Transparent payroll pricing

1. Patriot Software

(Best for itemized fees)

Why it stands out: Publishes its base fees, per-worker charges, add-on prices, and extra-state tax-filing fees. Full Service includes federal, state, and local tax filings, plus year-end filings at no extra charge.www.patriotsoftware.com+1

• Full Service: $37/month + $5 per worker.
• Additional state tax filing: $12/month per state.
• Time and attendance and HR are separately priced add-ons.

Watch out for: Fees for amended tax returns or other exceptional services may apply.www.patriotsoftware.com+5

Official pricing

2. OnPay

(Best for inclusive pricing)

Why it stands out: Its pricing page explicitly says there are no hidden fees and spells out that tax filing, year-end forms, unlimited payroll runs, and multi-state payroll are included.onpay.com+1

• Base price: $49/month + $6 per worker.
• No additional charge for payroll in multiple states.
• HR and time-tracking options have separately listed prices.

Watch out for: Some delivery options for year-end forms cost extra; OnPay lists direct mailing at $10 per form.onpay.com+4

Official pricing

3. Gusto

(Best for published plan tiers)

Why it stands out: Provides a public pricing page with monthly base rates, per-person charges, included tax filings, and separately priced add-ons.gusto.com+1

• Simple: $49/month + $6 per person.
• Plus: $80/month + $12 per person.
• Premium: $180/month + $22 per person.

Watch out for: Features vary by tier. State tax registration, global contractor payments, and other extras may have separate charges. Multi-state payroll is included in Plus rather than Simple.gusto.com+1

Official pricing

4. SurePayroll

(Best for straightforward small-business pricing)

Why it stands out: Separates full-service payroll, where taxes are filed and deposited for you, from a lower-priced option where you handle tax filing yourself. It also identifies annual form fees and several optional services.gusto.com+3

• Full Service: $29/month + $7 per employee.
• No Tax Filing: $20/month + $4 per employee.
• Year-end W-2 and 1099-NEC forms: $50 base fee + $5 per form.

Watch out for: Additional state and local tax fees and optional integrations can increase the bill.www.surepayroll.com+1

Official pricing

Side-by-side comparison

Sources: vendor pricing pages.www.patriotsoftware.com+3

My recommendation

• Choose Patriot if you want to see individual charges, particularly additional-state filing fees and optional HR tools.
• Choose OnPay if you want fewer line items and multi-state payroll included without an extra state surcharge.
• Choose Gusto if you prefer a tiered platform with clear upgrade paths for HR and workforce management.
• Choose SurePayroll if you have a small team and want to compare a full-service tax option against a lower-priced self-filing option.

These are assessments of pricing disclosure, not proof that any provider never imposes unexpected charges.

Five questions to ask before signing

Even a vendor with transparent public pricing can have exceptions buried in its service terms. Ask each shortlisted provider to answer these questions in writing:

1. Are all federal, state, and local tax filings and deposits included?
2. Are W-2s, W-3s, 1099s, amended returns, and corrected filings included?
3. Are there charges for additional states, local jurisdictions, tax registrations, or year-end processing?
4. What do time tracking, benefits administration, workers' compensation, HR support, and accounting integrations cost?
5. Are there implementation, migration, off-cycle payroll, cancellation, or support fees?

The most important next step: Request a fully itemized quote based on your actual employee count and operating states. Compare the projected annual cost, including year-end fees and the add-ons you genuinely need—not just the advertised starting price.