Best Payroll Services for Small Businesses: Top 8 Providers in 2025

Review the top payroll services for small businesses in 2025, featuring eight affordable providers with robust automation capabilities. Streamline payroll processing and ensure compliance with solutions tailored for startups and growing companies.

By Brad Nakase, Attorney

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Have a quick question? I answered nearly 1500 FAQs.

Introduction

With the help of the most efficient payroll software, a company can conduct payroll more effectively and with less expense. Payroll software can be purchased by businesses to use and manage themselves, or they can opt to pay a little more for a full payroll service that handles all or part of the responsibility for making sure employees are paid on time and accurately and for confirming that their company complies with all legal requirements.

Our top choices for SMBs start at just $10 per person per month, but most companies will probably spend $20 to $30 for each employee every month for a payroll system that meets all of their needs. It’s a wise investment to make sure your employees are paid on schedule, correctly, and in accordance with all regulations.

Payroll companies like Rippling were rated highest for their extensive feature set and capacity to automate standard payroll procedures after we evaluated approximately two dozen payroll applications and payroll companies and tested them for thirty-four different criteria. We personally tested the products’ usefulness and the providers’ responsiveness.

In all, we found eight top payroll systems for small firms that minimize payroll administration, enable employees to easily access information, and provide an economical payroll solution. For further insights on providers, our list offers a range of payroll companies that may suit your business needs.

1. Rippling

Payroll administration and management are made more intuitive with Rippling. The company’s automation propagates across the system, ensuring that every component of the software—from its payroll & HR functions to its Financial and IT Cloud—is always in sync.

Our board member (advisory) Lisa Lindsey, SHRM-CP, PHR, thinks Rippling is one of the best payroll companies for startups when their IT, finance, and human resources departments are frequently handled by a single individual. These roles are interconnected, and it is a blessing that a single system can handle the overlapping duties with ease.

Key features

With its automatic payroll tools, Rippling is unique. As implied by the name, a single modification to the payroll system updates every affected payroll component automatically. A hiring supervisor may alter an employee’s pay, for instance, if they are promoted to a different position. This modification makes adjustments to payroll computations, healthcare deductions, tax filings, tax withholdings, and more—all without requiring the manager to do anything.

The automated payroll capabilities offered by Rippling include the following noteworthy characteristics:

  • Payroll automation in all 50 states and abroad
  • Garnishments
  • Payroll and time tracking are in sync. Employees can choose to receive checks or direct deposits.
  • W-4, W-2, 1099, and fresh hire documentation
  • Laws pertaining to compliance are updated.
  • Payroll runs that take 90 seconds

Pricing

Unity Core & HR Cloud are two of the Rippling modules that you must have a subscription to in order to use Rippling payroll. Any additional modules you choose are integrated with the main Rippling platform by the Unity module, which also connects its HR Cloud, Finance Cloud, and IT Cloud. Its HR Cloud specifically provides payroll services both domestically and internationally. Therefore, in order to begin using Rippling payroll tools, you will need to pay for 2 modules for each employee, which include:

  • Unity Core grade license: The monthly cost of this framework is $8 for each employee. A centralized workforce directory, process automation, analytics, groups & permissions, document management, approval management, custom fields, & mapping are among the features it provides.
  • HR Cloud: Rippling’s Unity platform must be utilized in tandem with their HR Cloud. The monthly cost is $8 for each employee and includes time and attendance tracking, benefits management, global payroll, talent hiring tools, learning management, employee onboarding & offboarding tools, and optional PEO (professional employer organization) services. Rippling offers PEO services, so you can choose to have them manage your HR procedures.

Reputation

On well-known review websites, rippling users commend the platform for its intuitive design and user-friendliness. They claim that Rippling’s customer service is generally helpful and responsive and that their troubleshooting articles readily assist them in resolving any issues they may have. They caution that workflow or IT modules can be costly, though.

Our experience

Given the significant impact that each automation creates, I found that setting them up was as simple as feasible. The first thing I had to do was create people groups on the platform, complete with levels of permission and other details. After I completed that, it only took a few clicks to add individuals to those groups, and I could rely on the system to change their devices, communication channels, hierarchical protocols, tax filing routines, access levels, and related regulations.

Payroll is processed through a straightforward spreadsheet interface. From the spreadsheet, I could conduct payroll, approve payments, and modify payment information. The spreadsheet computes all associated costs automatically, including:

  • Overtime
  • Employee and employer taxes
  • Blended rates
  • Hours worked
  • Salaries & hourly rates
  • Deductions

I wasn’t concerned about any of the operations that the time clock program or other systems that needed to sync in order to obtain this data had to do.

Who needs to use it?

Rippling is amongst the ideal payroll companies for small enterprises that need an automated solution to manage compliance, payroll runs, and tax filings worldwide and employ people from other countries. Growing companies that require automation technologies for expanding their payroll & compliance initiatives as they expand are also the best candidates.

Pros

  • Simple to use
  • Numerous automation
  • Worldwide payroll

Cons

  • Expensive in comparison to certain competitors
  • For small firms, having so many features could be intimidating.

2. OnPay

For small enterprises, OnPay is amongst the most easy-to-use, comprehensive HR solutions & payroll companies. It has a single, affordable monthly cost of $40 + $6 for each employee, which covers all services. It provides payroll capabilities for 1099 and W-2 employees as well as automatic tax filing and payments (guaranteed to be error-free).

For paperwork, PTO monitoring, and self-onboarding, it also features a worker self-service site. You may access the majority of major suppliers to manage benefits like insurance & retirement plans. Although OnPay does not have its own accounting tools, it does link with well-known accounting and HR programs like When I Work, Xero, and QuickBooks.

