Updated August 10, 2026
Compare the operating model, not just a promotional headline. This evidence-led shortlist separates transparent self-serve plans from quote-based payroll and workforce platforms.
Start with Gusto and OnPay when you want published pricing and guided U.S. payroll. Add QuickBooks Payroll when QuickBooks Online is already your accounting system. Include ADP or Paychex when service depth and deadline support justify a quote process. Evaluate Rippling when payroll must share one workforce data model with HR, IT, permissions, and finance workflows.
There is no universal winner. A one-state employer with eight workers is buying a different operating system from a multi-state company that needs assigned support, or a growing team that wants payroll changes to flow from a broader HR platform.
| Service | Best starting scenario | Current price evidence | Evidence to request before buying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto | Small U.S. teams that want guided payroll with HR options | Simple: $49/month + $6/person; Plus: $80 + $12/person; Premium: $180 + $22/person | State coverage by plan, support tier, benefit and time add-ons, prior-payroll import owner |
| OnPay | Teams prioritizing one transparent payroll base plan | $49/month + $6 per paid worker; optional HR enhancements cost extra | Industry workflow, state setup, year-end delivery choice, accounting mapping |
| QuickBooks Payroll | Businesses already operating in QuickBooks Online | Intuit displays payroll/accounting bundles and temporary offers; verify regular bundle and per-worker price | Accounting plan included, post-promotion price, time features, ledger and job-cost mapping |
| ADP RUN | Small employers that value service packages and broad payroll support | Consultative quote across Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro packages | Itemized recurring fees, implementation, forms, add-ons, escalation path, renewal terms |
| Paychex Flex | Employers comparing payroll plus flexible support and HR services | Request pricing for Select, Pro, or Enterprise package | Assigned support level, tax service scope, integrations, multi-state work, implementation fees |
| Rippling | Growing teams that want payroll connected to a workforce platform | Custom quote; selected products sit alongside the required Rippling Platform | Core platform fee, modules, implementation, permissions, workflow setup, export rights |
Published prices and packaging can change. Open each official source below and save the dated quote or pricing page used for your decision.
Use fictional data only. Ask each provider to demonstrate a biweekly payroll for 12 workers in two states: eight salaried employees, two hourly employees with overtime, and two contractors. Include one pretax benefit deduction, one reimbursement, one bonus, one terminated worker, and one corrected prior-period entry.
| Test step | Pass evidence | Failure evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Import and setup | Named fields, validation report, owner, and completion date | Manual re-entry without reconciliation |
| Approval | Separate preparer and approver roles with an audit trail | One shared administrator login |
| Correction | Visible correction path and written filing responsibility | Sales representative cannot show the workflow |
| Accounting handoff | Balanced journal or export using your account structure | Generic integration claim without mapped output |
| Deadline support | Documented escalation channel and response target | Only a general help-center link |
| Exit | Downloadable payroll history, forms, reports, and worker records | Export limits are unclear until cancellation |
A feature comparison is incomplete until each implementation task has an owner, due date, and acceptance record. The payroll provider may configure the account, but the employer still needs someone authorized to confirm tax registrations, bank funding, worker data, deduction balances, year-to-date wages, and the final accounting entry. Put these responsibilities in the order form or implementation plan instead of relying on a sales-call summary.
| Checkpoint | Provider should deliver | Employer should approve |
|---|---|---|
| Tax setup | Jurisdictions, account numbers, filing start date, and any authorization forms | Legal entity, work locations, registration status, and prior filing responsibility |
| Worker migration | Import template, validation errors, and reconciliation totals | Names, tax elections, pay rates, deductions, leave balances, and year-to-date amounts |
| Funding | Debit timing, cutoff calendar, limits, and failed-debit process | Authorized bank account, cash schedule, approvers, and backup funding plan |
| Parallel run | Gross-to-net results, taxes, deductions, and journal output | Documented variance review against the current system |
| Go-live | Named support path and correction procedure | Final approval, employee communication, and rollback decision |
Do not skip the parallel run because a provider imports data successfully. Compare employee-level gross pay, taxable wages, employer taxes, deductions, net pay, and general-ledger totals. Small rounding differences may be explainable; missing deductions, incorrect tax jurisdictions, duplicate workers, or an unbalanced journal are stop conditions. Keep the signed comparison and first-payroll approval with the implementation records.
