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OnPay is an easy-to-use payroll provider that also makes it simple to manage basic HR tasks and benefits administration. We reviewed OnPay’s features.
Transparent pricing, responsive customer service and user-friendly payroll tools make OnPay the best payroll software for small businesses. It supports multi-state workforces and guarantees the accuracy of payroll tax calculations and filings.
Small business payroll services automate tedious calculations so owners can process payroll more quickly and accurately. OnPay pushes the bar higher with software, support and pricing designed for frustration-free experiences. The full-service payroll platform covers all payroll-related tasks, while HR and time tracking modules expand the platform’s functionality. To top it off, payroll specialists — not call center agents — answer calls. OnPay brings all of these strengths together in an intuitive, affordable platform that’s an excellent fit for small businesses.
OnPay excels in the areas that impact small businesses the most: reliability, ease of use and support. In our tests, the full-service payroll software proved capable of meeting the needs of owners who run payroll themselves as well as companies with hundreds of employees and complex wage structures. This versatility, along with its transparent pricing and responsive customer support, makes OnPay our choice for the best online payroll service for small businesses.
We appreciate that OnPay caters to small businesses in all industries. It calculates overtime for employees with multiple pay rates, helps nonprofits file FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax Act) exemptions and handles quarterly or annual payroll for single-owner S corps. Proactive alerts flag potential payroll discrepancies, while a guarantee ensures timely, accurate tax filings.
All accounts come with free setup assistance and data migration. Support is ongoing, with payroll specialists available to answer software, payroll or tax-related questions at no additional cost. This level of support can reduce the stress involved with switching providers or using payroll software for the first time.
Best of all, the base plan, Payroll Essentials, includes benefits administration, unlimited pay runs and multi-state support. Optional time-tracking and HR modules allow employers to customize their payroll system further. This combination of transparent pricing, flexible features and responsive support makes OnPay an excellent fit for small businesses.
Before launching OnPay, founder Jesse Burgess worked in his family’s payroll business, where he automated repetitive tasks to improve efficiency and the customer experience. A few years later, he launched OnPay. Today, more than 25,000 small and midsized businesses use the platform.
Since our last OnPay review, the provider updated the software’s layout and navigation. The redesigned interface looks more modern while making payroll tasks even easier to complete. In fact, OnPay’s intuitive interface is one of the reasons we chose it as the best payroll service for small businesses.
While testing OnPay, we made the following observations:
OnPay provides core payroll features and flexible settings for businesses across a variety of industries and compensation structures. Here are the tools we found most valuable for small businesses.
Like most full-service payroll software, OnPay automatically calculates employee wages, taxes and deductions. However, unlike many competitors, OnPay includes all core payroll features in a single plan. This flexibility helps support a wide range of small businesses, from agricultural employers hiring immigrant workers with H-2A visas to restaurants with tipped staff.
OnPay is also rolling out a new auto-pay tool, which automates payroll for salaried employees. Employers can also create unlimited pay schedules and run payroll as often as needed, including one-time pay runs.
During our tests, we were pleased that we could pay employees and contractors in the same pay run. The software also lets you add new wage types or change payroll dates after starting a run. While we entered hours manually, OnPay also supports faster methods, including built-in time tracking through an add-on module. Alternatively, you can import a CSV file or integrate with one of the best time and attendance software systems, such as When I Work (see our When I Work review to learn more) or Deputy.
The Review page summarizes key payroll details and flags potential issues before you submit payroll. For example, you might see a warning if a worker’s wages differ significantly from previous pay runs. Warnings won’t stop you from submitting payroll, but errors — such as a negative paycheck amount — must be corrected before you can continue.
We liked the option to view reports or cancel a pay run immediately after submitting payroll. In comparison, QuickBooks Workforce (formerly QuickBooks Payroll) only lets users download reports.
OnPay’s standard direct deposit payroll has a four-business-day processing window, so payroll for a Friday payday must be submitted by 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday. (Some businesses may qualify for a two-business-day processing window.) You can also offer direct deposit alternatives, such as paper checks or payroll cards.
As with other full-service payroll providers, OnPay automatically calculates and withholds payroll taxes. It also submits federal, state and local tax payments and files payroll taxes on your behalf.
Additionally, OnPay automatically files payroll forms, including Form 941 for quarterly payroll taxes, Form 940 annually and Form 943 for farming businesses.
Not all payroll services pay local taxes, guarantee the accuracy of tax filings or calculate garnishments. Neither Justworks nor Gusto provides penalty protection, and QuickBooks Workforce only offers a guarantee on its Elite plan.
All the payroll systems we tested offered reporting tools, but OnPay’s were among the easiest to access. In just two clicks, you can open any payroll report.
Here are OnPay’s payroll reports for small businesses:
Looking for more advanced reporting and data visualization tools? See our Rippling review to learn about its automation and reporting capabilities.
Online payroll services often integrate with employee benefits providers, including 401(k), workers’ compensation and health insurance companies. While some competitors support a wider range of carriers, OnPay stands out by offering free benefits administration and access to licensed advisors.
