7 Best Software for Payroll – An In-Depth Guide (2022)

Paying employees can be a hassle. First, you must calculate hours worked, overtime, and other deductions, then write out checks or direct deposit payments manually.

And if you’re not careful, you can easily make a mistake that can cost you dearly in penalties and fees.

Fortunately, several software programs can automate payroll and simplify the process. However, payroll software can vary widely in terms of features and price, so it’s essential to choose one that meets the specific needs of your business.

This blog post will look at some of the best payroll software programs available and discuss their key features. We’ll also provide some tips on what to look for when choosing payroll software.

What Is Payroll Software?

Payroll software is a program that helps organizations manage their payroll process. This can include everything from tracking employee hours to calculating wages and producing paychecks for employees. One of the main advantages of using payroll software is that it automates much of the manual work involved in processing payroll.

It also allows for more accurate record-keeping, as all data is tracked electronically rather than on paper documents. Additionally, most modern payroll software applications are cloud-based, which means that they can be accessed and updated anytime, anywhere, via an internet connection. Overall, organizations that use payroll software benefit from greater efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility in their payroll processes.

Related: Best Accounting Software for Small Business

7 Best Software for Payroll of 2022

Best Overall: Gusto

Gusto is a comprehensive payroll and HR solution that makes it easy for small businesses to manage their team. The software automates all of the time-consuming tasks associated with payroll, including tax filings, payments, and deductions. Gusto also provides access to a library of resources and templates to help business owners stay compliant with ever-changing regulations.

Gusto sets the standard for modern payroll and HR solutions with its unparalleled functionality and simple user interface. Whether you are a small business owner dealing with just a handful of employees or a large enterprise trying to manage thousands of workers, Gusto has all of the tools you need to streamline your payroll and compliance processes and stay on top of all your HR-related tasks. With its intuitive design, customizable reports, and cutting-edge features like eSignatures and mobile access, Gusto is simply the best way to manage your team.

Time tracking

When it comes to managing time and tracking employee hours, Gusto is the ideal solution. Whether you have remote workers or hourly employees on your team, Gusto’s time tracking features make it easy to keep track of employees. In addition, Gusto offers a robust set of tools so you can record everything from breaks and sick days to overtime hours and vacation time.

And best of all, these hours are automatically calculated into payroll, so you don’t have to worry about any manual calculations or errors when paying your staff. Whatever your needs may be, with Gusto’s advanced time tracking features, you can rest assured that your team is always covered.

Automated payroll tax filing

When filing your company’s taxes, you must have the right tools. With its automated tax filing process, Gusto makes sure your state and federal filings stay up to date and accurate.

By taking away the tedious and error-prone manual process of tax filing, Gusto helps reduce the risk of making costly mistakes that could result in IRS fees and penalties. And because Gusto stays up to date with all the latest changes in tax laws and regulations, your business is protected from any unexpected regulatory issues down the road.

So if you want a simple, streamlined way to file your taxes without worrying about costly errors or missing out on new tax breaks, look no further than Gusto. With its advanced automation capabilities and expert support team, Gusto is your one-stop shop for fast, efficient, and stress-free tax filing.

Custom reports

With Gusto, you can quickly build custom reports that give you the information to make informed decisions about your business. Gusto makes it easy to get the info with detailed data reports on pay range, state, date, earnings, or job codes. With Gusto, you can have peace of mind knowing that your financial data is always up-to-date and accurate.

Pricing:

• Core – $39

Gusto is a full-service payroll provider that offers everything businesses need to run their payroll smoothly and efficiently. You access Gusto’s key features with the Core Plan, including full-service payroll processing, employee profiles, self-service access, health insurance administration, and financial/retirement benefits. So whether you are just starting or have a large and established company, Gusto has the tools and expertise to help you streamline your payroll processes and take the hassle out of HR.

• Complete – $39

With Gusto Complete, you will have access to a comprehensive suite of tools that can help you manage your team efficiently and effectively. So if you need time tracking tools to keep track of employee hours and bill clients accordingly or project tracking features that allow you to monitor and budget costs accurately, Gusto has you covered.

