Compare payroll software for property management companies managing W-2 on-site staff, leasing agents, and maintenance crews plus 1099 contractors.
Property management companies need payroll that handles W-2 on-site staff, leasing agents, maintenance crews, and office employees—plus 1099 contractors for repairs and turnover work. Our picks work for small and growing operations, from single-property managers to multi-site portfolios, whether you want an all-in-one platform or simple flat-rate payroll that syncs with your accounting.
Our top payroll picks for property management.
Best overall for small property management companies4.8From $40/moAll-in-one payroll with 1099 support for contractors, self-service for employees and subs, and automatic tax forms. Handles W-2 and 1099 in one system. Built-in time tracking. No sales cycle—good for owners and office managers running payroll.
Best for property management using QuickBooks4.6From $30/moPayroll inside QuickBooks so labor cost flows into property or job costing. Ideal when you run books and owner statements in QuickBooks. Pay staff and 1099 contractors in the same system; time tracking can tie hours to properties or projects.
Best value for straightforward payroll4.5From $40/moFlat pricing and one plan. Pay W-2 employees and 1099 contractors with tax forms included. Simple for small teams—works with any accounting software. Support included.
Best for growing property management portfolios4.4From Custom pricingPayroll and HR that scale to more properties and staff. 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 property management | $40/mo | W-2, 1099 | 1099 contractors; time tracking; all-in-one | Read review |
| QuickBooks Payroll | Property management using QuickBooks | $30/mo | W-2, 1099 | Labor cost by property/job; job costing | Read review |
| OnPay | Best value; straightforward payroll | $40/mo | W-2, 1099 | Flat pricing; 1099 included | Read review |
| ADP | Growing property management portfolios | Custom pricing | W-2, 1099, multi-state | Scale; optional dedicated support | Read review |
What to look for when you're choosing payroll as property management.
Property management often has W-2 on-site staff, leasing agents, and maintenance employees plus 1099 contractors for repairs, turnover, and specialty 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 vendors view pay stubs without extra admin.
Allocating labor cost by property or job is central to property management reporting and owner statements. If you run your books in QuickBooks, payroll that posts labor to jobs (QuickBooks Payroll) keeps property-level 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.
Staff hours—on-site, leasing, maintenance—can be captured with time clocks, mobile apps, 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 property costing and overtime compliance.
Property managers with portfolios across states need payroll that handles multi-state tax registration, filing, and compliance. All of our picks support multi-state; ADP and full-service options add dedicated support when you have more locations or complexity.
Many property management 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.
Why we chose these tools for property management.
Gusto is our top pick for most small property management companies: W-2 and 1099 in one system, contractor portal, automatic tax forms, and built-in time tracking. No sales cycle—owners and office managers can run payroll and add contractors without calling a rep. It scales as you add properties and staff.
When you run books and owner reporting in QuickBooks, QuickBooks Payroll keeps payroll and labor cost in the same system. Labor posts to jobs for property or project costing—critical for management and owner statements. Pay staff and 1099 contractors in one place. Best if QuickBooks is already your central tool.
OnPay offers straightforward payroll for W-2 and 1099 at a flat price. One plan, no tier maze—good for property management teams that want predictability. Contractor payments and tax forms are included. Works with any accounting software.
ADP fits growing property management companies that want scale and optional dedicated support. Multi-state payroll, more properties, and a full-service relationship when you need it. Custom pricing—get a quote and compare to Gusto or OnPay at your headcount.
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.
