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Alternatives · Payroll

OnPay alternatives

OnPay compared with 8 alternatives: Gusto, QuickBooks Workforce, Patriot Payroll, Square Payroll, RUN Powered by ADP and 3 more.

OnPay is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid. None of the alternatives has a free plan. 3 more offer a free trial.

8 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 17, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
OnPayThis toolFree trial · from $49/moTrial onlyWeb, iOS, Android
GustoFrom $49/moNoWeb, iOS, Android
QuickBooks WorkforceFree trial · from $50/moTrial onlyWeb, iOS, Android
Patriot PayrollFree trial · from $17/moTrial onlyWeb
Square PayrollFrom $6/moNoWeb, iOS, Android
RUN Powered by ADPPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android
JustworksFrom $50/moNoWeb, iOS, Android
Roll by ADPFree trial · from $39/moTrial onlyWeb, iOS, Android
SurePayrollFrom $20/moNoWeb, iOS, Android

Price against what you get

OnPay starts at $49 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 7 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.

Gusto and Justworks score higher without starting lower. Patriot Payroll, Square Payroll, Roll by ADP and SurePayroll start lower without scoring higher.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

C2.0B3.0A4.0$5$10$20$50$100More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessOnPayGustoQuickBooks WorkforcePatriot PayrollSquare PayrollJustworksRoll by ADPSurePayroll

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of payroll services, and the best at every price

How each one differs from OnPay

  1. Gusto

    Payroll and HR for small businesses, with apps for owners and staff

    • Gusto starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per person paid (Simple). OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid.
    • Gusto also covers expense tracking.
    • OnPay also covers reports.

    Suits: Small US businesses paying W-2 employees and contractors

    Gusto vs OnPayGusto pricing and details

  2. QuickBooks Workforce

    Intuit's payroll and HR service, sold alone or with QuickBooks

    • QuickBooks Workforce starts at $50 per month, plus $7 per employee, billed monthly. OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid.
    • OnPay also covers reports.

    Suits: US businesses already keeping their books in QuickBooks Online

    QuickBooks Workforce vs OnPayQuickBooks Workforce pricing and details

  3. Patriot Payroll

    Low-cost online payroll for small US businesses

    • Patriot Payroll starts at $17 per month, plus $4 per worker paid (half price for the first 3 months). OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid.
    • Only OnPay lists iOS and Android apps.

    Suits: Very small US businesses that want a low monthly base fee

    Patriot Payroll vs OnPayPatriot Payroll pricing and details

  4. Square Payroll

    Payroll for Square sellers, with timecards from Square POS

    • Square Payroll starts at $6 per person paid / month, contractor-only payroll. OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid.

    Suits: Restaurants, shops and salons already taking payments with Square

    Square Payroll vs OnPaySquare Payroll pricing and details

  5. RUN Powered by ADP

    ADP's payroll and HR service for US businesses of 1 to 49 people

    • OnPay also covers reports.

    Suits: US businesses with up to 49 employees that want taxes filed for them

    RUN Powered by ADP vs OnPayRUN Powered by ADP pricing and details

  6. Justworks

    Pay, benefits and HR platform for employers, with an app for staff

    • Justworks starts at $50 per month, plus $8 per employee (Payroll). OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid.
    • Justworks also covers expense tracking.
    • OnPay also covers reports.

    Suits: Smaller employers that want benefits normally offered by large ones

    Justworks vs OnPayJustworks pricing and details

  7. Roll by ADP

    Chat-based payroll app for very small US businesses

    • Roll by ADP starts at $39 per month, plus $5 per worker paid. OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid.
    • OnPay also covers reports.

    Suits: Owners with a few employees who want to run payroll from a phone

    Roll by ADP vs OnPayRoll by ADP pricing and details

  8. SurePayroll

    Online payroll for small US businesses and household employers

    • SurePayroll starts at $20 per month, plus $4 per employee. OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid.
    • OnPay also covers time tracking.

    Suits: Small US businesses with a handful of employees

    SurePayroll vs OnPaySurePayroll pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in OnPay

  • Add-ons bought alone cost $15 plus $2 per worker (HR), $15 plus $4 per worker (Time Tracking), $10 (Compliance Resources) and $65 a month (Live HR Support).
  • Runs payroll in all 50 US states at no extra charge per state; the pages read mention no other countries.
  • Health insurance, workers' comp and 401(k) plans are paid at their premiums on top of the OnPay subscription.
OnPay pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to OnPay?

The alternatives to OnPay in this directory are Gusto, QuickBooks Workforce, Patriot Payroll, Square Payroll, RUN Powered by ADP, Justworks, Roll by ADP and SurePayroll. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with OnPay.

Is there a free alternative to OnPay?

None of the alternatives listed here has a free plan. QuickBooks Workforce, Patriot Payroll and Roll by ADP offer a free trial.

When were these prices checked?

Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 17, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.