“Any solution that combines tasks is usually a gain for a small business,” said Lisa Lindsey, a member of our advisory board, after reviewing OnPay. The fact that OnPay is reasonably priced and doesn’t need a long-term agreement further makes this system a flexible and economical option.

Key features

  • Payroll runs without limits: OnPay allows you to have as many payroll runs as you like each month.
  • Numerous rates and pay schedules: OnPay can manage intricate payroll structures since it allows for a variety of rates and pay schedules for contract workers based in the United States, part-time employees, and both.
  • Payment methods: Paying your staff can be done in a number of ways, including direct deposit, paper checks, or pre-paid cards. You can also avoid big upfront fees by choosing pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation programs.
  • Automatic tax filing that promises to be error-free: Most of the tax procedure is automated by OnPay. It automatically makes the required deductions and submits your company’s taxes at the conclusion of the tax year. The site provides employees with access to tax documents. The main menu’s “filings” tab makes it simple to view tax returns from prior years.
  • Onboarding tools: Offer letters and other onboarding paperwork can be sent using the OnPay app. Employees can then do some onboarding paperwork on their own, like e-signing documents and establishing direct deposit. In order for everyone to understand their role, it also provides a platform for creating and assigning onboarding assignments.
  • Management of paid time off: OnPay’s PTO management capabilities allow you to design your own accrual rules and accept employee time-off requests directly from the program. OnPay’s payroll platform automatically syncs approved PTO requests, minimizing manual labor and mistakes at the time of payout.
  • After-hire responsibilities: OnPay assists you by providing audits and advice on workers’ compensation, employee benefits, and employee training, as well as by reporting new recruits to your state as needed.

Pricing

With OnPay, you may choose from a base monthly charge and a monthly flat fee per individual. Given that the base fee is $40 a month and that each employee costs $6 a month, OnPay would run you $640 a month for a business with one hundred staff members. The pricing changes to reflect the number of additional users when you hire or fire personnel.

Reputation

Because of its prompt customer support and ease of use, OnPay users praise the product on well-known review sites.

Our experience

I utilized an Android smartphone and a Windows laptop running Google Chrome to evaluate OnPay’s platform.

OnPay is an intuitive, clear UI that is simple to use. I landed on the user dashboard after logging in, which showed me quick access to information like team members, scheduled payroll runs, current runs, and any other tiles I wanted to see on my primary dashboard. It was simple to personalize the HR dashboard as well as the main dashboard.

Upon logging into your account, payroll information is prominently displayed on your dashboard. I enjoyed the simple, three-step payroll process, although I had trouble avoiding the warnings. Additionally, time off data may not always match payroll or an employee’s profile time off data.

To clarify, you just need to click “Start Run” when you’re prepared to process payroll. You can evaluate all of the paychecks you need to send on a screen that the system displays. There are little orange symbols that tell you that something requires your attention. However, I had trouble figuring out how to fix these warnings.

One worker, for example, required permission to take vacation time. The system, however, indicated that it had already received approval. It was strange to see these contradicting facts. In response to my inquiry, a customer support agent stated that this merely indicates that the leave time has already been factored into the payroll run. However, on other occasions, the system would display “Approve and Include” when the user clicked on the time-off button next to the employee’s name. To remove the warning, it was simple to click the button.

Additionally, there are instances when you must decide who should be included in the payroll run. When conducting biweekly payroll, for instance, not every employee was chosen, thus you must make sure that everyone is included for every payroll run. Alternatively, you can include everyone by checking the “select all” box.

You get an email confirming that the payroll run was successful after it is filed.

Who needs to use it?

OnPay is one the best payroll companies for small enterprises that want feature-rich payroll & HR software with an easy-to-understand and reasonably priced pricing plan.

Pros

  • Simple, all-inclusive pricing
  • Payroll for U.S.-based contractors and employees
  • Benefits and HR included

Cons

  • No trial period.
  • It is not possible to customize the plans.
  • Issues synchronizing time off and payroll

3. Gusto

Gusto was created with small businesses and dynamic startups in mind. It focuses on the solutions that these businesses require that were not previously offered by other platforms, like automated worker time tracking, contractor payments, payroll on AutoPilot, and the flexible Gusto Wallet application.

Key features

Gusto is one of the few payroll companies that provides contractors and employees with automatic payroll and tax filing, and the Gusto Wallet app helps field, on-premises, and remote workers log their time.

Full-Service, Automated Payroll for Contractors and Employees

Gusto offers a full-service, automated payroll software. Both workers and contractors are paid by the company’s AutoPilot payroll system, which also offers an affordable contractor-only option. To avoid labor compliance issues, you can even automatically pay contractors and employees worldwide in their native currencies. With a worldwide team of regional specialists supporting local employees across more than 75 countries, Gusto handles everything.

Gusto’s user-friendliness was also highlighted by our advisory board member Lisa Lindsey: “Gusto makes it straightforward to pay all of your staff, whether they’re contractors or employees.” Once they have completed and validated their information, you can set up your payroll & forget about it. New hires are invited to establish themselves within the system. A method such as this can be a great help to busy solopreneurs.

Filing taxes automatically

Gusto provides solutions for organizing and storing W-2 and I-9 forms for employees. After calculating your payroll taxes, Gusto deducts them, pays them, and files the necessary tax paperwork with the appropriate government agencies. With Gusto, you may register your business in every state where you conduct business because it works in every one of the fifty United States.

Gusto wallet application

A payment method called Gusto Wallet enables workers to get paid using a Gusto card (debit) or within the application. Employees have more control over their finances since they can, for instance, divide their paychecks into different accounts as they like or get paid up to 2 days earlier than they would with a bank-based electronic deposit.

