OnPay vs Wave Payroll
A detailed comparison of OnPay and Wave Payroll. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and user ratings.
At a Glance
| OnPay | Wave Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $40/mo | $40/mo |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Free Plan | No | No |
| Features | 7 | 7 |
| Best For | SMB | SMB |
OnPay
Straightforward cloud payroll solution for small businesses with full-service payroll, automatic tax filing, HR tools, and benefits administration at a simple flat-rate monthly price.
Rating
4.8/5
Best for
SMB
Free trial
Yes
Free plan
No
Wave Payroll
Affordable payroll solution from Wave, designed for small businesses and freelancers already using Wave's free accounting software.
Rating
4.1/5
Best for
SMB
Free trial
Yes
Free plan
No
Feature Comparison
| Feature | OnPay | Wave Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | ||
| Reporting Dashboard | ||
| EEO/OFCCP Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliance | ||
| API Access | ||
| HRIS Integration | ||
| Mobile App |
Pricing Comparison
OnPay
Standard
$40/mo
Wave Payroll
Tax Service
$40/mo
Self Service
$20/mo
Integrations
Both tools integrate with
Gmail
Google Workspace
Zapier
Only OnPay
Outlook
QuickBooks
Xero
Pros & Cons
OnPay
Pros
- +Simple, transparent pricing ($40 base + $6/person)
- +Full-service payroll with tax filing
- +HR tools and benefits admin included
- +Excellent for small businesses under 50 employees
Cons
- -No time tracking built in
- -US-only payroll
- -Limited to smaller companies
- -Fewer integrations than Gusto or Rippling
Wave Payroll
Pros
- +Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
- +Affordable pricing for very small teams
- +Direct deposit and automatic payroll tax calculations
- +Simple interface designed for non-accountants
Cons
- -Full tax-service payroll limited to certain US states
- -No HR features — purely payroll
- -Fewer features than competitors like Gusto at a similar price point
- -No benefits administration
Which Should You Choose?
Choose OnPay if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • Higher user ratings matter to you (4.8 vs 4.1)
- • Simple, transparent pricing ($40 base + $6/person)
Choose Wave Payroll if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
How we evaluate tools
Our ratings combine verified user reviews from G2 and Capterra with hands-on feature analysis. Pricing is checked against official sources. We may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this never influences our rankings or recommendations. Read our full methodology.