Best Payroll Software and Services

Our star rating: 4.6 out of 5

Why Gusto?

If you don’t have any prior experience with payroll software and aren’t sure where to start, Gusto is absolutely my top recommendation. It’s one of the most popular payroll providers for small businesses, and it integrates with dozens of popular third-party applications, including accounting solutions like QuickBooks Online and Xero.

Gusto’s payroll service also has built-in time tracking and project tracking features for higher-priced plans. Managers can easily track team hours and process time-off requests and approvals. Workers can track their time by logging their hours on a computer or through Gusto’s employee mobile time-tracking app, which uses geolocation to verify hours.

The balance of flexibility and affordability made it my number one pick.

Pros

• Thorough employee self-service features with employee profiles, e-signature capabilities, and easy access to documentation.
• HR features include performance reviews, employee surveys, and access to certified HR experts (with pricier plans only).
• Automated payroll runs and automatic general ledger updates.

Cons

• Basic plan users don’t have access to customer support on weekends.
• Limited HR tools with the cheapest plan, especially compared to all-in-one payroll systems like ADP and Paychex.
• High per-employee fee with pricier plans can make the solution too expensive for organizations with a greater number of employees.

What are Gusto’s top payroll features?

• Unlimited monthly payroll runs.
• Full-service tax administration.
• Employee self-service portal.
• Hiring and onboarding tools with all plans.
• Gusto-brokered health insurance options.
• Additional employee benefit options include 401(k) retirement plans, commuter benefits, and free financial tools.

Top integrations: FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct, Xero, ZipBooks, QuickBooks Desktop, and Bookkeeper360.

How much does Gusto cost?

Gusto has three business payroll plans:

• Gusto Simple: $49/month + $6/employee/month.
• Gusto Plus: $80/month + $12/employee/month.
• Gusto Premium: Custom pricing only.

If you pay contractors only, Gusto’s contractor plan costs $6 per contractor paid per month for six months, then $35 per month plus the per-contractor fee after that.

Gusto also has an international contractor payment plan that lets businesses pay independent contractors in 120+ countries. Pricing is country-specific.

Finally, Gusto recently added international payroll in the form of an employer of record service. Contact Gusto for more information.

Learn more about Gusto by reading our in-depth Gusto payroll software review.

ADP: Best for growing organizations

Our star rating: 4.4 out of 5

Why ADP?

Whether you’re looking for a simplistic app-based payroll solution or a fully featured enterprise-level program, ADP has a payroll product for you. Its extremely versatile products are diverse enough to accommodate businesses of all sizes and in plenty of industries.

For instance, ADP TotalSource is a PEO for small businesses that want to offload hiring and payroll responsibilities. Roll by ADP is a chat-based app for businesses with fewer than five employees. ADP Workforce Now is an HCM solution for midsize businesses, while ADP GlobalView Payroll helps businesses pay employees in 40+ countries.

Pros

• Up to three months free for new users.
• Integrates with an extensive range of popular third-party software systems.
• Robust, customizable reporting capabilities.
• Comprehensive optional add-on features include retirement plans, workers’ compensation insurance, and employee health benefits.

Cons

• No transparent pricing online.
• Reporting features may have a higher learning curve for new users.
• State Unemployment Insurance management features are only available with higher-priced plans.

What are ADP’s top payroll features?

• Automated full-service payroll.
• Multi-jurisdiction payroll processing.
• Employee self-service portal access.
• Employee discounts, which provide workers with discounts on brand-name products and with local retailers.
• Exceptional reporting features, including thorough and customizable payroll and HR reports.

Top integrations: QuickBooks Online, Wave Accounting, Xero, SAP, Sage, Workday, 7shifts, ZipRecruiter, HiBob, and Microsoft Teams.

How much does ADP cost?

ADP doesn’t list the base prices for any of its payroll solutions online, including RUN Powered by ADP. Interested parties must contact ADP directly for a quote.

Learn more about ADP in our thorough RUN Powered by ADP review.

Rippling: Best time-saving automations

Our star rating: 4.3 out of 5

Why Rippling?

Rippling is by far the most versatile solution on my list, and its automation capabilities will supercharge your payroll processes. I’m not even talking about the basic calculation and filing automations that most providers offer — Rippling’s payroll workflows can automate pretty much anything that touches payroll.

This could be as simple as a pay rate increase when an employee gets promoted or as complex as a referral bonus that gets added to one employee’s paycheck when another employee hits their 90-day milestone. (Like I said, supercharged.)

