Payroll cost calculator

Enter your team to estimate what payroll costs over 12 or 36 months: base fee, fees per person and per pay run, extra states, year-end forms and setup. Optional add-ons are shown apart.

Lowest estimate for your numbers: Patriot Payroll, $1,344 over 12 months.

Estimated cost over 12 months with your numbers
Product	You pay (12 mo)
Patriot Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Full Service$444 Per worker paid$900 Per contractor paid$0 Each extra state$0 Time & Attendance add-on: only applies in some cases, not included. Time & Attendance, per employee with a time card: only applies in some cases, not included. HR Software add-on: only applies in some cases, not included. HR Software, per employee: only applies in some cases, not included. Wire to fund a faster payroll: only applies in some cases, not included. Payroll not funded (return): only applies in some cases, not included. Amended quarterly tax return: only applies in some cases, not included.	$1,344 Promotions (if you qualify) DiscountNot subtractedNot subtracted: we cannot confirm the amount. Conditions for Discount, Patriot Payroll The pricing page shows 30 days free and then 50% off for 3 months: Full Service at $18.50 a month plus $2.50 per worker paid, instead of $37 + $5. Patriot publishes no end date or terms for the offer. It is a discount on Patriot's own fees, not cash.The vendor publishes no end date. We take it down if we can't re-check it within 30 days. Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
Roll by ADP See the breakdown Payroll plan: Roll$468 Per employee paid$900 Per contractor paid$0 Same-day direct deposit: only applies in some cases, not included.	$1,368
Square Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Square Payroll$420 Per person paid$1,080 Per contractor paid$0	$1,500
Wave Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Wave Payroll$480 Per active employee$1,080 Per contractor paid$0 Insufficient-funds (NSF) debit: only applies in some cases, not included.	$1,560
Gusto Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Simple$588 Per active employee (Simple)$1,080 Per contractor paid that month (Simple)$0 Next-day pay (Simple add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Next-day pay, per person (Simple add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Time & Attendance Plus (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Priority Support (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Priority Support, per person (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Same-day Pay: only applies in some cases, not included. Instant Pay: only applies in some cases, not included. Debit failure fee: only applies in some cases, not included.	$1,668 Promotions (if you qualify) DiscountNot subtractedNot subtracted: we cannot confirm the amount. Conditions for Discount, Gusto Payroll Gusto payroll free for the first 3 months for businesses that join Gusto from SpotOn (through the SpotOn Teamwork integration). Gusto does not say whether the per-person fee is also waived or which plans it covers, and publishes no end date.The vendor publishes no end date. We take it down if we can't re-check it within 30 days. Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
OnPay Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Payroll Essentials$588 Per employee$1,080 Per contractor$0 Year-end forms mailed by OnPay: only applies in some cases, not included. Time tracking (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Time tracking per employee (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. HR (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included.	$1,668
SurePayroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Small Business$348 Per worker$1,260 Year-end processing$50 Per year-end form (W-2 or 1099)$131 Multi-state payroll: only applies in some cases, not included. Local tax filing: only applies in some cases, not included. Accounting software integration: only applies in some cases, not included. Time clock integration: only applies in some cases, not included. Time clock integration, per employee: only applies in some cases, not included.	$1,789
QuickBooks Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Workforce Payroll$600 Per employee (Workforce Payroll)$1,260 Per contractor paid by direct deposit (Workforce Payroll)$0 Each additional state (Payroll and Premium)$0 Background check through Checkr: only applies in some cases, not included.	$1,860 Promotions (if you qualify) Without promotions: $1,860With promotions: $1,785 Discount: $75Applies with your numbers Conditions for Discount, QuickBooks Payroll New QuickBooks Workforce customers who buy the monthly plan with the 3-month discount option: 50% off the base price for the first 3 months, then the full price. It can't be combined with the 30-day free trial, and Intuit may end it at any time.The vendor publishes no end date. We take it down if we can't re-check it within 30 days. Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
Homebase Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Homebase Payroll$588 Per employee paid$1,080 Essentials team plan, per location (required above 10 employees)$360 Tip Manager (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included.	$2,028 Promotions (if you qualify) Without promotions: $2,028With promotions: $1,734 Discount: $294Applies with your numbers Conditions for Discount, Homebase Payroll New customers who finish payroll setup by Dec 15, 2026 and run the first payroll between Sep 15, 2026 and Jan 20, 2027, after the 14-day trial with a valid card. Not counted in the 12-month cost.Ends Dec 15, 2026 Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
