Is SurePayroll worth it for a business with only one employee?

Yes. SurePayroll's pricing is designed to be affordable even for businesses with a single employee. Full-Service Payroll starts at $29 + $7 = $36/month for one employee. That covers unlimited payroll runs, automatic tax filing, direct deposit, and W-2 at year-end — all handled for you.

How does SurePayroll handle payroll taxes for a one-employee business?

SurePayroll calculates, withholds, deposits, and files all required payroll taxes — Social Security, Medicare, federal income tax withholding, FUTA, and state equivalents — automatically under the Full-Service plan. You don't need to track tax deadlines or submit payments yourself.

Can I run payroll for just one employee from my phone?

Yes. SurePayroll's mobile app lets you review and approve payroll from your phone. You can set up auto-payroll so your one employee is paid automatically each period without you needing to log in.

What does SurePayroll include for businesses with one employee?

All SurePayroll plans include unlimited payroll runs, free 2-day direct deposit, online pay stubs, year-end W-2 generation, and award-winning customer service. The Full-Service plan adds automatic tax filing and deposits.

Does SurePayroll work if my one employee lives in a different state than my business?

Yes. SurePayroll supports employees working in states different from the business's home state. The system automatically applies the correct state income tax withholding and state unemployment taxes for the employee's work state.

Payroll for One Employee

Pay yourself The Right Way

Whether you're an S-corp owner-employee paying yourself a W-2 salary or bringing on your first employee, running payroll correctly matters.

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SurePayroll® By Paychex is full-service payroll and tax filing built for small business owners.

Get started

Reliable payroll.
Built for one employee.

Set up in once. Run on your schedule.

Add your business information, your pay details, and your bank account — you can be ready to run payroll in under an hour. Set your pay schedule and run when you're ready.

Payroll taxes calculated, withheld , and filed

Federal and state payroll taxes are calculated on every run, withheld from each paycheck, and filed with the right agencies on the right schedule.

Full service payroll for one employee

Direct deposit, pay stubs, new hire reporting, and year-end W-2s — everything a one-employee payroll needs, in one service.

Payroll for as little as $1 per day

Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.

Payroll for as little as $1 per day

Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.

Pay yourself without the guesswork

You’re the owner, the employee, and the payroll department. Withholdings, taxes, forms, deadlines: every detail lands on you.

Here’s what self-employed payroll involves:

Active S-corp owners are required to run payroll

The IRS requires active S-corp owner-employees to pay themselves a reasonable W-2 salary and run payroll on a consistent schedule, with correct withholding every time.

Payroll errors are easy to make, costly to fix

A miscalculated withholding, a missed deposit deadline, or a late filing can mean IRS letters, penalties, and hours spent fixing something that didn’t have to go wrong.

You don't have time to be the payroll department

You’re running the business. Tracking payroll tax deadlines, calculating withholding, and staying current on filing requirements is a job in itself.

Payroll taxes mean multiple calculations and schedules

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state withholding: each has its own rate and deposit frequency. One employee, four tax types, and a filing calendar that doesn’t bend.

One employee means a full tax filing calendar

Quarterly 941s, annual 940, state wage reports, year-end W-2s: the payroll tax filing calendar for a single-employee business is real.

New hire reporting is a legal requirement

Add even one employee (including yourself) and you’re required to report that hire to your state within 20 days of the start date.

Built for one-employee businesses

You run your business. We power payroll.

Full-service payroll for one employee includes payroll taxes, tax filings, direct deposit, and pay stubs — all in one place. Set your pay schedule, run when you’re ready. Enable auto-payroll and payroll runs on your schedule.

Click. Run. Done.

OUR CLIENTS SAY

“Starting payroll was absolutely seamless. The onboarding support and ease of use made this a wonderful decision for my business.”

Jordan T.

Founder, marketing agency

“I like knowing we can count on SurePayroll to take care of our payroll details. It means we can concentrate on our business, not payroll.”

Dave

Oakos Automotive

“SurePayroll has been key to our growth. Our success really comes down to the Reseller Program.”

Matt

CPA

Pay yourself in under a minute

Payroll should just work. So we make sure it does.

Unlimited, fast payroll runs

Run payroll as many times as you need. There’s no extra charge for off-cycle runs.

Free direct deposit & automatic payroll scheduling

Your team gets paid on time, every time. No manual runs required.

Reports and paystubs online 24/7

Every record your team needs is a click away.

Payroll taxes filed and deposited—automatically

We calculate, file, and back it up.

+25

YEARS

Trusted by small business owners across the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need to do payroll if it’s just me?

Yes, if you've elected S-corp status for your business, the IRS requires that active owner-employees pay themselves a reasonable W-2 salary through payroll. That means running regular payroll, withholding the right federal and state taxes, and filing on schedule, regardless of whether you have other employees.

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If your business is structured as an LLC or sole proprietorship without an S-corp election, payroll may not be required for how you pay yourself. But if you're bringing on even one W-2 employee, payroll is required for that person.

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Either way, if you're asking the question, it's worth confirming your setup with your accountant or tax advisor, especially if you've recently elected S-corp status or taken on your first hire.

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Do I need a payroll company for one employee?

You're not legally required to use payroll software, but doing payroll manually may create more risk than it saves in cost.

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A full-service payroll service for one employee typically includes payroll tax calculations, direct deposit, pay stubs, new hire reporting, and quarterly and annual tax filings. Doing all of that by hand means tracking multiple deadlines, calculating withholding correctly for each run, and staying current on state and federal requirements.

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For a single-employee business, a payroll service like SurePayroll starts at $29/month plus $7 per employee — covering the full-service payroll process from run to tax filing.

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How much is payroll service for one employee?

Online payroll providers generally charge a base service fee plus a per-employee charge.

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SurePayroll offers two plans for one-employee businesses:

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Full Service: $29/month base + $7/month per employee. Includes payroll tax calculations, federal and state tax filings (quarterly and annual), direct deposit, pay stubs, and new hire reporting.

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No Tax Filing: $20/month base + $4/month per employee. Covers payroll processing and direct deposit. You're responsible for filing your own payroll taxes.

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Can I use SurePayroll for one employee payroll?

Yes. SurePayroll is designed for small business owners running payroll for one employee, including business owners who are the only employee. The payroll software supports businesses with one W-2 employee, whether that’s you as an S-corp owner or your first hire.

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With SurePayroll, you can run payroll in minutes, pay by direct deposit, generate pay stubs, and run payroll on a schedule that works for your business. The Full Service plan includes payroll tax calculations and all required tax filings.

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What is the best payroll for one employee?

For a one-employee business, the best payroll service depends on whether you need full tax filing support or just payroll processing.

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If you're an S-corp owner paying yourself — or a small business owner with one employee — the main factors to evaluate are: whether payroll taxes are calculated and filed for you, what the per-run and monthly cost is, how easy the setup process is, and whether the service covers new hire reporting and year-end W-2s.

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Well-known payroll services for one employee include Gusto, OnPay, and QuickBooks Online, along with SurePayroll . Each offers payroll services at different price points and feature sets.

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SurePayroll starts at $29/month for full-service payroll — including federal and state tax filings, direct deposit, pay stubs, and new hire reporting. For S-corp owners specifically, the service is designed around the payroll requirements that come with that business structure: consistent pay schedule, correct withholding, and quarterly filings.

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A one-employee payroll service should make the process straightforward so you can run payroll on your schedule and know your tax obligations are submitted on schedule.

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