28 Best Payroll Software for Small Businesses in 2024

Deel is a payroll platform designed for businesses of all sizes. For small businesses looking for additional help, Deel lets you hire and pay freelancers and full-time 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.

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

Employees and contractors can self-manage their pay and personal data, which reduces admin load. Deel uses major payment providers 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. The company offers 24/7 online chat support.

Integrations are available natively with Ashby, BambooHR, Expensify, Greenhouse, Hibob, Netsuite, Okta, OneLogin, Quickbooks, SCIM, Xero, Workday, and Workable.

Papaya Global is a payroll software for small businesses that helps companies remove barriers to global hiring. Papaya’s automated, SaaS platform provides an end-to-end global workforce management solution, from onboarding to cross-border payments in 160+ countries.

The platform supports all employee options (payroll, EoR, contractors), integrates with all management tools, and uses smart technology to ensure compliance and eliminate errors. It creates a highly visible system for tracking payroll spending and real-time business intelligence (BI). Papaya Global can help any company simplify global people management. Businesses can access Papaya’s state-of-the-art automation, security, and BI without replacing their existing payroll system.

Papaya Global integrates with most financial tools, as well as with BambooHR, Expensify, NetSuite, SAP SuccessFactors, and Workday.

Paychex Flex is an online platform that helps small businesses manage payroll and other HR functions. It allows employers to manage everything from calculating employee paychecks to managing employee health benefits and tracking time off requests. Users can access their accounts from anywhere, ensuring they always have access and control over their data. The platform offers features such as tax filing and compliance services, paperless onboarding tools, and employee self-service options.

Paychex Flex makes it easy for employers to track employees' hours worked and leave taken through its automated time-tracking feature. This ensures that employees are paid accurately according to the hours worked each week or day and any applicable overtime rates or vacation days taken off work. The software supports multiple payment methods for both direct deposit and paper checks. Additionally, it allows users to quickly generate reports on employee wages, salaries, overtime payouts, and deductions taken from wages, enabling businesses to stay compliant with local laws and regulations.

Paychex Flex helps simplify the filing process by automatically calculating all federal (IRS) and state tax requirements to ensure accuracy when filing returns. It also allows small businesses to make timely payments while avoiding late fees or penalties due to delayed filings or incorrect data entry.

The employee self-service portal feature allows employees to access their account information securely online without contacting HR for assistance. Employees can log into their accounts to view pay stubs, update personal information such as address changes, or view the status of benefits enrollment.

Paychex Flex integrates with popular accounting software like QuickBooks Online so employers can sync their payroll data across multiple systems for greater accuracy and convenience.

Paychex Flex protects users against online negligence resulting in a data breach, such as a hacker accessing confidential employee or customer information. Its cyber liability insurance helps small business owners protect themselves from potential public relations or litigation costs from the incident.

Remofirst is a payroll software that helps employers quickly generate accurate paychecks, direct deposit payments, and tax filings. In fact, you can completely outsource your payroll processing needs to Remofirst, making them a worthy option for companies that do not have the resources or expertise to handle payroll processing internally.

Their software helps businesses manage their payroll processes remotely, including managing employee information, tracking employee hours, and processing payroll payments. Remofirst provides a convenient way for users to pay their employees through transfers directly into their employees' bank accounts, eliminating the need for paper paychecks and saving money on check-writing fees. Their self-service employee portal gives staff access to their payroll information online, including pay stubs, W-2 forms, and year-end tax information. They can also update their contact information and banking information.

Remofirst offers businesses a central platform for distributing and managing employee benefits, allowing users to easily add, remove, or update employee benefits and view and collect benefit usage statistics. Payroll reports can be customized to show specific information, such as employee compensation and taxes, and can be generated for a particular period. They can be exported to various formats, making it easy to share with accountants or other team members. Remofirst also automatically sends invoices per month with complete reports detailing payroll expenses.

Remofirst’s team of experts offers 24/7 support to help users resolve any payroll issues immediately. Compliance documentation is also always accessible via your dashboard, making it easy to comply with international HR regulations at all times.

Bambee is a comprehensive HR and payroll platform designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers a range of payroll features, including direct deposit, tax filings, and year-end reporting, as well as HR functions like onboarding and employee management.

Their payroll software includes a full suite of payroll functions and HR tools, which are typically found in more expensive systems. Moreover, their user interface is easy to navigate, and the software requires minimal training, making it perfect for small business owners who may not have an HR or accounting background.

One of Bambee's standout features is its HR compliance support. The platform provides personalized guidance from HR experts, helping businesses navigate complex HR regulations, including those related to payroll. It also provides businesses with access to a library of customizable HR documents, such as offer letters and employee handbooks.

Another standout feature is the self-service portal for employees. This feature allows employees to view their pay stubs, request time off, and update their personal information, freeing up HR staff from answering routine questions and tasks.

Integration details are currently not available.

RUN by ADP is a small business payroll provider that helps you automate recurring payroll and file payroll taxes. The software also calculates benefits and retirement deductions, and flags potential errors to make sure you remain compliant when filing federal or local taxes.

