Independent research on 266 HR & workforce products. Facts checked against vendors’ official documentation.

We may earn a referral fee. We may earn a referral feeHow we make money

LeadChange Group

OnPay vs Paychex Flex

OnPay7.6/10

Paychex Flex7.2/10

Scored in Payroll Software

The short answer

OnPay costs $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with tax filings, W-2s, 1099s and multi-state payroll included. Paychex Flex publishes one entry plan, Flex Essentials at $39 a month plus $5 per employee for businesses with fewer than 20 workers, where W-2s and 1099s cost extra; its Basic to Complete packages are quoted.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 11 sources, most recently checked

OnPay

Starting price
$49/mo + $6/employee/mo (Payroll Essentials plan)1
Best for
Small businesses that want payroll with taxes and year-end forms included

Choose OnPay if

  • You want one price with W-2s, 1099s and every state included.
  • You have 20 or more workers and still want a published price.
  • You want to try it first: OnPay offers a free trial.
  • Your security review asks for SOC 2 Type II.

OnPay pricingAlternatives to OnPay

Paychex Flex

Starting price
$39/mo + $5/employee/mo (up to 19 employees)2
Best for
Businesses with fewer than 20 employees that want a listed price

Choose Paychex Flex if

  • You want payroll support at any hour.
  • You want AI that flags payroll issues before they cause delays.
  • You need applicant tracking and learning management (Advanced).
  • You want employees to review paychecks before payroll runs (Paychex Pre-check).

What Paychex Flex costsPaychex Flex alternatives

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

OnPay wins 1Paychex Flex wins 21 tie

OnPay vs Paychex Flex by dimension
DimensionOnPayPaychex Flex
PricingPaychex Flex Essentials lists $39 a month plus $5 per employee for under 20 workers, with W-2s and 1099s at additional cost; other packages are quoted. OnPay lists $49 plus $6 with year-end forms and multi-state payroll included.$49/mo + $6/employee/mo (Payroll Essentials plan)$39/mo + $5/employee/mo (up to 19 employees)
CapabilitiesBoth run unlimited payrolls with tax filings and pay contractors. Paychex Flex adds garnishment payments, applicant tracking, learning management and SUI service in higher packages; OnPay adds HR, time tracking and benefits administration as add-ons. Run payroll in as little as 30 seconds, Unlimited payroll processing, Automated payroll tax calculation, filing and payment (Taxpay), Multi-state payroll tax compliance, Paychex Pre-check employee paycheck review, Intelligent payroll automation that flags missing hours and data errors before payroll, 1099 contractor reporting and payments, Paychex Flex mobile app310 of 12 core capabilities12 of 12 core capabilities
IntegrationsPaychex Flex connects to QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Xero, NetSuite and scheduling apps such as When I Work and 7shifts, with a REST API and webhooks. OnPay lists 9 integrations, including QuickBooks Online and Xero. Intuit QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Xero, Oracle NetSuite, Jirav, Connecteam, SwyftOps, When I Work, Mindbody, 7shifts, Employee Navigator, BambooHR, Clover, Instant Financial, goHappy49 native15 documented
SecurityOnPay states SOC 2 Type II. Paychex Flex names no security certification on the pages we reviewed. Yes5SOC 2SOC 2 (type not stated)

OnPay or Paychex Flex: what matters most to you?

We match on verified product facts for this need, never on who pays us.

Key differences

Where OnPay and Paychex Flex differ (5)
AttributeOnPayPaychex Flex
Price transparencyPublished1Partly published6
Support channelsPhone, email, chat1Phone, chat, email, in-platform help center3
Founded2011719718
HeadquartersAtlanta, Georgia9Rochester, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, US (dual headquarters)10
OwnershipPrivate7Publicly traded10
Show 4 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (4)
AttributeOnPayPaychex Flex
Pricing modelBase fee + per employee1Base fee + per employee2
Best forSmall businesses, mid-market companies7Small businesses, mid-market companies10
Automatic tax filing13
Contractor payments13

Price by headcount

  • OnPay Payroll Essentials$49/mo base1 + $6/employee/mo1
  • Paychex Flex Essentials$39/mo base6 + $5/employee/mo6
Estimated list price per month by scenario
EmployeesOnPay Payroll EssentialsPaychex Flex Essentials
10$109/mo$89/mo (lowest)
50$349/mo$289/mo (lowest)
200$1,249/mo$1,039/mo (lowest)

The lowest monthly cost in each row is highlighted.

Monthly list price of each product’s entry plan with published per-employee pricing.

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Paychex Flex Essentials lists $39 a month plus $5 per employee for under 20 workers, with W-2s and 1099s at additional cost; other packages are quoted. OnPay lists $49 plus $6 with year-end forms and multi-state payroll included.

Capabilities. Both run unlimited payrolls with tax filings and pay contractors. Paychex Flex adds garnishment payments, applicant tracking, learning management and SUI service in higher packages; OnPay adds HR, time tracking and benefits administration as add-ons.

