Based on our research, Gusto has the best payroll software due to its affordability, unlimited payroll runs, and more. Payroll software automates every step in the payroll process for small to large businesses. It helps you manage employee payments by making it easy to set up direct deposits, withhold payroll taxes, and keep accurate records so you don’t get fined.These processes can be time-consuming when done manually, and it can be costly if you make a mistake. Failing to deposit payroll taxes appropriately can lead to penalties of as much as 15% of the deposit amount depending on how long it takes to correct the error. To help you choose the right payroll software for your business, we considered 15 different payroll service providers. For each, we evaluated cost, ease of use, important integrations, convenience, reporting features, and support. The Best Payroll Software for June 2024 The Best Payroll Software for June 2024 The Bottom Line Cost of Payroll Software FAQs Methodology Why We Chose It Gusto offers three thoughtful tiers for small to midsize companies that need payroll with a few helpings of human resources (HR) features, making it the best overall choice. Each plan includes full-service automated payroll suitable for almost any business, depending on needs. Pros & Cons Pros Affordable, but good value Unlimited payroll runs Paid time off (PTO) tracking available Full-service payroll available in all states Basic reports included at all tiers Cons Next day direct deposit available only in the Complete and Concierge plans Dedicated support only for Concierge subscribers Overview Gusto is similar to other payroll software solutions in that it offers direct deposit or checks to pay your employees. It also tracks and files federal, state, and local taxes automatically. What sets Gusto apart from the other options is that it offers a better plan for each tier you go up. Rather than removing direct deposit for the low-priced plan, Gusto increases the convenience of direct deposit the more expensive your plan. For example, direct deposit takes up to four days to clear for the lowest plan, but the high-tier plans get next-day direct deposit. The Core plan from Gusto costs $40 per month, and $6 per employee per month, making it one of the most affordable choices for a full-service payroll plan. The Plus plan is $80 per month, but the cost per employee is $12, and you’ll be able to offer next-day direct deposit. You'll need to contact the company if you want to learn about its Premium packages, which offer dedicated support and compliance alerts. Why We Chose It Paychex Flex offers more than 160 reports for you to get a clear look at wages, taxes, turnover, and more. Paychex is our best reporting option because it checks almost all the boxes for what you want in payroll software regarding reports and data. It also automatically files your payroll taxes, ensures compliance, and includes integrations with important programs you also use, such as accounting and benefits apps. Pros & Cons Pros 24/7 support Easy to use HR add-on options Robust reporting feature Cons Hidden fees for setup & EOY tax docs Mixed reviews from users regarding support Overview There’s a lot to like about Paychex. The payroll software makes it easy to set up and run payroll, automates the submission of federal, state, and local payroll taxes, and offers plenty of upgrade options, which you may need as your business grows. Still, the basic reporting you get from Paychex could be worth the monthly fee alone, giving it the edge in this category. Plus, you’ll be able to add any other data field you’d like, thanks to custom fields, which is rare for small business online payroll services. While the Paychex Flex Essentials plan is $39 per month and $5 per employee, it’s difficult to say how much Paychex will cost you for the more comprehensive plans—Paychex Flex Select and Paychex Flex Pro—unless you go through the process of getting a custom quote. One of the most important aspects of a good online payroll solution is whether it integrates with software you already use. Paychex does integrate with QuickBooks and Xero accounting software, plus many health insurance and benefits apps, time tracking and attendance software, and HR software. Why We Chose It If you’re already using QuickBooks for accounting, then QuickBooks Payroll is our easiest to set up option, as everything will be automated, and it’s going to be an intuitive program for any QuickBooks user. You’re unlikely to need to contact support for help because the tutorial and knowledge base are so thorough. Even if that’s not working for you, a quick search online will send you to a multitude of walkthroughs. Pros & Cons Pros Easy setup and intuitive interface Seamless integration with QuickBooks accounting software Fast direct deposit options Cons Not a good value for the cost Time track on the go feature not available in lowest-tier plan Overview QuickBooks earns our nod for the easiest setup because its user interface is so intuitive for anyone familiar with QuickBooks. In addition to customer service, there are ample resources online to get anyone on board with their payroll services. QuickBooks does a good job of making payroll simple for anyone, regardless of experience. Although QuickBooks offers excellent features, you'll pay for them. The lowest-priced plan starts at $45 per month, plus $5 per person per month. The Premium plan costs $75 per month, plus $8 per person per month, but it also expands its features to include HR support and a payroll setup review from an expert. The Elite plan from QuickBooks costs $125 per month, plus $10 per employee per month, and you'll get 24/7 support, plus tax penalty protection. Why We Chose It Workful is one of the newer online payroll services available, and it’s already making a name for itself with its top-notch customer support, which is why it’s our best customer service option. The geolocation time-clock tracking is easy