15 Best Payroll Software for Small Businesses in 2027

Payroll has a funny way of humbling capable business owners. You can be great at your product, your customers and your craft, and still feel your stomach drop at the words “Form 941.” Miss a payroll tax deposit by a few days and IRS penalties start at 2 percent and climb from there. That is a big reason the best payroll software for small business owners is less a luxury and more cheap insurance. Employment tax rules apply the day you hire your first employee, ready or not.

The good news going into 2027 is that you no longer need a bookkeeper on retainer to pay your team correctly. Modern online payroll services work out federal, state and local taxes, file them for you, send direct deposits and flag problems before they turn into penalties. Dan Anastas, VP of total rewards and HR operations at UiPath, told SHRM that automation “acts as a second pair of eyes” for his payroll team, catching discrepancies before they become payroll errors.

We compared 15 of the best payroll services for small businesses side by side. Below you will find published prices, what each tool does well, where it falls short, and a success story or proof point for every pick. Whether you pay two people or two hundred, one of these should fit your team, your budget and your patience for paperwork.

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How We Chose These 15 Payroll Services

We leaned on each provider’s own pricing page, plus hands-on reviews and buyer’s guides from PCMag, Forbes Advisor and NerdWallet. We favored services that file payroll taxes for you instead of handing the forms back, that publish per-employee fees instead of hiding them behind a sales call, and that can point to real customer results.

One piece of expert context is worth keeping in mind. PCMag’s editors ran the numbers on doing payroll yourself versus using software and concluded that subscription fees are small change compared with the hidden costs of manual errors, IRS penalties and lost productivity.

1. Gusto: Best Overall Payroll Software for Small Businesses

If you want one platform that handles payroll, HR and benefits without feeling like accounting software, Gusto is where most small teams should start.

Price: Simple is $49/month + $6 per person (single-state payroll). Plus is $80 + $12 per person and adds multi-state payroll, time tracking and unlimited next-day pay. Premium is $180 + $22 per person and adds a named advisor and compliance tools. See Gusto

Expert opinion: Gusto holds PCMag’s Editors’ Choice award for payroll. Reviewer Kathy Yakal calls it a premium-priced platform that justifies its cost with best-in-class usability, powerful HR features and continuous innovation, and says the design is “almost fun to use.”

Success story: Fire-safety training company Forge Fire says it cut platform costs by 40% after moving to Gusto Premium. Mason’s Creamery describes payroll and benefits on Gusto as “approachable and surprisingly easy.” Both appear on Gusto’s customer stories page.

Pros

• Clean, easy-to-use design that PCMag calls best-in-class
• Payroll, HR and benefits on one platform
• AutoPilot runs payroll for you; you just approve it

Cons

• The per-person fee stings more as headcount grows
• Multi-state teams get nudged into the Plus plan

2. OnPay: Best Cheap Payroll Software That Doesn’t Feel Cheap

Not everyone wants a menu of plans. OnPay keeps it to one, and that is exactly why value-minded owners keep landing here.

Price: One plan, $49/month + $6 per worker. That covers multi-state payroll, local taxes, W-2s, 1099s, benefits administration with licensed agents and US-based phone support. No setup fees, no contracts. See OnPay pricing

Expert opinion: Business.com named OnPay its Best for Small Businesses pick for 2026 with a 9.3/10 editor score, and PCMag lists it among its top payroll services right behind Gusto.

Success story: Franchise owner Carlos Vanegas of Elements Massage automated his tax filings, cut payroll costs by 50% and shrank payroll time from days to about two and a half hours. Sheila, who runs Wizard of Paws Pet Salon, has used OnPay since 2017. Read OnPay’s client stories

Pros

• One plan with multi-state payroll, local taxes, W-2s and 1099s included
• US-based phone support, with no setup fees or contracts
• Benefits administration with licensed agents

Cons

• Time tracking and some HR tools cost extra

3. QuickBooks Payroll: Best for Businesses Already Using QuickBooks

When your books already live in QuickBooks, adding a separate payroll app means extra data entry. This one skips that step.

Price: Payroll is bundled with a QuickBooks plan. Workforce Payroll with Simple Start is $88/month + $7 per employee, Essentials is $135 + $7, and Premium is $228 + $13 per employee. There is usually a promotion running, such as 50% off for three months. See QuickBooks pricing

Expert opinion: CNBC Select names Intuit QuickBooks its pick for best payroll and bookkeeping, which points to its biggest strength: the accounting connection.

