Groups with two or more locations, sometimes in more than one state: multi-state taxes, permissions by manager and consolidated reports.
Weigh more here than in the overall ranking: payroll in all 50 states, POS integrations, and accounting integrations. Weigh less here: 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant).
The ranking
Gusto Payroll
By Gusto
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.
RTC SCORE
8.2
#1 for Multi-location
Pros
- Month to month with no early termination fee, and its prices are published: $49 a month plus $6 per active employee on Simple.
- Tops up tipped employees' pay to the minimum wage automatically and alerts you to state and local minimum wage increases.
- Documents the 2026 W-2 for No Tax on Tips (code TP and the tipped occupation code) and for qualified overtime (code TT).
Cons
- It does not file Form 8846 for the FICA tip credit; it gives you a tips report for your accountant.
- Tips come in from SpotOn Teamwork and Lightspeed U-Series only; no integration with Toast, Square or Shift4 POS is listed, and Clover syncs only names and emails.
- On Simple, new accounts start on 4-day direct deposit, next-day pay costs $15 a month + $3 per person, and only one state is covered.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant), who files payroll taxes, and payroll in all 50 states. Weakest on POS integrations.
7shifts Payroll
By 7shifts
Payroll inside 7shifts, the restaurant scheduling app: $39.99 per location plus $6 per employee paid, on top of a paid 7shifts plan. It calculates tip credit make-up and imports tips from several POS systems, including Shift4 POS.
RTC SCORE
7.1
#2 for Multi-location
Pros
- Automatic tip credit make-up when your POS sends the tips, with tip pooling built in.
- Imports tips and hours from Toast, Square, Clover, SpotOn, Heartland, Shift4 POS and others.
- Files federal, state and local taxes in all 50 states and DC, with unlimited pay runs and no setup fee.
Cons
- You also need a paid 7shifts plan per location, and its price wasn't readable on the site.
- No published guarantee for tax penalties and no Form 8846 report.
- New accounts get paid in three business days, and there's a list of per-event fees.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, POS integrations, and payroll in all 50 states. Weakest on 2026 W-2 ready for No Tax on Tips.
QuickBooks Payroll
By Intuit QuickBooks
Intuit's full-service payroll (QuickBooks Workforce), sold on its own from $50 a month plus $7 per employee or bundled with QuickBooks accounting, month to month. It files federal and state payroll taxes and W-2s; local taxes, same-day deposit and time tracking start on the Premium plan.
RTC SCORE
6.4
#3 for Multi-location
Pros
- Payroll is sold on its own, month to month and with published prices: $50 a month plus $7 per employee on Workforce Payroll, with no setup fee.
- Files federal and state payroll taxes, W-2s and new-hire reports, with unlimited 1099 e-filing and unlimited payroll runs.
- Next-day direct deposit is included, and employees get free on-demand pay through Clair.
Cons
- Tips are entered by hand on each paycheck: there is no documented tip import from any POS, no tip pooling and no automatic top-up to the minimum wage.
- Local taxes, same-day deposit, time tracking and scheduling start on the Premium plan, which costs more per month and per employee.
- Tax penalty protection whoever made the error is only on Elite; the base plan covers only penalties caused by Intuit's own errors.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant), who files payroll taxes, and payroll in all 50 states. Weakest on POS integrations.
Restaurant365 Payroll & HR
By Restaurant365
Payroll inside Restaurant365's back office for restaurant groups, priced by quote on a term contract. It files federal, state and local taxes, pulls hours and tips from dozens of POS systems, including Shift4 POS, and runs tip makeup rules per location.
RTC SCORE
5.7
#4 for Multi-location
Pros
- Hours and tips flow in from dozens of POS systems, including Toast, Square, Clover, Shift4 POS, SpotOn and Lightspeed.
- Tip makeup rules per location and built-in tip automation.
- Payroll posts straight to R365's restaurant accounting, and child support is remitted for you.
Cons
- Price only by quote, with a term contract you can't cancel early and 60 days' notice to avoid renewal.
- No dedicated FICA tip credit report and no published guarantee for tax penalties.
- Live support on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central.
- Initial term
- Quote only
Strongest on POS integrations, who files payroll taxes, and tip credit and minimum wage make-up. Weakest on published pricing.
Paychex Flex
By Paychex
Paychex's payroll and HR platform in four packages, from $65 plus $8 per employee as a starting price, with federal, state and local tax filing and unlimited payroll runs.