Their powerful HR management tools also make it easy to keep up with hiring, onboarding new employees, and managing employee performance. And with a built-in PTO manager that enables your team to request and approve leave requests easily through the online platform, Gusto is the perfect solution for any growing business.

• Concierge – $149

The Concierge Plan is the most comprehensive offering from Gusto. In addition to all of the features included in the Core and Complete plans, Concierge customers have access to a dedicated support team and certified HR professionals. In addition, these experts can help with compliance issues by building a custom onboarding program.

The Concierge Plan also includes a handy HR resource center full of helpful articles and templates. Gusto’s Concierge customers also receive compliance alerts to rest assured that they are always up-to-date on the latest regulations.

Product Quality Score: 9.5 (Excellent)

• Features: 9.5
• Ease to use: 10
• Pricing: 9
• Customer support: 9.5

Pros

• Contractor-only version
• Great user experience
• A good set of customizable reports
• Excellent employee versions
• It offers a contractor-only version

Cons

• No mobile payroll app

Easiest to Set Up: QuickBooks Payroll

QuickBooks Payroll is a comprehensive solution for managing your company’s payroll. It streamlines paying employees, tracking hours and deductions, and filing taxes. It can also help you stay compliant with state and federal regulations. In addition, QuickBooks Payroll makes it easy to see what your employees are owed and how much tax needs to be withheld from each paycheck.

It also includes features for direct deposit, tracking vacation and sick time, and generating year-end reports. Additionally, QuickBooks Payroll integrates with QuickBooks Online so that you can manage your finances in one place. Whether you have a small business or a large corporation, QuickBooks Payroll can save you time and money.

QuickBooks Payroll

With QuickBooks Payroll, you can quickly process your payroll each month and pay your employees and contractors through various methods, including paper checks and direct deposits. This intuitive software makes it easy to track your employees’ hours and wages, accurately compute taxes and deductions, and generate the forms you need to submit everything to the appropriate agencies. Additionally, this software offers integrations with a wide range of third-party apps and accounting programs to easily manage all your finances in one place.

HR Administration and Support

In addition to advanced payment options, direct deposits, and employee expense tracking features, the company has partnered with Mineral to provide access to advanced HR administration and support tools.

With access to customizable job descriptions, onboarding processes, performance review templates, and more, the HR support center provides businesses with the tools to manage their personnel more effectively.

Employee Portal

With its user-friendly interface and easy navigation, the QuickBooks Payroll portal provides an efficient and convenient way for employees to manage their personal information and access key documents like pay stubs and W-2s. So whether they need to check their balances or update their bank account information, employees can easily navigate the employee portal to get the information they need.

Furthermore, by providing access to their PTO balances and withholdings, this tool helps employees keep track of important employment details and ensure that everything is in order. Overall, by streamlining employee management processes and facilitating communication between employers and employees, the QuickBooks Payroll portal is valuable for businesses of all sizes.

Pricing:

• Payroll Core + QuickBooks Simple Start – $35

The simple plan is an all-in-one payroll solution that helps small businesses manage employee paychecks, taxes, and benefits. The simple plan includes full-service payroll, which means that QuickBooks will calculate, file, and pay your federal, state, and local taxes for you. You can also use QuickBooks to file and pay your quarterly estimated taxes. In addition, the simple plan includes Auto Payroll, which automatically processes payroll for you regularly.

The simple plan also includes 1099 E-File & Pay, which allows you to file and pay your contractors electronically. Finally, the simple plan includes expert product support from QuickBooks experts. They can help you with any questions about using the software or solving payroll problems.

• Payroll Core + QuickBooks Essentials – $47.50

The pricing for the QuickBooks Payroll Essential plan is $47.50 + $4 per employee per month. This plan includes the ability to track income and expenses, capture and organize receipts, maximize tax deductions, invoice and accept payments, and track miles. The company also offers a 1-month free trial for this plan. QuickBooks Payroll is a cloud-based software that helps small businesses manage their payroll processes.

The software is designed to save businesses time and money by automating many of the tasks associated with payroll, such as calculating taxes and making direct deposits. QuickBooks Payroll integrates with QuickBooks Online so that businesses can manage both their finances and their payroll from one platform. In addition, QuickBooks Payroll offers a mobile app that allows companies to run their payroll from anywhere, at any time.

