OnPay Pricing 2026: Payroll Plans & Costs

OnPay pricing starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid during the billing period. That makes the minimum recurring price $55 per month for a business paying one employee or contractor.

OnPay also advertises a free first month. According to its public signup guidance, the free 30-day period begins after the business completes self-onboarding and verifies its bank account.

The core Payroll Essentials package covers full-service payroll, federal, state, and local tax filings, multi-state payroll, employee and contractor payments, onboarding tools, reporting, benefits administration, and customer support.

OnPay no longer has a completely all-inclusive, one-price structure, however. Expanded HR features cost an additional $15 per month, plus $2 per worker, while Compliance Resources and Live HR Support incur additional base fees.

Here is what businesses should know about OnPay’s published prices, included features, extra costs, and differences from Gusto.

OnPay pricing overview

OnPay uses a single-core payroll package, Payroll Essentials, followed by optional HR products.

OnPay presents Compliance Resources and Live HR Support as optional HR enhancements. Its public pricing information does not clearly establish whether either service requires the main HR add-on, so businesses should confirm the exact packaging during enrollment.

How OnPay calculates its monthly charge

The core monthly formula is:

$49 base fee + ($6 × number of workers included in at least one pay run)

The per-worker charge applies once per billing period, regardless of how many times that person is paid. Running weekly payroll instead of monthly payroll does not multiply the $6 charge.

A worker can still count toward the monthly total if included in a pay run with no hours, earnings, or net pay entered. Employers should therefore remove anyone who should not be included before approving payroll.

OnPay bills monthly using a lookback period covering payrolls processed during the preceding billing cycle. Applicable sales tax may also appear on the invoice.

Does OnPay offer a free trial?

OnPay advertises a free 30-day introductory period rather than a permanent free plan. Its public guidance states that the free period begins after the customer completes self-onboarding and verifies the company's bank account.

The offer may change, so businesses should review the current enrollment terms before relying on the discount.

Does OnPay charge setup or implementation fees?

OnPay states that account setup and employee-data migration are free. It also says it does not charge implementation or integration fees.

Free onboarding includes help setting up the account and entering prior payroll information. The employer must still provide accurate company, worker, wage, tax, and banking records.

OnPay cost examples

The following examples use the published Payroll Essentials formula and exclude optional HR products, sales tax, insurance premiums, retirement-plan charges, workers’ compensation premiums, and third-party subscriptions.

Formula: $49 + ($6 × workers paid). Annual cost equals the recurring monthly price multiplied by 12. The table does not deduct the promotional free month.

Cost with the OnPay HR add-on.

Adding the main HR package changes the formula to:

$64 in combined base fees + ($8 × number of workers)

These totals include Payroll Essentials and the standard HR add-on. They do not include the $10 Compliance Resources enhancement or the $75 Live HR Support enhancement.

What is included in OnPay Payroll Essentials?

Payroll Essentials includes more than payroll calculations. Its published package combines payroll processing with basic hiring, team management, reporting, benefits, and support tools.

Full-service payroll and tax filing

The core package includes:

• Unlimited regular and off-cycle pay runs

• Multiple payroll schedules and pay rates

• Payments to W-2 employees and 1099 contractors

• Direct deposit and printable checks

• Deposits to compatible reloadable payroll cards

• Federal, state, and local payroll-tax calculation, filing, and payment

• Payroll processing in multiple states without a separate state fee

• State new-hire reporting

• W-2 and 1099 preparation and filing

• Pay-run cancellation before the applicable processing cutoff

• Employee access to pay records and year-end forms

OnPay can deposit wages onto compatible reloadable paycards without an added OnPay deposit fee. Employees generally obtain the card separately, however, and the card provider may charge setup, maintenance, withdrawal, or ATM fees.

OnPay lets businesses pay employees and contractors through the same core package. It does not publish a lower-priced contractor-only option.

The subscription includes electronic year-end forms. Employers can print and distribute forms themselves at no charge. OnPay’s optional direct-mail service costs $10 for each W-2 or 1099 form mailed.

What the OnPay tax guarantee covers

OnPay markets its payroll tax service with an accuracy guarantee. Its service terms provide more detail: when OnPay negligently fails to perform the payroll-tax portion of the service, it states that it will remit the taxes received and reimburse resulting penalties.

