<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">Full-service payroll<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Taxpay service; ask which tier includes it<\/td><td>Quote only; no prices published<\/td><td data-v=\"4.2\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.2 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 1,805)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"HR and payroll suite\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/paycor.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>Paycor<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">HR and payroll suite<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Tax filing, W-2 and 1099 processing<\/td><td>Not published<\/td><td data-v=\"4.4\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.4 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 2,762)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"Payroll inside accounting\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/quickbooks.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>QuickBooks Payroll<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">Payroll inside accounting<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Full service on all three tiers<\/td><td>From $88 per month plus $6.50 per employee (bundled with QuickBooks accounting; 50% off for 3 months)<\/td><td data-v=\"4.5\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.5 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 982)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"HR and payroll suite\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/rippling.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>Rippling<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">HR and payroll suite<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Federal, state and local filing<\/td><td>From $8 per employee per month plus a base fee<\/td><td data-v=\"4.9\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span> 4.9 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(Capterra, 4,781)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"Global and enterprise platform\"><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/deel.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>Deel<\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job\">Global and enterprise platform<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Per country; US coverage not stated<\/td><td>HR from $5 per employee per month<\/td><td data-v=\"4.45\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 8.9\/10 <span class=\"ok-muted\">(TrustRadius, 89)<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr data-cat=\"Onboarding coordination\" class=ok-ours><th scope=\"row\"><span class=\"ok-tcell\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--sm ok-fav--ours\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/pops.svg\" alt=\"\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span>The People Ops Manager <span class=\"ok-chip ok-chip--ours\">Our product<\/span><\/span><\/th><td><span class=\"ok-job ok-job--ours\">Onboarding coordination<\/span><\/td><td class=\"ok-muted\">Not payroll; tracks the finance task<\/td><td>Invite-only<\/td><td data-v=\"0\"><span class=\"ok-muted\">No reviews yet<\/span><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><p class=\"ok-note\">Prices checked on vendor pages on October 16, 2026. Ratings are the Capterra figures shown on the review site or the vendor page, except Deel (TrustRadius, out of 10). Quote-only tools show Not published.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-choose-payroll-software-what-to-check-first\">How to Choose Payroll Software: What to Check First<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seven checks separate payroll tools that look alike on a pricing page. Each one is something a vendor page can confirm before you sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Who files and who is liable.<\/strong> The IRS expects employers to report wages on Form 941 each quarter, most also file Form 940 once a year, and all employment taxes must be deposited on time and by the required method. A full-service tier does this for you. A basic tier such as Patriot Basic only calculates payroll. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/businesses\/small-businesses-self-employed\/employment-tax-due-dates\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">IRS employment tax due dates<\/a> once so you know what you're handing over.<\/li><li><strong>How many states you pay in.<\/strong> Gusto Simple runs payroll in one state, and multi-state payroll starts on Plus. OnPay says multi-state payroll costs nothing extra, and ADP lists multi-jurisdiction payroll in all four packages.<\/li><li><strong>How fast pay lands and when the cutoff is.<\/strong> QuickBooks lists next-day direct deposit if you run payroll by 5 pm and same-day deposit if you run it by 7 am Pacific on the middle and top tiers. Gusto sells same-day pay at $90 per payroll and instant pay at $100 per payroll unless you're on Premium. ADP describes two-day processing cycles.<\/li><li><strong>How new-hire data gets in.<\/strong> The first paycheck depends on a W-4, a state withholding form and bank details. OnPay's base plan includes e-signature for the I-9, W-4 and offer letter. ADP lets new hires enter their own details before day one. Gusto charges $20 per Remote I-9 submission below Premium.<\/li><li><strong>What it connects to.<\/strong> If a bookkeeper works in QuickBooks or Xero, check that payroll posts there. OnPay, ADP and Rippling all list those accounting connections.<\/li><li><strong>Contractors and year-end forms.<\/strong> Look for W-2 and 1099 handling, and whether year-end forms cost extra. ADP charges an additional fee for W-2 and 1099 creation and delivery.<\/li><li><strong>Support and price clarity.<\/strong> Phone support, a named specialist and a published price are different things. ADP, Paychex and Paycor publish no price at all.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"ok-callout ok-callout--watch\"><p><strong>Watch out:<\/strong> A quote-only vendor can still be the right choice. The risk is comparing a quoted price with a published one. Ask each quote-only vendor for the per-employee fee, the base fee and the price of year-end forms in writing.