OnPay Review
by OnPay, LLC
OnPay is online payroll for US small businesses at $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with tax filings, W-2s, 1099s, multi-state payroll and unlimited pay runs included.
- Company size
- Small businesses, mid-market companies
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
- Free trial
- Yes
- Integrations
- 9
Best for
- Small businesses that want payroll with taxes and year-end forms included
- Employers with workers in several states: no extra state fees
- Owners who pay employees and 1099 contractors in one run
Not ideal for
- Companies that need dozens of native integrations: the app directory lists nine partners
- Teams that want weekend phone support: phone hours are weekdays
- Employers with staff outside the US
How we evaluated OnPay
This review rests on 22 facts checked against OnPay’s official pricing pages and documentation, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score and the pros and cons use only those verified facts, as our methodology explains, and third-party ratings are quoted, never scored.
Our verdict
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. It is less suited to companies that want a large app marketplace or weekend phone support.
Strengths
One price with the essentials included
$49 a month plus $6 per worker covers unlimited pay runs, all tax filings and payments, W-2s, 1099s and multi-state payroll.
Evidence: Automatic tax filing: Yes
No setup or integration fees
OnPay charges no implementation or integration fees and migrates prior wages and employee data for free when you switch.
Evidence: Implementation fee: None
Pay options and garnishments
Workers can be paid by direct deposit, check or prepaid debit card, and garnishment deductions are handled in payroll.
Evidence: Key features: Direct deposit, check, or prepaid debit card payment, Garnishment deductions, Year-end filings, W-2s and 1099s, eSign for I-9s and W-4s, State new hire reporting, PTO management and organizational charts, Custom report designer with 50+ fields, Geofenced mobile clock-in (Time Tracking add-on)
Add-ons priced in the open
HR adds $15 plus $2 per worker, Time Tracking $15 plus $4 per worker, and bundles lower the combined price.
Evidence: Extra costs: HR: +$15 base and $2 per worker a month, Time Tracking: +$15 base and $4 per worker a month, Compliance Resources: +$10 base a month, Live HR Support: +$65 base a month, Benefits: you pay plan premiums only
SOC 2 Type II
OnPay is SOC 2 Type II compliant, encrypts data end to end and requires multi-factor authentication for internal systems.
Evidence: SOC 2 Type II: Yes
Benefits through payroll
Medical, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA/FSA, commuter and 401(k) benefits can be offered, and you pay plan premiums only.
Evidence: Benefits offered: Medical, dental, and vision, Life insurance, HSAs and FSAs, Short and long-term disability, Commuter benefits, 401(k) retirement
Weaknesses
A short integrations list
The app directory lists nine partners, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, JazzHR and Vestwell.
Evidence: Native integrations: 9
Time tracking and HR cost extra
Geofenced clock-in, PTO dashboards and org charts come with the Time Tracking and HR add-ons.
Evidence: Extra costs: HR: +$15 base and $2 per worker a month, Time Tracking: +$15 base and $4 per worker a month, Compliance Resources: +$10 base a month, Live HR Support: +$65 base a month, Benefits: you pay plan premiums only
Weekday phone hours
Phone support runs 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday.
Evidence: Support hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday (phone)
Price at a glance
Starting base fee
$49/mo
Starting price per employee
$6/employee/mo
Pricing model
Base fee + per employee
Price transparency
Published
Free trial
Yes
OnPay cost at 10 to 100 employees
- Payroll Essentials$49/mo base + $6/employee/mo
- Bundle: Payroll Essentials + Time Tracking + HR$70/mo base + $10/employee/mo
- Bundle: Payroll Essentials + HR + Compliance Resources + Live HR Support$120/mo base + $7/employee/mo
- Bundle: Payroll Essentials + Time Tracking + HR + Compliance Resources + Live HR Support$130/mo base + $10/employee/mo
| Employees | Payroll Essentials | Bundle: Payroll Essentials + Time Tracking + HR | Bundle: Payroll Essentials + HR + Compliance Resources + Live HR Support | Bundle: Payroll Essentials + Time Tracking + HR + Compliance Resources + Live HR Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $109/mo | $170/mo | $190/mo | $230/mo |
| 25 | $199/mo | $320/mo | $295/mo | $380/mo |
| 50 | $349/mo | $570/mo | $470/mo | $630/mo |
| 100 | $649/mo | $1,070/mo | $820/mo | $1,130/mo |
Monthly list price before discounts, add-ons and taxes, from the published price model of each plan.
Quick answers
- How much is OnPay per month?
- Payroll Essentials costs $49 a month plus $6 per worker; for 10 workers that is $109 a month.Based on Starting base fee: $49/mo
- Does OnPay file payroll taxes?
