Poppins Payroll positions itself as a friendlier, more affordable alternative to HomePay. At $49/month, they're in the middle of the market—not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either.
Is Poppins the right choice for your family?
What Is Poppins Payroll?
Poppins is a full-service nanny payroll company that handles tax calculations, filings, and compliance on your behalf. They've built a reputation for solid customer service and a clean interface.
What's included:
- Payroll processing and tax calculations
- Quarterly tax filings (they file for you)
- W-2 and Schedule H generation
- Direct deposit
- Pay stubs
- Phone and email support
How Much Does Poppins Payroll Cost in 2026?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Monthly service fee | $49 |
| Year-end documents | Included |
| Direct deposit | Included |
| Annual total | ~$588 |
The good news: no surprise year-end fee like HomePay, and direct deposit is included.
What Poppins Does Well
Year-end docs included. Unlike HomePay, Poppins doesn't charge extra for W-2s and Schedule H. What you see is what you pay.
Good customer support. Poppins has a reputation for responsive, helpful support. If you get stuck, they're there to help.
Cleaner interface than HomePay. The platform is more modern and easier to navigate than some legacy competitors.
Reasonable pricing. At $588/year, they're cheaper than HomePay ($1,000) but more expensive than budget options.
Where Poppins Falls Short
No email deadline reminders. Poppins files your taxes for you, so this matters less than with a self-service tool. But if you ever switch services, you won't be used to tracking deadlines.
No free tier. There's no way to try Poppins or track payments without committing to the $49/month plan.
Limited mobile experience. The platform works on mobile browsers but doesn't have a dedicated app. Not a dealbreaker, but worth noting.
Poppins vs. NannyKeeper: Full Comparison
How Poppins compares to NannyKeeper:
| Feature | Poppins | NannyKeeper |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $49 | $10 (Starter) / $18 (Plus) |
| Year-end fee | Included | Included |
| Annual total (Starter) | ~$588 | $120 |
| Annual total (Plus) | ~$588 | $216 |
| Direct deposit | Included | $6/transfer (Plus) / $8/transfer (Starter) |
| Files taxes for you | Yes | No (you file—takes 15 min/quarter) |
| Email deadline reminders | No | Yes |
| Free payment tracking | No | Yes—free forever |
| W-2 generation | Included | Included |
| Schedule H generation | Included | Included |
| All 50 states | Yes | Yes |
| Employee W-4 self-service | Unknown | Yes (Plus) |
| Phone support | Yes | Email support |
The main tradeoff: Poppins files your taxes for you (full-service). NannyKeeper calculates everything, generates the forms, sends deadline reminders, and you submit them yourself (about 15 minutes per quarter).
The savings: NannyKeeper's subscription is $372-$468/year cheaper than Poppins. Direct deposit is an add-on ($6-$8/transfer), so total savings depend on how often you use it.
A real example
Say you pay your nanny $600/week in California. Use our nanny tax calculator to see the breakdown, but here's the rough picture:
| Poppins | NannyKeeper (Starter) | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual payroll service | $588 | $120 |
| Year-end documents | $0 (included) | $0 (included) |
| Direct deposit | $0 (included) | $416 ($8 × 52 weeks) |
| Total cost | ~$588 | ~$536 |
| You save | ~$52/year |
The key difference? Poppins files your taxes for you and bundles direct deposit into their monthly fee. NannyKeeper charges a lower subscription but bills direct deposit per transfer. If you pay by check or less frequently, the savings are larger. Either way, NannyKeeper tells you exactly what to file, where to file it, and reminds you before each deadline.
Poppins vs. HomePay
How does Poppins compare to the other major player?
| Feature | Poppins | HomePay |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $49 | $75 |
| Year-end fee | Included | $100 |
| Annual total | ~$588 | ~$1,000 |
| Files for you | Yes | Yes |
| Direct deposit | Included | Included |
| Phone support | Yes | Yes |
Poppins saves you $412/year vs. HomePay. Both are full-service (they file your taxes for you), so the main difference is price and brand recognition.
Who Should Use Poppins?
Poppins makes sense if:
- You want full-service filing at a lower price than HomePay or GTM
- Good customer support is important to you
- The $588/year price point fits your budget
Who Should Skip Poppins?
You probably don't need Poppins if:
- You're comfortable filing forms online and want a lower subscription cost
- You want proactive email deadline reminders
- You want a free tier for payment tracking
- You'd rather pay less and handle the filing yourself (about 15 min/quarter)
So Is Poppins Payroll Worth It?
Poppins is a solid full-service option at a reasonable price. They file your taxes for you—just like HomePay and GTM—but at $588/year instead of $840-$1,000.
If you're comfortable filing forms yourself, NannyKeeper at $120-$216/year (plus direct deposit fees if you use it) is significantly cheaper for about an hour of work per year. But if you want full-service and don't want to pay HomePay prices, Poppins is a good middle ground.
Poppins is good value for full-service. If you don't need full-service, NannyKeeper saves you more.
With NannyKeeper, you can start tracking payments for free—no credit card, no commitment. If you decide you want full payroll, it's $10/month. Direct deposit is available at $6–$8/transfer.
Not sure what you'd owe in taxes? Try our free nanny tax calculator to see the numbers for your situation.
Compare NannyKeeper vs Poppins in detail →
Compare all nanny payroll services →
FAQ
How much does Poppins Payroll cost per year?
Poppins Payroll costs approximately $588 per year ($49/month). Year-end documents like W-2s and Schedule H are included, and direct deposit is included.
Is Poppins Payroll better than HomePay?
Poppins is cheaper than HomePay ($588/year vs ~$1,000/year) and includes year-end documents. Both are full-service (they file your taxes for you) and both include direct deposit. HomePay's main advantage is brand recognition and Care.com integration.
Does Poppins Payroll file my taxes for me?
Yes. Poppins is a full-service provider—they file your quarterly taxes and year-end documents on your behalf. This is different from self-service options like NannyKeeper, where you file the forms yourself.
What's the cheapest nanny payroll service?
NannyKeeper starts at $10/month with no year-end fees, making the annual cost $120 compared to Poppins' $588. Free payment tracking is available with no subscription at all.
Can I switch from Poppins to NannyKeeper?
Yes. You can switch nanny payroll services at any time — sign up here and you'll be running payroll in minutes. NannyKeeper will calculate your taxes going forward, and you'll receive a W-2 covering the full year at tax time. We recommend switching at the start of a quarter for the cleanest transition.