Managing contractors shouldn't be this painful
Gusto charges you for features you never use
Payroll tax filing, benefits management, HR compliance — all built for W-2 employees you don't have. You're paying $79+/mo for a product designed for someone else.
W-9 chaos every tax season
Chasing contractors for W-9 forms, manually entering data, praying you don't make a mistake on 1099s. It's a nightmare that repeats every January.
Payment tracking is a mess
Venmo, bank transfers, PayPal, spreadsheets — no audit trail, no approval workflow, no visibility. Come tax time, you're scrambling to piece it all together.
Everything you need to manage 1099 contractors
Zero W-2 overhead. Built exclusively for businesses that work with independent contractors.
Contractor Portal
Contractors get their own login to submit invoices, log hours, and update bank info. No chasing, no paperwork.
Time Tracking
Contractors log hours directly in the app. You review and approve before payment goes out.
Payment Approval Workflow
Review every payment before it goes out. Approve or reject in one click. Full audit trail per contractor.
1099-NEC Export
Generate 1099 forms at year-end automatically. No accountant needed for the basics.
Payment History & Records
Full payment history for every contractor. Every invoice, every payment, every approval logged.
Contractor Onboarding
Collect W-9s, bank details, and rate agreements automatically when a contractor joins. Everything stored digitally.
Multi-Contractor Dashboard
See all pending payments, outstanding invoices, and contractor statuses at a glance.
Direct Bank Payment (ACH)
Pay contractors directly to their bank account via ACH transfer. Fast, traceable, professional.
On the roadmap
ACH Direct Bank Payments
Pay contractors directly to their bank account. Fast, traceable, no third-party services.
QuickBooks Integration
Sync contractor payments and 1099 data directly into QuickBooks. No manual exports.
Multi-Entity Support
Manage contractors across multiple business entities from one ZiggyPayroll account.
Built for your industry
If your business runs on 1099 contractors, ZiggyPayroll was built for you.
Marketing & Creative Agencies
Pay designers, copywriters, and freelancers on time — every time.
Construction & Trades
Subcontractor payments + 1099 season handled without the annual scramble.
Cleaning & Home Services
Part-time staff + seasonal contractors paid and documented.
Tech Startups
Dev contractors, remote workers, and fractional hires — all in one dashboard.
Photography & Events
Pay photographers, videographers, and second shooters without the paperwork.
Healthcare Practices
Locum staff, billing contractors, and admin freelancers managed compliantly.
Education & Coaching
Guest instructors, tutors, and curriculum contractors paid and 1099ed.
eCommerce & Logistics
Fulfillment staff and dropship partners tracked and paid efficiently.
Need a custom setup? Contact us.
ZiggyPayroll vs Gusto
Don't pay for W-2 features you'll never use.
| Feature | ZiggyPayroll | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost (10 contractors) | $39/mo flat | $49 base + $60 = $109/mo |
| Built for 1099 contractors | ✅ Purpose-built | ⚠️ W-2 first, contractors secondary |
| Contractor portal | ✅ | ✅ |
| Time tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Payment approval workflow | ✅ | ✅ |
| 1099-NEC export | ✅ | ✅ |
| W-9 collection | ✅ Automated | ✅ |
| Contractor onboarding | ✅ Fully digital | ✅ |
| W-2 payroll tax filing | ❌ Not needed | ✅ (You don't need this) |
| Benefits management | ❌ Not needed | ✅ (You don't need this) |
| HR compliance tools | ❌ Not needed | ✅ (You don't need this) |
| Self-serve setup | ✅ Under 10 min | ⚠️ Complex onboarding |
One price. No surprises.
Flat rate for up to 10 contractors. Add more as you grow.
Up to 10 contractors included
+$5/contractor/mo after 10
- ✓Contractor portal
- ✓Time tracking
- ✓Payment approval workflow
- ✓1099-NEC export
- ✓Payment history & records
- ✓Contractor onboarding (W-9, bank, rate)
- ✓Multi-contractor dashboard
- ✓14-day free trial
No credit card required
Growing your contractor team?
$39/mo base + $5 per contractor over 10. Simple, predictable scaling.
Frequently asked questions
Is ZiggyPayroll better than Gusto for 1099 contractors?
Yes — Gusto is a full HR platform built for W-2 employees. If you only have 1099 contractors, you're paying for payroll taxes, benefits, and HR compliance you'll never use. ZiggyPayroll is built exclusively for contractor management. Same core workflow, half the cost.
How does contractor onboarding work?
Invite a contractor by email. They get their own portal login where they fill out their W-9, add their bank info, and confirm their rate agreement. Everything is stored digitally — no paperwork, no manual data entry.
Do I need an accountant to file 1099s?
Not for the basics. ZiggyPayroll tracks all payments throughout the year and generates 1099-NEC forms at year-end for every contractor you paid $600 or more. You can handle filing yourself or hand off the generated forms to your accountant.
What's the difference between $39/mo and adding more contractors?
The base plan includes up to 10 contractors for $39/mo flat. After 10, you add $5/contractor/mo. So 15 contractors = $64/mo, 20 contractors = $89/mo. Always predictable.
Can contractors see each other's payment info?
No. Each contractor only sees their own portal — their invoices, their payments, their 1099. You have the full view across all contractors from your admin dashboard.
Does ZiggyPayroll handle payroll taxes?
No — and that's intentional. 1099 contractors are responsible for their own taxes. ZiggyPayroll handles payments, records, and 1099 documentation. We don't file payroll taxes because contractors don't need that.