Wave Payroll pricing
Published pricing Verified . See the pricing page ↗
Wave publishes its prices. Wave Payroll already covers multi-state payroll. Enter your headcount to see which plan you'd be on and what you'd pay this year.
Plans
| Wave Payroll | |
|---|---|
| Base fee | $40/month source |
| Per employee | $6 per employee/month source |
| Per contractor | $6 per contractor/month source |
| Per payroll run | None source |
| Additional states | None source |
| W-2 forms | Included source |
| 1099 forms | Not published source |
| Monthly minimum | None source |
| One-time setup | $0 one-time source |
What's included on each plan
| Wave Payroll | |
|---|---|
| Employees in more than one state | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| 1099 contractor payments | Included |
| Files federal and state payroll taxes for you | Included |
| Time tracking | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| Health benefits administration | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| Workers comp administration | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| HR tools (documents, onboarding) | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| Next-day direct deposit | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| City or local payroll tax filing | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| Tipped employees | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
| Accountant access | Not stated on Wave's pricing page |
Worked examples
1 employee, 1 state
$552/year on Wave Payroll. Wave Payroll is Wave’s only plan.
5 employees, 1 state
$840/year on Wave Payroll. Wave Payroll is Wave’s only plan.
10 employees, 2 states
We can’t put a number on Wave for multi-state payroll. Their pricing page doesn’t say which plan includes that.
25 employees, 1 state
$2,280/year on Wave Payroll. Wave Payroll is Wave’s only plan.
Other payroll providers
Frequently asked questions
Does Wave publish its pricing?
Yes. Wave Wave Payroll: $40/month + $6 per employee/month. Every figure on this page links to the page it was read from and shows the date we last checked it.
What does Wave cost for a business with 5 employees?
About $840 a year on the Wave Payroll plan for 5 employees in one state paid biweekly, based on prices verified on October 22, 2026. Enter your own headcount in the calculator for a figure that matches your business.
Which Wave plan do I need?
It depends on what your business requires. Multi-state payroll, contractor payments, time tracking and similar needs are only on some tiers. The calculator picks the cheapest plan that meets your requirements and tells you which requirement ruled the others out.
US pricing; prices "apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025". Since that date the tax service covers "all 50 US states, meaning the pricing is the same for all states". Employees are billed per "active employee"; contractors only when paid. Wave files state and federal payroll taxes but not 1099s. Multi-state employees, local tax, deposit speed and the other capabilities are not addressed on the payroll page and are marked unknown pending a help-center pass.