Payroll AI -- For Small Business

Run payroll in minutes.
Stay compliant all year.

Payroll AI handles employee payments, tax filings, and compliance deadlines automatically. Built for businesses with 2 to 25 employees who want accurate payroll without a full-time HR department.

No credit card required
2-minute setup
Cancel anytime
Business owner reviewing payroll on a laptop
4.2 hrs
Average time small businesses spend on payroll each month
$2,800
Average IRS penalty for payroll tax errors
1 in 3
Small businesses hit with payroll penalties each year
18 min
Average Payroll AI run time, start to direct deposit

The problem

Payroll is eating your Sunday evenings -- and the penalties arrive anyway.

📅

Quarterly deadlines stack up

941, 940, W-2s, state unemployment filings, new hire reports. Miss one and the IRS sends a letter you will not enjoy opening. The calendar never stops moving.

🔢

Tax rates change every year

Social Security wage bases, state unemployment rates, local income tax tables -- the numbers shift annually and no one sends you a memo. Getting them wrong is your problem, not theirs.

Manual runs take hours

Spreadsheets, bank transfers, paper checks, employee reimbursements, paid time off balances. The system works until someone calls in sick on payday or the bank ACH window closes.

👥

New hires create paperwork avalanches

W-4, I-9, direct deposit forms, state new hire reporting, benefits enrollment. Every new employee is a small compliance project that lands entirely on you to manage.

Every payroll task -- automated, filed, done.

Payroll AI connects to your bank, knows your employee details, and handles the entire payroll cycle from calculation to compliance filing without you managing each step manually.

Payroll Processing

Automated pay runs

Set a schedule and Payroll AI runs payroll automatically each period. Hourly employees, salaried staff, contractors -- all handled correctly. Review and approve in under five minutes, or let it run fully automated.

Tax Filing

Federal and state filings handled

941 quarterly reports, 940 annual returns, state income tax withholding, and unemployment filings are calculated and submitted on time. You receive a confirmation email. No forms to print, no portal to log into.

Direct Deposit

Same-day and next-day deposits

Employees receive their net pay directly in their bank accounts. ACH transfers process automatically on schedule. No check printing, no trips to the bank, no manual transfers to track.

Year-End Compliance

W-2s and 1099s without the scramble

Payroll AI generates and e-files all W-2s and 1099-NEC forms for your employees and contractors. Employees access theirs through a self-service portal in January -- no paper mail required.

New Hire Reporting

Onboard new employees in 8 minutes

Digital W-4 and direct deposit collection sent straight to the employee's phone. State new hire reports filed automatically on your behalf. You add the name; the system handles the rest.

Time Off Tracking

PTO and sick leave, always current

Define your accrual policy once. Payroll AI tracks balances per employee, applies them automatically to pay runs, and alerts you when balances hit thresholds you define. No more manual spreadsheet updates.

Four steps from signup to first payroll run.

01

Connect your bank

Link your business checking account via secure Plaid integration. No routing numbers to enter manually. Takes three minutes and works with any US bank.

02

Add your employees

Import from a CSV or enter each employee directly. Payroll AI sends each employee a digital onboarding link so they complete their own W-4 and banking info from their phone.

03

Set your pay schedule

Weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly. Payroll AI learns your schedule and sends you a review reminder 48 hours before each run so nothing catches you off guard.

04

Approve and done

Review the run summary, confirm hours if needed, click Approve. Deposits process. Taxes are calculated, held, and filed automatically on deadline. You get a receipt.

Real owners

What business owners say after their first month

Small businesses in home services, retail, childcare, and professional services

"I used to do payroll on Sunday nights and dread it all day Sunday. Now I get an email on Friday saying payroll ran. That is the entire update. I do not think about it anymore."

Marcus R.
Marcus R.
Owner, 6-person HVAC company

"My accountant told me I had a 940 that was 11 days late last year. I paid the penalty and spent an afternoon filing paperwork I did not understand. That does not happen anymore."

Dana L.
Dana L.
Owner, childcare center with 11 staff

"Hiring my third employee used to feel overwhelming because of all the state paperwork. Now I just add them and they get a link on their phone. My part takes about two minutes."

Tom B.
Tom B.
Owner, landscaping company
Small business team at work
"The average small business owner spends 4.2 hours per month on payroll-related tasks. That is 50 hours a year that could be spent on customers, growth, or simply going home at a reasonable hour." National Small Business Association, 2024 Payroll Survey

Straightforward pricing. No per-filing fees.

Every plan includes full tax filing. No surprise charges when quarterly deadlines arrive and no add-ons to unlock the compliance features.

Starter
$49 / month

Up to 5 employees. Full payroll and federal tax filing included from day one.

  • Unlimited pay runs
  • Federal and state tax filings
  • Next-day direct deposit
  • Employee self-service portal
  • W-2 and 1099 preparation
  • New hire state reporting
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Business
$149 / month

Up to 25 employees. Multi-location, QuickBooks sync, and a dedicated account manager.

  • Everything in Growth
  • Multiple business locations
  • HR document storage
  • Custom payroll reports
  • QuickBooks and Xero sync
  • Dedicated account manager
  • Phone support
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Questions owners ask before switching

What if I already use QuickBooks for payroll?
Payroll AI syncs payroll journal entries to QuickBooks automatically after each run. Most businesses that switch keep QuickBooks for bookkeeping and let Payroll AI handle the compliance and tax filing work. QuickBooks payroll does not file state unemployment returns or handle IRS notices on your behalf.
Who handles it if the IRS sends a notice?
Growth and Business plans include IRS notice response for any notice related to filings processed through Payroll AI. Forward the notice to our team. We identify the cause, draft the response, and handle the correspondence. You receive a summary of what happened and what was resolved.
Can my employees see their own pay stubs and tax forms?
Yes. Each employee gets access to a self-service portal where they can view current and historical pay stubs, download their W-2 each January, update their direct deposit information, and track their PTO balance. They access it from any browser or phone without you setting anything up for them.
What states are supported?
All 50 states. Payroll AI handles state income tax withholding, state unemployment insurance filings, and local taxes where applicable. When you add an employee in a new state, the system automatically calculates and files the correct forms for that state. No configuration required from you.
How long does setup actually take?
Most businesses complete setup in one afternoon. The account setup and bank connection takes about 20 minutes. Adding employees depends on how many you have -- approximately 5 minutes per employee the first time. After that, new hires take around 8 minutes because the employee completes their own paperwork via the onboarding link you send them.
Is there a contract or cancellation fee?
No contract. Month-to-month billing. Cancel anytime from your account settings and your access continues until the end of your billing period. Your full payroll history and all tax filings remain available for download for 24 months after cancellation at no additional cost.
What if I have both employees and independent contractors?
Payroll AI handles both in the same platform. W-2 employees run through standard payroll with full tax withholding. 1099-NEC contractors receive direct payments with no tax withholding. At year-end, Payroll AI generates and e-files both form types automatically for everyone paid through the system.

Start your free trial today.

Run your first payroll free. No credit card required. Setup takes less than an afternoon and the first run shows you exactly what was filed and when.

Get Started Free

30-day free trial -- all features included -- cancel anytime