Pay insights that display monthly earnings trends are also provided to employees via the app. Employees would also find it useful to have access to additional capabilities like the ability to view their tax records and ask for time off.

Time tracking

Team members can clock out and in of work on their Apple or Android mobile devices using the Gusto Wallet application or a web browser. Geofencing guarantees that workers are in the proper location when using their mobile phones to clock in. Alternatively, businesses can use a tablet to track time and take attendance on-site. For consistently accurate payroll runs, team members can also manually adjust their hours if they inadvertently clock in or fail to clock out.

Pricing

Gusto has three programs for businesses that want to handle payroll for both contractors and full-time staff.

  • Simple: $40 a month plus $6 for each employee is the cost of the Simple plan. Startups & small firms who only need to handle the most basic HR tasks and are based in one state would find it suitable. Time-off and payroll requests are available, along with Gusto-brokered insurance (health), a worker self-service portal, and single-state services for payroll.
  • Plus: The monthly cost of Gusto’s Plus plan is $80 plus $12 for each employee. If you’re required to handle multi-state payments and want more specialized assistance to properly manage human resources, this package is a fantastic option. In conjunction with PTO administration and policies, tracking of projects, workforce costing & reporting a time kiosk, and team management capabilities, this plan also offers next-day bank deposits.
  • Premium: The highest tier of Gusto provides the best automation and support to keep HR functioning effectively for your small to medium-sized company. The cost is tailored to meet your unique requirements. This plan’s main payroll benefit is that Gusto creates your account and transfers your payroll information from your existing software provider, making it easier and faster for you to register and get started with the program. Additionally, it provides an R&D tax discount and compliance warnings.
  • Contractor plan: Gusto offers a $6/month Contractor package for businesses that solely handle contractor payments, either locally or internationally. Limitless contractor payments in the United States, four-day automatic deposits, annual 1099-NECs, and the ability to add an overseas contractor payment are all included.

Reputation

Gusto has generally positive evaluations on well-known user review websites. We can vouch for Gusto’s user-friendly design because we have firsthand experience using its payroll process & its first-rate customer support.

Our experience

Using an Android smartphone & the Gusto Wallet software on a Windows laptop, I evaluated the features of Gusto’s Simple plan. The features required us to sign into outside accounts and enter actual bank account information, which restricted our ability to evaluate them.

Setting up a paycheck schedule was not too difficult for me. You just select a timetable (Gusto will recommend one for you) and verify state tax information according to employee locations.

Gusto walks you through three processes when processing payroll manually. You start by looking up each employee’s hours & earnings. You are then prompted to input whatever compensated time off that workers took during their pay period. You may additionally approve or reject outstanding time-off requests here. The final step then allows you to look over the payroll cycle in Gusto prior to submitting payroll. Gusto verifies that your payroll submission was successful upon submission.

It takes a little longer to process contractor payments, both domestically and internationally, because you must manually type in the pay rates and amounts, unlike with W-2 employees. Other than that, it’s quite easy. All you have to do is click “submit.”

Entering an independent contractor’s or employee’s name, mailing address, and other important details was simple. A checkbox on the platform allows the contractor or new employee to be invited to complete the remaining fields on their own. For businesses with large recruiting numbers, manually entering multiple people could become tiresome even though the procedure was simple.

From my experience with the platform, Gusto makes managing benefits and payroll less daunting by guiding you through the process. You can be certain that you are doing things in the correct order and without omitting any steps.

Payroll and hiring fresh teammates, specifically, require a significant amount of data entry work up front, though, I found. Additionally, the dashboard, templates, and reporting can’t be customized very much.

Who needs to use it?

Gusto is one of the few payroll companies designed for new and expanding small enterprises with a workforce that includes both contractors and employees. Employing a workforce that consists of both employees and contractors is ideal for companies that hope to someday grow internationally or even beyond the states.

Pros

  • Simple payroll for employees.
  • Employee paycheck advances were combined with free checking & high-yield accounts.
  • Price Transparency

Cons

  • At scale, per-person cost becomes expensive.
  • Absence of features for invoices and accounts receivable
  • Payroll for contractors is more difficult.

4. Justworks

One PEO (professional employer organization) that attracts remote workers is Justworks. The business enters into co-employment agreements with client businesses, acting as your employees’ official employer.

In contrast to software-driven payroll companies, Justworks assumes certain legal employer responsibilities under the co-employment arrangement, relieving you of some of them. In return, you cede authority over several important employer procedures, like workers’ compensation.

Human resources specialist Lisa Lindsey, SHRM-CP, PHR, who has more than twenty years of experience, states: “Justworks is wonderful for enabling small companies to offer rewards to its workers, something most small firms are not able to do simply or cheaply, which is an excellent attraction retention and attraction tool.”

Key features

Justworks’ PEO services, which enable companies to outsource certain payroll and human resources duties, are its most notable feature. This service is reviewed in more detail here.

Services Provided by Professional Employer Organizations

Created for remote teams, Justworks is an expert employer brand. In order to manage payroll and human resources on your behalf, the company enters into a co-employment arrangement with user companies. For instance, it will take care of the following payroll duties and procedures for you:

  • Off-cycle payment
  • Contractor and vendor payments
  • Payroll tax returns from employers
  • 1099 and W-2 filings
  • Reports on payroll
  • Monitoring employee time

Pricing

Justworks has two PEO plans in addition to a few add-ons to increase the capabilities of the plan of your choice. These are your options.

