Best Payroll and Benefits Vendors - 2024
These are the best payroll and benefits software vendors, hand-picked for enterprises and small businesses, along with benefits, pitfalls, pricing, and more.
Best Payroll and Benefits Software
While payroll processing and employee benefits go hand in hand, not all payroll software platforms handle employee benefits comprehensively. Payroll software's core function is to handle wage calculations, deductions, tax filings, and other payroll-related tasks, but many platforms also have an employee benefits management feature.
We’ve reviewed hundreds of payroll software tools since we started writing about such products in 2017. We’ve seen dozens of them with a remarkable benefits management module. This beckoned putting together a separate list, one for SMBs (<1,000) that would derive value from combining payroll and benefits into a single platform.
In addition to the best payroll and benefits software, we're also going to give you some advice about what to look for in these vendors, pitfalls that we've seen HR teams fall into, the key benefits, and some pricing guidelines.
To select the best payroll and benefits software and to ensure we specifically list products offering this combination of functionality rather than general payroll software, we did demos, conducted user interviews, and tested dozens of tools that met the basic requirement. The ones that made the cut excel particularly in three key factors: ease of use, payroll automation, and benefits packages.
- Ease of use: The sweet spot is a tool where everything is easy to figure out; you’re not overloaded with buttons and text, yet you don’t sacrifice robustness and capabilities. These tools are all remarkable in the way they solve this challenge.
- Payroll automation: Something is not quite right if a payroll tool doesn’t let you automate a good portion of the job with confidence. We prioritized vendors who are pushing the envelope here.
- Benefits packages: To be a best-in-class payroll and benefits tool, the benefits module needs to go beyond the basics. Tools that just do 1-2 benefits on top of payroll don’t cut it. We’re looking for those that offer good variety, and even for international teams, on top of a world-class payroll product.
To learn more about our process for vetting software companies, you can read this blog on how we evaluate HR tech vendors.
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Gusto
Gusto is a versatile solution: flexible pay schedule options, payroll deductions, automated tax filing, benefits, self-service, and more. SMB users particularly appreciate its compatibility for both W-2 employees and domestic and international contractors.
PROS
- Gusto payroll works for U.S.-based workers (W-2 employees and contractors) and for international contractors.
- The software supports online signatures and automated tax filing.
- Flexible payroll options accommodate different schedules and unlimited pay runs.
- Automatic deductions streamline benefits administration.
- Phone support, email, and customer service resources are available.
- Licensed benefits advisors are accessible to all plan users.
- Transparent pricing with no long-term contracts and no account setup fees.
- The dashboard feature keeps tabs on compliance tasks
- The hiring and onboarding sequence is nicely streamlined between HR and the new hire
- Post-offer, pre-start tasks are made easy with integrations like CorpNet (state tax set up) Checkr (background checks)
- Easy payroll for U.S.-based W-2 folks, domestic, and international contractors
- Person-to-person phone support, email, and other customer service resources
- The business model is responsive to customer needs
CONS
- No payroll support for international employees.
- There is no native accounting feature for tracking earnings and spending.
- Simple plan lacks native time tracking and online signatures, requiring third-party integrations.
- The analytics dashboard is basic.
- Federal/state compliance alerts and existing broker/health insurance integration require the Premium plan or add-ons.
- A free trial is not available.
- Gusto can support payments for international contractors, but not employees
- No native accounting feature to keep earning and spending under the same roof
- Analytics dashboard is simplistic
We have found Gusto to be a versatile payroll and benefits software that caters to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
One of the standout features of Gusto is its support for W-2 employees and domestic and international contractors. The software's capabilities extend beyond payroll, providing support for online signatures and automated tax filing, which streamline administrative tasks. We have a weak spot for flexibility, and Gusto doesn’t disappoint us by providing different pay schedules and unlimited pay runs.
Gusto has also known among HR folks for its support responsiveness. The platform provides phone support, email assistance, and licensed benefits advisors for all plan users to ensure that users can receive prompt service when needed. It also is praised for having a transparent pricing structure, eliminating long-term contracts and account setup fees.
However, it's important to note that Gusto does not currently support payroll for international employees. Additionally, the software lacks a native accounting or spend management features, so users must rely on third-party integrations.
The analytics dashboard, while functional, may be considered basic. And please be aware that federal/state compliance alerts and integration with existing brokers are exclusive to Gusto’s highest tier plan or available as add-ons.
A free trial is not an option here, limiting the opportunity for businesses to explore the tool before committing.
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Gusto offers flexible pricing options to cater to different business needs.
- The Simple plan is available at $40 per month plus $6 per person, while the Plus plan is currently on a limited-time sale at $60 per month plus $9 per person.
- For more customized solutions, the Premium plan offers tailored options and custom pricing.
- For businesses with contractor-only workers, Gusto provides a monthly plan at $6 per person.
Best For
Gusto offers an affordable basic plan, making it accessible for budget-strapped startups. Additionally, the top-tier Premium plan is an excellent choice for SMBs with available capital to invest in human resources, particularly if they have a small HR department.
We used Gusto to manage payroll, streamline benefits administration, and centralize HR tasks. The platform simplifies payroll processing, ensures compliance with tax regulations, and automates various HR functions. Additionally, Gusto facilitates employee self-service, allowing individuals to access their pay stubs, tax forms, and benefit information conveniently. Its reporting tools provide valuable insights for strategic decision-making. Overall, Gusto plays a pivotal role in enhancing our HR efficiency and employee experience.
Gusto offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy to navigate various tasks. Their system consolidates our processes and reduces the need for multiple platforms. Additionally, they provide excellent customer support, offering timely assistance whenever needed.
We chose Gusto due to its comprehensive payroll, benefits, and HR solutions, streamlining our administrative processes. The user-friendly interface and automation features enhance efficiency. Overall, Gusto has been a valuable asset to our HR team.
- While Gusto is comprehensive, we have encountered some challenges with integrating it with other existing HR tools. Also, there are instances where we wished for more customization options within Gusto.
- Periodic updates to the platform have previously disrupted our workflow.
Gusto is a bit more user-friendly. Also, their comprehensive approach distinguishes them from competitors that may offer specialized services but not the same breadth of integrated solutions.
Ensure it aligns with your organization's specific needs and growth objectives. Also, look for a platform that is intuitive and requires minimal training for your team to navigate and operate effectively.
Given the dynamic nature of tax regulations and HR compliance, Gusto has demonstrated platform update agility. Over time, they have refined the platform's interface, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.
It seems to be best fit for smaller organizations.
A small team that is looking to grow and provide more impact for their organizations.
Paychex
Paychex offers three different plans that can serve the needs of various types of small businesses, all focused on payroll processing and featuring some HR tools as you go up in range.
PROS
- Pay-as-you-go plans for various business scenarios.
- Plan upgrades offer enhanced features like performance management, employee screening, and benefits services.
- 48-hour onboarding with personalized payroll guidance for Select and Pro plans.
- Experienced payroll and benefits administrator for 740,000 US companies.
- Timecard processing can be fully automated.
- Integrates well with benefits providers like Benetrac for benefits management.
- User-friendly interface for reviewing W2s and paystubs.
CONS
- Users struggled to get timely help due to frequent payroll contact changes and long wait times.
- Some reported payroll errors and tax inaccuracies which caused compliance issues.
- Separate departments in Paychex for payroll, HR, and benefits hinder integration, customization, and support for small businesses.
- Limited third-party integrations.
- Some users reported slow app login.
- Less modern looking compared to competitors.
We quickly understood why Paychex is so popular among U.S. businesses after diving into its automations.
The auto payroll tax filing, for example, is nicely done. It can handle the whole tax filing process, which is super handy for multi-state teams in minimizing errors and avoiding penalties. Additionally, the employee onboarding feature is one of the most robust we have tried, with easy-to-complete online forms and personalized messages.
We also got a good impression of Paychex’s time tracking, as this tool not only supports touchless employee clock-ins but is agile enough for both medium and large teams.
On top of that, the availability of PEO services means Paychex users can gain access to specialized support for health benefits, compliance, and onboarding without the hassle of finding a whole new tool.
Paychex might be a bit trickier to use and get support than ADP but its strong automation focus is a boon and its HR tools are high quality.
However, if top-notch design is important to you, a fair warning: Paychex’s UI isn’t very good. Perhaps due to its abundant feature set, the payroll platform’s interface gives off a rather cluttered feeling.
Cluttered interface aside, we found the customer support team to be underwhelming. It's tough to get hold of someone on the phone and, when it comes to email support, this vendor can take hours and even weeks to respond. We're also not big fans of the frequent changes in Paychex's customer success managers' contacts, either. This, according to several users we spoke to, has made it even tougher to get assistance.
740,000+ companies, including ESET, Funnelbox Inc., Smile Cafe, H.Y.P.E. Counseling Services, ASG, and Pet Partners.
- Flex Essentials plan costs $39/month + $5/employee/month.
- Flex Select and Flex Pro plans have custom pricing.
- Some features like recruiting, document management, and time tracking are charged separately.