Success story: If your books already live in QuickBooks, every paycheck, tax payment and journal entry lands in your ledger, so month-end turns into a quick reconciliation instead of a data-entry marathon. Intuit keeps a library of small business stories you can browse. QuickBooks Payroll

Pros

• Paychecks, tax payments and journal entries post straight to your ledger
• Month-end becomes a quick reconciliation
• Promotions are common, such as 50% off for three months

Cons

• The priciest entry point on our list if you don’t want QuickBooks accounting
• Payroll tax penalty protection comes only with the higher bundles

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4. Square Payroll: Best for Restaurants, Retail and Tipped Teams

If you ring up sales on Square, your payroll can pull hours, shifts and tips from the same place, which is a real time saver for busy crews.

Price: $35/month + $6 per person paid. Contractor-only payroll is $6 per person with no base fee. See Square Payroll pricing

Expert opinion: CNBC Select identifies Square Payroll as a strong fit for hourly teams and Square-based operations.

Success snapshot: The sources we used don’t include a named customer case study for Square, so here is what the setup does in practice. Hours, shifts and tips flow from Square POS and Square Shifts straight into payroll, which ends the Friday-afternoon spreadsheet scramble. Tip handling, a compliance headache for cafés and salons, is built in.

Pros

• Hours, shifts and tips flow in from Square POS and Square Shifts
• Tip handling is built in
• The cheapest full-service route for a tipped crew

Cons

• Without Square POS, Gusto or OnPay give you more HR muscle for similar money

5. Patriot Payroll: Best Budget Payroll Software Under $40

When budget decides, Patriot is the one to look at first. It keeps full-service tax filing under $40 a month.

Price: Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker and includes federal, state and local tax filing with a tax-filing reliability guarantee. Basic Payroll is $17 + $4, but you file your own taxes. New customers usually get the first months at half price. See Patriot pricing

Expert opinion: The takeaway from payroll experts is that the cheapest software is not always the least expensive in practice. Patriot works best when you want low cost and simple setup, and you are comfortable with basic reporting.

Success snapshot: We didn’t find a named case study in our source material, but the math tells a story. A five-person shop on Full Service pays roughly $62 a month, which is hard to beat once you count your own hours and the cost of one missed filing.

Pros

• Full Service at $37 + $5 per worker, with a tax-filing reliability guarantee
• Setup takes minutes and support is US-based
• New customers usually get the first months at half price

Cons

• Reporting is basic, and fast-growing companies will outgrow it
• The $17 Basic plan leaves tax filing to you

6. SurePayroll: Best for Tiny Payrolls and Household Employers

Tiny payrolls and household employers often get ignored by bigger providers. SurePayroll has served them for over two decades.

Price: Full service starts at $29/month + $7 per employee. The self-filing plan is $20 + $4. Multi-state payroll adds $9.99 a month. See SurePayroll pricing

Expert opinion: Reviewers keep noting how quickly a payroll run gets done, and SurePayroll is one of the few services that takes household employers seriously, handling the nanny-tax filings most platforms dodge.

Success snapshot: No named case study turned up in our sources. The typical fit is a nanny employer, a church, a nonprofit or a one-to-five-person business that bigger providers tend to ignore, approving payroll from the mobile app on a job site or at a soccer game.

Pros

• Handles nanny-tax filings that most platforms dodge
• Quick payroll runs, and you can approve from the mobile app
• Unlimited pay runs and automatic tax calculation, filing and deposit

Cons

• The web interface looks its age
• Phone support is thinner than at parent company Paychex
• Multi-state payroll adds $9.99 a month

7. Roll by ADP: Best Payroll App for Owners Who Live on Their Phone

Roll by ADP turns payroll into a quick chat on your phone, with the weight of a big payroll brand behind it.

Price: $59/month + $7 per employee, with a three-month free trial. Earlier in 2026 it sold for $39 + $5, so check the live page before signing up.

Expert opinion: Because it’s ADP, the tax-filing guarantee comes standard, which is rare cover for a phone app.

Success snapshot: Our sources have no named customer story for Roll. What they do show is the experience: you type “run payroll” or “add Jess at $22 an hour,” and Roll calculates pay, withholds taxes and files in all 50 states, with unlimited payroll runs. That suits owners who pay people irregularly.

Pros

• Chat-style payroll that files in all 50 states
• Unlimited payroll runs and a three-month free trial
• ADP’s tax-filing guarantee comes standard

Cons

• Reports, benefits administration and the desktop experience feel minimal
• The price moved from $39 + $5 earlier in 2026 to $59 + $7

8. ADP RUN: Best Payroll Service for Scaling Companies

Think of RUN as the next step up when the budget tools stop keeping pace with your team.

Price: ADP doesn’t publish RUN pricing, so you request a quote. PCMag lists it starting around $79/month + $4 per employee. See ADP

Expert opinion: CNBC’s comparison points to ADP for larger teams. The real argument for RUN is runway: you can add HR support, 401(k) or time and attendance, or move up to ADP Workforce Now or its TotalSource PEO without switching vendors.

