Back Office Guide

Best payroll software for small businesses

Run payroll, file payroll taxes and handle W-2s and 1099s for a team of 5 to 100.

Updated Oct 23, 2026. Our picks, in order. Independent software reviews, not financial or accounting advice.

Payroll, tax filings, benefits and HR for small businesses, with integrations for QuickBooks, Xero and FreshBooks.

Verdict. Best all-round payroll for a small team, and a favorite of bookkeepers.

Published price. Simple $49/month + $6/person. Plus $80/month + $12/person. Premium $180/month + $22/person. Checked Oct 22, 2026.

Payroll with W-2s, 1099s and year-end filings included, unlimited pay runs and multi-state support, plus optional HR and time tracking.

Verdict. Best simple, single-plan payroll at a low base price.

Published price. Payroll Essentials $49/month base + $6 per worker. Checked Oct 22, 2026.

Low-cost payroll (and accounting) for small US businesses, with a full-service option that files payroll taxes for you.

Verdict. Best budget payroll for a small, simple US team.

Published price. Basic Payroll $17/month + $4 per worker. Full Service Payroll $37/month + $5 per worker (intro discounts often shown). Checked Oct 22, 2026.

Payroll software or a full PEO that adds benefits, compliance and HR support.

Verdict. Best if you want payroll plus big-company benefits through a PEO.

Published price. Payroll $8/employee/month + $50/month base. PEO Basic $79/employee/month. PEO Plus $124/employee/month. Checked Oct 22, 2026.

Modular HR and payroll platform priced per employee, where you add products as you need them.

Verdict. Best for growing teams that want payroll and HR in one system they can add to later.

Published price. From $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee. Full quote on request. Checked Oct 22, 2026.