Best For
Medium—and large-sized U.S. businesses that face the intricacies of employing and paying workers across state lines.
https://www.paychex.com/?ssrid=ssr
https://vendors.selectsoftwarereviews.com/ssrclick/1698684836431x774463618503147500
https://appwiki.nl/link/brand/SPeEP7L6xrycynwn6TEQyUM20RHgm9MC
Payroll Solution for US & Europe
PayChex is a top player in HR software for SMBs, with an offering that includes PEO, 401(k) management, benefits, and of course, easy payroll.
We used PayChex for processing weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly payroll for multiple sites. We integrated our timekeeping system into it. We also set up an automated journal entry for SAP. Additionally, we used PayChex to file our payroll taxes.
- Real-time payroll processing.
- Friendly account manager.
- The several integration options available.
I set up Paychex as a cheaper alternative to ADP with a feature that we liked. The feature was the ability to see the final payroll record in real time (as opposed to waiting for emails from ADP). We used it for 3 years, but ultimately had to find another vendor. We liked the Paychex system, but they were not equipped to handle our expatriate executive leadership overseas at the time.
- Issues with specialty pay situations (expatriates).
- Customer service did not always understand the issues.
- Reports were less reader-friendly than others.
PayChex is great for regular businesses entirely in the US. The system is easy to learn and does everything that you need.
You should consider many locations you have and special payroll situations to contend with. Also, how robust of a system do you need? Small businesses may benefit from smaller, cheaper tools.
Medium-sized businesses.
Global businesses who move their employees in and out of the country.
Deel
Deel’s software was designed for payroll compliance in over 150 countries. It also incorporates some core HR features and has a notably easy-to-use interface.
PROS
- Deel excels in customer support, offering around-the-clock in-app help and an industry-leading 2-3 day onboarding speed. Users can also access local payroll experts across jurisdictions, which aids contractors in establishing themselves as LLCs, for instance.
- Integration with popular software like Quickbooks, Bamboo HR, and Greenhouse, along with customizable integrations, streamlines processes.
- Tech-enhanced self-service approach for quick setup. Identity verification is swift, often under 24 hours.
- Automated invoice generation for both company and contractor/employee sides.
- One of the best features of Deel is its customer service. They offer 24/7 in-app support and the fastest-in-class onboarding speed of 2-3 days. Users get access to local payroll experts in each jurisdiction, and support is available for contractors facing challenges setting themselves up as an LLC.
- Integrates seamlessly with common platforms like Quickbooks, Bamboo, Greenhouse, and more. They also offer custom integrations to automate and sync processes.
- Self-service approach; tech-enabled features so customers can jump in quickly and easily. Our user researchers found it quite easy to set up: the identity verification process consistently took less than 24 hours, and in some cases, it took mere minutes.
- Automated invoices, which are a breeze to do as long as they’re in English, both on the company and the contractor or employee’s side.
CONS
- The benefits offered could be considered basic compared to more specialized vendors.
- Certain modules like onboarding automation are only offered as add-ons at an additional cost.
- Flexibility is limited in modifying contracts or service agreements; changes often require addenda.
- A $5 payout fee is applicable.
- Invoice generation appears to be available exclusively in English.
- Some of Deel’s best and most powerful services, like onboarding automation, appear to be add-ons, which might be too costly for some companies
- There is little to no flexibility when it comes to altering their contracts or service agreements, so many changes would require an addendum.
- There is a $5 fee per payout
- As far as we’ve seen, it’s not possible to generate invoices in another language.
Deel is one of the top companies for international payroll. If you have an international team of remote workers, it’s a tool that’s worth looking into. You can use it to hire people as contractors or as full-time employees through either the EOR or PEO offerings.
The tool itself is quite easy to use and ever-expanding. Since we first became familiar with the tool, Deel has grown to include basic HR features, as well as a myriad of other hiring workflows. These include background checks, equity plans, flexible workspaces, employee onboarding, visa and immigration consulting, and more.
Deel's client list includes names like Brex, Google, Duffel, Andela, HomeLight, and Makerpad.
An interesting aspect of Deel is its free sign-up option, allowing you to explore the tool without any charges until you bring on your first team member. Afterward, Deel's pricing model takes shape as follows:
- Contractors: Priced at $49 per contractor per month, Deel handles payroll and compliance for contracts in 150 countries.
- Full-time: Starting from $500, this plan enables you to employ full-time team members in a new country without the need to establish a legal entity. Deel takes on the role of Employer of Record and manages the employee on your behalf.
Best For
Businesses with multi-country payroll needs; good for those that have a mixed bag of full-time employees, contractors, and freelancers overseas.
We used Deel as a payment processor for our international employees. The system is customizable to pay contractors on a weekly, bi-weekly or semi-monthly basis. We were able to pay some contractors weekly, and another group semi-monthly. The system also allows for you to submit payments on behalf of the contractor or out of their usual payroll cycle in an off-cycle payroll. Reimbursements could be paid out by the use of the off-cycle payroll. They could be paid immediately after approval by the admin or included in the next payroll cycle run.
I liked the customization of contracts. I liked that our contractors could manage their funds after they were available. It was very easy to get help and a solution through their chat feature or by phone with a representative.
We were in search of an international HRIS tool to employ our international contractors and full employees temporarily. We chose Deel due to the ease of onboarding, customization, and 0 dollar up front cost to onboard our international contractors. We used the platform on a weekly basis to onboard and pay our contractors for 6 months. I especially liked that once a contract ended we could still pay out hours via an off-cycle payroll. This was helpful if a contractor missed a timesheet submission deadline. Another benefit to the platform that our contractors favored was the ability to withdraw their funds in their currency of choice; or split payments into various currencies. Once timesheets were approved and processed from an administrative perspective, funds were available, in most cases within 24hrs to the contractors Deel account.
As we were considering hiring international employees we could only do so by paying upfront cost before onboarding them, this was not ideal for us. I did not like that I couldn't set a semi-monthly rate for a few of our contractors. Onboarding manager wasn't easy to reach for quick questions when onboarding contractors.
The management fees were lower and contractors had more control over their funds.
If you are hiring contractors or employees and how many. Have a solid understanding of what countries they are located in, as this affects the management fee. Also, management fees are paid each payroll, which could get costly, so be sure the contractor or employee is aware of their pay schedule.
We only used this tool for about 6 months and did not see any significant changes during that time.
Remote first companies with employees or contractors across the world.
None
ADP
Possibly the longest-standing company in the payroll market, ADP deserves a mention. Their breadth of features includes many other HR workflows which fit enterprises and SMBs alike.
PROS
- Native, all-in-one technology suite for recruitment, payroll, and compliance.
- 17 RPO service centers in 14 countries and provide services in 42 different languages.
- Dedicated team of AIRS-certified recruiting professionals.
CONS
- Technology options outside ADP’s dedicated HR tools are limited.
ADP is perhaps the best known company in the payroll space. Given their scale, they can offer just about everything your business needs when it comes to payroll and benefits.
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Sometimes ADP has special offers, like getting 3 months free when you sign up for their small business payroll processing plan. However, they don't share the prices for their payroll packages, so you'd have to request a quote to move forward.
Best For
ADP is a good bet for companies of many sizes, but they’re certainly not the most self-service product out there. Their products are worth looking into if you’d prefer to have professionals work with you on setting up payroll.
I typically use it every week. I use it to check my bi-weekly pay stub and access payroll info. We also use it to post job applications and advise HR of vacancies. Previously it was used to submit performance reviews which were done quarterly or semi-annually depending on the role (now using PATI). I would also use it to review the organizational chart for contact info when needed. I also found the quick links and HR/benefit information to be very useful and would frequently login just to find links and information about other company resources.
I really like that all the HR resources are essentially located in one place, especially with links embedded to external sites (eg. benefit provider). I also really like that I can access all my payroll info online in one place. The organizational chart feature is also really helpful for identifying the reporting structure for areas of the business I was less familiar with and help me connect with the appropriate team member on cross-functional projects.
We bought ADP to cut back on internal payroll costs, provide employees with online access to their payroll info, avoid manually mailing out paper T4's every year, consolidate HR information and links into 1 platform, streamline data entry requirements for the payroll team, help move employee calls and inquiries to the ADP team, free up internal payroll/HR time, and streamline HR recruiting and tracking request. I have been personally using it for around 2 years now I believe.
The login process always feels very cumbersome with the multiple authentication steps and 2FA. The performance review functionality was extremely tedious - there were a lot of different screens and it wasn't easy to locate reviews or edit them - it just seemed much more complicated than it needed to be and a lot of my managers struggled to complete their reviews even with instruction manuals. I also wish there was a way to inquire about any payroll discrepancies directly - employees would have to email me (with no visibility as a District Manager) and I would have to forward payroll and it always seemed to slow down the efficiency, especially when the answer was something simple.
More functionality and works as a total company website as opposed to just a payroll viewing platform. Much more visually appealing and easy to navigate than some other platforms (like some SAP ones I've seen)
How much functionality you want out of the platform - just access to paystubs or a fully integrated HR platform. Customization options - for example we could add custom fields like t-shirt size for team events and/or self-declaration options (eg. covid vaccination status)
We're still relatively new to the platform, so it's hard to say what is an ADP change or just an organizational learning, but I have seen the addition of new self-declaration fields in the employee profile. The benefits section and external links continue to expand as well. We struggled with the performance review section, but I believe this is now being worked on in the backend by our L&D team.
