See why experts — and our clients — say OnPay is the best.
Media outlets and publications agree: OnPay gets top marks for setting a higher standard for small business payroll.
PCMAG
CNBC
BUSINESS.COM
THE ASCENT BY MOTLEY FOOL
FORTUNE
“OnPay is one of the best payroll services, enabling managers to create comprehensive employee records and run unlimited payrolls each month.”
“OnPay packs all of the payroll features you business could need into a simple platform at an affordable price.”
“With OnPay, you get access to all of the tools for the same price, and its cloud-hosted software is simple to use. Payroll can be complete in minutes, and the software’s interface is clearly labeled, making it easy to understand and learn.”
Experts say: “OnPay is optimally designed for small businesses, though the application can scale up nicely for mid-sized businesses as well.” It’s just one of the reasons that OnPay was recognized among the best payroll software for small businesses in 2022 by The Ascent, a Motley Fool service.
“OnPay tops our list of best payroll service companies because of its abundance of features, competitive pricing, and a generous 30-day free trial.”
Thousands of small businesses count on OnPay to run payroll and simplify back office tasks. Read on for first-hand user reviews that OnPay clients have shared across software review sites.
from Capterra, G2, and TrustPilot.
Updated as of May 12, 2025
"There's a clear layout and access to clear reporting trends, which I wasn't expecting with a smaller company. Their mobile site is also very much on point, and I find it easy to run payroll even when I'm not around."
– Nicolai S.
"I love that my employees are notified when the payroll has been processed. They can go to their portal and review any details once the notification has been issued."
– Melissa D.
"OnPay does a better job of processing payroll than I can. It simplifies the process, never misses filing deadlines, and the reports are easy to access. It is easy to set up and make employee changes on the fly."
– Susan M.
"I've been using OnPay for a few years now, and I love that they don't just bring you in on special pricing and then gradually raise your fees. They offer very fair pricing, and they don't "nickel and dime" you for end-of-year reports etc."
– John D.
"It's web-based so I can access it from anywhere. This is a big benefit as I'm not always at the shop when I need to add an employee or check out if someone has PTO or something to that effect. The price is fantastic, and the support has been superb."
– Will C.
"OnPay is easy to use. Customer support is great. I like all the features offered, and it's easy to set up new contractors."
– Lori M.
"I like that OnPay is all-inclusive. We don't need to jump around to different softwares for various services."
– JoAnn L.
"OnPay has made payroll the easiest task I have to do. Once you're set-up, changes are simple and easy to figure out with no additional help. If you do need help, their articles are super informative."
– Barbara
"Easy to onboard new employees and customize pay types and rates. I like that there are several add-ons. We use them to manage our 401(k) and they also have HR and other features."
– Susan V.
"It's web-based so I can access it from anywhere. This is a big benefit as I'm not always at the shop when I need to add an employee or check out if someone has PTO or something to that effect. The price is fantastic, and the support has been superb."
– Will C.
"OnPay stays on top of details. They have good internal controls that allow them to identify situations that arise before we reach out — which makes running payroll that much easier for everyone!"
– Amy K.
“Every time I have a question, there's someone available. The entire support staff is extremely knowledgeable but when I have a question they don't immediately have an answer to, they say that & then get back to me. I can't ask for more!”
– Heather M.
“Processing varied payrolls has been a breeze, including special payments and withholdings. Ease and speed of use is key, matched by the simple fact that it works the way you hope it would work.”
– Doug S.
“OnPay uploads general ledger entries to QuickBooks, our 401(k), and easily allows employees to make their own changes and view their payroll history. It notifies them when the direct deposit has been done. So far, the support has been great.“
– Janice M.
“The usability is the best I've seen. OnPay is proof that payroll doesn't need to be stressful. They made the transition from one payroll platform to theirs easy and seamless.”
– Sara E.
“The best part about OnPay for us is not only the ease of use, but the ability to set up [payroll] so it maps to Quickbooks Online — so we don't have to make any adjustments later.”
– David P.
"The chat function at OnPay helps me get payroll right. With the crazy rules around FFCRA, OnPay was there to help me get everything sorted out before submitting payroll, avoiding costly mistakes. They are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly."
– Martin
“Their online platform is easy to use and navigate. I was looking for a payroll service that takes care of all of our tax filings, and OnPay provides everything I need.”
– Susan N.
“OnPay has been a huge time saver! The platform is extremely user-friendly and easy to use. I’m able to do my payroll and onboarding in minutes. We’re incredibly happy with OnPay!”
– Vanessa T.
