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Prices checked Oct 31, 2026

Payroll cost calculator

By Payroll Dad · Last verified Oct 2026We earn a referral reward if you sign up through our link. How we make money · How we evaluate

Your team, their list prices. No guessing, no email gate. Quote-only means quote-only.

Your team, side by side

✓ Prices checked Oct 31, 2026

List prices from each company’s own pricing page. Promos, add-ons and taxes not included. Quote-only providers show “quote only.” How we calculate

Start on Gusto’s website →

Goes through our referral page first. We earn a reward if you sign up; your price doesn’t change.

How we calculate

  1. Monthly software fee at list price. Base fee plus the per-person fee times the people you pay that month.
  2. Gusto plan: Simple for one state, Plus for more than one. You can see all three plans under the result.
  3. Contractors count as people on Gusto in months you pay them.1 Gusto's contractor-only plan closed to new customers on Oct 1, 2026.19
  4. Not included: payroll taxes, promos, state registration add-ons, same-day ($90/payroll) or instant pay ($100/payroll).1

The prices we use

Read from each company's own page on Oct 31, 2026. If their page changes, theirs wins.

ProviderList price per monthNotes
Gusto Simple / Plus / Premium$49 + $6 · $80 + $12 · $180 + $22 per person1Simple: one state. Contractors billed per person only in months paid.2
Patriot Full Service$37 + $5 per worker paid3$12/mo per additional state. Basic (self-file): $17 + $4.3
Square Payroll$35 + $6 per person paid4Contractor-only: $6/person. Multistate included.4
Wave Payroll$40 + $6/employee + $6/contractor paid5Tax service excludes 1099 filings.5 No separate multi-state fee listed.
OnPay$49 + $6 per worker6Multi-state at no extra cost.6
QuickBooks$88 + $6.50/employee (Workforce Payroll + Simple Start bundle)7Includes accounting. Contractor pricing not listed.
ADP RUNQuote only8—
Paychex FlexQuote only9—
RipplingFrom $8/employee/mo + base fee, by quote10—
Paycor Basic$99 + $5/employee11Essential $149 + $7; Core $199 + $8. Contractor price not listed.11
Justworks Payroll$50 + $8/employee12Multi-state included. US contractor price not listed.12
SurePayroll$29 + $7/worker13Multi-state $9.99/mo flat; local-tax fee; year-end forms $50 + $5/form yearly.13
PaylocityQuote only14—
PaycomQuote only, incl. one-time implementation fee15—
Auris (Heartland Payroll)Quote only16—
Toast PayrollQuoted; POS + Payroll bundle for new restaurants from $69 + $9/employee17Includes POS, so not apples to apples.

FAQ

Why does it say “quote only” for ADP, Paychex, Rippling and others?

They don't publish a full price. We'd rather show nothing than guess. Hold Gusto's number next to your last invoice.

Does this include taxes or add-ons?

No. It's the monthly software fee at list price. Payroll taxes, state registration add-ons, same-day pay and promos aren't included.

Why does adding a second state change the Gusto plan?

Gusto Simple covers one state. Plus and Premium cover more than one, so the calculator switches to Plus.

Why isn't the QuickBooks price apples to apples?

QuickBooks lists payroll bundled with its accounting software. If you already pay for QuickBooks accounting separately, your real payroll cost is lower.

Sources, checked Oct 31, 2026

Every number on this page comes from one of these pages. Prices change; if a vendor updates its page, theirs wins.

  1. Gusto: Pricing
  2. Gusto Help Center: Understanding Gusto plans
  3. Patriot Software: Pricing
  4. Square: Payroll pricing
  5. Wave: Payroll
  6. OnPay: Costs and pricing
  7. QuickBooks: Payroll pricing
  8. ADP: RUN Powered by ADP
  9. Paychex: Compare payroll packages
  10. Rippling: Pricing
  11. Paycor: Plans & pricing for businesses under 50 employees
  12. Justworks: Pricing
  13. SurePayroll by Paychex: Pricing
  14. Paylocity: Pricing
  15. Paycom: Pricing
  16. Auris (formerly Heartland Payroll): Payroll
  17. Toast: Pricing
  18. Gusto Help Center: Contact Gusto Support
  19. Gusto Help Center: Add and pay US contractors