Best Nanny Payroll Services 2026: $100–$900/yr

You've hired a nanny. Now you need to handle payroll and taxes. The good news: there are services that make this easy. The bad news: they range from $100/year to over $1,000/year, and the expensive ones aren't always better.

We compared every major nanny payroll service in 2026 so you don't have to.

The Full Comparison Table

Every major nanny payroll service, side by side:

HomePay and GTM prices verified September 17, 2026 on their pricing pages; SurePayroll verified September 18, 2026 on its Nanny & Household plan page ($39/month, one employee included); the others verified June 10, 2026. Visit each provider's website for current rates: HomePay, GTM, SurePayroll, Poppins, Nest, Savvy Nanny, NannyKeeper. GTM and Poppins charge per-employee fees on top of base; HomePay and SurePayroll show base-tier prices for one employee. "Not listed" means the feature isn't on that provider's own pages as of September 2026. GTM's year-end forms are an optional service outside its plans, with no price on its pricing page.

The pattern is clear: core features (tax calculations, W-2s, Schedule H) are the same everywhere (on GTM, the year-end forms are an optional extra outside its plans). You're paying more for filing service or a brand name, not for better calculations.

What All These Services Actually Do

The IRS defines a household employee through control of how household work is done. Separately, Social Security and Medicare generally apply when a nonexempt worker receives $2,800 in 2025 or $3,000 in 2026. FUTA, state rules, and worker-specific exceptions use separate tests. Publication 926 explains:

"If you have a household employee, you may need to withhold and pay social security and Medicare taxes, pay federal unemployment tax, or both."

Every service on this list, full-service or self-service, calculates the same federal taxes and generates the same forms: Form W-2 filed with SSA, Schedule H attached to your 1040, and quarterly state unemployment and withholding returns. The differences are: (a) who clicks "submit" on those forms (you, or the service), (b) whether direct deposit is bundled, and (c) what hand-holding comes with it.

One thing no service changes: Schedule H rides along with your personal 1040 and is filed under your own Social Security number, so the IRS holds you responsible for the numbers regardless of who pressed submit. Full-service also runs on power of attorney (you authorize the provider over your federal and state tax accounts so it can file as your agent), and even that doesn't move the liability off you. We've seen what happens when it goes sideways: one family came to us after their previous full-service provider had run a grandparent as a regular household employee for years, missing a tax exemption and over-withholding the whole time, and they were the ones left to unwind it with the IRS. Full-service moves the clicking off your plate, not the responsibility. That's worth keeping in mind when you weigh whether the convenience is worth $368 to $800 more a year.

Our Picks

Best for most families: NannyKeeper. $10/month gets you everything you need. You file the forms yourself (15 minutes/quarter), but we generate them, remind you of deadlines, and walk you through every step.

If you want someone else to file: every other service here does that, and price is the main thing that separates them. For one nanny, SurePayroll is $468/year, Nest about $504, Poppins $588, Savvy Nanny about $650 at its regular price (about $518 on its new-customer promotion), HomePay $708–$900 and GTM $840 (its HR Platinum tier, $1,584, adds HR paperwork and a dedicated account management team). Which one fits depends on which extras you'd use and whether you want a company that only does household payroll.

Full-service at the lower end: SurePayroll ($468/year on its Nanny & Household plan), Nest (about $504, but no bank-to-bank direct deposit), Poppins Payroll ($588/year for one employee, +$10/mo per additional) and Savvy Nanny (about $650 at its regular price, about $518 on its new-customer promotion). SurePayroll is a small-business payroll company (Paychex) with a dedicated Nanny & Household plan; the other three only do household payroll.

1. NannyKeeper: Best Overall Value

Price: $10/month (Starter) or $18/month (Plus) | Compare →

NannyKeeper is a self-service nanny payroll platform built specifically for household employers. We calculate all federal and state taxes, generate every document you need (W-2, Schedule H, pay stubs), and send email reminders before every quarterly deadline.

What's included:

• Automatic tax calculations for all 50 states
• W-2, Schedule H, and pay stub generation
• Email deadline reminders before every quarter
• Direct deposit: $6/transfer (Plus) or $8/transfer (Starter)
• Employee W-4 self-service portal (Plus)
• Support from the team that built it
• Free forever tier for payment tracking only

What's not included:

• Tax filing (you submit the forms yourself, about 15 minutes per quarter)
• Workers' compensation placement

The tradeoff: You spend roughly an hour per year filing forms that NannyKeeper generates for you. In exchange, the subscription runs $288 to $800 a year less than the other services here, before direct deposit fees, which narrow that gap if you pay weekly.

