Wave payroll pricing
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Prices re-confirmed on Wave's own page:
Note: These prices apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025.
Full product name: Wave Payroll
Key facts
- The cheapest Wave plan that files payroll taxes for you is the Wave Payroll (US) plan, at $40 a month plus $6 per employee, as of October 22, 2026 (Wave's prices apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025) (source: waveapps.com).
- For 5 employees in one state with payroll taxes filed for you, Wave costs $70 a month on its Wave Payroll (US) plan, as of October 22, 2026, ranking 5th among the 13 US payroll services we track that publish prices (Wave's prices apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025) (source: waveapps.com).
- For 10 employees in one state with payroll taxes filed for you, Wave costs $100 a month on its Wave Payroll (US) plan ($10 per employee), as of October 22, 2026 (Wave's prices apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025) (source: waveapps.com).
Wave plans
| Plan | Base / month | Per employee | Per contractor | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave Payroll (US) | $40 | $6 | $6 | — |
What you'd pay by team size
| Plan | 1 employee | 5 employees | 10 employees | 25 employees | 50 employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave Payroll (US) | $46 | $70 | $100 | $190 | $340 |
What each plan includes
| Feature | Wave Payroll (US) |
|---|---|
| Files and pays payroll taxes for you | ✓ |
| Pay W-2 employees | ✓ |
| Direct deposit | ✓ |
| Year-end W-2 and 1099 forms included | ✓ |
| Paid-time-off tracking | ✓ |
| Employee self-service portal or app | ✓ |
| Syncs with accounting software | ✓ |
Fine print
- Wave Payroll (US): Tax service states vs self-service states: Wave used to charge a higher base rate in 'tax service states' (where Wave pays and files payroll taxes) than in self-service states (where the business files itself). Wave's page now says this split ended: 'Prior to April 2, 2025, our tax service was not available in all US states.' and 'Now, Wave offers our tax service in all 50 US states, meaning the pricing is the same for all states.' So full-service-tax-filing applies in every US state for customers on current pricing ('Prices apply to new payroll customers who signed up after April 2, 2025.'). Tax service excludes 1099 filing: 'Wave will automatically transfer tax payments and file the paperwork with your state tax agency and the IRS (excluding 1099 filings)'. Wave pays contractors ('+ $6 per independent contractor paid') and generates 1099-NEC forms, but because it does not file 1099s, contractors-1099 is not listed. Year-end forms: 'Easily generate W-2 and W-3 and 1099-NEC' with 'No set-up fees or hidden charges.' Direct deposit: 'Unlimited free direct deposits' (no next-day/same-day wording). Leave: 'Track leave time and accruals required to process payroll.' Employee portal: 'Integrated employee portal for access to pay stubs, W-2s, and vacation leave'. Accounting integration is with Wave's own accounting ('Seamless integration with Wave's accounting software'), not QuickBooks/Xero. Footnote: '*In rare cases, tax payments may not be able to be automatically transferred.'
Tax filing coverage, in Wave's words: 'Now, Wave offers our tax service in all 50 US states, meaning the pricing is the same for all states.' Wave 'will automatically pay and file your state and federal payroll taxes' (excluding 1099 filings). Its payroll tax service terms exclude local taxes: 'This specifically excludes payroll tax returns for city, county and school district payroll taxes.'
Free trial: 30-day free trial: 'Upon processing your first payroll, you can use Wave Payroll for up to 30 days, commitment-free.' (tax filing unlocks when you activate billing)
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Sources we checked: Wave Payroll product page (monthly fee block, tax service FAQ, free trial FAQ) (checked 2026-10-22); Wave pricing page (payroll shown as add-on 'from $25/month' / 'from $40/month') (checked 2026-10-22); Wave Terms of Service for Payroll Tax Service (USA), effective August 16, 2021 (checked 2026-10-22)