Switching nanny payroll providers: what it costs now, and on January 1
Thinking about switching nanny payroll before the year ends? Tell us who runs your payroll today, when you would start with NannyKeeper and how you pay your nanny. We calculate what each start date costs through December 31, what you pay every year after, and what happens to your nanny's W-2. For one nanny, no signup required.
Before taxes
To see your answer, add who runs your payroll today and your nanny's pay per paycheck.
What each nanny payroll provider charges, and what it charges to leave
These are each provider's own published prices for one nanny, read on its pricing page on the date shown. We stop showing a price once our reading of it is more than a month old.
| Provider, and what it charges to leave | Per month |
|---|---|
| Poppins PayrollTo leave mid-year: $49 to have Poppins pay the taxes and file the quarter-end reports after you leave; $110 to have Poppins make your year-end filings and W-2Read on its site October 25, 2026 | $49 |
| HomePay PlusTo leave mid-year: None listed on its siteRead on its site October 25, 2026 | $75 |
| HomePay EssentialsTo leave mid-year: None listed on its siteRead on its site October 25, 2026 | $59 |
| SurePayrollTo leave mid-year: None listed on its siteRead on its site October 25, 2026 | $39 |
| GTM PayrollTo leave mid-year: None listed on its site Minimum term: EasyPay has a one-month minimum; its HR Platinum and Diamond plans require 12 months.Read on its site October 25, 2026 | from $70 |
| NannyKeeperTo leave mid-year: no charge. Direct deposit is $6 to $8 per transfer, plus 0.8% of any amount over $1,000.Our pricing | $100 to $180a year |
Poppins, HomePay, SurePayroll and GTM include direct deposit in their price. NannyKeeper charges for direct deposit per transfer, and the calculator above counts it.
What happens to your nanny's W-2 when you switch mid-year
Your nanny often gets two W-2s for the year: one from the provider that ran the first months, and one from NannyKeeper. Ask your old provider first whether it issues a W-2 for its months. If it does not, NannyKeeper's W-2 can cover the whole year (send us a message before your first payroll and we'll set it up with you), because the IRS instructions for Form W-2 ask for every wage you paid:
“Show the total taxable wages, tips, and other compensation that you paid to your employee during the year.”
With two W-2s, your nanny adds them together. The Form 1040 instructions say it in one line: “Enter the total amount from Form(s) W-2, box 1.” The full checklist is in our step-by-step guide to switching from HomePay.
Questions families ask before switching
Is it cheaper to switch nanny payroll on January 1?
Usually not. Waiting means paying your current provider for every month left in the year, and switching mid-year changes no tax. What can tip it toward January is an optional leaving charge, such as Poppins' $49 and $110 options, or a large direct deposit amount. The calculator above calculates both dates for your provider and your nanny's pay.
Does Poppins charge a fee to leave mid-year?
Only if you ask it to keep filing for you. Poppins' pricing page lists $49 to have Poppins pay the taxes and file the quarter-end reports after you leave, and, if you leave before December, $110 to have Poppins make your year-end filings and W-2. If you file those yourself with NannyKeeper's forms, neither applies; send us a message before your first payroll and we'll set up the earlier months with you. We read its page on October 25, 2026.
Does HomePay charge a fee to leave?
HomePay's pricing page lists no charge for leaving, on either its Essentials or its Plus plan. We read it on October 25, 2026; check with HomePay before you cancel, since a page can change.
Will my nanny get two W-2s if I switch mid-year?
Often, yes. A provider that ran payroll for part of the year normally issues its own W-2 for those months, and NannyKeeper issues one for the months we run. Ask your old provider first. If it issues one, your nanny adds the two together on their tax return; if it does not, NannyKeeper's W-2 can cover the whole year: send us a message before your first payroll and we'll set it up with you.
Do the paychecks from my old provider still count toward the tax thresholds?
Yes. You are the employer, whichever service runs payroll, so the $3,000 Social Security and Medicare test for 2026 and the $7,000 federal unemployment (FUTA) wage base count every paycheck you paid this year. When you switch, NannyKeeper asks for your earlier wages so those limits pick up where your old provider left off.
Does NannyKeeper file my taxes after I switch?
No. NannyKeeper calculates the taxes on every paycheck, prepares your W-2, W-3 and Schedule H, and tells you what to file, where and by when. You file them yourself. Poppins, HomePay, SurePayroll and GTM file for you.
Switching guides and comparisons
- How to switch from HomePay to NannyKeeper
- How to switch from SurePayroll to NannyKeeper
- Poppins Payroll review, including what it charges to leave
- Compare every nanny payroll service side by side
- Nanny tax calculator: what you and your nanny owe each paycheck
Ready when you are
Create a free account, add your nanny and your earlier wages, and upgrade when you run your first payroll with us.
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