Payroll Software and Online Payroll Providers in the U.S. (2025–2026): Features, Pricing, and Top Providers

Why Payroll Software Matters for U.S. Businesses

Running payroll in the United States involves complex requirements, including payroll tax calculations, withholding rules, unemployment insurance, and ongoing compliance updates. Manual processes increase the risk of errors, late filings, and penalties. Payroll software helps reduce that risk by automating calculations, supporting electronic payments, and generating the reports and forms businesses need.

Core Payroll Software Features

While platforms differ in scope and pricing, most payroll solutions for small and mid-sized U.S. businesses include:

• Payroll processing for hourly and salaried workers
• Payroll tax calculations
• Tax filing and payment support (varies by provider/plan)
• Direct deposit
• Employee self-service portal
• Payroll reports and recordkeeping
• Year-end forms (such as W-2 and 1099)

Many providers also offer or integrate with time tracking, HR tools, benefits administration, and contractor payments.

Pricing Models for Payroll Software

Payroll software pricing in the U.S. is typically a monthly subscription. Many providers use a base monthly fee plus a per-person fee (per employee and/or per contractor). Costs may vary by features (for example, tax filing support, multi-state payroll, HR add-ons) and may change due to promotions.

Leading Payroll Software Providers (with Provider-Published Pricing Where Available)

Gusto

Gusto offers payroll for small and growing businesses, with options that can expand into HR and benefits features depending on plan selection. For current plan details and any promotions, see Gusto pricing.

QuickBooks Payroll

QuickBooks Payroll is designed to work closely with QuickBooks accounting workflows. Intuit publishes pricing on its site; for example, QuickBooks Payroll pricing commonly includes a monthly base price plus a published per-employee fee (e.g., “+$6.50/employee per month” on the pricing page, with promotional pricing often shown for a limited time).

OnPay

OnPay provides payroll and tax filings for small businesses with a straightforward pricing structure. On its official pricing page, OnPay lists a base fee of $49/month plus $6/month per person. See OnPay pricing for the latest details.

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll offers payroll services for small businesses, including a self-managed option and a full-service option. On its official pricing page, Patriot lists Basic Payroll at $17/month + $4 per worker and Full Service Payroll at $37/month + $5 per worker (promotions may appear). See Patriot pricing for current pricing and plan details.

Square Payroll

Square Payroll is commonly used by businesses already in the Square ecosystem. Square publishes pricing on its site: $35/month + $6 per person paid per month for full-service payroll, and $6 per person paid per month for contractor-only payroll. See Square Payroll pricing for details.

ADP RUN

RUN Powered by ADP provides payroll and HR tools aimed at small businesses. ADP generally asks businesses to request pricing, so costs are typically quote-based. Use the ADP RUN page to review features and request pricing.

Paychex Flex

Paychex Flex combines payroll with HR and compliance support options. Paychex generally provides pricing via quote, and plan selection varies by business needs. See Paychex payroll solutions to compare packages and request pricing.

How to Choose the Right Payroll Software

To narrow your shortlist, start with the basics: how many people you pay (employees and contractors), whether you run payroll in multiple states, and whether you want tax filings handled for you. Next, check each provider’s plan pages for what is included at each tier (and what requires add-ons), and confirm integrations with your accounting or time-tracking tools.

Conclusion

Payroll software is an essential operational tool for U.S. businesses in 2025–2026. The best payroll platform is the one that matches your workforce, compliance needs, and preferred level of automation—without adding unnecessary complexity or cost.

For the most accurate pricing, rely on each provider’s official pricing page (when available) or request a quote for solutions that use customized pricing. If you are deciding between two or three options, a demo or trial is the fastest way to confirm the workflow fits your business before you commit.