What is Central?
Payroll, HR and compliance for US startups at a flat per-person fee.
Who is Central best for?
Central is best for US startups that want payroll, benefits and compliance handled by AI agents and HR experts.
Founders without an ops hire
AI agents and a human support team run payroll, filings and state notices, so the founder is not the one chasing compliance emails.
Teams hiring in new states
Central registers the company in each new state and handles payroll tax, worker's comp and registered agent duties across all 50 states.
Startups switching payroll providers
Its migration team moves your data and closes the old account, and staff keep their current health plan with one combined W-2 at year end.
Small teams picking benefits
A licensed insurance broker helps choose medical, dental, vision, ICHRA, life, disability and 401(k) options for the company.
How much does Central cost?
Central costs $50 a month for each person you pay plus a $100 monthly platform fee, which covers payroll, HR, benefits and compliance, and new customers start with a 30-day free trial.
- Plus a $100 platform fee a month
- Payroll, contractors, benefits, HR and compliance in all 50 states
- Migration and setup done by Central, with a dedicated insurance broker
The first 30 days are a free trial. There is no annual contract, pay runs are unlimited, and accountants can be added at no charge. Payroll, benefits and government filing costs, such as state registration fees, are passed through at cost with no markup. Full pricing on centralhq.com. We checked these prices on .
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What are the best Central alternatives?
One tool on Recaply does Central's job.
Questions about Central
What is Central?
Payroll, HR and compliance for US startups at a flat per-person fee.
Who is Central for?
Central is best for US startups that want payroll, benefits and compliance handled by AI agents and HR experts.
Is Central free?
No. Central has no free plan: it costs $50 a month for each person you pay plus a $100 monthly platform fee. New customers get a 30-day free trial, and there is no annual contract, so you can cancel at any time.
How much does Central cost?
Central's paid plans are Central at $50 per person paid per month.
What are the best Central alternatives?
The closest alternatives on Recaply are Warp Agent.
Where can I try Central?
On its official website, centralhq.com.
Which companies can use Central?
Central works only with companies incorporated in the US, such as LLCs, C-corps and S-corps. It does not serve gambling, cannabis, crypto trading, token issuance or crypto custody businesses, though web3 infrastructure and developer tool companies that issue no tokens can qualify.
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