For a large organization looking to streamline HR / payroll operations, particularly if trying to move away from paper-based payroll/pay stubs.
Likely a smaller organization that just doesn't have the need for such a complex, integrated system
Remote
Remote is an excellent choice for distributed teams who require a top-notch payroll and benefits service. Their customer care is outstanding: 24/7 live chat, free HR tools, local experts for employers, plus technical support for workers. They also operate as local entities in more than 60 countries.
PROS
- Benefits plans are locally curated. Health, dental, vision, life, mental health support, and disability are all covered, as is pension/401(k).
- Local entity ownership helps Remote have more control over service costs, resulting in more flexibility in its pricing and service.
- Transparent rates. No markups on benefits premiums.
- Self-service features are easy to navigate.
- 24/7 HR support from regional experts.
- Option to provide equity-based compensation to employees.
- Fast and compliant payroll in 170+ countries.
- Live chat support with local payroll experts.
- Flexible, localized benefit packages.
- Flat-rate pricing structure, no deposits or hidden fees.
- Mobile app streamlines expense reimbursement with autofill from receipt photos.
CONS
- Remote currently offers no off cycle payroll, and only wire transfers and direct deposit are available.
- Lacks phone support.
- Very few pre-built integrations (Greenhouse, BambooHR, and HiBob). Companies will likely rely on its custom API to connect their current ATS and other HR tools with Remote.
- Doesn’t have a free trial.
- Redundant for organizations solely recruiting within the U.S.
- Help center documentation isn’t easiest to understand.
Remote helps distributed teams provide a better experience for their workers via country-custom benefit plans and easy-to-access employee self-service features. Remote is one of a few providers that owns legal entities in the regions where it offers EOR services, which gives them an advantage by greater flexibility in services and lower costs for its customers. Both of these are significant features that companies who use third-party aggregator services ll cannot offer.
Remote’s benefits are offered without premium markups, and they offer everything from paid time off to holidays, health care, and life insurance. Remote gives you access to region-specific advice and support to help you finalize your benefits plans.
Remote offers a 15% discount for eligible startups and nonprofits for up to 12 months. They also offer free service for up to ten employees for companies who hire refugees.
The apps, though well-made and frequently updated, were surprisingly hard to find online.
Both the Android and iOS apps are easy to navigate and have essential features like submitting expenses, booking time off, accessing payslips, and, according to Remote, there’s more in the pipeline.
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- Contractor Management plan: $29/contractor/mo
- Employer of Record plan: $599/employee/mo (when paid annually)
- Global Payroll and Remote Enterprise plans: Custom prices – contact Remote.
- Startup and nonprofit discount: Eligible startups and nonprofits can get 15% off EOR and Contractor Management services for 12 months.
- Refugee discount: Up to 10 employees free when hiring refugees
Best For
Remote is best for teams with a globally distributed workforce. This tool makes it easy to hire, onboard, provide benefits for, pay, and retain top international talent.
It’s also a great option for startups, and nonprofits who can benefit from their 15% discount, and for those who hire refugees,
We employ about 15 employees within Remote's platform. In this platform, they hire the employees we identify, provide them with a platform for payment and time tracking, and manage benefits on our behalf that our employees can enroll in. Additionally, the platform integrates with our HCM Dayforce, allowing us to update employee data automatically without having to manage multiple systems. Remote also gives us tools to ensure we are paying competitively in countries where we aren't experts.
It is easy to set up new countries depending on business needs as an EOR provider. The easy-to-use platform helps us identify and manage our talent well. Global benefits allow us to navigate new countries without worrying about the nuances of benefit offerings.
We are a global company with needs in various countries for employee benefits, payroll, and HRIS. Specifically, we needed assistance with paying employees in countries where we do not have a legal entity. Remote provides Employer of Record services for us in multiple countries, allowing us to employ top talent without the burden of legal requirements and compliance. They have an easy-to-use platform that helps our employees stay on top of their pay and benefits, and they have dedicated team members that assist employees with any questions they may have. It's a cost-effective solution for our global payroll needs.
Remote could be more cost-effective. I have found other EOR services with cheaper offerings. The platform is fine, but it could have more features related to global compensation and access to more community-based groups that would allow companies to connect with each other.
Their platform is easy to use, and the recent addition of support tickets has made it very easy to access help in any situation. Additionally, Remote has a singular pricing model, which is convenient because we do not have to worry about charges for leavers, joiners, or year-end.
Consider hidden costs around processing and setup. The bottom-line monthly cost is not always the full price, as some of these EOR services will charge setup fees and year-end fees that, although mentioned in their proposals, are not included in the annual cost. Remote does this very well, and their pricing is very easy to understand.
I have not used Remote long enough to see changes over time.
Remote is good for global companies that have a few international employees.
EOR services, in general, are not great for companies that have a lot of employees in many different countries. Operating Remote would be cumbersome with more than 10 employees per country.
Paycor
Paycor is the go-to option for U.S.-based businesses because it goes beyond the average payroll and benefits solution by offering recruiting and employee performance in one place.
PROS
- Paycor is a very user-friendly payroll solution. The interface is simple and intuitive, and easy to navigate.
- The self-service employee portal lets employees access their HR information and benefits online.
- Offers multiple subscription options, making the tool more accessible to businesses of different sizes.
- No limit to the number of payrolls you run each month.
- Frequently runs discount offers with set-up fees waived on all plans.
- A free trial is available per request.
- Offers on-demand payment options in all plans.
- Accessible via mobile devices.
- Paycor payroll solution and mobile app are both straightforward to use.
- Intuitive self-service employee portal.
- Offers multiple modules for small businesses and custom plans for teams with 50-1000 employees.
- Unlimited payrolls.
- Offers discounts frequently. Though not listed on their site, a free trial is available to those who contact the support team directly.
- On-demand pay is available for all plans.
- With the acquisition of the people development platform Verb, it has improved its employee learning experience.
CONS
- Paycor offers various support options, including phone, email, and chat. However, they aren’t very responsive to customers’ queries.
- Undisclosed pricing.
- It provides time tracking as a paid add-on.
- The reporting functionality can be challenging to use, as data is sometimes unavailable.
- Can be challenging to customize the software if you have a unique set of requirements.
- Undisclosed pricing.
- Customer support is reported to be slow at times.
- It is not a good fit for teams with 1000+ employees or those requiring advanced customization to meet their unique requirements.
Paycor is featured here because it’s flexible and feature-rich. Users can purchase Paycor’s payroll alone and upgrade for onboarding, time-off management, and other HR functions as needed.
The first thing that caught our eye was Paycor's payroll. The solution can handle all-state and global payrolls, but please note that their global payroll services are outsourced to third-party services by location.
Available payment options are in pretty good shape. They offer on-demand pay, direct deposit, Paycor wallet, and access to Autorun, and each of these features is available on the basic plan.
Running payroll on Paycor is straightforward. The UI is simplistic, and navigation is intuitive for most users.
Employees can make benefits selections via the web or mobile apps. Both offer access to self-service payroll, onboarding, and attendance. As a security measure, changes to employee data are reported immediately to admin users.
However, rather than making this information available to any website visitor, Paycor only offers benefits guides, calculations, and other resources to their customers. Their data reporting capabilities left something to be desired, especially on the lower-tier plans.
Customer service being sometimes difficult to reach is also a disappointment, especially considering how critical prompt support is when it comes to payroll.
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Fees vary depending on the number of employees and features selected.
Best For
Paycor is particularly well-suited for organizations operating within the United States and employing up to 1,000 individuals. Its strengths shine particularly for sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, food and beverage, nonprofits, and professional sports organizations.
I use Paycor Recruiting to manage multiple job openings and candidate data. Specifically, to access different job postings and review candidate details, likely to determine if they are a good fit for the role. After identifying potential candidates, I use it to manage them throughout the recruitment cycle, moving them from one stage to another as appropriate. This process may include reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, sending messages/emails, adding comments, and conducting background checks or reference checks.
It also provides a centralized platform for managing multiple clients and candidates since it has the ability to organize and track candidate data and makes it easier to identify the right candidates for the clients and move them through the hiring process more efficiently.
Overall, Paycor Recruiting is an effective tool for managing recruitment efforts, particularly for staffing firms or organizations with multiple clients. By providing a centralized platform for managing job postings and candidate data, Paycor Recruiting can help streamline the recruitment process, making it easier to identify top candidates and move them through the hiring process more quickly.
What I like about Paycor is that it provides a convenient way to manage and update information about job candidates all in one place. I also appreciate that I can communicate with candidates directly through Paycor, keeping track of past conversations and future interview plans. Additionally, Paycor makes it easy to sort through candidates based on specific skills needed for the job.
Our organization purchased Paycor to help address several key challenges we were facing in managing our candidate database and streamlining the hiring process. This led to inefficiencies in our recruiting efforts. By implementing Paycor, our organization hoped to have a centralized database that would make it easier to organize, search and sort through candidate data, ultimately leading to a more efficient hiring process.
Another key factor that led us to choose Paycor was its ability to help hiring managers process applications more quickly than was previously possible. With the volume of applications we were receiving, it was becoming increasingly challenging for hiring managers to review and respond to all of them in a timely manner. Paycor offered a suite of tools and features that promised to streamline the process, enabling hiring managers to identify and evaluate top candidates more efficiently.
