Best overall
Gusto
Unpack Money score: 89/100
Verified Oct 24, 2026Published prices, unlimited runs, full-service tax filing from $49/month plus $6 per person.
Home / Small Business / Best Payroll Software
Small Business · All prices verified 2026-10-24
Best payroll software for small businesses (2026)
Payroll is the one business system where a mistake costs more than the software: missed filings mean penalties, late deposits mean unhappy employees, and a bad quarter-end means hours of cleanup. The five platforms below cover the whole small-business range — from a $49/month flat plan to incumbent platforms that only quote — and every price was verified against each provider's official site on October 24, 2026.
The honest finding: three of the five publish their prices, and two don't. Gusto ($49/month plus $6 per person), QuickBooks Payroll ($50/month plus $7 per employee), and OnPay ($49/month plus $6 per worker) can be compared line by line today. ADP RUN and Paychex Flex publish no list prices — their entries below say so plainly, with no third-party numbers filling the gap, and their scores reflect that transparency gap. Payroll also sits on top of the rest of your business setup: if you haven't yet opened a business bank account, start with how to open a business bank account before you run your first payroll.
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Our top picks
Best for QuickBooks users
QuickBooks Payroll
Unpack Money score: 88/100
Verified Oct 24, 2026Payroll inside the accounting system you already run, from $50/month plus $7 per employee.
Best simple pricing
OnPay
Unpack Money score: 87/100
Verified Oct 24, 2026One plan, one price — $49/month plus $6 per worker, contractors included, first month free.
Best incumbent scale
ADP RUN
Unpack Money score: 84/100
Verified Oct 24, 2026Nearly a million small-business customers and 24/7 support — but pricing is quote-only.
Best HR depth
Paychex Flex
Unpack Money score: 82/100
Verified Oct 28, 2026The deepest HR suite and premium customer support — but pricing is quote-only.
Compare all options
| Product | Starting price | Free trial / plan | Best for | Our score | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto Verified Oct 24, 2026 | From $49/mo + $6/person | Free until your first payroll run | Small businesses that want transparent payroll pricing with HR and benefits in one place | 89/100 | Check price |
| QuickBooks Payroll Verified Oct 24, 2026 | From $50/mo + $7/employee | 50% off for 3 months (current promotion) | Businesses already running QuickBooks Online that want payroll in the same system | 88/100 | Check price |
| OnPay Verified Oct 24, 2026 | From $49/mo + $6/worker | First month free, including onboarding and migration | Small businesses that want one flat, transparent payroll price with no tier maze | 87/100 | Check price |
| ADP RUN Verified Oct 24, 2026 | From Quote only | No free trial published | Growing small businesses that want an incumbent platform with 24/7 support and room to scale | 84/100 | Check price |
| Paychex Flex Verified Oct 28, 2026 | From Custom quote required | No free trial published | Businesses that want a full-service HR and payroll platform with premium support on higher tiers | 82/100 | Check price |
Prices verified from each provider's official site — oldest check 2026-10-24. Prices change — confirm before you buy.
Make your decision
Not just a table — here's how to choose, who should walk away, and our verdict.
