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Motaware Payroll

Pay your team

Payroll helps you pay your team on time and keep the records straight. Run payroll for employees and contractors, prepare the direct deposit file for your bank, and give every employee their own pay stubs and tax forms.

Open Payroll See plans

Included in every plan, Free too. An alternative to Gusto, ADP.

What you can do with Payroll

Pay runs with approval

Payroll works out gross pay, deductions and withholding for each run, and waits for approval before anything is final.

  • Regular and off-cycle runs
  • Pre-tax and after-tax deductions
  • Contractors paid alongside employees

Federal and state withholding

Federal withholding follows the IRS percentage method for the pay date's year, and each state's withholding follows that state's own published formula.

  • IRS Publication 15-T tables for 2026
  • Every state's official 2026 formula
  • Social Security, Medicare and FUTA

Direct deposit, prepared for your bank

Payroll prepares a standard direct deposit file to upload to your bank, plus a register for paper checks. You mark each payment as paid once it has gone out.

  • Employees' bank details kept masked
  • New accounts confirmed by their first payment
  • Payment history for every run

Tax forms and deadlines

Payroll prepares quarterly and year-end worksheets and forms for you to review and file, with a calendar that reminds you what is due.

  • Quarterly and annual federal worksheets
  • W-2 and 1099 forms for year end
  • New-hire reports ready to send

Self-service for employees

Each employee gets their own sign-in to see their pay stubs and tax forms, update withholding and manage their direct deposit, without seeing anyone else's data.

  • Pay stubs and tax forms to download
  • Withholding and personal details
  • Time off and benefits in one place

What your plan includes

Payroll is in every plan, Free included, with the same features on every plan.

  • Free $0

    Pay runs, employees and contractors
    Included
    Tax forms and employee self-service
    Included

  • Personal $10/mo

    Pay runs, employees and contractors
    Included
    Tax forms and employee self-service
    Included

  • Pro $18/mo

    Pay runs, employees and contractors
    Included
    Tax forms and employee self-service
    Included

  • Family $25/mo

    Pay runs, employees and contractors
    Included
    Tax forms and employee self-service
    Included

  • Business Starter $10/mo per seat

    Pay runs, employees and contractors
    Included
    Tax forms and employee self-service
    Included

  • Business Standard $18/mo per seat

    Pay runs, employees and contractors
    Included
    Tax forms and employee self-service
    Included

  • Business Plus $25/mo per seat

    Pay runs, employees and contractors
    Included
    Tax forms and employee self-service
    Included

If a paid plan ends, your payroll records stay readable for 90 days. Subscribe again to make changes.

Compare plans

Security and privacy

Roles for everyone you invite

Only the people you invite see payroll, with the role you give them. Read-only staff see sensitive details masked, and employees see only their own pay.

Uploads checked for viruses

Every document, receipt and attachment uploaded to Payroll is scanned for viruses before it is stored.

One Motaware sign-in

You sign in with your Motaware account, which supports two-step sign-in with an authenticator app.

Works with

Questions about Payroll

Will Payroll move money or file taxes for me?

No. Payroll prepares everything: the direct deposit file for your bank, the check register and the tax forms. You send the payments and file with the agencies yourself, then record them in Payroll.

Does it handle state and local taxes?

State income tax withholding follows each state's own published 2026 formula. City and county income taxes (for example New York City or Maryland counties) are not withheld yet, and a company can set its own flat state rate for an employee if it needs to.

Who can see payroll data?

Only the people you invite, with the role you give them. Read-only staff see sensitive details masked, and employees can only see their own pay, tax forms and bank details.

Is Payroll free?

Yes. Payroll is in every plan, Free included, with the same features. See Pricing for what the paid plans add across Motaware.

Payroll without the guesswork

Payroll is in every Motaware plan, including Free. Set up your company and run your first payroll.

Open Payroll Create a free account See plans