Compare payroll software for plumbing businesses, HVAC and trade companies, and teams managing W-2 technicians plus 1099 subcontractors.
Plumbing companies need payroll that handles W-2 technicians and office staff, 1099 subcontractors when you use them, and labor cost that ties to jobs or service calls when you use QuickBooks. Our picks work for small and growing operations—from those running books in QuickBooks to teams that want an all-in-one platform or simple flat-rate payroll.
Our top payroll picks for plumbing.
Best overall for small plumbing companies4.8From $49/moAll-in-one payroll with 1099 support for subs, contractor self-service, and automatic tax forms. Handles W-2 and 1099 in one system. Built-in time tracking for techs. No sales cycle—good for owners and office managers running payroll.
Best for plumbing companies using QuickBooks4.6From $30/moPayroll inside QuickBooks so labor cost flows into job costing and service calls. Ideal when you run invoicing and books in QuickBooks. Pay techs and 1099 subs in the same system; time tracking can tie hours to jobs.
Best value for straightforward payroll4.5From $40/moFlat pricing and one plan. Pay W-2 employees and 1099 subcontractors with tax forms included. Simple for small teams—works with any accounting software. Support included.
Best for growing plumbing teams4.4From Custom pricingPayroll and HR that scale to more techs and locations. Custom pricing and optional dedicated support. Good when you're expanding and want a full-service partner for compliance and multi-state.
Side-by-side at a glance.
| Software | Best for | Starting price | Payroll types | Standout feature | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto | Best overall for small plumbing | $49/mo | W-2, 1099 | 1099 subs; time tracking; all-in-one | Read review |
| QuickBooks Payroll | Plumbing using QuickBooks | $30/mo | W-2, 1099 | Labor cost in jobs; job costing | Read review |
| OnPay | Best value; straightforward payroll | $40/mo | W-2, 1099 | Flat pricing; 1099 included | Read review |
| ADP | Growing plumbing teams | Custom pricing | W-2, 1099, multi-state | Scale; optional dedicated support | Read review |
What to look for when you're choosing payroll as plumbing.
Plumbing companies often have W-2 techs and office staff plus 1099 subs for specialty or overflow work. Your payroll system should handle both in one place—correct withholding for W-2, no withholding for 1099, and the right tax forms (W-2 vs 1099-NEC) at year-end. Contractor self-service lets subs view pay stubs without extra admin.
Labor cost by job or service call is central to plumbing profitability. If you run your books in QuickBooks, payroll that posts labor to jobs (QuickBooks Payroll) keeps job costing accurate. Gusto and OnPay sync to QuickBooks but don't push cost to jobs the same way; they're still strong for running payroll and tracking who worked where.
Tech time can be captured with mobile apps, time clocks, or manual entry. The best setup syncs hours into payroll so you're not re-entering data. Gusto has built-in time tracking; QuickBooks Payroll integrates with QuickBooks Time for time-by-job. Accurate hours support job costing and overtime compliance.
1099 subcontractors need 1099-NEC at year-end. Confirm your payroll provider includes 1099 runs and e-file without per-form fees. Running contractor payments through the same system as W-2 payroll keeps one record and simplifies reporting.
Many plumbing companies have an owner or office manager running payroll. Choose software that's straightforward to set up and run—published pricing, no long sales cycle, and support when you need it. Gusto and OnPay are built for self-serve; QuickBooks Payroll fits if you already use QuickBooks; ADP offers dedicated support when you're ready to scale.
How each pick fits plumbing: what to validate in a trial, with links to our full reviews and official sites.
Gusto works as payroll software for plumbing companies that dispatch W-2 techs, helpers, and 1099 trade partners from one self-serve hub with transparent fees. Contractor portals and automated tax work keep after-hours emergency calls from derailing payroll day. In your first payrolls, double-check deposits, overtime on long on-call shifts, and separation between employee wages and subcontractor draws. Simulate a week with slab leaks, a water-heater install crew, and a hydro-jet partner paid as 1099 to see how blended hours and reimbursements flow. If you track vans or territories, confirm those dimensions on payroll detail before pushing to accounting. Growth into another license region or benefits stays inside the same stack.
QuickBooks Payroll is payroll software plumbing contractors choose when QuickBooks already carries their service agreements, jobs, and inventory, and they need labor to land on those jobs automatically. Margin on T&M and contract work improves when payroll posts where PMs expect. Run early payrolls against a remodel job and a service route to verify labor, burden, and class splits. Integrate QuickBooks Time so drive time, shop time, and field callbacks feed payroll without duplicate entry. Watch local taxes if you cross municipal boundaries on emergency calls. Clean reconciliations mean your plumbing P&L reflects real crew cost.
OnPay is payroll software for plumbing shops that want simple per-head pricing and full-service taxes without chasing tier upgrades mid-year. Support picks up when a new apprentice’s paperwork lands hours before payday. Validate deposits, new-hire reporting, and year-end 1099 workflows for recurring excavation or line-jetting subs during trial runs. Import hours with overtime stacked after midnight emergency shifts to confirm state rules you actually enforce in the field. Map GL exports once if QuickBooks is downstream so job classes stay intact. Steady invoices help when cash collections lag large commercial retainage.
ADP fits payroll software searches for plumbing enterprises adding states, commercial mechanical divisions, or union-scale compliance overhead. Implementation teams align earning codes with how you report to GCs and agencies. Post go-live, verify each work state’s SUI and locals against where vans really earn revenue, including short multi-week projects away from home. Stress-test multi-location labor reporting if you separate residential from commercial P&L. If prevailing wage or certified payroll appears on bids, review sample outputs with ADP before the first compliance audit. Price the relationship after those proofs, not before.
Head-to-head comparisons to narrow your choice.
Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll both handle W-2 and 1099 payroll with automatic tax filing, but they target different workflows. Gusto is a sta…
Compare →Gusto and OnPay both serve small businesses with payroll, tax filing, and benefits, but they take different approaches. Gusto offers more HR…
Compare →Gusto and ADP both offer payroll, tax filing, and HR, but they serve different scales. Gusto is built for small businesses with transparent…
Compare →
ADP and Paychex are two of the largest full-service payroll and HR providers. Both use custom pricing and serve small business through enter…
Compare →For more options across all use cases, see our best payroll software roundup. To compare platforms side-by-side, see our payroll software comparisons.
Quick answers for this use case.
