Softwr

Payroll · head to head

Extend vs OnPay

Extend logo

Extend

Payroll

Virtual card issuing and spend controls layered onto existing business credit cards

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OnPay logo

OnPay

Payroll

Single-plan United States payroll with unlimited pay runs and support for awkward tax situations other providers avoid

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Extend has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Extend it depends on an existing business credit card relationship, so a company without a qualifying Amex, Visa or Mastercard business card cannot use it as a standalone card issuer.; OnPay onPay operates only in the United States, so the first international hire means a second payroll vendor and a separate compliance model.
  • They diverge on capability: Extend covers Virtual card issuing, OnPay covers Single plan.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Extend and OnPay actually diverge.

Attributes where Extend and OnPay differ
AttributeExtendOnPay
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per month, free starter tierquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Payroll).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Extend

  • Virtual card issuing
  • Per-card spend controls
  • Approval workflows
  • Receipt auto-matching
  • ERP integrations
  • API access

Only in OnPay

  • Single plan
  • Tax filing and payment
  • Vertical payroll support
  • Benefits brokerage
  • Workers compensation
  • Contractor payments
  • Basic HR tools
  • Accounting integrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Extend

  • A small business wanting free vendor-level virtual card controls without opening a new card programmenot OnPay
  • A company with an existing Amex or bank business card wanting tighter per-vendor spend limitsnot OnPay
  • A finance team wanting predictable per-user pricing rather than a private quote for spend managementnot OnPay
  • A larger business wanting API-driven automated card issuance tied to its existing card relationshipnot OnPay

OnPay

  • A farm running agricultural payroll that needs Form 943 rather than the standard quarterly filingnot Extend
  • A church or nonprofit with clergy compensation rules that mainstream providers decline to handlenot Extend
  • A restaurant group needing tip credit and minimum wage make-up calculated correctly each pay periodnot Extend
  • A small business that wants one price for payroll rather than a tiered plan it has to keep upgradingnot Extend

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Extend

  • It depends on an existing business credit card relationship, so a company without a qualifying Amex, Visa or Mastercard business card cannot use it as a standalone card issuer.
  • The free Starter plan is capped at five users and 100 cards a month, which small but growing teams will outgrow quickly and need to upgrade past.
  • The Pro plan enforces a ten-user minimum, so a company with only two or three people who need virtual cards pays for unused seats.
  • Rewards, credit terms and dispute resolution still run through the underlying card issuer, so Extend cannot improve or change those terms; it only adds a control layer on top.
  • Deeper ERP integrations such as NetSuite and Dynamics 365 are reserved for the custom-quoted Enterprise tier, so companies needing them lose the pricing transparency of the published Starter and Pro plans.

OnPay

  • OnPay operates only in the United States, so the first international hire means a second payroll vendor and a separate compliance model.
  • There is no native mobile application, only a responsive web interface, which employers with field or shift-based staff notice immediately.
  • The HR functionality is administrative and does not replace an HRIS, so performance, learning and any real workflow automation need another product.
  • Time and attendance is handled through integrations rather than natively, meaning hours arrive from a third-party system that has to be reconciled when it disagrees with payroll.
  • Reporting is functional but limited, and companies that want cost analysis by department, project or location generally export to a spreadsheet rather than build it in the product.

Pricing, plan by plan

Extend

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 5 users and 10 guests
    • Up to 100 virtual cards per month
    • One expense category
  • Pro$11.99/month
    • 10 user minimum
    • Up to 500 virtual cards per month
    • Custom approval workflows and QuickBooks Online integration
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited users and virtual cards
    • API access for automated card issuance
    • NetSuite and Dynamics 365 integration, dedicated account manager

OnPay

On request
  • OnPay$undefined/month
    • One published plan combining a flat monthly base fee with a per person charge
    • No feature tiers, upgrades or add-on modules
    • Unlimited pay runs and multi-state filing included

Which should you pick?

Choose Extend if

  • You need virtual card issuing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want per-card spend controls.
Extend review

Choose OnPay if

  • You need single plan.
  • You also want tax filing and payment.
OnPay review

Questions people ask

Is Extend or OnPay better?
Neither clearly leads. Extend starts at Free and OnPay at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Extend or OnPay?
Extend has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Extend and On request for OnPay.
Does Extend or OnPay run on more platforms?
Extend runs on Web, iOS, Android. OnPay runs on Web.
Can I use Extend for free?
Yes. Extend has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OnPay starts at On request.
What is Extend best used for?
Extend is most often used for a small business wanting free vendor-level virtual card controls without opening a new card programme, a company with an existing amex or bank business card wanting tighter per-vendor spend limits, a finance team wanting predictable per-user pricing rather than a private quote for spend management, a larger business wanting api-driven automated card issuance tied to its existing card relationship. Of those, a small business wanting free vendor-level virtual card controls without opening a new card programme and a company with an existing amex or bank business card wanting tighter per-vendor spend limits are not what OnPay is typically brought in for.
What can Extend do that OnPay cannot?
Extend covers Virtual card issuing, Per-card spend controls, Approval workflows, Receipt auto-matching. OnPay covers Single plan, Tax filing and payment, Vertical payroll support, Benefits brokerage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Extend: Does Extend replace our business credit card?

No, it issues virtual cards against an existing American Express, Visa or Mastercard business credit line rather than opening a new card programme.

OnPay: How is OnPay priced?

As a single published plan with a flat monthly base fee plus a charge per person paid, with no feature tiers. Contractors are charged at the same per person rate as employees.

Extend: Is there really a free plan?

Yes, the Starter plan is free for up to five users, ten guests and 100 virtual cards a month.

OnPay: Does it handle payroll outside the United States?

No. It is US-only, in all fifty states, including multi-state filing at no extra cost.

Extend: What does Pro cost?

11.99 dollars per user per month billed annually, or 12 dollars monthly, with a ten-user minimum.

OnPay: Why do farms and churches use it?

It supports Form 943 agricultural filing, clergy housing allowance and Social Security exemption rules, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit payroll, which several larger providers do not.

OnPay: Is there a mobile app?

No. Employers and employees use a responsive web interface, which is a genuine gap for shift-based workforces.

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