Wave Payroll review

Wave Payroll is a payroll add-on for Wave's accounting software, priced at $40 per month plus $6 per active employee and $6 per independent contractor paid for customers who signed up after April 2, 2025. As part of its tax service, Wave transfers tax payments and files the paperwork with your state tax agency and the IRS, though 1099 filings are excluded, and Wave notes that in rare cases tax payments may not transfer automatically. Direct deposits are unlimited and free, and each pay run is recorded in your Wave books, with wage and tax payment reports for cash flow. Employees get a portal for pay stubs, W-2s and vacation leave, and Wave generates W-2, W-3 and 1099-NEC forms. Leave tracking and accruals are included. There is little in the way of benefits administration or HR tools, so it suits owners who already keep books in Wave and need straightforward paychecks. A 30-day free trial lets you test a pay run first.

Who it is for

Sole owners and very small teams already using Wave for bookkeeping.

Price

$40 per month base plus $6 per active employee and $6 per contractor paid; 30-day free trial.

$40 USD base fee + $6 per active employee + $6 per independent contractor paid
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 6, 2026.

Key features

• Tax payments transferred and filed with your state agency and the IRS
• Unlimited free direct deposits
• Payroll entries recorded in Wave accounting
• Employee portal for pay stubs, W-2s and leave balances
• W-2, W-3 and 1099-NEC generation

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Payroll lands in your Wave books automatically
• Strength: Unlimited direct deposits at no extra charge
• Strength: 30-day free trial
• Weakness: Tax service excludes 1099 filings
• Weakness: Few benefits or HR tools
• Weakness: Contractors cost the same $6 as employees

Key facts

• Starting price: $40 per month plus $6 per employee or contractor
• Free trial: 30 days
• Tax filing: State and IRS filings, excluding 1099s
• Direct deposits: Unlimited, free
• Accounting: Built into Wave

Where it ranks

Wave Payroll is No. 10 in our Best Payroll Software verdict.