Freelancers and solo operators need to pay themselves or a few contractors, file the right forms, and keep costs tiny. We weighted cost and contractor payments, then ranked the six that suit independents best.
Reviewed by M. HALLORAN·Updated MARCH 2026·How we vet
Tools compared6
Criteria weighted5
Last reviewedJune 2026
Paid placements0
How we ranked the field
Scored on our five criteria, reweighted for solo operators: very low running cost, clean contractor payments, simple tax forms, and room to add an employee later. See the full rubric →
Cost for very small teams30%
Contractor payments25%
Ease of use20%
Tax forms and filing15%
Scalability10%
01
RANK
★ Editor’s Choice
Gusto
Best for paying yourself and contractors
For a freelancer who pays contractors or runs payroll as a single member S corp, Gusto is the simplest fit. The contractor only plan bills just in months you pay someone, and upgrading to full payroll later is one click. Not built for large or global teams.
If you pay or work with contractors abroad, Deel handles compliant contracts and payments in well over a hundred currencies. It is more system than a domestic solo needs, and the contractor plan starts higher than US only tools.
Remote is strong for independents working across borders, with cheap contractor payments and compliant invoicing. Domestic US payroll and benefits trail the specialists, so weigh that if your work is mostly local.
If a freelancer is about to become an employer, starting on Rippling means payroll, HR and IT are ready on one record. For a true solo it is far more platform, and cost, than the job requires today.
Paychex offers a dedicated specialist and published entry pricing for a one person S corp that wants payroll handled. The base fee is steep for a single payee, and the platform is dated.
A PEO can give an incorporated solo operator access to group benefits, but the per employee minimums make it costly for one person. Consider it only if benefits access is the goal.