Total Payroll Service Cost Calculator 2026
The most comprehensive payroll TCO calculator online. Includes subscription, hidden fees, add-ons, and industry adjustments for all 6 major providers plus DIY comparison.
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Total annual cost including subscription, estimated hidden fees, and add-ons. Sorted cheapest first.
| Provider | Subscription | Hidden Fees | Total Annual | Monthly Est. | Per Emp/Mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CheapestOnPay | $1,308 | $218 | $1,526 | $127 | $12.72 |
| Gusto | $1,308 | $245 | $1,553 | $129 | $12.94 |
| Paychex | $1,300 | $296 | $1,596 | $133 | $13.30 |
| QuickBooks | $1,380 | $264 | $1,644 | $137 | $13.70 |
| Rippling | $1,380 | $278 | $1,658 | $138 | $13.82 |
| ADP | $1,788 | $390 | $2,178 | $182 | $18.15 |
| DIY Payroll | $240 | $4,030 | $4,270 | $356 | $35.58 |
DIY includes software cost + time cost (26 runs x 3hrs x $50/hr) + penalty risk. Industry complexity multiplier: 1x.
Cheapest Option
OnPay
$1,526/yr
$127/month
Best Value (All-Inclusive)
OnPay
$1,526/yr
Lowest hidden fee exposure
DIY Comparison
DIY Payroll
$4,270/yr
$2,744 more than OnPay
Methodology
Subscription Cost
Based on published 2026 pricing: base fee + per-employee fee, calculated monthly then annualized. Paychex uses per-run pricing ($5/employee/run) when per-run model is indicated; otherwise flat monthly fee.
Hidden Fee Estimates
Each provider has an estimated hidden fee rate (6% to 14% of subscription) based on typical W-2 processing, price increases, and miscellaneous fees. Off-cycle runs estimated at $30 each. State registration at $35 per additional state. W-2 processing at $5 per employee.
Industry Multiplier
Construction (1.4x), Restaurant (1.25x), Healthcare (1.2x), Nonprofit (1.15x), Retail (1.1x) reflect the higher-tier plans and compliance features typically required. Standard/Professional services use 1.0x (baseline).
DIY Cost
Software cost ($0 to $30/month based on employee count) + time cost (runs per year x hours per run x your hourly rate) + probability-adjusted IRS penalty risk ($85 to $170/year). Industry multiplier applies to total.
Add-on Estimates
Benefits administration estimated at $4/employee/month. Time tracking estimated at $3/employee/month. These are average add-on costs across providers that do not include these features in their base tier.
Next Steps
Compare Providers
Detailed profiles, strengths, and weaknesses of all 6 providers.
Cost by Size
What businesses your size typically pay and which features matter.
Cost by Industry
Industry-specific complexity factors and provider recommendations.
Hidden Fees
All 9 hidden fees with severity ratings and avoidance strategies.
DIY vs Outsourced
Detailed breakdown of when DIY makes sense and when it does not.
Switching Guide
12-step guide to switching providers with data migration checklist.