Payroll cost calculator — enter your team size and what you need, and we calculate your estimated monthly cost across the five most popular US payroll platforms. Although pricing varies by plan and add-ons, this calculator uses verified August 2026 pricing to give you an accurate starting point. Furthermore, it highlights which platform offers the best value for your specific situation — so you can compare options in seconds rather than hours. In addition, multi-state payroll, HR tools and time tracking all affect the total cost significantly — and not all platforms handle them the same way. Consequently, the results you see reflect the real all-in cost, not just the headline advertised price.
💰 Payroll Cost Calculator 2026
Pricing verified August 2026 — Gusto · OnPay · Zoho · Patriot · Rippling
* All estimates based on verified August 2026 pricing. Gusto: gusto.com/product/pricing. OnPay: onpay.com/payroll/software/costs-pricing ($49 + $6/ee). Patriot: patriotsoftware.com ($37 + $5/ee Full Service, +$12/state multi-state). Zoho: zoho.com/us/payroll ($29 + $5/ee Standard annual, multi-state requires Professional at $49 + $7/ee). Rippling: published module prices — Unity $8/ee + $35 base + Payroll $35/ee — requires custom quote, actual may vary. Annual billing rates used where available. Implementation fees not included.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter the number of W-2 employees on your payroll — do not include 1099 contractors unless they are paid through your payroll platform. Although most platforms support contractor payments, pricing often differs. Furthermore, select how many states your employees work in, as this significantly affects which platforms are cost-effective. In addition, check the features you actually need. Consequently, the results reflect the real all-in monthly cost for your specific situation.
What Affects Your Payroll Software Cost
Number of employees
Every platform charges a per-employee fee on top of the monthly base fee. Although the base fee is fixed, the per-employee component scales linearly. Consequently, platforms with lower per-employee fees — Zoho at $5 and Patriot at $5 — become increasingly competitive as headcount grows compared to Rippling at $43 per employee all-in.
Single-state vs multi-state payroll
Multi-state payroll is one of the most significant cost variables. Although OnPay includes multi-state at no extra charge, Patriot charges $12 per additional state per month. Furthermore, Gusto Simple requires upgrading to Plus ($80/month base) and Zoho Standard requires upgrading to Professional ($49/month base). As a result, a business with employees in three states faces very different cost outcomes depending on which platform they choose.
HR and time tracking features
Platforms like Gusto and Rippling bundle HR tools into their plans. In contrast, Patriot and OnPay focus on payroll and tax compliance with HR as an optional add-on. Consequently, if you need HR tools, comparing the all-in cost across platforms reveals a different winner than comparing payroll price alone.
Pricing verified August 2026: Gusto.com · OnPay.com · PatriotSoftware.com · Zoho.com/us/payroll · Rippling.com