Rippling’s automations also extend to hundreds of third-party platforms, so you can configure automations like syncing payroll data to your general ledger or reimbursing employee expenses.

Rippling is currently offering a free month of service for TechRepublic readers. Visit Rippling’s site to get started.

Pros

• International payroll processing available.
• Easy-to-customize plans include only the modules you want.
• Thorough integration with every product in the Rippling suite and 500+ third-party apps.
• Comprehensive, customized automations for most business processes.

Cons

• Expensive plans are outside many small and midsize businesses’ budgets.
• Workflow automations can have a high learning curve for first-time users.

What are Rippling’s top payroll features?

• Employee health insurance benefits in all 50 states.
• Built-in wage garnishment.
• Automated minimum wage, leave and overtime compliance.
• Customizable role-based permissions.
• Customizable workflow automations.
• Wage garnishment.

Top integrations:  QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage, and Oracle NetSuite.

How much does Rippling cost?

Rippling charges $8 per employee per month on top of a standard monthly base fee. Rippling doesn’t list its base price online, though the site previously listed its starting price at $35 per month.

Contact Rippling to request a custom quote.

Dig deeper into Rippling’s features by reading our Rippling payroll review.

OnPay: Best industry-specific payroll

Our star rating: 4.7 out of 5

Why OnPay?

OnPay is a solid solution for any business, but it really shines when you start digging into industry-specific payroll requirements.

For example, bar and restaurant owners can manage multiple pay rates for front-of-house and back-of-house staff, as well as tipped wages and overtime costs. Clergy and nonprofit orgs also get clear guidance for tax deductions and exemptions, and farms get support for ag-specific tax forms and workers’ compensation.

The best part? These niche capabilities don’t cost extra. Gusto may offer a wider range of native HR capabilities, but OnPay immediately becomes a more affordable option when you start adding up the fees for with these specialized payroll functions.

Pros

• Industry-specific payroll plans for restaurants, farms and agriculture, nonprofits, churches and clergy, manufacturing companies, 500+ employee companies, and more.
• Zero add-on fees.
• Custom PTO policy creation with automatic PTO accrual, calendars, time-off requests, and manager approvals.
• Up to three months free for new customers.

Cons

• Phone, chat, and email support are limited to weekdays, with only emergency email support available on weekends.
• One plan only, which may be less scalable for rapidly growing businesses.
• No international payroll options.
• Fewer built-in integrations than comparable payroll providers.

What are OnPay’s top payroll features?

• Unlimited monthly payroll runs.
• Free white-glove setup and data migration.
• Optional OnPay-brokered insurance benefits in all 50 states.
• Compliance alerts.
• Wage garnishment.
• Multi-state payroll.
• Federal, state, and local tax filing.
• Support for multiple pay schedules.

Top integrations: Xero, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time, and Magnify.

How much does OnPay cost?

OnPay payroll has just one plan that includes all of its payroll and HR features. It costs $49 per month as a base fee plus $6 per month per employee.

Learn more about OnPay’s payroll system by reading our comprehensive OnPay review.

Papaya Global: Best for international payroll

Our star rating: 4.2 out of 5

Why Papaya Global?

For fast, budget-friendly global payroll processing, it’s hard to do better than Papaya. Its contractor payroll plans start at just $2 per contractor per month, or you can also choose Papaya’s employer of record service for comprehensive employee hiring in 160+ countries.

Pros

• One of the most fully featured global payroll providers for U.S.-based companies.
• Access to payroll and benefits in more than 160 countries.
• Extensive international payroll library and compliance oversight.

Cons

• Fewer third-party integrations than some international payroll competitors.

What are Papaya Global’s top payroll features?

• Local currency payments made within 72 hours.
• Optional employee benefits.
• Country-specific tax management.
• AI-based compliance audits.
• Global finance, HR, and payroll features rolled into one package.
• Local experts with knowledge on immigration, global compliance, equity, benefits, and more.

Top integrations: NetSuite, Workday, Expensify, BambooHR, Namely, and HiBob

How much does Papaya Global cost?

Papaya offers a variety of international payroll services tailored toward businesses with diverse budgets and workforce needs:

• Global payroll: Starts at $25/employee/month for businesses with 101+ employees, $20/employee/month with 501+ employees, or $15/employee/month with 1,001+ employees.
• Payroll platform licensing: Starts at $3 per month per employee.
• EOR: Starts at $650/employee/month.
• Contractor Payments & Management: Starts at $30/contractor/month.

