United States
Wave Payroll vs Zoho Payroll: payroll pricing
At 10 employees on each vendor's cheapest published plan, Zoho Payroll costs $99 a month and Wave Payroll costs $100 — a difference of $1 a month, or $12 a year.
That difference does not move with headcount. Both charge the same per employee, so Zoho Payroll stays $1 a month cheaper at 1 employee and at 250. The table below shows it flat.
| Vendor | Cheapest published plan | Monthly at 10 | Who it fits | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave Payroll | Wave Payroll (US) | $100 $10.00/employee | larger teams, because the per-employee fee is lower | Full figures See official pricing |
| Zoho Payroll | Standard | $99 $9.90/employee | smaller teams, because the base fee is lower | Full figures See official pricing |
| Neither, for now | — | — | you have not yet counted seasonal or part-time staff, or your headcount is about to change | Run your own number |
What changes the answer
- If you have fewer than 5 people, the base fee decides it. Zoho Payroll charges $39 against $40, and at that size the base fee is most of the bill.
- A stale figure for either vendor makes the comparison stale. Both were read on their own pricing pages and neither vendor tells us when they change. Confirm before you sign.
The same comparison at every size
| Vendor | 1 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 | 100 | 250 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave Payroll | $46 | $70 | $100 | $190 | $340 | $640 | $1,540 |
| Zoho Payroll | $45 | $69 | $99 | $189 | $339 | $639 | $1,539 |
| Difference | $1 | $1 | $1 | $1 | $1 | $1 | $1 |
Columns are employee counts. Scroll sideways on a phone.
No other adjustment is applied. We do not add estimated tax-filing fees, discounts, or promotional pricing. The full method is at Method.
What this comparison does not tell you
Price only. We have not used either product, so nothing here is a judgment about how well they run payroll, how good the support is, or whether the tax filings come out right. Two products at the same price are not the same product. Use this to rule options out on cost, then judge the rest somewhere that has actually used them.
Related
- Wave Payroll pricing in full
- Zoho Payroll pricing in full
- Other options besides Wave Payroll
- Put your own headcount in
Written by Kaz, independent publisher.
Page last updated: 2026-10-03. Sources: vendor pricing pages only. Figures checked between 2026-08-20 and 2026-10-03. I have not used these products. Nothing here is a personal test result.
Ranking method and formulas: Method. Listing position on this site is not for sale.
Corrections: contact form.