OnPay vs Payroll4Free (2026): which should you pick?

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 Payroll4Free if

• Fits if you pay 9 or fewer people in the US once a month
• Works for owners who accept ads in the software to avoid a bill

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you pay staff more than once a month or have 10 or more
• Watch out: tax filing and bank deposits are paid, with no price shown
• Not for you if you use a Mac: it needs Windows and a browser extension
• Not for you if you run payroll outside the US: it is US only

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.

Payroll4Free

• Free only for 9 or fewer people paid no more than once monthly; the site publishes no prices beyond that.
• Tax filing for you (Payroll Tax Service) and deposits through its bank (Direct Deposit Service) are paid, with no price shown.
• Each extra state or location carries a fee the site does not price. Payroll is for US businesses only.
• The FAQ says it needs a small browser extension, and Macs must run Windows to use it.

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.

Payroll4Free

Employees and contractors

Pays W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, and the FAQ says year-end tax forms are included for both.

Tax calculations and reports

Calculates federal, state and local payroll taxes and gives access to filled-out tax forms. Filing the forms for you is an optional paid service.

Direct deposit or checks

Employees and contractors can be paid by paper check, direct deposit or a mix of both. Direct deposit through your own bank is free.

Time off tracking

Vacation, sick and PTO time can be set up to accrue by length of service or hours worked.

Employee portal

Employees can view pay information, reprint paystubs and W-2s, check accrued time and change personal details online.

Exports and imports

Payroll data can be exported to accounting packages, banks and benefit companies, and employee hours can be imported from a time clock file.

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.

Payroll4Free

• Free$0

  All basic payroll services for businesses paying 9 or fewer people no more than once monthly, with ads from partner companies shown inside the software.