Payroll & Benefits
The Best Payroll Software of 2026
A shortlist of payroll platforms ranked from verified product data, so you can compare tax coverage, integrations and real pricing instead of vendor claims. Every score traces back to a fact we checked against vendor documentation and public sources.
- products compared
- 19
- with a published score
- 12
- per employee per month
- $4–$8
- last updated
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.
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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.
Our top picks
- Best overall
Patriot Payroll
by Patriot Software
Highest LeadChange Score here (9.3/10), with 9 of 12 core payroll capabilities verified.
From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo
- Best for small businesses
QuickBooks Payroll
by Intuit
Highest score among products that list small businesses as a target segment, with pricing and fit weighted more.
From $50/mo + $7/employee/mo
- Best value
Paychex Flex
by Paychex
Lowest published list cost at 25 employees ($164/mo) among products scoring at or above the median, after Patriot Payroll, already picked above.
From $39/mo + $5/employee/mo
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Payroll Software ranked by LeadChange Score
Ranked by LeadChange Score from verified facts; products with too few verified facts are not scored yet and come last. Prices are list prices as published by each vendor.
Filter by verified facts
Patriot Payroll
Best for US small businesses that want payroll at a low published price
Patriot Payroll suits small US employers that want simple, inexpensive payroll with published prices and US-based support. Basic Payroll is $17 a month plus $4 per worker paid, and Full Service, which files federal, state and local taxes, is $37 plus $5 per worker. Payroll runs, direct deposit and setup help are free.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
QuickBooks Payroll
Best for QuickBooks Online users who want payroll in the same Intuit account
QuickBooks Payroll suits small and midsize businesses that keep their books in QuickBooks Online and want payroll and tax filing in the same place.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
Gusto
Best for US small businesses that want payroll tax filing on every plan
Gusto fits US small businesses that want payroll, benefits and basic HR in one account, with public prices and month-to-month terms. Every plan files payroll taxes and runs unlimited payrolls. Plus adds multi-state payroll and next-day pay, and Premium adds same-day pay and a dedicated account partner.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
Paychex Flex
Best for Businesses with fewer than 20 employees that want a listed price
Paychex Flex suits US small and mid-sized employers that want unlimited payroll runs, automated multi-state tax filing and room to add HR, time tracking and benefits from one vendor. Paychex was founded in 1971 and is a public company.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
OnPay
Best for Small businesses that want payroll with taxes and year-end forms included
OnPay suits US small businesses that want full-service payroll at one published price: $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with federal, state and local tax filings, W-2s, 1099s, multi-state payroll and unlimited pay runs included. Setup and data migration are free, and support is by phone, chat and email.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
Paycor
Best for Small and midsize US employers that want payroll and HR in one system
Paycor suits US employers from small businesses to companies with 1,000+ employees that want payroll, HR, time, recruiting and talent tools on one platform with open APIs. Plans run from Basic payroll to Complete + ASO, all priced by quote. It holds SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type 2 attestations and supports single sign-on.
- Pricing model
- Quote only
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
Rippling
Primarily HRIS software; payroll module is secondary
Best for Companies that want HR, payroll, IT and finance apps on one employee database
Rippling suits companies that want HR, payroll, IT and finance on one employee database and are ready to buy each product separately. Payroll for small businesses starts at $8 per user per month plus a $40 base fee.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
Paylocity
Best for US employers wanting payroll, HR, time, benefits and finance from one vendor
Paylocity fits US employers that want payroll, HR, time, benefits and finance tools from one vendor, with tax filing in all 50 states. It publishes no prices, so cost depends on headcount, products and a non-refundable implementation fee set in a quote. Most contracts can be canceled on 60 days' notice.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
Show all 19 products
- Paycom5.5/10 · Medium confidencePaycom pricing
- Homebase5.3/10 · Medium confidenceHomebase pricing
- SurePayroll5.0/10 · Medium confidenceFrom $20/mo + $4/employee/moWhat SurePayroll costs
- ADP RUN Powered by ADP3.8/10 · Medium confidenceADP RUN Powered by ADP plans and prices
- ADP Workforce NowNot scored yet (15 of 26 facts verified)What ADP Workforce Now costs
- JustworksNot scored yet (12 of 26 facts verified)From $50/mo + $8/employee/moJustworks pricing
- Square PayrollNot scored yet (11 of 26 facts verified)From $35/mo + $6/employee/moSquare Payroll pricing