"OnPay is simple, accurate, and cost-efficient for payroll processing and handling taxes. It saves me time and money versus doing it myself or asking my CPA or accountant to do it."
– Bill G.
“We also implemented a workers’ comp system that integrates seamlessly with OnPay. There's no annual deposit or reconciliation at the end of the year because it's all handled week by week.”
– Steve H.
"Reporting has been easy to use. I also like their price structure of a base then as you go with the number of employees you have since my business is highly part-time and seasonal."
– Denise
"I have been using OnPay since January, and it is a great alternative to bigger payroll companies. I was able to set up my 401(k) and medical deductions right through the portal. It also calculates your company 401(k) match."
– Tari M.
I'm a one-man LLC and was kind of lost when it came to payroll and taxation issues. Thank goodness I found OnPay. They're like having an in-house payroll manager. I get email reminders of when to visit the website and run my semi-month payroll. I could issue myself a check, as my agency's only employee, but OnPay conveniently makes an ACH deposit."
– Jeff D.
"The price was also reasonable with a one-month free trial and no implementation fees. I was looking for a payroll service that takes care of all of our tax filings, and OnPay provides everything I needed."
– Susan N.
"OnPay offered us the most comprehensive package, and they've proven themselves time and again with customer service. We've had state tax issues that OnPay has navigated us through, and for every issue we've had, they've quickly replied and resolved the matter."
– Myron P.
"We searched high and low for a reasonably-priced payroll solution that would be easy to use, accessible from anywhere, and that would file all the necessary State and Federal payroll reports for us. We eventually found OnPay, and it has been excellent. We couldn't be happier with the software."
– Mary M.
"My overall experience has been excellent, and its consistently accurate and smooth functioning has given me a very high level of confidence that I have no worries about payroll issues. Processing varied payrolls has been a breeze, including special payments and withholdings."
– Doug S.
"I like that OnPay takes care of all my tax filings. I love the freedom of not worrying about them. If you have any questions, the online chat option is amazing, and they're always quick to reply."
– Dawn V.
"I have been working with OnPay for over six years now. They answer questions fast and help with any issue. They have a very knowledgeable staff and are always helping solve your issue or at least guiding you in the right direction. They are still nimble enough to make changes or customize your experience."
– Dominique F.
"The best part about OnPay for us is the ability to map items to Quickbooks Online, so we don't have to make any adjustments later. We also really like that liabilities are always balanced. We struggled with other software because there were always odd amounts of payroll liabilities hanging in the account all the time."
– David P.
"I have been working with OnPay for over six years now. They answer questions fast and help with any issue. They have a very knowledgeable staff and are always helping solve your issue or at least guiding you in the right direction. They are still nimble enough to make changes or customize your experience."
– Dominique F.
I don't have to be a payroll expert to use OnPay. It automatically files employment docs (like new hire forms and quarterly payroll tax returns). As a California business, I also like that it automates sick pay accrual for my part-time employees."
– Meghann S.
"The best part about OnPay for us is the ability to map items to Quickbooks Online, so we don't have to make any adjustments later. We also really like that liabilities are always balanced. We struggled with other software because there were always odd amounts of payroll liabilities hanging in the account all the time."
– David P.
"I like the ease of being able to enter weekly employee times, and OnPay takes care of everything else. I don't have to worry about quarterly or annual payroll tax reporting at all. I have never had any major issues and only had a few questions during setup and initial use."
– Jay T.
"We love OnPay. We switched from another provider last year, and it was so much better. Their customer service is the best of any business I've ever worked with. Their technology is top-notch as well. They have accommodated our growth at every step."
– Mark K.
"OnPay is extremely easy to use, extremely fast, and flexible. We use it weekly to handle our payroll needs. We pay staff by performance, so pay tends to change each week slightly. We simply set the number of hours they worked, and their pay is calculated instantly with proper deductions and all the complicated bits handled automatically."
– Steve H.
"I have done payroll for years, and OnPay takes the difficulty out of payroll! They handle all of the standardized Federal and State Reporting. Even during the pandemic, they were set up and ready to go for PPP and ERTC assistance. I confirmed the IRS requirements were met and just forwarded the reports to our CPAs."
– Dana S.
"The onboarding process has been easy with OnPay entering all of our employees, their deductions, previous checks, etc for us. My dedicated representative has been very patient and kind during the whole process and has answered all of my questions."
– Administrator in Medical Devices
"I like the fact that you can modify employee information, add/subtract new employees, and make changes in the middle of running a payroll. It is also helpful to have the ability to run as many payroll runs as needed. For instance, if you have an employee that forgot to add to their timesheet, you can go back and generate another payroll for that one employee with no additional charges."
