OnPay vs PaycheckCity (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick OnPay: it is first in our ranking of payroll services, and it grades higher too, 2.6 against 2.2.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
OnPay grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. PaycheckCity grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
OnPay
US payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons
PaycheckCity
Self-service payroll calculator for US small businesses
Which one is for you
Pick OnPay if
- Fits if you want to know the price without talking to a salesperson
- Works for paying employees and contractors across several states
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you run an hourly team, as the time and HR bundle is $70 plus $10 a worker
- Not for you if you pay anyone outside the US, which its pages don't mention
- Tight if you want live HR advice, at $65 a month on top
- Watch out: health insurance, workers' comp and 401(k) premiums are paid on top of the subscription
- Watch out: there's no free plan, and the listing doesn't say if the free month needs a card
Pick PaycheckCity if
- Fits if you pay a few US employees and file taxes yourself
- Works for accountants running several small payrolls
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want direct deposit, as it does none
- Not for you if you want taxes filed and paid for you
- Watch out: state forms are not completed, only the federal W-2, 940 and 941
- Tight if your staff expect a portal, because there is none
- Watch out: the $228 annual rate starts when the 14-day trial ends
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAOnPayGood | 2.2GPAPaycheckCityFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPayroll Essentials is $49 a month plus $6 a worker, $79 for five, the same as Gusto and just under the middle of this category. Benefits administration and onboarding are in that price rather than sold on top. | B$228 a year is $19 a month, at the cheaper-quarter mark of $19 for payroll tools, and one plan covers unlimited companies and employees. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe first month is free. There's no free plan, and the listing doesn't say whether you need a card to start. | CA 14-day trial of all features; the listing does not say whether a card is needed. |
| Features | BPays employees and contractors in all 50 states, files taxes under an error-free guarantee, onboards new hires with e-signatures, syncs to QuickBooks Online or Xero and sets up health plans with in-house agents. Time and HR are add-ons. | CCalculates pay and taxes and prepares paychecks and the federal W-2, 940 and 941. No direct deposit, no state forms, no filing, no employee portal. |
| Ease of use | B4.83 from 689 App Store ratings, short of the 1,000 an A needs. New hires onboard themselves and sign their I-9s and W-4s online. | CNo store rating on record. You enter the data, print the checks and file the forms. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with QuickBooks Online, Xero, Vestwell, JazzHR, NEXT Insurance and TurboTax. No desktop app. | CWeb only, with no app or integrations list. |
| Best for | small US firms that want a clear price and benefits | US paychecks to print, for small employers |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: OnPay and PaycheckCity. How we grade
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. PaycheckCity starts at $19 a month and scores 2.0.
OnPay scores higher, and starts $30 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other payroll services on the chart, 1 scores higher than OnPay for less, and 6 score higher than PaycheckCity for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
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
Where they differ
- OnPay also covers time tracking.
At a glance
| OnPay | PaycheckCity | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid | $19 per month, billed as one annual payment of $228 |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | First month free | 14-day free trial of all features; the $228 annual rate starts when it ends |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | OnPay, LLC | Symmetry Software LLC |
| Price read from | onpay.com | paycheckcity.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
PaycheckCity
- It does no direct deposit, tax filing or tax payment; you print checks and file and remit yourself.
- State forms are not completed; only federal W-2, 940 and 941 are prepared.
- Self-service only, with help articles and a chat box.
- There is no employee portal.
Key features
OnPay
- Full-service payroll
- Pay W-2 employees and 1099 contractors by direct deposit, check or prepaid debit card, with unlimited pay runs and garnishment deductions.
- Taxes in all 50 states
- Files and pays federal, state and local taxes and year-end W-2s and 1099s, registers for state taxes, and backs its filings with an error-free guarantee.
- Hiring and onboarding
- Send offer letters for e-signature, have new hires sign I-9s and W-4s and onboard themselves, and file state new-hire reports automatically.
- Accounting sync
- Syncs the general ledger to QuickBooks Online or Xero after every pay run, with line items mapped to your chart of accounts.
- Benefits administration
- Health, dental and vision plans chosen with licensed in-house agents, with open enrollment and payroll deductions; you pay only the premiums.
- Time Tracking add-on
- Time clocks for each worksite, overtime and break rules, supervisor approval and approved hours sent straight to payroll.
PaycheckCity
- Payroll tax calculation
- Calculates gross-to-net pay and state taxes for all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa, including multi-state cases.
- Printable paychecks and paystubs
- Paychecks and paystubs are generated for printing, and the payroll history is saved.
- Year-end form preparation
- The app fills in federal Form W-2, 940 and 941 with Schedule B from payroll history for you to file.
- Tax change notifications
- Notifications tell you when payroll tax rules change in your jurisdiction.
- Unlimited companies and employees
- Adding locations, companies or employees costs nothing extra under the single plan.
Plans
OnPay
Payroll Essentials$49
per month, plus $6 per worker paid
Full-service payroll and tax filing in all 50 states, onboarding with e-signatures, accounting sync, reports and benefits administration.
Payroll, Time Tracking and HR$70
per month, plus $10 per worker paid
Bundle for hourly teams: Payroll Essentials with the Time Tracking and HR add-ons, against $79 plus $12 per worker bought separately.
Payroll, HR and HR Support$120
per month, plus $7 per worker paid
Bundle for salaried teams: Payroll Essentials, HR, Compliance Resources and Live HR Support.
Everything bundle$130
per month, plus $10 per worker paid
Payroll Essentials with Time Tracking, HR, Compliance Resources and Live HR Support.
PaycheckCity
PaycheckCity Payroll$19
per month, billed as one annual payment of $228
One plan with unlimited companies, locations, employees and payroll runs. Applicable taxes are added.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OnPay or PaycheckCity?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PaycheckCity is cheaper to start with: $19 a month, against $49 a month for OnPay. OnPay starts at $49 per month, plus $6 per worker paid, and PaycheckCity starts at $19 per month, billed as one annual payment of $228.
Which has a free plan, OnPay or PaycheckCity?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither OnPay nor PaycheckCity has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do OnPay and PaycheckCity run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OnPay lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.