- Workday HCMNot scored yet (11 of 26 facts verified)What Workday HCM costs
- UKG ProNot scored yet (9 of 26 facts verified)UKG Pro pricing
- isolved People CloudNot scored yet (7 of 26 facts verified)Isolved People Cloud pricing
- DayforceNot scored yet (6 of 26 facts verified)Dayforce pricing
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Find your fit
By audience
By industry
By company size
By price
By need
By integration
Compare the top 8 side by side
| Product | Score | Starting price per employee | Starting base fee | Pricing model | Free trial | Open API | SOC 2 Type II | Mobile apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.3 | $4/employee/mo | $17/mo | Base fee + per employee | Not verified | Mobile web (no app to install) | ||
 | 8.8 | $7/employee/mo | $50/mo | Base fee + per employee | iOS (QuickBooks Workforce), Android (QuickBooks Workforce) | |||
| Gusto | 8.1 | $6/employee/mo | $49/mo | Base fee + per employee | Not verified | iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile) | ||
 | 8.1 | $5/employee/mo | $39/mo | Base fee + per employee | Not verified | Not verified | Paychex Flex app (iOS), Paychex Flex app (Android), Paychex Flex Time Kiosk app | |
 | 7.6 | $6/employee/mo | $49/mo | Base fee + per employee | Not verified | Not verified | ||
 | 6.3 | Not verified | Not verified | Quote only | Not verified | |||
| RipplingPrimarily HRIS software; payroll module is secondary | 6.1 | $8/employee/mo | $40/mo | Base fee + per employee | iOS, Android | |||
| Paylocity | 5.6 | Not verified | Not verified | Base fee + per employee | Not verified | iOS, Android, Apple Watch |
Pricing at a glance
Monthly list cost from each vendor’s published base and per-employee prices, before discounts.
10 employees
$57–$130/mo
Median $109/mo
Published list prices of 9 products at 10 employees
50 employees
$217–$450/mo
Median $349/mo
Published list prices of 9 products at 50 employees
200 employees
$817–$1,650/mo
Median $1,249/mo
Published list prices of 9 products at 200 employees
- Base fee + per employee10 of 19 products
- A monthly base fee plus a fee for each employee paid. This is the most common structure and scales predictably with headcount.
- Per employee per month
- A single per-employee rate with no base, often used for larger or HCM-bundled deals. Check the minimum monthly charge.
- Per payroll run
- A fee for each pay run, sometimes plus a per-employee fee. Cost rises with weekly or off-cycle payrolls.
- Tiered plans1 of 19 products
- Packages that gate features such as multi-state filing, time tracking or HR tools. Compare tiers against the features you need, not the entry price.
- Custom quote8 of 19 products
- Enterprise pricing based on employee count, entities and modules, usually with an implementation fee.
How to choose payroll software
Payroll is a compliance product first and a convenience product second. Choose for tax accuracy, filing responsibility and data portability before interface and add-ons.
Run a parallel payroll with a real pay period, including at least one overtime case and one multi-state employee, and compare every line against your current results.
Federal, state and local tax filing
Missed deposits and late quarterly returns create penalties, and the Form 941 and deposit rules are strict. Coverage often differs by state and by local tax type.
Liability and error handling
If the platform misses a deposit, you still owe the tax. What matters is whether the vendor covers penalties and interest it causes.
Overtime and regular-rate calculation
Overtime is owed above 40 hours in a fixed workweek, and the regular rate includes most pay such as non-discretionary bonuses. Weak rate logic is a common source of back-wage claims.
Multi-state and reciprocity handling
Employees who live in one state and work in another can trigger different withholding and unemployment rules.
Time and benefits integration
Re-keying hours and deductions is where most pay errors start.
Accounting export and general ledger mapping
Clean journal entries reduce month-end work and reconciliation errors.
Requirements by company size
Small businesses
- Automatic tax calculation, deposit and filing in every state where you have employees
- Direct deposit and year-end forms included in the base price
- Straightforward onboarding for new hires, including tax withholding forms
Watch out for
- Per-run or per-form fees on top of the monthly price
- Tax filing in additional states priced as an add-on
- Setup that assumes you already have a tax account in each state
Mid-sized companies
- Multi-state and local tax handling with reciprocity rules
- Approval workflows and role-based permissions for payroll changes
- Native connectors to time, benefits and the general ledger
Watch out for
- Reporting that needs a paid add-on to get department-level labor costs
- Integration limits tied to the pricing tier
- Implementation that depends on your own data cleanup
Enterprises
- Multiple legal entities, pay groups and calendars in one tenant
- Audit logs, segregation of duties and configurable controls
- Retroactive pay and complex earnings rules, with testable results
Watch out for
- Professional services and change-order costs after signing
- Dependence on custom configuration that only the vendor can modify
- Data export terms that make switching expensive
Red flags
- The vendor will not state in writing who is responsible for penalties caused by its own filing errors.