Integrations. Paychex Flex connects to QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Xero, NetSuite and scheduling apps such as When I Work and 7shifts, with a REST API and webhooks. OnPay lists 9 integrations, including QuickBooks Online and Xero.

Fit and support. Paychex Flex offers 24/7 payroll support by phone, chat and email. OnPay answers by phone from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on weekdays.

Security. OnPay states SOC 2 Type II. Paychex Flex names no security certification on the pages we reviewed.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (8.7/10).

From $37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)11

Patriot Payroll review

Frequently asked questions

How much does OnPay charge for payroll compared with Paychex?

OnPay charges $49 a month plus $6 per worker, $109 for 10, W-2s and 1099s included. Paychex Flex Essentials charges $39 plus $5, $89 for 10 workers, plus W-2 and 1099 fees and possible tax administration fees; larger businesses get a quote.

When can I reach OnPay and Paychex support?

Paychex Flex offers 24/7 payroll support and an in-platform help center. OnPay’s phone line is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, with email and chat as well.

Can OnPay handle payroll for 50 employees?

Yes. OnPay serves small and mid-size businesses at the same price per worker: 50 workers cost $349 a month. Paychex’s published Flex Essentials price is only for businesses with fewer than 20 employees; above that, Paychex quotes.

What does Paychex Flex charge on top of the base price?

Paychex Promise, which delays the payroll debit up to 7 days, is free for 3 months and then $99 a year; W-2s and 1099s cost extra on Flex Essentials, and add-ons such as time and attendance are quoted. OnPay publishes its add-ons: HR for $15 a month plus $2 per worker and time tracking for $15 plus $4.

How do OnPay bundles compare with Paychex Flex packages?

OnPay sells three discounted bundles: payroll with time tracking and HR for $70 a month plus $10 per worker, payroll with HR, compliance resources and live HR support for $120 plus $7, and all of it for $130 plus $10. Paychex Flex sells Basic, Foundations, Advanced and Complete by quote, adding garnishment services, handbooks, applicant tracking and a payroll specialist as you move up.

Which accounting software do OnPay and Paychex Flex work with?

Paychex Flex connects to QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Xero and Oracle NetSuite, and to scheduling apps such as When I Work and 7shifts. OnPay connects to QuickBooks Online and Xero, plus JazzHR for hiring and TurboTax.

Is OnPay or Paychex Flex more secure?

OnPay states SOC 2 Type II (unverified for Paychex Flex).

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    35 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 8, 2026.

  • Method

    Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology

  • Independent review

    Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review

  • Hands-on testing

    We have not tested either product hands-on: this page uses public information only.

  • Who made it

    The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us

  • Independence and errors

    Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction

OnPay or Paychex Flex? Your answer in 3 questions

Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices.

LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.

Get my answer

OnPay vs Paychex Flex

We may earn a fee.

Sources

The 11 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources
  1. OnPay onpay.com/payroll/software/costs-pricing“Payroll Essentials $49 base + $6/worker per month” “Transparent pricing. Scalable solutions.”
  2. Paychex paychex.com/payroll/paychex-flex-essentials“Our most affordable option: Only $39/mo. + $5 per employee”
  3. Paychex paychex.com/payroll“Run payroll in as little as 30 seconds with Paychex Flex®. … Allow employees to review their own paychecks in advance for accuracy using Paychex Pre-check SM . … Intelligent automation proactively flags missing hours, incorrect data, and other potential errors before they become problems.” “Have any questions? We offer flexible support options via phone, chat, or email to help you when you need it.”
  4. Paychex paychex.com/integrations“Featured Integrations Accounting Intuit Quickbooks Sage Intacct Xero Oracle Netsuite Jirav Time & Attendance Connecteam SwyftOps When I Work Mindbody 7shifts Other Popular Apps Employee Navigator BambooHR Clover Instant Financial goHappy”
  5. OnPay onpay.com/security“Third-party Certification: OnPay holds third-party auditor certification with the AICPA’s SOC program and is SOC 2 Type II compliant.”
  6. Paychex paychex.com/payroll/compare-payroll-solutions“Basic Essential Payroll & HR Request Pricing Foundations AI & HR Features Best Value Request Pricing Advanced Enhanced Service Needs Request Pricing Complete Premium Services Request Pricing”
  7. Hypepotamus hypepotamus.com/startup-news/onpay-atlanta-raises-100-million“OnPay, a payroll and HR platform founded in 2011, announced it had raised over $100 million in a combination of a $63 million Series B round and a debt facility.” “The funds will be used to further its mission of supporting small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) across the United States, according to a press release.”
  8. Paychex paychex.com/corporate“Paychex was founded in 1971 with an insight by B. Thomas Golisano.”
  9. OnPay (press release, Business Wire, Jan. 2020) businesswire.com/news/home/20200120005034/en“The company, headquartered in Atlanta, provides payroll, HR, and benefits services to more than 10,000 clients across the United States.”
  10. U.S. SEC (Paychex Form 10-K, fiscal 2026) sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/723531/000119312526307785/payx-20260531.htm“maintains dual corporate headquarters in Rochester, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio” “Our common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “PAYX”.”
  11. Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”

What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.