Wave Payroll
Best Wave Payroll Alternatives
10 products that do the same job as Wave Payroll, matched to the reason you might switch, with similarity scores and published prices.
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Wave Payroll alternatives, closest first
Patriot PayrollSimilarity 75
Square PayrollSimilarity 67
SurePayrollSimilarity 67
Alternatives by reason for switching
Lower published price
From $162 a month at 25 employees vs $190 for Wave Payroll (starting prices).
$37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)1
Built for larger companies
Built for mid-sized companies
Serves mid-sized companies; Wave Payroll does not list them among the sizes it serves.
Small businesses, mid-market companies3
Wave Payroll alternatives, closest first
Products built for the same job come first, then products that also cover it, each group by similarity: the share of categories (50%), company sizes served (30%) and pricing model (20%) a product shares with Wave Payroll.
Patriot Payroll
vs Wave Payroll: From $162 vs $190 a month at 25 employees (starting prices). Payroll Software score 8.7; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity75 of 100From $37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)1
Square Payroll
vs Wave Payroll: From $185 vs $190 a month at 25 employees (starting prices). Payroll Software score 7.7; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity67 of 100From $35/mo + $6/employee/mo4
SurePayroll
vs Wave Payroll: From $204 vs $190 a month at 25 employees (starting prices). Payroll Software score 4.9; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity67 of 100From $29/mo + $7/employee/mo (Full Service plan)5
Gusto
vs Wave Payroll: From $199 vs $190 a month at 25 employees (starting prices). Payroll Software score 8.1; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity63 of 100From $49/mo + $6/employee/mo6
Paychex Flex
vs Wave Payroll: Paychex Flex: from $39/mo + $5/employee; Wave Payroll: from $40/mo + $6/employee. Payroll Software score 7.2; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity52 of 100From $39/mo + $5/employee/mo (up to 19 employees)7
QuickBooks Payroll
vs Wave Payroll: From $225 vs $190 a month at 25 employees (starting prices). Payroll Software score 8.5; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity52 of 100From $50/mo + $7/employee/mo8
OnPay
vs Wave Payroll: From $199 vs $190 a month at 25 employees (starting prices). Payroll Software score 7.6; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity48 of 100From $49/mo + $6/employee/mo (Payroll Essentials plan)9
ADP RUN Powered by ADP
vs Wave Payroll: ADP RUN Powered by ADP: quote-only; Wave Payroll: from $40/mo + $6/employee. Payroll Software score 5.1; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
ADP RUN Powered by ADP plans and prices
Similarity47 of 100
Paycor
vs Wave Payroll: Paycor: quote-only; Wave Payroll: from $40/mo + $6/employee. Payroll Software score 6.3; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity17 of 100
Netchex
vs Wave Payroll: Netchex: quote-only; Wave Payroll: from $40/mo + $6/employee. Payroll Software score 4.8; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Similarity16 of 100
Why buyers look beyond Wave Payroll
No published HR or benefits
Wave publishes payroll, accounting, invoicing and payments, with no benefits administration or time tracking of its own.
Three-day direct deposit
Payroll funding typically takes three business days from approval before 3:00 PM Eastern.
1099 filings left to you
Wave generates 1099-NEC forms, but its tax service files with the state and IRS excluding 1099 filings.
Payroll on the web only
Wave's payroll feature runs only in a web browser, not in its mobile app.
No off-cycle payrolls
Wave does not let you approve an off-cycle payroll, one outside your regular schedule.
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.
Wave Payroll vs its closest alternatives
| Product | Score | Starting price per employee | Starting base fee | Pricing model | Free trial | SOC 2 Type II | Mobile apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wave Payroll10,11 | Not scored | $6/employee/mo | $40/mo | Base fee + per employee | Yes | Not verified | Web browser only (payroll is not in the Wave mobile app) |
| Patriot Payroll1,12 | 8.7 | $5/employee/mo | $37/mo | Base fee + per employee | Yes | Yes | Mobile web (no app to install) |
| Square Payroll4,13 | 7.7 | $6/employee/mo | $35/mo | Base fee + per employee | Not verified | Yes | Square Team App |
| SurePayroll5,14 | 4.9 | $7/employee/mo | $29/mo | Base fee + per employee | No | Not verified | Yes |
| Gusto6,15 | 8.1 | $6/employee/mo | $49/mo | Base fee + per employee | No | Not verified | iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile) |
| Paychex Flex7,16 | 7.2 | $5/employee/mo (under 20 employees) | $39/mo (under 20 employees) | Base fee + per employee | Not verified | Not verified | Paychex Flex app (iOS), Paychex Flex app (Android), Paychex Flex Time Kiosk app |
| QuickBooks Payroll8,17,18 | 8.5 | $7/employee/mo | $50/mo | Base fee + per employee | Yes | Yes: Yes (company-level, product not named) | iOS (QuickBooks Workforce), Android (QuickBooks Workforce) |
| OnPay9,19,20 | 7.6 | $6/employee/mo | $49/mo | Base fee + per employee | Yes | Yes | Not verified |
Not verified = we have no sourced value for it yet.
