Looking for clarification on QBO Payroll costs

Hello Nelsonjjr,

Thank you for connecting with the QuickBooks Community. This all depends on the QuickBooks Subscription you are looking for. For example, with QuickBooks Online Essentials, you have 3 billable users, but with Advanced, the limit increases to 25, which is already included with the subscription. So, if you need like 5 users, then QuickBooks Online Plus would be the option to go with. However, do note,  going from Enterprise to Online has some similarities and differences. I am adding this comparison chart to give you an idea of what to expect. 

• Comparison Chart

Please let me know if you have any other questions! I will be around to assist further. See you around. 

Apologies, I did not mean users as in end users- I meant employees a charge per month per user in the payroll system

Thank you for following up on this thread, @Nelsonjjr. I appreciate your interest in understanding QuickBooks payroll pricing. I'll ensure you have all the information you need to make the best choice for your business.

QuickBooks Online (QBO) Payroll charges a monthly fee per employee (active or on paid leave) in addition to the base subscription cost. The new pricing structure took effect on July 1, 2025, for new and client-billed subscriptions and on August 1, 2025, for accountant-billed subscriptions.

Here's a breakdown of the current pricing:

• QBO Payroll Core: $50/month base + $6.50/employee/month
• QBO Payroll Premium: $88/month base + $10/employee/month
• QBO Payroll Elite: $134/month base + $12/employee/month

I'd also recommend exploring the resources below, containing information about our current QBO Payroll offerings and their features:

• QuickBooks' Product Innovation and Pricing
• Conquer Payroll with Confidence

Understanding the monthly per-employee costs associated with QBO Payroll subscriptions should help you determine if the transition would be beneficial for your operations, @Nelsonjjr. If you have any further questions or need additional clarification, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below.

And just for final clarification this is NOT for Intuit to *do* our payroll, the fee is for using the service and doing payroll in house yes?

Yes, you're correct, Nelson.

QuickBooks Online (QBO) Payroll fee applies only to the subscription for using the service, whether you're handling payroll in-house or using payroll automation. However, the monthly fee per employee is in addition to the cost of your payroll subscription. It is separate from the payroll subscription itself.

To determine the best QuickBooks Payroll subscription for your business, we recommend taking some time to review the Payroll Services Plans & Pricing page, where you can compare the features and costs of the various plans available.

You can also contact QuickBooks Sales Support directly. They can help identify the best options for the specific needs of your business.

Please feel free to revisit this thread if you need further assistance. The Community team is always here to support you.