Our take first
- PEO referrals pay far more than payroll software referrals, because they pay per employee. A 20-person business referred to TriNet's PEO is worth up to $2,000; referred to Gusto, it's $300.
- The conditions matter as much as the payout. Minimum employee counts, how long the client has to stay, and who counts as an eligible referrer differ a lot from program to program.
- None of these programs finds the businesses for you. The best referral is a business that is about to hire its first employee and hasn't picked a provider yet. More on that below.
The programs compared
| Program | Pays, as published | Conditions | When it pays | Who can join |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TriNetPEO and ASO | $100 per worksite employee on PEO, up to $15,000 per client; $25 per employee on ASO, up to $5,000; plus a $100 gift card after a completed first meeting | PEO needs 5+ worksite employees (3+ in tech, financial services and life sciences); client must sign within 90 days and stay 90 days; you need an existing relationship and the business's written consent | Cash no earlier than 90 days after you become eligible; gift cards within 60 days of the meeting | Anyone 18+ (terms effective April 3, 2026) |
| JustworksPEO | $100 per employee at the referred company | Justworks PEO only; the company must join and run its first payroll | After the first successful payroll | Anyone, customer or not |
| Paychex HR PEO partner programPEO | $500 for 5 to 20 employees; $25 per employee above 20, up to $10,000 per client; $500 for a non-PEO Paychex client with 5+ employees | 5+ covered employees; you must be the first to refer; active within six months; 30 days in good standing | After the 30-day employee count and good-standing period | U.S. referrers 18+ who earn no other compensation on that client and aren't Paychex employees |
| Paychex client referralsPayroll | $200 credit (1 to 9 employees) or $500 (10+) for each of your first three referrals; the fourth earns a free year of payroll, up to $2,500 | New client within 120 days; runs payroll for 90 days | Credits within 30 days after the 90 days | Current Paychex clients |
| RipplingPayroll and HR software | $1,600 per new paying customer: $600 at a sales-qualified opportunity, $1,000 at close | Tracked through your referral link (90-day cookie) | Monthly, the month after it's earned, by PayPal or Stripe | Affiliate partners through PartnerStack |
| ADP (RUN Powered by ADP)Payroll software | "Up to $1,000+" per new RUN customer; tier amounts shown in the partner dashboard | New U.S. customer who actively runs payroll; one-time payout | 45 days after ADP confirms the commission | Partners through PartnerStack |
| GustoPayroll software | $300 per new customer who runs payroll | Customer must be new to Gusto | Not stated on its partner page | Partners through PartnerStack |
| OnPayPayroll software | $100 when your referral attends a demo, plus $200 per active billed client, up to three | Demo within 180 days; client runs payroll on the standard plan | Within 30 days after each quarter | Current OnPay clients (accountants have a separate partner program) |
| SurePayrollReseller | Pricing and revenue terms shared in a presentation; no figures published | For CPAs, bookkeepers and other payroll providers | Not published | Apply through a SurePayroll rep |
From each company's own referral terms and partner pages, checked November 6, 2026. Programs change their payouts and can end them without notice; confirm the current terms before you refer.
PEO referrals vs. payroll software referrals
A PEO (professional employer organization) becomes the co-employer of the business's staff and bundles payroll with benefits, workers' comp and HR. Because the PEO earns a fee per employee every month, its referral programs pay per employee too: TriNet, Justworks and Paychex's PEO program all scale with headcount, and the totals run into the thousands for a 20- or 30-person company.
Payroll software (Gusto, ADP RUN, OnPay, Rippling) just runs payroll and taxes, and pays a flat amount per new customer. It's the better fit for a brand-new business with one to five employees, which is too small for most PEOs: TriNet and Paychex both require at least five.
Which programs fit you
- Insurance agents: PEO programs fit the conversations you already have about workers' comp and benefits, but a PEO usually supplies its own workers' comp, so a PEO referral can replace a policy you'd otherwise write. Payroll software referrals don't compete with your book.
- Merchant services reps: payroll is a natural second sale to merchants you've already signed. Flat-rate software programs are the simplest to add, and some processor agent programs, NextPay among them, pay a bonus per payroll deal. See our merchant services agent programs comparison.
- Business bankers: check your bank's policy first; many banks don't let bankers accept referral fees personally.
- Bookkeepers and accountants: the accountant partner programs (Gusto Pro, OnPay, QuickBooks and others) add revenue share and client discounts. We compare those in our bookkeeper partner programs guide.
What to check before you refer
- Per-employee or flat: and whether there's a cap per client.
- Minimum employees: most PEO programs pay nothing under five.
- How long the client has to stay before you're paid, usually 30 to 90 days.
- Who counts as eligible: some programs exclude people who are paid any other way on the same client, or require a personal relationship and written consent.
- Taxes: payouts usually come as independent-contractor income, and some programs ask for a W-9.
The part no program solves
Every program above pays only when a business signs up, and the easiest business to sign is one that's about to make its first hire and hasn't picked a provider. Brand-new businesses are exactly that: they've just registered with the state, they don't have payroll yet, and nobody has pitched them.
FiledToday sends the businesses that registered in your Florida county every weekday morning, with the owner's phone number and full mailing address, and with the kinds of businesses that hire early (contractors, restaurants, medical offices, cleaning companies) sorted to the top. It is $99 to $249 a month per county, month to month.
Start a free week, or read our guide on how to get payroll clients before their first hire.
This guide summarizes publicly posted program terms. It is not financial, legal or tax advice, and we are not affiliated with any program listed.
Common questions
Which payroll referral program pays the most?
PEO programs, because they pay per employee. TriNet pays $100 per worksite employee, up to $15,000 per referred client, and Justworks pays $100 per employee. Among payroll software programs, Rippling's $1,600 per new paying customer is the highest published flat payout we found.
Do PEO referral programs pay per employee?
Most do. TriNet pays $100 per worksite employee on its PEO, Justworks pays $100 per employee, and Paychex's PEO partner program pays $500 for 5 to 20 employees or $25 per employee above that, up to $10,000 per client.
How long does it take to get paid for a payroll referral?
Usually one to three months after the client starts. Rippling pays monthly for the prior month, ADP pays 45 days after it confirms the commission, Paychex pays after a 30- or 90-day period, and TriNet pays cash rewards no earlier than 90 days after you become eligible.
Can insurance agents get paid for PEO referrals?
Many programs accept anyone over 18, but read the conditions: Paychex excludes referrers who earn other compensation tied to the client's PEO relationship, and TriNet requires a pre-existing relationship and the business's written consent. If you're licensed, also check whether you can accept and must disclose a referral fee.
Updated November 6, 2026 · By Ben Thalmann, founder of FiledToday