The protection does not remove the employer’s responsibilities. Businesses must submit accurate and complete payroll information, respond to information requests, maintain adequate funds, and review payroll data before approval.

Penalties caused by inaccurate or incomplete client-supplied information remain the client’s responsibility.

Hiring and employee onboarding

Payroll Essentials includes several tools that some providers reserve for higher plans:

• Custom offer letters

• Employee self-onboarding

• Electronic I-9 and W-4 forms

• Custom onboarding checklists

• State new-hire reporting

• Permission levels

• Employee document storage

These are useful for hiring and recordkeeping, but they should not be confused with the expanded workflows and document controls in OnPay’s paid HR add-on.

Reporting and accounting integrations

The core price includes:

• Dynamic in-app reports and filters

• A custom report designer

• More than 50 reporting fields

• Customizable payroll-to-ledger mapping

• QuickBooks Online integration

• QuickBooks Desktop integration

• Xero integration

OnPay does not charge its own integration fee. A connected third-party application may still require a separate subscription.

Benefits administration

OnPay includes access to benefits-administration functions in Payroll Essentials. Its published materials describe:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Help from licensed in-house insurance agents

• Employee self-service during open enrollment

• Automated payroll deductions

• Pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation

• Integrated 401(k) providers

• Life and disability insurance

• Support for HSA, FSA, and commuter-benefit deductions

• The option to continue working with an outside broker

The $49-plus-$6 payroll price does not include the underlying cost of insurance policies, retirement plans, workers’ compensation coverage, or other employee benefits.

OnPay does not publish one universal price for these products because the cost depends on the selected provider, coverage, participants, location, and employer circumstances.

Customer and onboarding support

Every Payroll Essentials customer receives support by phone, email, and chat. OnPay publishes weekday support hours of 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern and provides dedicated onboarding assistance.

“Dedicated onboarding” means implementation support. OnPay’s public pricing page does not promise every customer a permanent, individually assigned service advisor after setup.

What does the OnPay HR add-on include?

OnPay’s HR add-on costs $15 per month plus $2 per worker. It expands the team-management functions included in Payroll Essentials.

PTO management

The HR package adds:

• Employee PTO requests

• Manager approval workflows

• Team time-off calendars

• Notes and messages attached to requests

• Time-off histories are stored with employee records

This is separate from time-clock software. OnPay’s public product materials do not list a native tool for clocking employees in and out or automatically recording hours worked.

Expanded onboarding and workflows

The add-on supports:

• Repeatable onboarding workflows

• Tasks customized by role, location, or worker type

• Unlimited electronic-signature templates

• Custom employee-information forms

• Automated task delegation and tracking

Employee directories and org charts

Businesses can create a searchable directory and an automatically updated organizational chart showing roles, departments, managers, and contact information.

Document and records management

The paid HR package adds more extensive document controls than the storage included with Payroll Essentials. These include:

• Customizable document templates

• Employee file requests

• Audit trails and activity histories

• Expiration tracking

• Secure records storage

Equipment and software provisioning

Employers can assign onboarding tasks for equipment, software, accounts, and permissions. OnPay can record serial numbers or other identifiers, but its public materials do not describe a full IT device-management platform.

Compliance Resources and Live HR Support

OnPay lists two additional enhancements:

Compliance Resources costs $10 per month and provides state-by-state alerts and compliance materials.

Live HR Support costs $75 per month and provides concierge support from HR experts plus an expanded document-template library.

These services can help employers obtain information and administrative support, but they do not transfer the employer’s legal or compliance responsibilities to OnPay.

Because OnPay’s public pricing information does not clearly explain whether these enhancements require the main HR add-on, businesses should verify the required product combination before enrolling.

Additional OnPay costs to consider

OnPay clearly publishes its subscription prices, but the advertised base rate is not necessarily the employer’s total cost.