Thanks to its automation features, RUN enables you to process invoices and run your payroll in a timely manner, so you can focus on your growing business. You can also set schedules for your team, see when they clock in and out of work and attach notes to shifts.

One of the good things about using this solution is that the system automatically keeps track of your team’s work and calculates everything for you. The automated payroll system ensures that you pay employees and file taxes on time, so you can save time managing this aspect of the business.

RUN by ADP integrates with many popular software systems, including Absorb LMS, Avionte, ClearCompany, Clockshark, Deputy, Dolce, FinancialForce, Infor, JazzHR, Oracle, PayActiv, PlanSource, QuickBooks, Replicon, Sage Intacct, SAP SuccessFactors, Sapling, TempWorks, Wave, When I Work, Workday, Xero, ZipRecruiter, 7shifts Restaurant Scheduling, and many more.

Paycor is a human capital management solution with powerful analytics and payroll features. The platform helps small businesses with employee onboarding, performance reviews, time and attendance, and benefits management.

Paycor’s payroll solution provides in-depth compliance feedback to help you respect the employment laws in your state. Thanks to the software’s automation features, you can set up the payroll with ease. And once you set it up, you can schedule it to run automatically on a specific day and time.

One of the good things about using this software is that it offers multiple payment options. You can pay employees using direct deposit, paycards, or on-demand pay. You can set up different pay options for your employees and have them run in the background. Their pay-on-demand feature, in particular, is a great help for employees who need to access their earned wages before their next official payday.

This tool also has a mobile version. Your employees can use the mobile app to review their pay stubs, approve timecards, and communicate with one another.

Paycor integrates with a variety of solutions, including Certify, Payfactors, Pay Solutions, ESR, WageWorks, and others.

OnPay’s full-service payroll software helps entrepreneurs manage payroll, HR functions, and benefits all in one place. Their software includes a full suite of payroll services and compliance settings for all 50 states. For no additional cost, they also offer special payroll services for certain industries like restaurants, farms and agriculture, churches and clergy, and nonprofits. As well, OnPay offers great customer service, with platform specialists available to help you set up your payroll process and automate your taxes, even if you don’t have any previous experience with this kind of software.

To get your business up and running as fast as possible, new business owners will appreciate the free employee handbook and HR templates that are included in the platform. Essential HR tools such as automated onboarding flows, employee personnel files, document storage with e-sign capabilities, compliance audits, paid time-off tracking and task management features are also included.

Their team of licensed in-house insurance brokers also help small businesses set up health, dental and vision plans with top providers such as Humana, Cigna, Blue Cross / Blue Shield, Aetna and UnitedHealthcare. Once in place, benefit costs are synced with payroll, which means you won’t have to worry about capturing any cost fluctuations yourself. Another interesting feature is their 401k integration that automatically supports employer matching and profit sharing options, and can garner small businesses extra tax credits.

OnPay integrates with Deputy, Magnify, Mineral, PosterElite, QuickBooks, When I Work, Xero, and with the 401k retirement platforms America’s Best 401k, Guideline, and Vestwell.

Patriot Payroll is an online payroll service provider that helps small businesses grow on a budget. Their software includes free payroll setup, free 2-day direct deposits, and free USA-based customer support. They also offer an add-on for time & attendance tracking, which links employee work hours directly to your payroll processing module, plus an add-on for HR software if you don’t already have a digital employee database.

Patriot’s full-service payroll platform acts as a concierge for US-based businesses and takes care of their local, state and federal taxes. The company’s customer service team also reaches out if they need more information to file your taxes, so you don’t have to worry about them yourself. Their system also includes a whole host of easy-to-access payroll reports covering tax credits, tax filings and deposits, payroll registers, paycheck histories, time off reports, W-2 summaries, payroll tax liabilities, and more.

The highlight of using this payroll service provider is its effectiveness. The tool is simple to navigate and use. Their information database is comprehensive, so you can get a detailed guide on how to complete your tax files, and their customer support service is always there.

Patriot integrates with Intuit QuickBooks Online, GoCo, Plaid, Workforce.com, and WorkforceHub Time & Attendance.

QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software designed for businesses to manage their finances, including payroll, invoicing, and expense tracking. It's a popular choice among small business owners because it's easy to use, offers a wide range of features, and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

I chose QuickBooks Online as one of the best payroll software for small businesses because it offers a comprehensive set of features that cater to the unique needs of small businesses. It's user-friendly, making it easy for business owners with little to no accounting experience to manage their finances. Plus, it's cloud-based, which means you can access your financial data from anywhere, at any time.

QuickBooks Online automatically calculates your employees' paychecks, taking into account their hours worked, deductions, and taxes. This saves you time and helps ensure accuracy. You can set up direct deposit for your employees, making payday a breeze for both you and your team. Your employees can access their pay stubs, W-2s, and other important documents through a secure online portal, reducing the amount of paperwork you need to manage. The software also helps you prepare and file your payroll tax forms, ensuring you stay compliant with federal and state regulations.

Integrations include over 400 business apps like Rewind Backups, Knowifiy for Customers, Plooto, Expensify, Fathom, BigCommerce, Verify, Insightly CRM, Mailchimp, and others.