enough to set up and ensures employees clock in and out from wherever you’ve set as appropriate. Also, employees can submit expenses through the app to get reimbursed with the next payroll run. Pros & Cons Pros Affordable Easy to use Includes employee expense tracking Offers geolocation time-clock tracking Includes document storage Cons Limited reporting features Setup seems clunky Overview Workful is an affordable and easy-to-use application but is not without its restrictions. For example, it doesn’t do automatic tax filing for you. But, it gets our nod for best customer service because it provides fast guidance with easy-to-understand directions for a small business owner. It costs only $25 per month, plus $5 per team member per month. Workful is one of the easiest-to-use online payroll services available. The left-side main menu is intuitive, and the dashboard is clean. Setup is easy enough, with a tutorial that walks you through establishing your services. Once the time-clock is set up, it’s hands-off work for you. Employees simply use the app to clock in and out. When it comes to integrations, Workful doesn’t seem to play well with others. You can integrate QuickBooks Online, but that’s it. Workful is trying to be a single software solution, which is why it offers built-in time tracking, document storage, and HR options. However, if you’re happy with your time-tracking solution, use a different accounting program, or need Indeed or Zapier integrations, Workful isn’t the right payroll software for you. Why We Chose It OnPay offers an easy-to-use, affordable online payroll solution that’s ideal for small businesses. There are no hidden fees, which is important for a small business on a budget. The full-service payroll automates calculations and files your federal, state, and local payroll taxes. You’ll still have to run and approve payroll each time. Pros & Cons Pros No hidden fees Easy to use Good value for the cost Cons No same-day or next-day direct deposit No automatic payroll submission Overview Setting up payroll the first time in a new program can be time-consuming, but OnPay makes it easier with its setup wizard. Follow the steps and ensure your information is accurate, and you should be fine. If you have data from another payroll service that you want to import into OnPay, you can get help, and OnPay guarantees accuracy. At $40 per month and $6 per person per month, OnPay is a little more expensive than others, such as Workful and Payroll4Free. However, you get a lot more for the price, which makes it our top choice for small business owners trying to simplify payroll and human resources. In addition to the full-service automated payroll you get from OnPay, you’ll also get filing for W-2 and 1099 workers at no extra cost. There are also plenty of HR features to help you hire new employees, including offer letters, e-signing, automated onboarding, and document storage—features typically offered as add-ons or in top tiers from other services. Why We Chose It One of the most well-known names in payroll and HR is ADP. The brand recognition and years of experience make it ideal for large companies or businesses that plan on growing pretty fast. The lowest-priced plan includes full-service payroll, direct deposit, reporting, and a self-service employee portal. More complete features and HR services come with higher-priced plans. Pros & Cons Pros Scalable with several plan options Robust reporting, including customization Lots of HR add-ons Cons Pricing isn’t transparent Possibly too many features for small businesses Several fees, including for setup Overview Consider ADP’s main competitors, and you’ll see why larger businesses typically use it. ADP always has been more of a professional employer organization (PEO), but it has evolved to offer a payroll service that’s more suitable for small businesses. It’s a good idea to choose a payroll service that can grow with your business, if only so you can avoid migrating data to a different service in the future. ADP makes that possible with its ADP RUN service, which is best for businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to compare the cost of ADP’s plans to other services because ADP doesn’t publish its plans’ pricing. You’ll have to fill out forms to get a custom quote for your business, which will be based on your needs and the number of employees your business has. We received a variety of quotes and setup fees for a 10-person business, which fell between $150 to $200 per month, making it an expensive choice compared to all the software on this list. Setup fees ranged from $25 to $200, but reps often offered to waive the fee if we signed up immediately. Why We Chose It Payroll4Free is the best free payroll service you can find that’s truly free—as long as you’re willing to do a bit of manual work. You won’t be able to file payroll taxes or pay your employees via direct deposit unless you’re willing to fork out a low payment. If you have a business with fewer than 25 employees, this would be a step up from a pen-and-paper method of doing payroll. Pros & Cons Pros Free to use Inexpensive to file taxes and pay via direct deposit Pay W-2 or 1099 workers Cons Limited features Setup is totally manual Overview Payroll4Free is the only free software that allows all the administrative components needed to run a payroll. Essentially, Payroll4Free lets you input hours for payroll for your business, leaving many administrative tasks up to you. It’ll calculate things for you, though. Setup is manual, but a tool helps you enter the right information in the right places. This leaves room for error, but that could be said for many payroll software tools. There are no fees to use Payroll4Free unless you have more than 25 employees or you want Payroll4Free to file your payroll taxes for you. Payroll tax filing costs $25 per month as a flat fee. If you want to pay your employees via direct deposit, that will be another $25 per month. Otherwise, funds