Basic

This package, which costs $59 each employee every month, provides:

  • Complete payroll administration across 27 states for every employee
  • Paying up to thirty workers or contractors
  • 24/7 support
  • HR consulting
  • Time tracking
  • Commuter benefits
  • PTO management
  • Employee onboarding
  • Tracking system for applicants
  • Mobile app for employees

Plus

This package costs $99 a month per employee and covers:

  • Everything covered under the Basic plan
  • Being able to pay as many as 200 W-2 workers across several states
  • Health insurance
  • FSA and HSA accounts
  • Services for health advocacy
  • One Medical (where such services are offered)
  • Administration of COBRA
  • An outline of the company’s benefits for potential new personnel or employees

The monthly PEO service fee, which starts at $59 for each employee each month, may seem exorbitant at first, but it may be far less expensive than hiring an HR staff member, and it decreases as you gain additional employees.

Add-ons

Both the Basic & Plus plans from Justworks can be utilized with the following two add-ons:

  • Time tracking: This add-on, which costs an extra $8 per employee every month, comes with features including geofencing, shift management features, overtime & break regulations, time tracking, payroll, time tracking reporting, and payroll synchronizing.
  • International payments to contractors: This add-on provides payment and onboarding services for temporary employees in more than 30 countries and costs $39 per worker each month.

Reputation

According to reviews on well-known rating websites, Justworks is simple for employees as well as employers to configure and use, and it can be readily expanded as a business expands. Some people remark on the need for additional configurable platform capabilities, while others wish Justworks provided more interfaces with well-known accounting and other software.

Nothing is simpler than delegating certain business tasks to a competent group of professionals. Justworks’ PEO enables small firms to handle some of your tasks, like administering workers’ compensation. Also, it provides a round-the-clock staff of human resources specialists who go the extra mile to promptly and fully address client concerns.

Who needs to use it?

Small firms with complicated employment procedures and possible business risks, including hiring foreign workers or having a high employee turnover rate, are a natural fit for payroll companies like Justworks. For small enterprises without internal payroll or human resources departments, it is also excellent.

Pros

  • The choice to lessen some HR responsibilities’ administrative burden
  • An easy-to-use interface for employee self-service
  • As a business owner, a PEO partnership provides you with options to lower liability.

Cons

  • Expensive in contrast to software-based alternatives
  • Your influence over HR policies is diminished by a PEO relationship.
  • Only 27 states in the US provide tax support.

5. Paychex Flex

Paychex provides payroll and human resources services to companies of all sizes. Paychex Flex is a streamlined payroll system intended for small companies with less than fifty workers.

The program provides an easy-to-use simple payroll processing system for paying contractors and workers, but its Essentials package does not include HR or benefits management. In order to get these complimentary services, you must upgrade. To differentiate itself as an easy-to-use payroll service for employees, it removes the more complicated aspects of the larger Paychex platform.

Paychex Flex offers higher-tiered solutions to satisfy your payroll and HR needs, interact with other Paychex products, and work with external accounting applications to automatically update your bookkeeping with payroll information.

Our board member (advisory) Lisa Lindsey, also thinks highly of Paychex Flex, saying, “Paychex Flex is another wonderful alternative for small startups that aim to develop over time.” The system has several strong features and may be customized.

Key features

Automated Tax Submissions, Payments, and Calculations

You also have access to the platform’s Taxpayer feature when you register to process your payroll with Paychex Flex. Using the services of Paychex Flex keeps you in compliance with tax laws by calculating, paying, and filing your taxes with the appropriate government agencies. Furthermore, Paychex Flex searches for tax credits, like the worker retention tax credit, that might save your business money annually. It also assists you in filing updated returns to claim previous refunds.

Paychex Flex Application

Employers who utilize Paychex Flex as well as employees can use this app. The app allows employers to monitor payroll reports, access employee payroll data, and enter & run payroll. Employees then utilize the app to view and amend their tax records and personal information. To guarantee that only authorized users may use the app, Touch ID & Face ID verification are also available.

Payroll reporting

You can check your payroll before it is processed to eliminate any problems by using Paychex Flex to obtain the Paychex View Preprocessing Report. Additionally, you may generate bespoke reports in real-time, including ones that display your cash requirements, work costing, W-2s, tax deposit notice, and more.

Pricing

Paychex Flex is available for $39 a month + $5 for each employee. There are three plans available: Essentials, Select, & Pro. For pricing information on its Select & Pro plans, however, a customized quote is needed. The features that each plan provides are summarized as follows:

Essentials

  • Processing W-2 and 1099 employee payroll
  • Administration and filing of taxes
  • Pay cards, direct deposit, and alternatives for printing checks on-site
  • A smartphone application for employee self-service
  • Employee cash flow support and financial well-being
  • Tools for employee onboarding
  • Reporting and analytics
  • 24/7 customer service

Select

A custom quote is necessary to find out the pricing specifics for the Select plan. In addition to all the features found in the Essentials package, it provides:

  • A framework for training and development of staff
  • Tools for submitting taxes and processing payroll online
  • 24-hour committed assistance
  • Individualized assistance for all business requirements
  • An HR library containing important HR documentation
  • Labor banners

Pro

To find out about the price for the Pro plan, a custom quote is also necessary. In addition to all the capabilities found in the Select plan, this full-service payroll & HR package provides:

  • Full-service payroll management, tax filing, and account setup services with a specialized expert or online alternatives
  • An entire HR program
  • An employee manual creator
  • A private HR consultation
  • Pay garnishment solutions
  • Services for the general ledger
  • Screening before hiring
  • Services provided by the state for unemployment insurance
  • Services for workers’ compensation payments
  • Integrations of general ledgers

Reputation

According to reviews on well-known review sites, Paychex Flex is user-friendly for both employers and employees. The responsiveness, patience, support, and competence of Paychex Flex’s customer service are highly praised.

