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Paid plans start at $25/mo.
QuickBooks Online Payroll starts at $25 per month for Contractor Payments, which covers up to 20 contractors. Employee payroll starts at $50 per month plus $7 per employee on QuickBooks Workforce Payroll; Premium is $88 plus $13 per employee, and Elite is $134 plus $17. Those employee-plan base prices are discounted for the first three months. Plans include a 30-day free trial, but annual billing prices are not published.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Workforce Payroll | — | $50 | Small businesses running employee payroll |
| QuickBooks Workforce Premium | — | $88 | Businesses needing payroll and HR workflows |
| QuickBooks Workforce Elite | — | $134 | Businesses needing payroll tax protection |
| QuickBooks Contractor Payments | — | $25 | Businesses paying independent contractors |
Add-ons and overages
- Payroll introductory base prices for the first 3 months: Workforce Payroll $25 / month, Premium $44 / month, Elite $67 / month; per-employee fees still apply.
- Contractor Payments introductory price: $12.50 / month for the first 3 months.
- Multi-state filing: $12 / month per additional state; included in Elite base fee.
- Checkr background checks start at $29.99 per report.
- Benefits administration, health insurance, 401(k), and workers’ compensation have separate fees.
- Standalone 1099 E-File: minimum $14.99 for 3 forms; forms 4–20 cost $3.99 each; 21+ are free.
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Per-employee fees
Workforce Payroll adds $7 per employee monthly; Premium adds $13 and Elite adds $17, on top of each plan’s base price.
Introductory prices expire
Workforce base prices are discounted for the first three months: $25, $44, and $67 monthly. Per-employee fees still apply.
Multi-state filing
Additional states cost $12 per month each, except the fee is included in Elite’s base price.
Optional services cost extra
Benefits, health insurance, 401(k), and workers’ compensation have separate fees. Checkr reports start at $29.99 per background-check report.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small teams paying employees | QuickBooks Workforce Payroll | The lowest-priced employee plan: $50 monthly plus $7 per employee, with unlimited payroll runs. |
| Businesses needing HR workflows | QuickBooks Workforce Premium | Costs $88 monthly plus $13 per employee and includes up to five automated HR workflows. |
| Businesses prioritizing tax protection | QuickBooks Workforce Elite | Costs $134 monthly plus $17 per employee, with unlimited HR workflow configurations and up to $25,000 annual tax penalty protection. |
04Is QuickBooks Online Payroll worth the money?
QuickBooks Online Payroll makes the clearest case for businesses that want payroll alongside QuickBooks accounting records, with payroll schedules, tax filing, and AI-assisted pay-run preparation. But the headline base prices understate employee-plan costs because per-person fees are added, and annual billing prices are not published. Elite’s tax penalty protection is capped at $25,000 annually. The review verdict also flags reported issues, so the feature set alone is not a reason to switch.
QuickBooks Online Payroll pricing FAQ
How much does QuickBooks Online cost per year?
Annual billing prices for QuickBooks Online Payroll are not published in the pricing details reviewed here. The listed prices are monthly, and introductory discounts apply to employee-plan base prices for the first three months. Remember that Workforce Payroll, Premium, and Elite also charge monthly per-employee fees.
What is the best payroll software for small businesses?
There is no single best choice for every small business. QuickBooks Online Payroll may suit businesses that want payroll connected to QuickBooks accounting records. Its Workforce Payroll plan starts at $50 per month plus $7 per employee, so compare the full per-person cost and features with your needs.
How can I get support for QuickBooks payroll?
The published pricing details do not specify QuickBooks payroll support channels, availability, or response times. Check QuickBooks’ current support information before buying if support access is important to your decision; the pricing page alone does not establish what help is included with each plan.
What are the four types of payroll?
The published product information does not define four types of payroll. It describes employee payroll, contractor payments, scheduled paydays, and payroll tax filing as supported tasks. Those are product capabilities, not a published four-part classification, so the answer depends on how the question is using “types.”