Learn more about whether Papaya Global will work for you by reading our in-depth Papaya review.

Paychex: Best HR solutions

Our star rating: 4 out of 5

Why Paychex?

While Paychex has more or less the same full-service payroll features as Gusto, it has a more robust set of HR features. In contrast to Paychex’s professional employer organization service, its payroll and HR software isn’t a total HR solution.

However, each Paychex plan has far more HR tools and support than any of Gusto’s plans, including access to a comprehensive HR library, optional financial wellness benefits for employees, and access to labor posters.

Pros

• Access to an impressive range of optional employee benefits offerings.
• Dedicated point of contact with 24/7 access to the customer support center.
• Impressive HR library resources are available with every plan.

Cons

• More expensive than comparable solutions.
• Limited pricing information online.
• Additional fees to process year-end W-2s and 1099s.
• Additional fees for general ledger and accounting software integration.

What are Paychex’s top payroll features?

• Employee self-service portals.
• Basic onboarding.
• Unlimited monthly payroll runs.
• Automated new hire reporting.
• Multiple employee pay options, including direct deposit, paper checks, and pay cards.
• Employee benefits options include a financial wellness program, employee assistance programs, and insurance benefits.
• Thorough human resource features with higher-tier plans, including an employee handbook builder and learning management system.

Top integrations: BambooHR, Greenhouse, Indeed, NetSuite, SAP, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks Online, Workday, and Xero.

How much does Paychex cost?

Paychex has three different pricing tiers for its HR/payroll solutions, but all of them require a custom quote:

• Paychex Flex Essentials: Custom quote.
• Paychex Flex Select: Custom quote.
• Paychex Flex Pro: Custom quote.

Learn more about Paychex by reading our in-depth Paychex software review.

SurePayroll by Paychex: Most affordable payroll

Our star rating: 4.7 out of 5

Why SurePayroll?

SurePayroll by Paychex is hands-down the most affordable payroll solution with the most essential payroll features. It offers the best value for the price and includes more features at no additional cost than other providers include in their base plan.

For example, SurePayroll offers free two-day direct deposit, HR advisor access, and free year-end tax form filing — other providers charge extra for these capabilities.

Businesses can also use SurePayroll by Paychex to find employee benefits like 401(k) retirement plans, health insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance. SurePayroll by Paychex also offers optional hiring tools like pre-employment screening and background checks.

Pros

• Up to six months free for new customers.
• Extended customer service hours with better-than-average response time.
• Tax-calculation guarantee with self-service plan (plus industry-standard tax-filing guarantee with full-service plan).
• Budget-friendly full-service or cheaper self-service plan options.

Cons

• Two plans can limit scalability for growing businesses.
• Fewer HR features than HR-focused competitors like Paychex and ADP.

What are SurePayroll’s top payroll features?

• Unlimited monthly payroll runs.
• Automatic new hire reporting.
• Pre-scheduled payroll runs.
• Support for multiple pay rates and bonuses.
• Wage garnishment.
• Optional health benefits backed by Paychex (SurePayroll by Paychex’s parent company).
• Workers’ compensation administration.

Top integrations: Xero, QuickBooks Online, BuddyPunch, Homebase, and Less Accounting.

How much does SurePayroll cost?

SurePayroll by Paychex has two payroll plans:

• Self-Service Payroll: $20 per month plus $4 per employee.
• Full-Service Payroll: $39 per month plus $7 per employee.

With the first plan, SurePayroll by Paychex calculates your payroll taxes but leaves the filing up to you. With the second plan, SurePayroll also withholds and remits your payroll taxes on your behalf.

Find out if SurePayroll by Paychex is a good fit for you by reading our SurePayroll by Paychex review.

QuickBooks Payroll: Best user experience

Our star rating: 4.1 out of 5

Why QuickBooks Payroll?

If you’re new to payroll, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the new processes and legal requirements. But if you already use QuickBooks Online for bookkeeping, adding QuickBooks Payroll ensures you don’t have to get used to an entirely new, confusing interface while you’re learning how to do payroll.

It’s basically a no-brainer for existing QBO users, especially if you don’t need other HR capabilities like hiring or performance management.

Pros

• Transparent online pricing.
• Multiple plan options for growing businesses.
• 24/7 live support (with pricier plans only).
• Excellent integrations with the Intuit QuickBooks suite of products and third-party software.

