Best Payroll Software in 2026: 8 Options for Small Businesses

Gusto is the one most owners hear about first, and its pricing page explains why. It lists three plans: Simple at $49 per month plus $6 per person, Plus at $80 plus $12 per person, and Premium at $180 plus $22 per person. It states "No contracts. Free account setup. Switch or cancel anytime."

The tiers matter. Simple handles basic payroll in one state with unlimited payrolls, tax filings and payments, and contractor payments. Plus adds time tracking and scheduling, unlimited next-day pay, multi-state payroll and contractor invoice management. Premium adds a named advisor, HR guidance and compliance tools, and unlimited same-day and instant pay.

Speed is where costs creep in. Next-day pay on Simple is an add-on at $15 per month plus $3 per person, same-day pay is $90 per payroll, and instant pay is $100 per payroll, unless you are on Premium. Price your add-ons before you choose a tier. Gusto also has a separate Solo plan for owners who pay themselves and contractors.

OnPay keeps pricing simple. Its help center says the "simple pricing structure includes all of our features" for a $49 base fee plus $6 per person. The base fee covers 24-hour platform access, unlimited pay runs, tax filings and payments in all 50 states, direct deposit, debit cards or printed checks, employee online access, and live support by phone, chat or email.

There are a few details to know. The per-person fee applies once per month to each employee or contractor included in at least one pay run, so someone left in a pay run at $0 still counts. Printing W-2s and 1099-NECs yourself is free, while OnPay's direct mail service costs $10 per form. OnPay is a good match for businesses that want predictable monthly costs and do not need advanced HR tools.

QuickBooks has reshaped its payroll plans into bundles. The pricing page lists Workforce Payroll plus Simple Start at $88 plus $7 per employee, Workforce Payroll plus Essentials at $135 plus $7, and Workforce Premium plus Plus at $228 plus $13. Each shows a 50% discount for three months, which cuts the first one to $44 per month plus $7 per employee for that period.

Every bundle lists full-service payroll, auto payroll, 1099 e-file, expert product support and an employee portal. Next-day direct deposit comes with Simple Start, while Essentials and Plus list same-day direct deposit. The top bundle adds HR tools such as hiring and onboarding, time off management and automated I-9.

The catch is that you are buying accounting software too. If you already use another bookkeeping tool, you may be paying for features you will not use. The per-employee fee we saw on one load of the page was lower than on another, so confirm the price at checkout.

Square Payroll is simple to understand. Its page lists full-service payroll at $35 per month plus $6 per person paid, and contractor-only payroll at $6 per month per person paid. There is no commitment, and pay runs are unlimited.

Its strongest feature is the link to Square's point of sale. You can import timecards and tips from Square POS and pay employees from the Square Dashboard. Federal and state tax filings and payments are handled, and W-2 and 1099-NEC forms are filed automatically at year's end. It supports multiple pay rates, commissions, bonuses, tips and multistate payroll.

For speed, the page describes next-day payroll using a Square balance or Square Checking account, plus a two-day-early submission option. To get direct deposit on payday, process payroll by 8 p.m. PT. If you do not use Square for sales, other products on this list have more HR depth.

Patriot is the budget pick. As listed in search results from its own pricing page, Basic Payroll is $17 per month plus $4 per worker, and Full Service Payroll is $37 per month plus $5 per worker. Full Service adds federal, state and local payroll tax filings and deposits on top of the Basic features. The listing also describes a 50% discount for the first three months and billing only for workers who receive pay.

Treat these numbers with extra care. Patriot's site showed a security check that blocked our automated page view, and the figures come from search listings of the page, not a page we read ourselves. Several reviews list the Full Service worker fee as $4, which looks outdated.

Basic Payroll means you handle the tax filings yourself, which is a real responsibility. We would choose Full Service for anyone without payroll experience, and confirm the current price and trial terms on Patriot's website before you sign up.

ADP is the biggest name in payroll, and RUN is its small business product. Its page lists four packages: Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll (labeled most popular), Complete Payroll and HR+, and HR Pro Payroll and HR. Each links to "Get pricing" rather than showing a price.

The page says ADP calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxes, prepares and e-files W-2s and 1099s, and offers AI-enabled error flagging. It lists 24/7 support from payroll and HR professionals, including help with IRS inquiries. It also mentions a promotion of up to six months of free payroll with separate terms and says a per-payroll processing fee is most common, without giving amounts.

The trade-off is transparency. You have to talk to sales to learn the cost, so ask for a full written quote, including any per-payroll fees and what happens to the price after any promotional period.

Paychex Flex has four payroll and HR packages: Basic, Foundations, Advanced and Complete. The pricing page does not state a price and directs visitors to request one. It describes automated tax calculation, filing and payment, a mobile app, employee self-service, and AI-powered compliance support.

Support comes in three levels: self-service, on-demand representatives, and dedicated assigned payroll specialists. All plans include phone, chat and online support, according to the page, but it does not map each level to each package, so ask which one you would get.

The page also advertises a "Do Not Pay Until April 2027" promotion for eligible new clients with 1 to 250 employees. It requires a one-year agreement for Foundations, Advanced or Complete signed between 12 October and 31 October 2026, and covers only the payroll component. If you are comparing quotes this week, that deadline matters, and so do the terms after the free months.

Rippling is the most expansive product here. Its pricing page says plans start at $8 per employee per month, most products are priced per employee per month, and some add a monthly base fee. Payroll pricing depends on employee count and chosen products, so you need a custom quote.

The page offers a demo request rather than a free trial. It also describes a startup program with free access for six months to eligible US venture-backed startups, subject to funding status and stage.

Rippling makes the most sense if you expect to add IT, devices or HR tools. For a five-person shop that only wants to pay people, the simpler products above will be cheaper and quicker to set up.