Finally, as a staffing firm, we needed a tool that could help them manage the different clients we were working with within a single portal. Paycor offered a range of features that made it easy to organize and track client data, enabling us to manage relationships with clients more effectively.
I would like to express my dissatisfaction with the platform's outdated user interface design in comparison to other Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) which are currently more in line with prevailing market trends. Additionally, I have noticed occasional lags in the tools when generating reports or retrieving candidates' information, which can be problematic. Another issue I have encountered is that the platform does not save the last search that was performed, which can be inconvenient and time-consuming.
One aspect that I find particularly helpful is the ability to track a candidate's progress through various stages of the recruitment process, including the "Back Burner" stage, which is valuable when identifying a potential candidate for future hiring needs if not the present needs. Another advantage of Paycor Recruiting over other Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) is the ability to filter candidates based on niche skills, which can be especially beneficial for filling specific job requirements. Finally, I appreciate the ease of use when generating and rolling out offer letters with Paycor, making the hiring process smoother and more efficient.
When you are thinking about buying a recruitment or HR tool, there are some important things to consider. Firstly, you should think about the cost of the tool and whether it is affordable for your organization. You also need to make sure that the benefits of the tool outweigh the costs.
Secondly, you should think about the size of your organization. Some tools may be better suited to smaller or larger businesses, and you want to make sure that the tool you choose is easy to use for all team members.
You should also think about how many people will be using the tool, as this can affect the licensing and training requirements for the software. It's important to make sure that the tool can accommodate the number of users you need and that you have the resources to train your staff effectively.
Finally, you should consider where you will be posting your job openings. If the tool you choose isn't connected to popular job portals in your region or industry, it may limit the number of candidates you can reach.
Overall, if you carefully consider these factors, you can choose the right tool that meets your specific needs, budget, and goals.
Paycor, as a human capital management platform, has made changes over time based on user feedback to improve its interface. Additionally, Paycor is willing to provide more demo sessions to help users understand its platform better. The platform has also made changes to accommodate big organizations, and started targeting those as their potential customers. Overall, Paycor has taken steps to enhance its user experience and meet the needs of its diverse user base.
Paycor can be particularly beneficial for small to mid-sized businesses that are looking for a user-friendly, cloud-based HR solution that can streamline their HR processes, including payroll, benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, and compliance management. Additionally, Paycor can be useful for companies that are looking for tools to manage employee onboarding and development, as well as those that require custom reporting and analytics to make data-driven decisions.
Paycor may not be suitable for large organizations with complex HR requirements, as they may need more sophisticated HR software to handle multiple departments, locations, and employee types. Additionally, organizations that do not use technology for their recruitment and HR processes may not benefit from Paycor's features and functionalities.
Rippling
Rippling is a great choice for SMBs who want payroll to be a seamless and highly accurate process they don’t have to worry about.
PROS
- All-in-one platform for payroll, employee management + PEO services offered, and even a suite of other IT products
- With 500 integrations, they likely integrate with other key tools from your tech stack.
- All-in-one platform for employee management + PEO services offered, and even a suite of other IT products
- With 500 integrations, it’s very likely that they integrate with other key tools from your tech stack.
- Operates globally with any currency
- Workflow automation
- Analytics opportunities
- Provides a holistic view of company outflows—headcount costs included
CONS
- Very SMB focused
- Decent prices for the core HR tools, yet extra features (sold as add-ons) can be too pricey for some.
- Some shortcomings are reported with benefit carriers, and users may be limited to their partner ecosystem.
- Total buy-in to Rippling is essential
- Very SMB-oriented, in case you’re a larger company.
- New features tend to be buggy in ways that tech teams are not accustomed to fixing
Rippling was started by Zenefits alumni. They focus on helping small and medium organizations extinguish HR and IT busywork with one solution. The tool is built to be used, with ease, across every department.
Their product aligns with what you’d expect from a Silicon Valley-based startup: a great UI, eye-catching design, and fast performance. Notably, they have over 500 integrations (and counting) so they are likely to be able to meet any team where they are at, technically speaking.
Proxy, Dwell, Superhuman, Expensify, Checkr
Rippling’s pricing starts at $8 per month per user and will vary depending on which modules you’d like to use (or if you want the whole platform) and for how many people.
Best For
SMBs with a strong need for automation in HR processes.
We use Rippling for many different things, but some of the most important are payroll and benefits. If we didn't have Rippling, we would likely need to hire a full-time payroll person who could also manage benefits administration. Additionally, because we are so small, we likely wouldn't have great options for benefits whereas with Rippling we have more options.
It is very comprehensive, providing everything I need, which eliminates the need to connect multiple different platforms. Also, the site is clean, and it runs smoothly and quickly.
We use Rippling for a variety of functions including employee offer documents, onboarding, payroll, PTO, expense reimbursements, and benefits. Without it, we would need to hire several different people, which isn't feasible as we are a smaller company. It makes sense for us to use Rippling instead of hiring a large number of support staff.
There's nothing I really dislike about it; I feel like it gets everything I need done without any headaches.
With one of the companies I used in the past, it felt like I still needed many other tools and platforms to connect to it, whereas Rippling seems to have everything integrated already.
I think it depends on the cost-benefit for you. For us, as a small company, it makes sense to use Rippling rather than multiple different platforms and people. However, for a larger company, it might be more cost-effective to manage these processes in-house.
I haven't noticed any changes myself.
I think it's best for small to mid-size organizations that would benefit from having everything in one place with one provider.
Maybe a larger company, as they may have more economies of scale where the cost-benefit of using different platforms or hiring more support staff could be more beneficial to them.
OnPay
We love OnPay because it takes less than one hour to setup and is the lowest cost option on the market.
PROS
- Free tax form handling for W-2 employees and 1099 contractors.
- Some HR services included within the plan at no additional cost.
- 30-day free trial available (starts after OnPay verification).
- Well-developed online help resources.
CONS
- Poor functioned employee mobile app.
- Requires payment four days before payday for direct deposit.
- Doesn’t support automatic payroll.
- Customer support sometimes hard to reach.
OnPay is perfect for smaller companies (500 employees or less) who want a simple and straight-forward payroll process, plus help with HR. Onpay customers love the customer service and the transparent pricing - it’s one monthly fee for everything. They offer benefits management in all 50 states including medical, dental, vision, and 401k retirement plans.
OnPay charges a base fee of $36, plus $4 per employee per month. They also offer a one month free trial.
Best For
OnPay is a great solution for smaller, budget conscious companies that also want a basic HRIS in addition to payroll.
We use OnPay to process bi-weekly payroll for our employees and contractors. We utilize the direct deposit functionality and use it to withhold for benefits and 401(k) deductions. It automatically remits payroll taxes to the state on our behalf. We have also recently started using it to track and approve employee PTO requests.
We are a small non-profit, and they provide us with a non-profit discount. It has all the functionality we need without being overly complicated. Processing payroll is quick and easy.
We bought OnPay because it seemed to be the best fit for our organization. It has all the functionality we need to handle HR and payroll for our small group of employees. It is robust enough to meet our needs but not overly complicated like some of the larger systems. It is easy to use, yet it allows us to process multi-state payroll and manage our employees' time off. It also includes all the basic reporting that we require.
It doesn't offer much in terms of custom reporting. Much of the HR information requires navigating to individual employee records to view. You can't edit a benefit plan once it's created; you have to make a new one to implement any changes.
OnPay is really the only system of its type and size that I've used, so I can't say how it compares to competitors. It is much simpler than ADP or UKG, which I have used, but we are getting it for a fraction of the cost. The simplicity of the system actually works well for our team.
Consider the needs of your business and team. OnPay is a fairly basic HR and payroll system. It covers all the essentials, but if you need extensive reporting or numerous integrations with other systems, you might want to explore a higher-tier HR/payroll solution. Additionally, consider cost. Even without the non-profit discount, it's a very economical solution compared to some of the larger providers.
I haven't noticed any significant changes since we started using OnPay, but as I mentioned, it already meets our needs.
I believe OnPay is great for smaller companies that don't need extensive features in their HR and payroll system.
I think a large organization with complex reporting needs would struggle to get everything they require from OnPay.
QuickBooks
Quickbooks is a trusted name in financial tracking, payroll, expense reports, and even time and attendance software for small businesses.
PROS
- Unlimited pay runs, auto full-service payroll, and same-day deposits included.
- Supports unscheduled payrolls and automatic year-end tax filings.
- Reminders for tax readiness provided.
- Pricing transparency. 30-day free trial available.
CONS
- No employer app.
- More expensive than some competitors like Patriot.
- Limited third-party integrations.
- No global payroll features.
Many small businesses use Quickbooks for their accounting and financial reporting. They know that small business owners may not have enough time to be doing payroll, so their solution focuses a lot on running things automatically and freeing up your time. The same goes for taxes, as they'll calculate, file, and pay your payroll taxes for you, in some cases.
For payroll, Quickbooks has three plans:
- Core: The basics to pay your team and have payroll taxes done for you at $22.50 per month
- Premium: Manage your team's payroll with HR support and some employee services for $37.50 per month
- Elite: This plan provides access to on-demand experts in order to simplify payroll to the max. It starts at $62.50 per month.
QuickBooks often offers discounts for its plans. They currently have a 50% discount on all plans for the first three months of subscription.
