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E-Commerce & DTC Brands: Payroll Outsourcing Cost vs. In-House Hire (2026)
Payroll outsourcing for an e-commerce company costs $45 per employee per month, all-inclusive, against an in-house payroll clerk at the $58,260 BLS national median before benefits and taxes. Live in 3 to 5 business days, with seasonal workforce spikes and multi-state nexus payroll tax configured at setup.
What the outsourced price includes for an e-commerce company
Processing on your schedule, federal and state deposits and filings in every state with an employee, new hire reporting, direct deposit, garnishment processing, W-2s and 1099s, year-end close, and the e-commerce company configuration for seasonal workforce spikes, multi-state nexus payroll tax, contractor vs W-2 for fulfillment and inventory labor cost tracking. Corrections caused by the provider are the provider's cost, including amended returns. There is no per-run fee, no per-state fee and no year-end fee.
What the in-house price includes, honestly
A payroll and timekeeping clerk at the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median of $58,260, about $75,738 loaded, plus software, plus the cost of the errors one person makes alone. A business is covered by the FLSA as an enterprise when it has at least two employees and an annual dollar volume of sales or business done of at least $500,000. Even without enterprise coverage, individual employees are covered when their work regularly involves interstate commerce, such as handling goods that will be shipped out of state.
Break-even for e-commerce companies
At 50 employees outsourcing is $27,000 a year; at 100 it is $54,000. Both sit under the loaded clerk at about $75,738. Below about 20 employees the realistic comparison is with software rather than a hire, where the case rests on seasonal workforce spikes rather than price.
The rules behind this page, with sources
General information, not legal advice. Every rule below was read on the agency page linked next to it.
- A business is covered by the FLSA as an enterprise when it has at least two employees and an annual dollar volume of sales or business done of at least $500,000. Even without enterprise coverage, individual employees are covered when their work regularly involves interstate commerce, such as handling goods that will be shipped out of state. [DOL Fact Sheet #14]
Read the full guide to how much payroll outsourcing costs, and the rest of the e-commerce company payroll library.
Managed Payroll, Handled.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the outsourced payroll price for an e-commerce company?
Processing, all federal and state filings, new hire reporting, direct deposit, garnishments, W-2s and 1099s, year-end close and the e-commerce company pay code setup. No per-run, per-state or year-end fees.
What does a payroll clerk cost an e-commerce company in-house?
$58,260 a year at the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median, about $75,738 with benefits and employer taxes, before software.
What does a payroll error cost an e-commerce company?
A business is covered by the FLSA as an enterprise when it has at least two employees and an annual dollar volume of sales or business done of at least $500,000. Even without enterprise coverage, individual employees are covered when their work regularly involves interstate commerce, such as handling goods that will be shipped out of state.
What does managed payroll cost for an e-commerce company?
$45 per employee per month, all-inclusive, inside the payroll software you already use, with no monthly minimum. Seasonal workforce spikes, multi-state nexus payroll tax and contractor vs W-2 for fulfillment are configured at setup, not billed as add-ons.
Related Resources
Anthony leads payroll solutions at Business Executive Group, a national managed payroll firm serving businesses across industries including E-Commerce & DTC Brands. BEG manages payroll at $45 PEPM, all-inclusive, with deep expertise in compliance, multi-state filing, and industry-specific payroll requirements. Get instant pricing at beghr.com.
Authoritative source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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