One customer who came to us with no payroll background described what the help looked like in practice:

"I have been working with NannyKeeper for four months now. I was going to use a bigger company when a friend mentioned this company. Payroll for me is foreign territory, but these guys helped me every step of the way. Whenever I emailed them, I would get a response within an hour or two with a step-by-step of what I needed to do next. I can't say enough good things about this, Alex. I'm so glad I decided to use them and support a small business. One less thing off my plate!" Candace H., household employer, June 9, 2026

More customer quotes, each dated and reproduced word for word, are on our reviews page.

Best for: Budget-conscious families who are comfortable clicking "submit" on a government website. Which is most families.

Annual cost: $100 (Starter) or $180 (Plus) on annual billing

Try the free nanny tax calculator →

2. GTM Payroll: Full-Service, With HR and Benefits Tiers

Price: $70/month | Full review → | Compare →

GTM is a full-service household payroll specialist based in New York. They've been doing this for 35 years (founded 1991) and handle payroll and quarterly filings, with HR and benefits work on the upper tiers; year-end W-2, W-3 and Schedule H preparation is an optional service outside the plans, with no price listed. GTM offers three tiers: EasyPay ($70/mo base), HR Platinum ($132/mo, with a dedicated account management team, an HR compliance review and labor law documents), and Diamond ($232/mo, which adds employee benefits design and enrollment).

What's included on EasyPay ($70/mo):

• All payroll processing and tax calculations
• Quarterly tax filings (they submit them)
• Direct deposit
• Unlimited support by phone, email or web chat

Higher tiers add:

• Dedicated account management team (HR Platinum and Diamond)
• HR compliance review, labor law documents and state-mandated training (HR Platinum and Diamond)
• Employee benefits design and enrollment (Diamond)

What's not included (any tier):

• Free tier or trial
• Year-end W-2, W-3 and Schedule H (an optional service outside the plans; price not listed)
• Email deadline reminders (not listed on GTM's pricing page)
• Self-service option

The tradeoff: EasyPay starts at $840/year for one employee. To get a dedicated account management team and the HR review, step up to HR Platinum ($1,584/year).

Best for: Families who want the quarterly filings handled for them and don't mind paying for the convenience, with year-end forms as an optional extra.

Annual cost: $840+ (EasyPay) or $1,584 (HR Platinum)

3. SurePayroll (by Paychex): Full-Service at $39/mo

Price: $39/month for one nanny | Full review → | Compare →

SurePayroll is a small-business payroll company owned by Paychex, with a dedicated Nanny & Household plan: full-service filing, a signature-ready Schedule H, and a plan page written for families. Note: SurePayroll acquired NannyChex in 2022, so if you were a NannyChex customer, this is where your account went.

What's included:

• Payroll processing and tax calculations
• Tax filings (they file for you)
• W-2 and year-end documents
• Direct deposit
• Phone support
• Backed by Paychex infrastructure

What's not included:

• Email deadline reminders (not listed on its plan page)
• Free tier

The tradeoff: SurePayroll is full-service at $468 a year, from a company whose main business is small-business payroll. Its Nanny & Household plan page explains the household basics (the IRS threshold, W-2, Schedule H). The thing to weigh is support: its public BBB complaints describe calls and emails going unanswered, which we cover in the full review.

Best for: Families who already use Paychex for a business and want to consolidate, or former NannyChex customers who stayed.

Annual cost: $468 for one nanny ($39/month, one employee included, all forms included). Its six months free offer ended September 30, 2026.

4. Poppins Payroll: Household-Built Full-Service at $49/mo

Price: $49/month | Full review → | Compare →

Poppins is a full-service nanny payroll company that positions itself as a friendlier alternative to the big names. They're household-specific, reasonably priced, and have a good reputation for customer support.

What's included:

• Payroll processing and tax calculations
• Tax filings (they file for you)
• W-2, Schedule H, and pay stubs
• Year-end documents included (no extra fee)
• Direct deposit
• Phone and email support

What's not included:

• Email deadline reminders (not listed on Poppins's pages)
• Free tier

The tradeoff: Poppins costs less than HomePay and GTM for the same core filing service. But it's still more expensive than self-service options like NannyKeeper.

Best for: Families who want full-service filing from a household-focused service without paying HomePay prices.