RTC SCORE
5.6
#5 for Multi-location
Pros
- Unlimited payroll runs and federal, state and local tax filing.
- Its standard agreement has no minimum term and pays penalties caused by its own breach.
- Earned wage access at no cost to the business, through Paychex Flex Perks.
Cons
- Only a starting price is public, without saying which plan or whether it is per month; every package is by quote.
- W-2 forms, garnishment payments and time tracking can cost extra depending on the package.
- It doesn't document the tip credit, minimum wage make-up or the FICA tip credit (Form 8846).
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant), who files payroll taxes, and payroll in all 50 states. Weakest on POS integrations.
Justworks Payroll
By Justworks
Payroll at $50 a month plus $8 per active employee, with federal and state tax filings, multi-state payroll and W-2 and 1099 forms included, or a PEO from $79 per employee with HR and benefits. Tips go in as supplemental payments; there is no POS integration.
RTC SCORE
5.4
#6 for Multi-location
Pros
- Published price: $50 a month plus $8 per active employee, with federal and state tax filings, multi-state payroll and W-2 and 1099 forms included, and no setup fee.
- Month to month with no published early termination fee.
- You can move to the PEO later ($79 or $124 per employee) for 24/7 support, HR consulting and group health benefits.
Cons
- No POS integration, no tip pooling and no documented tip credit make-up or Form 8846: tips are entered by hand.
- It charges for every active employee, even those not paid that month, which costs more with seasonal staff.
- Direct deposit runs on a 4-business-day timeline, with no faster option and no monthly pay schedule.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant), who files payroll taxes, and payroll in all 50 states. Weakest on POS integrations.
TriNet
By TriNet
A PEO that runs payroll and taxes as co-employer and gives access to its health plans, plus HR Plus payroll without co-employment. Priced by quote.
RTC SCORE
5.3
#7 for Multi-location
Pros
- As a PEO it files payroll taxes under its own tax IDs, carries workers' comp and gives access to TriNet-sponsored health plans.
- Live chat 24/7 for PEO customers.
- Annual contracts that, per its 10-K, can usually be canceled with 30 days' notice.
Cons
- No published prices for the PEO or HR Plus.
- No POS integration and no documented tip features.
- In the PEO, minimum wage compliance (and so the tip credit) stays with you.
- Initial term
- 12 months
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, payroll in all 50 states, and live support hours a week. Weakest on POS integrations.
Toast Payroll & Team Management
By Toast
Toast's payroll, sold with its POS and priced by quote. It files federal, state and local taxes, calculates tip makeup by work week, pays out child support for you, and imports card and declared cash tips from Toast's POS.
RTC SCORE
5.2
#8 for Multi-location
Pros
- Tip makeup is calculated by work week, and card and declared cash tips flow in from Toast's POS.
- Gives you a FICA tip credit report for Form 8846 and has a written plan for the 2026 W-2 overtime amounts.
- Files local taxes and remits child support; employees can take PayOuts at no cost to you.
Cons
- Price, term and early termination fee come only with the quote; a 2023 public order form had 36 months.
- Billed per active employee, even if they aren't paid that month.
- Imports tips only from Toast's POS, and you file the 1099s for contractors yourself.
- Initial term
- Quote only
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, tip credit and minimum wage make-up, and time tracking. Weakest on POS integrations.
RUN Powered by ADP
By ADP
ADP's payroll for businesses with 1 to 49 employees, sold in four packages priced by quote, with tax filing, 24/7 support and a published guarantee to pay penalties caused by its own filing errors.
RTC SCORE
5.0
#9 for Multi-location
Pros
- Publishes that it pays the fines and penalties caused by its own tax filing errors.
- Files federal, state and local payroll taxes in all 50 states, including employees who work in more than one state.
- Payroll support by phone or chat 24/7 in every package.
Cons
- No published prices: every package is by quote, and each payroll run adds a processing fee.
- W-2 and 1099 forms cost extra, and time tracking is an add-on.
- It doesn't document the tip credit, minimum wage make-up or the FICA tip credit (Form 8846).
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, payroll in all 50 states, and initial term. Weakest on POS integrations.
Paylocity
By Paylocity
Payroll and HR platform sold by quote, with federal, state and local tax filing, On Demand Pay and a two-year standard order term.
RTC SCORE
4.8
#10 for Multi-location
Pros
- Files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxes in all 50 states, as an IRS-registered reporting agent.