• Payroll Premium + QuickBooks Plus – $ 77.50

With this plan, you can track sales and sales tax, keep tabs on1099 contractors, and manage bills easily. The Plus plan also includes time tracking functionality, letting you easily keep track of employee hours.

And best of all, the Plus plan is designed to support up to 5 users, making it an ideal choice for busy businesses with a team of employees. So if you’re looking for a comprehensive payroll solution that can save you time and money, the QuickBooks Payroll Plus plan is worth considering.

Product Quality Score: 9.1 (Excellent)

• Features: 8.5
• Ease to use: 9.7
• Pricing: 9
• Customer support: 9.5

Pros

• Smooth payroll process
• User-friendly
• Flexible payroll and tax handling
• Integrates with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Time
• Customizable reports

Cons

• Slim employee portals
• Additional filing fees for Core & Premium plans

Best Small Business Payroll Software: OnPay

OnPay is a cloud-based, full-service payroll solution that makes it easy for businesses of all sizes to manage their payroll operations. With OnPay, you can process your payroll in minutes rather than hours or days. The software also automates many payroll tasks, such as tax calculations and filings.

In addition, OnPay offers a variety of features to help you manage your employees, such as time tracking, benefits administration, and employee onboarding. With OnPay, you can rest assured that your payroll is in good hands. OnPay is a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes, and it offers a free trial so you can try the software before you commit to it. With OnPay, you can get your payroll done quickly and easily, without any hassle.

Employee management

OnPay is dedicated to making payroll and employee management as easy and stress-free as possible for small businesses. The employee portal is a secure, one-stop-shop for all your employees’ important documents like W-2 forms, pay stubs, and performance reviews. Plus, they can track PTO and know when they’ll get paid with the automatic wage alert emails. And for employers, the intuitive interface and detailed reports make it simple to manage everything from onboarding new employees to tracking employee performance.

Integrations

OnPay’s integrations are designed to save you time and money by automating tasks that would otherwise require manual entry. For example, OnPay can automatically generate invoices based on time tracking data, eliminating manually creating invoices each week. OnPay can also integrate with your accounting software to automatically reconcile your accounts receivable and accounts payable. In addition, OnPay’s partnership with Kabbage allows small businesses to access capital through a streamlined and straightforward process. By automating these tasks, OnPay’s integrations free up your time so that you can focus on running your business.

Unlimited Payroll

One of the most attractive features of OnPay is its unlimited payroll feature. With OnPay, businesses can run payroll according to their arrangements and schedule without incurring additional costs. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for companies that need to make occasional corrections or cancel pay runs.

Additionally, OnPay offers many other features, such as support for multiple pay frequencies, direct deposit, and online employee self-service. As a result, OnPay is ideal for businesses that need a comprehensive and flexible payroll solution.

Pricing:

• Basic – $36 + $4/user

With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, OnPay is ideal for businesses that need a simple and efficient way to manage payroll. The Basic Plan offers everything you need to ensure accurate and timely pay runs, including unlimited monthly pay runs, automated tax payments and filings, and free W-2 and 1099 processing.

Moreover, the plan comes equipped with a range of HR tools and software integrations to help streamline your workflow. And if you ever need assistance with anything related to payroll, just reach out to the expert support team at OnPay – they’re always ready to help you out! So if you’re looking for a simple & effective way to keep track of your payroll, look no further than OnPay.

Product Quality Score: 9 (Excellent)

• Features: 8.5
• Ease to use: 9.5
• Pricing: 9
• Customer support: 9

Pros

• Easy of Use
• Efficient and Quick Employee Management
• Simplified HR Processes
• Risk-Free Payroll Compliance

Cons

• The Mobile version has limited functionality

Best Reporting: Paychex Flex

Paychex Flex is the perfect payroll software for small businesses. It makes managing employee hours and paychecks simple, and its intuitive interface makes it easy to track the details of each paycheck. In addition, Paychex offers a variety of valuable features that allow business owners to customize their payroll processes precisely as they need.

For example, Paychex Flex seamlessly integrates with popular accounting software programs like QuickBooks and Sage 50, allowing owners to import information from one system to another automatically. And if any issues do arise, business owners can take advantage of expert support from Paychex professionals–meaning that they never have to worry about getting stuck along the way.