For a deeper dive, read HomePay vs Poppins.

Annual cost: ~$588 (one employee) / ~$708 (two employees)

5. Nest Payroll: Best for Catch-Up Filing

Price: $42–$69/month | Full review →

Nest is a household-specific payroll service based in Palo Alto. Their standout feature is a catch-up service for families who've been paying under the table and need to get compliant. But there's one notable gap.

What's included:

• Payroll processing and tax calculations (all 50 states + DC)
• Quarterly tax filings (they file for you)
• W-2, W-3, Schedule H preparation and filing
• EIN and state registration help
• New hire reporting
• Concierge support (text/email)
• Catch-up service for back taxes ($42/mo + $149/year-end per tax year)

What's not included:

• Traditional direct deposit (Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle only)
• Free tier (14-day trial only)
• Employee self-service portal

The tradeoff: Nest is purpose-built for household employers, and it offers a catch-up service for back taxes. But the lack of bank-to-bank direct deposit is a dealbreaker for some families.

Best for: Families who need help with back taxes, or who already pay via Venmo/Cash App and don't need traditional direct deposit.

Annual cost: ~$504 (1 employee) or ~$588 (2 employees)

6. Savvy Nanny Payroll Services: The Boutique Option

Price: $39–$50/month (covers up to two employees) + $50 annual filing fee | Learn more →

Savvy Nanny is a smaller, household-specific payroll service that takes a more personal approach. They handle full-service payroll (tax calculations, filings, and year-end documents) with a focus on the nanny employer experience.

What's included:

• Full payroll processing and tax calculations
• Tax filings (they file for you)
• W-2 and year-end documents
• Direct deposit
• Dedicated support
• Household-specific service

What's not included:

• Deadline reminders (not listed)
• Free tier
• Back tax catch-up service (not listed)

The tradeoff: Savvy Nanny offers a more hands-on, personal experience than the bigger names. Pricing is $39/month on their current new-customer promotion (regular $50/month), covering up to two employees, plus a $50 annual filing fee, so roughly $518–$650/year. One note: they moved from savvynanny.com to savvynannypayrollservices.com, so older links to them may dead-end.

Best for: Families who want a boutique, personal-touch payroll service and prefer working with a smaller operation.

Annual cost: ~$650 at the regular $50/month rate, or ~$518 while the $39/month new-customer promotion applies (both include the $50 annual filing fee)

7. HomePay (Care.com): Full-Service Backed by Care.com

Price: $59/month (Essentials) or $75/month (Plus) | Full review → | Compare →

HomePay (formerly Breedlove & Associates) is one of the oldest names in nanny payroll, in business since 1992 and backed by Care.com. They offer full-service payroll, meaning they file your taxes for you, now with two pricing tiers.

What's included (Essentials, $59/mo):

• Federal and state tax registration
• All payroll processing and tax calculations
• Quarterly tax filings (they submit them)
• Direct deposit
• Email deadline reminders
• Employee onboarding
• Phone, chat and email support

Plus ($75/mo) adds:

• Dedicated account management and audit support
• Employee app for logging hours, time off and expenses
• Tax agency notices managed for you
• Free Care.com membership

What's not included:

• Free tier

The tradeoff: HomePay's Plus plan is $900/year and Essentials is $708/year. You're paying for the brand name, a long track record and, on Plus, a Care.com membership.

Best for: Families who'd use the Care.com membership on Plus, or who are willing to pay for name recognition.

Thinking about leaving HomePay? See our switching guide.

Annual cost: $708 (Essentials) or $900 (Plus)

What About Gusto?

If you were searching for Gusto nanny payroll, Gusto's own help center says it does not support household employer payroll because the tax rules differ from those for regular employees or contractors, and it recommends its partner Poppins Payroll instead. Gusto's nanny and household page sends families the same way. Our Poppins review covers what you'd get there.

How to Choose: Decision Guide

Start here: Do you want someone else to file your taxes for you?

If yes, and you want HR or benefits help too → GTM HR Platinum ($1,584/year) or Diamond ($2,784/year) HR Platinum adds a dedicated account management team, an HR compliance review and labor law documents; Diamond adds employee benefits design and enrollment. HomePay's Plus tier ($900/year) is $684 less and also lists dedicated account management; HomePay's plans do not list a compliance review of your hiring paperwork or labor law documents, or benefits design and enrollment. GTM's entry EasyPay tier ($840/year) is more comparable to HomePay Essentials ($708/year).

