Wave Payroll Review
by Wave
Wave Payroll is online payroll from Wave, the H&R Block-owned small-business accounting company. US payroll costs $40 a month plus $6 per active employee and $6 per contractor paid, the price for customers who signed up since April 2, 2025.
- Company size
- Small businesses2
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee1
- Free trial
- Yes1
- Deployment
- Cloud (payroll in the web browser only)3
Best for
- US small businesses and freelancers that use Wave for accounting and invoicing
- Owners who want one published payroll price with no set-up fees
- Employers that pay W-2 staff and 1099 contractors in the same payroll
Not ideal for
- Employers that want benefits, time tracking or HR in the payroll product: none is published
- Teams that need next-day direct deposit: funding typically takes three business days
- Businesses that want 1099 filings handled: Wave's tax service excludes them
How we evaluated Wave Payroll
This review rests on the 23 facts this page shows, each checked against the source listed under “Sources”, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score uses only those verified facts, as our methodology explains; third-party ratings, where we quote them, never count in the score.
Our verdict
Wave Payroll suits very small US businesses that already keep their books in Wave and want payroll at a published price: $40 a month plus $6 per active employee and $6 per contractor paid, for US customers who signed up since April 2, 2025. Wave pays and files federal and state payroll taxes in all 50 states. It is less suited to employers that need benefits administration, time tracking or HR tools in the same product, which Wave does not publish.
Strengths
Published, simple pricing
US payroll is $40 a month plus $6 per active employee and $6 per contractor paid for US customers who signed up since April 2, 2025, with no set-up fees.
Evidence: Implementation fee: None1
Tax filing in all 50 states
Wave pays and files federal and state payroll taxes for you in all 50 states.
Evidence: Automatic tax filing: Yes1
Built into Wave accounting
Payroll integrates with Wave's accounting software and adds wage and tax payment reporting to the books.
Evidence: Notable integrations: Wave Accounting1
30 days to try it
You can use Wave Payroll for up to 30 days from your first payroll; activating the paid subscription starts billing and gives access to tax filing. You can deactivate any time.
Evidence: Free trial: Yes1
Weaknesses
No published HR or benefits
Wave publishes payroll, accounting, invoicing and payments, with no benefits administration or time tracking of its own.
Evidence: Modules: Payroll, Accounting, Invoicing, Payments2
Three-day direct deposit
Payroll funding typically takes three business days from approval before 3:00 PM Eastern.
Evidence
Direct deposit speed: 3 business days (approve by 3:00 PM Eastern)4
1099 filings left to you
Wave generates 1099-NEC forms, but its tax service files with the state and IRS excluding 1099 filings.
Evidence: Automatic tax filing: Yes1
Payroll on the web only
Wave's payroll feature runs only in a web browser, not in its mobile app.
Evidence: Deployment: Cloud (payroll in the web browser only)3
No off-cycle payrolls
Wave does not let you approve an off-cycle payroll, one outside your regular schedule.
Evidence: Off-cycle runs: No5
No phone support
The support team answers by email and live chat, Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern, with no inbound phone line.
Evidence: Support channels: Email, chat6
Price at a glance
Wave Payroll cost at 10 to 100 employees
- Wave Payroll (US)$40/mo base + $6/employee/mo
| Employees | Wave Payroll (US) |
|---|---|
| 10 | $100/mo |
| 25 | $190/mo |
| 50 | $340/mo |
| 100 | $640/mo |
Monthly list price before discounts, add-ons and taxes, from the published price model of each plan.
Quick answers
- How much does Wave Payroll cost?
- In the US, Wave Payroll costs $40 a month plus $6 per active employee and $6 per independent contractor paid for US customers who signed up since April 2, 2025. There are no set-up fees.Based on Implementation fee: None1
- Does Wave Payroll file payroll taxes?
- Yes. Wave pays and files federal and state payroll taxes in all 50 states; 1099 filings are excluded.Based on Automatic tax filing: Yes1
- Can you try Wave Payroll before paying?
- Yes. You can use Wave Payroll for up to 30 days after your first payroll. Activating the paid subscription starts billing and gives access to tax filing and to approving payrolls beyond the current month.Based on Free trial: Yes1
- How long does Wave direct deposit take?
