The Best Payroll Software Shortlist
Here’s the best payroll software I’ve evaluated and selected:
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
To help you find the very best solution for your business needs, I've summarized the best payroll software available on the market. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, a trusted software to manage your payroll can be a big support to your HR operations. That's because implementing one of these platforms can alleviate time-consuming administrative work and help ensure your employees get paid accurately and on time.
What is Payroll Software?
Payroll software is a platform that can allocate employee pay based on hourly rates or annual salaries. It's used by HR and finance teams to streamline and automate core parts of their payroll operations. These operations include tracking employee work hours, pay rates, PTO, payroll taxes, and more. The software can also manage payroll deductions like federal and local taxes, health insurance coverage, RRSP contributions, and other taxable benefits included in an employee’s compensation package.
Overviews of the 10 Best Payroll Software
Here, I've written detailed overviews of the payroll solutions selected. Each overview has information about the platform’s best use case, standout features, and integrations.
Deel
Best for global teams, with fully managed payroll services
Deel is a global payroll platform that's available in over 150 countries. It allows you to hire anyone as a contractor or employee without worrying about local laws, complicated tax systems, or international payroll.
Why I picked Deel: I chose this software because of it provides end-to-end global workforce management, including contract adjustments, expense reimbursements, and off-cycle payroll adjustments. You can schedule payments in advance and run off-cycle payroll whenever needed. It was also noteworthy that the company has local country experts working in-house to run global payroll and ensure all regional contributions are accounted for. Their team provides 24/7 online support, and dedicated account managers are available for specific requests.
Deel Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features I noticed were the software's 10+ payment options, ranging from bank transfers to cryptocurrency pay-ins. What makes this stand out from other options is that employees and contractors can self-manage their pay and personal data, and use providers like Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, and Revolut for easy international withdrawals.
Integrations include Ashby, BambooHR, Expensify, Greenhouse, Hibob, NetSuite, Okta, OneLogin, QuickBooks, Xero, Workday, and Workable. The software’s open API can support additional custom software integrations.
Pros
- Add-ons available to localized benefits and global payroll
- Detailed dashboards
- Knowledgeable support staff
Cons
- Contract templates could be simplified
- Limited invoice customization
Papaya Global
Best end-to-end workforce management in 160+ countries
Papaya Global is an online payroll solution that helps companies remove barriers to global hiring. Their software provides end-to-end global workforce management with everything from onboarding to cross-border payments in over 160 countries.
Why I picked Papaya Global: This software covers all employee options (payroll, EoR, contractors) and can be used to send payments securely to remote and global personnel. I chose it because of its various payroll packages, which make it a flexible option for various business sizes and needs. The reporting and analytics tools offer detailed payroll and business intelligence, and give you a real-time view of your funds. Payment delivery is also guaranteed within 72 hours by the company.
Papaya Global Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include that its bank rails were built in partnership with JP Morgan and Citibank, which makes me confident in their reliability and compliance standards. Payroll anomalies and issues can be detected with the software’s artificial intelligence capabilities, which automatically notifies admins so they can address the problem swiftly.
Integrations include most financial tools, and HR software like BambooHR, Expensify, NetSuite, SAP SuccessFactors, and Workday. An API is also available to support additional custom integrations.
Pros
- Strong automation features
- Extensive knowledge base
- Payments can be made in virtually any currency
Cons
- Employee profiles could be more detailed
- No mobile app is currently available
Paycor
Best payroll software for automating manual payroll tasks
Paycor is a human capital management solution with payroll, workforce management, and employee experience features. The payroll product can handle payroll, expense management, time and attendance, and more.
Why I picked Paycor: Once I set up payment options for employees, I was able to use the automation features to run my payroll automatically, as scheduled for a specific day and time. Multiple payment options are available through the software, including direct deposit, paycards, or on-demand pay. It also provides in-depth compliance feedback to help you respect the employment laws in your state. Because of its robust functionality, I think it's best suited to large and enterprise businesses.
Paycor Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include its pay-on-demand feature, which allows employees to access their earned wages before their next official payday. I thought this was a modern functionality. It's also convenient that expense management, scheduling and time tracking, and employee experience monitoring are all also available in the platform.
Integrations include several other tools for wage and salary verification, expense management, employee wellness, certified payroll, and FMLA. Key software systems to note include Certify, ESR, Payfactors, and WageWorks.
