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Payroll software

Payroll software, compared

Every payroll provider here is scored with the same public rubric. Each number links to its source and shows when we last verified it.

27 payroll providers · Updated Oct 1, 2026Methodology v0.1.0 · Draft

This comparison is a draft. We're still verifying each provider's data, so some cells read "Unconfirmed" or "Not published" until we check them against the provider's own pages.

Every payroll provider here is measured the same way. The table shows what payroll costs for a team like yours, how each one handles tips (from importing them from your POS to the tip credit and the 2026 W-2 for the No Tax on Tips deduction), who files your payroll taxes, how long the contract runs and what leaving costs. If a provider doesn't publish something, you'll see "Not published" or "Quote only", never a zero.

If you don't know where to start:

Highest RTC Scores

Ranked by RTC Score with our default weights. Rankings by type of business are below.

  1. RTC SCORE

    8.2

    #1 overall

    Gusto Payroll

    Full-service payroll for small businesses, billed as a monthly base fee plus a fee per active employee, month to month. It files federal, state and local payroll taxes, tops up tipped pay to the minimum wage and documents the 2026 W-2 codes for tips and overtime.

    Read the review

  2. RTC SCORE

    7.4

    #2 overall

    Square Payroll

    Square's payroll, billed monthly plus a fee per person paid. It files federal, state and supported local taxes, pays its own filing errors, and imports tips from Square's POS.

    Read the review

  3. RTC SCORE

    7.2

    #3 overall

    Roll by ADP

    ADP's chat-based payroll app for small teams: $39 a month plus $5 per person paid, with tax filing included and live chat support around the clock.

    Read the review

See the full ranking

All payroll providers

Showing all 27 products

Check 2 to 4 products to compare them side by side.

27 payroll providers, ranked by RTC ScoreScroll sideways to see every column.
ProductRTC ScoreInitial termEarly terminationBase feePer employeeWho files payroll taxesTip credit and minimum wage make-upImports tips from these POS systems
#1Gusto PayrollGusto
8.2out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$49/mo$6The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesCalculated automaticallySpotOn, Lightspeed
#2Square PayrollSquare
7.4out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$35/mo$6The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmedSquare
#3Roll by ADPADP
7.2out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$39/mo$5The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmed
#4OnPay PayrollOnPay
7.1out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$49/mo$6The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesCalculated automatically
#5Homebase PayrollHomebase
7.0out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$49/mo$6The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesClaimed, without documented mechanicsClover, Square, Toast
#67shifts Payroll7shifts
6.9out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$39.99/mo$6The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesCalculated automaticallyToast, Square, Clover, SpotOn, Heartland (Genius), Shift4 POS, TouchBistro, Others
#7Patriot PayrollPatriot Software
6.5out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$37/mo$5The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesNot supported
#8QuickBooks PayrollIntuit QuickBooks
6.5out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$50/mo$7The provider calculates, files and pays federal and state payroll taxesYou calculate it
#9SurePayrollSurePayroll
6.3out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$29/mo$7The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesClaimed, without documented mechanics
#10Paychex FlexPaychex
5.6out of 10Month to monthNo fixed term; either side can end it with 30 days' written notice. The agreement lists termination or transfer fees among possible fees, without an amount.$65/mo$8The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmedSpotOn
#11Wave PayrollWave
5.6out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$40/mo$6The provider calculates, files and pays federal and state payroll taxesNot supported
#12Restaurant365 Payroll & HRRestaurant365
5.5out of 10Quote only100% of the fees left in the termQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesCalculated automaticallyToast, Square, Clover, Shift4 POS, Lightspeed, SpotOn, Heartland (Genius), TouchBistro, PAR, Others
#13Justworks PayrollJustworks
5.4out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$50/mo$8The provider calculates, files and pays federal and state payroll taxesNot supported
#14Toast Payroll & Team ManagementToast
5.2out of 10Quote onlyQuote onlyQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesCalculated automaticallyToast
#15HourlyHourly
5.2out of 1036 monthsThe terms set no early termination fee$80/mo$12The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmed
#16TriNetTriNet
5.1out of 1012 monthsThe terms set no early termination feeQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmed
#17Paycor PayrollPaycor
4.9out of 10Not publishedPaycor's general terms let either side end the service with 60 days' written notice. An order can set an initial term: a public 2024 order set 36 months, with a fee equal to the monthly fees left in the term plus year-end fees. The 50%-off offer requires 24 months; leaving earlier means paying back 100% of the credits before month 13 and 50% in months 13 to 24.$99/mo$5The provider calculates, files and pays federal and state payroll taxesClaimed, without documented mechanicsPAR, Others
#18RUN Powered by ADPADP
4.8out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination feeQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmedSpotOn
#19PaylocityPaylocity
4.6out of 1024 months50% of the fees left in the termQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesClaimed, without documented mechanicsToast
#20NetchexNetchex
4.4out of 1012 months100% of the fees left in the termQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesClaimed, without documented mechanicsToast, PAR, Others
#21Deel US Payroll and PEODeel
4.4out of 10Month to monthThe terms set no early termination fee$0/mo$29The provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmed
#22PaycomPaycom
2.8out of 1036 months100% of the fees left in the termQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesYou calculate it
Auris PayrollAuris
Not enough dataNot publishedNot published$89/moNot publishedThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmedUnconfirmed
EvereeEveree
Not enough dataMonth to monthThe terms set no early termination feeNot publishedNot publishedThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmed
Payroll4FreePayroll4Free
Not enough dataNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesUnconfirmed
Push OperationsPush
Not enough dataNot publishedNo refunds or credits if you cancel before the end of the term; the terms do not set a separate fee, and the sales order may.Quote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal and state payroll taxesClaimed, without documented mechanicsToast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, TouchBistro
Rippling PayrollRippling
Not enough dataNot published100% of the fees left in the termQuote onlyQuote onlyThe provider calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxesClaimed, without documented mechanics

Payroll rankings by type of business

Each ranking adjusts the weights to what matters most for that kind of business.

Tools and data