Best payroll provider for a small business: the published prices
Square, OnPay and QuickBooks publish their payroll prices: from $35 a month plus $6 per person paid at Square to $50 plus $7 per employee at QuickBooks.1, 2, 3 ADP and Paychex show their plans but give prices only on request.4, 5
In short
- With 10 employees, the base plans come to $95 a month at Square, $109 at OnPay and $120 at QuickBooks.1, 2, 3
- QuickBooks pays employees the same day on its Premium and Elite plans, and the next business day on Workforce Payroll.3
- Square has a contractor-only plan at $6 per person paid per month, with no base fee.1
- ADP's RUN packages are for businesses with 1 to 49 employees.4
Published prices side by side
| Provider | Base plan | Taxes and forms | Higher plans and add-ons | Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Payroll | $35 a month + $6 per person paid1 | Federal and state tax payments and filings included1 | Contractor-only plan: $6 per person paid1 | "No commitment, no long-term contracts required"1 |
| OnPay | $49 a month + $6 per worker2 | Federal, state and local tax filings, W-2s and 1099s included2 | HR $15 + $2 per worker; time tracking $15 + $4 per worker; live HR support $652 | Not shown; no implementation fees2 |
| QuickBooks Workforce | $50 a month + $7 per employee (Workforce Payroll)3 | Calculates, files and pays payroll taxes; unlimited 1099 e-filing3 | Premium $88 + $13; Elite $134 + $17 per employee3 | "Cancel anytime"3 |
| ADP (RUN) | Quote only: four packages, each with "Get Pricing"4 | Payroll processing and tax filing in the Essential package4 | Enhanced, Complete Payroll & HR+, HR Pro4 | Not shown |
| Paychex | Quote only: Basic, Foundations, Advanced and Complete plans5 | Federal, state and local taxes calculated, withheld and filed5 | Not shown | Not shown |
Read on November 14, 2026, then checked a second time. Prices are per month. "Not shown" means the provider's page does not publish it.
Their pricing pages blocked our automated reading on November 14, 2026, and we only publish prices we have checked on the provider's own page. We will add them once we can verify their current prices.
What payroll costs at 1 to 50 employees
The table uses each provider's cheapest full-service plan and assumes every employee is paid every month, with no add-ons.
| Employees | Square | OnPay | QuickBooks, regular price | QuickBooks, first 3 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $41 | $55 | $57 | $32 |
| 5 | $65 | $79 | $85 | $60 |
| 10 | $95 | $109 | $120 | $95 |
| 25 | $185 | $199 | $225 | $200 |
| 50 | $335 | $349 | $400 | $375 |
Our arithmetic from the published prices: Square $35 + $6, OnPay $49 + $6 and QuickBooks $50 + $7 per person a month, with QuickBooks' base fee at $25 during its 3-month offer.1, 2, 3 Payroll taxes, benefits and add-ons are not included.
Square costs $14 a month less than OnPay at any headcount, because the per-person fee is the same and the base fee is lower.1, 2 QuickBooks charges $1 more per employee and a higher base fee, so at 50 employees its regular price is $65 a month above Square's.1, 3
What to compare besides the price
- Payday speed. QuickBooks Workforce Payroll pays the next business day if you run payroll by 5:00 PM; Premium and Elite pay the same day if you run it by 7:00 AM.3 Square includes next-day direct deposit in its full-service plan.1
- States and local taxes. OnPay's base plan includes multi-state payroll and local tax filings.2 Square's full-service plan includes multistate payroll and state tax filings.1
- Contractors. Square's contractor-only plan costs $6 per person paid.1 QuickBooks includes unlimited 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC e-filing in every Workforce plan, and OnPay includes 1099s in its base plan.3, 2
- HR help. OnPay sells HR tools for $15 plus $2 per worker and live HR support for $65 a month.2 QuickBooks adds an HR resource center on Premium and a personal HR advisor on Elite.3
- Tax penalties. QuickBooks Workforce Elite pays IRS penalty fees and interest up to $25,000 a year, with terms attached.3
Hiring outside the US: employer of record
An employer of record (EOR) legally employs your worker in another country and runs local payroll, taxes and benefits for you, so you don't need your own company there. Deel and Remote both list EOR prices starting at $599 per employee per month; Remote's price is for annual contracts.6, 7
| Service | Deel | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Employer of record | From $599 per employee per month6 | From $599 per employee per month, annual contracts7 |
| Contractor management | From $49 per contractor per month6 | From $29 per contractor per month7 |
| Contractor of record | From $325 per contractor per month6 | From $325 per contractor per month7 |
| Other | US PEO from $125 per employee per month6 | Global payroll for your own entities from $19 per employee per month7 |
Which provider fits which business
- You only pay contractors. Square's contractor-only plan has no base fee: $6 per person paid.1
- You want the lowest published price for a small team. Square's full-service plan is the cheapest of the three that publish prices, at every headcount in our table.1, 2, 3
- You have workers in several states or cities. OnPay includes multi-state payroll and local tax filings in its base plan.2
- You need same-day payday or tax-penalty cover. QuickBooks Workforce Premium pays the same day, and Elite adds penalty protection up to $25,000 a year.3 Details on our QuickBooks Payroll pricing page.
- You prefer a quote and a sales rep. ADP and Paychex list packages but price them case by case.4, 5
Frequently asked questions
How much does a payroll provider cost per month?
Among providers that publish prices, the base plans start at $35 plus $6 per person paid (Square), $49 plus $6 per worker (OnPay) and $50 plus $7 per employee (QuickBooks).1, 2, 3 For 10 employees that is $95 to $120 a month, before add-ons.1, 3
Why don't ADP and Paychex show prices?
Their pages list plans and ask you to request pricing or a quote; neither page shows a price.4, 5 Ask for the base fee, the per-employee fee and any setup or year-end charges in writing.
Is payroll tax filing included?
In the plans we list, yes. Square files federal and state payroll taxes, OnPay files federal, state and local taxes, and QuickBooks calculates, files and pays payroll taxes for you.1, 2, 3 The taxes themselves are paid from your account on top of the subscription.
What is the difference between payroll and an employer of record?
Payroll software pays people your own company employs. An employer of record becomes the legal employer of a worker abroad, which costs more: from $599 per employee per month at Deel and Remote.6, 7
How we compared
We read each provider's pricing page on November 14, 2026 and checked every figure a second time, with a different tool. The monthly costs are our own arithmetic from the published prices. Gusto, Patriot and Justworks are missing because their pricing pages blocked our automated reading that day. We have not run payroll with these providers, and we do not rate their support.
We use AI tools to help research and draft our pages.
This page is general information, not tax or legal advice. Best Payroll Provider is not affiliated with the companies listed.