OnPay vs QuickBooks Payroll

OnPay lists $49 per month plus $6 per worker with no implementation fee. QuickBooks Workforce Payroll starts at $50 plus $7 per employee, a figure we could not confirm on Intuit's current pricing page, and reaches $134 plus $17 on Elite, which adds tax penalty protection up to $25,000.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated 33 verified data points11 sources

OnPay

Best for
US small businesses wanting published payroll pricing

Choose OnPay if

  • You want published pricing: $49 per month plus $6 per worker, with no sales call or quote.
  • You want no implementation fee, free expert setup, and free migration of prior-wage and employee data.
  • You need payroll plus time tracking and HR; OnPay's bundle costs $70 plus $10 per worker.
  • You want a documented SOC 2 Type II report, which we could not confirm for QuickBooks Payroll.
  • You pay W-2 and 1099 workers across several states and want unlimited pay runs included.

QuickBooks Payroll

Best for
Small businesses wanting payroll synced with accounting data

Choose QuickBooks Payroll if

  • You want tax penalty protection up to $25,000, listed on the Elite plan at $134 plus $17.
  • You want same-day direct deposit, which QuickBooks lists; we could not confirm OnPay's deposit timing.
  • You want HR advisor access through Mineral, or Payroll AI that collects time and attendance data.
  • You want the QuickBooks Workforce app, where employees see pay info, W-2s, and hours.

Key differences

Where OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll differ (2)
AttributeOnPayQuickBooks Payroll
Best forSmall businesses, mid-market companiesSmall businesses
Support channelsPhone, email, chatPhone, online
Show 6 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (6)
AttributeOnPayQuickBooks Payroll
Pricing modelBase fee + per employeeBase fee + per employee
Price transparencyPublishedPublished
DeploymentCloudCloud
SOC 2 Type II
Automatic tax filing
Contractor payments

Price by headcount

Estimated list price per month by scenario
EmployeesOnPay Payroll EssentialsQuickBooks Payroll Workforce Payroll
10$109/mo (lowest)$120/mo
50$349/mo (lowest)$400/mo
200$1,249/mo (lowest)$1,450/mo

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

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. OnPay's entry plan is $49 plus $6 per worker; QuickBooks Workforce Payroll is listed at $50 plus $7, a figure we could not confirm on Intuit's current pricing page. OnPay's time-and-HR bundle ($70 plus $10) is below Workforce Premium ($88 plus $13), though plan contents differ.

Capabilities. Both document tax filing, direct deposit, time-to-payroll integration, and employee self-service. OnPay also documents multi-state payroll, garnishments, and unlimited runs; QuickBooks Payroll does not document these publicly, which is not proof it lacks them.

Integrations. OnPay lists nine popular apps in its directory, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, JazzHR, and Vestwell. QuickBooks Payroll lists four benefit and HR partners (Allstate, Vestwell, NEXT, and Mineral) and publishes no payroll API or integration count.

Security. OnPay documents SOC 2 Type II. We could not confirm SOC 2 or other security certifications for QuickBooks Payroll on Intuit's official pages; the only mention we found was a community forum post.

Fit and support. Both target small businesses. OnPay documents phone, email, and chat from a US-based team; QuickBooks lists phone and online support but states hours only for its sales line.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (6.3/10).

From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo

Frequently asked questions

Is OnPay cheaper than QuickBooks Payroll?

On published list prices, slightly. OnPay's base plan is $49 per month plus $6 per worker; QuickBooks Workforce Payroll is $50 plus $7 per employee, a figure we could not confirm on Intuit's current pricing page. Add-ons change the total: OnPay charges extra for HR, time tracking, and live HR support, and QuickBooks charges for benefits and background checks. Confirm current prices with each vendor.

Which is better for a small business, OnPay or QuickBooks Payroll?

Both target small businesses. OnPay documents public pricing, no implementation fee, free setup, and phone, email, and chat support from a US-based team. QuickBooks Payroll adds an employee app, Payroll AI, and, on Elite, tax penalty protection up to $25,000. The better fit depends on whether you value lower entry pricing or those extras.

Can you switch from QuickBooks Payroll to OnPay?

OnPay states free expert setup and free migration of prior-wage and employee data, with no implementation fee, and it bills monthly. QuickBooks Payroll says you can cancel anytime. OnPay also lists integrations with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. We could not find a published step-by-step switching process from either vendor.

What is the key difference between OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll?

OnPay sells a base plan plus add-ons and discounted bundles, all with published prices. QuickBooks Payroll uses three tiers, Workforce Payroll, Premium, and Elite, from $50 plus $7 to $134 plus $17, and reserves tax penalty protection, expert-completed setup, and personal HR advisor access for Elite.

Does OnPay integrate with QuickBooks?

Yes. OnPay's app directory lists QuickBooks Online and Xero, and its payroll pages list QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Time as native integrations. The directory highlights nine popular apps, so other integrations may exist beyond those.

Get quotes from OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll

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Changelog

  1. First published.

Data sources

Every value on this page links to its source below. Primary sources are the vendor's or authority's own pages.

  1. OnPay, LLC pricing page: Costs pricing · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  2. Intuit pricing page: Bundle · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  3. OnPay, LLC website · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  4. Intuit website: Payroll · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  5. OnPay, LLC website: About us · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  6. OnPay, LLC website: Security · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026
  7. assurance.intuit.com · primary source, checked Oct 6, 2026
  8. Patriot Software pricing page · primary source, checked Oct 5, 2026