Small-business payroll helps business owners pay employees (and themselves) correctly, on time and with as little hassle as possible.
For many small-business owners in the US, Gusto is the best overall small-business payroll service, especially for first-time employers who need simple, affordable software with a low learning curve. At $40 a month plus $6 per employee, Gusto’s price, features and optional employee benefits make it the best payroll company for many small-business owners.
But Gusto is just one of many payroll companies with software that supports small businesses instead of catering primarily to massive corporations. Read on to learn more about Gusto as well as nine other top payroll companies for small businesses.
Plan and pricing information up to date as of 1/5/2024.
Our star rating: 4.6 out of 5
Why we chose Gusto: Gusto takes first place in nearly any best-of payroll software list, and once you dig into its details, it’s not hard to see why. Gusto’s automated payroll minimizes the amount of work you have to do to pay your employees — which means it’s ideal for first-time employers who need to devote the bulk of their time to managing business operations.
Although its primary focus is payroll, Gusto also offers HR services that make it a one-stop shop for busy small-business owners. For instance, Gusto’s brokerage can match you with a competitive, cost-effective health insurance plan that integrates with payroll at no extra cost.
Additionally, Gusto’s lower-tier plan pairs feature-rich time-tracking software while its higher-tier plans include built-in time tracking. And as a workers’ compensation insurance brokerage, Gusto ensures you don’t have to look to a third party to find coverage that works for you or that integrates seamlessly with your payroll software.
Gusto’s three plans include the following:
Gusto also offers a contractor-only plan starts at $6 per contractor paid per month. After six months, you’ll pay a base fee of $35 a month along with the per-payee monthly fee. Global employers can use Gusto’s contractor and employee payroll plans to pay international contractors at no extra charge (beyond the standard $6 fee plus exchange rate fees).
As of early 2024, Gusto is in the process of adding an employer of record (EOR) service called Gusto Global to enable global payroll. While pricing hasn’t yet been listed upfront, Gusto is partnering with the global payroll service Remote to offer its international payroll plan. Remote’s EOR plan starts at $599 per employee per month.
Integrations: As one of the most popular, best-known payroll software services in the United States, Gusto integrates with more third-party apps than nearly any other small-business payroll provider. Along with its small-business accounting software integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks and more, Gusto syncs with G Suite, Slack, Zoom, Microsoft 365 and dozens of other apps.
See our Gusto review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.4 out of 5
Why we chose ADP: ADP’s wide spectrum of payroll plans and products ensures it can accommodate any type of small business, from localized micro-businesses to companies with 250 remote workers scattered around the globe. Its offerings include (but aren’t limited to) the following:
For the most part, ADP doesn’t list prices for any of its products online. Nearly all of its payroll software tools, including RUN Powered by ADP and ADP Global Source, require potential customers to request a custom quote.
However, Roll by ADP, an AI-powered app for employers with just a handful of employees, has one plan with straightforward pricing: $29 per month + $5 per person paid per month.
Integrations: As a popular payroll provider, ADP has native integrations with hundreds of third-party tools, including accounting software like QuickBooks Online and Wave Accounting. It also syncs seamlessly with dozens of learning management system, expense tracking, recruiting, onboarding, productivity and point-of-sale tools.
See our ADP review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.7 out of 5
Why we chose SurePayroll: Plenty of small-business owners need simple, affordable payroll software — not multi-plan software with complicated (and expensive) add-ons like learning management systems or applicant trackers. If that sounds like your situation, SurePayroll was designed with you in mind.
SurePayroll’s software bundles essential payroll services with employee benefits, basic onboarding tools and HR assistance, and it manages to do so without compromising either quality or pricing. In fact, only its top competitor, Patriot Payroll, comes close to beating SurePayroll’s price.
Crucially, SurePayroll has far fewer add-on fees (and far more HR tools) than Patriot Payroll — making SurePayroll the cheapest payroll software for small businesses that pay both employees and contractors.