Also decide what happens after go-live. Record who opens tax notices, who authorizes corrections, who updates employee changes, who reviews quarterly filings, and how quickly a missed deadline is escalated. A low monthly price can become expensive when these responsibilities are unclear. A slightly higher quote may be reasonable when it includes work your team would otherwise perform, but only when that scope and service level are written down.
Use the regular monthly price, not a temporary discount. Add the base plan, paid-worker charges, required accounting or platform subscription, HR and time modules, benefits administration, extra states, implementation, year-end delivery, parallel payroll, and internal migration labor.
Worked example: Gusto Simple at the currently published $49 base plus $6 for each of 12 people is $121 per month, or $1,452 for 12 months before benefits, optional support, state-specific items, or migration work. OnPay at $49 plus $6 for the same 12 paid workers produces the same $121 monthly software subtotal, but the included workflow and optional HR enhancements differ. Equal headline math does not mean equal operational fit.
Published plans
Best first demo for guided payroll with transparent plan tiers.
Simple is positioned for single-state payroll; Plus adds multi-state payroll, time tracking, and PTO; Premium adds dedicated support and advanced HR/reporting.
State-specific pricing, benefits eligibility, add-ons, support level, and migration scope for your company.
Single base plan
Best first demo when transparent worker-based pricing is the priority.
The official price is $49 base plus $6 per paid worker and includes unlimited pay runs plus federal, state, and local tax filing.
Optional HR costs, industry-specific workflow, accounting setup, and how workers are counted in each billing period.
Accounting bundle
Best first demo for an existing QuickBooks Online workflow.
Current U.S. offers combine payroll with QuickBooks accounting plans and show per-employee charges.
The regular price after promotion, included accounting tier, employee fee, time features, and report mapping.
Service packages
Best quote comparison when support depth and package breadth matter.
RUN offers four small-business packages, tax filing, W-2/1099 workflows, general-ledger integration, and payroll support.
Every recurring and one-time fee, support level, included forms, implementation, and contract terms.
Payroll and HR service
Best quote comparison for flexible support and HR service options.
Paychex publishes Select, Pro, and Enterprise package paths plus payroll tax, support, integration, and multi-state capabilities.
Assigned specialist availability, exact package, tax scope, integrations, implementation, and total recurring price.
Workforce platform
Best platform demo when payroll must share workforce data and approvals.
Payroll connects to Rippling's employee data, permissions, workflows, accounting integrations, and optional HR, IT, and finance products.
The required platform cost, selected module fees, setup effort, implementation owner, and export path.
OnPay publishes a $49 monthly base fee plus $6 per paid worker. Gusto also publishes plan and per-person prices. ADP, Paychex, and Rippling generally require a quote, while QuickBooks displays several payroll and accounting bundles with temporary promotions.
No. Compare the full first-year cost, including each paid worker, additional states, time tracking, HR support, benefits administration, implementation, prior-payroll migration, year-end forms, and any parallel payroll run.
QuickBooks Payroll deserves the first controlled demo when QuickBooks Online is already the accounting system. Still verify general-ledger mapping, job or class reporting, contractor handling, user permissions, and the regular post-promotion price.
Include them when service depth, payroll deadline support, HR options, multi-jurisdiction work, or an assigned specialist matters more than self-serve price transparency. Require a written itemized quote and implementation scope.
Consider Rippling when payroll must share employee data, permissions, approvals, HR, IT, or finance workflows. Its products use a required core platform and custom quote, so test the broader platform value rather than comparing payroll price alone.
No. Software can collect records and route payments, but worker classification depends on the facts and applicable law. Use IRS and Department of Labor guidance and obtain professional advice for uncertain cases.
Shortlist providers only after documenting employee count, states, pay frequencies, benefits, time tracking, accounting integrations, implementation ownership, and the cost of parallel payroll. Ask each vendor to demonstrate a correction, off-cycle run, tax notice workflow, employee termination, and year-end report rather than relying only on a standard sales tour.