OnPay pricing: $40/mo base, $6/employee, single-plan model, and how it compares to Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll

OnPay's pricing page is the rarest thing in payroll software: a page that actually shows you the price. The model is $40 per month base plus $6 per employee per month, and every feature the platform offers is included at that price. There are no tiers to compare, no feature gates to navigate, and no add-on modules to accidentally forget when budgeting. For a product category where Paychex requires a sales conversation and ADP sends you through a quoting maze, OnPay's pricing transparency is a genuine competitive advantage.

This pricing breakdown pulls directly from OnPay's published pricing page at onpay.com/pricing, verified March 2026. The numbers are straightforward, but the comparison against competitors reveals where the real value lies — and where the simplicity has trade-offs. OnPay's single-plan model means you get everything, but 'everything' in OnPay terms is narrower than what Gusto or Rippling offer at their higher tiers.

Written by Maya PatelFact-checked by ChandrasmitaLast updated Mar 22, 2026

Use this OnPay pricing page to understand what buyers actually pay, what changes the cost, and what to verify before procurement.

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OnPay pricing overview: what the $40 plus $6 per employee model actually includes

OnPay charges $40 per month as a base fee plus $6 per employee per month. That is the entire pricing model. There are no plan tiers, no feature restrictions based on what you pay, and no required add-ons. A 10-employee company pays $100 per month. A 25-employee company pays $190 per month. A 50-employee company pays $340 per month. A 100-employee company pays $640 per month. The math is linear and predictable.

The single-plan approach eliminates the tier confusion that plagues competitors. Gusto offers three plans ranging from $40 to custom pricing, with features like next-day direct deposit and time tracking gated behind the Plus tier. QuickBooks Payroll offers three plans from $50 to $130 in base fees, with same-day deposit and time tracking reserved for Premium. OnPay includes everything — multi-state payroll, benefits administration, onboarding, PTO tracking, and automated tax filing — at the base price.

The 30-day free trial requires no credit card, which means you can evaluate the platform with your actual business data before spending anything. OnPay also runs a first-month-free promotion for businesses switching from another payroll provider, though availability varies. The combination of transparent pricing and a friction-free trial shows confidence in the product — OnPay does not need a sales team to close the deal.

Where the pricing model becomes less attractive is at scale. OnPay does not offer volume discounts. The $6 per employee rate stays flat whether you have 10 employees or 200. At 100 employees, the $640 per month cost puts OnPay in the same price range as platforms that offer significantly more HR functionality. The linear pricing that feels elegant at 25 employees starts to feel expensive at 100+ when compared to Rippling or Paylocity on a per-feature-per-dollar basis.

OnPay (single plan): $40/mo base + $6/employee/mo (Payroll processing, tax filing (federal, state, local), benefits administration, HR tools, onboarding, PTO tracking, direct deposit, multi-state support, W-2 and 1099 filing, employee self-service)

Pricing source: official pricing page, verified 2026-03-17.

How to evaluate OnPay pricing before you talk to sales

OnPay pricing should be evaluated in the context of team size, operating complexity, and the commercial metric that makes cost rise over time.

Buyers should use this page to understand more than the headline price. The real decision usually depends on implementation scope, support level, add-on exposure, and whether the pricing model still makes sense once the team grows.

Clarify whether cost scales by employee count, recruiter seats, payroll runs, locations, or another metric.
Confirm what implementation, premium support, compliance, or service add-ons do to total spend.
Model pricing against the actual team size and operating complexity expected over the next 12 months.

OnPay cost breakdown by company size: 10, 25, 50, and 100 employees

Because OnPay has a single plan, the guidance is simple: you either buy OnPay or you do not. The decision comes down to whether your business needs fit within what OnPay offers — reliable payroll processing, automated tax filing, basic benefits administration, and straightforward HR tools — or whether you need features OnPay does not provide, like applicant tracking, performance management, or advanced workforce analytics.

For businesses with 1 to 50 employees, OnPay's pricing is almost always competitive. The $40 base plus $6 per employee undercuts most competitors when you factor in all-inclusive features. For businesses approaching 100 employees, compare OnPay's total cost against Gusto Plus and Rippling, which offer significantly broader HR capabilities at a comparable or lower per-employee cost at that scale.

