10 Best Payroll Services for Small Businesses in 2023

Deel is a cloud-based payroll platform designed for businesses of all sizes. For small businesses looking for additional help, Deel lets you hire and pay freelancers and employees from anywhere in the world without having to figure out local laws, tax systems, or international payroll. You also get access to Deel’s HR suite for free, allowing you to manage your entire team with professional and automated tools.

Deel’s platform includes various elements that make it simple to pay employees and contractors without having to juggle several tools. Their user-friendly interface incorporates advanced payroll capabilities such as contract and stock option management, expense reimbursements, and compliance tracking for every client. 

Deel is capable of flexible payment terms, allowing businesses to pay contractors on a fixed plan, per-project basis, or pay-as-you-go model. One of its key features is the ability to support multiple payroll cycles, which means businesses can run their payrolls weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Deel’s in-house experts handle all international employee deductions, withholdings, and benefits, including taxes, insurance, and retirement contributions. 

Employees and contractors can self-manage their pay and personal data, which reduces admin load. Deel supports major payment channels like Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, and Revolut to offer flexible withdrawal options and reduce unnecessary international transfer fees.

Deel has positive online reviews from clients and their workers, and offers 24/7 online chat support. Employees can securely access their payroll information and perform various tasks, such as updating their personal information, requesting time off, and viewing their pay stubs.

Deel integrates with popular accounting and HR software systems such as Ashby, BambooHR, Expensify, Greenhouse, Hibob, Netsuite, Okta, OneLogin, Quickbooks, SCIM, Xero, Workday, and Workable, and has an Open API to support additional custom integrations too.

Deel’s payroll services use flat rate pricing, so you can scale up or down depending on your situation. Deel’s HR tools are completely free for businesses with fewer than 200 workers. You can also request a free demo through their website to discuss your hiring needs.

Buddy Punch is a robust and feature-rich payroll software solution and service provider that helps small businesses and startups stay on top of their payroll responsibilities, paid time off (PTO), and employee time and attendance tracking in real time. Their payroll services include automatic payroll tax filings and payments, with expert support available at the click of a button.

Any business owner knows that payroll tax filings can be a tedious and time-consuming process, even for small businesses with only a handful of employees. Buddy Punch offers a cost-effective payroll service for small business owners that takes care of all the legalities like payroll tax filings. The experts behind the solution will keep your employee payroll data up-to-date and compliant with legislation and industry standards, meaning all payroll taxes are filed automatically by the system.

Buddy Punch supports multi-state tax registration within the US, which means that wherever your business is located, a dedicated team will take care of the tax registration process for your company. They will handle all tax filings with the appropriate government agencies in all 50 states, and remain responsible for keeping track of changing local, state, and federal tax legislation to maintain strict compliance.

Buddy Punch integrates with commonly used accounting software systems like ADP, Gusto, Paychex, Paylocity, PayPlus, SurePayroll, Quickbooks, Workday, and Zapier.

Buddy Punch costs from $3.49/user/month plus a $19/month base fee for their Standard plan, and offers a 14-day free trial.

Paychex Flex is a payroll company that helps small businesses organize and run their payroll on desktop or mobile devices. The solution also gives business owners the option to submit payroll by phone to one of its specialists, and its voice assist feature enables managers to perform hands-free payroll checks, submissions, and approvals.

Paychex Flex handles your payroll taxes and reports new hires to government agencies. The software tracks your team’s payroll-related information, allowing you to create year-end reports and 1099s with ease.

Paychex Flex integrates with dozens of solutions, including BambooHR, Hubworks, Indeed, JazzHR, Xero, and QuickBooks Time.

Paychex Flex offers custom pricing upon demand and a free demo.

ADP Workforce Now is a cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solution designed to help businesses manage their payroll, HR, time and attendance, benefits administration, and talent management. ADP Workforce Now is also scalable, meaning it can grow with a small business as it expands, making it a flexible and cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.

ADP Workforce Now offers a comprehensive payroll solution that automates and streamlines the payroll process for businesses. It allows businesses to manage and process their payroll with accuracy and efficiency, while also staying compliant with local, state, and federal tax regulations. ADP Workforce Now offers features such as automated payroll calculations, direct deposit, tax filing and remittance, year-end reporting, and pay statements, providing businesses with a seamless payroll experience. Additionally, ADP Workforce Now offers employee self-service options, allowing employees to access their pay stubs, W-2s, and other payroll-related information online, reducing the workload on HR and payroll staff.