On the other hand, some customers report that they occasionally encounter annoying system bugs, like getting locked out from their accounts, upgrades that prevent them from accessing their accounts, and being unable to use certain functions.

Our experience

I tested Paychex Flex and discovered that it had a clear user interface. Interface designers obviously put a lot of effort into making sure that the info is always available and in easy-to-find places rather than being overpowering.

For instance, the program has a corporate directory with a list of all employees in the upper right-side corner. You only need to click on a person’s name to get all of his or her payroll details, including their selected payment method, pay month, deductions, and gross and net compensation.

For a clear understanding of the data, comprehensive analytics are also provided in color-coded bars and pie charts. Upon selecting a pie chart element, a screen displaying more detailed information about the larger data point depicted in the graph appeared.

The employee app has a strong self-serve layout that is effective without being difficult to use. Time-off & sick-day computations, connections to pay stubs, a task list, and an hourly tracker are among the important summary data and links available on the first dashboard.

After that, a menu on the left-hand side allows workers to access additional specific information, including performance evaluations and their selections for health insurance. Even with a small screen, employees may complete papers and evaluations in an entirely digital format with the help of easy forms and electronic signature technologies.

Who needs to use it?

Paychex Flex is designed especially for small companies that want a payroll solution that is easy to use and quick. It is simplified for companies that only require simple payroll processing, with the option to expand as needed.

Pros

  • Simple payrolls for employees
  • 24/7 customer service
  • Plans that can be customized

Cons

  • Additional cost for filing W-2s, 1099s, and payroll taxes
  • The base package lacks HR functions.
  • Insufficient price transparency

6. ADP RUN

ADP is amongst the world’s most reputable payroll companies. For small businesses hoping to expand into larger corporations, the company’s RUN offering is an ideal spot to start. In the event that your business is prepared to transition to the primary ADP platform, this straightforward payroll and benefits management platform offers the potential to expand into enterprise programs.

Support for tax compliance is its most notable feature. All taxes are computed, deposited, and filed automatically for you via RUN by ADP. Every year, it also provides your respective employees with W-2 & 1099 papers. It even monitors changes in local payroll laws and modifies your payments and withholdings to make sure you’re in compliance. Additionally, RUN by ADP will respond to any inquiries from the IRS on your part if they have any questions.

ADP RUN also provides every feature you may want in a payroll solution. It offers tiers of plans that include direct deposit payroll, a self-service portal for employees, onboarding for new hires, and additional benefits administration at extra costs. A strong HR platform with training programs, document management, staff toolkits, and an employee handbook are features of more sophisticated plans.

Key features

RUN provides sophisticated capabilities for time tracking, tax filing and payment, and automated payroll processing. We’ll examine each of these important aspects in more detail below.

Payroll AutoPilot

Full-service payroll is provided by RUN, giving you multiple ways to pay staff members: via check, direct deposit, pay card, online, or through a mobile app. Paper checks, if you choose to use them, will be sent to your business prior to payday. For a more detached approach, you can also configure AutoPilot to conduct payroll automatically or to run payroll off-cycle when necessary. RUN by ADP provides round-the-clock payroll assistance from ADP professionals in the event that you encounter any problems with employee payments.

Automated Tax Filings and Payments

Your tax deductions and computations are automated by the program. In addition to paying your taxes, it automatically generates and distributes W-2 & 1099 documents to your contractors and employees. Because the system is updated with tax rules and regulations in every state in the United States, it automatically assists you in maintaining compliance and highlights any mistakes that require your attention. Additionally, RUN will get in touch with the IRS if they have questions concerning your files or payments.

RUN by ADP provides multi-jurisdictional payments, in contrast to several of the rivals on this list that charge for multi-state services. RUN manages all of your tax filings in each state when you compensate employees in various states.

Time Tracking

With sophisticated functionality, the software provides attendance and time tracking and can be purchased as an add-on to RUN’s payroll plans. Workers can use a kiosk on-site, their PCs, or their mobile devices to clock in. In addition, they have the ability to track their applications for approval and seek time off.

The right individual also has the advantage of logging on or off at the appropriate time and place thanks to biometric & geofencing technologies. When an employee clocks in or leaves, it even provides geo-pinning to identify their precise location.

The ability to track time by department or job allows employees to swap between them as needed. The ADP payroll software then syncs these hours to the RUN for precise tracking & payments according to project time performed. Businesses that work for clients would benefit greatly from this feature since it makes it simple to separate labor costs and bill the customer when the project is finished.

Pricing

RUN by ADP offers 4 small business plans that can accommodate up to 49 workers. While more comprehensive HR capabilities are available in later tiers, payroll functions are included in the basic plan. For cost information, a specific quote is required for all plans. At the RUN by ADP price page, click “get pricing,” then complete the questionnaire as instructed.

Essentials Payroll

The most fundamental plan offered by RUN by ADP is the Essentials Payroll plan, which is intended for businesses that require simple payroll software. Along with a few fundamental HR features, it has the following payroll capabilities:

  • Payroll is processed by phone, mobile app, or computer.
  • Direct payment
  • Reports on payroll
  • General ledger
  • Forms W-2 and 1099
  • Your taxes are calculated, paid, and filed in compliance with current federal and state regulations.
  • Management of many companies and jurisdictions
  • Paying staff using the Wisely Direct Debit card
  • Access for employees

Enhanced Payroll

Additional HR capabilities are available with the Enhanced package, including hiring use of ZipRecruiter. All of the Essentials Payroll plan’s payroll-specific tools are included, in addition to:

  • Costing a job
  • Verify the security of the signing.

