A certified payroll service runs your payroll and files the reports for you, which suits a contractor without payroll staff. Software suits a contractor who already runs payroll and needs correct WH-347s and state files. A general contractor collecting subcontractors' payrolls needs a collection and review platform such as Buildalytic, LCPtracker Pro or eMars, not a payroll service.
What to take away
- Payroll service: someone else runs payroll and reports.
- Reporting software: you run payroll, it makes the reports.
- Collection platform: a GC gathers and checks every sub's reports.
Four ways to handle certified payroll
Published prices were checked on each vendor's own site on November 11, 2026.
| Approach | Examples | Who it fits | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll service | Payroll4Construction, Points North managed service | No in-house payroll staff | Quote |
| Payroll system with certified reports | eBacon, Miter, Foundation | In-house payroll with many prevailing wage jobs | Demo or custom |
| Reporting tool | WeeklyCertified, CertifiedPayrollPro, LCPcertified | Payroll already run elsewhere | Free to $249 a month; $12 a report |
| GC collection and review | Buildalytic, LCPtracker Pro, eMars | Primes and agencies with many subcontractors | Quoted per project or demo |
Sources: Payroll4Construction: certified payroll (checked November 11, 2026); Points North: certified payroll reporting (checked November 11, 2026); eBacon: prevailing wage payroll (checked November 11, 2026); Miter: certified payroll (checked November 11, 2026); Foundation Software: certified payroll (checked November 11, 2026); WeeklyCertified: pricing (checked November 11, 2026); CertifiedPayrollPro: pricing (checked November 11, 2026); LCPtracker: LCPcertified (checked November 11, 2026); LCPtracker: LCPtracker Pro (checked November 11, 2026); eMars: certified payroll software (checked November 11, 2026); Buildalytic: collect subcontractor payrolls
A subcontractor with 12 field workers
If payroll already runs in your accounting system, a reporting tool is usually enough: at published prices that is $0 to $99 a month. If nobody in the office is comfortable with prevailing wage payroll, a service or payroll system is worth the higher, quoted price because the fringe and overtime math is done once, in payroll.
A general contractor with 20 subcontractors
Here the hard part is not producing your own WH-347; it is getting 20 employers' payrolls every week and checking them. A collection and review platform tracks who is missing, flags issues and keeps corrections with the week. Buildalytic adds Brody's follow-up calls and texts to the subs who are late.
Common questions
Is a certified payroll service worth it?
It is worth it when nobody in-house runs prevailing wage payroll confidently. If you already run payroll, reporting software costs less.
Can a payroll service collect my subcontractors' certified payrolls?
Payroll services report for their own clients' employees. To collect and review subcontractors' payrolls, use a collection platform such as Buildalytic, LCPtracker Pro or eMars.
Sources and editorial notes
- Payroll4Construction: certified payroll (checked November 11, 2026)
- Points North: certified payroll reporting (checked November 11, 2026)
- eBacon: prevailing wage payroll (checked November 11, 2026)
- Miter: certified payroll (checked November 11, 2026)
- Foundation Software: certified payroll (checked November 11, 2026)
- WeeklyCertified: pricing (checked November 11, 2026)
- CertifiedPayrollPro: pricing (checked November 11, 2026)
- LCPtracker: LCPcertified (checked November 11, 2026)
- LCPtracker: LCPtracker Pro (checked November 11, 2026)
- eMars: certified payroll software (checked November 11, 2026)
- Buildalytic: collect subcontractor payrolls
Prepared with AI assistance. Reference date: 2026-11-11. Worked examples are illustrative and are not customer results. Product details can change; confirm the current scope and terms before rollout.
How we prepare and update field notesCollect and check every sub's payroll.
Bring one project and its subcontractor list. See how missing payrolls are followed up and how each finding is reviewed.
Start with the call, text or record your team already handles. Review the expected outcome and the human handoff before choosing a rollout.
Talk to the payroll team Explore the relevant capability
