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How do I set up a payroll subscription in QuickBooks?

Author

Sophia Bowman

Updated on February 27, 2026

How do I set up a payroll subscription in QuickBooks?

Enter the service key in QuickBooks Desktop
  1. From the Employees menu, select Payroll, and select Enter Service Key.
  2. If you have an existing payroll subscription, you are prompted to specify if you want to add this file to your payroll subscription.
  3. Select Add.
  4. Enter the service key, and select Next.
  5. Select Finish.

Also question is, how do I activate my QuickBooks Payroll subscription?

Enter the service key in QuickBooks Desktop

  1. From the Employees menu, select Payroll, and select Enter Service Key.
  2. If you have an existing payroll subscription, you are prompted to specify if you want to add this file to your payroll subscription.
  3. Select Add.
  4. Enter the service key, and select Next.
  5. Select Finish.

Likewise, how do I change my payroll subscription in QuickBooks? To change your payroll service:

  1. Go to Employees, select My Payroll Service, then select Change Payroll Service Options.
  2. A new window will display your payroll options.
  3. Sign in using your Intuit Account login.
  4. Select Proceed to Checkout to proceed with the order.
  5. Select or change the current Payment Method.

In respect to this, what is the cost of QuickBooks Payroll subscription?

Keeping this in mind, standard pricing for QuickBooks Payroll is as follows: Core: $45 per month plus $4 per employee per month. Premium: $75 per month plus $8 per employee per month. Elite: $125 per month plus $10 per employee per month.

How do I check my QuickBooks Payroll subscription?

Verify Payroll Subscription

  1. In your QuickBooks Desktop company file, go to Employees and select My Payroll Service.
  2. Select Account/Billing Info.
  3. Sign in using your Intuit Account login.
  4. Under Status, choose Resubscribe.
  5. Follow the on-screen steps to reactivate your payroll service.

How do I activate my payroll subscription?

Activate a payroll service purchased from a retail store
  1. Select Employees, then Payroll, choose Install Payroll from Box.
  2. Complete the fields in the Payroll License and Product Information page.
  3. Select Continue.
  4. Complete the fields in the Payroll Company Legal Information section.

Where can I find my service key for QuickBooks Payroll?

Where do I get my payroll service key?
  1. Log in to your QuickBooks Desktop company file.
  2. From the Employees menu, choose Payroll > Enter Payroll Service Key.
  3. Click the Add button.
  4. Enter the Payroll Service key and click Next.
  5. Type the Disk Delivery Key.
  6. Click Finish once done.

How much does it cost to add payroll to QuickBooks desktop?

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll at a Glance
FeaturesBasic PayrollEnhanced Payroll
Monthly Cost$29 +$2/per employee$36 +$2/per employee
Time tracking integration
Pay employees and contractors
Pay by check or direct deposit

When you process payroll manually QuickBooks automatically?

When you process payroll manually, QuickBooks automatically prepares your paychecks and files all of your payroll tax reports. Once a paycheck has been prepared, you must unlock the paycheck detail before editing amounts that will affect net pay. Paychecks may be printed only as a batch.

What is QuickBooks Payroll Service Key?

When you purchase QuickBooks® Payroll, you are assigned a 16-digit service key that is specific to your EIN and payroll service. You must enter this service key into QuickBooks to activate the payroll service in your QuickBooks file.

Where is my payroll service key?

(1) Obtain your service key

Payroll service keys typically are sent to you via e-mail. If you do not have or receive your service key, use Intuit's Automated Service Key Retrieval tool. You will need to sign in using your Intuit Account login.

How much is QuickBooks Payroll renewal?

QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll costs $45/month +$2/month per employee (though Intuit usually offers a discount for QuickBooks payroll). Enhanced payroll is QuickBooks Desktop's do-it-yourself payroll option. You can process your payroll and file your taxes directly through QuickBooks.

Can I use QuickBooks payroll without subscription?

If you'd like to do your payroll manually, you can track it in QuickBooks Desktop. Just remember, you'll need to calculate and enter payroll taxes, and file your tax forms yourself.

What is the best payroll service for small business?

The 7 Best Payroll Services for Small Business of 2021
  • Best Overall: Gusto.
  • Runner-Up for Best Overall: Intuit QuickBooks Payroll.
  • Best for Pricing: Wave Payroll.
  • Best for Outsourcing Payroll: Justworks.
  • Best for Growing Businesses: ADP Run.
  • Best for Software Integrations: OnPay.
  • Best for Paying Household Workers: SurePayroll.

What is the cheapest payroll service small business?

Best for budget: OnPay

As an online payroll service, OnPay focuses on one thing: simplicity. Instead of offering multiple plans, OnPay charges you one monthly base fee plus a cheap user fee—and at $36 per month plus $4 per user, OnPay's full-service plan is honestly one of the lowest out there.

Does QuickBooks automatically pay payroll taxes?

Automated taxes and forms is a QuickBooks Online Payroll feature which allows you or your client to automate e-paying and e-filing. Automated taxes and forms is turned on by a default setting inside of QuickBooks Online Payroll. Core, Premium, and Elite subscriptions offer automated taxes and form filing.

Can I do payroll myself?

Step 1: Choose a full-service payroll provider.

If you're not sure how to do payroll yourself, use payroll software that reduces the risk of errors or fines. Many payroll processing services, like Square Payroll, handle your payroll taxes, filings, new hire reporting for you, and allow you to complete payroll online.

Is QuickBooks Payroll any good?

The Verdict. QuickBooks Payroll is our choice for the best payroll service for small businesses because of its flexibility, ease of use, robust set of tools, numerous service plans and seamless integration with QuickBooks' accounting software.

Does QuickBooks charge for payroll?

Like many other payroll software offerings, QuickBooks Payroll Pricing is subscription-based, including a monthly fee plus an additional per-employee monthly cost. That being said, the Core plan costs $45 per month, plus $4 per employee per month.

How do you price payroll services?

How Much Do Payroll Services Cost?
  1. Online payroll services typically charge a base fee of $29 to $150, plus $2 to $12 per employee.
  2. Some payroll companies may also charge an implementation fee, which is a setup fee to cover the cost of adding your employee and business tax data to the system.

Is there any free payroll software?

Free payroll software FAQ

Payroll4Free is a comprehensive, secure, and user-friendly free payroll solution for small businesses. It offers far more features than other free competitors, including payroll tax calculation and pre-filled tax forms.

Where is the payroll subscription number in QuickBooks desktop?

I need to know the number our Payroll Service Key, Please.
  1. Select your QuickBooks Product.
  2. Choose Payroll.
  3. Go to your type of Payroll Subscription.
  4. Hit Payroll.
  5. Click on the View Contact Info button to see the support number.

How do I turn off assisted payroll in QuickBooks?

The best way to cancel your payroll service is directly in your QuickBooks Desktop company file.
  1. From the Employees dropdown menu, select My Payroll Service then Account/Billing Info.
  2. Sign in using your Intuit Account login and the Account Portal page will open.
  3. Select Cancel Service.

Does QuickBooks have to be renewed every year?

No, it is not necessary to pay and upgrade your QuickBooks every year. You can continue to use the existing version if you do not want to upgrade.