Complete payroll & HR Plus

All of the payroll capabilities from the prior two plans are included in this package, along with additional HR functions. Additional HR features consist of:

  • HR helpdesk
  • A wizard for employee handbooks
  • HR training
  • HR toolkit
  • HR forms & documents

HR Pro Payroll & HR

A full suite of payroll and HR tools is provided by this package. It adds the following tools to the ones included in the other plans:

  • Improved help desk and HR assistance
  • A mechanism for tracking applicants
  • A system for managing learning
  • Training on preventing sexual harassment

Reputation

The software’s many self-service & automation features, which save businesses money and time, are highly praised by users who post on well-known review sites. Some people, however, complain that customer support is frequently unresponsive and desire that ADP’s plans include the timekeeping software.

Our experience

To find out more about this tool, I checked out the guided demonstration. Although the interface appeared busy when I first landed, it did include a lot of the tools I needed close at hand. I was able to finish a payroll run within a few clicks by selecting “run payroll” on the dashboard.

I looked at an employee payment spreadsheet on the “payroll” page. I can then complete any information that was lacking. After selecting “next,” I was directed to a website that highlighted every problem that could prevent a payroll run from being successful. I could fix these problems by clicking “resolve exceptions” before executing payroll.

I was also offered the choice of importing time-tracking information from another timekeeping program or ADP’s attendance and time-tracking add-on from this screen. I was given a summary of payroll as it was at the time I selected “next,” which included information on who will be paid, at what time, and how much, broken down by gross pay, deductions, taxes, net pay, & employer taxes. I then selected “approve” to start the payroll process. I had to authorize the run again after seeing a confirmation screen.

Following payroll, the software provided a summary of the amount and timing of payments. Moreover, I was asked if I would like a reminder when payroll is due again. All things considered, there was no obstacle to learning and the procedure was self-explanatory.

It was simple to add workers to the system. I just selected the “add employee” option from the top menu. I could then hand-type the data myself or encourage the employee to submit their own information, which I could check for accuracy & approve.

The invite option required more work than I would have liked because I still needed to input the employee’s entire name, date of birth, hiring date, phone number, Social Security number (double-checked for accuracy), and more. Simply entering a name and having the employee complete all of the work by email—with me only confirming its accuracy—would have been much simpler.

All in all, despite the busy UI, I had no trouble finding what I wanted. Not everything I encountered was very unclear, but several of the activities required more work than I liked.

Who needs to use it?

Businesses that want payroll software with robust payroll tax compliance tools might consider payroll companies like ADP RUN. Since you are able to switch to ADP’s enterprise platform or ADP Workforce Now, it’s an excellent fit for businesses with less than fifty staff members but can also grow with your company.

Pros

  • Simple payroll for employees
  • Personalized reporting
  • Payroll is free for six months.

Cons

  • Needs a separate product in order to monitor attendance and time.
  • The interface is a little crowded
  • Lack of pricing transparency

7. TriNet

TriNet, a PEO (professional employer organization), provides companies with the opportunity to outsource their HR and payroll. TriNet is an employer of reference when your business leases its employees to it, and it handles payroll and human resources for you.

There are several ways to comprehend and manage your payroll expenses with this solution. Among them are:

  • Tools for benchmarking that prevent you from paying workers too much even when you give competitive wages to draw in outstanding talent
  • Tools for tracking time that notify you when a worker works overtime or is about to do so
  • Payroll violations fines can be avoided by using compliance management systems that assist you in adhering to state labor rules.
  • Tools to discover payroll errors so you don’t pay more than you should
  • Alerts and warnings about an employee clocking in off-site without authorization
  • Predictive reporting that allows you to create timetables and minimize the requirement for overtime compensation

Key features

A mobile app, limitless payroll runs, automated tax & filing assistance, and attendance and time tracking are some of TriNet’s most notable features. Let’s have a look at them all.

Automated taxes & filing

TriNet offers the opportunity to outsource the payroll operation to its PEO service, which will take care of all payroll taxation duties for you. When you do, its staff of HR professionals will handle your payroll & tax administration while also providing problem-solving and advising services.

As mandated by law, your staff of tax professionals notifies the appropriate state body when you recruit a new employee. Additionally, the platform files your taxes at the local, state, and federal levels after calculating, withholding, and remitting payments. When necessary, it then creates and distributes W-2 documents to your staff. Lastly, it will handle your unemployment claims and taxes on your behalf as an employee.

When it comes to managing contract workers, the platform gives contractors self-service access to important tax papers and automatically creates Form 1099 when necessary. Additionally, it lets you choose how to pay contracts using a variety of pay alternatives.

TriNet finds tax benefits for each business, which helps small enterprises save money. It enables you to enter tax credit details into the payroll system, for instance, and then creates forms 8974 & 941 so you can submit claims for those credits.

Limitless payroll runs

With its sophisticated payroll management features, TriNet’s payroll processing solution is available as an add-on to HR plans. These consist of:

  • Infinite automatic payroll processing
  • Payments by direct deposit
  • The capacity to oversee various rates and pay schedules
  • Processing of contractor payments
  • Reporting tips
  • Reports from general ledgers
  • Support for garnishments

You have two options with TriNet’s PEO: you may choose which of your payroll and HR tasks you want to maintain in-house and which you would like to outsource.

Mobile Application

Both companies and their employees can benefit from the easy features provided by the TriNet mobile application. Employers and authorized staff have access to reports, benefits and payment information, employee profiles, and information on hiring and firing. Additionally, they can initiate a support ticket or live chat conversation to get in touch with TriNet customer service, or they can look up solutions to their queries in a library of knowledge.