– Mike G.
"OnPay has made doing payroll enjoyable. They are quick to answer questions or concerns. They do the filings for multiple states for the same price. They will even do the year-end reports like W-2s and W-3s. The ease of use is exceptional."
– Raquel A.
"Direct deposit for our employees is fantastic. Also, the reporting and automated tax filings are huge pluses. And if I mess up, OnPay is there for me!""
– Suzan A.
"OnPay is my favorite DIY (do-it-yourself) payroll provider. Support is solid. The pricing is great, and it's beautiful and really easy to work with."
– OnPay client
"OnPay is really easy to use. It has enabled us to categorize different departments of our organization in an easy and hassle-free way. The tool is really quick in terms of responsiveness which I really admire. OnPay has always been really helpful throughout we have been a customer. All our payroll-related queries are resolved with OnPay. All in all, this is one of my essential products for our company."
– Emir H.
"Very flexible full-service payroll solution. Great setup flexibility and OnPay handles all payroll tax filings and payments in a timely fashion."
– Chet King
"Running payroll with OnPay takes me less than 15 minutes. It integrates with Deputy, which we use for timesheet management, so we avoid data entry and the need to proactively ""export"" anything from Deputy."
– Audrey L.
"OnPay integrates with my accounting software, so everything flows smoothly, and whenever I have questions, they answer within 24 hours. On top of it all, their pricing can't be beat! I am very satisfied."
– Jose P.
"I have enjoyed using it [OnPay] overall. It speeds up payroll and alerts us with warnings when employees' pay varies since we have an employer with flexible schedules."
– Bethany C.
"We switched to OnPay, and the transition was very smooth. The staff guided us along the way. They were very available for any specific issues and questions. Our payroll service using OnPay has been nearly flawless."
– John V.
"OnPay was simple to switch to, saving us over $150 a month! I like everything about OnPay - including the simple interface to enter payroll. And it alerts me if I made a mistake."
– Angela J.
"Thanks to OnPay, I can now run all of my commissions once a week, which is considerably more convenient for both my clients and my team. After a lot of research, I settled on OnPay, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. It was smooth sailing all the way through the transfer they facilitated for me in the middle of last year."
– Sara B.
I am amazed at how easy OnPay is to use. The interface is well-designed and simple for anyone to pick up and run with.
– OnPay client
"Very flexible full-service payroll solution. Great setup flexibility and OnPay handles all payroll tax filings and payments in a timely fashion."
– Chet King
"OnPay sends invitations so employees and contractors can onboard themselves; it is easy to change pay rates or benefits for employees, and it's so great that OnPay handles all of my tax payments to four different states; end-of-year reporting is so simple, and employees can log in and see their forms without admin help."
– Laura S.
"OnPay is a good online payroll service. I like the recordkeeping and access to all taxes and payroll."
– Dr. Arthur A.
— Maggie, Iron Edison Battery
Try OnPay out yourself to see how easy payroll and HR can be. To get started, just share a few basic details about your business. Our team of pros will set everything up and import your employees’ information for you.
No! All of the reviews from expert publications are conducted independently, and every platform has its own evaluation criteria. All of the awards we have earned have been granted based on the assessment of independent reviewers.
OnPay is a cloud-based full-service payroll app that can run payroll according to a preset schedule, automatically disburse wages, and calculate and withhold taxes and filing tax forms. And beyond that, small businesses can use OnPay to simplify onboarding, employee management, and even benefits administration.
We’re not only legit, OnPay is a top-rated payroll software company, recently earning both a PCMag Editors’ Choice and a Forbes Advisor’s “best of 2023” recognition. We work with thousands of small businesses and accountants throughout the US.
Over 20,000 businesses — and growing — work with the OnPay team across the United States. Our clients represent almost every industry you can imagine, including non-profits, dental offices, agriculture, and physicians — just to name a few.
Jesse Burgess is the founder and CEO of OnPay. He built the company on the foundation of a long-standing payroll business, pivoting the focus towards offering online payroll services. With the aim of building the best-in-class payroll app for small businesses, OnPay was born.
Over 60% of businesses use online reviews to guide their decision-making before purchasing software, according to research by Gartner. It can be reassuring to know buyers with similar needs have had a good experience — so we hope these resources are helpful during your payroll software search.
Serving Clients for Over 30 Years
Insurance offered through OnPay Insurance Agency, LLC (CA License #0L29422)