<\/p><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-owns-each-step-from-signed-offer-to-first-paycheck\">Who Owns Each Step From Signed Offer to First Paycheck<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Payroll fails at the handoffs, not in the software. The tool calculates correctly once it has the right inputs, and the inputs come from four different people. This is how the steps usually split. Owners vary by company, so treat the order as a starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"ok-timeline ok-wide\"><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--0\">Hiring manager<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Confirms start date, pay rate, hourly or salaried status and the state where the employee works <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">After the offer is signed<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--1\">HR<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Collects the W-4, the state withholding form and direct deposit details, and starts the I-9 <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">Before day one<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--2\">Finance<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Adds the employee to payroll with the right state and pay schedule <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">Before the cutoff for the first pay period<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--0\">Hiring manager<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Approves hours and time off for the period <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">Before every cutoff<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--3\">Payroll provider<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Calculates pay and withholding, and files and deposits taxes on full-service tiers <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">Every run<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--2\">Finance<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Reviews the register, approves and funds the run <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">Every run<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--1\">HR<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Confirms state new-hire reporting happened. OnPay and ADP include it in their plans <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">After the hire<\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-owner ok-owner--2\">Finance<\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__task\">Sends W-2s to employees by January 31, and 1099-NEC forms to contractors <\/span><span class=\"ok-tl__when\">Year end<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most missed first paychecks trace back to the second and third rows: a missing W-4 or a start date entered after the cutoff. <a href=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/\">The People Ops Manager<\/a> tracks those handoffs across HR, IT, finance and managers. It doesn't run payroll or file taxes, so it sits next to whichever tool you pick below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"payroll-software-for-small-teams-on-a-budget\">Payroll Software for Small Teams on a Budget<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Patriot, OnPay and Gusto publish a price you can plan around. They cost the least per month, and they differ mainly in what the cheapest plan leaves to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"patriot-payroll\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/patriot.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"patriot-payroll\">Patriot Payroll<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best for the lowest base price<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">Small business payroll<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span> 4.8<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 3,640 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is which plan files your taxes: Basic calculates payroll and leaves filing and deposits to you, while Full Service files and deposits federal, state and local payroll taxes.<\/p><p>Patriot lists Basic Payroll at $17 a month and Full Service at $37 a month, each plus a per-worker fee, and says it charges only for workers who are paid that month. Sources disagree on the Full Service worker fee: TechRepublic's 2026 review shows $5, while Wise, Motley Fool and SoftwareFinder show $4. Confirm it at signup. Patriot's own pages blocked our fetch, so these figures come from search extracts of its pricing page and the TechRepublic review.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>you have a handful of employees and want the lowest monthly base price<\/li><li>you want U.S.-based support and year-end W-2 and 1099 forms included<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you want tax filing at the lowest tier: Basic leaves filings and deposits to you<\/li><li>you need a QuickBooks Online integration: a Capterra reviewer asked for one<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>ease of use, price and quick access to live support, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>a per-employee charge on top of the base fee and limited net-to-gross calculations, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capterra.com\/p\/116050\/Patriot-Software\/reviews\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 3,640 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>Capterra reviewers single out year-end forms. One owner said W-2 and 1099 filing that used to take most of a day now takes minutes.<\/p><p>The low base price is real, but the per-worker fee grows with headcount. At 15 people Full Service costs about $112 a month against $139 for OnPay or Gusto Simple, and the gap holds at 50 people ($287 against $349). Run the calculator below with your own headcount.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>Basic from $17 per month; Full Service from $37 per month; per-worker fee on top<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Tax filing<\/dt><dd>Full Service only<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Worker fee<\/dt><dd>$4 to $5 depending on source<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Time tracking<\/dt><dd>Add-on, $6 a month plus $2 per employee<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"onpay\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/onpay.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"onpay\">OnPay<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best for one flat plan<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">Small business payroll<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span> 4.8<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 464 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is that one base plan covers what most small teams ask for: federal, state and local tax filing, multi-state payroll at no extra cost, and W-2 or 1099 workers in the same dashboard.