OnPay single plan — what it includes and where it fits

OnPay's single plan covers payroll processing for salaried and hourly employees, automated federal, state, and local tax filing with a tax guarantee, benefits administration including health insurance shopping through licensed brokers, 401(k) plan administration, employee onboarding with digital document collection, PTO tracking and accrual management, multi-state payroll support in all 50 states, W-2 and 1099 preparation and filing, employee self-service portal, direct deposit with next-day processing, and integrations with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and FreshBooks. The plan does not include same-day direct deposit, applicant tracking, performance management, engagement surveys, or advanced workforce analytics. The feature set is comprehensive for payroll but limited for HR.

OnPay hidden costs and what the pricing page does not emphasize

OnPay has minimal hidden costs — but there are still things to know

OnPay's pricing is genuinely transparent, which is unusual in payroll software. There are no implementation fees, no setup charges, and no per-payroll-run fees. The $40 plus $6 price covers everything the platform offers. The main hidden cost is the time investment in initial setup — migrating payroll data, configuring tax registrations for multi-state employees, and setting up benefits administration. OnPay provides setup assistance, but the process still requires your involvement to verify data accuracy. The other consideration is the cost of tools OnPay does not include. If you need an ATS, performance management, or engagement surveys, you will pay for those separately — and those costs should be part of your total cost comparison against all-in-one platforms like Gusto or Rippling.

OnPay does not offer volume discounts for growing businesses

The $6 per employee rate is flat regardless of company size. There is no negotiation leverage for larger teams, no volume discount threshold, and no multi-year pricing advantage. For a 100-employee company paying $640 per month ($7,680 per year), the lack of volume pricing means the cost scales linearly while competitors like Gusto and Rippling may offer better per-employee economics at that headcount. If your growth trajectory will take you past 50 employees within 12 months, factor the no-discount model into your long-term cost projections.

How OnPay pricing compares to Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, and Paychex

OnPay vs Gusto on price: single plan versus tiered complexity

OnPay at $40 plus $6 per employee matches Gusto Simple at $40 plus $6 per employee on headline price. But the comparison is misleading because Gusto Simple lacks features OnPay includes — next-day direct deposit is a Gusto Plus feature ($80 plus $12), time tracking requires Plus, and compliance alerts are gated behind higher tiers. For a 25-employee company, OnPay costs $190 per month. Gusto Simple costs $190 per month but with fewer features. Gusto Plus costs $380 per month with comparable features. OnPay delivers Plus-tier functionality at Simple-tier pricing, which makes it the better value for businesses that do not need Gusto's HR features like applicant tracking and performance reviews.

OnPay vs QuickBooks Payroll on price: simplicity versus ecosystem

OnPay at $40 plus $6 per employee includes everything. QuickBooks Payroll Core at $50 plus $6 per employee lacks same-day deposit, time tracking, and HR support. QuickBooks Payroll Premium at $85 plus $9 per employee includes those features. For a 25-employee company, OnPay costs $190 per month while QuickBooks Payroll Premium costs $310 per month — a $120 monthly difference, or $1,440 per year. The gap narrows if you assign dollar value to QuickBooks Payroll's native accounting integration, which saves 1 to 2 hours per pay cycle for QuickBooks users. For non-QuickBooks businesses, OnPay is the clear value winner.

OnPay vs Paychex on price: transparency versus the quote-based model

OnPay publishes every number on its pricing page. Paychex requires a sales conversation, making direct comparison difficult. Third-party estimates from Expert Market and Tech.co place Paychex Flex at approximately $39 per month plus $5 per employee for basic payroll, but tax filing, benefits administration, and HR features that OnPay includes often require additional Paychex add-ons. The total cost of a comparable Paychex package typically exceeds OnPay's all-inclusive price, with the added friction of opaque pricing and multi-year contracts. OnPay's advantage is knowing exactly what you will pay before you talk to anyone.

OnPay pricing buyer checklist: what to verify before switching payroll providers

Run a full payroll cycle in the 30-day free trial with your actual employee data

Do not evaluate OnPay based on the setup wizard alone. Import your employee data, configure tax settings for every state where you have employees, and process at least one complete payroll run. Compare the tax calculations against your current provider to catch discrepancies. The trial is the most meaningful evaluation tool OnPay offers — use it.

