OnPay Review and Pricing

Why We Chose OnPay as Best 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.

Ease of Use

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:

• Clear layout: Upon logging into OnPay, we were immediately impressed by its uncluttered interface. The dashboard reflects your preferences, and the left navigation bar uses one-word labels for each category.
• Responsive interface: OnPay adjusted seamlessly when we resized the browser window, pinned a submenu and switched to mobile devices. This allowed us to move between payroll and HR tools without losing functionality or exiting the app.
• Fast access to features and data: Hovering over a navigation tab opens a submenu with additional options. We could start a task with just a couple of clicks, whether pulling up a payroll report, adding a new worker or setting up a payroll deduction.
• Customizable payroll dashboard: Users can prioritize important information by adding or removing sections, called tiles. Hiring managers may want to see employee offers first, while owners may prefer to review recent pay runs and wage or labor cost details.

OnPay Features

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.

Automated Payroll Processing  

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.

Tax Filing and Withholdings

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.

Payroll Reports

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:

• Reports overview: This report functions like a dashboard, displaying total wages and employees paid. It includes shortcuts to a payroll listing, payroll register, payroll summary, earnings summary and general ledger (GL) summary.
• Prebuilt reports: There are 15 standard reports, and you can apply filters to break down costs by location, date or staff role. When we saved a report, it showed up in the navigation menu, which was really convenient.
• Custom report designer: This tool lets you add or remove more than 50 data points, set up filters and arrange columns in payroll listing and earnings summary reports. Gusto offers a similar tool, but we found OnPay’s report designer easier to use.

Integrated Benefits and Workers’ Comp

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:

• Existing insurance broker: Sync your current insurance plan with OnPay for free benefits administration.
• Retirement benefits: OnPay integrates with Vestwell to help small businesses manage 401(k) retirement plan deductions, employer contributions and plan administration.
• Health insurance: OnPay’s in-house insurance agency and licensed brokers help businesses compare and enroll in health insurance plans.
• Workers’ compensation: ERGO Next automatically updates pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation premiums as payroll changes.
• Perks: OnPay’s licensed brokers can also help businesses set up flexible spending accounts (FSAs), including dependent care FSAs, health savings accounts (HSAs) and commuter benefits.

HR Tools

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:

• Employee and contractor self-service portal: Workers have lifetime access to pay stubs and year-end tax forms through their employee self-service portal.
• Onboarding tasks: Once you send an offer letter or file request, you can track its status. After candidates complete the required paperwork, OnPay stores the documents indefinitely.
• File audit: This tab highlights missing documents and outstanding file requests, helping small businesses stay organized and comply with payroll recordkeeping requirements.
• Employee profiles: These store key information, including employee compensation, payroll deductions, emergency contacts and other employee details.

OnPay Pricing

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:

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:

• Predictable monthly payroll costs: OnPay’s fixed base fee remains the same, whether you’re processing payroll weekly, biweekly or monthly. In comparison, payroll schedules may affect the cost of some ADP plans, and Remote charges a recurring payroll delivery fee.
• No integration fees: OnPay doesn’t charge extra to connect supported accounting and time-tracking software, although some integrated services require separate subscriptions. Some providers, including Paychex, charge fees for accounting integrations, and some support varies.
• Comprehensive payroll features: Payroll Essentials includes unlimited payroll runs, automatic payroll, payroll tax filings, benefits administration and multi-state payroll, features that often cost extra with competing payroll providers.
• No surprise fees for essential services: Payroll Essentials includes broker integrations, plan administration and advisory support. Unlike Justworks, Rippling and Square Payroll, OnPay doesn’t charge extra for benefits administration.

Implementation and Onboarding

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.

Customer Support

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:

• Live chat: OnPay recommends chat for quick questions and troubleshooting. You can start a conversation directly from the payroll dashboard or Help Center.
• Support tickets: For more complex issues, you can submit a support ticket through the dashboard or Help Center and track its status online.
• Phone support: Payroll specialists are available by phone during business hours to answer software, payroll and tax-related questions.

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 Limitations

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:

• Limited OnPay integrations: OnPay syncs with several popular business tools, including some of the best accounting software platforms, such as QuickBooks Online and Xero. However, businesses that rely on a large HR or payroll app marketplace may find its integration options more limited than those of competitors.
• No dedicated employer mobile app: OnPay works surprisingly well in a mobile browser but may be less convenient for owners who manage payroll primarily from a smartphone. For a full-featured mobile payroll experience, check out our review of ADP and our detailed Gusto review.
• Limited workforce management tools: OnPay’s optional HR module lets employers manage PTO policies, employee documents and onboarding workflows. However, fast-growing businesses may prefer a platform with built-in applicant tracking, performance management and broader talent management features.
• Only supports U.S.-based workers: OnPay simplifies payroll and HR compliance for employees working across multiple states but doesn’t support international payroll. Businesses with global employees or contractors should consider Deel or Remote.
• No weekend or 24/7 support: OnPay’s payroll specialists are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Businesses that need evening or weekend support may prefer ADP or Rippling.

Methodology

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.

Bottom Line

We recommend OnPay for …

• Small business owners who want an easy-to-use payroll platform that saves time.  
• Nonprofits and agricultural businesses that need specialized tax and compliance support.
• Small employers who pay remote workers in multiple states. 

We don’t recommend OnPay for …

• Organizations with international employees or contractors.
• Leaders looking for advanced workforce management tools.
• Companies that rely on a large ecosystem of third-party integrations.