<\/p><p>OnPay's pricing page lists $49 a month plus $6 per worker for the core product, with no tiers to climb. Add-ons are priced on top: HR at $15 base plus $2 per worker, time tracking at $15 base plus $4 per worker, and compliance resources at $10 base. New hires onboard themselves. The base plan includes e-signature for the I-9, W-4 and offer letter, plus automated state new-hire reporting. Workers' compensation is pay-as-you-go through a partner, and benefits cost premiums only.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>you want one price with full-service tax filing, multi-state payroll and W-2 or 1099 workers in one dashboard<\/li><li>you want phone, email and chat support with extended weekday hours without a support tier<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you need deep reporting or benefits enrollment: reviewers call it less full-featured than larger suites<\/li><li>you need a built-in time clock: time tracking is a paid add-on<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>ease of use, value and responsive support, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>limited reporting customization and fiddly PTO changes, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/capterra.com\/p\/167109\/OnPay\/reviews\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 464 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/onpay-payroll-software-run-payroll-screen.png\" alt=\"OnPay Run Payroll screen listing workers with hours and wages and a filing complete notice for Form 941\" width=\"780\" height=\"470\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>OnPay's Run Payroll screen, from its payroll software page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>OnPay's features page says it files Form 941 quarterly and Form 940 at year end, and its pricing page lists W-2s, 1099s and year-end filings as included. Its page title says pricing starts at $55 a month, which is the $49 base plus one worker, not a separate plan.<\/p><p>Custom onboarding workflows and task delegation need the HR add-on. If you only need to collect paperwork and run payroll, the base plan is enough.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>$49 per month plus $6 per worker<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Add-ons<\/dt><dd>HR +$15 base and $2\/worker; Time Tracking +$15 base and $4\/worker<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Tax filing<\/dt><dd>Federal, state and local included<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Multi-state<\/dt><dd>No additional cost<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Integrations<\/dt><dd>QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, Deputy, When I Work<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Support<\/dt><dd>Phone, email and live chat on every plan<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"gusto\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/gusto.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gusto\">Gusto<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best for a growing, mixed team<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">HR and payroll suite<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.6<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 4,137 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is the plan ladder: Simple runs payroll in one state, while multi-state payroll, next-day pay and contractor invoicing start on Plus.<\/p><p>Simple costs $49 a month plus $6 per person and includes unlimited payrolls with tax filings and payments. Plus is $80 plus $12 per person and adds time tracking and scheduling, unlimited next-day pay, multi-state payroll and contractor invoice management. Premium is $180 plus $22 per person and adds a named advisor, HR guidance, Gusto Business Compliance, and unlimited same-day and instant pay. You can also buy speed separately: next-day pay on Simple is $15 a month plus $3 per person, same-day pay is $90 per payroll and instant pay is $100 per payroll.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>you're a small US team that wants new hire paperwork and I-9s next to the employee record and already runs payroll on Gusto<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you hire outside the US: provisioning doesn't cover international employees<\/li><li>you need manager approvals before an offer goes out, which Deel handles and Gusto doesn't. We found no offer approval chain.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>ease of use, guided setup and automatic tax filings, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>higher prices, slow support responses and features locked to higher plans, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capterra.com\/p\/131882\/Gusto\/reviews\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 4,137 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gusto-payroll-software-hourly-payroll-screen.png\" alt=\"Gusto hourly payroll screen with pay period dates, submit-by date and payday\" width=\"1240\" height=\"625\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Gusto's hourly payroll screen, from its payroll page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>Gusto shows a 4.6 Capterra average from 4,137 reviews on its pricing page. Reviewers praise the guided setup and the automatic quarterly filings, and criticize price and slow replies from support.<\/p><p>Gusto's price climbs faster per person than its rivals once you leave Simple. If you only need one state and standard pay timing, OnPay costs the same at the low end. If you hire across state lines or pay contractors, Plus is the plan that matters.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>Simple $49 per month plus $6 per person<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Integrations<\/dt><dd>153 apps in the Gusto app directory, including ATS tools such as Ashby and background checks through Checkr<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Plans<\/dt><dd>Simple $49 + $6, Plus $80 + $12, Premium $180 + $22 per month and per person<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Remote I-9<\/dt><dd>$20 per submission; E-Verify $5 more; both included on Premium<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Pay speed<\/dt><dd>Next-day on Plus and up; same-day and instant on Premium<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"full-service-payroll-with-phone-support\">Full-Service Payroll With Phone Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ADP RUN, Paychex Flex and Paycor handle filing for you in every package and sell on service. None publishes a price, so compare them by quote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"adp-run\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/adp.