SurePayroll has a self-service plan and full-service plan:
Apart from the price, the only difference between the two plans lies with who files and deposits payroll taxes. Self-service payroll calculates taxes but leaves the actual filing up to you while full-service payroll software takes care of calculating, filing and depositing payroll taxes on your business’s behalf.
SurePayroll has a handful of additional fees for optional services:
Integrations: SurePayroll has fewer built-in integrations than most other payroll software on our list. Currently, it syncs with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, LessAccounting and a handful of time-tracking apps, such as stratustime and TimeTrex.
See our SurePayroll review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.7 out of 5
Why we chose OnPay: OnPay’s single plan is remarkably comprehensive, especially for the price. OnPay has far fewer add-on fees than key competitors like Paychex Flex and Patriot Payroll — crucially, it includes small-business-friendly payroll features like automatic payroll runs, wage garnishment and benefits administration for no additional fee.
OnPay is also one of the few small-business payroll programs to tailor its plans to specific industries. Farms, dental practices, churches, nonprofits and businesses in other niche industries can work with OnPay to set up payroll software with industry-specific tax forms, tip distribution services and other more niche payroll features.
OnPay’s single plan costs $40 per month + $6 per person paid per month.
Integrations: Unfortunately, OnPay doesn’t have built-in integrations for many third-party apps beyond accounting software like QuickBooks Online and Xero.
See our OnPay review for more information.
Our star rating: 4 out of 5
Why we chose Paychex: Most small-business payroll software skews toward payroll features while skimping on payroll-adjacent HR tools that are just as essential for small businesses as for international enterprises. In contrast, Paychex Flex combines HR and payroll into a tidy, customizable software package that supports small-business owners and their employees equally.
For instance, Paychex’s most expensive package includes learning management system access, an applicant tracking system, job site posting, performance management features and a dozen other robust employee-focused features. Rather than requiring small businesses to upgrade to a much more expensive plan to access these features, Paychex offers many of them as add-ons — which means businesses end up with uniquely customized packages where they’re paying only for the features they need.
SEE: The 6 Top Paychex Alternatives and Competitors
For the most part, Paychex lacks transparent online pricing information. The only exception is the base price for the cheapest Paychex Flex plan, Paychex Essentials, which costs $39 per month + $5 per person per month. While the website specifies that multiple features are only available for an additional fee, it doesn’t explicitly clarify their cost.
Integrations: Paychex’s software has more built-in app integrations than any provider on this list . Its APIs also allow for custom workflow automations and app integrations. Top native integrations currently include 7shifts, Salesforce, Acumatica, QuickBooks Online, BambooHR and hundreds more.
See our Paychex review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.2 out of 5
Why we chose Justworks: Justworks is one of the best PEOs for small businesses that operate solely within the United States. As an outsourced HR solution, Justworks removes benefits management, hiring, firing, payroll and other human resource tasks from business owners’ plates.
Additionally, Justworks recently added its own employer of record service that enables small businesses to hire employees and contractors on a global scale.
Justworks’ transparent online pricing is a rare exception among PEO providers, most of which require customers to request a custom quote:
Neither of Justworks’ plans has a monthly base fee. Additionally, the per-payee cost for each plan drops by $10 from your 50th employee onward.
Justworks Hours is a separate time and attendance software solution that costs an additional monthly fee.
Integrations: Justworks’ basic plan includes accounting software integrations with QuickBooks and Xero. Its only other native integrations are with Greenhouse and Lever.
See our Justworks review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.2 out of 5
Why we chose Papaya: Papaya Global’s PEO service supports companies with workers in more than 160 countries. It’s also (perhaps) surprisingly affordable for an international payroll service: Its contractor payroll plan starts at just $2 a month for contractor payments, which makes Papaya easily one of the cheapest payroll solutions on any market, global or domestic.
Papaya Global’s international payroll service pays employees in their local currencies and remits taxes to the appropriate tax agencies in each country. Its AI-based compliance tool helps you avoid payroll mistakes that could prove problematic in foreign countries.
Finally, while Papaya doesn’t have as many HR features as Paychex or ADP, its recently released payroll app includes an employee directory so workers across different countries and time zones can get in touch to build a collaborative company culture.
