Household Payroll Review • Updated October 2026
Poppins Payroll Review 2026: Nanny Payroll Pricing & Pros
Poppins Payroll handles paychecks and nanny taxes for families who employ nannies, caregivers and housekeepers. Here’s what it costs, what it files, the fees to know and how it compares to HomePay and SurePayroll.
Compare Payroll Quotes → See PricingIs Poppins Payroll Good? Our Verdict
Poppins Payroll is one of the best-value nanny payroll services for families: $49 a month covers payroll, direct deposit, tax registration, quarterly filings, W-2s and Schedule H, with no contract and a free first month. We rate it 4.3/5. It’s simple, affordable and handles household tax compliance well, but it isn’t available in every state, has weekday-only support, and charges extra for filings after you cancel. It’s built only for households, not businesses.
Poppins is our pick for household employers in the best payroll outsourcing companies rankings. Running a business? See the best payroll software for businesses instead.
On this page
Poppins Payroll Ratings Breakdown
Overall: 4.3/5, the average of the five categories.
What families say
Poppins earned a 4.9-star rating in Forbes Advisor’s 2026 nanny payroll roundup and holds about 4.7 out of 5 on the Better Business Bureau. Families praise the friendly Boulder-based support team, easy setup and low price.
The most common complaints are that payroll runs in arrears (nannies are paid about a week after the pay period), no weekend support, limited state coverage and no mobile app.
Poppins Payroll Pros and Cons
✔ Pros
- Built for household employers such as families with nannies and caregivers
- Handles nanny tax filings, including quarterly returns, W-2s and Schedule H
- Simple for families: one $49 plan with no tiers
- First month free and no contract
- Tax account registration and new hire reporting included
- PTO and sick leave tracking
⚠ Cons
- Not designed for businesses
- Limited HR features and no benefits access
- Not available in every state
- Weekday-only phone support
- Payroll runs in arrears, about a week behind
- Fees for filings after you cancel mid-year
Poppins Payroll Pricing and Fees (2026)
Poppins Payroll costs $49 per month for one household employee and $10 per month for each additional employee, about $588 a year for one nanny. Your first calendar month is free, there’s no setup fee, and direct deposit, quarterly filings, W-2s and Schedule H are included while you’re a customer.
| Household employees | Monthly cost | Yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 employee | $49 | $588 (about $539 in year one with the free first month) |
| 2 employees | $59 | $708 |
| 3 employees | $69 | $828 |
What’s included and what costs extra
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Setup or onboarding | $0 |
| Direct deposit | $0 |
| Weekly pay schedule | $0 |
| Quarterly filings, W-2 and Schedule H (active customers) | Included |
| Each additional household employee | $10/month |
| Quarter-end filing after you cancel mid-year | $49 |
| Year-end documents if you leave before December | $110 |
| Catch-up on past unpaid nanny taxes | Extra fee, quoted |
Published Poppins pricing as of October 2026. State registration fees and sales tax may apply.
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Compare Payroll QuotesPoppins Payroll Features
Tax registration
Help getting a federal EIN and state employer accounts, plus new hire reporting.
Payroll & direct deposit
Weekly, biweekly, semimonthly or monthly pay by free direct deposit or your own checks.
Nanny tax filing
Withholding, deposits and quarterly tax filings, plus W-2 and Schedule H at year-end.
PTO & sick leave
Tracks balances under the policies you set and shows them on pay stubs.
Document library
Pay stubs, tax forms and sample nanny agreements in one secure place.
Real people
Phone and email support from a Boulder, Colorado team on weekdays.
How Poppins Payroll Works
- Sign up and add your employee. Enter your household and your nanny’s details, pay rate and schedule. Your first month is free.
- Poppins registers your tax accounts. It helps you get a federal EIN and state employer accounts and files new hire reports.
- Payroll runs automatically. Your nanny is paid by direct deposit on your schedule, about a week after each pay period ends, with taxes withheld.
- Taxes are paid and filed for you. Poppins deposits payroll taxes and files quarterly state and federal returns.
- Year-end forms are prepared. You get your employee’s W-2 and your Schedule H to file with your Form 1040.
Tip: finish onboarding about a week before your nanny’s first day so registration and the first payroll are ready.
2026 Nanny Tax Rules Poppins Handles
In 2026, you’re a household employer who owes nanny taxes if you pay one household employee $3,000 or more in cash wages for the year, or $1,000 or more in total household wages in any calendar quarter. That applies to nannies, babysitters, senior caregivers and housekeepers who aren’t independent contractors.
| Tax or form | 2026 rule | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security and Medicare (FICA) | Due if you pay one household employee $3,000+ in cash wages in 2026 | 7.65% employer + 7.65% withheld from employee |
| Federal unemployment (FUTA) | Due if you pay $1,000+ in total household wages in any calendar quarter | Employer, usually 0.6% of the first $7,000 |
| State unemployment and other state taxes | Thresholds and rates vary by state | Employer (and employee in a few states) |
| Federal income tax withholding | Optional unless you and your employee agree | Employee |
| Schedule H | Filed with your Form 1040 to report household employment taxes | Employer |
| Form W-2 | Give to your employee by January 31 | Employer |
Example: a nanny paid $20 an hour for 40 hours a week earns $41,600 a year, so the family owes about $3,182 in employer Social Security and Medicare plus about $42 in federal unemployment tax, before state taxes.