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"adp-run\">ADP RUN<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best for phone support at any hour<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">Full-service payroll<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.6<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 1,456 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is support: every ADP RUN package includes 24\/7 phone and online chat support, and every package files and deposits your payroll taxes.<\/p><p>ADP RUN is aimed at businesses with 1 to 49 employees and comes in four packages: Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll (marked most popular), Complete Payroll &amp; HR Plus, and HR Pro Payroll &amp; HR. ADP publishes no prices. Each package shows a Get pricing button, and ADP says cost depends on how often you run payroll, how many people you pay, how often you add or remove payees and which services you need. ADP states it calculates, files, deposits and reconciles payroll taxes in all four, and that it pays the fines if it makes a filing error.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>you want a provider that files and deposits federal, state and local payroll taxes and offers 24\/7 phone and chat support<\/li><li>you run payroll in several states and don't want a multi-state surcharge<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you want to see a price before talking to sales: ADP publishes none<\/li><li>you need the cheapest per-employee cost: reviewers call ADP pricey and note extra fees for time tracking and benefits<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>automated tax filing and direct deposit, and a simple payroll run, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>pricing with no public list and long phone waits at busy times, per Capterra and TechJockey reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/capterra.com\/p\/185859\/RUN\/reviews\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 1,456 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/adp-run-payroll-software-dashboard.png\" alt=\"ADP RUN dashboard on a laptop and tablet showing a weekly payroll screen\" width=\"620\" height=\"430\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>ADP RUN, from ADP's product page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>New-hire onboarding is in every package: employees fill in personal details, direct deposit and Form W-4 online before their first day. Electronic Form I-9 starts on Enhanced, and new-hire reporting is in every package.<\/p><p>ADP's product page shows a 4.6 Capterra rating from 1,456 reviews and says the ratings include incentivized reviews. Reviewers praise automatic tax filing and simple payroll runs, and complain about pricing that isn't public and long phone waits at busy times.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>Quote only; no prices published<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Plans<\/dt><dd>Essential, Enhanced, Complete Payroll &amp; HR Plus, HR Pro<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Pay timing<\/dt><dd>Two-day processing; no faster option found<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Integrations<\/dt><dd>General ledger export to QuickBooks, Xero and Wave<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Year-end<\/dt><dd>W-2 and 1099 creation and e-filing for an additional fee<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"paychex-flex\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/paychex.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"paychex-flex\">Paychex Flex<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best for payroll with a path to HR and PEO<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">Full-service payroll<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.2<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 1,805 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is breadth: Paychex Flex pairs four payroll tiers with a Taxpay tax administration service and a route into HR Pro and PEO, but it publishes no prices.<\/p><p>The tiers are Basic, Foundations (marked best value), Advanced and Complete, and every tier shows Request Pricing. Paychex's comparison page lists W-2 and 1099 year-end processing, paper checks, direct deposit, tip disbursement and pay cards, plus an automatic tax administration service called Taxpay that files payroll taxes with the right agencies. The page doesn't say which tiers include Taxpay, so ask in the quote. The standard onboarding workflow is included in all HR and payroll plans, and Form I-9 and E-Verify can be added for a per-transaction fee.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>you want payroll, benefits, 401(k) and time off with one vendor and a path to a PEO later<\/li><li>you want a named payroll specialist on the higher tiers<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you want published prices: every Paychex plan says Request Pricing<\/li><li>you rely on fast support: Capterra rates Paychex customer service 3.9 of 5 and reviewers cite slow responses<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>ease of use and having payroll, benefits and time off in one place, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>recurring glitches, login lockouts and slow support, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capterra.com\/p\/119841\/Paychex-Flex\/reviews\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 1,805 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/paychex-flex-payroll-software-current-payroll-card.png\" alt=\"Paychex Flex mobile card showing the current payroll period with a submit button\" width=\"410\" height=\"390\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Paychex Flex's current payroll card, from Paychex's payroll page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>Capterra rates Paychex Flex 4.2 from 1,805 reviews, with customer service at 3.9 out of 5. Reviewers like having payroll, benefits and time off together, and cite glitches, login lockouts and slow support as the recurring problems.