Taxes and Compliance

Paychex Flex is the premier solution for managing payroll with its array of powerful features. In addition to streamlining the entire payroll process, one of its key benefits is that it automatically handles your payroll taxes and compliance obligations.

Furthermore, suppose you choose to pay an additional fee. In that case, Paychex Flex will even deliver W-2s and 1099s directly to your employees and contractors at tax time, ensuring accurate reporting and minimizing your liability.

Employee Scheduling

Paychex Flex makes it easy to quickly create and modify employee schedules, even when your team is constantly changing and growing. You can quickly see how your staff is allocated across different shifts and locations with the visual scheduler. And the customizable templates help you easily plug in common scheduling scenarios, such as recurring meeting times or vacation requests. Additionally, real-time communication tools keep everyone updated on last-minute changes, while reporting features make it simple to analyze staffing needs and optimize personnel deployment.

Reports and Notifications

One of the most useful features is its robust reporting and notification capabilities, which allow you to track essential attendance data such as hours worked, tardiness, and absences. The platform also offers tools for monitoring key performance indicators such as sales conversions or customer satisfaction scores.

Whether you need real-time data insights or more historical information about your team’s performance, Paychex Flex provides everything to stay on top of your business operations.

Pricing:

• Paychex Flex Essentials – $0

Paychex Flex provides everything you need to streamline your payroll processes with its Essentials Plan, including direct deposit and on-site check printing. It also includes powerful employee self-service features like standard analytics and reporting and a general ledger report, giving employees the ability to efficiently keep track of their finances. And thanks to the mobile app, both employers and employees can stay connected at all times, making it easier than ever to take care of business on the go.

• Paychex Flex Select – Custom

The Paychex Flex Select Plan is a comprehensive payroll solution that includes a dedicated payroll specialist, integration with accounting software, new-hire reporting, and the Paychex Learning Management System. The Select Plan also provides additional employee pay options, such as Direct Deposit and Payroll Debit Cards.

The Paychex Flex Select Plan is an affordable way to outsource your payroll processing and compliance responsibilities. In addition, it provides access to the Paychex Online portal, where you can view your payroll reports, create custom reports, and manage your account settings.

• Paychex Flex Pro – Custom

Paychex allows business owners to take care of payroll taxes, employee assistance, and state unemployment insurance with ease. In addition, the company’s Pro Plan offers a host of services designed to help businesses save time and money. For example, it includes access to the company’s online portal, which provides various tools for managing payroll taxes, employee handbooks, and other HR documents.

Moreover, the Pro Plan provides unlimited support from Paychex’s team of experts. This support includes assistance with tax filing, payroll administration, and resolving employee disputes. As a result, the Pro Plan is an excellent way for business owners to take care of their payroll needs and ensure that their employees are taken care of.

Product Quality Score: 9.3 (Excellent)

• Features: 9.5
• Ease to use: 9.5
• Pricing: 9
• Customer support: 9.5

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Scalable
• Unlimited custom fields and other deep customizability.
• Impressive customer service

Cons

• Unclear pricing

Best for Large Companies: ADP

ADP is the leading payroll and HR solution that makes managing your employees’ pay and benefits easy. It also provides tools for tracking time and attendance, creating schedules, and more. ADP can help you stay compliant with government regulations and makes it easy to manage all of your HR needs in one place. With ADP, you can be confident that your employees are being paid accurately and on time.

Additionally, ADP’s tools can help you improve your overall HR management. For example, the attendance tracking tool can help you identify patterns of absenteeism, so you can address the issue before it becomes a problem. The scheduling tool can also help you optimize your employees’ work schedules to maximize productivity. Overall, ADP is a versatile and powerful HR solution that can benefit any business.

Full HR Suite

ADP features a full HR suite to help businesses save time. The software includes employee benefits management, outsourcing tools, talent acquisition tools, and other HR resources. This allows companies to manage all aspects of their employee life cycle in one place.

In addition, the software is constantly updated with the latest changes in employment law. This ensures that businesses are always compliant with the regulations. As a result, ADP is an essential tool for any business that wants to streamline its HR processes.