- Funding typically takes three business days when you approve payroll before 3:00 PM Eastern.Based on Direct deposit speed: 3 business days (approve by 3:00 PM Eastern)4
Coverage of core payroll software capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in Payroll Software, checked against Wave Payroll’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
7 verified of 12 core capabilities
Payroll Software
- Gross-to-net calculation7
- Payroll tax filing1
- Overtime and regular rate8
- Multi-state payroll · not verified yet
- Deductions and garnishments · not verified yet
- Off-cycle runs5
- Direct deposit and pay options1
- Time and benefits integration · not verified yet
- Accounting and GL export1
- Reports and audit trail · not verified yet
- Employee self-service1
- Year-end forms1
Specifications
Wave Payroll alternatives
Patriot Payroll75% similar
Square Payroll67% similar
SurePayroll67% similar
Gusto63% similar
Paychex Flex52% similar
QuickBooks Payroll52% similar
Implementation and support
About Wave
Official profiles
Wave Payroll: frequently asked questions
Can Wave Payroll pay contractors?
Yes. Contractors are paid in the same payroll at $6 each a month, and Wave generates their 1099-NEC forms.
Who owns Wave?
H&R Block completed its acquisition of Wave in July 2019; Wave is based in Toronto.
What is Wave Payroll used for?
Wave Payroll is a payroll software product built for small businesses. Its modules include Payroll, Accounting, Invoicing, and Payments.
What are the best alternatives to Wave Payroll?
In our payroll software ranking, the highest-scored products other than Wave Payroll are Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and Gusto. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: Wave Payroll alternatives.
What are the pros and cons of Wave Payroll?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: Published, simple pricing, tax filing in all 50 states, and built into Wave accounting. It is less suited to employers that want benefits, time tracking or HR in the payroll product: none is published and teams that need next-day direct deposit: funding typically takes three business days.
Does Wave Payroll have a mobile app?
No native app: Wave Payroll lists Web browser only (payroll is not in the Wave mobile app), so phones use it in the browser.
Is Wave Payroll good for small businesses?
Wave Payroll lists small businesses among the company sizes it is built for (small businesses); for 10 employees its list prices come to $100 a month. Ranked for that size: payroll software for small businesses.
How this page was made
What it is built from
23 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 4, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology
Independent review
Passed our independent review on Oct 31, 2026. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested Wave Payroll 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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Wave Payroll
Sources
The 10 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
- Wave waveapps.com/payroll“$40 USD base fee+ $6 per active employee+ $6 per independent contractor paid” “Upon processing your first payroll, you can use Wave Payroll for up to 30 days, commitment-free. At any time, you can activate to start your billing cycle and gain access to items like tax filing and approving payrolls beyond the current month.”
- Wave waveapps.com“Unlike other software, Wave is built for small business owners and solopreneurs at every stage—not accountants—so it’s easy for you to use.” “Wave keeps your accounting, invoicing, payments, and more in one unified system.”
- Wave support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/360030007911-Understand-Wave-s-payroll-subscription“Wave’s payroll feature is only available on web browsers.”
- Wave support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/36781194642708“The funding timeline is typically three business days from the date you approve the payroll if you approve it before 3:00 PM Eastern.”
- Wave support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/36239603416724-Review-and-approve-a-payroll
- Wave support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405904661140-Get-support-with-Wave“Our Support Team is available Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern, and can be reached by email and live chat. The support team does not have an inbound phone line.”
- Wave support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/36924937751956--US-Types-of-payroll-benefits-and-deductions
- Wave support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/360061954511--US-Overtime-guidelines
- Wave waveapps.com/about-us/about“Wave has helped more than 5.9 million small business owners in the US and Canada manage their money since 2010.”
- H&R Block investors.hrblock.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hr-block-completes-acquisition-wave-financial“Wave will maintain its leadership team, including co-founder and CEO Kirk Simpson, operating independently within H&R Block from its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario.” “H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) today announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Wave HQ Inc. (formerly known as Wave Financial Inc., “Wave”)”