Payroll pricing looks simple on the surface — a base fee plus a per-employee fee — but the real cost of ownership often includes more.
Typical pricing structure. Most providers charge a base monthly fee (commonly $30–$60) plus $4–$12 per employee per month. A 10-person business might expect to pay roughly $75–$150/month total, though this varies significantly by provider and features included.
Costs that aren’t always included in the base price:
- Year-end tax form filing (W-2s and 1099s)
- Multi-state payroll processing
- Same-day or next-day direct deposit (vs. standard 4-day)
- HR add-ons like onboarding or time tracking
- Setup or migration fees when switching providers
The cost of doing payroll manually. It’s worth comparing software cost against the real cost of DIY payroll: time spent (often 5+ hours a month), the risk of IRS penalties for filing errors, and the opportunity cost of an owner’s time being spent on payroll instead of the business.
What to ask before signing up: Is tax filing included? Is there a fee to add or remove employees mid-month? What happens if I need to run an off-cycle payroll?
Onyx pricing: transparent, flat-rate pricing with tax filing, direct deposit, and year-end forms included — no line-item surprises.
