NannyKeeper vs SurePayroll
Paychex's small business payroll, with a Nanny & Household plan. Here's how NannyKeeper compares—and why families are making the switch.
Recommended
NannyKeeper
Comparing
SurePayroll
✕ means the feature isn't listed on that provider's own pages (checked September 2026).
About SurePayroll
SurePayroll is a small business payroll company owned by Paychex, with a dedicated Nanny & Household plan: $39/month with one employee included, federal and state taxes filed for you, a signature-ready Schedule H, and free 2-day direct deposit. Note: SurePayroll acquired NannyChex in 2022. If you were a NannyChex customer, your service is now SurePayroll by Paychex.
What SurePayroll does well
- Full-service: they file taxes on your behalf
- Backed by Paychex (established brand)
- Direct deposit included
- Reasonable pricing for full-service
Where SurePayroll falls short
- Reports of tax filings not being submitted despite full-service promise
- Support can be difficult to reach
- Email deadline reminders not listed on its plan page
Why families switch to NannyKeeper
- Save $280+ per year
- Know your taxes are filed because you file them yourself
- Built only for household employers, with step-by-step filing guidance
- Get email deadline reminders before every quarterly due date
- Get an answer when something goes wrong, which SurePayroll's public complaints say can take weeks
- Free payment tracking tier for families just starting out
Pricing verified September 2026. Verify current pricing on each provider's website.
Save $288 every year
That's $1,440 over 5 years, for the same tax forms.
Enough for date nights, a family outing, or just keeping more of your money.
Get Started FreeNo credit card required • Cancel anytime
Check what the IRS would flag about your current setup
If you've been running payroll on SurePayroll, there may be compliance gaps worth knowing before you migrate. The free audit simulator takes 60 seconds and shows specific dollar exposure — FICA, Schedule H, state SUTA, 1099 misclassification.
Run the IRS audit simulatorWhat you get with NannyKeeper
Automatic tax calculations
Federal, state, and local taxes calculated for every paycheck. All 50 states supported.
Direct deposit available
Pay your nanny directly to their bank account. Starting at $6/transfer, plus 0.8% on amounts over $1,000 per transfer.
W-2 and Schedule H
Year-end forms generated and ready for you to file. No surprise fees.
Email deadline reminders
We remind you before quarterly deadlines so you never miss a payment.
Pay stubs
Professional pay stubs for every paycheck—great for your nanny's records.
State requirement tracking
We track what's required in your state and remind you of deadlines.
A note on full-service vs self-service: NannyKeeper is a self-service platform. We calculate taxes, generate W-2s and Schedule H, and remind you of deadlines—but you handle the actual filing with the IRS, SSA, and your state. Competitors like HomePay, GTM, Poppins, and SurePayroll offer full-service filing, meaning they file taxes on your behalf at a higher monthly cost.
One thing worth knowing: full-service asks more of you than it looks. To file on your behalf, you authorize the provider as your agent—power of attorney over your federal and state tax accounts. And it doesn't actually move the responsibility off you: household employment taxes are reported on your own 1040 (Schedule H), under your own Social Security number, so the IRS looks to the family no matter who submits the forms. The guarantees say so in the fine print too—they cover a penalty if the provider made the mistake, but never the tax itself. We've even had families come to us after a provider missed something for years, or simply didn't file what they were paying for, and left them to sort it out with the IRS. With NannyKeeper you stay in control, see exactly how every number was calculated, pay the IRS directly (about 15 minutes a quarter), and save hundreds a year.
Learn more about nanny taxes
Complete Guide to Nanny Taxes
Everything you need to know about household employment taxes.
Nanny Tax Calculator
See exactly what you'll owe in taxes for your situation.
Schedule H Guide
Line-by-line walkthrough of Schedule H for household employers.
State Requirements
Find the specific tax rules for your state.