<\/p><p>Paychex acquired Paycor, which still operates as its own business unit, so a Paychex rep and a Paycor rep may both pitch you. Compare both quotes.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>Quote only; no prices published<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Plans<\/dt><dd>Basic, Foundations, Advanced, Complete<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Support<\/dt><dd>Phone, chat or email; premium tier adds a payroll specialist<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Pay methods<\/dt><dd>Checks, direct deposit, tip disbursement, pay cards<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"paycor\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/paycor.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"paycor\">Paycor<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best for teams that may grow past 50<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">HR and payroll suite<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.4<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 2,762 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is size fit: Paycor sells separate small-business (below 50 employees) and mid-market (50 to 1,000+) products, by quote only, and now operates as a standalone unit of Paychex.<\/p><p>Paycor's pricing page asks small businesses to answer a few questions for a custom quote and lists no dollar amounts. The payroll page lists AutoRun scheduled payroll, a paystub preview up to three days before payday, direct deposit or a Paycor Visa card, wage garnishments, a customer sandbox and OnDemand Pay, an earned wage access feature. Paycor says it handles tax filing and W-2 and 1099 processing, and its compliance dashboard raises alerts such as missing or invalid tax IDs.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>recruiters hand over whole groups of hires at once: onboarding starts from a hired candidate in Paycor Recruiting and supports bulk invites<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>your team leans on support to configure workflows. Support speed is the most common complaint in recent reviews.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>an approachable interface and mobile access, per Capterra and GetApp reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>add-on fees, bugs and slow phone support, per Capterra and GetApp reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capterra.com\/p\/133745\/Paycor-Perform\/reviews\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 2,762 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/paycor-payroll-software-dashboard-and-mobile-pay-stub.png\" alt=\"Paycor payroll dashboard on a laptop next to a mobile pay stub with a pie chart\" width=\"660\" height=\"550\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Paycor's payroll dashboard and mobile pay stub, from its payroll software page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>Paycor's own pages say customers stay on the Paycor platform after the Paychex deal. Its site still carries some older acquisition text, so ask your rep which roadmap applies to a small account.<\/p><p>Capterra reviewers call the interface approachable and the mobile access useful. The recurring complaints are add-on fees, bugs and slow phone support. Many of the older review excerpts predate the Paychex deal.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>Not published<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Integrations<\/dt><dd>Paycor Marketplace and 140+ APIs<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Size fit<\/dt><dd>Below 50 and 50 to 1,000+ employees<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Ownership<\/dt><dd>Standalone business unit of Paychex<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"payroll-software-inside-a-bigger-system\">Payroll Software Inside a Bigger System<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here payroll is one module in accounting or HR software. That removes a sync to maintain, and it ties your payroll choice to the larger system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"quickbooks-payroll\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/quickbooks.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quickbooks-payroll\">QuickBooks Payroll<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best if your books live in QuickBooks<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">Payroll inside accounting<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 4.5<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 982 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is the bundle: QuickBooks sells payroll attached to a QuickBooks accounting plan, so the payroll price is the bundle price, and same-day direct deposit starts on the middle tier.<\/p><p>The pricing page lists Payroll + Simple Start at $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee, Payroll + Essentials at $125 plus $6.50, and Premium + Plus at $203 plus $10. Each shows 50% off the monthly fee for three months, and the terms say the discount doesn't apply to per-employee fees. All three list full service payroll, where QuickBooks calculates, files and pays payroll taxes. The product is now branded QuickBooks Workforce.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>your bookkeeper works in QuickBooks and you want payroll journal entries to land there without a sync to maintain<\/li><li>you want same-day direct deposit on a mid-priced plan<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you don't use QuickBooks accounting: the cheapest payroll tier is bundled with an accounting plan<\/li><li>you want hiring and I-9 tools: they start on the most expensive tier<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>ease of use and tight accounting integration, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>bugs, price increases and slow phone support, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/capterra.com\/p\/174981\/QuickBooks\/reviews\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 982 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/quickbooks-payroll-same-day-direct-deposit-list.png\" alt=\"QuickBooks list of three employees with direct deposit marked for each\" width=\"580\" height=\"410\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>QuickBooks direct deposit list, from its same-day direct deposit page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>QuickBooks lists a 30-day free trial on the monthly base price. Add-ons include Checkr background checks from $29.99 per report.