Best Payroll Software for Small Business (2026)

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Updated October 27, 2026. Prices below were checked against each company’s own pricing page on this date.

Payroll software pays your team, calculates and files payroll taxes, and produces year-end forms like W-2s and 1099s. Getting it wrong is expensive, so for most small businesses the right choice is a full-service provider that files and pays taxes for you.

Almost every provider charges a monthly base fee plus a fee for each person you pay. We compared five options on what that adds up to for a small team, what’s included, and who each one is not right for.

Our quick picks

• Best overall: Gusto. Easy payroll with benefits and HR tools built in.
• Best all-inclusive value: OnPay. One plan, $49 a month plus $6 per person, with every state included.
• Best if you already use QuickBooks: QuickBooks Payroll. Payroll that flows straight into your books.
• Lowest price: Patriot Payroll. Full-service payroll from $37 a month plus $5 per worker.
• Best for growing into HR support: ADP RUN. Packages that add hiring, HR help and more as you grow.

Small business payroll comparison

Provider	Best for	Starting price	Cost for 5 employees*	Tax filing
Gusto	Most small businesses	$49/mo + $7/person	$84/mo	Included
OnPay	All-inclusive value	$49/mo + $6/person	$79/mo	Included
QuickBooks Payroll	QuickBooks users	$50/mo + $7/employee	$85/mo	Included
Patriot Payroll	Lowest price	$37/mo + $5/worker (Full Service)	$62/mo	Included on Full Service
ADP RUN	Growing into HR	Quote only	Quote only	Included

*Monthly cost on each provider’s entry-level full-service plan, before taxes and any introductory discounts.

Choosing between Gusto and QuickBooks? Read our Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll comparison.

Want an exact number? Try our free payroll cost calculator to compare every plan for your team size.

Gusto: Best overall for most small businesses

Gusto is the payroll tool many small businesses start with. Setup is guided, payroll runs in a few clicks, and it handles tax filings and payments for you. Health benefits, 401(k) plans and workers’ comp can be added in the same place.

Pricing

Simple is $49 a month plus $7 per person and covers payroll in one state. Plus is $99 a month plus $12 per person and adds multi-state payroll, time tracking, scheduling and next-day pay. Premium is $179 a month plus $22 per person and adds a named advisor and HR guidance. Every plan includes unlimited payrolls and tax filings.

Why we like it

• Clean, guided setup and payroll runs
• Unlimited payrolls with tax filings on every plan
• Benefits, 401(k) and HR tools in the same system

Who it’s not for

Businesses with employees in more than one state on a tight budget: multi-state payroll starts on Plus at $99 a month.

OnPay: Best all-inclusive value

OnPay keeps pricing simple: one plan with the essentials included, rather than tiers that hold back features. It’s a strong fit for budget-conscious businesses that still want full-service tax filing in every state.

Pricing

$49 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor paid in that billing period. That includes unlimited pay runs, tax filings and payments in all 50 states, direct deposit, debit card or check payments, an employee portal and live phone, chat and email support. Year-end forms are free to print yourself, or $10 each to mail.

Why we like it

• One simple price with the essentials included
• All 50 states included at no extra cost
• Live support by phone, chat or email

Who it’s not for

Businesses that want a big-brand ecosystem of HR, benefits and hiring tools in one place. Gusto or ADP offer more in that direction.

QuickBooks Payroll: Best if you already use QuickBooks

Intuit now sells QuickBooks Payroll as part of QuickBooks Workforce. If your books are already in QuickBooks Online, payroll entries flow straight into your accounting, which saves time for you and your accountant.

Pricing

Workforce Payroll is $50 a month plus $7 per employee and includes full-service payroll, auto payroll and next-day direct deposit. Workforce Premium is $88 a month plus $13 per employee and adds time tracking, same-day direct deposit and HR tools. Workforce Elite is $134 a month plus $17 per employee. When we checked, Intuit was offering 50% off the base price for the first 3 months.

Why we like it

• Payroll syncs directly with QuickBooks Online
• Full-service tax filing on every plan
• Time tracking and HR tools on Premium

Who it’s not for

Businesses that don’t use QuickBooks. Without the accounting connection, it costs about the same as Gusto with fewer reasons to choose it.

Patriot Payroll: Lowest price

Patriot is a no-frills payroll provider built for very small businesses. It’s the cheapest way in this guide to get full-service payroll, and it only charges for workers you actually pay that month.

Pricing

Full Service Payroll is $37 a month plus $5 per worker paid, and Patriot files and deposits your payroll taxes. Basic Payroll is $17 a month plus $4 per worker, but you file taxes yourself. Patriot offers a 30-day free trial.

Why we like it

• The lowest full-service price in this guide
• Only pay for workers paid that month
• A 30-day free trial

Who it’s not for

Businesses that want built-in benefits, HR tools or a modern all-in-one platform. Also avoid the Basic plan unless you’re comfortable filing payroll taxes yourself.

ADP RUN: Best for growing into HR support

RUN Powered by ADP is ADP’s small business payroll platform. Its packages let you start with payroll and add hiring tools, state unemployment insurance, garnishment payments and HR support as you grow.

Pricing

ADP doesn’t publish prices. There are four packages (Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll, Complete Payroll and HR+, and HR Pro Payroll and HR), each priced by quote. When we checked, ADP was promoting up to 6 months of free payroll for new customers, subject to its terms.

Why we like it

• Packages that grow from payroll into full HR support
• A long-established provider
• Hiring and compliance tools in higher packages

Who it’s not for

Owners who want to compare prices without talking to sales. You’ll need a quote, and promotional pricing can change after the first months.

How to choose the right payroll software

• Do the math for your headcount. Add the base fee to the per-person fee for everyone you pay. A low per-person fee matters more as you grow.
• Choose full service. Unless you’re comfortable filing payroll taxes yourself, pick a plan that files and pays them for you.
• Check multi-state rules. If anyone works in another state, make sure your plan covers it. Gusto needs Plus for this; OnPay includes all states.
• Think about benefits. If you plan to offer health insurance or a 401(k) soon, choose a provider that can manage them in the same system.

How we chose

We compared each provider’s current pricing pages, plan contents and trial terms as of October 27, 2026, and judged them by what a business with 1–20 people needs. This guide is based on research, not hands-on testing. Prices change often, so confirm the current price on the provider’s site before you buy. We aren’t tax advisors; check payroll tax questions with your accountant.

See exactly what each plan costs for your team size: Gusto pricing and Patriot Payroll pricing, or try our free payroll cost calculator. Considering ADP? Read Gusto vs ADP.

Frequently asked questions

How much does payroll software cost for a small business?

Most full-service plans cost a monthly base fee of about $37 to $50 plus $5 to $7 per person. For 5 employees, that’s roughly $62 to $85 a month on an entry-level plan.

What is the cheapest payroll software for a small business?

Patriot Payroll’s Full Service plan is the lowest full-service price in this guide at $37 a month plus $5 per worker. Its Basic plan is cheaper, but you file payroll taxes yourself.

Is Gusto or QuickBooks Payroll better?

If your books are already in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Payroll saves time. Otherwise Gusto is easier to use and costs about the same. See our Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll comparison.