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Payroll software review

Justworks Payroll

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.

By JustworksParent company: Justworks, Inc.

RTC SCORE

5.4

#13 of 22 with enough data

Our verdict

A clear, month-to-month payroll price with a path to a PEO, but nothing built for restaurant tips: no POS link, no tip pooling and no tip credit make-up.

What we like

  • 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.
  • Cash and card tips can be recorded as supplemental payments, and garnishments are handled at no extra charge.
  • Pay-as-you-go workers' comp through NEXT and health insurance access are available from the Payroll plan.

What to watch

  • 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.
  • 24/7 support is only in the PEO plans, and time tracking costs $8 per employee extra with no scheduling tool.

How the score breaks down

RTC Score5.4out of 10

Methodology v0.1.0

Data completeness94%

We could verify 94% of the scoring data

Strongest points
12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant), Who files payroll taxes, Published pricing
Weakest point
POS integrations

Score by criterion

  • 12-month payroll cost (reference restaurant)Weight 19%Strongest8.0 out of 10

    $2,040 over 12 months

  • Who files payroll taxesWeight 7%Strongest8.5 out of 10
  • POS integrationsWeight 6%Weakest0.0 out of 10
  • Published pricingWeight 5%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Tip credit and minimum wage make-upWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • Tips imported from POS systemsWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • 2026 W-2 ready for No Tax on TipsWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • Initial termWeight 5%10.0 out of 10
  • Live support hours a weekWeight 5%No data
  • Payroll in all 50 statesWeight 4%10.0 out of 10
  • Time trackingWeight 4%5.0 out of 10
  • FICA tip credit (Form 8846)Weight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Tip pooling and tip-outsWeight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Early termination feeWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Unlimited pay runsWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Fastest direct deposit includedWeight 3%2.0 out of 10
  • Tax penalty guaranteeWeight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Year-end W-2 and 1099 formsWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Accounting integrationsWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Notice to avoid renewalWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Garnishments and new-hire reportingWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Declared cash tipsWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • State and local minimum wages built inWeight 2%No data
  • Dedicated specialistWeight 2%0.0 out of 10
  • Paying 1099 contractorsWeight 1%5.0 out of 10
  • Early pay for employeesWeight 1%0.0 out of 10

