Comparing the Best Payroll System

Payroll software integrates with core business systems to ensure that employees receive accurate, timely compensation. Employees can typically access the software to edit their personal information, payment preferences, and other details.

For businesses, payroll systems need to be reliable, easy to use, and adaptable enough to manage and automate payments to all types of workers around the world.

Let’s compare the top Payroll System in market.

Compare Payroll Systems Providers
Review
Best for
Benefits
Employee self service portal
Automated tax filing
Free trial
9.9
SME with contractors
Financial and Health
9.7
SMB dealing with contractors
Health benefits
9.4
SME looking to easily manage employee compensation and benefits
Benefits plans available
9.3
Businesses that employ (or wish torecruit) workers in international locations, orplantouse contractors in other countries
Country-specific benefits packages
9.2
SME looking for a robust solution beyond payroll
Financial and health benefits
9.0
SME to large busineses looking for a general payroll system
Health
8.9
SME and startups
Benefits management
8.7
Growing SME
8.6
Medium to large businesses
Benefit management options
8.5
Business looking for automated solutions
Extensive benefit options
8.4
Medium to large businesses and growing small business
Benefit options
8.3
SME with employees on hourly contracts
Healthcare and Retirement benefits
8.1
SMEs with up to 100 employees
8.0
"SME who want to take all of the hassle out of running payroll, administering benefits and dealing with HR"
Health and other benefit options

 

Onpay

Onpay is a long-established company that supplies small and medium-sized businesses with full-service payroll, HR support, benefits, and compliance management. Unlike many others in the market, Onpay started life as a payroll company and added the HR and benefit components as the organization grew. Onpay’s simple pricing buys an all-in-one package of products and services that more than adequately meet the requirements of small and growing businesses.

Key Features

  1. Website optimized for mobile use
  2. Paid time off management
  3. Included HR guides
  4. Legal templates provided

Pros & Cons

  • Unlimited payroll runs
  • Automated payroll tax filing
  • Financial and health benefits
  • Employee self-service portal


  • Mailing tax forms costs extra
  • Payroll is not fully automated

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Gusto

Gusto is a payroll and HR platform servicing over 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses and offering an extensive list of payroll, benefits administration, and HR feature sat surprisingly affordable prices. There’s no cold and impersonal in this company, with the Gusto ethos revolving around simple, automated, and streamlined payroll and HR processes coupled with friendly and efficient customer service.

Key Features

  1. Management of international contractor payments
  2. Integrated dashboard for 50 states
  3. Automated payroll runs
  4. Multiple pay rates and schedules

Pros & Cons

  • Management of international contractor payments
  • Online hiring and onboarding tools
  • Automated payroll runs
  • An easy-to-use integrated platform


  • Pricing quickly gets steep for large organizations with high employee numbers
  • Limited HR features

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Zenefits

Zenefits is a cloud-based integrated human resources (HR) management system for small-to medium-sized businesses. The product and service offerings focus on employee onboarding, employee records management, organization charts, time-off tracking, and work force scheduling. Clients may also choose from various optional add-ons, each attracting additional fees, including payroll administration, benefits management, and access to a panel of HR and payroll experts.

Key Features

  1. Integration with over 40 apps
  2. Payment by direct deposit
  3. Syncs with existing apps
  4. Multiple payment schedules and rates

Pros & Cons

  • Dynamic pay stubs with helpful information
  • Automatic salary update feature
  • Multiple labor codes for analysis
  • Automatic new hire state filing


  • The five-worker minimum excludes smaller organizations
  • The pricing structure is cumbersome

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Remote

Remote is a payroll/HR service that aims to alleviate the headaches encountered when employing workers and contractors outside the US when your business doesn’t have a registered base in the country in question. By maintaining their own legal entities in each of the jurisdictions they cover(currently ranging from Armenia to Uruguay), Remote act as the Employer of Record for your international employees, handling remuneration in the relevant local currency and making sure that your company complies with all local laws and tax regimes.

Key Features

  1. Payroll management and automated payments
  2. Pay employees in local currency
  3. Low cost international contractor management
  4. Intellectual property protection tools

Pros & Cons

  • Seamless onboarding
  • Country-specific benefits packages
  • Compliance with local laws
  • Feedback Management


  • Customer support is only available over the internet and not on weekends
  • Individual quote for other services.

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Paychex

Paychex provides payroll, benefits, and human resource management services to small and
medium-sized businesses and has been doing so since the 1970s. The basic Paychex payroll provides everything a business needs to comply with regulations and tax obligations; automating federal, state, and local tax administration.

Key Features

  1. Automated payroll, including tax filing
  2. Garnishment payment services
  3. Workers’ financial wellness program
  4. Dedicated payroll and tax specialist

Pros & Cons

  • Automated payroll, including tax filing
  • Pre-hire employee background checks
  • Employee self-service portal
  • Highly regarded mobile payroll app


  • Pricing for all but the lowest tier is unavailable
  • Extra fees for options included as standard features

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Intuit QuickBooks

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll provides full-service payroll management software to small and medium-sized businesses. Intuit specifically mentions accountants, non-profits, construction companies and restaurants as key segments of its target market. The payroll services cover all 50 states and include automated taxes, tax forms, garnishment, and deduction management.

Key Features

  1. Same-day direct deposit
  2. 1099 e-file and pay
  3. Personal HR advisor
  4. Tax penalty protection

Pros & Cons

  • Automated full-service payroll
  • Mobile time tracking
  • Workers compensation administration
  • Employee health benefits


  • Limited HR services
  • Limited reporting capability

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Deluxe

Deluxe Payroll is a full-service payroll system aimed at the entire business spectrum, whether small to medium-sized, enterprise, or multinational organizations. The core of the Deluxe payroll system offers the basics every business needs for payroll compliance.