<\/p><p>Capterra shows about 982 reviews at 4.5. Reviewers praise ease of use and the accounting integration, and complain about bugs, price increases and slow phone support. The prices above are the regular prices, not the three-month promotion.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>From $88 per month plus $6.50 per employee (bundled with QuickBooks accounting; 50% off for 3 months)<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Plans<\/dt><dd>Payroll + Simple Start $88, Payroll + Essentials $125, Premium + Plus $203, each plus a per-employee fee<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Pay timing<\/dt><dd>Next-day on the lowest tier (run by 5 pm); same-day on the other two (run by 7 am PT)<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Contractors<\/dt><dd>1099 e-file included on every tier<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Onboarding<\/dt><dd>Offer letters, digital paperwork and automated I-9 on the top tier<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Time tracking<\/dt><dd>Included with Workforce Premium and Elite<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"rippling\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/rippling.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rippling\">Rippling<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best if HR, IT and payroll share one record<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">HR and payroll suite<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span> 4.9<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 4,781 Capterra reviews<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is that payroll is one module on a shared employee record, so it fits when HR, IT and payroll already run in Rippling, and the payroll price comes by quote.<\/p><p>Rippling's pricing page says plans start at $8 per employee per month with a monthly base fee, but it gives no payroll-specific number. The question about payroll cost is answered with a custom quote. Its payroll page says it calculates payroll taxes and files them with federal, state and local agencies, lets you run payroll as often as you need at no extra charge, and connects to Xero, QuickBooks and NetSuite among 650+ integrations. It can import year-to-date payroll data if you switch mid-year. We found no public statement on direct deposit timing or multi-state support.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>HR, IT and payroll should run from one hire event and one employee record<\/li><li>you're switching providers mid-year and want year-to-date data imported<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you want a published payroll price: Rippling gives a quote<\/li><li>you only need payroll: Merchant Maverick lists payroll as an add-on service on top of the platform<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>a clear payroll interface and one system for HR, IT and payroll, per Capterra reviewers<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>payroll sold only as an add-on with unclear pricing, and support that takes several tries, per Capterra and Merchant Maverick reviewers<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capterra.com\/p\/172127\/Rippling\/reviews\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Capterra<\/a>, 4,781 reviews<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/rippling-payroll-software-compare-to-last-pay-run.png\" alt=\"Rippling Compare to last pay run table showing gross pay per employee\" width=\"1280\" height=\"450\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Rippling's pay run comparison, from its payroll page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>Capterra shows Rippling at 4.9 from 4,781 reviews, the highest rating in this list. Reviewers praise the clear payroll interface. Complaints include support that takes several attempts to reach the right team and a one-star report of multi-location labor allocation problems.<\/p><p>If you already use Rippling for IT and devices, adding payroll avoids a second employee record. If you do not, the platform fee comes first.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>From $8 per employee per month plus a base fee<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Integrations<\/dt><dd>650+, including Xero, QuickBooks and NetSuite<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Switching<\/dt><dd>Imports year-to-date payroll data mid-year<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"ok-card ok-wide\" aria-labelledby=\"deel\"><header class=\"ok-card__head\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/deel.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div class=\"ok-card__title\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"deel\">Deel<\/h3><p class=\"ok-card__sub\">Best for payroll across countries<\/p><\/div><span class=\"ok-job\">Global and enterprise platform<\/span><span class=\"ok-rate\"><span class=\"ok-stars\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span> 8.9\/10<span class=\"ok-muted\"> \u00b7 89 TrustRadius ratings<\/span><\/span><\/header><div class=\"ok-card__body\"><div class=\"ok-card__main\"><p class=\"ok-lede\">The deciding detail is geography: Deel Payroll runs payroll through your own entities in several countries, with employees, contractors, EOR and PEO on one platform, and no US payroll price is published.<\/p><p>Deel's pricing page lists $49 per contractor per month, $125 per US PEO employee per month and $599 per EOR employee per month. Payroll through your own entity isn't priced there. Deel says small and midsize businesses can typically go live in 1 to 2 weeks, and lists integrations with Workday, SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, BambooHR, HiBob, Okta and Azure AD. Its pages don't describe US-specific W-2 and 1099 filing, multi-state support or direct deposit timing.