Get paid & keep the books

The best payroll software for trades

There is no single best payroll tool for every shop, so we rank these 4 tools five ways and show you what wins under each.

Who wins where

Does the most

Cheapest to run

Try before you buy

No lock-in

Fewest add-ons

Rank by

I want the tool that covers the most ground. Ranked by how many of this category's jobs the tool does out of the box. Features that cost extra count for less than ones that are included, and we do not reward a long feature list if half of it is an add-on.

1Gusto3 of 5 included outright, 2 sold as add-ons.Contractor Only $35/mo plus $6 each; Simple $49+$6, Plus $80+$12, Premium $180+$22Our review
2Patriot Payroll3 of 5 included outright, 2 sold as add-ons.Basic $17/mo plus $4 per worker paid; Full Service $37/mo plus $5 per worker
3QuickBooks Payroll3 of 5 included outright, 2 sold as add-ons.Workforce (Core) $50/mo plus $6.50 per employee; Premium $88+$10, Elite $134+$12Our review
–HomebaseNot enough researched detail to judge.Free for 1 location and 10 staff; Essentials $30/mo per location after thatOur review

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