Compare/Head to head

OnPay vs Rippling

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

OnPay

$49/mo

US full-service payroll with optional HR, time tracking and benefits. Payroll Essentials is $49/mo base plus $6 per worker.

Where OnPay fits

US small businesses that want payroll without a quote
Employers paying W-2 staff and 1099 contractors
Teams with workers in several states
Owners who want benefits admin with payroll

Rippling

$8/employee/mo

Mid-market HR, IT and finance platform with payroll, devices and an ATS on one bill. From $8 per employee a month plus a base fee, with MCP enabled in-product.

Where Rippling fits

Mid-market companies unifying HR and IT
Teams that want payroll and devices on the same bill
Buyers replacing several separate tools
US mid-market employers

At a glance

Detail	OnPay	Rippling
Starting price	$49/mo	$8/employee/mo
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	–No	✓Yes
Public API	✓Yes	✓Yes
Listed under	Payroll	ATS, Benefits administration, EOR, HR compliance, HRIS, Onboarding, Payroll, Time & attendance
Capterra	Not enough reviews	4.9 from 4,867 reviews

Where they pull apart

OnPay

Stands out: Published pricing with unlimited pay runs, multi-state filing and year-end forms in the $49 base plan.

Watch out: The $49 is a base fee: each paid worker adds $6/mo. HR ($15 base plus $2/worker) and time tracking ($15 base plus $4/worker) cost extra.

Not the right fit for

Companies hiring employees abroad
Enterprises that need a full HCM suite

Rippling

Stands out: Payroll, IT device management and hiring on a single mid-market bill.

Watch out: Recruiting is one module of a much larger platform, not the product itself.

Not the right fit for

Staffing agencies
Talent teams that only want a tracker

Pros and cons

OnPay

Published $49 base plus $6 per worker
Unlimited pay runs and multi-state filing
Free setup and data migration

Per-worker fee adds up on larger teams
HR and time tracking cost extra
US payroll only

Rippling

Payroll, IT and hiring on one bill
In-product MCP plus an API
Replaces several separate tools

Monthly base fee on top of the per-employee price
No public MCP endpoint
Recruiting is a module, not the focus

What each one costs

OnPay

$49/mo

Payroll Essentials is $49 a month base plus $6 per worker, billed monthly. Add-ons: HR $15 base plus $2 per worker, time tracking $15 base plus $4 per worker, compliance resources $10, live HR support $65. Bundles start at $70 base plus $10 per worker. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Rippling

$8/employee/mo

Rippling plans start at $8 per employee per month, plus a monthly base fee. The total depends on the products you choose, and Rippling sends a custom quote. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is OnPay cheaper than Rippling?

Rippling starts lower, at $8/employee/mo against $49/mo for OnPay. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try OnPay or Rippling for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Does OnPay or Rippling have an MCP server?

Rippling ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All OnPay alternatives All Rippling alternatives Every Payroll tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?