Test the multi-state tax handling before committing

If you have employees in multiple states, verify that OnPay has registered your business with the appropriate state tax agencies and that withholding calculations are correct for each state. Multi-state compliance is one of OnPay's strengths, but confirm it works for your specific state combination during the free trial.

Evaluate the benefits administration if you plan to offer health insurance

Connect with OnPay's licensed brokers during the trial to understand the plan options, costs, and enrollment process. If you already have a benefits carrier, confirm the integration and deduction automation work before migrating payroll. The benefits shopping experience is guided and does not assume prior expertise.

Compare the total cost of OnPay plus separate HR tools against all-in-one platforms

OnPay excels at payroll but lacks HR depth. If you also need an ATS, performance management, or engagement tools, price out those separate tools and add them to OnPay's cost. Then compare the total against Gusto Plus or Rippling's all-in pricing. The answer depends on which HR features you actually use versus which you think you might need.

Assess the reporting against your accounting and compliance needs

OnPay's reporting covers payroll summaries, tax liability reports, and deduction breakdowns. If you need custom report builders, workforce analytics dashboards, or departmental cost analysis, test the reporting during the trial. The reports are adequate for basic needs but limited for analytical use cases.

Frequently asked questions about OnPay pricing and costs

OnPay's pricing is the most transparent and straightforward in the small business payroll market. The $40 plus $6 per employee model with every feature included eliminates the tier-comparison headache that Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll create. For businesses with 1 to 50 employees that need reliable payroll, automated tax filing, and basic HR tools, OnPay delivers the best value per dollar in the category. The limitation is what OnPay does not do — no applicant tracking, no performance management, no advanced analytics — which means growing businesses may need to add separate tools or eventually migrate to a more comprehensive platform. If payroll simplicity and pricing transparency are your top criteria, OnPay is the correct choice. If you need payroll plus HR in one platform, Gusto or Rippling will serve you better at a higher price.

Frequently asked questions

Question 1

How much does OnPay cost per employee per month?

OnPay charges a flat $6 per employee per month on top of a $40 per month base fee. Every feature is included at that price — payroll processing, tax filing, benefits administration, HR tools, onboarding, PTO tracking, multi-state support, and direct deposit. There are no tiers, no feature gates, and no add-on charges. A 25-employee company pays $190 per month total.

Question 2

Does OnPay have multiple pricing plans?

No. OnPay uses a single-plan pricing model where every customer gets every feature at the same price. This is OnPay's primary differentiator against competitors like Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll, which gate features behind higher tiers. The single-plan approach means you never wonder whether you are on the right tier or need to upgrade for a specific feature.

Question 3

Is OnPay cheaper than Gusto?

OnPay's single plan at $40 plus $6 per employee matches Gusto's Simple plan pricing exactly. However, Gusto gates features like next-day direct deposit, time tracking, and compliance alerts behind the Plus plan ($80 plus $12 per employee). When you compare OnPay against the Gusto tier that includes comparable features, OnPay is significantly cheaper. For a 25-employee company, OnPay costs $190 per month while Gusto Plus costs $380 per month.

Question 4

Does OnPay charge for tax filing?

No. Federal, state, and local tax filing is included in OnPay's base price at no additional charge. This includes quarterly tax filings, annual W-2 and 1099 preparation, new-hire reporting, and multi-state tax compliance. OnPay also provides a tax accuracy guarantee — they resolve issues and pay penalties if the error was theirs.

Question 5

Is there a free trial for OnPay?

Yes. OnPay offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. The trial gives you full access to the platform, including the ability to set up your business, add employees, and run test payrolls. OnPay also occasionally offers a first-month-free promotion for businesses migrating from another payroll provider.

Question 6

How does OnPay pricing compare to QuickBooks Payroll?

OnPay at $40 plus $6 per employee includes all features in one plan. QuickBooks Payroll Core starts at $50 plus $6 but lacks same-day deposit, time tracking, and HR support — features that require the Premium plan at $85 plus $9 per employee. For a 25-employee company, OnPay costs $190 per month while QuickBooks Payroll Premium costs $310 per month. QuickBooks Payroll's advantage is the native QuickBooks accounting integration, which OnPay cannot replicate.

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