Best For
SMBs with a fairly simple payroll structure but little time to handle it all themselves.
We use Quickbooks for all of our invoicing needs, as well as for AR reporting when needed. We can also keep track of all of our contacts in the vendor section which makes it an easy place to go if we need information.
- User-friendliness is the main pro we find when using Quickbooks.
- It’s been very easy to train my HR employees how to send and receive invoices.
- It’s linked to our bank.
- It gives the option for people to pay via ACH when sending out invoices (easy for them to pay with a touch of a button).
When my organization was looking for options to help quickly get out invoices to our clients they thought Quickbooks would be the perfect solution. We have now successfully been using Quickbooks for 10 years for our invoicing needs as well as AR reporting which helps our HR team run smoothly.
- Sometimes it runs slow if more than one user are in the software at a time.
- Connectivity issues will happen at times which could make it frustrating to use when you are in a hurry.
- You have to add in other apps to be able to use all the functionality of Quickbooks and pay further pricing.
The only other software we have tried in the past was NetSuite, and we ultimately decided to go with Quickbooks due to its pricing and ease of use. NetSuite did have more functionality but overall we liked the way Quickbooks worked with our company’s needs.
They should figure out what they specifically want to use the tool for, and make sure they do their research and pick the correct type of Quickbooks so they can easily work through what they need to get done.
The website itself has changed over the years but in a good way! We feel it is super easy to navigate and works for our business needs.
Really any corporate type of business that needs to send invoices out to customers, our organization does staffing and recruiting and we rely on Quickbooks to be able to send out invoices to clients.
Maybe manufacturing companies or just very small, less than 10 person companies might not benefit from QuickBooks online.
Paycom
Paycom offers online payroll services and HR software solutions for both big and small businesses to manage the entire employment life cycle.
PROS
- Paycom's payroll system is easy to use and customize.
- They now have a Global HCM offering with the aim of expanding access to users in over 180 countries.
- Customers have praised the responsiveness of the support team and their willingness to help with any issues that arise.
- Paycom assigns each account a dedicated rep who can provide support and answer questions.
- Paycom is constantly updating its software with new features and improvements.
- It has a reasonably functioning mobile app.
CONS
- Paycom does not integrate directly with QuickBooks, so users that use both systems must manually enter data into Paycom.
- Some customers have experienced slow access to tax reports.
- Some of the members on the customer support team are new and at times, don’t have answers to questions or solutions to issues.
- Paycom price has increased in recent years.
- No free trial.
- Integrations are limited.
We recommend Paycom for medium to large businesses since the platform provides payroll and HR solutions, which from our experience, are comprehensive and user-friendly.
Paycom impressed us with its guided self-service technology, Beti, which is accessible on browsers and mobile devices. The Android app received positive feedback for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive employee self-service features, including time clock punching, time-off requests, accessing pay stubs and benefits, reviewing paychecks, and submitting receipts for reimbursement.
As an admin, you can customize employees’ access to these features and manage HR tasks on the go. Employees have control over their HR data, including earnings and personal details. However, Paycom currently offers only direct deposit and paper checks, with no available pay card option.
While originally focused on serving the U.S. market, Paycom has expanded its reach with the introduction of their Global HCM, enabling users in over 180 countries to access its services. This enhancement demonstrates Paycom's dedication to addressing the needs of global teams, further solidifying its value-for-money proposition.
While Paycom has its strengths, we noticed there are a few areas where it falls short. Integration options remain limited, relying solely on API integrations, which can prolong implementation and require IT involvement. The connection with third-party software, like QuickBooks, is not seamless, resulting in manual data entry. Additionally, customer support quality varies, with some representatives lacking system knowledge, leading to delayed issue resolution or multiple follow-ups.
The pricing of Paycom’s plans isn’t disclosed on the website. You do have to contact their sales team to get a custom quote.
Best For
Paycom’s full-service payroll makes it a great solution for midsize and large businesses to have a full suite of payroll and HR services.
I use Paycom for posting jobs, payroll, tax accountability, ATS, and resume scorecards. It has helped us optimize a lot of the admin stuff and maintain records better. When posting jobs, it offers a diverse list of places where we can post the positions that are free, at cost and college job boards which can be helpful for small firms with tight budgets. It helps us with tax compliance and kinda helps us project how many candidates we are going to seek in certain geographical areas. The ATS, helps us keep our collection of resumes to a minimum so that we can eliminate repeats.
I love that we were able to use Paycom for our specific needs. I feel that Paycom understands the small business and mid-size business needs. Paycom listens to their customers and are always seeking to make their product better!
We purchased Paycom 5 years ago and have been using it since. We were using an outdated product for payroll that didn’t offer a diverse use across the board in terms of add-ons. The ATS system worked well with a tool called Job Scan, this helped reduce people applying for several positions with the same resume. Now that most small and large companies have employees in other states, Paycom has the info to keep the taxes aligned. Self Service was also a main factor; we needed a tool that would allow employees to be able to access their information so that our small staff wasn’t constantly having to field the calls for things like W-2s that should be easily accessible.
I wish there was more product training at a lower cost. Every time we get a new admin we have to pay for additional training. I would like to see more add-ons like the other companies who wanted our business. More computability with the old Deltek software that we were using so that the change over was smoother.
Paycom is different from the competitors because the customer service is phenomenal! They listen to the customer!
When buying a payroll tool, the first thing I would recommend is analyzing your company’s needs. I believe assessing how the employees use the product is important in making the decision as well!
Over the years, Paycom has made the software more user-friendly, introduced communities, and improved mobile support.
Paycom is great for small to midsize businesses
Paycom would not be good for an engineering firm because of the way the hours are billed!
PapayaGlobal
Papaya Global stands out in the realm of payroll software for enabling seamless, secure payments to contractors and employees in 160+ countries, backed by robust security and compliance measures.
PROS
- Papaya ensures prompt payouts within 72 hours across 160+ countries.
- Transparent pricing with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
- Dedicated customer success managers in your time zone, providing localized assistance without extra charges.
- The starter monthly fee is reduced to $12 per employee for full-service payroll.
- Offers comprehensive solutions (data and insights, benefits, immigration, payment services, employee data management) at an accessible entry price.
- Papaya Global packs the EOR services you need to do global payroll and employment compliantly in over 160 countries.
- Automated payments in over 100 currencies, 80 of them directly to the worker's bank account through its global banking partners.
- Dedicated customer support providing locations-specific knowledge regarding employment and payroll.
- End-to-end payroll guaranteed payouts in 72 hours.
- Offers four standalone solutions: data and insights, supplemental benefits & immigration support, payment services, and employee data management, making the platform more affordable and scalable.
CONS
- Lacks local entities in service countries; no tax penalty guarantee information available.
- No free trial or plan is offered.
- Additional fees include setup, onboarding, cycle per employee, year-end fees, and a required deposit.
- Limited existing integrations, but free use of pre-built APIs and custom API integrations.
- No free trial or free plan.
- Doesn’t own entities in all the countries it serves. The platform forms relationships with existing local in-country partners to handle employment in a specific region on the client’s behalf.
- BI analytics reports and global immigration services cost additional fees.
- Charges extra fees for setup, onboarding, employee cycle, and tax filing. Also requires a refundable deposit.
- Built-in integration options aren’t very robust. However, the platform does offer pre-built APIs, SFTP, and custom API integrations for free.
Papaya Global is highly favored by both users we've engaged with and our editorial team. We’ve been familiar with the tool since early 2021, and it immediately stood out for its transparent pricing, comprehensive HR tools, robust BI analytics, and local customer support.
The platform caters to employers and staff alike, providing unified access to payroll, payments, and workforce analytics. It ensures automated payments in local currency, customized benefit packages, and multilingual pay slips across 160+ countries. Additionally, AI-powered engines scrutinize invoices for precision.
In-house benefits experts are at your service for location-specific advice at no extra cost. Employees benefit from a user-friendly self-service portal for onboarding, time off requests, document checks, and payslip reviews. The recently launched mobile app (as of February 2023) offers even greater accessibility, allowing access to payment calendars, bank details, and company announcements on the go.
They also offer a unique global equity management feature, enabling equity distribution to employees, regardless of location. The platform excels in providing dynamic visual insights for payroll and HR, billing, and administrative data.
There are critical factors to consider when evaluating Papaya Global for your company’s needs. For example, depending on the service region, Papaya may or may not have its own local entity set up, which means they will rely on third-party local partners. Additionally, though pricing transparency is a strength, additional expenses like setup fees per location, onboarding fees, cycle fees per employee, year-end tax filing fees, and a refundable deposit should be considered. We advise evaluating and outlining all the ins and outs specific to your team’s needs and then meeting with Papaya Global’s team for a comprehensive quote tailored to you.
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- Full-Service Payroll service: Starts at $12 per employee per month, with flexible options based on operational needs.
- Payroll Platform License service: Begins at $3 per employee per location for tech upgrades.
- Data and Insights Platform License service: From $150 per employee per month, offering real-time analytics on payroll costs and headcount.
- Payments-as-a-Service service: Starting at $3 per employee per month, delivering a dedicated workforce payment platform.
- Global EOR plan: Ranges from $650 to $1000 per employee per month for comprehensive EOR management.