At a glance
| Aspect | Gusto Gusto Verified Oct 24, 2026 | QuickBooks Payroll Verified Oct 24, 2026 | OnPay OnPay Verified Oct 24, 2026 | ADP RUN Verified Oct 24, 2026 | Paychex Flex Verified Oct 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Small businesses that want transparent payroll pricing with HR and benefits in one place | Businesses already running QuickBooks Online that want payroll in the same system | Small businesses that want one flat, transparent payroll price with no tier maze | Growing small businesses that want an incumbent platform with 24/7 support and room to scale | Businesses that want a full-service HR and payroll platform with premium support on higher tiers |
| Cost | From $49/mo + $6/person · Free until your first payroll run | From $50/mo + $7/employee · 50% off for 3 months (current promotion) | From $49/mo + $6/worker · First month free, including onboarding and migration | From Quote only · No free trial published | From Custom quote required · No free trial published |
| Main advantage | Every price is published — no quote wall, no surprise fees | Payroll posts directly to QuickBooks — no second system, no re-keying | One plan, one price — no tier maze, no quote wall | Scale and staying power no challenger matches — nearly a million small-business customers | Premium Customer Support on higher tiers — real humans, not just a help center |
| Biggest drawback | HR depth is gated: time tracking and advanced HR require Plus, performance tools require Premium | Only makes full sense if you already run QuickBooks — standalone buyers pay the ecosystem premium | HR depth is thinner than Gusto or Paychex — the HR add-on is real but basic | No published prices — you cannot compare ADP's cost without a sales conversation | No published prices — every package requires a sales conversation |
Choose the right one
Choose Gusto Gusto if…
- you want published prices, unlimited runs, and full-service tax filing from $49/month
- you want HR and benefits in the same platform without a quote wall
Choose QuickBooks Payroll if…
- your books already live in QuickBooks and you want payroll posting to them natively
- you want 1099 e-filing included and Elite's $25,000/year tax penalty protection
Choose OnPay OnPay if…
- you want one flat price ($49 + $6) with no tier maze
- you pay contractors and employees and want them in the same run at no extra charge
Choose ADP RUN if…
- you value an incumbent platform with 24/7 support and room to scale
- you're comfortable requesting a quote and comparing it against published prices
Choose Paychex Flex if…
- you want the deepest HR suite and premium customer support
- you accept quote-based pricing in exchange for HR depth
Neither is ideal if…
- you have no employees or contractors yet — payroll software solves a problem you don't have
- you only need to pay one contractor occasionally — a contractor-only plan or direct payment is cheaper
- you need a full PEO that employs your team for you — that's a different category from payroll software
Better alternatives
Unpack Money Verdict
Start with Gusto if you want transparent pricing and full-service tax filing from $49/month plus $6 per person. Choose QuickBooks Payroll when your books already live in QuickBooks — the native integration is worth the bundle math. Pick OnPay when you want the simplest possible price: $49 plus $6, contractors included, first month free. ADP RUN and Paychex Flex are strong platforms scored down only for their quote walls — get the quote, confirm what's included versus add-on, and compare the all-in figure against Gusto Premium before signing.
Saved comparisons live on your dashboard — in your browser only.
Gusto
Verified Oct 24, 2026Gusto pairs full-service payroll with HR and benefits in one platform, and it is one of the few payroll providers that publishes every price. Simple starts at $49/month plus $6 per person and covers unlimited payroll runs with federal, state, and local tax filings; Plus ($80 + $12) adds time tracking and next-day pay; Premium ($180 + $22) adds dedicated support and performance tools. Plans are month-to-month with no setup fees, and contractors are billed only in months you pay them.
Pricing tiers
- Simple: $49/mo + $6/person — Full-service payroll, unlimited runs, federal/state/local tax filings, direct deposit, employee self-service
- Plus: $80/mo + $12/person — Everything in Simple, plus time tracking, advanced HR, and next-day pay
- Premium: $180/mo + $22/person — Everything in Plus, plus dedicated Premium Account Support, performance management, and HR expert support
- Contractor-only: $35/mo + $6/contractor — Pay contractors only, billed only in months you pay them
What we like
- Every price is published — no quote wall, no surprise fees
- Unlimited payroll runs and full-service tax filing on the cheapest plan
- Month-to-month with no setup fees, and you only pay for active employees
- Deep integrations with the accounting tools small businesses already use
Watch out for
- HR depth is gated: time tracking and advanced HR require Plus, performance tools require Premium
- Priority Support is a paid add-on ($30/mo + $3/person) on Simple and Plus
- State tax registration is an add-on, not included in base plans
- Plan availability varies by state, and some advanced features are Premium-only
QuickBooks Payroll
Verified Oct 24, 2026QuickBooks Payroll — sold as Workforce — adds payroll to the accounting software most small businesses already run, so pay data posts to your books without a second system. Workforce Payroll starts at $50/month plus $7 per employee and covers tax calculation, filing, and payment, auto payroll, and unlimited 1099 e-filing; Premium ($88 + $13) adds time tracking and HR tools; Elite ($134 + $17) adds tax penalty protection up to $25,000 a year and a certified HR advisor. The current promotion is 50% off for three months.
