SurePayroll is owned by Paychex—one of the biggest names in payroll. At $39/month, it's the cheapest full-service option on the market.
But it wasn't built for families. Is it still the right fit for your nanny payroll?
What Is SurePayroll?
SurePayroll is a small business payroll service that also handles household employers. They've been around since 2000 and were acquired by Paychex in 2011 for $115 million.
In 2022, Paychex also acquired NannyChex, a dedicated nanny payroll service, and folded it into SurePayroll by April 2023. So if you were a NannyChex customer, this is where your account ended up.
What's included:
- Payroll processing and tax calculations
- Federal and state tax filings (they file for you)
- W-2 and Schedule H preparation
- Direct deposit (2-day processing)
- Unlimited payroll runs
- Phone support (weekdays)
- New hire reporting
See what you'll owe
Use our free calculator to estimate your nanny tax costs for 2026.
How Much Does SurePayroll Cost in 2026?
SurePayroll charges $39/month ($468/year) for nanny payroll, plus $10/month for each additional employee. Direct deposit and W-2 generation are included; there are no setup fees.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Monthly service fee | $39 |
| Additional employee | +$10/month each |
| W-2 + signature-ready Schedule H | Included |
| Direct deposit | Included (2-day) |
| Multi-state filing | +$9.99/month (flat) |
| Annual total (1 employee) | $468 |
| Annual total (2 employees) | $588 |
SurePayroll's pricing page currently advertises "free on alternate months" during your first 12 months as a new nanny payroll customer — that works out to six free months out of twelve, alternating, not six consecutive. Effective year-one cost is roughly $234 instead of $468. Regular $39/month pricing resumes in year two.
What SurePayroll Does Well
Paychex infrastructure. SurePayroll is backed by Paychex, which processes payroll for over 700,000 businesses. You're getting enterprise-grade tax filing and compliance from one of the largest payroll companies in the country.
Cheapest full-service option. At $468/year on regular pricing, SurePayroll costs less than Poppins ($588), GTM ($840), and HomePay ($708–$900). If you want someone else to file your taxes and price matters, SurePayroll wins.
Unlimited payroll runs. No extra charge for running payroll more than once a month. Some competitors charge per payroll run.
Phone support. Available on weekdays. You can talk to a human, which can matter when you have a tax question.
Where SurePayroll Falls Short
Not built for households. This is the biggest issue. SurePayroll was designed for small businesses with multiple employees, not a family paying one nanny. The interface uses business terminology, shows features you don't need (like 401k administration), and lacks household-specific guidance.
You won't find help with Schedule H, explanations of the $3,000 threshold, or guidance on getting an EIN for household employment. SurePayroll assumes you already know what you're doing.
Filing reliability is hard to verify. When you outsource tax filing, you're trusting that it actually happens. We've heard from families who discovered that filings they assumed were handled simply weren't submitted -- and only found out when the IRS reached out. You're the employer of record, not SurePayroll. If a filing is missed, you're the one on the hook.
Support can be hard to reach. SurePayroll offers phone support on weekdays, but multiple reviews describe long hold times and difficulty getting through to someone who can help with household-specific questions. If you're a family with one nanny, you're a small account on a platform built for businesses -- and support prioritization reflects that. When something goes wrong with a tax filing, being unable to reach anyone compounds the problem.
The interface feels dated. Multiple user reviews on TrustRadius and Capterra mention the interface being "counterintuitive" and reports being "hard to find and run." It works, but don't expect a modern experience.
2-day direct deposit processing. Some competitors offer next-day or same-day. Not a dealbreaker, but you'll need to plan ahead.
No household-specific email reminders. SurePayroll won't send you reminders about quarterly tax deadlines, W-2 filing windows, or Schedule H due dates. Since they file for you this matters less -- but if you ever switch services, you won't be in the habit of tracking deadlines.
Multi-state costs add up. If your nanny lives in a different state from where they work (more common than you'd think), SurePayroll charges an extra $10/month per additional state. That adds $120/year.
SurePayroll vs. NannyKeeper: Full Comparison
SurePayroll costs $468 per year and files taxes for you on a small-business platform. NannyKeeper costs $100–$180 per year on a household-specific platform that generates the same forms for you to file yourself.
| Feature | SurePayroll | NannyKeeper |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $39 | $10 (Starter) / $18 (Plus) |
| Year-end fee | Included | Included |
| Annual total | $468 | $100 (Starter) / $180 (Plus) |
| Direct deposit | Included (2-day) | $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 |
| Household-specific guidance | No | Yes |
| Employee W-4 self-service | No | Yes (Plus) |
| Phone support | Yes (weekdays) | Email support |
Ready to simplify nanny taxes?
NannyKeeper handles the calculations, deadlines, and paperwork so you can focus on your family.
The main tradeoff: SurePayroll files your taxes for you. NannyKeeper calculates everything, generates the forms, sends deadline reminders, and you submit them yourself (about 15 minutes per quarter on IRS and state websites).
The savings: NannyKeeper's subscription is $288–$368/year cheaper than SurePayroll's regular price. Direct deposit is billed per transfer ($6–$8), so total savings depend on how often you use it. If you pay by check, the savings are significant. With weekly direct deposit, costs are comparable—but you get household-specific guidance SurePayroll lacks.
