OnPayvsWave Payroll
Unbiased side-by-side comparison of verified reviews, user ratings, features, and pros/cons to help you decide which software fits your business needs.
Quick answer: OnPay vs Wave Payroll
In our 2026 comparison of OnPay and Wave Payroll, OnPay comes out ahead overall (weighted score 91% vs 29% for Wave Payroll). OnPay is rated 4.5/5 from 145 user reviews.
Last updated
| At a glance | OnPay | Wave Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Payroll Software | Payroll Software |
| User rating | 4.5/5 (145 reviews) | No reviews yet |
| Listed features | 11 | 5 |
| Integrations | 6 | — |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Web |
| Ease of use | 4.5/5 | — |
| Customer support | 4.5/5 | — |
OnPay
Starting Price
Paid
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
- Flat, transparent pricing covering unlimited payroll runs, W-2 and 1099 processing, and tax filings across all 50 states.
- Robust features for businesses with complex payroll needs including multi-state operations, tipped employees, and piece-rate pay.
- Includes HR resources, employee self-service portal, and PTO tracking at no additional cost.
Cons
- User interface is functional but less polished and modern than competitors like Gusto.
- Smaller brand with fewer third-party integrations compared to larger platforms like QuickBooks or ADP.
- Benefits administration requires working with own brokers rather than in-house benefits marketplace.
Wave Payroll
Starting Price
Contact Vendor
Community Pulse
Advanced Ratings
Pros
No pros extractedCons
No cons extractedProduct Overview
What each platform does and who it's for
Primary Category
The main classification for each product
Editorial Quality Rating
Independent expert panel ratings and quality validations
OnPay
Expert Score
Wave Payroll
Expert Score
Integration Ecosystem
Compare supported third-party apps and services
OnPay Integrations
Wave Payroll Integrations
No top integrations listed
Platform Support
Supported platforms across each product
OnPay
Wave Payroll
Sentiment & Feedback
Real-world pros and cons from verified users
OnPay Feedback
User sentiment analysis
- Flat, transparent pricing covering unlimited payroll runs, W-2 and 1099 processing, and tax filings across all 50 states.
- Robust features for businesses with complex payroll needs including multi-state operations, tipped employees, and piece-rate pay.
- Includes HR resources, employee self-service portal, and PTO tracking at no additional cost.
- No long-term contracts; month-to-month billing with easy cancellation and data export.
- User interface is functional but less polished and modern than competitors like Gusto.
- Smaller brand with fewer third-party integrations compared to larger platforms like QuickBooks or ADP.
- Benefits administration requires working with own brokers rather than in-house benefits marketplace.
Wave Payroll Feedback
User sentiment analysis
Feature Comparison
Detailed side-by-side capability checklist
OnPay
11/16 features
- API integrations
- Analytics reporting
- App Integrations
- Collaborative workflows
- Cross-device sync
- Security
- Security compliance
- Cloud access
- Team collaboration
- Time Tracking
- Multi-platform support
- Benefits Administration
- Cloud payroll
- HR tools
- Payroll
- Reporting & Analytics
Wave Payroll
5/16 features
- API integrations
- Analytics reporting
- App Integrations
- Collaborative workflows
- Cross-device sync
- Security
- Security compliance
- Cloud access
- Team collaboration
- Time Tracking
- Multi-platform support
- Benefits Administration
- Cloud payroll
- HR tools
- Payroll
- Reporting & Analytics
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Pricing & Plans
Compare plans, features, and starting points side-by-side
OnPay Pricing
Custom configurations tailored to your organization.
Wave Payroll Pricing
SUBSCRIPTIONLogin to see detailed pricing plans & tiers
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Community Intelligence
Real-time crowdsourced comparison feedback and buyer signals.
Community Matchup Voting
Real-time crowdsourced buyer signals
Community vs. Editorial Alignment
Agreement between algorithmic rating & user voting
OnPay
Calculated by features, pricing, support & ratings.
Awaiting Votes
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Which software did you choose?
Share your decision anonymously with the community
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Head-to-Head Winner Analysis
Data-backed performance comparisons across pricing, features, usability, and support
Matchup Scoreboard
At-a-glance scorecard results
Weighted Overall Scorecard
Normalized composite performance scores
Smart Recommendation Matrix
Head-to-head decision matrix based on your business workflow
- Users wanting a streamlined, user-friendly workspace interface
- Teams looking for native integration with core workflow tools
- Teams needing broad multi-platform accessibility across desktop, mobile, and web
- HR teams needing automated, compliant payroll processing with tax filing support
- Organizations looking for a reliable, verified Payroll Software solution
OnPay
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
OnPay wins overall with a weighted score of 91% based on user rating, pricing, features, usability, and support.
Comparable pricing accessibility (Contact Vendor (No Free Trial)).
OnPay lists the most features (11 features).
Not enough data on the other product(s) to rank this dimension fairly.
Not enough data on the other product(s) to rank this dimension fairly.
Widest platform availability (4 Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).
Wave Payroll
Dimension scorecard
Multi-Dimension Performance
Winner Breakdown & Analysis
Wave Payroll is a runner-up with a composite score of 29%.
Comparable pricing accessibility (SUBSCRIPTION (No Free Trial)).
Offers 5 features (fewer than the category leader).
No data available for this product on this dimension yet.
No data available for this product on this dimension yet.
Available on 1 Platform: Web, fewer than the leader.
Final Verdict:OnPay
OnPay scores higher across 4 of 11 key dimensions with a 62-point lead in our weighted analysis.
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Frequently asked questions: OnPay vs Wave Payroll
Which is better: OnPay or Wave Payroll?
OnPay scores higher across 4 of 11 key dimensions with a 62-point lead in our weighted analysis. The best choice still depends on your team's workflow, budget and required integrations — use the side-by-side sections above to check the details that matter to you.
How do users rate OnPay and Wave Payroll?
OnPay is rated 4.5/5 from 145 user reviews. Ratings come from approved user reviews on SoftwareHope.
Which platforms do OnPay and Wave Payroll support?
OnPay supports Windows, macOS, iOS and Android; Wave Payroll supports Web.
Most Helpful Reviews
Community-voted helpful feedback from verified users
Using OnPay saved our team significant time every week. Features run smoothly without lag or complicated setup steps.
Highly reliable software with excellent performance. An essential tool for professionals looking for efficiency and clean organization.
OnPay has been an outstanding addition to our daily workflow. The intuitive interface and fast processing speed make completing tasks effortless.
OnPay has been an outstanding addition to our daily workflow. The intuitive interface and fast processing speed make completing tasks effortless.
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Trending Software
Calculated via real engagement & conversions
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