Prices checked 2026-10-17 to 2026-10-19
Best payroll for 1099 contractors, by real price
Paying only 1099 contractors, no W-2 employees: published prices from Square, QuickBooks Contractor Payments and current Gusto plans. Gusto’s old Contractor Only plan is shown as legacy.
Disclosure: Some of these vendors run affiliate programs. Every vendor link on this page is a plain link today; if we join a program, its links will be marked sponsored. It never changes the prices or the order we show. Details
The short answer
- Cheapest open to new customers for 5 contractors: QuickBooks Contractor Payments at $25/mo.
- For 25 contractors: QuickBooks Contractor Payments at $35/mo (QuickBooks stays flat through 20 included contractors, then adds $2 each).
- Gusto Contractor Only is legacy: closed to new customers on 2026-10-01. Existing accounts keep $35/mo + $6/person. New Gusto customers paying only contractors use a current plan (Simple is $49/mo + $6/person).
- Tax filing: Square Contractor-only and QuickBooks Contractor Payments do not file employee payroll taxes (contractors pay their own). They are labelled Doesn’t file taxes and are not ranked against full-service W-2 payroll elsewhere on the site.
Prices are regular monthly list prices from each vendor’s own pages. This page does not rank full-service W-2 payroll against contractor-only plans.
Current options, priced by contractor count
Open to new customers. QuickBooks includes 20 contractors in the base fee; Square and Gusto bill per person paid. Regular monthly prices:
| Contractors paid | Square Contractor-only payroll | QuickBooks Contractor Payments | Gusto Simple |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $6/mo | $25/moIncludes 20 contractors | $55/moCurrent Gusto plan (contractors billed at the plan per-person rate) |
| 5 people | $30/mo | $25/moIncludes 20 contractors | $79/moCurrent Gusto plan (contractors billed at the plan per-person rate) |
| 10 people | $60/mo | $25/moIncludes 20 contractors | $109/moCurrent Gusto plan (contractors billed at the plan per-person rate) |
| 20 people | $120/mo | $25/moIncludes 20 contractors | $169/moCurrent Gusto plan (contractors billed at the plan per-person rate) |
| 25 people | $150/mo | $35/moIncludes 20 contractors; +$2 × 5 extra | $199/moCurrent Gusto plan (contractors billed at the plan per-person rate) |
Intro offers
- QuickBooks Contractor Payments: $12.50/mo + $2/contractor (per-contractor fee not discounted) for 3 months then $25/mo + $2/person (includes 20 contractors; +$2 each additional).
Gusto Contractor Only (legacy, closed 2026-10-01)
Shown for existing customers and for context. New signups are not accepted. Regular price was $35/mo + $6/person.
| Contractors paid | Gusto Contractor Only (legacy) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $41/moClosed to new customers since 2026-10-01 |
| 5 people | $65/moClosed to new customers since 2026-10-01 |
| 10 people | $95/moClosed to new customers since 2026-10-01 |
| 20 people | $155/moClosed to new customers since 2026-10-01 |
| 25 people | $185/moClosed to new customers since 2026-10-01 |
How these are priced
- Square Contractor-only payroll: $6/person/mo, no base fee. $6/mo per person paid; no base fee
- QuickBooks Contractor Payments: Standalone plan for contractor payments and 1099 e-filing. Includes 20 contractors; +$2 per additional contractor. Promo is 50% off for 3 months for new customers. Does not file employee payroll taxes (contractors pay their own).
- Gusto Simple: $49/mo + $6/person. Contractors on current plans: Per active person per month on top of base; US contractors billed at the per-person rate only in months they are paid
- Gusto Contractor Only (legacy): Closed 2026-10-01: new customers cannot sign up and existing customers cannot switch to it. Companies already on it keep it: $35/mo base + $6 per contractor, charged only in months a contractor is paid. Includes 4-day ACH and 1099-NEC generation; does not include backup withholding or state-required contractor withholding. Paying W-2 employees requires moving to Simple/Plus/Premium, with no return. Current plans bill US contractors at the plan per-person rate ($6/$12/$22) only in months they are paid.
1099 contractor payroll questions
Is Gusto Contractor Only still available?
No for new customers. Gusto closed it on 2026-10-01. Companies already on it keep $35/mo + $6/person, charged only in months a contractor is paid. Paying W-2 employees means moving to Simple, Plus or Premium, with no return. Source: Gusto Help Center, checked 2026-10-19.
What does QuickBooks Contractor Payments cost?
$25/mo + $2/person: the base includes 20 contractors, then +$2 per additional contractor. Intro offer: $12.50/mo + $2/contractor (per-contractor fee not discounted) for 3 months. It handles contractor payments and 1099 e-filing; it does not file employee payroll taxes. Source: QuickBooks contractor-payments page, checked 2026-10-19.
What does Square charge for contractors only?
$6/person/mo, no base fee (Doesn’t file taxes). No base fee; $6 per person paid that month. Source: Square, checked 2026-10-17.
Can I pay only 1099 contractors on a regular Gusto plan?
Yes. Current Gusto plans bill US contractors at the plan per-person rate (Simple $6/person) only in months they are paid, on top of the plan base ($49/mo for Simple). That is more than the old Contractor Only plan. Per active person per month on top of base; US contractors billed at the per-person rate only in months they are paid
Do these plans file my payroll taxes?
No for Square Contractor-only and QuickBooks Contractor Payments: contractors pay self-employment tax. If you also have W-2 employees, use a full-service payroll plan (see payroll for contractors and trades or cheapest payroll service).
Square Payroll pricing · QuickBooks Payroll pricing · Gusto pricing · Best payroll for contractors and trades · Best payroll for one employee · Payroll price tracker
Every vendor link on this page is a plain link; we don't earn a commission from any of them.