Payroll Software
QuickBooks Payroll review
Intuit's payroll sold as bundles with QuickBooks accounting, with tax filing and 1099 e-filing included.
Rebranded: Now marketed as QuickBooks Workforce (Payroll bundles); G2 page titled QuickBooks Workforce.
QuickBooks Payroll at a glance
- Category
- Payroll Software
- Starting price
- $44/month + $6.50 per employee (Payroll + Simple Start, 50% promo for 3 months shown; list $88)
- Pricing model
- base fee plus per employee
- Public pricing
- Yes
- Free plan
- No
- Contract
- monthly
- G2 rating
- 4.4 (501 reviews)
- Headquarters
- Mountain View, US
- Integrations
- QuickBooks Online, Vestwell, Allstate, Next, Mineral
Who QuickBooks Payroll is for
Choose QuickBooks Payroll if
- Businesses already on QuickBooks Online.
- Employers wanting payroll bundled with bookkeeping.
Look elsewhere if
- Teams that need Elite pricing in public.
- Buyers wanting benefits admin included.
QuickBooks Payroll pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll + Simple Start | $88 list ($44 promo) | per month base + $6.50 per employee | Next-day direct deposit (run by 5 PM) |
| Payroll + Essentials | $125 list ($62.50 promo) | per month base + $6.50 per employee | Same-day direct deposit (run by 7 AM) |
| Premium + Plus | $203 list ($101.50 promo) | per month base + $10 per employee | Adds HR tools, I-9, recruiting, time tracking |
Elite price not shown. 50% off for 3 months promo. Benefits administration limited availability with extra fees.
What QuickBooks Payroll really costs
- Per seat per month
- $6.50 per employee on Payroll + Simple Start (plus $88 base list)
- Billing
- Monthly and annual.
- Annual discount
- Page notes +10% off annual price, mechanics not explained.
- 20 users per year
- Simple Start bundle list: ($88 + 20 x $6.50) x 12 = $2,616 per year; promo months excluded.
- Add-ons
- Benefits administration fees; Time tracking below Premium (FAQ)
- Renewal terms
- Promo expires after 3 months, then list price.
Cheaper per seat than QuickBooks Payroll
ADP RunAbout $4 per employee plus $79 base (third-party estimate)
Patriot Payroll$5 per worker plus $37 base (Full Service)
Paychex FlexAbout $5 per employee plus $39 base (third-party, Essentials)
Gusto$6 per person per month plus $49 base (Simple); $12 plus $80 base (Plus)
QuickBooks Payroll features by buying criteria
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base plus per employee, bundled with accounting. |
| Target company size | Small businesses. |
| Tax filing and compliance | Full-service payroll calculates, files and pays payroll taxes. |
| Accounting integrations | Native QuickBooks bookkeeping bundle. |
| Time tracking and PTO | Scheduling in all bundles; time tracking with Premium and Elite. |
| Benefits administration | Access to Allstate health, Vestwell 401(k), Next workers' comp, Mineral HR advisor; limited availability, extra fees. |
| Contractor and 1099 payments | 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC e-filing for unlimited forms, contractor management. |
What reviewers say about QuickBooks Payroll
Praised for
- Tight QuickBooks Online integration.
- Easy setup.
Common complaints
- Poor support reported.
- Basic payroll reports.
Themes paraphrased from public reviews on G2 and similar sites, not quotes.
What most QuickBooks Payroll reviews leave out
- Pricing page now sells payroll+accounting bundles named Workforce, not the old Core/Premium/Elite lineup.
- Listed prices are 50% off for 3 months; list is double.
- Same-day direct deposit requires the Essentials bundle or above.
- Benefits administration has limited availability and extra fees.
QuickBooks Payroll alternatives
- GustoSmall US businesses of 1 to a few dozen people wanting simple setup.$49/month plus $6 per person (Simple)
OnPaySmall businesses and accounting-firm partners.$49/month + $6 per worker- Patriot PayrollVery small businesses watching cost.$17/month + $4 per worker (Basic)
- ADP RunSmall businesses wanting a large provider with tax filing and add-on HR/benefits.Contact sales
- Paychex FlexMid-size employers wanting a full-service provider with HR and benefits options.Contact sales
JustworksSmall US companies that want a PEO with benefits and compliance handled for them.$50/month base plus $8 per employee (Payroll plan)
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from QuickBooks Payroll's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.