- Contractor Management & IC Compliance plan: Tailored services for outsourced contractors, starting at $2 per contractor per month.
- Global expertise services: Starting at $190 per month per employee, this lets you add the global health plan, immigration support, and global equity for employees.
Best For
Papaya Global is a good choice for streamlining global payroll and benefits operations in countries with established entities. It's particularly valuable for businesses with international hires within Papaya Global’s extensive country coverage.
We use Papaya Global to handle overall payroll administration, offer letters, benefits, etc. Their system provides us with a method of handling these operations without having to be fully versed in Peruvian employment laws.
Ease of use. Subject matter expert for international payroll. Takes away the liability of mishandling payroll due to lack of knowledge.
We started working with Papaya Global because we needed a way to pay our employees located in Peru. We are currently with a PEO and they do not cover international payroll. We have been using them for a year now.
I cannot think of anything the company could use to improve at this time.
Their pricing is more competitive than the competition.
Ease of use, knowledge base, global reach in case you need to expand to other areas, pricing.
Any organization could use their services if they have a need to handle payroll internationally and do not have internal resources that can facilitate the process.
Zenefits
Zenefits is known for effortless payroll and a self-service experience that's intuitive and simple. They're also known for a full HRIS, benefits management, onboarding, and more.
PROS
- Zenefits shines as a leading name in HR tech and payroll software tailored for small American businesses.
- Among its sector peers, Zenefits boasts an intuitive platform with an exceptional visual design, making it easy to navigate.
- The scalability of Zenefits is a plus. Its flexible pricing structure enables you to adjust and customize as your needs evolve, seamlessly adding or removing modules to suit your requirements.
- It’s one of the top names in HR tech and payroll software for American small businesses.
- Their platform is one of the best-looking and easiest to figure out among the sector.
- Zenefits can grow with you. Its pricing plans allow you to pay and tweak as you go, add certain modules when you need them, or get rid of them if you don’t.
CONS
- While catering to small businesses, Zenefits lacks the option to craft a personalized bundle of services or modules. For instance, it doesn't offer a standalone ACA module, necessitating the purchase of a complete HRIS plan to access it.
- Targeted at small to mid-sized enterprises, Zenefits might not be the optimal choice for large-scale organizations.
- Primarily focused on the US market, Zenefits may not be the best fit for modules like payroll and benefits if your team operates primarily in another country and requires localized expertise.
- As oriented to small businesses as the tool is, it doesn’t give you the chance to create a custom bundle of the services and/or modules you’d like to have. For instance, Zenefits does not offer a standalone ACA module. Therefore, you will need to purchase an entire HRIS plan if you want to access that offering.
- In addition, Zenefits focuses on small to mid sized companies. If you're an enterprise organization, you may want to consider another option.
- Zenefits is also rather focused on the US market at this point. So, if your team is mostly in another country and you need more of a local know-how, it might not be the best bet for certain modules like payroll and benefits.
Zenefits is best known for their product experience with an effortless payroll and a self-service benefits experience. They work with companies that are as small as 1-employee to companies with up to 1,000 employees.
Quora, Goals for Autism, Universal Group, Reddit, Asana
Zenefits' Payroll tool starts at $6 per month per employee.
Best For
SMBs and companies with less than 1,000 team members.
Zenefits is the HRIS system for everything from onboarding to termination. It's primarily used to ensure onboarding is compliant, with I-9s and documents sent out for signature. It's also used for payroll, which is mostly automated, but there are things we need to add and manage due to other taxable benefits. For benefits enrollment, Zenefits helps people sign up, although a separate broker with their own app is used to manage benefits. Zenefits is also used for managing and feeding into the system that handles COBRA during terminations.
- It's simple and easy to use, especially for employees who need to access information.
- It's relatively easy to set up and has additional features you can purchase for lightweight compensation data and performance reviews.
- It's inexpensive compared to other tools.
We shifted to Zenefits as our company grew and we realized we needed something more robust than Gusto. Zenefits gave us more control over admin access, payroll, and the deductions process, accommodating our business needs and perks. Initially, we believed the customer support would be better too. The organization has used Zenefits for five years now.
- Smaller companies tend to need support, and Zenefits support is still lacking and slow.
- They don't incorporate state registration, so you have to manage that yourself if you hire in multiple states.
- Their contractor management system is really simple and could use an update.
Zenefits is similar to Gusto—cheap and easy to use. The interface and reporting are generally adequate for most companies' needs.
Consider where you're hiring and whether the individuals are exempt or non-exempt. The more complex your employee population's needs are, such as having unlimited PTO for exempt but not for non-exempt employees, the more functionality you will require. Prioritize the functionality you need and want to spend less time managing before researching tools. When evaluating tools, ask for examples and have the team show you exactly how things work.
Zenefits has been slow to update the system, with the most significant changes being the addition of new functions and its acquisition by Trinet.
Zenefits can be a perfect fit for small to medium-sized businesses.
Large enterprises or companies with more complicated employee structures will not find Zenefits to be the right fit as it lacks capabilities to support that capacity.
Namely
Namely provides a quick and easy payroll solution with modern design and UX. Their all-in-one HR platform can be used by any company really, though they pay close attention to mid-market companies.
PROS
- Namely's user interface is highly praised by users. It is clean and quite intuitive despite the platform's comprehensive feature coverage.
- The employee onboarding module includes a user-friendly wizard that effectively guides new hires through necessary steps and tasks.
- Along with Namely’s built-in features for data management, recruiting, onboarding, time off tracking, payroll, and benefits administration, Namely offers managed payroll and benefits administration services for those needing extra assistance.
- The majority of users are able to navigate Namely without any issues. They find the UI to be intuitive and clean, despite the fact that the platform has lots of features.
- Namely’s employee onboarding module gets a alot of praise from users. It features an easy-to-follow wizard, which helps new hires get on quickly and be clear on what they need to do.
- Besides the platform’s built in features for data management, recruiting, onboarding, time off tracking, payroll and benefits administration, there are also managed payroll and benefits administration services you can opt for to reduce the burden on your internal teams.
CONS
- Namely primarily caters to U.S.-based companies, which makes it unsuitable for organizations needing to manage pay and benefits for employees in other countries.
- The implementation process of Namely can be time-consuming, typically taking a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
- Despite how big of a player Namely is in the HR space, it lacks employee development features like skill training, career pathing, and succession planning.
- Before purchasing Namely, it is essential to ensure compatibility with your current benefits provider, as there have been reported instances of Namely's team encouraging users to switch to more expensive providers.
- Namely primarily operates in the U.S., which means if you’re looking for a global payroll and benefits provider, this platform isn’t for you.
- Though many praise the platform’s ease of use, it does take long to implement it. Namely’s own team says that an average implementation takes between 6-8 weeks.
- For a platform of Namely’s size, there currently aren’t any features that focus on employee development such as skill training, career pathing, succession planning etc.
- You’ll need to check beforehand if Namely can work with your existing benefits provider, if you have one. There have been a few reports (but not few enough to ignore) about Namely’s team convincing customers to change their benefits provider to providers that charged them more.
Namely’s all-in-one platform comes with a payroll module for processing salaries on time and without any errors. It can help you with a lot, including calculating wages, deductions, and taxes, and generating pay stubs for your employees. The platform is also always up-to-date with the ever-changing payroll regulations and tax laws to ensure you don’t get penalized and that everything pertaining to your employees’ payments is above board.
We like any product with employee self-service features and Namely checks that box of ours. Your staff can log in to a dedicated dashboard to access and manage their payroll information, update personal details, and view pay stubs whenever needed. Namely also packs a robust reporting module to get a holistic view of your company’s payroll and valuable statistics to make informed decisions.
Greenhouse, Bevi, and Workwave are among Namely’s 1000+ customers.
Namely has custom pricing that varies according to the extent of your need. You can contact the Sales team for an estimate.
Best For
Namely predominantly serves mid-sized companies across different verticals.
We use Namely daily, and it has become our central hub for nearly all HR tasks. The key workflows include payroll processing, where the automated system ensures timely payments and handles all tax calculations and filings, which used to be a tedious monthly task.
We also rely on Namely for benefits administration; employees can easily update their benefits through the platform, with everything syncing up to ensure accurate deductions. The onboarding process for new hires is another area where Namely excels; new employees can complete their paperwork online before their first day, which is a major improvement over our previous paper system.
The performance management tools are also very useful. Additionally, the reporting and analytics features, which were suggested as a new initiative by me, are now regularly used to gain insights that drive our HR strategies.
- User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for both HR staff and teams.
- Integrations: It integrates payroll, benefits administration, and performance management, streamlining processes and eliminating the need for scattered Google Sheets.
- Employee Self-Service: The self-service portal allows employees to manage their personal information, view pay stubs, and access benefits details independently, saving us time from routine administrative tasks. This is the future of HR, as automation should be adopted across the board.
At Impactable, we chose Namely because we were overwhelmed by managing too many HR systems that didn’t integrate well. It was challenging to keep up with payroll and benefits manually, so we needed a solution that could consolidate everything and simplify our processes, allowing us to focus on developing the new platform.
Namely turned out to be a great choice. It has a user-friendly interface that even the least tech-savvy among us can navigate with minimal training. The employee self-service portal was something we didn’t realize we needed, but it has been incredibly helpful in allowing the team to manage their own holidays and benefits without constantly contacting HR.
