Table of Contents
Choosing the best payroll software for your small business can be a real head-scratcher, but don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Read this through to discover the best payroll software for your business.
Let’s learn!
1. Gusto.
2. QuickBooks Payroll.
3. Square Payroll.
4. Patriot Payroll.
5. Xero Payroll
6. OnPay
7. Wagepoint
Overview of the Best Payroll Software for Small Business
How to Choose the Best Payroll Software for Small Business
Pros and Cons of the Best Payroll Software for Small Business
What to watch out for
Pro Tips
Recap
1. Gusto
9.7/10
Gusto is a great option for small businesses with its intuitive interface and wide range of features. It can handle everything from running payroll to managing benefits and time tracking. It also offers great customer support and a wide range of integrations.
- Has a wide range of features.
- Provides affordable pricing plans.
- Offers great customer support.
- It is also easy to set up and get started.
- Limited reporting features.
- Limited integrations compared to other payroll software.
- Lacks customization options for some features.
- Lacks 24/7 phone support.
- Has no ability to add custom fields.
- Has no ability to assign specific tasks to employees.
Automation: Gusto excels in payroll process automation. You can schedule payroll runs, synchronize employee hours, and the system handles calculations, tax filings, and payments. Time is saved, and mistakes are decreased.
User-Friendly Interface: Gusto is known for having an easy-to-use interface. Because of this, employees and business owners may easily use the system without requiring a lot of training.
Tax and Compliance: Gusto handles payroll taxes at the federal, state, and local levels. They ensure compliance and lower your risk of penalties by automatically calculating, filing, and paying them.
Benefits Management: You can handle health insurance, retirement plans, and other employee benefits within the Gusto platform thanks to its integrations with a number of benefits providers.
Employee Self-Service: Through a secure web interface, employees can view their paychecks, update personal information, and manage benefits. You will have less administrative work as a result.
Scalability: Gusto provides a range of programmes to accommodate companies of all sizes. As your company expands, you can choose an upgrade that best suits your needs.
MORE >>>Â Gusto Payroll Review
2. QuickBooks Payroll
9.6/10
QuickBooks Payroll is another popular option for small businesses. One of its main advantages is its integration with the rest of the QuickBooks suite of products, including QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. This makes it easy to manage all your finances in one place. It also offers a wide range of reporting features and options for customizing your reports. And it has 24/7 phone support.
- Provides integration with the rest of the QuickBooks suite of products.
- Has extensive reporting features.
- Easy to customize reports and data.
- Offers time-tracking features.
- Has 24/7 phone support.
- Offers a dedicated accountant portal.
- It can be expensive, especially for businesses with more than 50 employees.
- It can be difficult to navigate the platform and learn all the features.
- It doesn’t offer a free trial, so you’ll have to commit to a paid plan to try it out.
- It is not the most user-friendly option for those who are not familiar with the QuickBooks platform.
QuickBooks payroll offers three different plans to choose from: Simple Start, Essential, and Plus.
- The Simple Start plan is for businesses with fewer than 25 employees. It includes basic payroll processing, tax support, and limited reporting.
- The Essential Plan is for businesses with up to 100 employees. It includes all the features of the Simple Start plan, plus advanced reporting, time tracking, and an accountant portal.
- The Plus plan is for businesses with over 100 employees. It includes all the features of the Essential plan, plus a dedicated payroll specialist and a HR support centre.
3. Square Payroll
9.4/10
Square Payroll is designed to be easy to use, even for those who are not familiar with payroll software. It offers a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy to set up payroll and track payments. It also offers a mobile app that allows you to manage payroll on the go. Square Payroll can be used by businesses of any size, but it’s especially popular with small businesses.
- Easy to use, even for those with no experience with payroll software.
- Offers integration with Square’s POS system, making it easy to manage sales and payroll in one place.
- Offers a low, flat monthly fee that makes it affordable for small businesses.
- Offers a free trial so you can try it out before committing.
- Has a dedicated customer support team that’s available to help with any questions or issues.
- Doesn’t offer advanced features like time tracking or advanced reporting.
