HomePay and SurePayroll both file your nanny taxes. Same outcome, different prices, different parent companies, different audiences they were originally built for.
If you're trying to decide between them, the deciding factors are usually price and how household-focused the experience feels.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | HomePay (Basic) | HomePay (Premium) | SurePayroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $59 | $75 | $39 |
| Annual cost | $708 | $900 | $468 |
| Files federal + state taxes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Direct deposit | Included | Included | Included (2-day) |
| Schedule H + W-2 included | Yes | Yes | Yes (signature-ready) |
| Tax ID applications | No | Yes | No |
| Dedicated phone support | No | Yes | Weekday phone |
| Care.com integration | Yes | Yes | No |
| Built specifically for households | Yes | Yes | No (built for small business) |
| New-customer promo | First month free | First month free | 6 months free |
SurePayroll is the cheapest of the three on regular pricing — $240/year less than HomePay Basic and $432/year less than HomePay Premium.
Pricing Breakdown
HomePay charges $59/month for the Basic tier and $75/month for Premium. Both include payroll, tax filing, direct deposit, and W-2/Schedule H prep. Premium adds tax ID applications, dedicated phone support, and a free Care.com Premium membership. New customers get the first month free.
SurePayroll charges $39/month flat. That covers payroll, federal and state tax filing, signature-ready Schedule H, W-2 forms, and free 2-day direct deposit. SurePayroll's site advertises 6 months free for new accounts, making the effective first-year cost about $234 if you stay through the full year.
So on regular pricing: HomePay's cheapest tier is $240/year more than SurePayroll, and HomePay's full-service tier is $432/year more. Whether the extra is worth it depends on how household-specific you want the experience to be.
Where HomePay Wins
HomePay's strengths are household-specific design, state tax notice handling, and a service guarantee that covers their own filing errors.
Built for households. HomePay was originally Breedlove & Associates, founded in 2006 and acquired by Care.com. They built the platform specifically for families employing nannies, housekeepers, and senior caregivers. The interface speaks to families, not businesses.
State tax notice handling. This is a real differentiator. State tax notices come directly to HomePay; they respond on your behalf and update you. Most household employers find state notices stressful and confusing — having someone else field them is genuinely useful.
Service Accuracy Guarantee. HomePay reimburses tax penalties caused by their error if they had your complete information on time, subject to the terms HomePay publishes on its service page.
Tax ID applications (Premium only). HomePay Premium applies for your federal EIN and state tax IDs on your behalf. Useful if you're new to all this.
Care.com integration. If you found your nanny through Care.com, the connection is seamless.
For a deeper look, see our HomePay review.
Where SurePayroll Wins
SurePayroll's advantages are price, the Paychex name behind the platform, and a generous new-customer promotion.
Lower price. $39/month is the headline number, and there's no premium tier you might feel pushed toward. What you see is what you pay.
Paychex backbone. SurePayroll is owned by Paychex, one of the largest payroll companies in the country (acquired in 2011). The tax filing infrastructure is enterprise-grade.
Promotional offer. New customers get six months free on regular sign-ups. That cuts effective first-year cost roughly in half.
Unlimited payroll runs. Run payroll as often as you want at no extra charge. Useful if you need to run off-cycle bonuses or corrections.
For more, see our SurePayroll review.
Where They Overlap
The core feature set is identical: full-service tax filing, year-end documents, direct deposit, and 50-state coverage.
Both services:
- File your federal and state quarterly tax returns
- Generate W-2 and Schedule H at year-end
- Include direct deposit
- Offer phone support during weekday hours
- Cover all 50 states
If your priority is "someone else handles the filings," either one will do that.
Where They Differ Most
The biggest difference isn't price — it's what each platform was built for.
HomePay was built for household employers. The product, the support team, and the marketing all assume you're a family employing one or two people. The interface doesn't show 401(k) administration, multi-state payroll splits, or business owner features you don't need.
SurePayroll was built for small businesses. Nanny payroll is a use case they support, but it's not the primary one. You'll see business-oriented terminology, features built for multi-employee operations, and less household-specific guidance. SurePayroll absorbed NannyChex in 2023, which expanded their household experience, but the underlying product is still small-business-first.
If you'd rather not see references to 401(k)s, business owners, and 1099 contractors when you log in, HomePay's experience is closer to what you'd want.
Run Your Own Numbers
Both services calculate the same federal and state taxes — what differs is who clicks "submit" and what's bundled. Plug your nanny's pay into the calculator below to see what either provider would file on your behalf.
Who Should Pick Which
The decision usually comes down to whether household-specific design is worth $240–$432/year more than SurePayroll's regular price.
Choose HomePay if:
- You want a product designed end-to-end for household employers
- State tax notice handling matters to you
- You found your nanny through Care.com
- You're new to household employment and want help with EIN/state IDs (Premium tier)
Choose SurePayroll if:
- Lower monthly price matters more than household-specific features
- You're comfortable navigating a small-business interface
- The 6-months-free promo makes year one work for your budget
- You want Paychex-backed tax filing infrastructure
A Self-Service Alternative
If you're choosing between two full-service options costing $468–$900/year, it's worth knowing self-service exists at a fraction of the price.
NannyKeeper is a self-service nanny payroll tool at $10–$18/month ($100–$180/year on annual billing). It calculates federal and state taxes for every payroll, generates W-2 and Schedule H, sends reminders before each quarterly deadline, and covers all 50 states. The trade-off: you submit the quarterly forms yourself on the IRS and state websites. That takes about 15 minutes per quarter.
| HomePay (Basic) | SurePayroll | NannyKeeper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | $708 | $468 | $100–$180 |
| Direct deposit | Included | Included | $6–$8/transfer |
| Files for you | Yes | Yes | No (you file) |
| Built for households | Yes | No | Yes |
| All 50 states | Yes | Yes | Yes |
If you're already comfortable doing your own taxes online, the self-service savings are significant — $300+/year vs. SurePayroll, $500+/year vs. HomePay Basic.
Ready to simplify nanny taxes?
NannyKeeper handles the calculations, deadlines, and paperwork so you can focus on your family.
FAQ
Is SurePayroll cheaper than HomePay?
Yes. SurePayroll is $39/month ($468/year) on regular pricing, compared to HomePay Basic at $59/month ($708/year) and HomePay Premium at $75/month ($900/year). That's a $240–$432/year difference depending on which HomePay tier you compare to.
Does HomePay file taxes that SurePayroll doesn't?
No, both file federal and state quarterly taxes and prepare year-end W-2 and Schedule H. The functional outcome is the same. The differences are in user experience, support style, and added services like state tax notice handling.
Can I switch from one to the other mid-year?
Yes. You can switch nanny payroll providers at any time. Your new provider handles filings going forward, and your nanny gets one W-2 covering the full calendar year. Switching at the start of a quarter (April 1, July 1, October 1) makes the transition cleanest. See our switch from SurePayroll guide or switch from HomePay guide.
Is SurePayroll really 6 months free?
SurePayroll's site advertises six months free for new accounts, with terms. After the promotional period, regular pricing of $39/month applies. Confirm current promotional terms on their nanny payroll page before signing up.
Does either one handle the EIN application?
HomePay Premium includes federal EIN and state tax ID applications. HomePay Basic and SurePayroll don't include this — though both offer onboarding help. Getting your own EIN takes about 5 minutes on the IRS site and is free. See our EIN guide.
Compare NannyKeeper vs HomePay →
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