Pros
- Mobile app allows for payroll management on the go
- Live and on-demand product training and industry webinars
- All-in-one solution well suited to enterprise businesses
Cons
- UX can be a little clunky at times
- Time cards are a bit simplistic
Paychex Flex
Best for streamlining payroll processing with accuracy, compliance, and ease
Paychex Flex is a cloud-based payroll and human resources management software designed to help businesses of all sizes manage their payroll processes, employee benefits, and other HR-related tasks. It's a comprehensive solution that aims to simplify and streamline the entire payroll process, making it easier for businesses to stay compliant with tax regulations and ensure their employees are paid accurately and on time.
Why I picked Paychex Flex: Paychex Flex enables you to track your team’s daily hours, manage time sheets, approve PTO, and oversee benefits in one place. The solution offers a self-service portal where employees can access digital copies of their pay stubs, see their contributions, and manage their retirement accounts, making it easy for them to access their data.
With Paychex Flex, you can schedule your payrolls and approve them before payday with ease. You can schedule multiple runs in the same pay period, and you can oversee your work on the mobile app. The solution also gives you access to extra HR features as add-ons for additional fees.
Paychex Flex Standout Features and Integrations
Features include payroll processing, payroll tax filing, a garnishment payment service, paycheck preview and approval, new-hire reporting, and a mobile app.
Integrations include Ashby, BambooHR, Clover, Deputy, HIREtech, iCIMS, Indeed, Oracle Netsuite, QuickBooks Payroll, and others.
Pros
- Helps you save time with payroll filters and saved views
- Knowledgeable representatives
- 24/7 specialized service for US clients
Cons
- Automatically creates multiple subfolders, making it difficult to find the right files at times
- Adding pay categories could be easier
Bambee
Best software and services for ease of use and expert guidance
Bambee's cloud-based HR software is specifically tailored for small and medium-sized businesses. Their software covers a wide range of functions, including onboarding, compliance, and employee termination. They also offer a guided payroll service, which is available as an add-on.
Why I picked Bambee: I included Bambee's combined payroll software and expert services because of its ease of use and affordability. Their services cover a comprehensive set of payroll functions, including 2-day direct deposit, tax filings, and year-end reporting. In addition, Bambee also offers personalized support from HR experts, as well as a dedicated HR manager for every client, making it easier for businesses to navigate complex payroll regulations.
Bambee Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include 2-day direct deposit, integrated compliance monitoring, and automatic federal, state, and local taxes. They also provide businesses with guidance on payroll-related compliance issues, such as minimum wage requirements and overtime rules too. Their employee self-service portal also allows employees to view their pay stubs, manage their personal information, and request time off, all without having to contact HR, saving businesses time and resources.
Integration details are currently not available.
Trinet
Best payroll software with compensation benchmarking
Trinet is a global payroll and HR software and service provider. It can help your organization manage various HR operations including payroll and employee benefits administration, performance and learning management, and risk mitigation.
Why I picked Trinet: I picked this platform because its payroll capabilities can handle complex regulations in several countries, making it suitable for global organizations or businesses operating in multiple locations. It can also manage worker's compensation claims, retirement plans, and employee benefits packages. Time tracking is included, which connects exact employee hours with their pay.
Trinet Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features are definitely the software's compensation benchmarking capabilities, which stood out to me in my testing. The data is verified by Salary.com and covers 15,000 different job titles and 225 industries, helping you craft a better, more competitive compensation structure.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, BambooHR, Lattice, Greenhouse Software, Carta, and Xero.
Pros
- Company provides HR consulting as well as software
- Centralizes all of your HR processes in one platform
- Global payroll management for multinational businesses
Cons
- Full functionality may not be needed
- Robust system, comes with a learning curve
ADP TotalSource
Best manager and employee self-service features
ADP TotalSource is an all-in-one HR platform that offers payroll capabilities as well as benefits administration, hiring, and onboarding. HR services are also provided with the software from a team of experienced professionals.
Why I picked ADP TotalSource: It's nice when both employees and managers can easily gain access to the right payroll information, which is why I picked this software. Employees can access their paystubs and change personal information such as home addresses and direct deposit details from their self-serve portal. Managers, meanwhile, can monitor employees’ time and attendance, view current leave balances, create project codes for work activities, enter payroll data, and generate reports on overtime hours. The payroll module helps you process payroll and ensures compliance with local tax laws with a dedicated team of HR specialists.
ADP TotalSource Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include its automation capabilities for the entire payroll process, which I see as a real time-saver. You can calculate employee wages and taxes, create reports, and ensure compliance with federal and state laws automatically. The system can even send you automatic reminders when new laws are enacted or taxes are due, helping you stay up-to-date and compliant with the latest legislation.