Papaya’s wide range of prices and plans can accommodate small-business budgets and enterprise-level needs. Starting prices are as follows:
Integrations: Currently, Papaya integrates only with just a few apps, including BambooHR, Expensify and NetSuite. You can also use its HCM connector tool to sync Papaya with your preferred HCM software service.
See our Papaya Global review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.3 out of 5
Why we chose Rippling: Rippling’s small-business payroll platform includes full-service tax administration, optional health benefits and fully automated payroll runs. But what truly sets Rippling apart is its comprehensive finance, IT and HR system that tracks every aspect of personnel management — from remote device activation to employee expense tracking and reimbursement — on one user-friendly platform.
Rippling’s unique approach requires customers to build custom packages that are typically pricier than one-size-fits-all or single-plan solutions like OnPay. However, the higher price and more complex software means business owners can manage most employee-related tasks without searching for third-party HR companies with additional fees.
Rippling’s payroll plan starts at $8 per person per month on top of an unspecified monthly base fee for Rippling’s software platform, Rippling Unity. All other features require potential customers to request a custom quote.
Integrations: Rippling’s app marketplace includes over 500 automated workflows and integrations with software like G Suite and Slack.
See our Rippling review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.1 out of 5
Why we chose QuickBooks Payroll: Intuit’s cloud-based products, including Intuit QuickBooks Payroll, were developed specifically for non-accountant business owners. As a result, Intuit’s payroll and accounting software both have comparatively low learning curves.
The straightforward interface ensures business owners can process payroll without needing a complicated math and finance background — and the process is even easier for business owners who already used QuickBooks Online prior to hiring employees. If you already use Intuit’s excellent accounting program, adding QuickBooks Online Payroll might be the simplest payroll solution for your business.
QuickBooks Payroll has three payroll plans with upfront prices:
If you opt out of a 30-day free trial with QuickBooks Online Payroll, you’ll receive 50% off your payroll plan’s base price for the first three months. This knocks QuickBooks Payroll’s starting base cost down to $22.50 for Payroll Core, $37.50 for Payroll Premium and $62.50 for Payroll Elite.
Integrations: QuickBooks Payroll doesn’t sync natively with any third-party apps. Instead, the software syncs with other QuickBooks products: QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Time.
See our QuickBooks Payroll review for more information.
Our star rating: 4.3 out of 5
Why we chose Remote: Like Papaya Global, Remote is an international payroll solution for small businesses — but unlike Papaya Global, Remote isn’t a PEO. Instead, it’s a cloud-based payroll software system that puts international payroll in employers’ hands. Its user interface and comprehensive country-specific payroll guides make hiring employees in different countries less intimidating while keeping costs low (especially compared to international PEO costs).
See: Why Does My Business Need a Payroll Service? (TechRepublic)
While employers can use Remote’s software and in-depth resource guides to hire employees in multiple countries, small-business owners can also use Remote’s Employer of Record service to hire workers in countries where they don’t have a physical presence. Both the EOR service and global payroll software include optional employee benefits in dozens of countries.
Remote’s starting prices are as follows:
Contractor management plans may be paid month to month and come with a 30-day free trial.
Remote also offers a completely free HRIS platform for businesses with fewer than 200 employees.
Integrations: Remote uses Zapier to connect with 5,000+ third-party apps.
See our Remote Payroll review for more information.
To determine which payroll providers were best for small-business owners, we assembled a list of the 20 most popular payroll apps. We then narrowed down our list to the 10 best providers based on how small-business-friendly each provider was, among other factors. Our opinions were based largely on in-depth research, our own hands-on testing (via free trials and custom demos) and verified user reviews.
We also used an internal algorithm to calculate star ratings, rank software and decide which software qualified as the best for small businesses. The algorithm scores brands in five weighted categories:
You can learn more about how we choose and evaluate brands and calculate star ratings by reading our payroll software review methodology piece.
