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LeadChange Group

OnPay vs SurePayroll

OnPay7.6/10

SurePayroll4.9/10

Scored in Payroll Software

The short answer

OnPay costs $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with multi-state payroll, tax filings, W-2s and 1099s and unlimited pay runs included. SurePayroll’s Full Service costs $29 a month plus $7 per employee and No Tax Filing $20 plus $4; extra states cost $9.99 a month and year-end W-2 and 1099 forms $50 plus $5 per form.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 12 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 pay workers in several states: multi-state payroll is included.
  • You want W-2s and 1099s in the price.
  • You want to try it first: OnPay offers a free trial.
  • You want HR and time tracking in a discounted bundle.

What OnPay costsOnPay alternatives

SurePayroll

Starting price
$29/mo + $7/employee/mo (Full Service plan)2
Best for
Very small businesses that want low-cost payroll with taxes filed

Choose SurePayroll if

  • You run payroll in one state and want taxes filed at a low base: Full Service costs $29 a month plus $7 per employee.
  • You prefer to file payroll taxes yourself: No Tax Filing costs $20 plus $4.
  • You employ a nanny or other household staff.
  • You want free 2-day direct deposit.

SurePayroll pricingSurePayroll alternatives

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

OnPay wins 2SurePayroll wins 03 ties

OnPay vs SurePayroll by dimension
DimensionOnPaySurePayroll
PricingSurePayroll’s Full Service starts lower, at $29 a month plus $7 per employee against OnPay’s $49 plus $6. SurePayroll then bills $9.99 a month for multi-state payroll and $50 plus $5 per form at year end; OnPay includes both.$49/mo + $6/employee/mo (Payroll Essentials plan)$29/mo + $7/employee/mo (Full Service plan)
CapabilitiesBoth run unlimited payrolls with tax filings and pay W-2 employees and 1099 contractors. OnPay adds HR, time tracking and benefits administration; SurePayroll adds household payroll, employment law support and payment processing. Payroll, HR, Time tracking, Benefits, Compliance resources, Live HR support110 of 12 core capabilities11 of 12 core capabilities
IntegrationsOnPay lists 9 integrations, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, JazzHR and Vestwell. SurePayroll’s accounting software integration costs $4.99 a month. 9 marketplace listings (our count, Nov 4, 2026)39 native1 documented
Fit and supportOnPay answers by phone from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, and by email and chat. SurePayroll supports customers by phone and chat, Monday to Friday. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday (phone)4Small businesses, mid-market companiesSmall businesses
SecurityOnPay states SOC 2 Type II. SurePayroll names no security certification on the pages we reviewed. Yes5SOC 2None verified

OnPay or SurePayroll: what matters most to you?

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

Key differences

Where OnPay and SurePayroll differ (5)
AttributeOnPaySurePayroll
Free trial67
Best forSmall businesses, mid-market companies8Small businesses2
Support channelsPhone, email, chat1Phone, chat7
Founded2011820009
OwnershipPrivate8Subsidiary10
Show 5 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (5)
AttributeOnPaySurePayroll
Pricing modelBase fee + per employee1Base fee + per employee2
Price transparencyPublished1Published7
Contract termMonthly11Monthly7
Automatic tax filing12
Contractor payments12

Price by headcount

  • OnPay Payroll Essentials$49/mo base1 + $6/employee/mo1
  • SurePayroll Full Service$29/mo base2 + $7/employee/mo2
Estimated list price per month by scenario
EmployeesOnPay Payroll EssentialsSurePayroll Full Service
10$109/mo$99/mo (lowest)
50$349/mo (lowest)$379/mo
200$1,249/mo (lowest)$1,429/mo

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. SurePayroll’s Full Service starts lower, at $29 a month plus $7 per employee against OnPay’s $49 plus $6. SurePayroll then bills $9.99 a month for multi-state payroll and $50 plus $5 per form at year end; OnPay includes both.

