A family that pays a nanny or caregiver $3,000 or more in cash wages in 2026 owes Social Security and Medicare taxes on them as a household employer, with withholding, quarterly state filings, a Schedule H with the family's own tax return and a W-2 for the employee. IRS Publication 926 sets out the federal side. Household payroll services exist to take that off the family's hands. This review covers what Poppins Payroll includes, what it costs once the extra fees are counted, how it compares with Care.com HomePay and who might not need it.
We haven't run payroll on this product. Everything here comes from the company's own public pages, read on 8 October 2026, and prices change: check the live page before you sign up.
What Poppins Payroll does
Poppins does household payroll only. Its site lists childcare workers (nannies, babysitters and tutors), senior care workers and other household staff such as housekeepers and gardeners, in all 50 states, and points small businesses elsewhere.
- Setup: registers you with the IRS and your state, sets up employer tax accounts and files the new-hire report.
- Each payday: works out gross-to-net pay and withholding, on a weekly, biweekly, semimonthly or monthly schedule as your state allows.
- Paying your employee: direct deposit through Poppins, or you pay by check or a money transfer app yourself.
- Filings: federal, state and local tax payments and quarterly filings where possible.
- Year end: Schedule H, Form W-2 and Form W-3.
- Records: pay stubs, tax forms and payroll records in your online account, with paid-time-off and sick-leave balances on each pay stub.
One detail to plan around: Poppins' FAQ says payroll runs in arrears, so your nanny is paid one week after the workweek ends. It suggests finishing setup about a week before their start date.
What does Poppins Payroll cost?
The plan is $49 a month for one employee and $10 a month for each additional employee, with no setup fee and no contract. New accounts get the rest of the calendar month they sign up in free. Sales tax may be added, and refunds aren't given for part months.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan, one employee | $49 a month | Drawn on the 1st of each month |
| Each additional employee | $10 a month | Two employees: $59 a month |
| Setup and tax account registration | Included | Some states charge their own registration or filing fee, which may be billed to you |
| Direct deposit and weekly pay | Included | No extra charge |
| Quitting mid-year, quarter-end filings wanted | $49 | Filings for the quarter after the month you quit |
| Quitting before December, year-end filings wanted | $110 | Schedule H and W-2 after your account closes |
| Catching up on past wages | Extra fee | Amount not listed |
Over a year with one employee, that is $588 before any state fees. The page also lists other possible charges, such as insufficient-funds fees, late payroll revisions and prior-period household taxes, without amounts.
Poppins vs HomePay
| Poppins Payroll | HomePay Essentials | HomePay Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $49, one employee | $59 | $75 |
| Additional employee | $10 a month | Not listed on the page | Not listed on the page |
| Tax registration and quarterly filings | Included | Included | Included |
| Year-end forms | Schedule H, W-2, W-3 | Included | Included |
| Introductory offer | Rest of the signup month free | None listed | First month free |
| Refund promise | None stated | Fees refunded if unhappy within 6 months, once | Fees refunded if unhappy within 6 months, once |
Checked October 8, 2026. Poppins from poppinspayroll.com/pricing; HomePay from care.com/homepay/product-and-pricing. HomePay's guarantee excludes insufficient-funds, card-processing and payroll-reversal fees.
On price, Poppins is $10 a month cheaper than HomePay Essentials for one employee. HomePay Plus adds account management, time tracking and handling of tax-agency notices, and HomePay also states a service accuracy guarantee covering penalties caused by its own errors. Families who value a refund promise or a named account manager may find HomePay's extra cost worth it.
Who Poppins suits, and who can skip it
- Suits a first-time household employer who wants nothing to file and one monthly price.
- Suits families with two or three household employees, at $10 a month each after the first.
- Think twice if you might stop employing mid-year: the $49 and $110 closing fees add up.
- Can skip it if you're comfortable making the deposits and filing Schedule H with your own return, which IRS Publication 926 explains; the cost is your time.
Where PayDocs fits
PayDocs isn't a household payroll service and doesn't file anything. If you pay your nanny yourself, it makes the pay stub for each payday and the W-2 employee copies 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 federal rules for employers, not tax or legal advice. State and local rules can add to it.
Questions
What does Poppins Payroll cost?
On 8 October 2026: $49 a month for one employee and $10 a month for each additional one, with no setup fee. Some states charge registration fees, and leaving mid-year costs $49 for quarter-end or $110 for year-end filings.
Does Poppins Payroll file Schedule H and the W-2?
Yes. Poppins lists quarterly state and federal filings and year-end documents, Schedule H, Form W-2 and Form W-3, for active customers.
Is Poppins cheaper than HomePay?
For one employee, yes: $49 a month against HomePay Essentials at $59 and Plus at $75, on each company's page on 8 October 2026. HomePay offers a six-month refund promise; Poppins doesn't state one.
Can I quit Poppins Payroll at any time?
Yes, there is no contract. If you want Poppins to file after you quit, it charges $49 for quarter-end filings or $110 for year-end filings if you leave before December.
Sources
- Poppins Payroll: Pricing (checked 8 October 2026)
- Poppins Payroll: Household payroll service (checked 8 October 2026)
- Care.com HomePay: Product and pricing (checked 8 October 2026)
- IRS: Publication 926, Household Employer's Tax Guide
Sources checked October 8, 2026. This article explains how pay documents work; it is not tax or legal advice.