Collaborative Scheduling

Collaborative scheduling is a feature of ADP that makes it easier for employees to create schedules that work for everyone. With collaborative scheduling, employees can log in from their mobile device to request time off or switch schedules with someone else with pre-approval.

This makes it easier for employees to stay up-to-date on their schedule and make sure that they can take the time off that they need. Additionally, collaborative scheduling helps ensure that everyone can work the hours required and avoids any potential conflicts.

Detailed Reporting

One of the most valuable features of ADP’s platform is its detailed reporting capabilities, which provide in-depth analytics on everything from demographics and hiring trends to compensation strategies and equity issues. These data allow recruiters to fine-tune their talent acquisition efforts, helping them find and hire top talent more efficiently and effectively.

Additionally, detailed reports provide actionable insights for HR departments, giving them valuable information on benefits enrollment rates and employee turnover. By leveraging the rich datasets available through ADP’s platform, businesses can better understand their workforce and take steps to address critical issues early on. Thus, whether you are looking to improve recruitment efforts or strengthen your current HR strategy, ADP has the tools you need to manage your employees efficiently.

Pricing:

• Essential – Quote based

ADP is one of the best payroll services, offering comprehensive solutions for businesses. Their Essential plan provides everything you need to streamline your payroll process, including direct deposit, a simple computer-based interface, and robust reporting features that allow you to keep track of your employees’ earnings and deductions. Additionally, ADP offers a phone support line and a general ledger interface, allowing you to quickly and easily manage your finances.

And if there’s ever an issue with your taxes, they also provide tax filing options to help ensure that you stay compliant. They are an essential partner in any business endeavor with their wide range of options and excellent customer support services.

• Enhanced – Quote based

As an ADP client, you have access to a wide range of payroll services and tools to help manage your company’s HR operations. The Enhanced Plan features several key features that make it the ideal choice for businesses of all sizes and industries. With enhanced forms and documents, multi-jurisdiction payroll capabilities, and state-of-the-art delivery systems, ADP provides a comprehensive payroll solution that streamlines all aspects of your hiring, onboarding, and payment processing.

Moreover, the suite of W-2s and 1099s ensures that all tax reporting requirements are fulfilled accurately and on time, while the robust new-hire reporting capabilities keep you up to date on all relevant labor data in real-time.

• Complete – Quote based

The ADP Complete Plan is the most comprehensive HR solution, designed to give small businesses the support to manage their HR processes effectively. The Complete Plan includes access to online HR training and toolkits, enhanced employee handbook support, and employer/employee training.

With the Complete Plan, you’ll have everything you need to keep your HR processes running smoothly, helping you to avoid compliance issues and keeping your employees happy. In addition, a Complete Plan is an outstanding option for businesses that want to outsource their HR needs to a reliable and experienced provider.

• HR Pro – Quote based

ADP offers a range of business solutions designed to help companies of all sizes streamline their operations and maximize their efficiency. ADP has the tools and resources you need, whether you are looking for enhanced HR support, access to customizable forms, or advanced payment services.

Their Pro Plan is particularly popular, offering enhanced HR helpdesk support and marketing and consulting services in addition to all of their other offerings. With competitive pricing and an excellent reputation for quality and reliability, ADP is the clear choice for business solutions.

Product Quality Score: 8.8 (Good)

• Features: 9
• Ease to use: 9.5
• Pricing: 8
• Customer support: 9

Pros

• Customized payroll software solutions
• Scalability
• Advanced payroll processing
• 3 Months Free
• Excellent customer support
• Fully optimized ADP mobile app

Cons

• Confusing Setup
• Pricey for Small Business

Best for Integrations: Rippling

Rippling is the best software for payroll because it makes payroll easy and efficient. You can manage employee expenses, tax withholdings, and even 401k contributions with Rippling. The software also integrates with various other applications, such as time-tracking software and accounting software, to make your life easier. In addition, rippling is cloud-based to access your payroll information from anywhere.

And because it is cloud-based, you can access your payroll information from anywhere and make updates or changes at any time, giving you greater control over your company’s finances. With its cutting-edge features and unparalleled capabilities, it truly is the best!

