Payroll Services costs, by state and province

Typical costs for payroll services per month. Base fee plus per-employee charge drives total. Open a market below for a local estimate.

Payroll service providers charge a base monthly fee plus a per-employee or per-pay-run fee. Typical pricing for a small business with 10 employees runs $30–$80 per month, plus $4–$12 per employee per pay period. Full-service plans that include tax filing and year-end forms command higher rates.

Base Fee and Per-Employee Costs

Most payroll companies charge a $20–$50 base monthly fee plus $5–$15 per employee per pay run. For a business with 15 employees paid semi-monthly, that adds up to roughly $50 base plus $150 per month in per-employee fees.

Full-Service vs Self-Service Plans

Self-service plans where you enter hours and the system calculates taxes cost $20–$40 per month plus $4–$8 per employee. Full-service plans, which include tax filing, direct deposit, and year-end W-2s, run $40–$80 per month plus $10–$15 per employee. Many businesses prefer full-service to avoid IRS penalties.

Additional Features and Add-Ons

HR add-ons like time tracking, benefits administration, or PTO management typically cost an extra $5–$20 per employee per month. Dedicated account management or custom reporting may add $50–$200 to the monthly fee. Some providers offer one-time setup fees of $50–$200.

Typical Payroll Services prices
ItemTypical range
Typical monthly cost (10 employees)$70 – $230
Base monthly fee$20 – $50
Per-employee per-pay-run fee$4 – $15
Year-end processing (per employee)$15 – $40

Every market for payroll services costs

383 markets have a page, each with a typical range where we have one and plain guidance on what moves the price.

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