Heartland Payroll vs OnPay Comparison
Heartland Payroll
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Medium Business
- Small Business
Heartland Payroll is a payroll management software for small and medium sized companies. It handles all your payroll processing requirements such as bi-weekly, monthly or yearly paychecks, cost accounting and tracking of…
OnPay
Starting at $40 /Month
- Free Trial
- Freelancers / Consultants
- Large Enterprises
OnPay is an intuitive online payroll software designed to meet the needs of supervisors, managers, payroll specialists and people who manage pay for hourly or salaried staff. OnPay helps companies of all sizes reduce cos…
OnPay leads on user satisfaction with a 5.0-star rating across 434 reviews.
Spotsaas Analysis
Heartland PayrollOnPay
The core difference between Heartland Payroll and OnPay lies in their target company sizes and complexity of payroll needs, with Heartland catering to small to mid-sized businesses and OnPay focusing on simpler payroll solutions for small businesses. Heartland Payroll is ideal for businesses with 20-500 employees in sectors like retail and healthcare, while OnPay is best suited for companies with 1-100 employees across various industries seeking straightforward payroll management.
- Best for small to mid-sized businesses - Supports 20-500 employees - Ideal for retail, hospitality, and healthcare sectors - Offers automated tax filings - Provides integrated payment processing - Strong customer support
- Best for small businesses - Supports 1-100 employees - Ideal for diverse industries including nonprofits and consulting - Simplifies payroll processing - Automates payroll calculations and tax filings - Excellent customer support
Heartland Payroll vs OnPay — at a glance
| Feature | Heartland Payroll | OnPay |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 |
| Reviews | 118 | 434 |
| Starting price | Contact for pricing | $40 /Month |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Free version | No | No |
| Best for | Medium Business, Small Business | Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business |
| Category | Payroll Software | Payroll Software |
| Integrations | — | 10+ apps |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud |
| API | — | — |
| Support modes | 24/7 (Live rep) | Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | — | SOC 2, GDPR |
| Data residency | US | US |
Key differences between Heartland Payroll and OnPay
- Pricing: OnPay starts at $40 /Month. Heartland Payroll pricing is not publicly listed.
- Free trial: OnPay offers a free trial; Heartland Payroll does not.
- Target audience: Heartland Payroll is built for Medium Business and Small Business, while OnPay targets Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises.
- User satisfaction: OnPay scores higher with a 5.0-star average.
- Deployment: Heartland Payroll supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; OnPay supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
Heartland Payroll vs OnPay — find the better fit before you commit.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Payroll Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Heartland Payroll vs OnPay: Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing streamlined payroll with strong support.
- You run a retail, hospitality, or healthcare business with 20-500 employees.
- You want automated tax filings and integrated payment processing to reduce manual work.
- You value responsive, knowledgeable payroll specialists for personalized customer support.
- Your company is a large enterprise with complex payroll needs requiring high customization.
- You need a highly customizable payroll entry and reporting system beyond standard options.
Best for small businesses seeking simple, automated payroll with excellent support.
- You run a small business with 1-100 employees needing straightforward payroll processing.
- You want to automate payroll calculations and tax filings to reduce errors and save time.
- You value exceptional, responsive customer service and easy integration with accounting tools.
- You are a large enterprise requiring complex payroll customizations and advanced features.
- You need an all-in-one HR platform including recruitment or performance management.
Heartland Payroll: Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing streamlined payroll with strong support. OnPay: Best for small businesses seeking simple, automated payroll with excellent support.
Description | Heartland Payroll is a payroll management software for small and medium sized companies. It handles all your payroll processing requirements such as bi-weekly, monthly or yearly paychecks, ... Read More about Heartland Payroll | OnPay is an intuitive online payroll software designed to meet the needs of supervisors, managers, payroll specialists and people who manage pay for hourly or salaried staff. OnPay helps ... Read More about OnPay |
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Entry Level Pricing |
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Free Trial Availability |
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SpotScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 8.7/10 | 9.4/10 |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||
Best Company Size | 20-50 employees51-500 employees | 1-100 employeesSmall Business |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Where each option fits best
See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.
Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.
Key strengths
- Integrated Payments & Payroll: Combines payroll with Heartland's payment processing, simplifying employee compensation and business transactions.
- Compliance & Tax Filing: Automates federal, state, and local tax filings, helping reduce compliance risks and administrative workload.
- User-Friendly Platform: Designed to simplify payroll with easy-to-use dashboards, direct deposit options, and responsive customer support.
- OnPay simplifies payroll processing, saving hours each week by automating calculations and filings—so you can focus on running your business.
- With a user-friendly interface and intuitive dashboards, your team can easily manage payroll, benefits, and taxes without needing extensive training.
- OnPay integrates smoothly with popular accounting tools, improving efficiency and eliminating manual data entry.
Best fit
- 20–500 employees
- Retail, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and small to mid-sized businesses
- Payroll Managers, HR Directors, Finance Officers, Business Owners, and Operations Managers
- 1-100 employees
- Healthcare, SaaS, Consulting, Professional Services, Nonprofits, Financial Services, Marketing Agencies
- HR Managers, Payroll Administrators, Office Managers, Finance Managers, Small Business Owners
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
- Businesses seeking deeper integration between payment processing and payroll may explore other all-in-one providers.
- Companies requiring advanced HR management, benefits administration, or time tracking may consider broader HCM platforms.
- Firms with multi-state or complex compliance needs might look for payroll solutions specializing in regulatory support.
- Users may explore alternatives if they require more advanced HR management features, such as extensive employee onboarding, robust benefit administration, or detailed performance tracking.
- Companies seeking greater scalability might prefer alternatives that easily accommodate rapid growth, complex payroll structures, or increased employee counts without compromising system performance.
- Businesses operating internationally or with global teams might consider alternatives offering broader international payroll support and compliance tools for multiple regions and currencies.
Software Demo
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How do Heartland Payroll and OnPay Compare on Features?
Total Features | 12 Features | 13 Features |
|---|---|---|
Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare Heartland Payroll and OnPay on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
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Pricing Page | Pricing information not available |  |
Heartland Payroll vs OnPay: Other Details
Organization Types supported |
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Platforms Supported |
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Modes of support |
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API Support |
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Heartland Payroll vs OnPay Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | — | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | ✗ No | ✗ No |
GDPR | — | ✓ Yes |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | — | ✓ Yes |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | — | ✓ Yes |
Data Encryption | — | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | — | ✓ Yes |
Data Residency | 🇺🇸 US | 🇺🇸 US |
Heartland Payroll User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | ||
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Rating Distribution | ||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Users appreciate the user-friendly platform and strong customer service but note onboarding challenges and portal access issues. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyers overwhelmingly praise OnPay for its ease of use, automation capabilities, and excellent customer support, especially among small businesses and nonprofits. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
| Negative Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
Integrations
Integration with other apps | No Integration information available. |
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Heartland Payroll and OnPay Customers
Customers | No Customers information available. |  BlueBird  Cartecay  Evergreen |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots | No screenshots available. |  7 Screenshots |
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Videos |  2 Videos |  3 Videos |
Top Alternatives to Heartland Payroll and OnPay in 2026
Alternatives |
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Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, Heartland Payroll or OnPay?
- OnPay edges out the other on user ratings (5.0 vs 4.6). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Heartland Payroll and OnPay offer a free trial?
- OnPay offers a free trial. Heartland Payroll does not.
- What is the starting price of Heartland Payroll vs OnPay?
- Heartland Payroll starts at Contact for pricing. OnPay starts at $40 /Month.
- What are the top alternatives to Heartland Payroll?
- Top alternatives to Heartland Payroll include QuickBooks Payroll, OnPay, Square Payroll, Patriot Payroll, SurePayroll.
- What are the top alternatives to OnPay?
- Top alternatives to OnPay include Square Payroll, APS Payroll, Heartland Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, Justworks.