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SurePayroll vs QuickBooks Payroll

The short answer

SurePayroll, a Paychex company, sells full-service payroll for $29 a month plus $7 per worker, with tax filing, unlimited runs and free two-day direct deposit included. QuickBooks Payroll starts at $50 a month plus $7 per employee and rises to $134 plus $17 on Workforce Elite.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Facts checked
Starting price
$20/mo + $4/employee/mo
Best for
Very small businesses that want low-cost payroll with taxes filed

Choose SurePayroll if

  • You want the lower list price: full service with tax filing is $29 a month plus $7 per worker.
  • You file your own payroll taxes: the No Tax Filing plan is $20 a month plus $4 per worker.
  • You employ a nanny or other household staff: SurePayroll sells household payroll.
  • You want month-to-month terms with no setup fee.
Starting price
$50/mo + $7/employee/mo
Best for
QuickBooks Online users who want payroll in the same Intuit account

Choose QuickBooks Payroll if

  • You need faster pay: next-day direct deposit, or same-day on Workforce Premium and Elite.
  • You want time tracking, hiring, onboarding and time-off tools in the same account (Workforce Premium, $88 plus $13 per employee).
  • You want tax penalty protection up to $25,000 a year, included on Workforce Elite.
  • You want to try before you buy: QuickBooks Payroll offers a free trial.

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

SurePayroll wins 1QuickBooks Payroll wins 21 tie

SurePayroll vs QuickBooks Payroll by dimension
DimensionSurePayrollQuickBooks Payroll
PricingSurePayroll's Full Service plan is $29 a month plus $7 per worker, and its No Tax Filing plan $20 plus $4. QuickBooks Workforce Payroll is $50 plus $7 per employee. At 10 employees with tax filing that is $99 against $120 a month at list price. SurePayroll charges extra for multi-state payroll ($9.99 a month) and year-end forms. Multi-state payroll: $9.99 a month (first state included), Year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms: $50 base plus $5 per form, billed annually, Accounting software integration: $4.99 a month, Time clock integration: from $5 a month plus $3 per employee, Employment law support: from $30 a month, 401(k): quoted by plan$20/mo + $4/employee/mo$50/mo + $7/employee/mo
IntegrationsQuickBooks Payroll documents a GraphQL API and webhooks. SurePayroll sells an accounting software integration for $4.99 a month and a time clock integration from $5 a month plus $3 per employee. GraphQL1 documented4 documented
Fit and supportSurePayroll targets small businesses and household employers, with phone and chat support Monday to Friday. QuickBooks Payroll serves small and mid-market companies and adds weekend phone and chat support on Workforce Premium and Elite. Small businessesSmall businessesSmall businesses, mid-market companies
SecurityIntuit states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 for QuickBooks. SurePayroll is less suited to buyers who need a named security certification on the vendor's own pages: none is published. YesNone verifiedSOC 2, ISO 27001

Key differences

Where SurePayroll and QuickBooks Payroll differ (5)
AttributeSurePayrollQuickBooks Payroll
Free trial
Best forSmall businessesSmall businesses, mid-market companies
Support channelsPhone, chatPhone, chat, online support hub and community
Founded20001984
OwnershipSubsidiaryPublicly traded
Show 6 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (6)
AttributeSurePayrollQuickBooks Payroll
Pricing modelBase fee + per employeeBase fee + per employee
Price transparencyPublishedPublished
Contract termMonthlyMonthly
Mobile appsiOS (QuickBooks Workforce), Android (QuickBooks Workforce)
Automatic tax filing
Contractor payments

Price by headcount

  • SurePayroll No Tax Filing$20/mo base + $4/employee/mo
  • QuickBooks Payroll Workforce Payroll$50/mo base + $7/employee/mo
Estimated list price per month by scenario
EmployeesSurePayroll No Tax FilingQuickBooks Payroll Workforce Payroll
10$60/mo (lowest)$120/mo
50$220/mo (lowest)$400/mo
200$820/mo (lowest)$1,450/mo

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

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. SurePayroll's Full Service plan is $29 a month plus $7 per worker, and its No Tax Filing plan $20 plus $4. QuickBooks Workforce Payroll is $50 plus $7 per employee. At 10 employees with tax filing that is $99 against $120 a month at list price. SurePayroll charges extra for multi-state payroll ($9.99 a month) and year-end forms.

Capabilities. Both file payroll taxes and pay 1099 contractors. QuickBooks Payroll adds time tracking, hiring and onboarding, time-off management and HR workflows. SurePayroll adds household payroll, 401(k) plans and employment law support.

Integrations. QuickBooks Payroll documents a GraphQL API and webhooks. SurePayroll sells an accounting software integration for $4.99 a month and a time clock integration from $5 a month plus $3 per employee.

Fit and support. SurePayroll targets small businesses and household employers, with phone and chat support Monday to Friday. QuickBooks Payroll serves small and mid-market companies and adds weekend phone and chat support on Workforce Premium and Elite.

Security. Intuit states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 for QuickBooks. SurePayroll is less suited to buyers who need a named security certification on the vendor's own pages: none is published.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (9.3/10).

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

Frequently asked questions

Is SurePayroll cheaper than QuickBooks Payroll?

Yes, at list price. SurePayroll Full Service costs $29 a month plus $7 per worker, against $50 plus $7 for QuickBooks Workforce Payroll. At 10 employees that is $99 against $120 a month, before add-ons such as SurePayroll's multi-state fee.

Does SurePayroll integrate with QuickBooks?

SurePayroll sells an accounting software integration for $4.99 a month that syncs payroll to your general ledger, but its public pages do not name which accounting products it supports. Ask SurePayroll to confirm your QuickBooks edition before you switch.

Which pays employees faster, SurePayroll or QuickBooks Payroll?

QuickBooks Payroll. It pays by next-day direct deposit, or same-day on Workforce Premium and Elite. SurePayroll's direct deposit is free and takes two days.

Do SurePayroll and QuickBooks Payroll offer a free trial?

QuickBooks Payroll offers a free trial. SurePayroll lists no free trial, but it bills month to month with no setup fee.

Who owns SurePayroll?

SurePayroll is a subsidiary of Paychex and was founded in 2000. QuickBooks Payroll is made by Intuit, a public company.

Is SurePayroll or QuickBooks Payroll more secure?

Only QuickBooks Payroll states SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and HIPAA (BAA).

SurePayroll or QuickBooks Payroll? 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. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.

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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.