Key takeaways
- Top pick: Gusto, best for: Small businesses.
- Also near the top: QuickBooks Workforce and ADP RUN.
- How it was ranked: 10 SaaS products compared. Each verdict is below.
Gusto is the best payroll software for most US small businesses because it includes unlimited pay runs, automatic federal, state and local tax filing, and employee onboarding at a published price.
QuickBooks Workforce suits businesses already on QuickBooks Online,
OnPay is a strong value choice with simple published pricing, and
ADP RUN fits owners who prefer a large, long-established provider.
Top 10 Payroll Software for Small Business, compared| RANK | ENTRY | BEST FOR | SCORE | FROM |
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| 1 |  GustoGusto said in May 2026 that it had passed $1 billion in trailing 12-month revenue and serves more than 500,000 small businesses across the US. | Small businesses | 96.5 | $40 per month plus $6 per employee |
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| 2 |  QuickBooks WorkforceIntuit now sells payroll as QuickBooks Workforce, and its pricing page lists Workforce Payroll with QuickBooks Simple Start at $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee. | Small businesses that already keep their books in QuickBooks Online | 95.2 | From $88/month plus $6.50 per employee, with QuickBooks Online |
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| 3 |  ADP RUNADP reported more than 1.1 million clients in its fiscal 2025 annual report. | Growing businesses | 93.8 | Custom |
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| 4 |  OnPayOnPay lists Payroll Essentials at a $49 base plus $6 per worker, with HR and time tracking sold as add-ons and benefits administration free with plan premiums. | Straightforward budgeting | 92.5 | $40 per month plus $6 per employee |
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| 5 |  RipplingRippling says its plans start at $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee, with the total set by the modules chosen. | Tech-forward and global teams | 91.2 | Custom |
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| 6 |  Paychex FlexPaychex was founded in 1971 in Rochester, New York, and lists Flex Essentials at $39 a month plus $5 per employee. | Mid-sized businesses | 89.9 | Custom |
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| 7 |  Patriot PayrollPatriot bills per worker paid in a given month, so a month with no payroll costs only the base software fee. | Very small businesses that want low-cost US payroll | 88.6 | From $17/month plus $4 per worker |
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| 8 |  Square PayrollSquare lists full-service payroll at $35 a month plus $6 per person paid, and contractor-only payroll at $6 per person with no base fee. | Restaurants and retail | 87.3 | $35 per month plus $6 per employee |
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| 9 |  JustworksJustworks lists its Payroll plan at $8 per employee per month plus a $50 base fee, PEO Basic at $79 and PEO Plus at $124 per employee per month. | PEO-seeking small businesses | 86.0 | $59 per month per employee |
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| 10 |  HomebaseHomebase lists payroll as an add-on on all plans at a $49 monthly base fee plus $6 per employee paid. | hourly shift-based small businesses | 84.8 | – |
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How to choose
Start from what you need it for. Where each entry fits best:
Each entry's full verdict is below.
The ranking, in detail
01
Gusto runs unlimited payrolls, files federal, state and local payroll taxes automatically, and adds onboarding, benefits administration and time tracking on higher plans. Its Simple plan covers single-state payroll, and Plus adds multi-state payroll and time tracking.
From $40 per month plus $6 per employee
PROS- Intuitive user interface
- Seamless benefits integration
CONS- Customer support response times can vary
- Best for
- Small businesses
- Where it falls short
- Customer support response times can vary.
- Pick something else if
- you need consistent immediate support availability.
96.5
02
Intuit's payroll and HR, built into QuickBooks
QuickBooks Workforce, the product formerly sold as QuickBooks Payroll, runs payroll with automatic tax calculation and filing, and syncs pay data straight into QuickBooks Online accounting. Higher tiers add HR tools, time tracking and extra support.
From From $88/month plus $6.50 per employee, with QuickBooks Online
PROS- Payroll data flows straight into QuickBooks accounting
- Familiar interface for existing QuickBooks users
CONS- Best value only if you also use QuickBooks Online
- Per-employee fees rise on higher tiers
- Best for
- Small businesses that already keep their books in QuickBooks Online
- Where it falls short
- Best value only if you also use QuickBooks Online.
95.2
03
RUN Powered by ADP handles payroll, tax filing, new-hire reporting and HR tools for small businesses, with options for benefits, retirement plans and workers' compensation from ADP. Pricing is quoted by package.
From Custom
PROS- Extensive scalability
- Robust compliance management
CONS- Pricing can be high for very small teams
- Contract terms may be complex
- Best for
- Growing businesses
- Where it falls short
- Pricing can be high for very small teams.
- Pick something else if
- you run a very small team.
93.8
04
OnPay runs payroll with automatic tax filing and offers optional HR tools, time tracking and integrated benefits administration. It publishes its pricing and runs a partner program for accounting firms.