Success story: GO Launch Pros, an Atlanta franchise-support company with about 50 employees and 10 locations, moved from a lower-cost provider to ADP for more flexibility and HR features. The company said ADP helped it manage payroll across multiple stores and improve accuracy. Another example is the Foundation for Climate Restoration, a six-person remote nonprofit that switched to RUN after multi-state tax-filing headaches.

Pros

• Tax-filing guarantee and same-day deposit options
• An integration library nobody else matches
• Room to add HR, 401(k), time and attendance, or move to a PEO later

Cons

• No published pricing, so you request a quote
• Month-to-month flexibility isn’t a strong suit

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9. Paychex Flex: Best for Owners Who Want Humans on Call

Some owners want software and a person to call when things get weird. Paychex Flex is built for that.

Price: Quote-based. Third-party reporting puts Essentials around $39/month + $5 per employee, and Paychex regularly runs offers of up to six free months. See Paychex

Expert opinion: Paychex has been in payroll since 1971, and the difference shows when something unusual lands on your desk, like a garnishment order or a surprise multistate hire. You can reach a real person around the clock, backed by HR advisors.

Success story: Paychex client testimonials describe owners who freed up time by handing off payroll and admin work, with one saying it let him focus more on growth and financial strategy. In Europe, Byens Bilpleje reduced HR and payroll administration by 45% through integrated systems.

Pros

• Round-the-clock support backed by HR advisors
• In payroll since 1971, so edge cases don’t rattle it
• Offers of up to six free months come up regularly

Cons

• Quotes mean a sales conversation
• Add-on pricing can creep up as you say yes to more services

10. Rippling: Best All-in-One Payroll and HR for Growing Teams

Tired of copying data between apps? Rippling keeps every employee on one record so payroll, benefits and devices stay in step.

Price: Modular and quoted. Payroll starts at $8 per employee per month on annual billing ($10 month-to-month) plus a base fee, and you add HR, IT or spend modules as needed. See Rippling

Expert opinion: CNBC Select names Rippling its pick for best payroll service for international payments, which makes it worth a look for distributed teams.

Success story: Spend-management company Procurify says Rippling cut its US and Canadian payroll from hours to under 30 minutes. The story sits on Rippling’s customer page.

Pros

• One employee record across payroll, HR, benefits and IT
• Fast, modern payroll
• Handles contractor and international payments better than most

Cons

• Reported implementation fees can start around $2,000
• Per-module pricing can quietly balloon your invoice
• Teams under 10 may not need the machinery

11. Wave Payroll: Best for Freelancers and Very Small Budgets

Freelancers and solo founders rarely need a big HR suite. Wave gives them payroll at a price that matches.

Price: $40/month + $6 per active employee or contractor. In some states there are cheaper limited-service plans, from $17 + $4, where Wave calculates taxes but you file them.

Expert opinion: CNBC’s comparison highlights Wave for affordability. Wave itself is upfront that it’s built for the smallest operations, from solo founders to teams of a handful.

Pros

• Free accounting and invoicing ride along with payroll
• Unlimited payroll runs, direct deposit, employee self-service and pay stubs
• Low cost for the smallest teams

Cons

• Support is email-first
• Benefits options are thin
• Full tax filing isn’t available in every state

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12. Justworks: Best PEO for Big-Company Benefits

Losing good candidates over benefits? Justworks lets a small team offer plans normally priced for much bigger companies.

Price: Justworks Payroll without the PEO is $50/month + $8 per employee. PEO Basic is $79 per employee per month, and PEO Plus, which adds administered medical, dental and vision, is $124. See Justworks pricing

Expert opinion: Reviewers single out payroll that “just works” and genuinely helpful 24/7 support. If you’re losing job candidates over benefits, the PEO math often pencils out.

Pros

• Published pricing, which is rare among PEOs
• PEO buying power on health plans, plus workers’ comp access and 401(k)
• Helpful 24/7 support

Cons

• PEO fees get expensive as you scale; at 50 staff, Plus tops $6,000 a month in platform fees alone
• Not every business needs a PEO

13. Homebase Payroll: Best for Hourly and Shift-Based Teams

For restaurants, salons and shops, the hardest part of payroll is getting accurate hours. Homebase starts there.

Price: $49/month + $6 per active employee, and the first six months were free at the time of writing. See Homebase payroll

Expert opinion: Homebase reports managers save around 20 hours a month on average by keeping scheduling, time tracking and payroll in one app.

Success story: Woon, a food business, is featured by Homebase through customer Keegan Fong, who described the value of bringing scheduling and payroll together and having more control over operations.

Pros

• Schedule shifts, track hours and pay those exact hours
• Overtime and break rules calculated automatically
• First six months free at the time of writing

Cons

• Benefits are partner-provided rather than in-house
• Scheduling plans are priced per location

14. BambooHR: Best HR Platform With Payroll Built In

If HR is your priority and payroll is the add-on, BambooHR keeps everything on one employee record from hire to retire.