If yes, and price matters most → the full-service prices, lowest first SurePayroll is $468/year on its Nanny & Household plan. Then Nest at about $504 (no bank-to-bank direct deposit), Poppins at $588, and Savvy Nanny at about $650 at its regular price (about $518 while its new-customer promotion runs). All four cost less than HomePay Essentials ($708) and GTM EasyPay ($840); what separates them is which extras you'd use.

If no → NannyKeeper ($100–$180/year) Self-service payroll is easier than it sounds. NannyKeeper calculates everything, generates every form, sends deadline reminders, and walks you through filing. The actual filing takes about 15 minutes per quarter.

If you're not sure → Try NannyKeeper's free payment tracking tier. You can track payments at no cost, see what taxes you'd owe, and decide later if you want full payroll. No credit card required.

The real cost difference

Over 5 years, here's what each service costs for one employee:

The NannyKeeper rows use monthly billing so they sit like-for-like against the competitors' monthly prices. On annual billing ($100 or $180 a year) the five-year figures are $500 and $900.

That's $1,740-$3,900 saved over 5 years by choosing NannyKeeper over the full-service options. Enough for a family vacation.

What All Nanny Payroll Services Do the Same

Every service on this list handles the basics (on GTM, the W-2 and Schedule H are an optional extra outside its plans):

• Tax calculations: Federal (Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45%, FUTA 0.6%) and state taxes computed automatically
• W-2 generation: Annual wage and tax statement for your employee
• Schedule H: The household employer tax form filed with your 1040
• All 50 states: Including states with special requirements (California, New York, New Jersey, etc.)
• Pay stubs: Records for every paycheck

The difference is in the extras: filing service, deadline reminders, direct deposit pricing, and how much you pay for the convenience.

What About DIY?

You can absolutely handle nanny payroll yourself without any service. This is what it looks like:

1. Calculate federal and state taxes manually (IRS Publication 926)
2. Submit quarterly estimated tax payments to IRS + your state
3. File Schedule H with your annual tax return
4. Generate W-2s and submit Copy A to SSA
5. Handle new hire reporting in your state

Estimated time: 2–4 hours per quarter if you're doing it right.

The risk: Mistakes in tax calculations can lead to IRS penalties. Using a calculator like NannyKeeper's free tool eliminates the math risk even if you handle everything else yourself.

Our recommendation: At $10/month, a payroll service pays for itself by saving you time and preventing calculation errors. But if you're a spreadsheet enthusiast, more power to you.

FAQ

What is the cheapest nanny payroll service?

NannyKeeper is the most affordable option at $10/month ($100/year on annual billing) with all core features included. Direct deposit is available at $6–$8/transfer. There's also a free forever tier for payment tracking only. Full-service providers, which file for you, start at $39/month for one nanny (SurePayroll, $468/year on regular pricing, all forms included).

Is it worth paying for full-service nanny payroll?

It depends on your comfort level. Full-service (GTM at $840/year or HomePay at $900/year for its Plus tier) means they file for you; on GTM, the year-end forms are an optional extra outside its plans. Self-service (NannyKeeper at $100–$180/year) means you file the forms yourself, about 15 minutes per quarter. Worth knowing before you decide: because Schedule H is filed under your own SSN, full-service doesn't take the legal responsibility off you, and the accuracy guarantees these services offer reimburse a penalty only if the provider was at fault, never the tax you owe. For most families, self-service saves $600+/year for roughly an hour of work per year total, and you can see exactly what was calculated and paid.

Do I even need a nanny payroll service?

If you pay one nonexempt household employee $3,000 or more in cash wages in 2026, Social Security and Medicare generally apply to that worker under IRS Publication 926. FUTA, state obligations, and family/under-18 exceptions have separate tests. A payroll service automates the applicable calculations and generates required documents; you can also do it yourself.

What happened to NannyChex?

NannyChex was acquired by SurePayroll (Paychex) in 2022. The NannyChex brand and website no longer exist. If you were a NannyChex customer, your account was migrated to SurePayroll.

Can I switch nanny payroll services mid-year?

Yes. You can switch at any time. Your new service will calculate taxes going forward. Ask your current provider whether it will issue your nanny a W-2 for the months it ran payroll. If it will, your nanny gets two W-2s that together cover the year; if it won't, the new provider's W-2 can cover the whole year. We recommend switching at the start of a quarter for the cleanest transition. Sign up for NannyKeeper →