- Yes. Federal, state and local tax filings and payments, W-2s, 1099s and year-end filings are included in the base price.Based on Automatic tax filing: Yes
- How does OnPay work?
- You set up your company with free expert help, enter hours, and run payroll; OnPay pays workers and files and pays the taxes for you.Based on Implementation fee: None
- Is OnPay legit?
- Yes. OnPay is an Atlanta-based payroll company founded in 2011, and it is SOC 2 Type II compliant.Based on Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia
Coverage of core payroll software capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in Payroll Software, checked against OnPay’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
10 verified of 12 core capabilities
Payroll Software
- Gross-to-net calculation
- Payroll tax filing
- Overtime and regular rate
- Multi-state payroll
- Deductions and garnishments
- Off-cycle runs
- Direct deposit and pay options
- Time and benefits integration
- Accounting and GL export
- Reports and audit trail
- Employee self-service
- Year-end forms
Specifications
Fit
- Industry focus
- Accountants, App developers, Construction, Dance studios, Dentists, Healthcare, Education, Farms and agriculture, Franchises, Gyms and fitness studios, Houses of worship, Hospitality, Law firms, Manufacturing, Nonprofits, Real estate, Restaurants, Retail, Startups, S corps, Trucking
- US states supported
- Multi-state payroll; pay workers in as many states as needed
Product
- Modules
- Payroll, HR, Time tracking, Benefits, Compliance resources, Live HR support
OnPay integrations
8 integrations we documented, by how they connect. OnPay reports 9 native integrations in total.
OnPay integration coverage
The 10 apps that payroll software products document most often, and whether OnPay documents each.
4 of the 10 most-connected apps documented by OnPay; median of the 19 products compared: 3
- QuickBooks · documented by 11 of 19
- Checkr · documented by 6 of 19
- Vestwell · documented by 6 of 19
- Employee Navigator · documented by 5 of 19
- Xero · documented by 5 of 19
- Clover · documented by 4 of 19
- Deputy · documented by 4 of 19
- Greenhouse · documented by 4 of 19
- Indeed · documented by 4 of 19
- Okta · documented by 4 of 19
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier or API), 19 live payroll software products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Where it ranks
- #5 of 14 scoredPayroll Software
- #10 of 19 scoredHRIS Software
- #3 of 10 scoredPayroll Services
- #5 of 6 scoredHRIS Software for Construction
- #2 of 6 scoredHRIS Software for Education
- #1 of 1 scoredHRIS Software for Franchises
- #4 of 11 scoredHRIS Software for Healthcare
- #3 of 8 scoredHRIS Software for Hospitality
- #1 of 1 scoredHRIS Software for Law Firms
- #5 of 11 scoredHRIS Software for Manufacturing
- #6 of 16 scoredHRIS Software for Mid-Sized Companies
- #3 of 8 scoredHRIS Software for Nonprofits
OnPay alternatives
Gusto65% similar
Compare OnPay
Implementation and support
- Implementation fee
- None
- Support channels
- Phone, email, chat
- Support hours
- 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday (phone)
About OnPay, LLC
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Ownership
- Private
Official profiles
Frequently asked questions
Is OnPay legit?
OnPay is sold by OnPay, LLC, which was founded in 2011, is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and is privately held. OnPay, LLC states that it holds a current SOC 2 Type II report. Before you sign, review the contract terms and ask for the security documentation that applies to your plan.
Does OnPay charge for extra states?
No. You can pay workers in as many states as you need at no extra state fee.
Does OnPay integrate with QuickBooks?
Yes. OnPay's app directory lists QuickBooks Online and Xero for accounting.
What are the best alternatives to OnPay?
In our payroll software ranking, the highest-scored products other than OnPay are Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and Gusto. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: OnPay alternatives.
Which is better, OnPay or Gusto?
It depends on the team. Choose OnPay if: you pay employees in more than one state and want that in the $49 plan. Choose Gusto if: you connect payroll to many apps: Gusto lists 153 integrations against OnPay's 9. The full comparison: OnPay vs Gusto.
What are the pros and cons of OnPay?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: one price with the essentials included, no setup or integration fees, and pay options and garnishments. It is less suited to companies that need dozens of native integrations: the app directory lists nine partners and teams that want weekend phone support: phone hours are weekdays.
Is OnPay good for small businesses?
OnPay lists small businesses among the company sizes it is built for (small businesses and mid-market companies); for 10 employees its lowest published plan comes to $109 a month. It ranks #3 of 13 in our payroll software for small businesses.
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