Key Features

  1. Sync timesheets, vacations, and leave
  2. Single sign-on email integration
  3. W-2 and 1099 filing
  4. Employee choice payment methods

Pros & Cons

  • Compensation and garnishment management
  • Major accounting system integrations
  • Digital new-hire onboarding
  • Employee self-service online portal


  • Add-on pricing is not transparent,
  • No free trial

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Paycor

Paycor is a company that supplies cloud-based human resources and payroll support to small and medium-sized businesses. The payroll component of Paycor’s service offering handles federal and state tax filing, garnishments, and paid time off requests and tracking. Payments are made through direct deposits and pay cards, with on-demand pay and everyday pay a standard feature.

Key Features

  1. Paycor mobile app
  2. New hire reporting
  3. Paid time off tracking
  4. General ledger reports and integrations

Pros & Cons

  • New hire self – service onboarding
  • On – demand pay Auto – run payroll
  • Unlimited payroll Federal and state tax filing
  • Employee self – service portal


  • No integrations for QuickBooks and Xero
  • Premium pricing

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ADP

ADP payroll offers comprehensive payroll services to small businesses with up to 50 workers
and an enhanced suite of features to larger businesses of 50 to over 1,000 employees. The
small business packages are broken down into pricing tiers, yet all plans include a multi-jurisdiction-capable payroll with payroll taxes calculated, filed, deposited, and reconciled on
your behalf. New hire reporting is included, and W-2s and 1099s are created and delivered to your door, with a filing service available at an extra cost.

Key Features

  1. Fine indemnity for tax-filing errors
  2. Zip Recruiter hiring automation
  3. State unemployment insurance management
  4. Delivery of payroll checks

Pros & Cons

  • Multi-jurisdictional payroll for mobile workers
  • New-hire self-onboarding
  • Tax filing penalty indemnity
  • A wide range of templates and forms


  • No pricing is given, with all packages requiring a quote
  • Minimal HR resources for small businesses

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Rippling

Rippling provides a workforce management platform comprising a wide range of HR and IT modules, one of which provides online full-service payroll processing. The payroll module provides federal, state, and local tax filing services and manages W2, W4, 1099, and new hire reporting. The software also manages and pays garnishments on your behalf, while workers’ compensation is available on a pay-as-you-go scheme using Rippling’s partner company, AP Intego. A stand-out feature of Rippling payroll is the ability to pay international workers, either contract or direct hire, by international transfer in the destination currency.

Key Features

  1. Advanced customizable reporting
  2. Unlimited payroll and off-cycle runs
  3. Supports international payments
  4. Extensive employee benefit options

Pros & Cons

  • Intuitive and user-friendly
  • A huge number of integrations with third-party apps
  • Integrates with most mid-level accounting packages
  • Support for global payrolls


  • Mobile apps are limited
  • Pricing is not transparent

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Oracle NetSuite

Oracle NetSuite Payroll is an optional module of the popular NetSuite package of business software. Going hand-in-hand with NetSuite’s Suite People HR application, its aim is to simplify payroll processing both to save time and increase accuracy with its system of automated checks and balances. The software is marketed as an easy-to use, customizable solution to your payroll needs.

Key Features

  1. Automatic reconciliation
  2. Constantly updated tax information
  3. Time-saving features
  4. Flexible payment schedules
  5. Automated tax filing
  6. Real-time General Ledger updates
  7. Built-in and customizable reporting
  8. Eliminates need for separate services

Pros & Cons

  • Fast and accurate processing
  • Up to date with latest tax laws and compliance
  • 100 built in customizable reports
  • Employee self-service area


  • The pricing structure of the software is not transparent.
  • Integration with other parts of the NetSuite offering differs.

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Square

Square Payroll offers small businesses an outsourced, affordable, customizable, and fully integrated payroll service. Square’s services go well beyond simply capturing employees ‘hours and calculating wages. The payroll tools support team management, deal with tips and commissions, manage timecards, and can manage either W2s for direct hire employees or1099s for contracted and flexible workers. It will also automatically complete your quarterly and annual tax filings.

Key Features

  1. No annual commitment is required
  2. Access to Squares HR partners
  3. Hourly, flat-rate, or salary payment
  4. Unlimited payroll runs

Pros & Cons

  • Accurate and timely tax filings
  • Simplicity of use
  • Four different payroll frequencies supported
  • Competitive pricing


  • Basic customized reporting only
  • Debit card and bank account deposits attract a small fee

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Patriot

Patriot Payroll isa cloud based package designed for small and medium businesses with up to 100 employees. The company is based in Ohio and its products are made exclusively for the US market. The main features of the software are its ease of use and its affordability but the high quality of its customer support is also a major benefit.

Key Features

  1. Free payroll setup included
  2. USA based expert support
  3. Integration with other Patriot software
  4. Direct deposits for employee pay

Pros & Cons

  • Supports multistate employees
  • Unlimited payroll runs
  • Tax compliance and risk mitigation
  • User-friendly employee portal


  • Extra cost for additional functionality

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Trinet

TriNet Payroll is part of an integrated payroll/benefits/HR package that deals with all of your employee needs. The TriNet company is a PEO (professional employer organisation) and works with your business as a co-employer, sharing legal responsibilities and effectively handling all aspects of your HR, including payroll and the provision of employee benefits, such as health insurance, through recognized national providers.

Key Features

  1. Tax compliance and risk mitigation
  2. User-friendly employee portal
  3. Custom payroll reporting
  4. Integration with popular accounting software

Pros & Cons

  • Simplified payroll processing
  • Hassle-free HR management
  • Affordable with free set up options
  • Automated and guaranteed tax filing


  • TriNet don’t advertise the costs of their services up front

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