The analytics and reporting tools, while not initially a priority, have also proven useful. I’ve been using Namely for two years now, and overall, it has greatly improved our organization’s efficiency.
- Customer Service Issues: The customer service can be slow and sometimes unresponsive, which is disappointing given the quality of the product.
- Integration Challenges: It took time to get the integrations working correctly, and we had to invest considerable effort in training everyone to manage them.
- Reporting Features: The reporting features are difficult to use and have limited customization options, which was a letdown.
Namely is much easier to use compared to other HR tools, with everything from payroll to benefits consolidated in one place. It has a sleek interface, and the employee self-service portal allows staff to manage their own information. Unlike some competitors, Namely offers solid reporting tools and continuous updates, keeping the platform modern and efficient. Overall, it simplifies HR tasks better than many competitors, although I haven’t used many similar tools recently, so they might have improved as well.
- Ease of Use: Ensure the platform is user-friendly for both HR staff and employees.
- Integration Capabilities: Look for seamless integration with existing systems such as payroll, benefits, and other HR tools you already use.
- Customer Support: Check the quality and responsiveness of customer support, as effective support is crucial for resolving issues quickly.
- Feature Set: Evaluate the range of features offered, such as employee self-service, performance management, and reporting capabilities, to ensure the tool meets all your HR needs. Avoid tools that require additional services to cover all necessary functions, as there are comprehensive solutions available.
The interface has improved, and integrations are smoother. However, customer service hasn’t seen much improvement.
Namely is particularly well-suited for mid-sized organizations with 50 to 1,000 employees across various sectors such as media, technology, and eCommerce. It's ideal for companies looking for an all-in-one HR solution that integrates payroll, benefits, and performance management. Businesses that require comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to make informed HR decisions will also benefit significantly from Namely’s features.
Namely may not be a good fit for very small businesses or startups with fewer than 50 employees, as the cost and complexity of the platform might be excessive for smaller operations.
Paylocity
Paylocity is among the top payroll vendors in the US market thanks to its ease of use and excellent customer support. It’s also quite comprehensive, offering a range of tools from tax to global payroll management, and benefits administration.
PROS
- Paylocity’s customer support is highly rated for always being available to answer questions.
- Global payroll support for 100+ countries.
- Provides free and unlimited training modules on the website.
- Paylocity’s mobile app has a good UI and functionality
- The tool is easy to use for both employees and employers.
- Has 350+ pre-built integrations.
- Paylocity’s customer support is highly rated for always being available to answer questions.
- Global payroll support for 100+ countries.
- Provides free and unlimited training modules on the website.
- Paylocity’s mobile app has a good UI and functionality
- The tool is easy to use for both employees and employers.
- Has 350+ pre-built integrations.
CONS
- Undisclosed pricing.
- It doesn’t have a free trial or free plan.
- Support is available in English only.
- It isn’t the best solution for remote teams looking for a tool to manage payroll and benefits for their contractors.
- Undisclosed pricing.
- It doesn’t have a free trial or free plan.
- Support is available in English only.
- It isn’t the best solution for remote teams looking for a tool to manage payroll and benefits for their contractors.
Paylocity is one of the largest payroll providers in the United States but that’s not the main reason we were drawn to it. Our top deciding factors, instead, are its customer service, user-friendliness, and affordability.
We have heard a lot about Paylocity’s customer support, so we wanted to see it for ourselves. We got in touch with the Paylocity team to book a demo, and we really enjoyed the punctuality as they answered our questions and guided us through the software’s setup.
Paylocity is very user-friendly. We like that the ease of use applies not only to the web version but to the mobile app. It is particularly helpful for employees to access the self-service from anywhere to do a quick check on their payroll and benefits, make changes, and submit claims.
While not as advanced as some top enterprise-oriented payroll and benefits vendors, Paylocity’s reporting capabilities can be of benefit to mid-sized teams. There are a few reporting options to choose from or customize to track your benefits costs and see how employees are using their benefits. This information can be helpful enough in making decisions about benefit plans.
Though Paylocity doesn’t disclose its pricing on the website, businesses have praised the platform for its affordability compared to similar options in the marketplace.
Momentus, Watters, Weigel’s, ILC, Upward, HMC, Polywood.
The exact pricing of Paylocity's offering is not publicly-disclosed.
Best For
Paylocity is a great option for companies, ideally midsized, looking for an established payroll and benefits software tool that is budget-friendly, user-friendly, and has great customer service.
As an HR consultant, I don't directly process payroll or access employee data within Paylocity. My role involves working with clients to set up the system, configure workflows, and train them on using it effectively. I leverage Paylocity's features involving system configuration, data migration, reporting and analytics, and training and support. Overall, I use Paylocity behind the scenes to ensure a smooth HR experience for both the client and their employees.
I appreciate Paylocity's integrated platform – it eliminates data silos and saves a lot of time. The self-service portal empowers employees and frees up HR for strategic work. The reporting and analytics are fantastic, giving us data-driven insights into our workforce.
We decided to implement Paylocity after struggling with a cobbled-together HR system. Our old setup involved separate tools for payroll, benefits administration, and basic HR functions. This led to a lot of manual data entry and siloed information, making it a nightmare to track things and ensure accuracy. Paylocity's integrated platform solved these issues by providing a user-friendly, intuitive system that offers valuable insights into our workforce. Overall, Paylocity has been a great investment for my client, and I highly recommend it to any organization looking to streamline their HR operations.
While Paylocity is a great solution overall, its robust set of features can be overwhelming for small businesses or those new to the platform. The pricing might be cost-prohibitive for very small businesses with basic needs. Some specific HR needs might require additional customization or integrations, which can add complexity.
The biggest advantage is Paylocity's integrated platform. It shines in user experience with a clean and intuitive interface. Many competitors focus mainly on payroll and basic HR, but Paylocity offers strong talent management tools as well.
Paychex offers a wider range of pricing options, potentially better for smaller businesses, though user experience might not be as smooth. For very large companies, Workday HCM is a powerful option, but it can be expensive and complex to implement.
Choosing an HR tool requires careful consideration. First, identify your company's core needs – basic HR or comprehensive talent management. Then, prioritize user-friendliness for both HR and employees. Finally, factor in scalability, cost (including implementation and support), and robust security for employee data.
Paylocity has adapted to meet evolving user needs by focusing on mobile, enhancing talent management resources, and increasing AI integration.
Paylocity caters well to mid-sized businesses (50-200 employees) and organizations prioritizing user experience.
Paylocity might not be the ideal fit for businesses under 50 employees with highly customized needs and limited technical expertise.
Why use Payroll and Benefits Software?
There are a few apparent use cases for payroll and benefits software. However, we also wanted to explain some of the benefits that may not be as self-evident. Here is the “why” behind buying new payroll and benefits software:
- Pain-free payroll: These solutions will run payroll for you in a streamlined way that reduces your time and effort. To teams using outdated systems or completing operations manually, this could mean hours or even days saved per pay period.
- Simplify health benefits: These solutions guide you through the benefits selection process, sometimes with a trusted consultant who recommends packages that fit your company well. Your employees can then choose which option is right for them during open enrollment, qualifying events, or onboarding.
- Access to experts: Managing benefits and payroll internally can be complicated, especially if this is not your day-to-day focus. You must be aware of and keep up-to-date with a wide range of regulations and requirements, as they can change frequently! To assist with this, the best benefits and payroll solutions offer day-to-day customer support and will work closely with you when making strategic decisions and regulatory updates.
- Access to better health plans: The best payroll and benefits solutions provide you with greater access to competitive benefits plans to create a package that makes the most sense for your employees. You will also be able to compare plans from different providers more easily and therefore ensure you have selected the best package for your business’s needs.
- Cost-effective: Using an external vendor for payroll and benefits will help decrease the number of employees you need for this function and help save on costs in technology, support, and training.
- Save time: On average, 19% of small businesses spend 80+ hours a year on federal taxes alone. Small and medium businesses that arm themselves with the right solution to handle payroll and efficiently manage benefits save a lot of time, resulting in their ability to allocate time to their core business and product.
- Ease of use: Software solutions today are serious about their product experience. They have built their platforms with their various end users in mind and provide them with a simple-to-use, mobile-friendly, and feature-rich experience. Your employees can now look up co-pays on mobile when at the doctor, or request time off in a given pay period.
- Increase employee retention: Benefits and payroll are paramount to retaining your employees. With greater access to a wide range of health, dental, and vision insurance, plus retirement plans such as 401k and 529 savings plans, you will be able to ensure that your employees feel taken care of. Naturally, this has a considerable sway towards employee retention.
- Aids in your talent strategy: The right payroll and benefits software helps you attract talent by offering the best and most comprehensive benefits packages. An AICPA survey found that 80% of those polled would choose a role with a comprehensive benefits package versus a position with a much higher salary but no benefits.
- Enhanced security benefits: Most top payroll and benefits vendors will have high levels of security that contemplate HIPPA and have varying levels of SOC compliance.
- Compliance guarantee: The IRS has stated that an estimated 40% of small and medium businesses are fined for late or incorrect filings and payments. Payroll and benefits software have access to the most up-to-date information which means that you never have to worry about missing tax notices and other regulatory notices. This is a huge benefit as you will help protect your company and reduce your risk of compliance-related expenditures.