<\/p><div class=\"ok-cs\"><div class=\"ok-cs__yes\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Choose it when<\/strong><ul><li>you pay employees or contractors in several countries and want one payroll view<\/li><li>you hire through EOR or PEO in some places and run your own entity in others<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ok-cs__no\"><strong class=\"ok-cs__h\">Skip it when<\/strong><ul><li>you pay US employees only and want W-2 and 1099 handling documented: Deel's pages don't cover it, so a US-focused tool is easier to verify<\/li><li>you want a US payroll price you can plan around: none is published<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><dl class=\"ok-users\"><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--p\">Users like<\/dt><dd>it cuts onboarding time for international hires<\/dd><dt class=\"ok-k ok-k--c\">Users dislike<\/dt><dd>limited reporting and fees<\/dd><dd class=\"ok-src\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trustradius.com\/products\/deel\/reviews\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">TrustRadius<\/a>, 89 ratings<\/dd><\/dl><figure class=\"ok-shot\"><div class=\"ok-shot__bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><i><\/i><i><\/i><\/div><img src=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/deel-payroll-software-payroll-complete-summary.png\" alt=\"Deel Payroll summary showing a completed payroll of $360,450 for employees and contractors in several countries\" width=\"640\" height=\"700\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Deel Payroll, from Deel's payroll page.<\/figcaption><\/figure><details class=\"ok-more\"><summary>How it works in practice<\/summary><p>Deel's own page shows a 4.7 G2 rating from 15,384 reviews, but G2 blocked our check. The rating above is from TrustRadius, out of 10.<\/p><p>For a US-only team the global scope is overhead. For a team with contractors abroad it's the reason to pick Deel.<\/p><\/details><\/div><dl class=\"ok-card__side\"><div><dt>Starting price<\/dt><dd>HR from $5 per employee per month<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Integrations<\/dt><dd>200+ in Deel's marketplace, with native ATS connections to Ashby, Greenhouse, Lever, Workday and Workable and Okta SCIM provisioning<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Contractors<\/dt><dd>$49 per contractor per month<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>US PEO<\/dt><dd>$125 per employee per month<\/dd><\/div><div><dt>Go-live<\/dt><dd>1 to 2 weeks for small and midsize businesses, per Deel<\/dd><\/div><\/dl><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-there-free-payroll-software\">Is There Free Payroll Software?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No tool in this list publishes a free payroll plan. What exists are trials and discounts, and they change often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>QuickBooks lists a 30-day free trial on the monthly base price.<\/li><li>OnPay's pricing page says one month free.<\/li><li>Patriot, ADP and Paycor have advertised promotional discounts, such as ADP's three free months and Paycor's 50% off the first six months for small businesses. Check the current terms before you rely on one.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can run payroll yourself without software, but you still owe the same filings. Employers report wages on Form 941 every quarter, most file Form 940 once a year, taxes must be deposited on time, and employees must receive a W-2 by January 31 according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/businesses\/small-businesses-self-employed\/employment-tax-due-dates\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">IRS<\/a>. The cheapest paid way to get calculations without filing is Patriot Basic at $17 a month plus a per-worker fee, where you file and deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-much-does-payroll-software-cost\">How Much Does Payroll Software Cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Payroll pricing has two parts: a monthly base fee and a fee per person paid. Add-ons for pay speed, time tracking, I-9s and benefits come on top. The table shows the published plans for a team of 5, 15 and 50 people before promotions and add-ons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Plan<\/th><th>5 employees<\/th><th>15 employees<\/th><th>50 employees<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Patriot Full Service ($37 + $5)<\/td><td>$62<\/td><td>$112<\/td><td>$287<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Gusto Simple ($49 + $6)<\/td><td>$79<\/td><td>$139<\/td><td>$349<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>OnPay ($49 + $6)<\/td><td>$79<\/td><td>$139<\/td><td>$349<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Gusto Plus ($80 + $12)<\/td><td>$140<\/td><td>$260<\/td><td>$680<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>QuickBooks Payroll + Essentials ($125 + $6.50)<\/td><td>$157.50<\/td><td>$222.50<\/td><td>$450<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The QuickBooks row includes a QuickBooks accounting plan, so it isn't like for like. ADP, Paychex, Paycor, Rippling and Deel are left out because they publish no US payroll price. Move the slider to see your own headcount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"ok-calc\" data-calc=\"{&quot;min&quot;: 1, &quot;max&quot;: 100, &quot;default&quot;: 15, &quot;unit&quot;: &quot;employees&quot;, &quot;label&quot;: &quot;Team size&quot;, &quot;items&quot;: [{&quot;label&quot;: &quot;Patriot Full Service&quot;, &quot;sub&quot;: &quot;$37 + $5 per worker&quot;, &quot;per&quot;: 5, &quot;base&quot;: 37}, {&quot;label&quot;: &quot;Gusto Simple&quot;, &quot;sub&quot;: &quot;$49 + $6 per person&quot;, &quot;per&quot;: 6, &quot;base&quot;: 49}, {&quot;label&quot;: &quot;OnPay&quot;, &quot;sub&quot;: &quot;$49 + $6 per worker&quot;, &quot;per&quot;: 6, &quot;base&quot;: 49}, {&quot;label&quot;: &quot;Gusto Plus&quot;, &quot;sub&quot;: &quot;$80 + $12 per person&quot;, &quot;per&quot;: 12, &quot;base&quot;: 80}, {&quot;label&quot;: &quot;QuickBooks Payroll + Essentials&quot;, &quot;sub&quot;: &quot;$125 + $6.50, includes accounting&quot;, &quot;per&quot;: 6.5, &quot;base&quot;: 125}]}\"><div class=\"ok-calc__q\">Team size: <strong data-n>15 employees<\/strong><\/div><ol class=\"ok-bars\"><li><span class=\"ok-bars__label\">Patriot Full Service<small>$37 + $5 per worker<\/small><\/span><span class=\"ok-track\"><span class=\"ok-fill\" style=\"width:43.1%\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"ok-bars__v\" data-cost>$112<small> per month<\/small><\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-bars__label\">Gusto Simple<small>$49 + $6 per person<\/small><\/span><span class=\"ok-track\"><span class=\"ok-fill\" style=\"width:53.5%\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"ok-bars__v\" data-cost>$139<small> per month<\/small><\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-bars__label\">OnPay<small>$49 + $6 per worker<\/small><\/span><span class=\"ok-track\"><span class=\"ok-fill\" style=\"width:53.5%\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"ok-bars__v\" data-cost>$139<small> per month<\/small><\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-bars__label\">QuickBooks Payroll + Essentials<small>$125 + $6.50, includes accounting<\/small><\/span><span class=\"ok-track\"><span class=\"ok-fill\" style=\"width:85.6%\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"ok-bars__v\" data-cost>$222<small> per month<\/small><\/span><\/li><li><span class=\"ok-bars__label\">Gusto Plus<small>$80 + $12 per person<\/small><\/span><span class=\"ok-track\"><span class=\"ok-fill\" style=\"width:100.0%\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"ok-bars__v\" data-cost>$260<small> per month<\/small><\/span><\/li><\/ol><p class=\"ok-note\">Monthly cost at regular prices, before promotions and add-ons. Patriot's per-worker fee is $5 per TechRepublic's 2026 review; other sources show $4.