- On Demand Pay comes in every small-business plan at no cost to you (the employee pays per advance).
- Toast sends punches with tip data into Paylocity Time & Labor.
Cons
- No published prices: base fee, per-employee fee, setup and year-end forms are all by quote.
- Standard order term of two years with automatic one-year renewals (60 days' notice) and an early termination fee of 50% of the remaining months.
- Time tracking and scheduling are not in the payroll-only plan; tip pooling needs a partner app.
- Initial term
- 24 months
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, payroll in all 50 states, and accounting integrations. Weakest on POS integrations.
Paycor Payroll
By Paycor
Payroll and HR from Paycor, a Paychex company. Plans for businesses with under 50 employees start at $99 a month plus $5 per employee, with federal and state tax filing.
RTC SCORE
4.8
#11 for Multi-location
Pros
- Published plan prices: Basic is $99 a month plus $5 per employee, with no setup fee.
- Its terms say Paycor pays tax penalties and interest caused by its own filing errors.
- Earned wage access free for the employer, and a pay card with no monthly fee for employees.
Cons
- The term is set by your order: a public 2024 order had 36 months with an early termination fee, and the 50%-off offer ties you for 24 months.
- 60 days' notice to cancel.
- Local taxes, extra states and year-end forms appear as extras without a published price.
- Initial term
- Not published
Strongest on 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant), who files payroll taxes, and published pricing. Weakest on POS integrations.
Deel US Payroll and PEO
By Deel
Self-service US payroll at $29 per employee a month with no base fee, plus a PEO from $110 per employee. Built for office and remote teams; it has no POS or tip features.
RTC SCORE
4.6
#12 for Multi-location
Pros
- Published price with no base fee: $29 per employee a month for self-service US payroll.
- Files payroll taxes in all 50 states, including local taxes, and handles W-2s and new-hire reporting.
- 24/7 support for US payroll.
Cons
- No POS integration and no documented tip features: tip credit, tip pooling and tip imports are not mentioned.
- No weekly pay schedule listed (every two weeks, twice a month or monthly).
- With $29 for every employee and no base fee, a restaurant with a large hourly team pays more than with most plans that charge a base fee plus a smaller per-person fee.
- Initial term
- Month to month
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, payroll in all 50 states, and published pricing. Weakest on 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant).
Netchex
By Netchex
Payroll and HR for restaurants and other hourly teams, priced by quote, with tip data from 14 restaurant POS systems such as Toast, PAR and Aloha.
RTC SCORE
4.6
#13 for Multi-location
Pros
- Brings hours and tips from 14 restaurant POS systems, including Toast, PAR and Aloha, with tip pooling inside payroll.
- Files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxes, with unlimited pay runs in every package.
- Earned wage access and pay cards come in the basic Core package.
Cons
- No published prices: per-employee pricing by quote, with a monthly minimum.
- Leaving early costs all the fees left in the term, the agreement renews on its own and you must give 90 days' notice to avoid renewal.
- W-2s and 1099s cost extra each year: $100 base plus $8 per W-2.
- Initial term
- 12 months
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, payroll in all 50 states, and initial term. Weakest on POS integrations.
Paycom
By Paycom
Payroll and HR software sold by quote, with a dedicated service specialist and Beti, where employees review and approve their own paycheck before payroll is submitted. Prices come in each proposal; public 2026 contracts show a fee per payroll run plus a monthly fee per employee, a 3-year term and an early termination fee.
RTC SCORE
3.0
#14 for Multi-location
Pros
- Files and pays federal, state and agreed local payroll taxes, with tax registration in all 50 states.
- Each client gets a dedicated service specialist.
- With Beti, employees review, fix and approve their own paycheck before payroll is submitted.
Cons
- No published prices, and a non-refundable setup fee set as a share of the yearly contract value.
- A term contract (3 years in 2026 public contracts) that renews automatically unless you give 90 days' notice, with an early termination fee equal to your average monthly fees times the months left.
- Every payroll run is charged, and time tracking, scheduling, garnishments and daily pay require the Complete package.
- Initial term
- 36 months
Strongest on who files payroll taxes, payroll in all 50 states, and accounting integrations. Weakest on POS integrations.
Not enough verified data to rank
We only rank a payroll provider once we've verified enough of its key facts. These are listed so you know we looked at them.
This is general information about published contracts, not legal advice: read your own contract and check with a lawyer before you sign.