OnPay Review

There are a lot of payroll software applications on the market today that we have had the opportunity to review. Some are do-it-yourself applications that offer good payroll capability but place tax-filing responsibility squarely on your shoulders.

Other services offer Human Resources (HR) tools and multistate payroll, but those features typically come at an additional price.

That's not the case with OnPay. With OnPay's online payroll service, you can get the payroll features your small business needs for a single monthly fee.

Who is OnPay for?

OnPay (onpay overview) is optimally designed for small businesses, though the application can scale up nicely for mid-sized businesses as well.

OnPay offers a single plan, with all of the application's features available in that single plan, making it suitable for a staff of 10 or a staff of 50. OnPay also offers multistate payroll, so you can pay employees in more than one state at no additional charge.

OnPay is a better fit for businesses with a lot of hourly employees, since an auto-pay option is not offered in the application at this time.

OnPay's pricing

OnPay price structure is one of the most transparent in the industry. A monthly rate of $40 and a $6 per-employee rate, and that's it. You'll know upon sign-up exactly how much you'll be paying each month, and that will only change if you add or terminate an employee.

OnPay offers full-service payroll for one low price. Image source: Author

OnPay's ease of use

It is easy to run payroll with OnPay.

The application offers easy navigation from the user dashboard, displaying details about your team of employees, recent pay runs, the next scheduled pay run, and any important upcoming dates and outstanding employee offers in an easy-to-read format.

An employee search function is at the top of the screen, and the vertical menu to the left provides access to all system functions.

During the initial setup process, you can have OnPay enter your existing payroll data, or you can choose to complete the process yourself. OnPay can also assist you with importing existing data from another application if necessary.

To start a payroll run, just choose the employees you want to pay, then import hours from your time-tracking application (if you're using one) or enter the hours worked for each employee. If you're paying salaried employees or contractors, you won't have to enter any information, but you will have to enter hours worked for your hourly employees. When done, review the totals and approve the payroll.

New users shouldn't worry since all of the features and functions in OnPay are easy to find, but if you do get lost, just click on the question mark at the top of the screen to access the knowledge center.

Working with OnPay support

OnPay offers excellent support options, including free account migration and setup for new users. OnPay support can also help you set up integrations with third-party applications. When you do contact support, you can be confident in their ability, as they're trained by the American Payroll Association.

The software offers toll-free telephone support during regular business hours, as well as email and chat support. Emergency support is available on weekends, and the comprehensive knowledge center is accessible via the OnPay website or from within the application at any time.

If you ever decide it's not right for you, OnPay makes cancellation quick and easy. Just email or call OnPay support ([email protected], 877-328-6505) and let them know you'd like to cancel the service. It doesn't matter if you have a trial or a paid account; OnPay lets you cancel anytime with no penalties or fees.

Benefits of OnPay

There are plenty of benefits to using OnPay, starting with its transparent pricing. There are no hidden fees or extras attached. Another benefit is the ability to pay your employees how you want, when you want. You can have salaried employees and hourly employees, and you can assign multiple pay rates to your employees.

Using OnPay, you'll also have access to HR tools and resources as well as excellent product support -- all for one affordable fee.

Is OnPay the best choice for you?

Suitable for even the smallest business, we found in our review that OnPay (onpay overview) really shines for small and growing businesses with a high percentage of hourly employees or who have employees in multiple states. However, if the majority of your employees are salaried, you may benefit more from an application that includes an auto-payroll option.