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"payroll-software-buyer-checklist\">Payroll Software Buyer Checklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Take these questions to every vendor, including the ones with a published price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"ok-check\"><strong class=\"ok-check__h\">Ask every payroll vendor<\/strong><ul><li>Which tier files and deposits federal, state and local payroll taxes, and who pays a penalty if the filing is wrong?<\/li><li>How many states can I pay in on this plan, and what is the fee for a new state?<\/li><li>What is the payroll cutoff for next-day and same-day pay, in my time zone?<\/li><li>Does the plan include the I-9, W-4 and state new-hire reporting, or are they per-use fees?<\/li><li>What are the base fee, per-employee fee and per-contractor fee in writing?<\/li><li>Are W-2 and 1099 creation and e-filing included or extra?<\/li><li>Which accounting and time-tracking tools sync, and in which direction?<\/li><li>How do I reach support, and is phone support on my plan?<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"ok-product ok-wide\" id=\"the-people-ops-manager\"><span class=\"ok-fav ok-fav--md ok-fav--ours\"><img src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/opskit\/fav\/pops.svg\" alt=\"\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><\/span><div><p class=\"ok-product__eyebrow\">What payroll tools don&#x27;t coordinate<\/p><p class=\"ok-product__head\">Knowing which new hire is blocked before the payroll cutoff<\/p><p>The People Ops Manager isn't payroll software and doesn't run payroll or file taxes. It coordinates onboarding and offboarding across HR, IT, finance and hiring managers, shows who is ready for day one and which task is still blocked, and routes access changes through recorded approvals. It works with Claude and ChatGPT over MCP and lists BambooHR, Personio, Slack, Jira and Microsoft Entra among its integrations. Signup is invite-only right now.<\/p><\/div><a class=\"ok-product__cta\" href=\"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/\">See how it works<\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions-about-payroll-software\">Frequently Asked Questions About Payroll Software<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the most used payroll software?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>No independent source ranks payroll software by users, so review counts are the closest proxy. Among the tools here, Capterra shows Rippling with 4,781 reviews, Gusto with 4,137 and Patriot with 3,640. Review counts favor vendors that ask customers for reviews, so they don't measure market share.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the best easy payroll software?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Reviewers most often praise ease of use for Gusto, OnPay and Patriot, citing guided setup and quick payroll runs. OnPay and Gusto Simple both start at $49 a month plus $6 per person, so the choice comes down to states, pay speed and support.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Can I do my own payroll for free?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes, if you accept doing the calculations and filings yourself, which is what the free payroll section above walks through. No payroll tool in this list is free, so the only saving is the software fee.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-4\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Does payroll software file taxes for me?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Whether payroll software files taxes depends on the tier. Gusto, OnPay, ADP and QuickBooks file federal, state and local payroll taxes on their standard plans. Patriot Basic only calculates payroll, and Patriot Full Service files for you. For Paychex, ask which tier includes the Taxpay service.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-5\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the cheapest payroll software for one employee?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>For one employee the published monthly cost is $42 for Patriot Full Service, $55 for OnPay and Gusto Simple, and $131.50 for QuickBooks Payroll + Essentials, which is bundled with accounting. Patriot Basic starts at $17 a month plus a per-worker fee, but you file and deposit the taxes yourself.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-6\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Can I run payroll for my LLC?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>An LLC with employees runs payroll like any employer, with the same Form 941 and Form 940 filings. Whether an LLC owner can be on payroll depends on how the LLC is taxed, so ask an accountant first. Gusto lists a separate Solo plan for owners who pay themselves as an S corporation, which is a different product from the plans compared here.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"ok-related ok-wide\"><li><a href=\"\/blog\/employee-onboarding-software\/\"><span>Software<\/span>Best employee onboarding software<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/blog\/onboarding-process\/\"><span>Guide<\/span>Employee onboarding process: steps, owners and handoffs<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/blog\/employee-scheduling-software\/\"><span>Software<\/span>Best employee scheduling software<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Compare 9 payroll software tools on tax filing, pay speed and price per employee, with checked prices, a cost calculator and who owns each step.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":67,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-software"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleopsmanager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}