- Doesn’t offer a dedicated payroll specialist, so you may need to do some research to learn how to use the software.
- Doesn’t offer direct deposit, so you’ll need to print and distribute paychecks manually.
- The flat monthly fee may not be the most cost-effective option for larger businesses.
- It offers a flat monthly fee of $29 per month, plus $5 per employee.
- It includes basic payroll processing, tax support, and limited reporting.
- It integrates with Square’s point of sale (POS) system, making it a good option for businesses that use Square for sales and payments.
- It doesn’t offer time tracking, advanced reporting, or a dedicated payroll specialist.
- It offers a free 30-day trial, so you can try it out before committing to a premium plan.
- It’s available for businesses in the US and Canada.
- It’s compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
- It’s suitable for businesses of any size, from sole proprietorships to large corporations.
- It offers basic features like payroll processing, direct deposit, and tax support.
- It offers integrations with popular accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero.
4. Patriot Payroll
9.1/10
Patriot Payroll is another strong contender in the small business payroll software market. Patriot Payroll is a good fit for small businesses with a limited budget and basic payroll needs. Businesses that are comfortable handling some payroll tax tasks themselves and those who prioritize user-friendly software and mobile accessibility will find Patriot payroll useful.
- Offers a wide range of features, including time tracking, HR, and analytics.
- Offers good customer support, including phone and email support.
- Has a good reputation for accuracy and security.
- It is very affordable, making it a good option for small businesses on a budget.
- It is easy to use, even for those with no payroll experience.
- It doesn’t offer as many integrations as some other payroll software.
- It doesn’t offer as many customization options as some other software.
- It doesn’t offer a free trial.
– It’s available for businesses in the US.
– It offers two pricing tiers; basic and full service.
- The Basic plan starts at $10 per month, and the Full Service plan starts at $30 per month.
- The Basic Plan includes payroll processing, online tax filings, and W-2 forms.
- The Full Service plan includes all the features of the Basic plan, plus direct deposit, workers’ compensation, and access to a dedicated customer support team.
5. Xero Payroll
9.0/10
Small businesses can use the cloud-based payroll software called Xero Payroll. It offers a number of features, such as processing payroll, filing taxes, keeping track of time, creating invoices, and lots more.
- It’s easy to use, even for those with no payroll experience.
- It’s cloud-based, so you can access it from anywhere.
- It’s affordable, with pricing starting at just $20 per month.
- It offers a wide range of integrations.
- It has a good reputation for accuracy and security.
- It offers a free trial, so you can try it out before you commit.
- It doesn’t offer as many features as some other payroll software.
- It doesn’t offer as many customization options as some other software.
- It can be a bit limited in terms of scalability, so it might not be the best option for larger businesses.
- It is not available in all countries.
- Xero Payroll is designed specifically for small businesses, and its features are tailored to that market.
- It offers a wide range of standard payroll features, including employee onboarding, salary and wage management, and time tracking. However, it doesn’t offer features like expense management or compliance reporting.
- Xero Payroll is a cloud-based platform, so it requires an internet connection to use.
PRO TIPS >>>Â Sage Payroll Software Review
6. OnPay
8.9/10
OnPay is a cloud-based payroll platform that’s designed for small businesses. It offers a wide range of features, including employee onboarding, tax filing, time-tracking, and reporting. Additionally, OnPay integrates with a variety of third-party apps, such as Gusto and QuickBooks. It also offers a mobile app, so you can manage your payroll on the go.
- Offers a wide range of features, including tax filing, time tracking, and integrations.
- Has a user-friendly interface.
- Offers excellent customer support.
- It’s competitively priced.
- It’s easy to set up and use.
- It’s cloud-based, so it’s accessible from anywhere.
- It doesn’t offer as many customization options as some other payroll software.
- It doesn’t have the same level of functionality as some enterprise-level software.
- It doesn’t have as many integrations as some other payroll software.
- It can be difficult to switch from another payroll provider to OnPay.
Ease of Use: With its well-known user-friendly interface, OnPay enables both employees and business owners to do payroll tasks with ease and without requiring extensive training.