ADP Workforce Now automates many time-consuming HR and payroll tasks, freeing up small business owners and HR staff to focus on more strategic initiatives. This can save small businesses time and money, while also reducing the risk of errors. Additionally, ADP Workforce Now provides access to a range of HR tools and resources, including compliance support, employee handbooks, and job description templates, which can help small businesses ensure they are operating in accordance with the latest HR and employment laws. 

Integrations include other ADP software and tools as well as third-party options like Quickbooks, Wave, Xero, Workday, Sage, SAP SuccessFactor, 7Shifts, When I Work, JaxxHR, Ziprecruiter, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Bob, DocuFree, and plenty of other options listed in the ADP Marketplace. 

ADP Workforce Now costs from $160/month for up to 49 employees and offers a 30-day free trial.

Patriot Payroll is a full-service payroll solution that helps organizations manage their taxes, send payments, track time and attendance, and create custom reports. The software helps you run payroll with ease, simply by entering your employees’ hours. Patriot automatically calculates your payroll, and you only have to approve it to send the payments via direct deposits or checks.

This solution enables you to create reports, year-to-date totals, tax filings, or contribution histories with automation. After you complete your tax forms, the software automatically collects your payroll taxes on approved payrolls, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Patriot software integrates with QuickBooks Time and TSheets.

Patriot Payroll costs from $17/month plus $4/employee/month. They also offer a 30-day free trial and a free demo.

Gusto is a full service payroll solution that helps businesses pay contractors in 80+ countries and stores all the I-9, W-2, and 1099 forms for their employees. The software also handles the state tax registration process in all 50 states and keeps track of changing tax laws so businesses are always compliant.

This payroll provider enables you to track your employees with geolocation, so you can easily deduct the breaks of hourly workers from their wages. The solution also allows you to create flexible payment schedules, run unlimited payrolls, and pay employee reimbursements. With Gusto, you can also administer benefits and set time-off policies too.

Gusto integrates with dozens of solutions, including 7Shifts, 15Five, Bonusly, Breezy HR, Clover, Greenhouse, JazzHR, and QuickBooks Online Payroll.

Gusto costs from $40/month plus $6/user/month and offers a free demo and a 30-day free trial.

TriNet is an online payroll service that helps you manage your payroll and navigate state and federal tax codes. The software’s payroll feature, along with its self-service tools, allow you to save time when running payroll while remaining compliant with all the payroll regulations in your area.

TriNet automatically calculates and withholds your taxes and submits them to the right authorities on your behalf. The software also helps you manage unemployment taxes and claims. TriNet allows your employees to complete their W-2s and its mobile app enables them to access all their documentation and pay stubs with ease.

TriNet integrates with multiple tools, including BambooHR, Oracle Netsuite, QuickBooks Online, Sage, and Xero.

TriNet offers custom pricing upon demand.

Justworks is a payroll and benefits administration software that enables you to run payroll, keep track of your team’s activity, file your taxes, and access benefits packages. The solution helps you set up an automated direct deposit payroll that runs on time, and it allows you to split direct deposits across multiple accounts.

Justworks helps you create payment schedules for all your employees and contractors across the United States, regardless of their position in your organization. You can set up payment reminders and manage bonuses, commissions, reimbursements, and one-time payments. Justworks also files your W-2s and 1099s for you and automatically updates its framework as tax and employment laws change.

Justworks integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero.

Justworks costs from $59/employee/month.

QuickBooks Payroll is an Intuit online payroll solution that enables small businesses to manage their payroll, track employee hours, and file their taxes. The tool is easy to use, allowing you to automate your payroll and integrate it with other employee services, such as 401K plans or other employee benefits.

QuickBooks Payroll calculates, files, and pays your state and federal taxes. You can customize your payroll reports based on different locations, deductions, and contributions. The software offers unlimited payroll runs and a mobile-friendly employee portal where your team members can access their tax forms and pay stubs.

QuickBooks Payroll integrates with the company’s accounting services and hundreds of third-party apps, including Bill.com, Float, PayPal, Square, Syft Analytics, Synder, Tax Planner Pro, and Wagepoint.

QuickBooks Payroll costs from $4/employee/month plus a $20/month base fee. A 30-day free trial is also available.

ADP Payroll is a payroll management solution that enables you to store your employee information and payslips, calculate taxes, and track employee time. The software offers a nice-looking mobile app your team members can use to punch in and out, making it ideal for hourly-based engagements.

The software’s in-app onboarding is comprehensive and helps your employees understand how to get the most out of ADP’s self-service portal. The solution also helps business owners and managers run automated payrolls, complete their tax declarations, and create detailed reports of their financial activity.

ADP Payroll integrates with multiple enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, including FinancialForce, Sage, and Workday.

ADP Payroll offers custom pricing upon request. They also offer free payroll processing for up to three months.