Workers use the mobile application to access their tax records, examine and adjust their benefits, and see their paychecks. Additionally, they can use the smartphone app to request time off and keep track of their vacation days. Lastly, as an extra benefit, staff members can utilize the app to get TriNet-provided savings on food, technology, and other items.

Attendance and Time tracking

Through careful monitoring of worked hours, TriNet’s attendance and time tracking tools enable businesses to efficiently manage payroll costs. Avoiding compliance fines or cutting back on unnecessary expenses, like unapproved overtime, are two possible ways to achieve these reductions. To achieve this, you can use TriNet’s attendance and time management tools to:

  • Establish a transparent work schedule so that both employers and employees are aware of who is working and when.
  • Permit workers to log in and log out.
  • Monitor staff clock-in times to guarantee schedule adherence and cost containment.
  • Get access to a reporting panel that shows data like which workers are getting close to overtime.
  • To stay in compliance with labor rules and prevent associated penalties, schedule staff rest and lunch breaks.
  • To guarantee precise payroll processing, check timecard errors.
  • Get notifications and cautions about unapproved off-site clock-ins to prevent overpaying staff.

Pricing

With monthly billing, TriNet offers three different options that range from $8 for each employee to $33 for each user. Nevertheless, only the most costly plan has payroll functions, in contrast to many of the other options on this list.

The basic plan must be purchased first, and then the payroll add-on must be purchased for an additional $6 for each employee every month in order to access payroll services in the initial two tiers. I was informed by customer service that this payroll addition is normally only offered as a supplement and not as an individual product.

Essentials

  • A simple HR platform, the Essentials plan costs $10 for each worker per month if paid every month and $8 for each worker per month if billed annually. It consists of:
  • Availability of the TriNet payroll administration add-on
  • Automated onboarding of new hires
  • Tools for employees’ management
  • Time-off monitoring tools for employees
  • Instruments for employee scheduling
  • An app for employees and employers
  • A dashboard showing analytics
  • More than fifty pre-built connectivity options, including those for Salesforce, G Suite, Slack, Zapier, and Asana

Growth

For monthly billing, TriNet’s growth plan costs $20 for each employee, and for annual billing, it costs $16 for each employee. This plan gives you the means to make sure you are compensating your workers fairly without going overboard, which will help you save money and draw in top talent. In addition to everything included in the Essentials package, it also includes:

  • Analytics for people
  • Visibility of workforce and custom salary benchmarking
  • Comparative salary information
  • Tools for worker performance management

Zen

When paid monthly, the Zen plan costs $33 for each user, and when paid annually, it costs $27 for each user. Although access to the payroll add-on is more expensive for the Essentials & Growth plans, TriNet’s payroll processing system is included in these plans. Below is a summary of what this plan includes:

  • Employee engagement polls that are anonymous, filterable, and customizable
  • A task manager, a business feed, and the ability to establish department-specific messaging feeds are all features of a team communication system.
  • TriNet’s payroll software offers tax management & filing options in addition to unlimited, automated payroll operations.

Reputation

According to TriNet users who write on popular review websites, the program is quite feature-rich and simple to use. TriNet’s customer service is also praised for being informed and quick to reply, answering questions within minutes of being submitted. On the other hand, some people wish the platform had more integration possibilities, while others dislike that it frequently reports bugs.

I thought TriNet was really easy to use. Furthermore, it provides all-encompassing assistance from a group of competent professionals committed to promptly and fully answering any client questions. When I spoke with customer service, I discovered that this widely held user view was true. This degree of client service makes TriNet even more user-friendly. But occasionally, the TriNet program can be difficult to use due to reporting issues.

Who needs to use it?

Small businesses with complicated recruiting procedures and possible business liability, such as those with high employee turnover or those that hire foreign workers, are a natural fit for payroll companies such as TriNet. Businesses that require tools to appropriately compensate employees while minimizing payroll expenses will also find it to be a fantastic choice.

Pros

  • Tools for Payroll Cost Control
  • Hands-off HR and payroll
  • Strong time-tracking and attendance systems can reduce payroll expenses

Cons

  • Costly monthly pricing per employee in comparison to software-driven payroll companies
  • Your influence over HR policies is diminished by a PEO relationship.

8. Wave Payroll

Based in Toronto, as a relatively new participant in the small-company financial services market, Wave is establishing a reputation for itself by creating an easy-to-use and reasonably priced platform that caters to the particular requirements of independent contractors, freelancers, and owners of small businesses.

Wave’s newest feature is payroll. It replaces a vast variety of tools for many business owners and comes with a platform for invoicing, accounting, and payment handling for small firms.

Paying workers and contractors by direct deposit & automatically creating W-2 or 1099 paperwork for tax season are both possible with Wave Payroll. In fourteen states (and counting), it handles payroll tax filing and payment. It also provides a self-service worker portal for convenient access to tax records, banking information, and contact details.

Additionally, you can prevent paying Wave during off-seasons by deactivating your membership if you run a seasonal company and just use payroll software during certain periods of the year. Your subscription & account can then be easily reactivated when the business season resumes. Because of this feature and its choices for contract payments, Wave is a great choice for seasonal firms like landscaping and garden retailers.

A significant disadvantage of Wave is that it does not provide benefits administration; however, recent acquisitions of businesses in the financial industry and its 2019 takeover by H&R Block indicate that additional features and capabilities will be added.

Features

Payroll tools for employees and contractors, tax services, a staff self-service portal, and invoicing capabilities are some of Wave Payroll’s most notable features. Let’s examine each of them in more detail.