All-in-One Solution: Payroll processing, tax filing and payment, benefits administration, and basic HR capabilities like PTO monitoring and employee onboarding are all included in OnPay’s all-inclusive package. As a result, using numerous software programmes is no longer necessary.
Unlimited Features:OnPay’s flat-rate price is one of its main marketing features. For a single monthly payment plus an additional charge per employee, you get limitless payroll runs, integrations, and full access to all services. For companies that need to make payroll frequently, this makes it a decent value.
Mobile Payroll: OnPay’s mobile app provides flexibility and simplicity in processing payroll and managing employee data.
Multiple Integrations: OnPay streamlines your process by integrating with HR platforms, time tracking systems, and well-known accounting software.
7. Wagepoint
8.5/10
Wagepoint is another cloud-based payroll platform that’s designed for small businesses. It offers many of the same features as OnPay, such as direct deposit, tax filing, and time tracking. However, one of the main advantages of Wagepoint is its simplicity. The platform is designed to be as easy to use as possible, even for those with no experience using payroll software. Wagepoint also offers a great customer support team, which is available via phone, email, and chat.
- Supports multiple locations and currencies.
- Integrates with accounting software.
- Integrates with time-tracking software.
- Integrates with benefits providers.
- Offers flexible payroll schedules.
- Helps with new hire onboarding.
- Has a mobile app available.
- Provides excellent customer support.
- Lacks free trial.
- Limited support plans.
- Limited custom reporting options.
- Limited integrations compared to other options.
- Has no manual check option.
Here are some of the key features you can expect:
Payroll management: Wagepoint helps you manage payroll and comply with local tax laws, plus it automates the creation and filing of payroll reports.
Direct deposit: Employees can receive their paychecks directly in their bank accounts, making payday more convenient.
Time tracking: Wagepoint integrates with time tracking apps, making it easy to track employee hours and calculate payroll accurately.
Overview of the Best Payroll Software for Small Business
Payroll software is a must-have tool for small businesses, but with so many options out there, it can be tough to choose the best one for your needs. Each of the payroll software programmes mentioned in this article will provide your small business with all the perks you need.
How to Choose the Best Payroll Software for Small Business
Here are a few steps to help you make an informed decision about choosing the best payroll software:
- Evaluate your needs: Think about your business size, payroll frequency, and budget.
- Consider features: Look for software that offers employee onboarding, time tracking, payroll processing, and tax filing.
- Check integrations: Consider software that integrates with your current accounting software.
- Read reviews: Check out user reviews on popular sites.
GET SMARTER >>>Â Square Payroll Software Review
Pros and Cons of the Best Payroll Software for Small Business
Pros
- User-friendly interface.
- Robust features.
- Great customer service.
- Competitive pricing.
Cons
- Limited customization.
- Lack of payroll report customization.
What to Watch Out for
When you’re shopping around for payroll software for your small business, keep your eyes peeled for these potential pitfalls:
- Hidden fees: Some payroll software companies sneak in extra fees for additional features or services, so make sure you know exactly what you’re paying for.
- Outdated software: Avoid using outdated software, as it might not comply with the latest tax laws or regulations, which could land you in hot water.
- Complicated setup: Some software might be tricky to set up or navigate, so make sure you choose one that’s easy to use.
Pro Tips
- Start small: Don’t get overwhelmed by all the features. Start with basic needs like payroll and tax compliance, and add on features as your business grows.
- Focus on usability: Payroll software should be user-friendly and intuitive. If you or your employees struggle to use it, consider a different option.
- Prioritize security: Look for software with strong data security measures, especially if you’ll be storing sensitive employee information.
Recap
Payroll software is like a superhero for small businesses, swooping in to save your payroll process. It’s got your back with features like easy setup, time tracking, payroll processing, tax compliance, and reporting. And with lots of options out there, you can find the one that’s just right for your business, budget, and needs. Just remember to read reviews, check for hidden fees, and try before you buy. With the right software, you’ll be managing payroll like a pro in no time!