Justworks Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Payroll$600 Per active employee (Payroll plan)$1,440 Per US contractor paid$0 Justworks Time Tracking (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Health insurance access (add-on): only applies in some cases, not included. Tax returns after you leave: only applies in some cases, not included.	$2,040
Paycor Payroll See the breakdown Payroll plan: Basic$1,188 Per employee (Basic)$900 Year-end fees: only applies in some cases, not included.	$2,088 Promotions (if you qualify) DiscountNot subtractedNot subtracted: we cannot confirm the amount. Conditions for Discount, Paycor Payroll 50% off the monthly fees of Basic, Essential, Core or Complete for the first six months after activation, for new customers. You must keep the services for 24 months from signing: if you leave before month 13 you pay back all the credits, and 50% of them in months 13 to 24. Implementation and other payroll fees are not discounted. Paycor calls it a limited-time offer and publishes no end date.The vendor publishes no end date. We take it down if we can't re-check it within 30 days. DiscountNot subtractedNot subtracted: we cannot confirm the amount. Conditions for Discount, Paycor Payroll One month of free payroll and the bundle setup fee waived, shown on the plans page with no published terms or end date.The vendor publishes no end date. We take it down if we can't re-check it within 30 days. Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
Paychex Flex See the breakdown Payroll plan: Paychex Flex Basic$780 Per employee (starting price)$1,440 W-2 and 1099 forms: only applies in some cases, not included.	$2,220
Hourly See the breakdown Payroll plan: Gold$960 Per active employee (Gold)$2,160	$3,120
Deel US Payroll and PEO See the breakdown Payroll plan: Deel Payroll US (self-service)$5,220 Per contractor$0 Benefits administration (optional): only applies in some cases, not included.	$5,220 Promotions (if you qualify) DiscountNot subtractedNot subtracted: we cannot confirm the amount. Conditions for Discount, Deel US Payroll and PEO New PEO order form signed between Jul 15 and Dec 31, 2026 with a term of at least 2 years. Credited at the end of the term; leaving early means paying list price for the whole order form.Ends Dec 31, 2026 Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
7shifts PayrollIncomplete See the breakdown Payroll plan: 7shifts Payroll (add-on)$480 Per employee paid$1,080 Paid 7shifts plan, per location (required for payroll): could not be determined.	Can't be estimated Promotions (if you qualify) Discount: $120Applies with your numbers Conditions for Discount, 7shifts Payroll First-time payroll buyers; the location must run its first payroll by Jan 30, 2027. Not counted in the 12-month cost.Ends Jan 30, 2027 Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
Auris PayrollIncomplete See the breakdown Payroll plan: Essentials$1,068 Per check: not published.	Can't be estimated
EvereeIncomplete	Can't be estimated
NetchexIncomplete See the breakdown Year-end W-2 processing (base)$100 Per W-2 form$210 Payroll plan: quote only.	Can't be estimated
PaycomIncomplete	Can't be estimated
PaylocityIncomplete	Can't be estimated
Payroll4FreeIncomplete	Can't be estimated
Push OperationsIncomplete	Can't be estimated
Restaurant365 Payroll & HRIncomplete	Can't be estimated
Rippling PayrollIncomplete	Can't be estimated
RUN Powered by ADPIncomplete	Can't be estimated Promotions (if you qualify) DiscountNot subtractedNot subtracted: we cannot confirm the amount. Conditions for Discount, RUN Powered by ADP Three months of standard payroll processing free, credited on the invoices of months 4, 5 and 6. Only for new ADP clients with 1 to 49 employees in the continental US who pay fees by direct debit, sign the order and start payroll by October 22, 2026, and keep the same package, frequency and discount for three straight months. It doesn't cover off-cycle, delivery or courier fees, pass-through costs or non-payroll services, and it can't be combined with other offers.Ends Oct 22, 2026 Shown apart from the 36-month cost and the order here. The RTC Score counts promotions on their own, only for our reference restaurant.
Toast Payroll & Team ManagementIncomplete	Can't be estimated
TriNetIncomplete	Can't be estimated

Estimates from published prices and terms. They don't include wages or payroll taxes. Your quote can differ; check it before you sign.

Estimates based on the prices in our catalog (each provider's own site unless the source says otherwise) and our reference assumptions. Prices you can only get with a quote are flagged, never counted as $0. Payroll taxes and wages aren't included: this is what the payroll service costs.

The headline price is only part of what payroll costs. This calculator estimates the total for a team like yours, using the prices each provider publishes.

Enter how many employees and contractors you pay each month, how often you run payroll, in how many states you have employees and your yearly staff turnover. The calculator adds up:

the plan's base fee;
the fee for each employee and each contractor you pay;
fees per pay run or per extra state, when the provider charges them;
year-end fees for W-2 and 1099 forms, which grow with turnover because everyone you paid during the year gets a form;
one-time setup fees, and the early termination fee if you pick a month to leave.

It doesn't include wages or payroll taxes: it's what the payroll service costs. Optional add-ons, like time tracking or tip management, are listed on each pricing page but not added. Promotions, like free months, are never subtracted.

When a provider doesn't publish part of its pricing, you'll see an "incomplete" label instead of an exact number. This is an estimate, not a quote. Use it to compare providers and to ask better questions before you sign.

How we score Payroll software, compared