Pricing tiers
- Workforce Payroll: $50/mo + $7/employee — Payroll, tax calculation/filing/payment, auto payroll, unlimited 1099 e-file, team tools, phone + chat support
- Workforce Premium: $88/mo + $13/employee — Everything in Workforce Payroll, plus time tracking, HR paperwork automation, recruiting, and expert setup review
- Workforce Elite: $134/mo + $17/employee — Everything in Premium, plus tax penalty protection up to $25,000/year, certified HR advisor, performance management, geofencing, and mileage tracking
What we like
- Payroll posts directly to QuickBooks — no second system, no re-keying
- Transparent published pricing, unusual for an incumbent payroll brand
- Unlimited 1099 e-filing and auto payroll on the entry tier
- Elite's $25,000/year tax penalty protection is a genuine differentiator
Watch out for
- Only makes full sense if you already run QuickBooks — standalone buyers pay the ecosystem premium
- Pricing is bundle-dependent: per-employee figures vary by bundle and promotion, so confirm at checkout
- HR depth (recruiting, performance, advisor) is gated behind Premium and Elite
- Benefits administration on Premium/Elite carries limited availability and additional fees
OnPay
Verified Oct 24, 2026OnPay is the simplest pricing story in this comparison: one plan, $49/month plus $6 per worker, with unlimited pay runs and full-service tax filings in all 50 states and DC. W-2 employees and 1099 contractors run in the same pay run at no extra charge, and HR ($15 + $2) and time tracking ($15 + $4) are the only add-ons. The first month is free, including onboarding and migration.
Pricing tiers
- Payroll (single plan): $49/mo + $6/worker — Unlimited pay runs, automated federal/state/local tax filings, W-2s and 1099s, direct deposit, checks, or prepaid debit cards
- HR add-on: $15/mo + $2/worker — Employee self-service, PTO management, org charts, document audits
- Time tracking add-on: $15/mo + $4/worker — Time tracking synced with payroll
What we like
- One plan, one price — no tier maze, no quote wall
- Contractors and employees in the same run at no extra charge is genuinely rare at this price
- First month free with onboarding and migration included
- No implementation or integration fees, and no hidden add-on fees on the core plan
Watch out for
- HR depth is thinner than Gusto or Paychex — the HR add-on is real but basic
- Support is business hours only (Mon–Fri 9am–8pm ET) — no 24/7 support like ADP or Gusto's help center
- No next-day or same-day pay option published on official pages
- Smaller integration marketplace than Gusto or ADP
ADP RUN
Verified Oct 24, 2026ADP RUN is the incumbent: the payroll platform behind nearly a million small businesses, with full-service tax filing, 24/7 support, and a package ladder that scales from basic payroll to full HR. The catch for comparison shoppers is that ADP publishes no list prices — pricing varies by package, headcount, and pay frequency, and you must request a quote. We score that transparency gap, not the product's capability, against it.
Pricing tiers
- Custom quote: Quote only — contact ADP for pricing — Package price depends on headcount, pay frequency, and add-ons, per ADP's official pages
What we like
- Scale and staying power no challenger matches — nearly a million small-business customers
- 24/7 support on every package, with live HR help on higher tiers
- Tax filing backed by ADP handling agency inquiries and error fines
- Packages scale without switching platforms as the business grows
Watch out for
- No published prices — you cannot compare ADP's cost without a sales conversation
- Promotional pricing (e.g. 3 free months) is offer-specific and not a list price
- Add-ons for HR, retirement, and workers' comp push the real cost above any quoted base
- The platform's breadth can feel heavy for a business with a handful of employees
Paychex Flex
Verified Oct 28, 2026Paychex Flex is a full-service HR and payroll platform built around premium customer support on higher tiers and a highly rated mobile app, with tiers from Basic to Complete that scale from essential payroll to a full HR suite. Like ADP, Paychex publishes no list prices on its main payroll pages — packages are quoted — so budget for a sales conversation, and confirm which features are included versus add-ons before signing.