- Tax filing is described as included but only for federal returns.
- No parallel payroll or sandbox is offered before go-live.
- Full historical data cannot be exported in a standard format.
- Pricing is hidden until a sales call, with no written schedule of per-run or per-form fees.
Popular comparisons
Popular alternatives
Integrations for payroll software
Apps with documented integrations across the products ranked on this page.
Most integrated apps
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- Clover
- Checkr
- Okta
- Salesforce
- Slack
- Vestwell
Related subcategories
- PEO Services
Co-employment partners that take on payroll, benefits and HR compliance.
11 products ranked
- HRIS Software
Systems of record for employee data, self-service, time off and HR workflows.
20 products ranked
- Payroll Services
Outsourced providers that run payroll and payroll tax filing on your behalf.
13 products ranked
- HCM Software
All-in-one suites that run HR, payroll, talent and workforce data on one platform.
11 products ranked
- Benefits Administration
Enrollment, eligibility and carrier connections for employee benefits.
14 products ranked
- Time & Attendance Software
Time clocks, timesheets and attendance rules that feed payroll.
17 products ranked
- Workforce Management Software
Suites that plan, schedule, track and pay hourly and frontline labor.
15 products ranked
- Talent Management Software
Suites that connect performance, learning, succession and career growth.
10 products ranked
Learn
- GuideHow to Choose Payroll Software
A practical framework for choosing US payroll software: requirements, tax filing, compliance, integrations, pricing, and vendor questions.
- GuideHow to Switch Payroll Providers
Plan a clean payroll provider switch: timing, data to export, parallel runs, employee notices, tax agency updates, and closing old accounts.
From the leadership library
- Minimum Wage by State
Employers pay the higher of the state and federal rates, and many states raise theirs every year.
Frequently asked questions
What is payroll software?
Payroll software calculates employee pay, withholds taxes and benefit deductions, pays employees, and prepares tax filings and year-end forms. Many platforms also file and deposit taxes on your behalf. It replaces spreadsheets and manual calculations with a system that keeps records and reports for audits.
Do I need payroll software or can I use a spreadsheet?
A spreadsheet is workable for one or two employees with fixed salaries, but it does not file or deposit taxes. Once you have overtime, multiple states or frequent changes, the error and penalty risk justifies software. Employers must keep employment tax records for at least four years either way.
What is the difference between payroll software and a payroll service?
Payroll software is a tool you operate, often with automated tax filing. A payroll service has staff who run payroll for you. Many vendors blur the line, so ask who enters changes, who approves each run, and who answers tax notices. The answers decide how much work remains with you.
Is payroll software the same as a PEO?
No. Payroll software processes pay and taxes for your company, which remains the employer. A PEO enters a co-employment arrangement and typically adds benefits, HR support and risk services. A PEO is a broader and more binding arrangement, so compare them only after you know which services you need.
Does payroll software file taxes for me?
Many platforms calculate, deposit and file federal and state payroll taxes, but coverage varies. Confirm the states and local taxes included, who signs the returns, and who pays penalties caused by vendor errors. Even with full-service filing, you remain responsible for the tax, so review the filing confirmations.
How long do I have to keep payroll records?
Federal wage and hour rules require payroll records for at least three years and wage computation records, such as time cards, for two years. The IRS requires employment tax records for at least four years. State rules can be longer, so set your retention to the longest applicable period.
What is the best payroll software?
Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score of the 19 products in our ranking, 9.3 out of 10, ahead of QuickBooks Payroll (8.8) and Gusto (8.1). Patriot Payroll's score rests on 16 of 26 checks verified from public sources. 7 more products are listed without a score until enough of their data is public.
Which payroll platforms in our ranking integrate with Xero?
Xero, listed by 5 of the 19 payroll platforms in our ranking: ADP RUN Powered by ADP, Gusto, Justworks, OnPay, and Paychex Flex.
Which payroll platforms in our ranking are built for enterprises?
ADP Workforce Now, Dayforce, isolved People Cloud, Paycom, Paycor, and 4 more list enterprises among the company sizes they serve.
How we research
Ranked by the LeadChange Score, computed only from verified facts: capability coverage (30%), pricing and value (20%), integrations and API (15%), security (15%), fit and support (10%) and data confidence (10%), times a category fit. Products with too few verified facts are not scored yet and come last. Payment never changes a score or a position.
Facts, not impressions
Every input is a fact verified against vendors’ official documentation, with the date we last checked it.
Missing data is never assumed
Unverified items are left out of the score and lower its coverage; below 60% coverage a product is not scored yet.
Independent of revenue
Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.
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