Integrations include ClearCompany, ClockShark, Deputy, JazzHR, Lever, Microsoft Teams, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Sage, SAP Success Factors, Slack, Workday, and Xero, among others.
Pros
- Robust functionality suitable for enterprise businesses
- Friendly, easy to use interface for employers and employees alike
- Admins can make adjustments to information as needed
Cons
- ADP offers many products, which can be confusing
- Setup can be time consuming
Insperity
Best payroll management software and services combined
Insperity is a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution that provides both software and services for various HR functions. Payroll, admin, benefits, compliance, and talent management are among the company's offerings.
Why I picked Insperity: This software offers all of the standard payroll features like local, state, and federal tax filings, direct deposit payment processing, and online pay stubs for employees. But I picked it for the list because it also has employee time tracking that connects with payroll processing, and reporting capabilities to help you track your payroll operations. It's also a complete HCM platform, meaning it can be used for recruitment, employee onboarding, and performance management.
Insperity Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include the fact that this software comes hand-in-hand with expert HR services. I think this is a great feature for SMBs seeking guidance on their HR operations and help you ensure compliance. The software also has garnishment tracking capabilities, which covers things like student loans and child support orders.
Integrations can be configured with the software's public API and API dashboard.
Pros
- Benefits brokering included
- Software and services combined
- All-in-one people management platform
Cons
- Only available to US companies
- May not be ideal for those with in-house HR teams
Justworks
Best payroll software for both salaried and hourly employees
Justworks is a cloud-based payroll software designed to streamline payroll and benefits administration for small and medium-sized businesses.
Why I Picked Justworks: I picked this software because of its time tracking capabilities and its flexibility for paying both hourly rate and salaried workers. Employees can log their hours by project or job code, and add notes to provide more context or detail. Managers can then review and approve timesheets in bulk or individually, and the hours are automatically synced with the payroll system to ensure accurate payment. The software also provides real-time visibility into employee hours, so managers can track employee performance and ensure compliance with labor laws.
Justworks Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include that it covers both payroll and benefits administration. I was impressed to see that it covers health insurance, 401(k) plans, and other benefits. Another feature that sets it apart is its compliance support, which helps you stay up-to-date with changing regulations and avoid costly penalties.
Integrations include 15Five, Accurate Background, Bench, Checkr, Culture Amp, Expensify, Found, JazzHR, Lattice, Pilot, Remote, Teampay, Velocity Global, and Zip Recruiter.
Pros
- PEO services included with all plans
- Local, state and federal tax filing
- Unlimited off-cycle payroll runs
Cons
- Only available for US-based organizations
- Limited customization options
ADP Workforce Now
Best scalable payroll software for small businesses
ADP Workforce Now is a human capital management software suitable for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). ADP is a well-known and trusted HR software company with over 70 years of experience.
Why I picked ADP Workforce Now: This cloud-based software covers both payroll processing and benefits management as well as more general talent management functionality. I chose it because of its scalability, which makes it suitable for small- and medium-sized businesses. Payroll taxes are calculated automatically, and year-end tax forms are provided in the software. You can use the software to pay employees either by direct deposit or with physical cheques.
ADP Workforce Now Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include an add-on for time and attendance tracking, which links employee work hours directly to payroll. I also like that the software is also fully accessible on all web devices, and includes a mobile app. This means you can view employee pay history and compare pay periods side-by-side from any device.
Integrations include Absorb LMS, ClearCompany, ClockShark, Deputy, JazzHR, QuickBooks, Replicon, Sage, SAP SuccessFactors, Sapling, Workday, Xero, and ZipRecruiter, among others.
Pros
- Well-suited to SMBs compared to ADP TotalSource
- Highly customizable to suit your unique business needs
- Straightforward, easy to navigate interface
Cons
- ADP offers multiple products, which can be confusing
- Some integrations are a bit clunky
Need Expert Help Selecting The Right Payroll Management Software?
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The 10 Best Payroll Software Comparison Chart
Here’s a comparison chart that summarizes basic details about each of my top payroll software selections. You can view pricing details and the availability of free trials or demos side-by-side to help you find the best software for your budget.
