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LeadChange Group

Payroll Software

Best Payroll Software for Small Business

A small business usually runs payroll without a specialist: the owner or an office manager enters hours, approves each run and answers tax notices. The right platform files payroll taxes for you, shows its full price at your headcount and stays simple enough to run in minutes.

products that fit
17
By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 7 sources, facts checked

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Top 10 by LeadChange Scoreof 17 that fit · 4 not scored yet · scored for small business (reweighted)

  1. QuickBooks Payroll9.0 out of 10, High confidence
  2. OnPay8.1 out of 10, Medium confidence
  3. Gusto7.9 out of 10, High confidence
  4. Paychex Flex6.7 out of 10, Medium confidence
  5. Rippling5.9 out of 10, High confidence
  6. Homebase5.4 out of 10, Medium confidence
  7. Paycor5.4 out of 10, Medium confidence
  8. Paylocity4.7 out of 10, Medium confidence
  9. Paycom4.6 out of 10, Medium confidence
  10. Netchex4.3 out of 10, Medium confidence

See all 17 rankedHighMedium confidence

Our top picks

  1. Best overall

    QuickBooks Payroll

    by Intuit

    Highest LeadChange Score among products built for payroll work (9.0/10), with 9 of 12 core payroll capabilities verified.

    From $50/mo + $7/employee/mo1

  2. Best value

    Gusto

    by Gusto, Inc.

    Lowest published list cost at 25 employees ($199/mo) among products scoring at or above the median.

    From $49/mo + $6/employee/mo2

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Payroll software for small business, 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

  1. 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.

    Pricing model
    Base fee + per employee3
    SOC 2 Type II
    Yes4

    From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo (you file taxes)3

    Doesn’t file payroll taxes

    What Patriot Payroll costs

  2. QuickBooks Payroll

    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 employee1
    SOC 2 Type II
    Yes5

    From $50/mo + $7/employee/mo1

    QuickBooks Payroll pricing

  3. 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.

    Pricing model
    Base fee + per employee6
    SOC 2 Type II
    Yes7

    From $49/mo + $6/employee/mo (Payroll Essentials plan)6

    What OnPay costs
Show all 17 products
  1. Gusto7.9/10 · High confidenceGusto pricing
  2. Paychex Flex6.7/10 · Medium confidencePaychex Flex plans and prices
  3. Rippling5.9/10 · High confidenceWhat Rippling costs
  4. SurePayroll5.7/10 · Medium confidence · Doesn’t file payroll taxesWhat SurePayroll costs
  5. Homebase5.4/10 · Medium confidenceWhat Homebase costs
  6. Paycor5.4/10 · Medium confidencePaycor plans and prices
  7. Paylocity4.7/10 · Medium confidencePaylocity plans and prices
  8. Paycom4.6/10 · Medium confidencePaycom plans and prices
  9. Netchex4.3/10 · Medium confidenceWhat Netchex costs
  10. ADP RUN Powered by ADP3.4/10 · Medium confidenceADP RUN pricing
  11. JustworksNot scored yet (12 of 26 facts verified)Justworks plans and prices
  12. Square PayrollNot scored yet (11 of 26 facts verified)Square Payroll plans and prices
  13. isolved People CloudNot scored yet (8 of 26 facts verified)What isolved People Cloud costs
  14. UKG ReadyNot scored yet (7 of 26 facts verified)What UKG Ready costs

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

All payroll software, ranked

How the score works

What matters for small business

  1. Included tax filing

    Automatic federal, state and local tax deposits and returns, plus year-end W-2 and 1099 forms, included in the price. Without a payroll specialist, automation is what keeps deadlines from being missed.

  2. Transparent pricing at your headcount

    Compare the base fee plus the per-person price at your real headcount, and ask whether contractors, extra pay runs, new state registrations and year-end forms cost more. At low headcount, add-on fees change the real cost the most.

  3. Simple new-hire setup

    Employee self-service for withholding forms and direct deposit details saves the owner from re-typing data and keeps every record complete.

  4. Contractor payments in the same place

    Many small employers pay contractors as well as employees. Paying both from one system keeps 1099 reporting next to payroll.

  5. Accessible support

    A person who can answer a tax notice matters more than a long feature list.

More tools for small business

Find your fit

By audience

Best payroll software for accountantsBest payroll software for payroll service providers

By industry

Best payroll software for churchesFor ConstructionFor EducationFor FranchisesFor GovernmentBest payroll software for healthcareBest payroll software for hospitalityFor Law FirmsBest payroll software for logisticsFor ManufacturingFor NonprofitsFor RestaurantsBest payroll software for retailBest payroll software for staffing agenciesBest payroll software for trucking

By company size

For EnterprisesBest payroll software for mid-sized companiesBest payroll software for a single employeeSmall BusinessFor Startups

By price

Best free payroll softwareOpen-Source

By need

Best payroll software for hourly employeesFor Multiple LocationsFor Remote Teams

By integration

For NetSuiteBest payroll software for QuickBooksFor SageBest payroll software for Xero

Frequently asked questions

What is the best payroll software for small business?

The best option is the one that files taxes in every state where you employ people, includes direct deposit and year-end forms in the base price, and has clear support. Our small-business ranking weights those factors with verified pricing, so compare the shortlist on this page against your state and headcount.

How much does payroll software cost for small business?

At 10 employees, the lowest published list prices among the products ranked here are Patriot Payroll ($57/mo, you file taxes), SurePayroll ($60/mo, you file taxes), and Paychex Flex ($89/mo); the median of 9 products is $109/mo. List prices, before discounts and add-ons.

Which payroll platforms for small business offer a free trial?

Homebase, OnPay, Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and Rippling list a free trial, according to their vendors: 5 of the 17 products for small business.

Which payroll platforms for small business have SOC 2 Type II?

Homebase, OnPay, Patriot Payroll, Paycor, Paylocity, and 4 more state SOC 2 Type II compliance; Paylocity, QuickBooks Payroll, Rippling, Square Payroll, and UKG Ready also hold ISO 27001. That is 9 of the 17 products for small business.

Which payroll platforms for small business integrate with QuickBooks?

QuickBooks, listed by 5 of the 17 payroll platforms for small business: ADP RUN Powered by ADP, Gusto, Homebase, Rippling, and UKG Ready.

Which payroll platforms for small business have a mobile app?

ADP RUN Powered by ADP, Gusto, Homebase, isolved People Cloud, Justworks, and 11 more confirm a mobile app; 1 of the 17 products for small business does not document one.

Which payroll platforms for small business support single sign-on?

Gusto, Homebase, Paycom, Paycor, Paylocity, and Rippling document single sign-on; 11 of the 17 products for small business do not.

How we research

This ranking of payroll software for small business reweights the LeadChange Score: capability coverage 25%, pricing transparency & value 30%, integrations & API 10%, security & compliance 10%, 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

    53 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

    Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. 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 7 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. Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/bundle“WORKFORCE PAYROLL Pay your team and get payroll taxes done for you. $50 + $7/employee”
  2. Gusto gusto.com/product/pricing“Simple Run basic payroll in one state. $49/mo + $6/mo per person”
  3. 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.”
  4. 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.”
  5. Intuit assurance.intuit.com“Our most recent SOC 2 report is for the period of September 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. Our Next SOC 2 will be released end of October and will cover the period of May 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026.”
  6. 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.”
  7. 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.”

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.