Honest Comparison

Compare Certified Payroll Software

How we stack up against Points North, LCPtracker, eBacon, and Elation Systems.

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60-second signupFirst report in 15 minNo credit card required

Works with your existing payroll provider

ADPGustoQuickBooksPaychexUKGPaylocityPaycorRippling+ 4 more via CSV

Feature & Pricing Comparison Matrix

The five providers you've probably looked at, side by side.

FeatureCertifiedPayrollProPoints NorthLCPtrackereBaconElation
Setup fee$0$1,500+VariesVaries$2,000+
Monthly baseFrom $49$175+$200+$200+$300+
Per-report fee$1–$5$7.50+VariesIncludedVaries
Pricing transparencyPublicQuoteQuoteQuoteQuote
Contract lengthMonth-to-monthAnnualAnnualAnnualAnnual
Free trial14 daysNoNoLimitedNo
Self-serve signupYesNoNoPartialNo
AI complianceLydiaNoNoNoNo
Federal WH-347YesYesYesYesYes
State-specific forms50 states (Pro+)ExtraExtraExtraExtra
California DIR eCPRYes (Pro+)YesYesYesYes
Subcontractor portalYes (Pro+)Add-onYesAdd-onYes
Mobile time trackingYes (Pro+)LimitedAdd-onLimitedLimited
Payroll integrations12 providersLimitedLimitedSomeLimited
Free wage lookupYesNoNoNoNo
Union payrollYes (Enterprise)Add-onAdd-onYesAdd-on

Based on what's publicly available as of 2026. Old providers often quote custom pricing, so your quote may differ.

Where CertifiedPayrollPro wins

Self-serve is the default

Sign up, try it, pay when you're ready. No forced demos, no sales funnel.

Pricing on the website

$49, $99, or $249/mo. Plus per-report fees. That's what you'll pay. No surprise invoices.

Lydia's included

No other provider ships an AI compliance assistant. Lydia explains Davis-Bacon rules and flags problems.

Month-to-month, no contracts

Old providers lock you into annual contracts. We earn it every month.

Free SAM.gov wage lookup

Our wage lookup is free forever. Others charge $49-$199/month for the same data.

Modern UI, built for phones too

Clean interface. Mobile-first time tracking. Built by people writing software in 2026.

When you might choose a competitor

Honest take: the older providers do fit some contractors.

You're a large prime monitoring 100+ subs

LCPtracker is purpose-built for agencies and primes doing heavy sub compliance monitoring. If that's you, it's a reasonable fit.

You want full managed service

eBacon and Points North will do your certified payroll for you. If you want to hand it off entirely and don't mind paying for it, they work.

Your agency mandates a specific tool

Some awarding bodies require LCPtracker, Elation, or a specific state portal. You may need both — us to prep, the mandated tool to submit.

You need ancient ERP integrations

Old providers have custom hooks into niche ERPs. If you're running something from the 90s, check compatibility first.

Alternatives FAQ

Which certified payroll software is best?

Depends on your size and how you like to work. If you want to file your own reports, see the pricing before you commit, and not sit through a demo — we're the best fit. LCPtracker works if you're a prime watching a hundred subs. eBacon and Points North serve mid-market contractors who want managed service. Elation's aimed at government agencies.

How do these providers differ on price?

We're the only one with public pricing: $49/month, zero setup. Points North, LCPtracker, eBacon, and Elation all quote you case-by-case, usually $175-$300/month with setup fees between $995 and $4,995.

Which providers offer a free trial?

We do: 14 days free, 3 reports, no credit card. Most of the old-school providers (Points North, LCPtracker, eBacon, Elation) don't offer self-serve free trials — you have to sit through a demo and sign a contract before you can touch the product.

Which options support state-specific certified payroll forms?

All the big providers support state forms to some degree. We include California DIR, Illinois Transcript, New York MPWR, and state forms for all 50 states on the Pro plan. Most others charge extra.

Do any alternatives include AI compliance assistance?

Just us. Lydia answers Davis-Bacon questions, checks wage determinations, catches underpayments, and walks you through WH-347 builds. The old providers don't have AI.

Can I migrate between these providers?

Yes. Every major provider lets you export workers, projects, and payroll history as CSV. Our import wizard gets you in under 2 hours no matter where you're coming from.

What happens if I cancel?

Cancel anytime with one click. Your data exports free in CSV/PDF format. No clawbacks, no penalty fees, no 'talk to sales' hoops.

See why contractors switch to CertifiedPayrollPro

14-day free trial. 3 free reports. $0 setup fee. Same-day filing.

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Certified Payroll Software Alternatives & Comparisons | CertifiedPayrollPro | CertifiedPayrollPro