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Stop guessing which payroll actually fits.

Every “best payroll software” article online recommends the same five tools in the same order. We built a real quiz that matches you to the right one based on what you actually need — price, ease, contractor mix, and growth plans.

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Providers compared
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◆ The 6 providers that win 94% of small business payroll searches

GustoQuickBooksOnPayADP RUNRipplingPatriot

◆ The PayrollPicker quiz

Five questions. One honest recommendation.

Question 1 of 5
20%

Who are you paying right now?

This is the biggest driver of which software fits.

The six picks, sorted by who they're for.

Updated April 2026

★ TOP PICK
Best for most small businesses
Gusto

The easiest full-service payroll for small W2 teams. Autopilot runs payroll itself once set up. Files taxes in all 50 states. Benefits, health, and 401k built in.

  • → Autopilot payroll (runs itself)
  • → Files taxes in all 50 states
  • → Benefits + health + 401k built in
  • → 30-minute setup even for first-timers
Starts at
$49/mo
Per employee
$6
Free trial
30 days
See Gusto →
Best value
OnPay

One flat rate with every feature included. No tier upsells. Strong in niche industries like farms and nonprofits.

Starts at$40/mo
Per employee$6
Free trial1 month
See OnPay →
Best if on QBO
QuickBooks Payroll

Zero-touch sync with QuickBooks Online. Same-day direct deposit. The mobile app is the best in the category.

Starts at$45/mo
Per employee$6
Free trial30 days
See QuickBooks Payroll →
Cheapest full-service
Patriot

The cheapest option that still files your federal, state, and local taxes. US-based support that actually responds.

Starts at$37/mo
Per employee$4
Free trial30 days
See Patriot →
Best for scaling
Rippling

International payroll in 160+ countries. Payroll + IT + device management in one. Built for growing tech-forward teams.

Starts at$8/person
Per employee-
Free trial14 days
See Rippling →
Best for 16+
ADP RUN

The incumbent, 70+ years in payroll. Scales cleanly from 15 to 1,500 employees. Deepest HR and compliance features.

Starts atQuote
Per employeeVaries
Free trial3 mo 50% off
See ADP RUN →

Payroll is the second most frustrating thing small business owners deal with.

Every “best payroll software” review online is written by someone who has never run payroll for their own company. They list the same five tools in the same order, then collect affiliate commissions.

PayrollPicker is different. We ask five real questions, match you to one of six proven providers, and tell you the honest tradeoffs. If we think Gusto is best for you, we say Gusto. If it's Patriot, we say Patriot. Simple.

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Honest matching

We recommend based on fit, not commission. The highest-paying affiliate isn't always our top pick.

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Real pricing, no surprises

We show you the actual monthly cost for your exact team size. No “starting at” games.

50%

spend 3+ hours per month administering payroll taxes

NSBA 2025 Survey

53%

have been hit with payroll compliance penalties in the last 5 years

G2 Payroll 2025

$2k+

spent annually on payroll services — choosing wrong is expensive

SSR Report 2026

6

providers compared fairly and transparently — no hidden rankings

Our promise

Common questions.

The things first-time payroll buyers always ask. Written in plain English, not sales copy.

What's the cheapest payroll service that still files my taxes?

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Patriot Payroll's Full Service plan is the cheapest option that still handles your federal, state, and local tax filings. It starts at $37/month plus $4 per employee. OnPay is a close second at $40 base + $6 per person, with a more modern interface. Anything cheaper than Patriot usually means you're filing your own taxes — which defeats the purpose.

I only pay 1099 contractors. Do I even need payroll software?

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Technically no — you can cut checks manually and issue 1099s at year end. But once you have more than two contractors, you'll want something that handles the 1099 filing automatically. Gusto has a contractor-only plan at $35/month + $6/contractor. Patriot has a contractor package that's even cheaper.

Can I switch payroll providers mid-year?

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Yes, and it's easier than you think. Good payroll providers (Gusto, OnPay, QuickBooks Payroll) will help you migrate your YTD data for free and file a clean W-2 at year end covering the full year. The best time to switch is at the start of a quarter, but any time works.

What's the difference between Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll?

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They're both excellent. The deciding factor is what accounting software you already use. If you're on QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Payroll is the obvious pick — zero-touch sync, same company, same login. If you're on Xero, FreshBooks, or nothing yet, Gusto wins on ease of use, benefits, and HR features.

Why not just use ADP? They're the biggest.

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ADP is the biggest because they dominated the space for 70 years before modern competitors existed. For small businesses under 15 employees, ADP is usually overkill and overpriced — Gusto, OnPay, or QuickBooks Payroll will serve you better. ADP RUN genuinely shines once you hit 15+ employees.

Is this site free? How do you make money?

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Yes, PayrollPicker is completely free and doesn't require an email. We earn a commission when you sign up with a provider through our links — but only if we actually recommended them. Our recommendations are based on honest fit, not who pays the highest affiliate rate.
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Sister site · FormRight

Haven't formed your business yet? Start there first.

You need an LLC or S-corp before payroll makes sense. Our sister site FormRight will match you to the right formation service in 60 seconds — same honest quiz mechanic, different question set.

Visit FormRight →

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