OnPay’s benefits and insurance integrations include:
Most payroll providers, including OnPay, offer a handful of essential HR features with their entry-level plans. Among OnPay’s tools, we found the detailed employee profiles and electronic tax forms most valuable for small businesses.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
OnPay keeps pricing simple with one payroll plan and optional HR and time-tracking add-ons. At $49 per month plus $6 per employee or contractor, Payroll Essentials includes multi-state payroll, payroll tax filings, data migration and year-end W-2 and 1099 forms at no extra cost. It’s a straightforward pricing model, and one that gives small businesses plenty to work with before paying for additional features.
Here’s how OnPay’s pricing works:
Plan | Pricing | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
Payroll Essentials | $49 per month plus $6 per worker per month |
|
HR add-on (requires a payroll subscription) | $15 per month plus $2 per worker per month |
|
Time and Attendance add-on (requires a payroll subscription) | $15 per month plus $4 per worker per month |
|
Additional HR add-on tools are available, including HR Compliance Resources for $10 per month and Live HR Support for $75 per month.
To put OnPay’s pricing into perspective, we compared its payroll service costs and included features with other platforms. Here’s how it stacks up:
OnPay assigns a dedicated onboarding consultant to new accounts and provides free setup assistance and data migration services for companies of all sizes. If you’d rather handle setup yourself, the onboarding center walks you through each step. Not every payroll provider gives you that choice.
In comparison, only top-tier plans from Gusto and QuickBooks Workforce include expert setup. Many vendors offer self-guided setup wizards, but business owners are responsible for data migration. With OnPay’s setup assistance, most of your account and payroll information is already in place when you log in.
We also appreciate OnPay’s support for businesses switching from another payroll service. Payroll specialists transfer employee information and prior wage data, so you only need to enter basic company details. According to OnPay, most migrations take just a few days.
OnPay’s onboarding team can also help set up accounting integrations. Plus, the one-month free trial gives you time to explore the platform before signing up.
Free setup assistance isn’t common with many entry-level payroll plans. Patriot Payroll is another exception, offering both free setup and a 30-day trial. Learn more in our Patriot Payroll review.
OnPay offers responsive customer support through multiple channels, and we found it just as impressive as the payroll software itself. Support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET through the following options:
Support specialists are extensively trained on how the OnPay platform works, but they also bring years of real-world payroll experience and an understanding of the challenges small businesses face. This combination of technical knowledge and practical expertise helps distinguish OnPay from many competing payroll providers.
We were also impressed with OnPay’s Help Center and educational resources. The step-by-step tutorials are comprehensive yet easy to follow, with screenshots that clearly illustrate each process. Beyond the Help Center, OnPay offers payroll calculators, state compliance guides, a payroll glossary and an employee Help Center with information on navigating the self-service portal, setting up direct deposit and more.
Although OnPay doesn’t offer 24/7 customer support like ADP or Rippling, we were consistently impressed with the quality of our interactions. On professional review platforms, users also rate OnPay’s customer support higher than many payroll services we evaluated.
OnPay can save small business owners time with transparent pricing, responsive support and an easy-to-use payroll platform. Still, no payroll service is the right fit for every business. Consider your current needs, future growth plans and the tools you rely on to decide whether OnPay’s limitations are minor tradeoffs or dealbreakers.
Here are a few drawbacks we identified:
Our team followed a multistep process to identify the best payroll services. We examined more than 70 payroll processing solutions before narrowing our selection to just over a dozen. After participating in live product demonstrations, we researched each online payroll system to verify its features, pricing and limitations.
We paid particular attention to payroll tax filing services to evaluate how each provider handled automated tax calculations, payments and year-end filings. Next, we activated trial accounts and tested each platform across multiple real-world scenarios, assessing onboarding, payroll processing, customer support, mobile access and overall ease of use. Only 10 payroll services earned a place on our final list.
To identify the best payroll software for small businesses, we focused on providers with transparent pricing, intuitive tools and responsive customer support. OnPay consistently performed well in these areas, making it the top choice in this category.
Yes. OnPay offers low-fee 401(k) retirement plans through its partnership with Vestwell. Payroll deductions and employer contributions sync automatically, and employees can view their retirement plan information through the OnPay self-service portal.
Yes. Employers can pay independent contractors during a scheduled or off-cycle payroll run. They can manually add contractor information or invite workers to self-onboard. OnPay supports payments by direct deposit, paper checks and payroll cards, and it automatically generates year-end Form 1099-NEC for contractors.
Yes. OnPay lets business owners upload custom offer letters, send them to candidates electronically and track each offer’s status from the dashboard. Candidates can sign offer letters online, helping employers stay organized throughout the hiring and onboarding process.
OnPay uses industry-standard encryption to protect client information. It also backs up data daily in secure facilities located in Georgia and Florida. Round-the-clock monitoring and regular vulnerability scans help protect the payroll system from unauthorized access and fraud.
OnPay guarantees the accuracy of its payroll calculations, tax filings and tax payments. If the company makes an error, it will work directly with the appropriate tax agency and pay any resulting penalties or interest.
We recommend OnPay for …
We don’t recommend OnPay for …