Employee & Contractor Payroll

You only need to click once to pay independent contractors and workers when it’s payday with Wave Payroll. After your employees have been paid, you can view a report that breaks down all payroll costs per employee. You may always get W-2 & 1099 forms because the site also generates them. You can also halt your payroll membership during the off-season to avoid incurring the base monthly charge if you run a seasonal company where you only need to compensate contractors and employees during specific periods of the year.

Tax services

Wave Payroll provides services for filing and paying taxes in 14 states, and it is constantly adding more. You may streamline your federal and state payroll tax filing and payment by using this platform.

Self-service portal

With the help of Wave Payroll’s self-service site, workers may view their W-2 forms and pay slips without assistance from HR. Additionally, they can update their financial and contact details on the platform.

Invoicing

Unlimited invoices are provided via the free Wave invoicing Starter plan, which may also be utilized with Wave Payroll without incurring additional fees. However, you have to pay a fee in order to take ACH/EFT or credit card payments.

All that is required for sending an invoice is an email with the Wave “pay now” option. Wave provides a smartphone app that enables remote invoice payment. Customers can pay by email with Apple Pay or a credit card, and the money will be credited to their account within two business days. For easy reporting & tax filing, the information is instantly entered into your accounting records as soon as you send an invoice or receive payment.

Pricing

Depending on the state you run your business in, Wave provides two different programs. Wave provides tax services in fourteen different states, and you are going to incur a higher basic monthly charge to use these services if you function in one of those states. Wave’s payroll solution will have a cheaper monthly base charge in all other states since they are required to pay and submit their taxes on their own. You can try both programs for free for 30 days.

Reputation

Customer evaluations of Wave Payroll on product rating websites mention that the program is very simple to use to set up, reasonably priced, and includes free functions like invoicing.

Some users, however, complain that the software lacks the necessary extensive reporting and customization possibilities. Many complain that Wave Payroll’s customer service is ineffective; the chatbot doesn’t provide pertinent answers, and emailing customer service frequently doesn’t help either. According to several users, the platform’s restricted feature set makes it a viable choice for businesses with five to ten employees, but nothing more.

Our experience

Wave Payroll was tested using a Mac and the Safari web browser. Enrolling in the initial trial period was easy and took just a few minutes. It only required me to enter my name, phone number, and email address. In order to confirm my identification, a code was delivered to my phone. Upon entering the code, I received a prompt with basic questions about my intended use of the account, like whether I wanted to conduct payroll or send customer invoices.

I was taken to an initial analytics dashboard after the account was set up. The interface felt uncluttered and manageable despite having a few reports and potential action options. I had immediate access to reports such as my company’s financial analysis, a list of unpaid invoices and bills, a fiscal year-by-year income and expense statement, and a pie chart showing the percentages of every expense category.

In my situation, adding a staff member could not be made easier, even if I did not like the amount of tedious data entry. When I selected “add an employee” from the original dashboard, a form asking for my employee’s details was displayed. I was required to input the following details: the employee’s full name, Social Security number, home address, workplace, kind of compensation (e.g., hourly or salary), email address, and preferred method of payment (e.g., direct deposit).

I would want to see more possibilities for customization, automation, and chat assistance, among other features. The dashboard cannot be customized at all, and there are very few automation options. Additionally, reporting did not allow for personalization. Furthermore, I was directed to email customer support after receiving irrelevant comments when I asked the chat assistant whether I had overlooked any customization options. The chat assistance feature was useless overall.

Additionally, a partner company upsold me when I tried to obtain tax services, asking for $500 + $150 to complete my taxes. On other screens, Wave Payroll asked me to purchase other items. If Wave and its partners wanted to ask me to buy more things, I would have liked to be approached in some other way.

Who needs to use it?

Wave offers a special solution for solopreneurs and micro-businesses who regularly bill clients or consumers for online payment and pay a small staff that is largely composed of contractors & part-timers. Additionally, payroll companies like Wave are ideal for service businesses like landscapers who frequently hire contractors and deal with off-seasons because it allows you to pause your subscription.

Pros

  • Payroll, bookkeeping, and invoicing all on one platform
  • Employers and employees can use a clear user interface.
  • The ability to suspend your membership at off-peak times

Cons

  • There are just fourteen states that offer automatic payroll taxes.
  • Insufficient customer support
  • Very few choices for personalization

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Payroll companies (services): What are they?

Payroll is the total sum of money that an organization gives its workers in exchange for their labor. The process of figuring out employees’ net pay and starting to pay them is sometimes referred to as payroll. Payroll processing is necessary whether you’re managing one staff member or 100 in order to guarantee accurate payments and appropriate documentation.

2. What is the top payroll provider?

The ideal payroll application for your organization will depend on its needs and size. The best payroll providers for small companies include ADP RUN, Gusto, and OnPay. Conventional businesses provide plans that can be customized to meet your needs, but startup-specific platforms provide clear pricing and comprehensive packages that allow you to get started in a matter of minutes.

3. What kinds of HR functions ought to be included in a payroll system?

The following features should be present in a payroll system:

  • Data synchronization with personnel data, benefits administration, and time tracking
  • Numerous payment options, such as prepaid debit cards and direct deposit
  • Filing and paying payroll taxes
  • Infinite payroll runs
  • Self-service
  • Simple payroll records
  • Updates for compliance automatically
  • Access via mobile

4. What are the advantages provided by payroll companies?

Payroll software has three advantages: it is accurate, timely, and compliant. Additionally, payroll management software reduces human resources staff time because of automation.

5. PEO payroll companies: What are they?

Payroll and other essential HR functions for your business are managed by a PEO payroll provider, which is a co-employer. Basically, it’s a method of outsourcing your payroll.

Have a quick question? We answered nearly 2000 FAQs.

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