The QuickBooks Workforce Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about QuickBooks Workforce in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
QuickBooks Workforce
The Insider’s Guide
Intuit's payroll and HR service, sold alone or with QuickBooks
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among payroll services, read from QuickBooks Workforce’s own pages.
Made by Intuit Inc. · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from QuickBooks Workforce’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on QuickBooks Workforce’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 6 of the 18 other payroll services we grade
QuickBooks Workforce is Intuit's payroll service, the product its app listings still call QuickBooks Payroll. Every plan calculates, files and pays payroll taxes, runs automatic payroll for salaried staff and e-files 1099s. Premium adds time tracking, hiring and HR tools, and Elite adds expert setup and cover for IRS penalties. It can be bought on its own or bundled with QuickBooks Online accounting.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about QuickBooks Workforce, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Premium includes an expert review of your setup, and Elite has an expert set it up for you.
- 1
Best for businesses already keeping books in QuickBooks
QuickBooks Workforce is Intuit's payroll, and if your books are already in QuickBooks Online it's the natural pick: taxes filed, salaried staff paid automatically, 1099s e-filed.
- 2
Paid plans start at $50 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $50 per month, plus $7 per employee, billed monthly.
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial of the base price, taken instead of the 3-month discount; per-employee fees still apply
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Full-service payroll taxes
Intuit calculates, files and pays payroll taxes, sets up garnishments and deductions, and keeps reports on pay history, tax payments and time off.
- 6
Auto payroll and fast deposits
Salaried staff on direct deposit can be paid automatically. Payroll pays next day; Premium and Elite pay the same day if run by 7 am.
- 7
Payroll AI
Collects hours from staff by text or app, spots inconsistencies and drafts a payroll for you to approve. The plans list it by name on Premium and Elite.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 6 of 18
That is against the other payroll services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace QuickBooks Workforce you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
QuickBooks Workforce at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $50 per month, plus $7 per employee, billed monthly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial of the base price, taken instead of the 3-month discount; per-employee fees still apply
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Intuit Inc.
- Category
- Payroll
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 197,223 ratings
The report card
Best for businesses already keeping books in QuickBooks
QuickBooks Workforce is Intuit's payroll, and if your books are already in QuickBooks Online it's the natural pick: taxes filed, salaried staff paid automatically, 1099s e-filed. It's $85 a month for five people. The extras most teams want, time tracking and HR, sit on Premium at $153.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Workforce Payroll is $50 a month plus $7 an employee, so $85 for five, the middle of this category. Half-price base for the first 3 months makes that $60 at first. Time tracking and HR need Premium, which is $153 for five. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A 30-day trial, but it only waives the $50 base: the $7 per employee is still charged, so running a real payroll costs money from day one. Taking the trial also means giving up the 3 months at half price. |
| Features | B | Intuit files and pays payroll taxes, pays salaried staff automatically, e-files unlimited 1099s and pays next day. Premium adds time tracking, hiring and onboarding, and Elite adds IRS penalty cover up to $25,000 a year. That covers the whole job. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.65 from about 197,000 App Store ratings for the QuickBooks Workforce app, where staff clock in. Premium includes an expert review of your setup, and Elite has an expert set it up for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, sitting alongside QuickBooks Online, with QuickBooks Time, Checkr, Vestwell, NEXT Insurance and Mineral connected. No desktop app in the listing. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who QuickBooks Workforce is for
- Great if your books already live in QuickBooks Online
- Handy when salaried staff are paid the same every time and payroll can run itself
- Good for owners who want an expert to set payroll up for them, on Elite
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you need time tracking, which starts on Premium at $88 plus $13 an employee
- Skip it if the intro price sold you: the half-price base lasts 3 months, and per-employee fees are full from the start
- Not for you if you pay staff in Canada, which has its own QuickBooks payroll site and prices
Good to know
Good for
- US businesses already keeping their books in QuickBooks Online
- Small teams that want payroll, time tracking and HR from one vendor
- Employers who want an expert to set up payroll for them
Worth knowing
- The advertised prices are 50% off the base fee for the first 3 months; per-employee fees are charged in full from the start.
- Time tracking, HR tools and same-day deposit need Premium; IRS penalty cover and a personal HR advisor need Elite.
- Bundles with QuickBooks Online accounting start at $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee (Workforce Payroll with Simple Start).
- It is Intuit's US payroll, filing with the IRS and US states; Canada has its own QuickBooks payroll site and prices.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$50
A month to start
QuickBooks Workforce is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $50 per month, plus $7 per employee, billed monthly.
Workforce Payroll
$50
per month, plus $7 per employee, billed monthly
Advertised at $25 a month for the first 3 months. Full-service payroll and tax filing, auto payroll, 1099 e-filing and next-day direct deposit.
Workforce Premium
$88
per month, plus $13 per employee, billed monthly
Advertised at $44 a month for the first 3 months. Adds same-day direct deposit, time tracking, hiring, recruiting and an expert setup review.
Workforce Elite
$134
per month, plus $17 per employee, billed monthly
Advertised at $67 a month for the first 3 months. Adds expert setup, IRS penalty cover up to $25,000 a year, performance reviews and an HR advisor.