A real example
Say you pay your nanny $600/week in California. Use our nanny tax calculator to see the exact breakdown, but here's the rough picture:
| SurePayroll | NannyKeeper (Starter) | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual subscription | $468 | $100 |
| Year-end documents | $0 (included) | $0 (included) |
| Direct deposit | $0 (included) | $416 ($8 × 52 weeks) |
| Total cost | $468 | $516 |
With weekly direct deposit, NannyKeeper Starter costs about $48/year more than SurePayroll. If you pay by check, NannyKeeper saves you $368/year. Biweekly direct deposit ($8 × 26 = $208) puts NannyKeeper at $308 — saving $160/year vs. SurePayroll. And either way, you get household-specific guidance, deadline reminders, and threshold tracking that SurePayroll doesn't offer.
SurePayroll vs. Other Full-Service Options
How does SurePayroll compare to the other full-service providers?
| Feature | SurePayroll | Poppins | GTM | HomePay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $39 | $49 | $70 | $59–$75 |
| Annual total | $468 | ~$588 | ~$840 | $708–$900 |
| Year-end fees | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Household-specific | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phone support | Weekdays | Yes | Dedicated | Yes |
| Backed by | Paychex | Spectrum Equity | Independent (30+ yrs) | Care.com |
SurePayroll is the cheapest full-service option. The trade-off is that it wasn't designed for household employers, so you lose the household-specific guidance and terminology that Poppins, GTM, and HomePay provide.
If you want full-service and price is the priority, SurePayroll wins. If you want full-service with household expertise, Poppins or GTM are better fits.
Who Should Use SurePayroll?
SurePayroll is the right choice for families who want full-service filing at the cheapest price and don't mind a small-business interface. SurePayroll makes sense if:
- You want full-service filing at the lowest price
- You already use Paychex for a business and want to consolidate
- You were a NannyChex customer and stayed after the migration
- You don't need household-specific hand-holding
Who Should Skip SurePayroll
Most families paying a single nanny will get a better experience elsewhere. You probably don't need SurePayroll if:
- You want a service designed specifically for families—SurePayroll's business-focused interface can be confusing for household employers
- You're comfortable filing forms online and want a lower subscription cost
- You want proactive email deadline reminders
- You want a free tier to try before committing
- You need household-specific guidance (what's Schedule H? what's the threshold?)
Not sure where you stand? Check your state's specific requirements or try our free calculator to see what you'd owe.
So Is SurePayroll Worth It?
SurePayroll is the best value in full-service nanny payroll — $468/year on regular pricing, backed by Paychex.
But it wasn't built for families. The interface is business-oriented, there's no household-specific guidance, and you won't get help understanding Schedule H or the nanny tax threshold. First-time household employers will be figuring things out on their own.
For most families, NannyKeeper at $100–$180/year saves you $288–$368/year on subscription and provides the household-specific guidance SurePayroll lacks — deadline reminders, threshold tracking, step-by-step filing instructions. The only trade-off: you file the forms yourself, which takes about 15 minutes per quarter.
If you need full-service filing at the lowest price, SurePayroll is the smart pick. If you don't need someone else to click "submit," NannyKeeper is the better value.
Compare all nanny payroll services →
Read our Poppins Payroll review →
Read our Nest Payroll review →
FAQ
How much does SurePayroll cost for nanny payroll?
SurePayroll costs $39/month for one employee on regular pricing, totaling $468/year. W-2 and signature-ready Schedule H are included. Each additional household employee adds $10/month. Multi-state filing is a flat $9.99/month add-on. New customers currently get every other month free for the first 12 months — effective year-one cost is roughly $234.
Is SurePayroll the same as NannyChex?
NannyChex was acquired by SurePayroll's parent company Paychex in May 2022. NannyChex customers were migrated to SurePayroll by April 2023. The NannyChex brand no longer exists.
Does SurePayroll file my taxes for me?
Yes. SurePayroll is a full-service provider—they calculate, file, and deposit your federal and state employment taxes on your behalf. They also prepare your W-2 and Schedule H. That said, as the employer of record, you're ultimately responsible for ensuring filings are submitted. It's worth periodically checking your IRS and state accounts to confirm payments were received.
Is SurePayroll good for nanny payroll?
SurePayroll works for nanny payroll, but it was designed for small businesses, not household employers. You'll encounter business-oriented terminology, features you don't need, and no household-specific guidance. Some families have also reported issues with filings not being completed and difficulty reaching support when things go wrong. For a dedicated nanny payroll experience, consider NannyKeeper (self-service, $10/mo), Poppins (full-service, $49/mo), or GTM (full-service, $70/mo).
How do I switch from SurePayroll to another service?
You can switch mid-year without any tax issues. Download your year-to-date payroll records, cancel your SurePayroll account, and enter your YTD figures into your new service so your year-end W-2 reflects the full year. We wrote a step-by-step guide to switching from SurePayroll that covers everything.
What's the cheapest nanny payroll service?
NannyKeeper starts at $10/month ($100/year on annual billing). SurePayroll is the cheapest full-service option at $39/month ($468/year on regular pricing). Free payment tracking is available with NannyKeeper's free forever tier — no credit card required.