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Best OnPay Alternatives — 7 Compared, With Free Tools (2026)

Explore 7 alternatives to OnPay — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

7 top-rated free OnPay alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Short on time? The best free alternatives to OnPay are Zenefits, QuickBooks Payroll and Justworks. Zenefits leads with a SpotScore of 9.5 and a 4.5★ rating. All 7 are compared on score, rating, and pricing below.

If OnPay is holding you back on price, features, or usability, you have real options. These 7 payroll software free alternatives are the strongest, ranked by SpotScore (real-user satisfaction and market presence combined), ratings, and pricing model. Our editors review each. Scan the table, then explore the detail for every pick.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
ZenefitsStreamline payroll and stay compliant with ease.9.5★★★★★ 4.5(545)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
QuickBooks PayrollStreamline your payroll process with ease.9.2★★★★☆ 4.4(56)Freefrom $49/mosmall businesses
JustworksEfficient payroll management on the go.9.2★★★★☆ 3.9(50)Freefrom $8 /user/monthteams of all sizes
SurePayrollEfficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.9.2★★★★★ 4.86(1436)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Square PayrollStreamline your payroll with ease.8.8★★★★★ 5(15)Freefrom $34 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Patriot PayrollEfficiently streamline your payroll process.8.8★★★★★ 4.87(3151)Freefrom $14/moteams of all sizes
MicrokeeperEfficiency meets affordability - simplify your payroll process.8.7★★★★★ 4.69(90)Freefrom $2.25 /User/Monthteams of all sizes

9.5

SpotScore

Zenefits - Payroll Software

Zenefits

Streamline payroll and stay compliant with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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4.5

545 verified reviews

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What is Zenefits?

Zenefits is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits administration platform for growing companies that want to consolidate onboarding, time-off tracking, payroll processing, and compliance management in a single system. It eliminates the common pattern of using separate tools for HR records, ...

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Zenefits offers custom pricing plan

9.2

SpotScore

QuickBooks Payroll - Payroll Software

QuickBooks Payroll

Streamline your payroll process with ease.

Best for: SMB teams

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4.4

56 verified reviews

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What is QuickBooks Payroll?

QuickBooks Payroll makes it easy to stay on top of your HR needs. It’s payroll software that gives you the power to handle all the payroll processing you need, from modeling an employee’s paycheck to tracking deductions and taxes. Whether you need a few employees or thousands, QuickBooks ...

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9.2

SpotScore

Justworks - Payroll Software

Justworks

Efficient payroll management on the go.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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3.9

50 verified reviews

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What is Justworks?

Justworks is payroll software that offers international payroll, payroll tax filing and realtime benefits administration. The Justworks app is a simple way for teams to bill their hours directly from their iPhone or Android devices. This mobile solution provides employees with a transparent ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

9.2

SpotScore

SurePayroll - Payroll Software

SurePayroll

Efficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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4.9

1436 verified reviews

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What is SurePayroll?

SurePayroll is a cloud-based, Payroll Software with Time Tracking Service. The software can be accessed from any device and is hosted by SurePayroll in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center for fast processing and performance.It automates most employee related tasks including accurate and ...

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Free Trial·

SurePayroll offers custom pricing plan

8.8

SpotScore

Square Payroll - Payroll Software

Square Payroll

Streamline your payroll with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

5.0

15 verified reviews

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What is Square Payroll?

Square Payroll is payroll software for small businesses and sole proprietors, particularly those already running payments or point-of-sale through Square's ecosystem. It automates pay runs, tax filings, and direct deposit, and pulls time tracking data directly from Square tools to eliminate ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

8.8

SpotScore

Patriot Payroll - Payroll Software

Patriot Payroll

Efficiently streamline your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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4.9

3151 verified reviews

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What is Patriot Payroll?

The Patriot's secure payroll solution is designed to lower the total cost of payroll administration, while helping you reduce your staffs' workload. With its fully integrated interface with Patriot's fund accounting and other core compliance solutions, Patriot Payroll Software automates the ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

8.7

SpotScore

Microkeeper - Payroll Software

Microkeeper

Efficiency meets affordability - simplify your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.7

90 verified reviews

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What is Microkeeper?

Microkeeper is a user-friendly payroll software that connects you with the world of business payroll processing: delivering quick online setup, automated time keeping and more. Payroll processing has never been easier or more affordable. Microkeeper gives you simplicity and convenience in ...

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OnPay competitors, compared

Across Payroll Software, 7 products compete directly with OnPay. The strongest overlap is with Zenefits, QuickBooks Payroll and Justworks. Each is compared against OnPay on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Sites and apps like OnPay

Searches for "sites like OnPay" and "apps like OnPay" land on the same shortlist as "OnPay alternatives" — the 7 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

Why each made the list

Zenefits9.5Best for small & mid-size businesses

Handles onboarding, offboarding, payroll, and benefits administration in one workflow, reducing paperwork.

Watch for: Customer support response times are slow, with limited availability during urgent situations.

QuickBooks Payroll9.2Best for small businesses

Automates tax filing, paycheck generation, and sends real-time notifications to reduce manual effort.

Watch for: Steeper pricing compared to alternative payroll systems, especially for smaller businesses or limited payroll needs.

Justworks9.2Best for teams of all sizes

International payroll capabilities

Watch for: Higher cost for small businesses

SurePayroll9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Payroll setup is quick, easy to use, and simplifies previously cumbersome tasks like tax deductions and filings.

Watch for: Occasional issues with missing payments or discrepancies that require follow-up.

Square Payroll8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Square Payroll integrates effortlessly with existing payroll providers, making it an ideal plug-and-play solution without the need for major system overhauls.

Watch for: While great for small businesses, it may lack some of the advanced reporting, analytics, or customization features needed by larger enterprises.

Patriot Payroll8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Very user-friendly software, making tasks straightforward and efficient for startups and small businesses.

Watch for: Occasional learning curve during setup or for newcomers, though consistently offset by good support.

Microkeeper8.7Best for teams of all sizes

Consolidates payroll, rosters, timesheets, and HR tasks into one platform.

Watch for: Occasional app or feature downtime causes minor disruptions.

Why teams look for a OnPay alternative

Most teams that replace OnPay do it to get past issues like these:

  • While great for SMBs, larger companies might find customization options less robust for complex payroll needs.
  • OnPay focuses on payroll and may require additional tools for functions like recruitment or performance management.
  • As a cloud-based solution, internet connectivity is required, which might be a constraint in certain environments.

What to keep in mind choosing a OnPay alternative

Here's how these 7 payroll software free alternatives stack up on the numbers: 7 offer a free tier; paid plans run $2.25–$49, with Microkeeper the cheapest entry point; and Square Payroll is the highest rated at 5★ across 15 reviews.

Our ranking method.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to OnPay are Square Payroll (5.0★), Patriot Payroll (4.9★), SurePayroll (4.9★). Compare all 7 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to OnPay, prioritize: Wage Garnishment, W-2 Preparation, Leave Tracking (Vacation), Self Service Portal, Multi-country, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

OnPay starts from $40 /Month. Many alternatives offer similar functionality at different price points — some with free tiers, others with more flexible per-seat pricing. Use the filters above to narrow by budget.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply OnPay is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

Picking the best OnPay alternative for your team

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Zenefits, QuickBooks Payroll and Justworks let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Square Payroll has the strongest star rating (5★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Zenefits has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.5) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to switch from OnPay

Switching from OnPay goes smoother with a plan. Start by exporting your data and making sure the new tool imports it cleanly. Confirm the workflows you rely on still work, run a small pilot first, and keep OnPay running until everything's moved. Most options above let you test free before you commit.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].