Possible expenses include:

• The $15-plus-$2 HR add-on

• The $10 Compliance Resources enhancement

• The $75 Live HR Support enhancement

• Applicable sales tax on the software subscription

• $10 for each year-end form sent through OnPay’s direct-mail service

• Health, dental, vision, life, or disability insurance premiums

• Workers’ compensation premiums

• Retirement plan or third-party provider charges

• Subscriptions charged by integrated time-tracking applications

• Fees charged by an employee’s payroll-card provider

• Special-handling charges that may apply to certain corrections after payroll submission

OnPay states that standard tax filings, multi-state processing, unlimited payroll runs, routine off-cycle payrolls, setup, implementation, and OnPay integration fees are included.

OnPay limitations and purchasing considerations

OnPay covers the primary payroll functions many U.S. small businesses require. Its trade-offs become more apparent when a company needs specialized workforce management, talent, global payroll, or financial tools.

Native time tracking is not part of the published package

OnPay documents integrations with QuickBooks Time, When I Work, and Deputy. Businesses can import approved hours from these services, but the reviewed plans do not list a native OnPay time clock.

An outside time-tracking subscription can therefore add to the total cost.

Direct deposit generally requires advance processing

OnPay’s standard ACH payroll turnaround is generally 2 or 4 business days, depending on its risk assessment of the employer’s account.

Some customers may instead be approved only for wire or reverse-wire funding. That can create additional preparation and cash-management requirements for certain employers.

Businesses that frequently need next-day payroll should compare this schedule with providers that include or sell faster direct-deposit options.

Advanced talent tools are not listed.

OnPay’s published packages do not include built-in applicant tracking, performance reviews, goal management, compensation benchmarking, or learning management tools.

This does not affect businesses that primarily need payroll, onboarding, benefits deductions, PTO workflows, and employee records. It may matter to organizations trying to manage more of the employee lifecycle within a single system.

Global payroll is not part of the public product lineup

OnPay’s reviewed product and pricing pages focus on U.S. payroll across all 50 states. They do not identify an employer-of-record service, multicountry payroll product, or international contractor-payment network.

Businesses employing people outside the United States should confirm whether they need another provider or partner service.

The integration ecosystem emphasizes core small-business needs

OnPay’s documented accounting and time-tracking integrations include:

• QuickBooks Online

• QuickBooks Desktop

• Xero

• QuickBooks Time

• When I Work

• Deputy

Its broader app directory also lists partner-delivered services for recruiting, benefits, retirement, insurance, and compliance.

That may cover the needs of many small employers. Businesses using specialized identity, expense, point-of-sale, workforce-management, or industry-specific systems should verify compatibility before enrolling.

Cancellation requires advance notice.

OnPay’s public service agreement does not state that customers can terminate the payroll service instantly. It says service continues until OnPay or the client provides 30 days’ prior written notice, unless termination is for cause.

Businesses should review their current order form, service agreement, benefits arrangements, pending payrolls, tax filings, and final invoice before ending service.

OnPay pricing vs. Gusto pricing

OnPay Payroll Essentials and Gusto Simple have the same published starting formula: $49 per month plus $6 per person.

The two providers begin to differ in state coverage, add-on structure, time tracking, support, employee tools, and higher-level HR functions.

The table compares published recurring subscription prices. Benefit premiums, third-party services, promotions, and optional add-ons are excluded.

At the entry level, the prices are identical.

A business paying 10 workers would spend $109 per month on either OnPay Payroll Essentials or Gusto Simple. At 25 workers, the base package costs $199.

The services are not identical despite the matching price. OnPay includes multi-state payroll in Payroll Essentials, while Gusto positions Simple as a single-state plan.

For a U.S. employer that pays workers in multiple states but does not need native time tracking, this gives OnPay a meaningful pricing advantage at the entry level.

Gusto has a broader plan ladder.

Gusto lets businesses choose among Contractor Only, Simple, Plus, and Premium. It also sells individual add-ons for Simple, including time and attendance, next-day pay, priority support, HR resources, and performance tools.

OnPay has one core payroll package and a smaller set of HR additions. Its structure involves fewer payroll tiers but does not provide the same number of upgrade combinations.

Gusto’s standard Contractor Only price is $35 per month plus $6 per contractor. A current promotion reduces the base fee to $0 for the first six months, subject to its eligibility and offer terms.