Unity Workforce Platform

With its many powerful features and capabilities, the Rippling Unity Workforce Platform has quickly become the go-to solution for HR teams worldwide. Whether you are looking to manage your workflows more effectively, create and enforce uniform policies, or stay on top of analytics data, Rippling Unity has everything you need to succeed. And what’s more, by unifying all of your employee information into a single database instead of relying on separate sources, you can easily make informed decisions based on accurate data and avoid wasted time and effort.

Payroll Processing

Rippling is a payroll processing solution that offers a variety of features to make payroll more efficient. One crucial element is connecting seamlessly with other modules, eliminating the need to enter data manually. Rippling also allows you to run unlimited payroll each month and pay employees through direct deposit or paper checks.

In addition, Rippling offers a variety of reports to help you track your payroll expenses and make sure you comply with all applicable laws. Rippling also manages vacation and sick days, tracks time-off, and generates reports. As you can see, Rippling is an incredibly powerful and versatile tool for any business that needs to process payroll.

File payroll taxes

Rippling’s payroll tax management feature is a game-changer for small businesses. Not only does it automatically calculate, file, and pay your federal, state, and local taxes, but it also generates and electronically distributes your employee tax forms (1099s and W-2s) at year-end. This saves you time and money and ensures that your taxes are always up-to-date. In addition, rippling’s intuitive interface makes it easy to manage your payroll taxes, even if you’re not an accountant.

Pricing:

• Basic – $8/user

Rippling is a comprehensive software solution that offers a range of essential business tools, including everything from inventory management and time and attendance tracking to full-service payroll and learning management. So whether you’re looking to streamline administrative tasks or find better ways to connect with your employees, Rippling has the solutions you need. With pricing starting at just $8 per user per month, this easy-to-use software is affordable and powerful.

Product Quality Score: 8.8 (Good)

• Features: 9
• Ease to use: 10
• Pricing: 8
• Customer support: 8.5

Pros

• Extensive Integrations
• User-Friendly
• Unlimited payroll runs
• Global Payroll Capabilities
• Deep benefits administration
• One-Click Payroll Runs

Cons

• It doesn’t offer Standard Subscription Plans

Best Free Accounting Software: Wave Payroll

Wave Payroll is the perfect solution for small businesses that need to handle payroll on their own. With its simple setup and user-friendly interface, Wave makes it easy to pay employees, file taxes, and generate reports at the click of a button. If you’re just starting and have a smaller staff, Wave has all the features you need to make payroll processing quick and hassle-free. Moreover, it’s entirely free for businesses with less than five employees!

New Hire Reporting

Wave Payroll makes it easy for businesses to comply with new hire reporting requirements. After adding an employee to its system, the provider will automatically generate and file the report to the applicable state agency.

This seamless process ensures that businesses can focus on their day-to-day operations without worrying about compliance. In addition, Wave Payroll offers companies a competitive advantage by providing new hire reporting services in 14 states. As a result, businesses can save time and money by using Wave Payroll to file their recent hire reports.

Payroll Schedule Reminders

Wave Payroll is a great tool for keeping track of your payroll schedule. You can check your pay schedules directly in its system and get email notifications about upcoming pay runs. This way, you can always be prepared for your next paycheck. Plus, Wave Payroll also offers many other features that can help you manage your payroll more effectively.

For example, you can use its built-in time tracking system to track employee hours worked automatically. This can be a valuable tool for ensuring that everyone is paid the correct amount. Overall, Wave Payroll is a powerful and user-friendly tool that can save you time and effort in managing your payroll.

Third-party Software Integrations

Wave offers a robust payroll solution that includes features like third-party software integrations. For example, wave integrations with Salesforce, Google Sheets, and Zapier allow you to connect with numerous business solutions like email marketing, appointment scheduling, customer relationship management (CRM), and e-commerce platforms.

This integration makes it easy for businesses to manage their payroll needs from one platform. In addition, Wave offers several other features that make it a valuable tool for businesses, such as online payments, direct deposit, and tax filing. As a result, Wave is ideal for companies that need a comprehensive payroll solution.

Pricing:

• Free

Wave’s free payroll plan is the perfect solution for small businesses just getting started. With unlimited income and expense tracking, sales tax tracking, and the ability to add unlimited partners, collaborators, or accountants, Wave’s free payroll plan has everything you need to get your business off the ground.