To choose the best payroll software for your small business, ask yourself a series of questions about your business’s needs as well as your workforce’s makeup. For instance, think about how much you can afford to spend on payroll generally (and on payroll software in particular), how large your current workforce is, how and when you plan to expand your business, which HR tools you need and so on.
Along with reading reviews like ours, we recommend consulting one on one with a small-business accountant. They can offer a personalized perspective on which payroll software would work best for your company specifically, not just for small businesses generally.
Additionally, sign up for free software trials or schedule free demos whenever possible. Once you’ve experienced the software for yourself, you’ll have a better understanding of what exactly you want — and don’t want — in a small-business payroll provider.
Small-business payroll software is software that calculates employee paychecks and pays employees (usually through direct deposit) so employers can direct their time and energy elsewhere.
At its most basic, small-business payroll software should calculate gross paycheck amounts and any paycheck deductions, such as payroll taxes, benefits premiums and wage garnishments. Full-service payroll software typically withdraws and deposits deductions with the appropriate tax or legal bureau.
In contrast, self-service payroll software calculates most deductions but turns the actual deduction and filing over to the business owner.
Since small-business payroll automates the most tedious, complicated aspects of payroll, its main benefit lies in how much time and money it can save busy business owners.
For example, without payroll software, business owners have to track their employees’ hours worked over a given pay period by hand. They must correctly translate those hours into monetary compensation and ensure payroll taxes are deducted from employee paychecks and remitted to the IRS.
With payroll software, paycheck calculations and deductions become automatic. Business owners just have to hit “approve” to verify that payroll data is correct, and then the software generally takes care of the rest, including distributing employee paychecks.
Payroll software also saves business owners money compared to more expensive solutions like outsourced accounting or in-house payroll departments. Plus, payroll errors can have massive financial repercussions, including fines levied by the IRS. By integrating with time-tracking software and employee benefits, payroll software minimizes the risk of incorrectly entering payroll information.
Thanks to free payroll software, payroll doesn’t have to cost anything more than the price of compensating employees for their labor and time. However, most free payroll software (such as Payroll4Free) is only available for businesses with 25 or fewer employees. Depending on the interface and payroll provider, free software can be less secure and reliable than paid payroll software.
Paid plans through providers like Square Payroll can cost as little as $5 per person per month, though prices this low usually apply solely to businesses that pay contractors (not employees). The cheapest options include Patriot Payroll at $17 per month plus $4 per employee and SurePayroll at $19.99 per month plus $4 per employee.
Read next: The Best Payroll Software for Enterprises
Run payroll in 100+ countries and 200+ currencies from a single place. Deel’s comprehensive global platform eliminates the ongoing admin of local compliance, taxes, and benefits. With in-house experts across 100+ countries, dedicated CSM’s, visa and PTO support, and more, Deel provides unmatched payroll expertise and service. Plus, with a single point of contact, we eliminate handovers, providing you with faster support and compliance, so your entire global team gets paid quickly and securely.
With Multiplier, pay any number of global employees easily in multiple currencies. Eliminate the hassle of maintaining individual providers per country. Generate a single invoice and pay international teams in minutes. Have a consolidated dashboard to manage global payroll from a single window.
ADP Workforce Now serves clients across nearly every industry who are looking to manage their human capital management needs across payroll, HR, benefits, talent, and time and labor, among others. ADP Workforce Now provides clients with custom-tailored solutions that fit their organization, so they can save time and money while getting expert support and accuracy.
Payroll can be a time-consuming, administrative task for HR teams. Paycor’s solution is an easy-to-use yet powerful tool that gives you time back in your day. Quickly and easily pay employees from wherever you are and never worry about tax compliance again. Key features like general ledger integration, earned wage access, AutoRun, employee self-service and detailed reporting simplify the process and help ensure you pay employees accurately and on time.
Paychex is a cloud-based payroll management system offering payroll, HR, and benefits management systems for small to large businesses. Paychex covers payroll and taxes, employee 401(k) retirement services, benefits, insurance, HR, accounting, finance and Professional Employer Organization (PEO).
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