Some Pitfalls to Avoid
We’ve identified the most common mistakes people make when purchasing and implementing payroll and benefits software. Here’s how to avoid them:
- Choose a payroll service that has a track record for serving companies of your size.
- Remember, change management requires a team effort. You may need to involve a few different teams during the buying and implementation process including your operations, HR/recruiting, information technology, and communications teams.
- Core features that you probably already have and that employees/HR are used to, like direct deposit, automated pay stub distribution, and payroll taxes need to be in any future offering you use.
- Don’t forget about integrations! It’s important that any new system can sync with the rest of the tools in your tech stack at least in some sense.
- Make sure the vendor that you choose can operate in all of your office locations (don’t forget your remote employees). Several of the vendors we’ve outlined here are among the best global payroll providers, but many do have a heavier focus on the United States.
- Documentation is paramount— get your ducks in a row in advance to help streamline implementation and prevent any delays that could have a negative impact on employees. Nobody’s going to be that excited about the new payroll and benefits system if the next checks or deposits are going to be late.
- Choose a vendor that is compliant with the most recent regulations and that takes data privacy very seriously. HIPAA and tax payment violations can be extremely costly.
- If you already have an insurance broker with whom you like to work, make sure that your new vendor allows for this— not all of them do, and those that do may charge an additional fee.
- If you are moving to benefits with a provider, remember to report any employees who are on COBRA to the new provider and make sure to ask if they assist in COBRA administration.
- Lastly, choose a vendor that you can grow with. Make sure that the vendor is confident in their ability to work with you based on your targeted employee growth rates as a company.
ROI of the right Payroll and Benefits Solution
While there are costs associated with these tools, the rationale for partnering with the right vendor is pretty clear. The average salary for a benefits administrator is ~$58,000 per year and a payroll administrator’s average salary is about $55,000 per year. The ability to remove one to two FTEs from your headcount at these rates will pay for your solution several times over.
Another way of looking at the return on investment for a payroll and benefits solution is man hours. The best vendors have bet heavily on automation during the last couple of years. Hence, if implemented right, these tools can save thousands of dollars if the same workflows are getting done in significantly fewer hours. Your people can spend that time serving the company elsewhere, perhaps in more impactful and innovative endeavors.
Lastly, of course, there’s the whole subject of the benefits package. Many of these companies can take care of that for you entirely, which eliminates much of the cost of designing one yourself from scratch. This doesn’t mean you can’t tweak it to suit your employees’ expectations and attract top candidates, but you’ll have the help of experts in that field along with a software tool to keep track of everything.
Payroll Services Pricing
Pricing for payroll and benefits providers is typically done on a per-employee per-month basis. Therefore, larger organizations should expect to pay more. Pricing also depends on the feature set you are looking for. Only running payroll and benefits is far more affordable than adding on employee onboarding, and other feature sets typically found in a more robust HRIS including an employee directory, performance management, etc. So, there is typically a base price that grows with more features.
See below for an example pricing chart that includes a base monthly price for a few company sizes. Most providers have multiple base plans with add-on options. Contracts are typically monthly or annual (annual contracts will include a discount on pricing). Please note that this is an example only and you should consult with each vendor as many factors go into pricing for your specific use (for example, these figures do not include benefits premiums.)
*Note: Some vendors charge a base monthly rate plus a monthly rate per employee. Others charge only a monthly rate per employee. As you grow, the per-employee rate may decrease depending on the vendor.
Two last points; you can often negotiate away the initial setup fee, and some vendors will be beyond these ranges (PEOs, full HCM suite)— but you get what you pay for so don’t be turned off initially by much larger price ranges for a given vendor. Also, make sure you ask about any other fees that will come up during the year. Some vendors charge for filing W-9s and 1099s - and these costs can add up!
Key Features of Payroll Software
The majority of the top-rated benefits and payroll vendors provide feature-rich offerings that are wrapped into an intuitive user experience. Business owners and HR teams alike need to be aware of these key features. While we’ve focused on payroll and benefits, there are additional add-ons that you may also be interested in, especially if you do not currently have another solution in place. Many of these also map to the demo questions we have suggested below:
Payroll Features:
- Automated and Unlimited Payroll Runs (plus contractor & vendor payments, tips reporting)
- Off-Schedule Payroll Runs
- All Tax Filing/Payments
- Multiple Pay-Rates and Schedules
- Reporting including Year-end Payroll Reporting
- Direct deposit
Employee Benefits Features:
- Employee Self-Service (including self-service benefits enrollment and changes)
- Benefits Administration & COBRA administration (Health, Dental, Vision)
- Additional Benefits Options including 401k/retirement, life insurance & disability, FSA, HSA, commuter and additional supplemental benefits
Other Important Features:
- Time Tracking & Paid Time Off
- HR Documentation & PTO Policies
- Employee Directory & Surveys
- Workers’ Compensation & Risk Mitigation
- New Hire Onboarding
- HR Expertise (varied based on level)
- Online Resource Center (best practices, FAQs, and more)
- Mobile Friendly and/or Mobile App
Choosing the right vendor - questions to ask on demos
Once you have chosen a few vendors to demo, it is imperative to ask pertinent questions. Here is a list of questions we think you should ask on demos.
Support:
- Who will be on my support team during implementation, how will that change after I’m setup?
- What the the specific steps our company will have to go through to get this setup and how long does each take?
- What internal stakeholders do I need to bring into this?
- What are the support SLAs?
- How big is your biggest customer and how small is your smallest customer? What is the size of your average customer?
- What are the most common reasons that companies don’t succeed?
- How will our pricing change as we scale?
Tech & Security:
- Can you walk me through the typical workflows that HR would go through? Employees?
- What is the mobile experience for HR and employees?
- What’s on your product roadmap?
- Do you support multi-factor authentication?
- Do you support single-sign-on?
- Are you SOC 2 compliant?
- What is your security audit process?
- How do you keep our data safe?
Regulatory & Compliance:
- Do you have a regulatory compliance team?
- Who handles regulatory updates for taxes, HR, or benefits?
- How will I get updated on regulatory changes relevant to my business?
- Do you handle payroll in my state (within U.S.)?
- Do you handle international payroll (if you operate internationally)?
- Are you GDPR compliant?
- How are tax filings handled? Is there an extra charge for this?
- Do you handle new hire onboarding reporting and forms?
- Are you ACA compliant? What about HIPAA and ERISA?
- How will you handle benefits for my employees in different states and, if applicable, remote employees?
- How can my accountant or finance team access the relevant files?
Integrations and Process:
- Is your offering full-service payroll or a tool that I will use to run my own payroll?
- How are payroll taxes handled? How are tax forms generated?
- What standard integrations do you support? Do you integrate to my existing technologies (accounting software, HRIS, ATS)?
- How will direct deposit work with our employee bank accounts?
Payroll Services Implementation
The great part about moving forward with one of our top picks is that they make it quite simple for you to get up and running (especially for small businesses). If you are switching from one software to another, or if this is your first time, you will have slightly different implementation processes.
Timelines will depend on how readily available your relevant documents may be (such as employee information like names, departments, positions, salary information, etc.) and how many employees you have. The smaller the company, the quicker the implementation.
Sample documentation that will be required can include:
- Basic company information such as your EIN (employer identification number)
- Basic employee information such as employees’ names, SSNs (social security numbers), mailing addresses, and salaries
- Payroll and taxes information that you’ve already paid for the year (if you are switching providers mid-year)
Thus, implementation could take as little as one day for small businesses, or for larger companies, a couple of weeks.
The identified vendors all include implementation services and can assist in guiding you through this process. Once you’re a customer, they have a very strong incentive to make sure you are successful and will do whatever it takes to get you through the process expeditiously.
Payroll Software FAQs
What is payroll software?
Payroll software is a solution designed to manage, automate, record and organize payment of a company’s employees.
What is benefits software?
Benefits software is a solution designed to take over all administrative benefits tasks, including managing and organizing health insurance, retirement programs, time off and leave.
Can my company do payroll and benefits without software?
Yes, your company can process payroll and benefits without the assistance of software. However, manually taking care of payroll and benefits requires a lot of time and effort. On average, over 20% of small businesses spend 120+ hours dealing just with federal employee taxes. That’s before even considering benefits management. That time is better spent perfecting your business or product, therefore automating payroll is a worthy investment.
Do software providers offer both payroll and benefits software together?
Yes, many payroll vendors offer a benefits solution and vice versa.
Final Advice on Buying Payroll Software
For most HR teams, it’s a matter of who to partner with, not if it should be explored in the first place. Partnering with a top payroll and benefits solution can save your team a lot of time and money. Our hope is that this page will arm you with the information you need to make the right decision, and guide you towards the top vendors in the space.
From here, we’d then advise that you jump into demos with 2-3 vendors to get started. Remember to stay organized as you tick through the feature sets that matter to you on demos. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
About Us
- Our goal at SSR is to help HR and recruiting teams to find and buy the right software for their needs.
- Our site is free to use as some vendors will pay us for web traffic.
- SSR lists all companies we feel are top vendors - not just those who pay us - in our comprehensive directories full of the advice needed to make the right purchase decision for your HR team.