For U.S. small businesses, payroll software commonly uses a monthly base fee plus a charge for each worker paid. The provider examples reviewed on October 7, 2026 range from Gusto Simple at $49 per month plus $6 per person to QuickBooks Payroll at a listed $125 plus $6.50 per employee. OnPay lists $49 plus $6 per worker, while ADP RUN requires a quote. These are selected plan prices, not an industry average or a guaranteed all-in bill.
Published payroll-service prices
The figures below are provider-listed prices for U.S. small-business plans, checked October 7, 2026. They show how base fees, per-worker charges, plan features, and promotions differ. Pricing and included services can change, so confirm the current terms with each provider.
| Provider and plan | Published price | What the provider page says it includes or offers |
|---|---|---|
| Gusto Simple | $49 per month + $6 per person per month | Basic payroll in one state; tax filings and payments; unlimited payroll runs. |
| Gusto Plus | $80 per month + $12 per person per month | Includes features such as time tracking, scheduling, and multi-state payroll. |
| Gusto Premium | $180 per month + $22 per person per month | Includes premium support, HR guidance and tools, and other listed features. |
| OnPay Payroll Essentials | $49 per month + $6 per worker per month | OnPay says the plan includes unlimited pay runs, multi-state payroll, automatic tax filings and payments, year-end filings, W-2s, and 1099s. |
| QuickBooks Payroll | $125 per month + $6.50 per employee per month listed. The page also displays a $62.50 monthly base price plus $6.50 per employee for three months. | The full-service payroll description says it calculates, files, and pays payroll taxes. The lower base price is a limited promotion; check eligibility and terms. |
| ADP RUN | Quote required; no comparable list price on the reviewed packages page. | Lists Essential, Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro tiers. The page notes an additional fee for W-2 and 1099 forms. |
Sources: Gusto pricing, OnPay pricing, QuickBooks Payroll pricing, and ADP RUN packages.
How the base-plus-worker model affects your bill
A base fee covers access to a plan; the per-worker charge scales with the people the provider counts for billing. For a simple recurring estimate, multiply the monthly worker charge by the number of billable workers and add the monthly base fee. For example, using the listed Gusto Simple rate, a business paying 10 billable people would estimate $109 per month before add-ons or other fees: $49 + (10 × $6). That is a calculation from the listed plan price, not a quote.
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Billing definitions matter. Gusto says it charges for active employees and bills U.S. contractors in months they are paid. Other providers may define billable workers differently, so ask whether the count includes active employees, only people paid in a given period, contractors, or system users.
What can make payroll cost more
- Plan scope: Payroll-only features can cost less than bundles with time tracking, scheduling, HR tools, compliance support, or benefits administration. Pay for features the business will actually use.
- Tax work and year-end forms: Ask whether federal, state, and local tax filings and deposits, W-2s, 1099s, and corrections are included. OnPay says its base plan includes tax filings and year-end forms; ADP notes additional fees may apply for W-2 and 1099 forms.
- States, localities, and entities: Multi-state or local tax requirements and multiple businesses or tax entities can affect the suitable plan or service scope. OnPay advertises multi-state payroll without an additional state charge; confirm registration requirements and what that promise covers for your business.
- Add-ons and separate services: Time tracking, HR support, workers’ compensation, health insurance, retirement plans, expedited pay, and implementation may carry extra charges or separate terms.
- Promotions and contract terms: Treat an introductory discount separately from the ongoing price. Check renewal pricing, cancellation rules, minimums, and price-change provisions.
How to compare payroll quotes fairly
Give every provider the same business profile and ask for an itemized written quote. Include:
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- Number and type of workers, including contractors, and how often each is paid.
- States and local tax jurisdictions, plus the number of businesses or tax entities.
- Required tax filings, deposits, year-end forms, and correction support.
- Any needed timekeeping, HR, benefits, or support features.
Ask for both the first-year total and the standard ongoing monthly cost. Have providers break out one-time implementation charges, per-pay-run fees, year-end fees, and optional add-ons. This makes a quote-based offer such as ADP RUN comparable without guessing at its price.
What a third-party calculator can—and cannot—tell you
PayrollRate’s calculator, checked August 30, 2026, modeled a 10-worker business at $95 per month for Square Payroll, $109 for Gusto, and $109 for OnPay. It excludes promotions, add-ons, implementation, year-end fees, and quote-based products, so the figures are a shortlist comparison rather than a full quote or market survey. Its QuickBooks estimate differs from the provider’s current pricing page and should not be used as a current official price. For a decision, use current provider terms and written quotes. See the PayrollRate calculator.
What these prices cover—and what they do not
The examples are U.S. small-business software and payroll-service plan prices, not the cost of outsourcing payroll to an accountant or bureau, enterprise payroll pricing, or a market-wide average. No independent named market-wide average is established by these examples. The actual price depends on the chosen plan, billable workers, included services, add-ons, and quote terms.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