Alternatives to similar products
Frequently asked questions
What are the best alternatives to Wave Payroll?
Among products built for the same job in Payroll Software, the closest to Wave Payroll are Patriot Payroll (75% similar), Square Payroll (67% similar), and SurePayroll (67% similar), by the categories, company sizes and pricing model they share. Patriot Payroll vs Wave Payroll: From $162 vs $190 a month at 25 employees (starting prices). Payroll Software score 8.7; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
What is a cheaper alternative to Wave Payroll?
Patriot Payroll: From $162 a month at 25 employees vs $190 for Wave Payroll (starting prices).
Which Wave Payroll alternatives publish their prices?
Of the alternatives to Wave Payroll, Patriot Payroll, Square Payroll, SurePayroll, Gusto, Paychex Flex, QuickBooks Payroll, and OnPay publish list prices for at least one plan. Wave Payroll publishes its prices too.
Which Wave Payroll alternative scores highest?
Patriot Payroll scores highest at 8.7/10, 75% similar to Wave Payroll; Wave Payroll is not scored yet.
Why do teams look for Wave Payroll alternatives?
The fit limits documented for Wave Payroll: no published HR or benefits, three-day direct deposit, and 1099 filings left to you. The “Why buyers look beyond Wave Payroll” section explains each one from its source.
Which Wave Payroll alternatives offer a free trial?
Of the alternatives to Wave Payroll, Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and OnPay list a free trial, as Wave Payroll does.
How this page was made
What it is built from
54 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
Our independent review of Oct 31, 2026 asked for changes. 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
Switching from Wave Payroll?
Tell us why you’re leaving and when your contract ends, and see the alternatives that fit, with verified evidence for what you need, ranked without regard to who pays us.
Sources
The 22 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“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.” “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.”
- Paycor paycor.com/plans-pricing“50-1000 EMPLOYEES”
- Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll“QuickBooks Workforce works for small to midsize businesses—from accountants and financial experts to hospitality companies, construction companies, truckers, and more.”
- Square squareup.com/us/en/payroll/pricing“For full-service payroll, the cost is $35 per month, plus $6 per person paid per month. For contractor-only payroll, the cost is $6 per person paid per month.” “Manage your team and run payroll anytime, from anywhere, with the Square Team App.”
- SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/payroll“Pay employees in minutes, easily access reports, and get payroll taxes filed and deposited automatically.” “Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.”
- Gusto gusto.com/product/pricing“Simple Run basic payroll in one state. $49/mo + $6/mo per person” “Simple, transparent pricing Payroll, benefits, and HR all in one place. No hidden fees. Cancel any time.”
- Paychex paychex.com/payroll/paychex-flex-essentials“Our most affordable option: Only $39/mo. + $5 per employee … Rest easy knowing your federal, state, and identified local payroll taxes will be calculated, paid, and filed on your behalf. *Additional fees may apply. … Get your required employee and independent contractor tax forms for tax season. **Available at additional cost.”
- Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/bundle“WORKFORCE PAYROLL Pay your team and get payroll taxes done for you. $50 + $7/employee” “Free trial applies to the monthly base price for the first thirty (30) days of new subscriptions to QuickBooks Online and/or Workforce.”
- 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.”
- 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 support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/360030007911-Understand-Wave-s-payroll-subscription“Wave’s payroll feature is only available on web browsers.”
- 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.”
- Square trust.squareup.com/overview“SOC 2 Type II”
- SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/pricing“During your first 12 months with SurePayroll, every alternating month will be free.” “Mobile app for employers and employees”
- Gusto Payroll (Gusto)“We’ve got all kinds of plans for all sizes of business. Explore all the options. You’ll pay nothing ‘til you’re ready to run payroll.” “Yes, you can run payroll, check payroll status, add and view team members and manage your team all from the Gusto mobile app. Download the iOS app here and the Google Play app here.”
- Paychex paychex.com/apps/mobile-app“Employees can download the Paychex Flex® app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and log in using their Paychex account credentials.”
- Intuit assurance.intuit.com“Badges ISO 27001:2022 SOC 1 Type I SOC 2 Type II PCI:DSS”
- Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/mobile“QuickBooks Workforce is also available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.”
- OnPay onpay.com“Get one month free”
- 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.”
- Square squareup.com/us/en/payroll/small-business“Transparent pricing with no hidden fees or long-term commitments.”
- Paychex paychex.com/payroll/compare-payroll-solutions“Basic Essential Payroll & HR Request Pricing Foundations AI & HR Features Best Value Request Pricing Advanced Enhanced Service Needs Request Pricing Complete Premium Services Request Pricing”