For your payroll administrator, actually running payroll can be complicated without the right software. The best payroll program is one that is easy to use and runs your state and federal taxes for you. Whether your team is five people or 5,000, the best payroll software is affordable and fits your organization's pay structure and growing needs. We break down the 7 best payroll software you can find on the market.
The 7 Best Payroll Software
Below we will present our list of the 7 Best Payroll Software You Can Use This Year, keep reading to find the ideal program for you. We hope you find it helpful.
01. Best Overall: Square
Square started out with a little white square—a credit card reader, hence the name—and a tablet cash register. But it has since expanded to provide businesses with a number of tools to make doing business easier, including payroll software.
El Square payroll software allows employers to pay employees and contractors, track hours, and pay hourly and salaried employees with ease. The company touts its software as an “all-in-one solution,” allowing employers to offer health benefits and give employees online accounts, while leaving payroll tax filings and withholdings up to them. For managers on the go, there’s even a mobile app so they can pay employees from anywhere.
In terms of cost, the software starts at $34 per month, $29 for the software subscription, and then an additional $5 for each person you pay per month. Square tops our list of the best payroll software because it works for businesses of any size and can be customized based on how and when you pay employees.
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02. Best Value: Quickbooks
If your payment structure does not change frequently and you are on a tight budget, the Quickbooks software is a great choice. After the initial setup, payroll will run automatically through auto-pay. You'll get notifications to keep you up to date, but most of all you can set it and forget it.
Quickbooks offers tax penalty protection, so they resolve any errors and pay penalties for you. Using Quickbooks, even time tracking can be automated. A particularly nice feature in both of the top plans is Quickbooks same-day direct deposit for employees and contractors. This allows you to keep funds longer and get employees paid faster.
Quickbooks offers three main packages, Core, Premium, and Elite, with up to 50% off for the first three months. Core offers automated payroll, health benefits processing, and next-day direct deposit for $45 per month ($22.50 per month for the first three months), plus $4 per month per employee. The Premium package offers automated payroll, same-day direct deposit, on-the-go time tracking, and an HR support center for $75 per month ($37.50 per month for the first three months), plus $8 per month per employee.
The Elite package offers everything Premium does plus “white glove” setup, tax penalty protection, and a personal HR advisor for $125 per month ($62,50 per month for the first three months), plus $10 per month per employee. QuickBooks is a product of Intuit, which had $6,8 billion in revenue in 2019.
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03. Best for Small Business: Gusto
Gusto, formerly known as ZenPayroll, started as a way to help small businesses manage their teams through one integrated platform. Gusto is a great choice for growing teams that want to send professional offer letters, offer 401(k)s, as well as other benefits. The service offers three plans for customers: Core, Complete, and Concierge.
The Core package is best for small businesses looking to keep it simple. The base price is $39 per month, and then $6 per employee per month. The Complete package offers additional tools like time tracking and the ability to manage PTO requests. The Complete package also has a base price of $39 per month, but costs $12 per employee per month.
The Concierge package has added HR support with all the features of payroll. For mid-sized businesses with no or a small HR department, this is a great option because there will be HR professionals at Gusto to rely on when needed. Concierge pricing starts at a base price of $149 per month and then costs $12 per person, per month.
04. Best Bundle: Zenefits
Zenefits, which started as an HR platform, syncs your payroll with your existing HR platform. This means benefits, There Paid time, time tracking, and salary changes are all in one place. For example, users will only need to enter an employee’s salary change once, and it automatically syncs across the platform to payroll and other areas.
The trick with Zenefits is that you have to buy the HR software, and payroll is an added feature. While the payroll feature is new, it’s becoming an industry favorite. There are three basic packages of the HR platform that range from $10 to $27 per employee, per month (though the price drops to $8 to $21 per month when you sign up for the annual price). Then, to add payroll, it’s an additional $6 per employee each month.
It also automatically calculates payroll taxes, supports garnishments, direct deposit, mobile payments, and the ability to pay across multiple pay structures. Other useful features include lifetime access for employees to their portal, even after they have left the company, and labor cost reporting so management understands how payroll expenses are distributed across different types of work.
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05. Best Legacy: RUN Powered By ADP
¿Looking for something beyond a payroll startADP has been running payroll for 70 years and is the industry leader. RUN powered by ADP provides easy-to-use software that allows users to quickly set up new employees, whether full-time or contractors. Users can run payroll via their phone or online.
ADP offers packages for businesses with one to a thousand or more employees with multiple plans. Plans start with Essential Payroll, Enhanced Payroll, Complete Payroll with HR Plus, and HR Pro. ADP doesn't list its prices online and pushes you to talk to a professional to get a quote. Typically, for 10 employees, payroll can cost between $150 and $180 per month, but any add-ons would increase the price.
ADP also charges per pay period rather than on a per-month basis, so if there's a need for extra payroll, you'll likely pay more. The platform allows employees to have their own logins to view pay stubs and taxes. ADP promises security to business owners by keeping them up to date on changes in HR regulations and payroll rules. One standout feature: ADP provides businesses with plenty of human interaction, such as an account manager who frequently calls to check in.
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06. Best for Large Companies: Paychex
El Paychex software allows you to import payroll or type it yourself. Founded in 1971, Paychex offers every client a Learning Management System, which provides employees with online courses to learn new skills and increase employee retention within your organization. The platform allows for seamless 401(k) integration, calculates federal, state, and local taxes for you, and has a free mobile app.
Paychex offers four packages: Paychex Express Payroll, Paychex Flex Select, Paychex Flex Pro, and Paychex Flex Enterprise. The Paychex Flex Pro and Paychex Flex Enterprises packages offer additional workers' compensation reporting and analytics reporting, as well as background checks for new employees. For larger companies or businesses that want the payroll experience of a big company, Paychex is a great choice. Businesses will need to contact Paychex for a quote as they do not list pricing on their website.
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07. The best cloud base: Namely
Namely, it started in 2012 to “create an HR platform as intuitive as social media.” Namely, it also provides HR and payroll integration through its cloud based software, which allows employees to access payroll from anywhere. A company spokesperson said it supports companies with up to 120.000 employees, and this software is best for companies with at least 50 people.
The platform handles all taxes, compliance, and year-end reporting. It adds services that help with benefits, recruiting, onboarding, and more. The software even has a feature to distribute surveys to employees across the company to gather their feedback. That is, it doesn’t include pricing information online, so companies must directly request a quote. That is, it’s a solid, all-purpose solution for mid-sized and larger companies looking for cloud-based software that truly covers all of their HR needs.
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My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
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