Trying it first
30-day free trial of the base price, taken instead of the 3-month discount; per-employee fees still apply
Read from quickbooks.intuit.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
50% off the base fee for 3 months
New customers on a monthly plan pay half the base price for the first 3 months, then the regular price. Per-employee and state filing fees are not discounted.
Stated on quickbooks.intuit.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Intuit's payroll and HR service, sold alone or with QuickBooks. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, time tracking, payroll.
Web, iPhone and Android, sitting alongside QuickBooks Online, with QuickBooks Time, Checkr, Vestwell, NEXT Insurance and Mineral connected.
- Full-service payroll taxes
- Intuit calculates, files and pays payroll taxes, sets up garnishments and deductions, and keeps reports on pay history, tax payments and time off.
- Auto payroll and fast deposits
- Salaried staff on direct deposit can be paid automatically. Payroll pays next day; Premium and Elite pay the same day if run by 7 am.
- Payroll AI
- Collects hours from staff by text or app, spots inconsistencies and drafts a payroll for you to approve. The plans list it by name on Premium and Elite.
- Time tracking in the Workforce app
- Premium and Elite include time tracking by phone or an on-site kiosk, with job schedules; Elite adds geofenced reminders and GPS mileage.
- Hiring and HR
- Premium and Elite add offer letters, digital onboarding, automated I-9s, recruiting, time-off policies and a documents center with e-signatures.
- 1099 e-filing
- Every plan e-files unlimited 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC forms with the IRS and sends copies to contractors.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks Time
- Checkr
- Vestwell
- Allstate
- NEXT Insurance
- Mineral
QuickBooks Workforce is made by Intuit Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/18
Other payroll services it is graded above
QuickBooks Workforce's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 18 other payroll services we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on features (B, above 6 of 18) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 14).
Its paid plans start at $50 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 11 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 19 payroll services we grade, cut by the letter each got. QuickBooks Workforce’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 18
- DFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 18
- BFeaturesAbove 6 of 18
- BEase of useAbove 5 of 18
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 18
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 14 payroll services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. QuickBooks Workforce is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace QuickBooks Workforce you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $600 a year.
What you could make
- Time tracking: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time and Checkr among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. QuickBooks Workforce’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Gusto, RUN Powered by ADP, OnPay, Square Payroll and Paychex Flex
The 5 tools QuickBooks Workforce is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Gusto
From $49/mo
Payroll and HR for small businesses, with apps for owners and staff.
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
- 2.4GPA
RUN Powered by ADP
Paid
ADP's payroll and HR service for US businesses of 1 to 49 people.
- 2.6GPA
OnPay
Free trial · from $49/mo
US payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons.
- OnPay also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Square Payroll
From $6/mo
Payroll for Square sellers, with timecards from Square POS.
- Square Payroll also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Paychex Flex
Paid
Paychex's payroll, tax filing and HR platform, priced by quote.
- QuickBooks Workforce also covers time tracking.
- Paychex Flex also covers reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is QuickBooks Workforce free?
No, QuickBooks Workforce is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial of the base price, taken instead of the 3-month discount; per-employee fees still apply.
How much does QuickBooks Workforce cost?
QuickBooks Workforce lists 3 plans. Workforce Payroll: $50 per month, plus $7 per employee, billed monthly.
What platforms does QuickBooks Workforce work on?
QuickBooks Workforce is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does QuickBooks Workforce offer any discounts?
QuickBooks Workforce publicly lists the following: 50% off the base fee for 3 months.
How is QuickBooks Workforce rated?
QuickBooks Workforce's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 197,223 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does QuickBooks Workforce have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. QuickBooks Workforce is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does QuickBooks Workforce have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. QuickBooks Workforce is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is QuickBooks Workforce open source?
QuickBooks Workforce is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does QuickBooks Workforce integrate with?
QuickBooks Workforce's listing names QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time, Checkr, Vestwell, Allstate, NEXT Insurance and Mineral.
Who makes QuickBooks Workforce?
QuickBooks Workforce is made by Intuit Inc.
What are the alternatives to QuickBooks Workforce?
The closest alternatives to QuickBooks Workforce in our directory are Gusto, RUN Powered by ADP, OnPay, Square Payroll and Paychex Flex.
How does QuickBooks Workforce compare with other payroll services?
QuickBooks Workforce's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 18 other payroll services we grade, and level with 9.
Is QuickBooks Workforce good value for money?
ToolGPA grades QuickBooks Workforce C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $50 a month, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 11 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of QuickBooks Workforce?
To replace QuickBooks Workforce you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from QuickBooks Workforce’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Intuit's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Intuit Inc. Prices change, so check quickbooks.intuit.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- QuickBooks Workforce, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/quickbooks-payroll
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "QuickBooks Workforce: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/quickbooks-payroll
Know someone choosing between payroll services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/quickbooks-payroll/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded payroll services after QuickBooks Workforce, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Payroll Insider's GuideEvery one of the 19 payroll services we grade, compared
- Roll by ADP Insider's GuideChat-based payroll app for very small US businesses2.8 GPA
- OnPay Insider's GuideUS payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons2.6 GPA
- Patriot Payroll Insider's GuideLow-cost online payroll for small US businesses2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what QuickBooks Workforce’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. QuickBooks Workforce is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Intuit Inc. Prices and plans change: check quickbooks.intuit.com before you buy.