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use Poppins Payroll
Great fit if you…
- Employ a nanny, caregiver, housekeeper or household manager
- Are a first-time household employer who needs registration help
- Want nanny taxes filed for you at a low flat price
- Live in a state Poppins supports
- Don’t want a long-term contract
Consider alternatives if you…
- Run a business with employees (see our small business payroll guide)
- Want both household and business payroll from one provider (see SurePayroll)
- Live in a state Poppins doesn’t support
- Need weekend support or a mobile app
- Want benefits or HR tools (see Gusto or OnPay for businesses)
Poppins vs. HomePay vs. GTM vs. SurePayroll vs. NannyKeeper
How Poppins compares with the household payroll services families most often consider.
| Poppins Payroll | HomePay (Care.com) | GTM Payroll | SurePayroll (nanny plan) | NannyKeeper | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/mo | From $59/mo | About $78/mo | From $39/mo | From $10/mo |
| Files nanny taxes for you | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No, you file |
| Extra employees | $10/mo each | Higher tier | Included in plans | Per-employee fee | Varies |
| Best for | Simple, low-cost full service | Brand recognition and care.com users | Multiple-employee households | Families wanting a big-name provider | DIY families on a tight budget |
| Our review | — | — | — | SurePayroll | — |
Starting prices for one household employee as reported in 2026 roundups; confirm current pricing with each provider.
SurePayroll is owned by Paychex (see our Paychex review). For business payroll, compare ADP, Gusto, OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll, or read how outsourced payroll services work.
About Poppins Payroll
Poppins Payroll was founded in 2016 and is based in Boulder, Colorado. It focuses only on household employment, helping families pay nannies, babysitters, senior caregivers and housekeepers legally and file the payroll taxes that come with being a household employer. Poppins has received investment from Spectrum Equity.
Poppins Payroll FAQs
Is Poppins Payroll legit?
Yes. Poppins Payroll is a Boulder, Colorado company founded in 2016 that handles payroll and nanny taxes for household employers. It earned a 4.9-star rating in Forbes Advisor’s 2026 nanny payroll roundup and has strong Better Business Bureau reviews from families.
How much does Poppins Payroll cost?
Poppins Payroll costs $49 per month for one household employee, plus $10 per month for each additional employee. That’s about $588 a year for one nanny, and the first calendar month is free. There’s no setup fee, and direct deposit, quarterly filings, W-2s and Schedule H are included for active customers.
Does Poppins Payroll file nanny taxes?
Yes. Poppins registers you for federal and state tax accounts, withholds and pays Social Security, Medicare, unemployment and other payroll taxes, files quarterly returns, and prepares your employee’s W-2 and your Schedule H at year-end.
Does Poppins Payroll have a free trial?
Yes. Your first calendar month is free, and if you cancel before the next billing date you owe nothing. A U.S. bank account is required to sign up.
Does Poppins Payroll work in every state?
Poppins doesn’t currently support every state, and some states require you to complete or authorize registration before Poppins can file. Check Poppins’ state-by-state page before signing up.
Does Poppins Payroll have hidden fees?
Poppins’ monthly price covers payroll, direct deposit and tax filings for active customers. Extra fees apply if you cancel mid-year and still want quarter-end filings ($49) or leave before December and want year-end documents ($110), and for catching up on past unpaid nanny taxes.
Can I cancel Poppins Payroll anytime?
Yes. Poppins has no long-term contract and renews monthly until you cancel. Partial months aren’t refunded, and filings for the period after you leave cost extra unless you or a new provider handle them.
Is Poppins Payroll better than HomePay?
Poppins and HomePay both file nanny taxes for you. Poppins is usually cheaper at $49 per month versus HomePay’s plans starting around $59 per month, while HomePay offers the backing of Care.com and more support hours.
Is Poppins Payroll better than SurePayroll?
Poppins focuses only on household employers and includes year-end filings for active customers, while SurePayroll, owned by Paychex, offers both nanny and small-business payroll and has a slightly lower starting price for one nanny. Families who want a specialist often prefer Poppins.
When do I have to pay nanny taxes in 2026?
In 2026 you owe Social Security and Medicare taxes if you pay one household employee $3,000 or more in cash wages during the year, and federal unemployment tax if you pay $1,000 or more in total household wages in any calendar quarter. State rules vary.
Can a business use Poppins Payroll?
No. Poppins Payroll is built only for household employers such as families paying nannies, caregivers and housekeepers. Businesses with employees need a business payroll service that handles business tax filings.
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