Cons

• No free workers’ compensation integration and administration with the cheapest plan.
• Expensive add-ons, including time-tracking software.
• Key features are limited to the priciest plans only, such as expert review and expert support.

What are QuickBooks’ top payroll features?

• Next-day or same-day direct deposit (plan dependent).
• Automatic payroll runs.
• 1099 e-filing.
• Optional 401(k) plans and healthcare benefits.
• Built-in time tracking through QuickBooks Time (additional fee with basic plan).
• HR support center (with more expensive plans only).
• Built-in workers’ compensation administration.

Top integrations: QuickBooks Online.

How much does QuickBooks Payroll cost?

Unlike some of its top competitors, QuickBooks Online Payroll lists its prices clearly and upfront:

• QuickBooks Payroll Core: $50 per month plus $6 per employee.
• QuickBooks Payroll Premium: Costs $85 per month plus $9 per employee.
• QuickBooks Payroll Elite: Costs $130 per month plus $11 per employee.

New customers can choose between receiving 50% off QuickBooks’ base price for their first three months of service or signing up for a free trial of QuickBooks’ payroll software.

Learn more about QuickBooks Payroll by reading our QuickBooks Payroll review.

Bambee: Best for compliance assistance

Why Bambee?

Bambee is an excellent option if you’re new to payroll processing and unsure of the compliance rules you need to follow.

As part of Bambee’s service, you’ll receive a dedicated HR manager who will work with you to craft compliant pay practices for your domestic employees, including pay rates, pay schedules, and approval workflows. They’ll also keep you up-to-date with changing regulations, including state and local minimum wage rates and paid leave time. Who doesn’t love a little extra reassurance when it comes to following the law?

Although Bambee does not offer quite the liability protection of payroll PEO or EOR vendors like Rippling, it does assist with employee classification. This limits the chance that you’ll accidentally miscategorize employees as contractors or salaried employees — a huge plus if you’re planning to bring your freelance work in-house.

Pros

• All plans include an HR audit to better understand your company’s risk profile and limit payroll compliance errors.
• Your HR manager can help you handle government agency claims, including tax notices, unemployment claims, and wage garnishments.
• Internal document management with e-signatures to streamline information gathering for faster payroll processing.

Cons

• You must manually manage benefits and time-tracking outside of the Bambee HR platform.
• Does not integrate with third-party solutions, which may result in data silos.
• Payroll support is limited to employees within the U.S.
• There is a significant subscription price increase once you hire your first employee.

What are Bambee’s top payroll features?

• 2-day turnaround for direct deposit.
• Federal, state, and local tax filings and deposits.
• Employee misclassification protection.
• Automatic notifications for changing payroll laws, like minimum wage.
• Coaching from HR manager on wage and hour legislation.
• Support for multiple employee pay rates.

Top integrations: Bambee doesn’t have any notable integrations at this time.

How much does Bambee cost?

Bambee starts at $99 per month if you don’t need to pay anyone, but the cost jumps to $299 per month after you hire your first employee. From there, prices increase as your headcount grows.

Its guided payroll is an add-on, meaning you must pay an additional amount on top of your Bambee subscription fee. Bambee does not reveal pricing for its payroll add-on, so you must contact it directly for a quote.

You can review its price tiers and feature sets in the table below.

Square: Best for automatic tax filings

Our star rating: 4.2 out of 5

Why Square?

Similar to my QB Payroll recommendation, Square Payroll is ideal if you’re already using Square for point of sale, invoicing, or banking. It’s an intuitive and affordable platform that helps you run payroll, pay taxes, and stay ahead of compliance needs.

Square Payroll will calculate, withhold, and file federal and state payroll taxes (quarterly and annually) on your behalf. But automatic filing doesn’t stop there — it’ll also handle W-2s, 1099s, and new hire reporting according to your state regulations.

Pros

• Files taxes
• Users admire the ease of onboarding
• Offers next-day deposit
• Highly intuitive mobile app

Cons

• No option to change the direct deposits label
• No free trial available
• Limited integrations

What are Square’s top payroll features?

• Create, manage, and publish schedules
• Import timecards
• Payroll automations
• Benefits administration

How much does Square Payroll cost?

Square Payroll offers two plans:

• Contractor-only payroll: $6 per month per person paid.
• Full-service payroll: $35 per month + $6 monthly fee per person paid.