Productivity & Business · Finance, Billing & Accounting

Zoho Payroll

Zoho's cloud payroll software for US small businesses, with automatic tax filing, direct deposit and an employee portal.

Our take: Zoho Payroll does the US basics on both plans, including automatic tax filing and direct deposit, and the prices are on the page rather than behind a sales call.

Best forUS small-business payroll

ReviewedOct 2026Free Trial

6.95 criteria · see breakdown

Try Zoho$29/mo + $5/employee, billed yearly

Zoho Payroll is Zoho's payroll software for US small businesses, with automatic tax filing, direct deposit and an employee app. There is no free plan in the US; Standard costs $29 a month plus $5 per employee billed yearly, after a 14-day free trial.

The bottom line

Published, per-employee US payroll pricing with tax filing included; no US free plan.

Our score

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team. Hover a facet to focus it; click to pin.Tap a facet to focus it.

Community ratings

Shown for context only. Our score is independent.

Capterra

3.7

10+ reviews

3.7 / 5 aggregate · across 1 source

Third-party ratings shown verbatim; aggregate weighted by review volume.

What it is, and why we rate it

One line each. Open a row for detail.

What it really isZoho's payroll app, sold in separate US, Canada, India and Gulf editions.

Our takeZoho Payroll does the US basics on both plans, including automatic tax filing and direct deposit, and the prices are on the page rather than behind a sales call.

Budget for the per-event fees and check how many states your staff work in, because multi-state payroll means the Professional plan. It fits best if you already keep your books in Zoho Books.

Why we rate itPublic prices, tax filing on both plans and a native link to Zoho Books.

The catchNo US free plan, multi-state payroll only on Professional, and per-event fees for wires, failed payments and amended filings.

Best / not good for

Best for

US small businesses
Zoho Books users
Single-state employers on a budget

Not good for

US businesses wanting a free payroll plan
Multi-state teams on the entry plan

Trade-offs

Friction report

Trade-offs to know before signing up.

Time to value
Days: company, tax and bank details must be set up and verified before the first pay run.
Scale breakpoint
Staff in a second state forces the move from Standard to Professional.
Walled garden
Moderate: deepest integration is with Zoho Books and other Zoho apps.

Still a fit?

If none of these block you, try it on the official site.

Try Zoho

Zoho Payroll US pricing

Plan	Billed yearly	Billed monthly	Key difference
Standard	$29/month + $5 per employee	$39/month + $6 per employee	Single-state payroll, tax filing, direct deposit, employee portal
Professional	$49/month + $7 per employee	$59/month + $8.50 per employee	Adds multi-state payroll, bonus runs, pay run approvals, custom roles
Free trial	$0 for 14 days	-	All features, no credit card

From Zoho's pricing page, checked 4 October 2026. Base fees are per organization. Zoho's India edition has a separate free plan for up to 10 employees.

Zoho Payroll extra fees

Service	Fee
Next-day processing	$3 per employee
Form W-2 postal delivery	$3 per employee
Wire transfer	$10 per transfer
Amended tax return	$150 per filing
Delayed tax filing	$150 per filing
Employer fund transfer failure	$100 per return
Failed employee payment	$8 per employee

From Zoho's pricing page, checked 4 October 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zoho Payroll free?

Not in the US. The US edition has a 14-day free trial with all features and no credit card, then you need a paid plan. Zoho's India edition does have a free plan for up to 10 employees (checked 4 October 2026).

How much does Zoho Payroll cost?

In the US, Standard costs $29 a month per organization plus $5 per employee billed yearly, or $39 plus $6 billed monthly. Professional costs $49 plus $7 per employee billed yearly, or $59 plus $8.50 billed monthly (checked 4 October 2026).

Does Zoho Payroll support employees in multiple states?

Yes, on the Professional plan. Standard covers single-state payroll in any of the 50 states; multi-state payroll is listed only under Professional.

Are there extra fees beyond the plan price?

Yes. Zoho lists $3 per employee for next-day processing and for W-2 postal delivery, $10 per wire transfer, $150 per amended or delayed tax filing, $100 per failed employer fund transfer and $8 per failed employee payment (checked 4 October 2026).

Is Zoho Payroll any good?

It covers the core US payroll jobs, including automatic tax filing, on both plans, and the prices are public. It suits small teams, especially Zoho Books users. Check whether you need multi-state payroll, since that means the Professional plan.

How do I log in to Zoho Payroll?

Conversion Gems is a review site, not Zoho. Employers sign in through Zoho Accounts at accounts.zoho.com/signin?servicename=ZohoPayroll. Employees can use the Zoho Payroll Employee Portal app on iOS or Android.

Zoho Payroll alternatives

Other payroll and HR tools from our reviews:

Showing 1–3 of 4

Sources checked October 4, 2026: Zoho Payroll US pricing, Zoho Payroll US, Zoho Payroll subscriptions (help), Accessing Zoho Payroll (help), Zoho Payroll India pricing.

Conversion Gems independently reviews every tool.