Capabilities. Both run unlimited payrolls with tax filings and pay W-2 employees and 1099 contractors. OnPay adds HR, time tracking and benefits administration; SurePayroll adds household payroll, employment law support and payment processing.

Integrations. OnPay lists 9 integrations, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, JazzHR and Vestwell. SurePayroll’s accounting software integration costs $4.99 a month.

Fit and support. OnPay answers by phone from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, and by email and chat. SurePayroll supports customers by phone and chat, Monday to Friday.

Security. OnPay states SOC 2 Type II. SurePayroll 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)12

Patriot Payroll review

Frequently asked questions

Is OnPay cheaper than SurePayroll?

Not on the base price: SurePayroll’s Full Service costs $29 a month plus $7 per employee, $99 for 10 people, against $109 with OnPay at $49 plus $6. SurePayroll’s extras change that for many teams: with 10 employees in two states and 10 W-2s at year end, SurePayroll comes to about $1,408 a year and OnPay to $1,308.

Did Paychex buy SurePayroll?

Yes, SurePayroll is a Paychex subsidiary. OnPay is privately held and based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Is SurePayroll any good?

SurePayroll covers what many small employers ask for: unlimited payroll runs, free 2-day direct deposit, W-2 employees and 1099 contractors in one system, and household payroll. It is less suited to multi-state teams, which pay $9.99 a month more, and it names no security certification on the pages we reviewed.

Does OnPay or SurePayroll offer HR support?

OnPay sells HR tools for $15 a month plus $2 per worker and live HR support for $65 a month, or both with payroll in a bundle from $120 a month plus $7 per worker. SurePayroll offers employment law support from $30 a month.

Do OnPay and SurePayroll offer health insurance and 401(k)?

OnPay administers medical, dental and vision plans, life and disability cover, HSAs, FSAs, commuter benefits and 401(k), and charges nothing beyond the plan premiums. SurePayroll offers health insurance, workers' comp and 401(k) plans, with 401(k) quoted by plan.

How can OnPay and SurePayroll pay employees?

OnPay pays by direct deposit, check or prepaid debit card. SurePayroll includes free 2-day direct deposit and can run payroll automatically on a schedule.

Do OnPay and SurePayroll offer a free trial?

OnPay lists a free trial; SurePayroll does not.

Is OnPay or SurePayroll more secure?

OnPay states SOC 2 Type II (unverified for SurePayroll).

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    29 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 4, 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 SurePayroll? 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.

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OnPay vs SurePayroll

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Sources

The 12 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” “Start with the tools you need today, then add more as your business grows across payroll, HR, time, benefits, and beyond.”
  2. SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/payroll“Pay employees in minutes, easily access reports, and get payroll taxes filed and deposited automatically.” “Built for solopreneurs and small businesses — automated tax filing, unlimited payroll runs, and on-time pay.”
  3. OnPay onpay.com/app-directory“QuickBooks Online”
  4. OnPay onpay.com/about-us/contact“(877) 328-6505 9AM – 8PM ET,Monday – Friday”
  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. OnPay onpay.com“Get one month free”
  7. SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/pricing“During your first 12 months with SurePayroll, every alternating month will be free.” “Live phone and chat support”
  8. Hypepotamus hypepotamus.com/startup-news/onpay-atlanta-raises-100-million“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.” “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.”
  9. Paychex, Inc. (press release, Feb. 2011) investor.paychex.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/524/paychex-completes-acquisition-of-surepayroll“SurePayroll, a privately held company founded in 2000, serves approximately 30,000 small businesses with its easy-to-use, online payroll product.”
  10. SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/about-us“Tens of thousands of small business owners and families trust SurePayroll by Paychex to pay employees and caregivers right.”
  11. OnPay onpay.com/terms-of-service“The Service will continue until such time as Client or Service Bureau gives thirty (30) days’ prior written notice, unless termination is for cause.”
  12. 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.