HomePay is run by Breedlove & Associates, a Care.com company, and is one of the best-known nanny payroll services. This review covers what a family actually pays for, using only HomePay's own product and pricing page, and compares it with Poppins Payroll and with doing household payroll yourself. Customer testimonials on HomePay's page aren't repeated here.
We haven't run payroll on these products. Everything here comes from each company's own public pages, read on 8 October 2026, and prices change: check the live page before you sign up.
What HomePay Essentials includes
- Federal and state tax registration.
- Quarterly taxes filed on your behalf, with withholding worked out and paid over.
- End-of-year tax forms done for you.
- Automated payroll and direct deposit.
- Unlimited phone, chat and email support.
HomePay's FAQ sums it up as payroll and tax payments from the first payday to tax day: registration, quarterly filings, withholding calculations and payments, and year-end forms. It also says HomePay acts as your tax agent, handling communication with your state.
What Plus adds
- Dedicated account management and audit support.
- An employee app for logging hours, time off and expenses.
- Tax agency notices managed for you.
- A free Care.com membership.
Plus is worth the extra $16 a month mainly if you expect agency letters or audits, or want your nanny to log hours in an app. For a single nanny on fixed hours, Essentials covers the filings.
What HomePay costs in a year
| Plan | Monthly | First 12 months | Each year after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $59 | $708 | $708 |
| Plus | $75 (first month free) | $825 | $900 |
These are service fees only. The household employment taxes are the same whoever files them: for 2026, Social Security of 6.2% and Medicare of 1.45% each from you and the worker once cash wages reach $3,000, and FUTA once you pay $1,000 in a quarter (IRS Publication 926). HomePay's page doesn't list setup fees, annual billing or contract terms; it gives a phone number for questions.
HomePay's two guarantees, read closely
The Happiness Guarantee refunds all HomePay fees you paid if you call within 6 months of your account being activated. It can be used once, isn't available again if you re-enrol, excludes fees for non-sufficient funds, card processing and payroll reversals, and applies only to clients who pay HomePay directly.
The Service Accuracy Guarantee covers accurate, on-time tax returns and payments, provided HomePay has your complete and accurate information by the end of the calendar quarter. If you're penalised through HomePay's fault and it can't get the penalty waived, it will pay or reimburse it at its discretion. It excludes any other liability and the tax itself, and HomePay isn't at fault if it can't collect funds from your account on the day requested.
HomePay vs Poppins vs doing it yourself
| HomePay Essentials | Poppins Payroll | Do it yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $59 | $49 | None |
| A year | $708 | $588 | Your time, plus any tools |
| Who files quarterly and year-end forms | HomePay | Poppins | You |
| Who registers you with the state | HomePay | Poppins | You |
Checked October 8, 2026. From care.com/homepay and poppinspayroll.com/pricing. Poppins' own comparison table of other providers isn't used here.
On price alone, Poppins was $120 a year cheaper than HomePay Essentials on 8 October 2026. Doing it yourself saves the whole fee but leaves registration, deposits, state returns, the W-2 and Schedule H to you.
What HomePay's page doesn't tell you
- Whether there are setup fees, annual billing or a minimum term: none are listed, so ask before you sign up.
- Whether the price changes with more than one worker or more than one state.
- What happens to quarterly filings if you leave part-way through a year.
HomePay's page sends these questions to a free phone consultation on (888) 273-3356, Monday to Thursday 8am to 6pm and Friday 8am to 5pm Central time.
Is HomePay worth it?
- Worth it if you want someone else to register, file and answer state letters, and value the 6-month refund guarantee while you try it.
- Plus makes sense for care arrangements with changing hours, several workers or past tax problems.
- Compare Poppins first if the fee matters most and you only need the filings.
- Do it yourself if you have one worker on steady hours in a state with few extra rules and you're comfortable with Schedule H.
Where PayDocs fits
PayDocs isn't a payroll service and doesn't file anything. If you do household payroll yourself, it makes the pay stub for each payday and the W-2 at year end from your figures. PayDocs works out federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and supported state taxes for 2026 pay dates (see what we calculate). Previewing is free; a PDF is $4.99 per pay stub once checkout opens, with no monthly fee.
This is general information about US federal rules for employers as of 8 October 2026, not tax or legal advice. State and local rules can add to it.
Questions
How much does HomePay cost?
On 8 October 2026, HomePay Essentials was $59 a month and Plus $75 a month with the first month free. That is $708 a year for Essentials and $900 a year for Plus after the first year.
Does HomePay file my nanny taxes?
Yes. HomePay says it handles federal and state tax registration, quarterly filings, withholding calculations and payments, and year-end tax forms, and acts as your tax agent with the state.
Can I get a refund if I don't like HomePay?
HomePay's Happiness Guarantee refunds the HomePay fees you paid if you call within 6 months of activation. It can be used once and excludes non-sufficient funds, card processing and payroll reversal fees.
Is HomePay or Poppins cheaper?
Poppins Payroll listed $49 a month on 8 October 2026, against $59 for HomePay Essentials, so Poppins was $120 a year cheaper on the base fee. Compare what each includes for your state before choosing.
Sources
- Care.com HomePay: Product and pricing (checked 8 October 2026)
- Poppins Payroll: Pricing (checked 8 October 2026)
- IRS: Publication 926 (2026), Household Employer's Tax Guide
Sources checked October 8, 2026. This article explains how pay documents work; it is not tax or legal advice.