will be deposited into your account so you can manually pay your workers by check, though you may want to consider paying for check printing software. Even if you choose to pay for these services, you’ll still pay less than most other services. Why We Chose It Rippling is HR software that includes payroll as an add-on feature, but even if you sign up just for the payroll function, you’ll find it affordable and more useful than other options, thanks to its robust integration with other software. All payroll software is made more helpful by accounting and time and attendance software integrations, and Rippling does that and much more. Pros & Cons Pros Affordable for small businesses Pay employees anywhere in the world Integrate with more than 400 apps Cons Pricing is not readily available on the website Overview Rippling earns its place in this list because it easily integrates almost any app you already use. Being able to automatically sync all the data needed to run payroll makes it much easier and faster. Sure, most payroll software lets you run payroll as often as you need, but it’s important to make it a quick process, too. You’ll have to contact Rippling to get a custom quote, but the cost may include a base fee to use the platform, and then $8 per month per employee for payroll. You'll need to request a free quote to see your particular pricing. We chose Gusto as the best option for payroll software. It offers multiple tiers depending on your needs and is one of the most affordable options on our list. Even its lowest tier offers direct deposit, but the speed of deposits increases as you move up in tiers. So, while its nice to have such a feature with the lowest tier, you do need to commit to its best package for next-day direct deposits. Pros Automation Compliance Cost savings Cons Extra fees Learning curve How much you spend each month can vary significantly depending on the plan you choose and the features you want to include. The core prices for the plans we reviewed range from about $25 per month to $125 per month. Those plans also add an additional $5–$12 per month per employee. The chart below shows the range of monthly expenses you can expect depending on how many people you employ. Payroll software is a tool that calculates how much an employee earns based on hours worked and wages set. It also sets aside the appropriate amount for payroll taxes, including the required federal taxes, plus state and local taxes. Running payroll manually leaves a lot of room for error, which can lead to hefty fines from the IRS. This is why so many businesses prefer to outsource payroll, but that can get expensive. Payroll software is the in-between solution that’s affordable but still helps businesses maintain compliance, so they can avoid penalties and lawsuits. Any business employing workers, whether full-time, part-time, or by contract, should consider using payroll software. After all, submitting payroll taxes is required, so make it easier on yourself with payroll software. Automating payroll can save you time, prevent human error, and ensure everyone gets paid the right amount and on time. Depending on the size of your business, you may want to have a dedicated person running your payroll software. Although payroll software automates calculations, runs payroll for full-time employees, and files payroll taxes, there’s still administrative work to do. Depending on the size of your business, you may want someone to manage onboarding new employees, offboarding exiting employees, and running off-cycle payrolls as needed. Most payroll software has moved to cloud-based solutions, so they’re by and large software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies. You’ll typically pay a monthly base fee, much like a subscription, which also gives you access to support, and you’ll benefit from regular updates to the software. You can find free options, such as Payroll4Free, but you won’t get the automation of a paid service. The average cost of payroll software is about $30 per month for the base fee, and then around $4 to $8 per employee per month. Some of the most expensive plans start at $150 per month, plus $12 per person per month. We explored 15 different payroll services before choosing the top eight listed here. One of the most important things to consider for any business is cost, which is why that was heavily considered for each option. We made our decisions due to features like direct deposit and reporting. We also sought options with support to help business owners address questions they have with setting up and running payroll. Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy. IRS. "Failure to Deposit Penalty." Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. IRS. "Failure to Deposit Penalty." Related Terms What Is Payroll, With Step-by-Step Calculation of Payroll Taxes Payroll is the compensation a business must pay to its employees for a set period or on a given date. Read about payroll accounting here. more Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Meaning, Components, and Examples Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is software used by a company to manage key parts of operations, including accounting and resource management. more What Is Personal Finance Management (PFM), How Is It Used? 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Best Overall : Gusto
Best Reporting : Paychex Flex
Easiest to Set Up : QuickBooks Payroll
Best Customer Service : Workful
Best for Small Businesses : OnPay
Best for Large Companies : ADP
Best Free Option : Payroll4Free
Best for Integrations : Rippling
The Bottom Line
Pros & Cons of Payroll Software
Pros Explained
Cons Explained
Cost of Payroll Software
Employees Monthly Cost 25 $150–$425 100 $525–$1,325 250 $1,275–$3,125 500 $2,525–$6,125 What Is Payroll Software?
Who Should Use Payroll Software?
What Does Payroll Software Cost?
How We Pick the Best Payroll Software
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