HR & Payroll Pricing Comparison 2026
7 products · prices verified daily · ✓ AI-verified 77h ago
The cheapest hr & payroll in 2026 is Buddy Punch at $3.49/mo. We compared 7 hr & payroll products — Deel, Gusto, OnPay, Paychex, Buddy Punch, Rippling, BambooHR — with prices verified on April 21, 2026.
HR & Payroll in 2026: What the Data Shows
Market Overview
HR and payroll pricing in 2026 splits into two worlds: domestic US platforms (Gusto, OnPay, Paychex) and global platforms (Deel, Rippling). For a 20-person US team, costs range from $98.80/mo (Buddy Punch, time tracking only) to $300+/mo (BambooHR with payroll add-on). Gusto and OnPay charge identical rates: $49 base + $6/person. Paychex undercuts both at $39 + $5/person but strips features from its entry tier. The global side is more expensive by design — Deel's EOR service at $599/employee/mo and Rippling's quote-based pricing reflect the complexity of multi-country employment law. Deel disrupted the market with free HR for up to 200 people, making it the most generous free tier in any SaaS category we track.
Key Buying Criteria
Two questions determine your shortlist. First: do you hire internationally? If yes, only Deel and Rippling handle global payroll and contractor payments. Everyone else is US-only, and bolting a second platform onto your domestic payroll creates operational overhead. Second: what do you actually need? If it's just payroll and tax filing, OnPay's single $49 + $6/person plan covers everything with no upsells. If you need HR workflows (performance reviews, PTO management, onboarding), BambooHR and Rippling offer deeper tools. If you need time tracking for field workers, Buddy Punch's GPS and geofencing solve a specific problem no one else addresses. Also compare integration ecosystems: Rippling has 500+, Gusto has 250+, OnPay has just 40 — that gap matters if your accounting software needs to sync automatically.
Our Recommendation
For US-only companies under 50 people wanting hassle-free payroll, OnPay at $49 + $6/person is the honest choice — one plan, everything included, no upsell treadmill. Gusto matches OnPay's pricing and wins on benefits marketplace breadth if health insurance and 401(k) administration matter. For companies hiring their first international contractor or employee, Deel's free HR tier lets you start at $0 and add paid modules only when needed — the $49/contractor and $29/employee/mo global payroll are competitively priced. For companies over 50 people that want unified HR, IT, and finance, Rippling is the only platform that ties employee onboarding to laptop provisioning and app access in one workflow.
What to Watch Out For
BambooHR's flat $250/mo minimum for teams under 25 employees destroys its value for small companies — at 10 employees, you're paying $25/head for what should be an $8/head product. Gusto's jump from Simple ($6/person) to Plus ($12/person) doubles your per-head cost for features like PTO management that feel standard. Paychex Flex Essentials at $39 + $5/person looks cheap until you realize benefits admin, time tracking, and onboarding all require upgrading to Select (custom-priced). Rippling publishes zero pricing — you have to sit through a sales demo to learn what you'll pay. And Buddy Punch is a time tracker, not a payroll system — you still need Gusto or OnPay alongside it, so add both costs together when budgeting.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||||||
| Starting Price | $5/mo | $49/mo | $49/mo | $39/mo | $3.49/mo | Custom | Custom |
| Renewal Price | Same | Same | Same | Same | Same | -- | -- |
| Free Plan | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Free Trial | ✕ | ✕ | 30 days | ✕ | 14 days | ✕ | 7 days |
| Pricing Model | Per user | Per user | Per user | Per user | Per user | Per user | Per user |
| Plans | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | |
| Features | |||||||
| Payroll Processing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | Add-on |
| Tax Filing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | Add-on |
| Direct Deposit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | Add-on |
| Benefits Administration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Select+ | ✕ | ✓ | Add-on |
| Time Tracking | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | Select+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Employee Onboarding | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Select+ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Global Payroll | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Contractor Payments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Compliance Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | 100 | 250 | 40 | 80 | 30 | 500 | 125 |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| | | | | | | | |
How We Track Prices
Prices are scraped directly from vendor websites and verified against published pricing pages. We check for changes daily and update this page automatically when prices change. Last verified: 2026-04-21.
All prices shown are in USD, fetched and verified from United States-based servers. Prices in your region may differ due to local pricing, taxes, or currency conversion. We show the lowest available tier unless otherwise noted. Some products offer introductory pricing that increases on renewal — we show both where applicable.
Ad · We earn from affiliate links — you pay the same price. Rankings never influenced by commissions.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
See how hr & payroll products stack up against each other — plans, pricing, and features side by side.
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Explore Individual Product Pricing
Deep dive into each hr & payroll product — full plan breakdowns, renewal prices, features, and our editorial verdict.
More Ways to Explore HR & Payroll
Quick Pricing Summary
| Product | From | Free Plan | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3.49/mo | No | 7.8/10 | |
| $5/mo | No | 9/10 | |
| $39/mo | No | 7.8/10 | |
| $49/mo | No | 8.8/10 | |
| $49/mo | No | 8.5/10 | |
| Custom | No | 8.9/10 | |
| Custom | No | 8.3/10 |
HR & Payroll analysis on the StackScored blog
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the cheapest hr & payroll in 2026?
- Buddy Punch is the cheapest option starting at $3.49/mo. Prices are verified daily against the vendor's website.
- What's the average cost of hr & payroll?
- The average starting price across 7 hr & payroll products is $29/mo for the lowest paid tier.
- Which hr & payroll has the best value for money?
- Deel scores 9/10 in our analysis with plans starting at $5/mo, making it the highest-rated option in this category. Scores factor in pricing, features, and reliability.
- Do hr & payroll prices increase on renewal?
- Most hr & payroll providers lock in your rate for the initial term. We verify pricing daily and flag any renewal price increases the moment they appear. Check each product's pricing table for renewal details.
- What hidden costs should I watch for with hr & payroll?
- Common hidden costs include per-user fees (Deel, Gusto charge per seat), onboarding or setup fees, overage charges when you exceed plan limits, monthly billing premiums (annual plans save 15-40%). Our pricing tables show all tiers and per-unit costs so you can calculate your actual spend before signing up.
- How often do hr & payroll prices change?
- We verify hr & payroll pricing every 24 hours against each vendor's live pricing page. On average, SaaS providers adjust pricing 1-2 times per year. StackScored detects changes the same day they go live.
- Can I switch hr & payroll providers easily?
- Switching depends on data portability and contract terms. Most hr & payroll platforms offer data export, but migration complexity varies. Check each product's plan details for contract length — avoid annual commitments until you've tested the product. Several hr & payroll providers offer free trials to help you evaluate before committing.