From $40 per month plus $6 per employee
PROS- Simple and transparent pricing structure
- Free setup assistance
CONS- Fewer third-party integrations than larger rivals
- Best for
- Straightforward budgeting
- Where it falls short
- It offers fewer third-party integrations than larger rivals.
- Pick something else if
- you need extensive third-party integrations.
92.5
05
Rippling Payroll runs US and global payroll from the same employee record that drives HR, benefits, devices and app access. Small businesses can start with core HR and payroll and add modules as they grow.
From Custom
PROS- Powerful automation features
- Unified HR and IT management
CONS- Steep learning curve for advanced settings
- Best for
- Tech-forward and global teams
- Where it falls short
- Steep learning curve for advanced settings.
- Pick something else if
- you need simple setup.
91.2
06
Paychex Flex offers payroll, tax filing and HR tools for small businesses, with higher tiers adding HR support, time tracking and benefits. The Essentials plan has a published price, while Select and Pro are quoted.
From Custom
PROS- Dedicated payroll specialists available
- Comprehensive HR advisory services
CONS- Additional fees for extra features
- Interface feels less modern than competitors
- Best for
- Mid-sized businesses
- Where it falls short
- It charges additional fees for extra features.
- Pick something else if
- you need its advanced features on a tight budget.
89.9
07
Low-cost payroll for very small businesses
Patriot Software offers Basic Payroll, where the owner files taxes, and Full Service Payroll, where Patriot files and deposits payroll taxes. It charges per worker paid each month, which keeps costs low for seasonal or occasional payroll.
From From $17/month plus $4 per worker
PROS- Very low published pricing
- Pay only for workers paid that month
CONS- Basic plan leaves tax filing to the owner
- Fewer HR and benefits features than larger rivals
- Best for
- Very small businesses that want low-cost US payroll
- Where it falls short
- Basic plan leaves tax filing to the owner.
88.6
08
Square Payroll pays employees and contractors, files payroll taxes and imports hours and tips from Square's point-of-sale and team tools. A contractor-only plan has no base fee.
From $35 per month plus $6 per employee
PROS- Ideal for tipped employees
- Easy setup for existing Square users
CONS- Limited functionality outside of the Square ecosystem
- Best for
- Restaurants and retail
- Where it falls short
- Limited functionality outside of the Square ecosystem.
87.3
09
HR simple and human
Justworks sells a payroll plan with HR tools and time tracking, and PEO plans that add compliance support, workers' compensation access and health benefits. It suits small businesses that want help with HR compliance as well as payroll.
From $59 per month per employee
PROS- Access to enterprise-grade health insurance
- Reliable automated compliance management
CONS- Higher per-employee cost than standard software
- Best for
- PEO-seeking small businesses
- Where it falls short
- Higher per-employee cost than standard software.
86.0
10
Team management that runs itself
Homebase combines employee scheduling, a time clock and team messaging, and adds payroll as an add-on that turns tracked hours and tips into pay runs. It is built for restaurants, retail and other hourly businesses.
PROS- The product offers a fully functional free plan for up to ten employees at one location.
- Homebase allows accurate hours to flow directly from the time clock into payroll without manual re-entry.
- Best for
- hourly shift-based small businesses
- Where it falls short
- Advanced features like GPS tracking and auto-scheduling require paid plans starting at $30 per month.
- Pick something else if
- you need advanced features on a tight budget.
84.8
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Frequently asked questions
How much does payroll software cost for a small business?
Most providers charge a monthly base fee plus a fee per employee. Gusto starts at $49 a month plus $6 per person, OnPay at $49 plus $6 per worker and Patriot at $17 plus $4 per worker, while ADP RUN quotes custom packages.
Which payroll software is best for a small business?
Gusto is the best fit for most US small businesses because it combines automatic tax filing, unlimited pay runs and easy onboarding. QuickBooks Workforce suits QuickBooks users, and Patriot Payroll is a low-cost option for very small teams.
Gusto or QuickBooks payroll: which is better?
Gusto is easier to use on its own and has stronger onboarding and HR tools for small teams. QuickBooks Workforce makes most sense if you already keep your books in QuickBooks Online, because payroll entries flow straight into your accounts.
Do payroll services file payroll taxes for you?
Full-service providers such as Gusto, OnPay, ADP RUN and Square Payroll calculate, file and pay payroll taxes for you. Patriot's Basic Payroll leaves filing to the owner, while its Full Service plan handles it.
How do I choose payroll software?
List how many employees and contractors you pay, which states they work in and whether you need benefits or time tracking. Then compare the total monthly cost, not just the base fee, since Gusto, OnPay and Homebase all add a per-person charge.
Sources
Where we checked each company's facts, and when.
Some links on Lister are affiliate links. Rankings are not affected.