Pricing tiers
- Basic: Custom quote required — Essential payroll and HR needs
- Foundations: Custom quote required — Seamless payroll, reporting, and HR
- Advanced: Custom quote required — Payroll, HR, and compliance with hands-on support
- Complete: Custom quote required — A full-service suite of HR, payroll, workforce, and talent management tools
What we like
- Premium Customer Support on higher tiers — real humans, not just a help center
- Full HR depth (handbook builder, OSHA services, LMS) that challengers can't match
- Tax administration is genuinely full-service, including compliance monitoring
- Scales from a handful of employees to a full HR suite without switching platforms
Watch out for
- No published prices — every package requires a sales conversation
- Some features flagged as add-ons on lower tiers (tax administration extras, GL integration)
- The breadth can overwhelm a business that just needs payroll done
- Sales-led pricing makes apples-to-apples comparison against Gusto or OnPay difficult
How we rate payroll software
Our editorial score starts with what a small business gets for the money: the capability of the cheapest useful tier, the true cost once add-ons are counted, and pricing transparency. We penalize quote-only pricing — when a provider doesn't publish prices, we say so and score transparency down rather than filling the gap with third-party numbers. We also weigh tax-filing completeness (federal, state, and local), contractor handling, and support hours, because those decide whether payroll week is quiet or chaotic. Every price is verified against the provider's official site — never review aggregators — and date-stamped. Read our full rating methodology.
FAQs
How much does payroll software cost?
For the three providers that publish prices: Gusto from $49/month plus $6 per person, QuickBooks Payroll from $50/month plus $7 per employee, and OnPay from $49/month plus $6 per worker. ADP RUN and Paychex Flex do not publish list prices — expect a quote based on headcount, pay frequency, and add-ons.
Which payroll software is best if I already use QuickBooks?
QuickBooks Payroll (Workforce). Payroll posts directly to your QuickBooks books with no second system, and 1099 e-filing is included. If you don't run QuickBooks, Gusto is the better default.
Do ADP RUN and Paychex Flex really not publish prices?
Correct — as of October 28, 2026, neither publishes list prices on its official payroll pages. ADP states pricing 'varies by package and capabilities' and Paychex shows tier names with no figures. Both require a sales conversation for a quote.
What does full-service tax filing actually cover?
Calculation, filing, and payment of federal, state, and local payroll taxes, plus year-end forms: W-2s for employees and 1099s for contractors. Gusto, QuickBooks, and OnPay all include it on their base plans; ADP and Paychex include it in their packages (confirm scope in your quote).
Can I pay contractors and employees in the same run?
OnPay does it at no extra charge. Gusto bills contractors only in months you pay them (plus a contractor-only plan). QuickBooks includes unlimited 1099 e-filing. ADP and Paychex handle both — confirm contractor pricing in your quote.
How does Unpack Money make money?
We may earn compensation when you click certain links or sign up for products through our site — clearly disclosed wherever it appears. Compensation may affect where products appear, but it does not determine our editorial evaluations or scores. Learn more.
Sources
Every price on this page was verified against each provider's official website. Verification dates differ by provider — the oldest is 2026-10-24. We never use aggregator sites as sources.
- Gusto official pricing (verified 2026-10-24)
- QuickBooks official pricing (verified 2026-10-24)
- OnPay official pricing (verified 2026-10-24)
- ADP official pricing (verified 2026-10-24)
- Paychex official pricing (verified 2026-10-28)
Your next step
If you have a shortlist, read the in-depth review before you buy — pricing pages change, and the review covers the caps, add-ons, and support tiers the pricing table can't. If payroll is part of a bigger setup, compare the accounting side too: payroll posts to your books, so the two decisions belong together.
Review
Gusto review
Transparent pricing, unlimited runs, full-service tax filing.
Read review →Review
QuickBooks Payroll review
Payroll inside the accounting system you already run.
Read review →Review
OnPay review
One flat price, contractors included, first month free.
Read review →Compare
Best Accounting Software
Payroll posts to your books — compare the accounting side too.
Compare →