OnPay charges contractors through the same $49-plus-$6 Payroll Essentials package used for employees.

OnPay can cost less for multi-state payroll.

Gusto Plus costs $80 per month plus $12 per person. At 10 people, that equals $200 per month, compared with $109 for OnPay Payroll Essentials.

The comparison is not feature-for-feature. Gusto Plus includes native time tracking and next-day pay, while OnPay relies on outside time-tracking applications and generally uses a two- or four-business-day direct-deposit schedule.

The better value depends on whether a company needs those additional functions.

OnPay’s HR add-on remains competitively priced.

With OnPay’s main HR add-on, a 10-worker business would pay $144 per month. A 25-worker business would pay $264.

Those totals remain below Gusto Plus at the same headcounts, but the products include different capabilities.

OnPay’s HR add-on concentrates on PTO, employee records, workflows, org charts, electronic signatures, documents, and equipment tracking. Gusto Plus combines payroll with native time-and-attendance tools, while Premium adds performance management, compensation management, and a dedicated service advisor.

Gusto provides additional employee financial tools.

Employees paid through Gusto may use Gusto Wallet, which includes a spending account and debit card, savings goals, budgeting tools, and eligible access to on-demand pay through Clair.

OnPay can deposit payroll onto compatible reloadable paycards, but employees generally obtain those cards separately, and issuer fees may apply. Its reviewed materials do not identify a comparable employee spending account, savings, budgeting, and on-demand pay suite.

Both providers support employee benefits.

Both companies help employers administer health insurance, workers’ compensation, retirement plans, and other benefits.

The more useful distinction is pricing and product structure rather than a blanket claim that one offers every benefit the other lacks.

Gusto publishes separate prices for several benefits and integrations. OnPay includes its benefits administration interface in Payroll Essentials but does not publish universal pricing for the underlying policies and partner products.

See how the available Gusto pricing plans compare with your expected headcount and feature requirements.

Is OnPay worth the cost?

OnPay can be worth its published price for a U.S. business that wants full-service payroll, multi-state processing, tax filing, employee and contractor payments, onboarding tools, benefits administration, and access to phone, chat, and email support.

Its strongest pricing case is the entry-level package. OnPay and Gusto Simple have the same base and per-person rates, but OnPay includes multi-state payroll.

The value calculation changes when a business adds the HR package, live HR assistance, compliance resources, time-tracking software, insurance, retirement plans, or other partner products. Buyers should calculate the complete configuration rather than comparing only the $49 base fee.

Gusto may be a stronger fit for businesses that require native time and attendance, next-day payroll, performance and compensation tools, an individually assigned service advisor, global contractor payments, or employee financial tools.

OnPay may be the more practical option for businesses that want a focused U.S. payroll system, need multiple states at the entry price, and do not expect to use Gusto’s higher-tier features.

Who OnPay may fit best

OnPay’s pricing and product structure may suit:

• U.S. businesses paying employees in multiple states

• Employers with both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors

• Businesses that run payroll more than once per month

• Employers who want federal, state, and local tax filing included

• Companies that value phone, email, and chat support at the base price

• Businesses using QuickBooks, Xero, QuickBooks Time, When I Work, or Deputy

• Accountants and bookkeepers managing payroll for multiple clients

• Employers that need onboarding and benefits administration but not advanced talent-management software

Businesses may prefer another product when they need global payroll, employer-of-record services, native time clocks at the entry level, extensive recruiting tools, performance management, compensation management, or a larger app marketplace.

OnPay pricing FAQ

How much does OnPay cost per month?

OnPay Payroll Essentials costs $49 per month, plus $6 per employee or contractor included in at least one pay run during the billing period. A five-person business pays $79 per month, while a 10-person business pays $109 before optional products and taxes.

Does OnPay have a free trial?

OnPay advertises a free 30-day introductory period. Its public guidance says the free period begins after the business completes self-onboarding and verifies its bank account.

OnPay does not publish an ongoing free payroll plan. Businesses should budget for the regular $ 49 plus $6 price after the introductory period.

Does OnPay charge extra for multi-state payroll?

OnPay includes payroll tax filings and payments in all 50 states and lets businesses pay workers across multiple states without a separate state processing fee.

