Our Full Review
OnPay is what payroll should be: simple, transparent, and affordable. No feature tiers, no surprise fees, no sales pressure. Just solid payroll at a fair price.
Who Should Use OnPay?
OnPay is ideal for:
- Small businesses (1-50 employees) who want full-service payroll without complexity
- Accountants and bookkeepers managing payroll for multiple clients
- Nonprofits needing affordable payroll with donor-friendly transparent pricing
- Companies with contractors who want 1099 management included
- Budget-conscious businesses who don't want to pay for features they won't use
Who Should Look Elsewhere?
- Companies over 50 employees — Per-employee pricing becomes less competitive at scale (consider ADP/Paychex)
- Businesses needing benefits shopping — OnPay administers benefits but doesn't have a marketplace
- Teams wanting built-in time tracking — You'll need to integrate a separate tool
- HRIS-first companies — If HR features matter more than payroll, use BambooHR + Gusto
Core Payroll Features
OnPay includes everything you need:
- Unlimited payroll runs — Weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or off-cycle bonuses
- Automatic tax calculations for federal, state, and local taxes
- Tax filing and remittance — OnPay handles all filings automatically
- Direct deposit — 2-day processing (next-day available for extra fee)
- Paper checks — Print checks from OnPay if needed
- Garnishments — Child support, tax levies handled automatically
- Multi-state payroll — No extra charge for employees in different states
- Year-end tax forms — W-2s, 1099s, W-3s prepared and filed
Tax guarantee: If OnPay makes an error, they cover penalties and interest.
Contractor Payments (1099)
OnPay handles contractor payments seamlessly:
- Unlimited contractors at no extra charge
- Direct deposit or check payment
- Automatic 1099-NEC generation and filing
- Contractor self-service portal for payment history
This alone justifies OnPay for agencies or businesses with lots of freelancers.
HR Tools (Included Free)
OnPay includes basic HR features at no extra cost:
- Employee onboarding: New hire paperwork (I-9, W-4, state forms) with e-signatures
- Document storage: Keep employee records, contracts, reviews in one place
- PTO tracking: Manage vacation, sick leave, and custom time-off policies
- Employee directory: Contact info, org chart, emergency contacts
- Performance reviews: Basic review templates and tracking
- Employee handbook templates
These aren't as robust as dedicated HRIS tools, but they're perfectly functional for small teams.
Benefits Administration
OnPay can administer benefits but doesn't shop for them:
- Deduct health, dental, vision premiums from paychecks
- Report to insurance carriers automatically
- Handle FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits
- Administer COBRA
- 401(k) integration (OnPay partners with Guideline, Vanguard, Fidelity, etc.)
What's missing: Benefits marketplace to shop and compare plans. You'll need to find your own broker. Once you have plans, OnPay handles administration.
Accountant-Friendly Features
OnPay is beloved by bookkeepers:
- Multi-client dashboard — Manage 50+ clients from one login
- QuickBooks/Xero integration — Sync payroll entries automatically
- Client permissions — Control what clients can/can't access
- White-label option — Bookkeepers can brand OnPay with their own logo
- Partner pricing — Discounts for accountants managing multiple clients
If you're a CPA or bookkeeper, OnPay's accountant program is worth exploring.
Integrations
OnPay plays well with key tools:
- Accounting: QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, FreshBooks
- Time Tracking: TSheets, Clockify, Homebase, TimeClock Plus
- Benefits: Guideline (401k), SimplyInsured
- HR: BambooHR (limited)
Integration quality is good but not as extensive as Gusto or Rippling.
Pricing Breakdown
OnPay's pricing is refreshingly simple:
- Base fee: $40/month
- Per employee: $6/month
- Contractors: $0 extra
That's it. No tiers, no add-ons, no surprise charges.
Examples:
- 10 employees: $40 + (10 × $6) = $100/month
- 25 employees: $40 + (25 × $6) = $190/month
- 50 employees: $40 + (50 × $6) = $340/month
For comparison: Gusto would be $40 + (25 × $6) = $190 on Simple plan. OnPay is competitive but includes more features in the base price.
30-day free trial with full features—no credit card required.
Customer Support
OnPay's support is excellent:
- Phone support during business hours (U.S.-based team)
- Email support with fast response times
- Live chat
- Comprehensive knowledge base and video tutorials
- Setup assistance included (they'll help migrate from your old provider)
Reviews consistently praise OnPay's support as responsive and helpful.
The Bottom Line
OnPay is the Goldilocks of payroll—not too simple, not too complex, just right for small businesses.
If you're tired of Gusto's upsells, ADP's complexity, or your current provider's surprise fees, OnPay is a breath of fresh air. You pay $40 + $6/employee. That's it. Full stop.
Not as feature-rich as Gusto for benefits shopping or Rippling for IT integrations. But for pure payroll with solid HR basics? OnPay delivers exactly what you need at a fair price.
The 30-day trial is genuinely free and fully functional. Try it for a couple payroll runs. If it works for you, keep it. If not, you haven't lost anything.