Sheet 01 · Payroll
Run payroll yourself, or pay someone to run it?
Payday Compass weighs running payroll in-house against handing it to a payroll service or a PEO, for small US businesses: what an employer files and pays each period, what DIY payroll takes, and how services such as Gusto, OnPay and Patriot Software compare.
Start here
Begin with these pages
Payroll Obligations an Employer Cannot Hand Off (2026)
What payroll taxes am I responsible for as an employer?
Read the guide ExplainerWhat Does Running Payroll Actually Involve?
What payroll taxes am I responsible for as an employer?
Read the explainer ShortlistRun Payroll Yourself or Use a Service? (2026)
Should I run payroll myself or use a payroll service?
Read it How-toHow to Run Payroll Yourself Without Getting It Wrong (2026)
How do I set up payroll for my first employee?
Follow the steps ShortlistDIY Payroll When You Have One Employee (2026)
What's the best payroll service for a small business with one employee?
Read it Head to headGusto vs Patriot Software (2026)
What's the cheapest payroll software for a tiny business?
Read itThe route
Four legs to the decision
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What payroll actually involves
Withholding, filing schedules, state registration and the deadlines that come with each.
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Running it yourself
What the software costs, what it does not do for you, and where the liability sits.
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Handing it to a service
What a provider takes on, what stays your responsibility, and how pricing is structured.
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Making the call
Which way the trade-off leans as headcount, states and pay frequency change.
Margin notes
What this site is
Payroll for small US employers - the choice between running it in-house and paying someone to run it.
Nothing here is rated out of ten or sorted into tiers. Where a view is offered it is argued in words.
FUTA, FICA and the W-4 are defined in the payroll glossary, and the short answers are in the FAQ.
What readers ask
What this site answers
- What payroll taxes am I responsible for as an employer?Shortlist
- What's the best payroll software that handles state tax registration too?Shortlist
- What's the difference between a payroll service and a PEO for a growing small business?Alternatives
- How much do payroll services cost for very small businesses?Head to head
The index