State registration assistance, unusual account issues, insurance costs, and services outside ordinary payroll may have separate requirements or costs.

Does OnPay charge extra for payroll-tax filing?

Federal, state, and local payroll-tax calculations, filings, and payments are included in Payroll Essentials. W-2 and 1099 preparation and electronic access are also included.

OnPay charges $10 per form when an employer chooses its optional year-end direct-mail service.

Does OnPay have hidden fees?

OnPay publishes its core and HR subscription prices and says it does not charge setup, implementation, or integration fees.

Employers can still incur sales tax, optional HR charges, year-end mailing fees, benefit premiums, retirement plan costs, workers’ compensation premiums, third-party subscriptions, payroll card provider fees, and certain special handling charges.

Can OnPay administer employee benefits?

OnPay provides benefits-administration tools and operates an in-house insurance agency. It can help businesses obtain or administer medical, dental, and vision plans and connect payroll with workers’ compensation and retirement providers.

Insurance premiums and provider-specific charges are separate from the payroll subscription.

Does OnPay offer time tracking?

OnPay’s published pricing does not list native clock-in and clock-out software. It integrates with QuickBooks Time, When I Work, and Deputy so employers can import approved hours.

The connected time-tracking provider may charge its own subscription price.

Does OnPay require a contract?

OnPay’s public service agreement does not establish a fixed annual subscription term, but it requires 30 days’ prior written notice to terminate ordinary service.

Customers should review their own agreement and coordinate any final payroll, tax filings, benefits, invoices, and data exports before cancellation.

Is OnPay cheaper than Gusto?

OnPay Payroll Essentials and Gusto Simple have identical published prices of $49 per month plus $6 per person. OnPay includes multi-state payroll at that price.

Gusto Plus and Premium cost more but include additional features such as native time tracking, faster payroll processing, and higher-level HR support.

What is the main difference between OnPay and Gusto?

OnPay offers a focused core payroll package with multi-state processing, followed by a small set of HR additions.

Gusto offers more plan tiers, payroll and HR add-ons, native time tools, employee financial products, global contractor payments, and higher-tier talent-management features.

Sources

OnPay publishes its standard rates, so pricing is drawn directly from OnPay's own pages. Benefit policies (health, retirement, workers' comp) are administered through OnPay but the underlying premiums and plan fees are set by the carriers and providers, not OnPay.

• OnPay pricing — $49 base + $6/worker (Payroll Essentials); $15 base + $2/worker (HR add-on); $10 Compliance Resources; $75 Live HR Support; free first month; free setup and migration

• OnPay payroll overview — full-service multi-state payroll (50 states + D.C.) at no extra state fee, unlimited pay runs, W-2/1099 included, $10 per mailed year-end form, tax-accuracy guarantee, integrations, no native time clock

• For the benefits-administration details (in-house licensed agents; medical/dental/vision, 401(k), pay-as-you-go workers' comp, HSA/FSA/commuter deductions) and the 30-day cancellation-notice term, cite OnPay's benefits pages and service agreement — pull these from onpay.com so each citation points to a live page.

Disclaimer

Pricing is accurate as of June 2026. OnPay's published rates are $49 per month plus $6 per worker for Payroll Essentials, with an optional HR add-on at $15 per month plus $2 per worker, Compliance Resources at $10 per month, and Live HR Support at $75 per month; the per-worker fee applies once per billing period to anyone included in at least one pay run. These cover the software subscription only and exclude separately priced or pass-through costs, including applicable sales tax, $10 per mailed year-end form, health/dental/vision/life/disability premiums, workers' compensation premiums, retirement-plan and third-party provider charges, time-tracking subscriptions, and payroll-card issuer fees. Benefit policies are provided by third-party carriers and providers, not OnPay, and have their own eligibility rules and pricing. OnPay does not list native time tracking, global payroll, or a contractor-only plan, and its standard direct-deposit turnaround is generally two to four business days. Service continues until either party gives 30 days' written notice. This content is informational only, is not financial, tax, or legal advice, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OnPay, Inc. OnPay® is a trademark of OnPay, Inc. Verify current pricing and terms directly with OnPay before purchasing.