And with the fully functional double-entry system, you can generate financial statements for year-end, giving you a complete picture of your business’s financial health. Wave’s free payroll plan is the perfect way to get your business started on the right foot.

Product Quality Score: 8.7 (Good)

• Features: 8.5
• Ease to use: 8
• Pricing: 10
• Customer support: 8.5

Pros

• Seamless Integration
• Automatic New Hire Reporting
• Email Notifications
• Time Tracking
• Third-Party Software Integrations

Cons

• The mobile app needs improvement

Who Should Use Payroll Software?

Payroll software can be an extremely helpful tool. For small businesses, payroll software can save a tremendous amount of time and hassle by automating the payroll process. For larger enterprises, payroll software can help to ensure compliance with complex payroll tax regulations.

Payroll software can also be helpful for businesses with employees in multiple states, as it can help keep track of different state tax laws. In addition, companies that have employees who are paid hourly may find payroll software to be a valuable tool for keeping track of hours worked and calculating paychecks. Ultimately, any business that struggles with managing payroll may find payroll software to be a helpful solution.

Related: Best Free Bookkeeping Software for Small Business

What Does Payroll Software Cost?

Payroll software typically costs a few hundred dollars per year. However, the price will vary depending on the features and complexity of the software. Some payroll software is very basic and only includes the bare minimum, while others are much more comprehensive and can handle many payroll tasks.

Businesses often use the more complex payroll software for many employees or those with particular payroll needs. However, even the most basic payroll software can save a business time and money by automating many of the necessary tasks to calculate employee paychecks. In general, the cost of payroll software is well worth it for most businesses.

Related: Best Tax Software for Small Business

How We Chose the Best Payroll Software?

Payroll software is critical for any business, large or small. The right software can save you time and money, while the wrong software can cause headaches and lost productivity. So how do you choose the best payroll software for your business? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Features: Make sure the software has all the features you need, such as direct deposit, tax withholding, and overtime calculations. This will save you a lot of time and hassle in distributing paychecks to your employees. Plus, look for software that can withhold taxes automatically. This will ensure that your employees are paying their fair share of taxes, and it will save you the trouble of manually calculating withholdings.

2. Price: Payroll software is necessary, but that doesn’t mean it must be expensive. Do your research and compare prices to find a solution that fits your budget.

3. Compatibility: The software should be compatible with your existing accounting and HR systems. Otherwise, you’ll have to export data manually, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors. In addition, the software should be able to integrate with any time-tracking system you may be using. This will ensure that all employee hours are accurately captured, and that payroll is processed smoothly. 

4. Ease of use: You want an intuitive and straightforward system enough for both you and your employees to navigate with ease. Look for features like a user-friendly interface, online support tools, and clear instructions and prompts. Additionally, test out any potential software yourself to see how easily you can carry out tasks such as entering employee information, calculating wages, and generating reports. By taking these steps, you can ensure that you choose payroll software that is effective and easy to use. And with this essential tool at your disposal, you can focus on running your business instead of worrying about tedious payroll tasks.

5. Customer service: When something goes wrong with your payroll, you need to be able to reach customer service quickly and easily. Look for a company with 24/7 support so you can get help when you need it.

Choosing the best payroll software for your business is essential. You can find a solution that fits your needs and budget with some research. And once you have the right software in place, processing payroll will be a breeze.

Related: Best POS System for Small Business

Closing Thoughts

As businesses grow and become more complex, accurate bookkeeping and payroll management become crucial aspects of running a successful company. But to properly manage payroll, companies must have the right tools at their disposal. Payroll software is one of the most effective tools for streamlining this critical aspect of business operations. It enables businesses to stay organized, minimize mistakes, and improve efficiency.

Many payroll software programs also include features like employee schedules, expense management tools, and HR information systems. These capabilities allow businesses to stay on top of all their payroll-related tasks while focusing on other areas of their operations.

Overall, by streamlining this core part of a company’s financial infrastructure, software for payroll has become an indispensable resource for modern businesses. With the right software in place, managing payroll becomes an easy process that can help businesses become efficient.