OnPay runs one core payroll plan at a flat base fee plus $6 per worker — with multi-state tax filing, W-2s, 1099s and phone support included and no per-state charge. Here's the real 2026 cost, and the extras that are no longer bundled.
OnPay has a single core plan, Payroll Essentials, at $49/month plus $6 per worker (minimum $55/month for one worker). That covers unlimited pay runs, automatic federal/state/local tax filing, multi-state payroll with no extra per-state fee, W-2s and 1099s, benefits administration and US-based phone support. It is no longer fully all-inclusive — the HR add-on is $15/month plus $2 per worker, Compliance Resources is $10/month and Live HR Support is $75/month. There is no permanent free plan, only a free first month and free setup. A 5-worker business pays about $79/month. Best for US teams of roughly 2-25 who want predictable pricing and a real person on the phone; larger or HR-heavy employers should compare Gusto, ADP Run and Paychex Flex.
OnPay is a US full-service payroll, HR and benefits platform built for small businesses — restaurants, farms, nonprofits, churches, clinics and professional services firms are its core audience. Instead of selling tiered packages, OnPay sells one package (Payroll Essentials) and a few optional add-ons, so the price is predictable from month one.
The pitch is the anti-quote: no sales call, no negotiated rate, no per-state surcharge for employing someone across a border. OnPay calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxes automatically, backs that with a tax accuracy guarantee, and gives you US-based support by phone, email and chat. It holds roughly 4.8/5 across several hundred reviews on Capterra and its own site — unusually consistent for payroll software, where billing complaints are common.
Where OnPay differs from the platform most small teams compare it to: Gusto bundles more HR polish and a slicker interface at a similar headline price, while OnPay's advantage is the flat structure, the multi-state inclusion and human support you can actually reach.
Verified from OnPay's official pricing pages and cross-checked against independent 2026 pricing reviews:
Payroll Essentials: ~$49/month base + ~$6 per worker — full-service payroll, unlimited pay runs, federal/state/local tax filing, multi-state payroll with no per-state fee, W-2s/1099s, onboarding, reporting, benefits administration and support
HR add-on: ~$15/month base + ~$2 per worker — PTO workflows, org charts, expanded onboarding, records management and HR tools
Compliance Resources: ~$10/month base fee — state compliance alerts and reference material
Live HR Support: ~$75/month base fee — HR experts, concierge support and document templates
Setup & migration: free — no implementation or integration fees; prior payroll data migrated at no charge
Free trial: first month free (30 days, starting after self-onboarding and bank verification)
Prices are USD, monthly. Because the per-worker charge applies once per billing period (not per pay run), running weekly payroll does not multiply it. Examples: 5 workers ≈ $49 + (5 × $6) = ~$79/month; 10 workers ≈ ~$109/month; 25 workers ≈ ~$199/month. Confirm current pricing on onpay.com — plans change.
The structural point, and the one we flagged in our Gusto review: per-person billing versus a flat monthly fee is the whole argument here. Gusto charges $49/month plus $6 per employee and adds a per-person cost on every plan tier; OnPay charges one base fee plus a low per-worker amount, and never charges more just because your workers live in two states. At 5 workers the two are nearly identical; at 25 workers OnPay's predictability starts to matter, and the multi-state inclusion saves real money.
No — there is no permanent free OnPay plan. OnPay advertises a free first month, which begins after you complete self-onboarding and verify your bank account, plus free setup and free employee-data migration. After that you pay the monthly base fee whether or not you run payroll. Full-service payroll costs money because OnPay files and pays taxes on your behalf. If you genuinely need free, you can:
These are the platforms to compare, depending on team shape and budget.
Best for: the friendliest payroll + benefits experience
Best for: established businesses that want a big-name provider
Best for: teams that want payroll plus optional full HR outsourcing
Best for: hourly and shift-based teams
Best for: businesses already using Square
| Platform | Free option | Starting price | Multi-state | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OnPay | No (1 free month) | ~$49/mo + $6/worker | Included, no per-state fee | Predictable pricing, 2-25 workers |
| Gusto | No | ~$49/mo + $6/person | Plus tier only | Small teams wanting payroll + benefits |
| ADP Run | No | Quote-based | Yes | Established businesses, brand comfort |
| Paychex Flex | No | Quote-based | Yes | Payroll up to full HR outsourcing |
| Homebase | Yes (scheduling) | ~$0 / paid add-ons | Yes | Hourly, shift-based teams |
| Square Payroll | Contractors only | ~$35/mo + per-person | Yes | Square users, hourly staff |
OnPay sells a single core package, Payroll Essentials, at $49 per month plus $6 per worker paid during the billing period — so the minimum recurring cost is $55/month for one worker. Optional extras cost more: the HR add-on is $15/month plus $2 per worker, Compliance Resources is a $10/month base fee and Live HR Support is a $75/month base fee. Confirm current pricing on onpay.com.
No — OnPay has no permanent free plan. It advertises a free first month (a 30-day introductory period that starts after you complete self-onboarding and verify your bank account), plus free setup and free employee-data migration. If you need genuinely free software, run payroll manually with a free calculator, or keep your bookkeeping free with Wave or Zoho Books' free tier.
Full-service payroll with unlimited pay runs, automatic federal, state and local tax filing and payments, multi-state payroll at no extra per-state fee, 50-state tax compliance and state new-hire reporting, W-2 and 1099 preparation and filing, employee and contractor payments, onboarding tools, reporting, benefits administration and customer support by phone, email and chat.
No. Multi-state payroll is included in the core Payroll Essentials price, with no separate per-state registration fee — which is one of OnPay's clearest advantages, because many competitors charge more once you employ staff in a second state. You still have to give OnPay accurate state registrations and wage data, and employer-side state tax accounts may need to be set up.
Gusto (the friendliest payroll plus benefits platform, $49/month plus $6 per employee), ADP Run and Paychex Flex (enterprise-grade compliance with quote-based pricing), Homebase (free scheduling and time tracking for hourly teams) and Square Payroll (simple per-person pricing that syncs with Square's point of sale). For bookkeeping alongside payroll, Wave, Zoho Books and QuickBooks are the usual pairings.
Yes — OnPay is strongest at 2 to 25 workers, where its flat structure keeps costs predictable and its phone support is genuinely reachable. Sole proprietors paying only one or two contractors may find it hard to justify $55/month, while businesses above roughly 50 employees or those needing advanced HCM features often move to Gusto Plus, ADP or Paychex.
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