Payroll Software
Best Payroll Software for Retail
Retail payroll runs on hours that change every week: part-time staff, seasonal hires, sales commissions and stores in more than one city or state. The right system takes hours straight from the time clock, counts commissions in overtime pay, and files the taxes of every location where your staff work.
- products that fit
- 14
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Top 7 by LeadChange Scoreof 14 that fit · 6 not scored yet · scored for retail (reweighted)
OnPay7.9 out of 10, Medium confidence
Paychex Flex7.3 out of 10, Medium confidence
Paycor6.9 out of 10, Medium confidenceRippling6.2 out of 10, High confidence
Paylocity6.1 out of 10, Medium confidence
Paycom5.9 out of 10, Medium confidence
Netchex5.6 out of 10, Medium confidenceWorkday HCMNot scored yet
JustworksNot scored yet
NamelyNot scored yet
See all 14 rankedHighMedium confidence
Payroll software for retail, ranked
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
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.

OnPay
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.

Paychex Flex
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 employee5
Show all 14 products
- Paycor6.9/10 · Medium confidencePaycor pricing
- Rippling6.2/10 · High confidenceWhat Rippling costs
- Paylocity6.1/10 · Medium confidenceWhat Paylocity costs
- Paycom5.9/10 · Medium confidencePaycom plans and prices
- Netchex5.6/10 · Medium confidenceWhat Netchex costs
- Workday HCMNot scored yet (13 of 26 facts verified)Workday HCM pricing
- JustworksNot scored yet (12 of 26 facts verified)What Justworks costs
- NamelyNot scored yet (12 of 26 facts verified)What Namely costs
- DayforceNot scored yet (10 of 26 facts verified)Dayforce pricing
- UKG ProNot scored yet (9 of 26 facts verified)UKG Pro pricing
- isolved People CloudNot scored yet (8 of 26 facts verified)Isolved People Cloud pricing
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
What matters for retail
Hours imported from the time clock
Re-typing timesheets for many hourly workers is where errors start. Check that punches, breaks and approved edits arrive in payroll by store, and that a manager signs off before the run.
Commissions counted in overtime
Federal rules treat commissions as pay for hours worked, so they belong in the regular rate used for overtime, even when they are paid monthly. Ask the vendor to show a week with overtime and a commission paid later.
Taxes for every store location
Each state where you have staff can require its own employer accounts, and some cities add a local tax. Ask which of your locations the provider files for and whether each new state costs extra.
Fast onboarding for seasonal hires
Peak seasons bring many new hires at once. Self-service tax forms and direct deposit setup keep their first paychecks on time without manual data entry.
Labor cost by store
Payroll reports split by store and department let managers compare labor cost with sales and adjust schedules before the next peak.
More tools for retail
- Applicant Tracking SystemsApplicant tracking systems for retail
- ASO ServicesASO services for retail
- Background Check ServicesBackground check services for retail
- Benefits AdministrationBenefits administration for retail
- COBRA AdministrationCOBRA administration for retail
- Corporate LMSCorporate LMS for retail
- Earned Wage AccessEarned wage access for retail
- Employee Discount ProgramsEmployee discount programs for retail
- Employee Engagement SoftwareEmployee engagement software for retail
- Employee Recognition SoftwareEmployee recognition software for retail
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The full ranking, top picks and how to choose.
- Payroll Software comparison table
Every product side by side: score, price and verified features.
- Payroll Software pricing guide
Published list prices, cost by headcount and fees to ask about.
- Payroll software for small business
The ranking reweighted for small business.
- Payroll software for mid-sized companies
The ranking reweighted for mid-sized companies.
- Payroll software for healthcare
The ranking reweighted for healthcare.
- Payroll software for manufacturing
The ranking reweighted for manufacturing.
Frequently asked questions
Do retail commissions count toward overtime pay?
Yes, under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Commissions are payments for hours worked and must be included in the regular rate, the base for overtime pay, whether they are the only pay or come on top of an hourly wage. Paying a commission monthly, or after the normal payday, does not take it out of the calculation. Some commissioned employees of retail or service businesses can be exempt from overtime under a separate exemption, but only when all of its conditions are met. Payroll software that records commissions as their own earning type can include them in the overtime rate automatically.
What should payroll software for retail stores handle?
Hourly pay imported from the time clock, overtime that includes commissions and bonuses, state and local taxes for every store location, quick onboarding for seasonal hires, and labor-cost reports by store. Ask the vendor to price your real headcount, including seasonal peaks, and to show how a new store in another state is added.
Can retail payroll software pay staff in more than one state?
It should. Each state where you have staff can require its own employer accounts for income tax withholding and unemployment insurance, and some cities and counties add a local tax. Ask which of your locations the provider files for, whether it registers new states for you or only files once you have the account numbers, and whether each added state changes the price.
How should retail payroll handle seasonal workers?
Seasonal workers are employees like any others: they complete a W-4, have income and payroll taxes withheld, and receive a W-2 for the year. What changes is the volume and the timing. Retail payroll software should let you onboard many hires at once through self-service, pay them from the same hours import as permanent staff, and close their records cleanly when the season ends, including final pay under your state’s rules.
Which payroll platforms for retail have SOC 2 Type II?
Dayforce, OnPay, Patriot Payroll, Paycor, Paylocity, and 3 more state SOC 2 Type II compliance; Paylocity, Rippling, UKG Pro, and Workday HCM also hold ISO 27001. That is 8 of the 14 products for retail.
Which payroll platforms for retail integrate with QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks Online, listed by 4 of the 14 payroll platforms for retail: Justworks, Netchex, OnPay, and Patriot Payroll.
Which payroll platforms for retail have a mobile app?
Dayforce, isolved People Cloud, Justworks, Namely, Netchex, and 8 more confirm a mobile app; 1 of the 14 products for retail does not document one.
How we research
This ranking of payroll software for retail reweights the LeadChange Score: capability coverage 35%, pricing transparency & value 15%, integrations & API 10%, security & compliance 15%, fit & support 15%, and data confidence 10%. Only products with a verified fact showing they serve this segment are listed.
How this page was made
What it is built from
56 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Oct 24, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.3. Read the methodology
Independent review
Our independent review of Oct 28, 2026 asked for changes. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested these products 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
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Sources
The 5 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
- Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“If you use Patriot’s payroll software, you will be charged $4 (Basic) or $5 (Full Service) per worker you pay during the month.” “Our payroll is a flat monthly fee + per worker paid fee. Run as many payrolls as you need. We'll bill you in arrears each month.”
- Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/about“As a SOC 2 Type II compliant organization, we follow rigorous data protection standards and adhere to all required federal privacy, anti-fraud, and security regulations.”
- OnPay onpay.com/payroll/software/costs-pricing“Payroll Essentials $49 base + $6/worker per month” “Get started at just $49 base + $6/worker per month. No hidden fees, ever.”
- 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.”
- Paychex paychex.com/payroll/paychex-flex-essentials“Our most affordable option: Only $39/mo. + $5 per employee”