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Pricing
Data pointValue
Base fee$50/moSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Justworks Payroll plan. The PEO plans have no base fee and cost $79 (Basic) or $124 (Plus) per employee a month.
Per employee$8Source: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Part-time employees also cost $8 a month on the Payroll plan.
Who counts as an employeeEach active employee, even if not paid that monthSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Billed for each active member, not only those paid that month. For the PEO, active includes employees on leave and seasonal staff who have not been terminated.
Per contractor (1099)$8Source: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Only for months in which you pay that contractor. International contractors cost $39 each a month plus exchange-rate costs.
Published pricingPublishedSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)
Setup fee$0 one-timeSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)
Year-end forms fee$0/yrSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)
Each extra state$0Source: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Multi-state payroll is checked as included in the Payroll plan; Justworks publishes no per-state fee.
Other feesIf you leave and want Justworks Payroll to complete your tax returns after offboarding, there is a one-time $200 fee. Optional add-ons: Justworks Time Tracking ($8 a month per non-exempt employee or contractor), health insurance access ($8 a month per benefits-eligible employee), health insurance reimbursements through Thatch ($25 a month per enrolled employee) and international contractors ($39 each a month). Fees are billed on the 15th for the month before, so a final charge can arrive after you close the account.Source: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)
Taxes and forms
Data pointValue
Who files payroll taxesThe provider calculates, files and pays federal and state payroll taxesSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)The article covers both PEO and Payroll. The Payroll onboarding checklist asks for federal and state tax accounts so Justworks can file and remit; local tax filing is not spelled out for the Payroll plan.
Payroll in all 50 statesYesSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Multi-state payroll is included in the Payroll plan.
Year-end W-2 and 1099 formsW-2 and 1099 prepared and filedSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)
Paying 1099 contractorsFor an extra feeSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Contractor payments are an add-on in every plan, charged only in months you pay them.
Tax penalty guaranteeNo guarantee publishedSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not publish a guarantee to pay tax penalties caused by its own errors; we looked on its pricing page, its Terms of Use and its help center. Estimated penalties for payments you report late are billed to you as a late fee.
Garnishments and new-hire reportingIncludedSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)The article is tagged for Justworks PEO; the Payroll help center does not say otherwise. New-hire reporting is not described for the Payroll plan.
Paying your team
Data pointValue
Pay schedulesWeekly, Every two weeks, Twice a monthSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)No monthly schedule is listed. Non-exempt (hourly) employees cannot be on the semimonthly schedule.
Unlimited pay runsYesSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Off-cycle payments are checked as included in the Payroll plan, and Justworks publishes no fee per pay run.
Fastest direct deposit includedThree or more business daysSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Payroll is submitted by 2 p.m. Eastern three business days before payday (for a Tuesday payday, by Thursday). Justworks does not publish a faster option.
Early pay for employees (earned wage access)Not offeredSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not document early pay for employees; we looked on its pricing page (features and add-ons), its payroll pages and its help center.
Tips
Data pointValue
Imports tips from these POS systemsSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks lists no POS integration (its integrations are accounting, HR and IT tools). Tips are entered by an admin as supplemental payments.
Tip pooling and tip-outsNot offeredSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not document tip pooling or tip-outs; we looked in its supplemental payments article (tips section), its pricing page (Tips Processing) and its help center.
Tip credit and minimum wage make-upNot supportedSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not document a tip credit or a minimum wage make-up; tips are recorded as a gross amount and taxed. We looked in its supplemental payments article, its pricing page and its help center.
FICA tip credit (Form 8846)Not supportedSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not document Form 8846 or a report for the FICA tip credit; we looked in its help center and its pricing page.
Declared cash tipsYesSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Cash or card tips are recorded as supplemental payments, and Justworks calculates the taxes on them.
2026 W-2 for No Tax on Tips (code TP and tipped occupation code)Not confirmedSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Its W-2 guide lists box 12 codes A through HH but not code TP, and says nothing about the tipped occupation code.
2026 W-2 for qualified overtime (code TT)Not confirmedSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Its W-2 guide does not list code TT.
Service charges paid as wagesUnconfirmedSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not say how it treats mandatory service charges; we looked in its supplemental payments article and its help center.
State and local minimum wages built inUnconfirmedSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Justworks lists federal and state compliance alerts, but does not say whether payroll applies state and local minimum wages; we looked on its pricing page and in its help center.
Integrations and time tracking
Data pointValue
POS integrations (hours or sales data)Source: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)The integrations section of its help center lists no POS system, and we found no Justworks listing in the Toast, Square or Clover marketplaces.
Time trackingPaid add-on or higher planSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Basic timecards for entering hours are included; clock-in and clock-out (with a shared-tablet mode) come with the Time Tracking add-on, and approved hours flow into payroll.
SchedulingNot offeredSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)
Accounting integrationsQuickBooks OnlineSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)On the Payroll plan, QuickBooks. NetSuite, Xero and Sage Intacct are for PEO customers.
Payroll engineThe vendor itselfSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks runs the payroll itself and names no outside payroll engine; Justworks Payroll launched in July 2023 as its own product. In the PEO, Justworks is the co-employer.
Benefits and insurance
Data pointValue
Health benefitsOffered and connected to payrollSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)On the Payroll plan it is an add-on at $8 a month per benefits-eligible employee, plus the premiums. PEO Plus includes medical, dental and vision administration; PEO Basic does not include medical insurance.
Workers' compensationPay-as-you-go connected to payrollSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Through its partner NEXT, quoted from inside the Payroll account. In the PEO, workers' comp is required and billed as a percentage of wages.
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Initial termMonth to monthSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Month to month on the Payroll plan; you can close the account by contacting support. The PEO is signed under a separate Customer Service Agreement that is not public.
Automatic renewalMonth to monthSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Month to month, with no renewal term.
Notice to avoid renewal0 daysSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)There is no renewal to avoid and no published notice period. Justworks asks you to tell it, if possible, a month or more before switching plans or products.
Early termination feeNoneSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks publishes no early termination fee for the Payroll plan. The only exit charge is the optional $200 fee if you want it to file your tax returns after you leave.
Early termination clauseNo early termination fee published for the Payroll plan. Month to month; you can close the account at any time by contacting support (Terms of Use, Site Access Termination). A final monthly charge may follow, and filing your tax returns after you leave costs $200 if you want it.Source: Justworks (opens in a new tab)
Right to raise pricesThe public Terms of Use set no notice period for price changes on the Payroll plan. Justworks may change the Terms and says it will post material changes on the site, email you or notify you some other way; PEO fees follow the pricing plan in effect when the Customer Service Agreement is signed.Source: Justworks (opens in a new tab)
Your records when you leaveYou can download them yourselfSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)You download each processed payroll as a CSV file while the account is open; payroll reporting is included. Justworks does not publish how long you keep access after closing, and its Terms of Use say it keeps data as long as the law requires.
Support
Data pointValue
Support 24/7NoSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)The pricing table marks 24/7 support only for PEO Basic and PEO Plus. The Payroll plan includes phone and chat support and the 24/7 help center.
Live support hours a weekNot publishedSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not publish the live support hours for the Payroll plan (phone (646) 681-7473 and support@payroll.justworks.com); we looked on its pricing, support and contact pages and in its help center.
Dedicated specialistNoSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Dedicated HR consulting is a $30 per employee add-on, only for PEO plans. Payroll customers get dedicated onboarding support when they switch, then the general support team.
Language
Data pointValue
Employee app in SpanishNoSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not document a Spanish version of its employee app or portal; its App Store listing shows English only (a hint). Its help center does have Spanish articles (Recursos en Español).
Owner's dashboard in SpanishNoSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Its Spanish help articles name the screens in English (Company Settings, Billing); Justworks does not document a Spanish owner's dashboard.
Pay stubs in SpanishNoSource: Justworks Help Center (opens in a new tab)Justworks does not document pay stubs in Spanish; we looked in its help center and its Spanish resources.
Support in SpanishNoSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)Its contact and support pages do not mention support in Spanish; only some help articles are translated.
Contract or terms in SpanishNoSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)The Terms of Use are published only in English.
Website in Spanish for the USNoSource: Justworks (opens in a new tab)justworks.com has no language selector or Spanish pages (no hreflang alternates, and no /es path in the Wayback Machine).

More about Justworks Payroll

How we score