Price: Custom quote, per employee per month, with volume discounts. Bundle Payroll with Benefits Administration and you get a 15% discount. Payroll is US-only.

Expert opinion: BambooHR is the HR system of record for more than 30,000 companies. The pitch from experts and users alike is that you never sync employee data by hand again.

Success story: One customer on BambooHR’s pricing page reports saving $20,000 a year and 20 hours a week after moving payroll into the platform. Another saved hundreds of hours with its performance tools.

Pros

• Offer letters, time off and year-end forms flow with no manual exports
• 15% discount when you bundle Payroll with Benefits Administration
• Automatic volume discounts

Cons

• Quote-only pricing, with no public price list
• Payroll is US-only
• Very small teams may find the full HR platform more than they need

15. Paycor: Best for Growing Businesses With Compliance Headaches

Growing companies tend to trip over compliance first. Paycor is stronger than most at that unglamorous part.

Price: Basic is $99/month + $5 per employee, up to Complete at $199 + $7 per employee. Higher tiers cost more per person. There’s a $99 setup fee that promotions often waive, and every tier includes unlimited payroll runs.

Expert opinion: Paycor’s payroll product landed a spot on G2’s Best Software Top 50 for 2026, which fits its reputation among finance teams for multi-state compliance, garnishments and detailed labor-cost reporting.

Pros

• Strong multi-state compliance, garnishments and labor-cost reporting
• Manager self-service keeps questions off the owner’s desk
• Unlimited payroll runs in every tier

Cons

• The cost curve climbs fast, and a $99 setup fee applies unless waived
• Some plans nudge you toward an annual commitment

How Much Will Payroll Software Cost You? A 10-Employee Example

Most providers charge a base fee plus a per-employee fee. Here is what ten employees would cost per month on published pricing:

Add-ons like time tracking, HR tools and extra states will raise these numbers.

How to Choose the Right Payroll Software

The best choice depends less on brand name and more on how your business runs day to day.

• Salaried office team: Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, OnPay or Rippling.
• Hourly restaurant or retail crew: Square Payroll or Homebase.
• Remote multi-state team: ADP RUN, OnPay, Rippling or Paychex Flex.
• Very small team on a budget: Patriot, Wave or SurePayroll.
• Fast-growing startup: Rippling, Gusto, ADP RUN or Justworks.
• Deep HR support: Paychex, Paycor or BambooHR.

Before you buy, check for automatic tax filing, direct deposit timing, contractor and 1099 support, multi-state coverage, time tracking, an employee self-service portal, accounting integrations and clear pricing with no surprise add-ons.

Common Payroll Mistakes to Avoid

• Choosing on the lowest advertised base price alone.
• Ignoring per-employee fees, contractor fees and state surcharges.
• Buying payroll without confirming who files the taxes.
• Running time tracking, scheduling and payroll in separate tools when an integration exists.
• Waiting until growth creates multi-state compliance problems.
• Skipping a test of the employee self-service portal.
• Forgetting to ask about year-end W-2 and 1099 fees.

PCMag also warns that popular platforms such as ADP RUN, Gusto and QuickBooks can get pricier once you add services, so ask for the full picture up front.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best payroll software for small businesses?

Gusto is our best overall pick for its mix of usability, HR features and benefits. OnPay is the best value, and QuickBooks Payroll is the natural choice if you already use QuickBooks.

What is the cheapest payroll software?

On published full-service pricing, SurePayroll starts lowest at $29 a month, while Patriot Full Service is the cheapest per-person at $5 and comes to $87 for ten employees. Patriot Basic and Wave’s limited plans start at $17 a month but may leave tax filing to you.

Is payroll software worth it for a small business?

For most owners, yes. Subscription fees are small compared with the cost of errors, penalties and your own time.

Which payroll software is best for restaurants?

Square Payroll and Homebase, since both handle hourly teams, and Square adds built-in tip handling.

Do I need a PEO?

Only if you want big-company benefits and compliance help. Justworks PEO plans run $79 to $124 per employee per month, which gets expensive as you grow.

Conclusion:

There is no single best payroll software for small business, only the best one for your payroll. If budget rules, Patriot and OnPay deliver full-service tax filing for little money. Already on QuickBooks or Square? Their native payroll saves hours of syncing. Hourly crews should look hard at Homebase, benefit-hungry teams at Justworks, and anyone planning to double headcount should start with ADP RUN, Paychex Flex or Rippling so they never have to migrate twice.

Prices were checked in November 2026 and change often, so confirm the live pricing page before you commit. Take the free trial or demo, and run it with your real numbers. A 30-minute test beats any comparison chart.

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