Straightforward full-service payroll for small businesses. Scored on six weighted criteria following the HRCritic methodology.
SWOT analysis
Strengths
- Dependable across daily workflows, with only minor friction at the edges
- Straightforward full-service payroll for small businesses
- Year-end filing handled without a separate contractor
- Accurate pay runs and automated tax filing
Weaknesses
- One or two criteria — usually reporting depth or advanced automation — lag the category leader
- Off-cycle and correction runs can be awkward
- Support response slows during year-end peaks
Opportunities
- Tighter accounting-software sync
- Earned-wage access and instant pay
Threats
- Frequent tax-law changes raise compliance risk
- Strong competition from bundled HR suites
How the rating was calculated
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core functionality | 30% | 84 | 25.2 |
| Ease of use | 20% | 84 | 16.8 |
| Reliability & performance | 15% | 83 | 12.5 |
| Support quality | 15% | 81 | 12.2 |
| Integrations | 10% | 77 | 7.7 |
| Value for money | 10% | 82 | 8.2 |
| Final score | 83 / 100 |
OnPay scored 83/100, placing it in the Very Good band (75–89). Its strongest area was core functionality (84), while integrations (77) held the score back. Strengths and weaknesses above map to those weighted criteria; opportunities and threats cover the market factors around the product — regulation, data quality, vendor consolidation and buying behaviour — that we watch when scores are next reviewed.
See what each band means on the rating levels page.