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Deel Best for global teams, with fully managed payroll services | Free demo available | Flat rate user pricing, with a free version for businesses with up to 200 people | Visit Website |
2 | Papaya Global Best end-to-end workforce management in 160+ countries | Free trial available | EOR from $650/employee/month or $2/contractor/month; Global payroll from $3 to $12/employee/month | Visit Website |
3 | Paycor Best payroll software for automating manual payroll tasks | 90-day free trial + free demo available | From $5/employee/month + $99/month base fee | Visit Website |
4 | Paychex Flex Best for streamlining payroll processing with accuracy, compliance, and ease | Free demo available | From $39/month + $5/employee/month | Visit Website |
5 | Bambee Best software and services for ease of use and expert guidance | Free demo available | From $99/month | Visit Website |
6 | Trinet Best payroll software with compensation benchmarking | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
7 | ADP TotalSource Best manager and employee self-service features | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
8 | Insperity Best payroll management software and services combined | Not available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
9 | Justworks Best payroll software for both salaried and hourly employees | Free demo available | From $59/user/month | Visit Website |
10 | ADP Workforce Now Best scalable payroll software for small businesses | 30-day free trial | From $160/month for up to 49 employees | Visit Website |
Other Online Payroll Options
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best online payroll software shortlist. If you need additional suggestions for software to help you run payroll, check these out:
- OnPay
Best payroll software for niche industries
- Patriot Software
Best basic payroll software for US companies
- PrimePay
Best payroll software for early wage access through paycards
- UZIO
Best payroll software with integrated HR and benefits
- Namely
Best all-in-one payroll software solution for SMBs
- FinancePal
Best payroll management software for outsourcing
- Knit People
Best payroll software for startups
- Wagepoint
Best payroll software for Canadian-based small businesses
- QuickBooks Payroll
Best payroll software for small businesses
- Rippling
Best for USA and Canada-based payroll with tons of integrations
Selection Criteria For the Best Payroll Software
Here’s a summary of the selection criteria I used to develop my top 10 list of payroll software:
Core Functionality
As I tested these software, I made sure they provided full-service payroll functionality. This includes the ability to send out employee paychecks and pay stubs and to manage your payroll tax filing. I looked for this functionality because having a more automatic payroll system is really the main goal of implementing a tool.
Key Features
These are the payroll software features I looked for in each payroll platform:
- Payroll processing: The software must be able to process your employee’s pay, and ensure they’re paid accurately and on time each pay period.
- Tax filing: Most platforms can deduct taxes as required by the locations in which they're available. They can usually also send out year-end tax forms to employees.
- Payroll reports: Tracking your payroll tax and other deductions and employee pay over time is usually included.
- Data management: You might be able to maintain an employee database in the software. This holds information like their emergency contact, social insurance number, and payment details.
- Unique payment options: This might be unlimited payroll runs or pay-on-demand options to make payments between designated pay days.
- Compliance features: Many tools have built-in tools to meet regional employment laws. Some also facilitate worker’s compensation and compliance with government bodies like the IRS or CRA.
- Time-tracking: Especially for hourly workers, having timesheets and scheduling built into your payroll system can really streamline your processes.
- Compensation management: This includes being able to track different pay rates (salary, hourly, overtime, vacation pay, PTO, etc.). Is can also mean tracking salary increases over time.
- Employee portals: Portals allow employees to access their own pay-related data on a self-service basis. They can sometimes also facilitate time off requests or expense reporting.
- Analytics: Dashboards, graphs, and reports to analyze payroll data to gather insights about your staff. These analytics support your organization’s workforce planning efforts.
Usability
I favor payroll tools that can be adopted by anyone, from large businesses to nonprofits. So I looked for payroll software that comes with onboarding, training materials, and an easy-to-access customer support team. These types of usability features are listed in my product overviews.
User Interface (UI)
Payroll is just one of many HR and accounting duties, so I've selected software that respects your time. By that I mean options with a simple and intuitive UI that puts business-critical information front and center. I’ve included notes in my overviews about how user-friendly each software is.
Integrations
Many online payroll services provide other various HR features and functionality. Even so, it's still helpful when payroll software integrates with your other HR software. This could include an HRIS like BambooHR, tools for employee benefits administration and health insurance. It could also be time and attendance tracking software like Clockify or Harvest. Many online payroll services do provide other various HR features and functionality. Every software overview has a list of its integrations.
Value for Money
Scoring high in value for price might mean going above and beyond in payroll features. That could be things like garnishments, industry pay rates analysis, tax compliance, and timesheets. Some platforms also have various add-ons or provide expert HR support, which can help them stand out for their value. As a baseline, payroll software with basic features will cost between $10 and $100 per month, plus a per-employee fee ranging from $2 to $12.
Payroll Software: Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have general questions about how payroll software works or how to choose the right system for you? Take a look through these answers to frequently asked questions to get yourself oriented.
What are the main benefits of using payroll software?
Who uses payroll software?
What is the most popular payroll software?
How much does payroll software cost?
Which payroll software is best for small businesses?
What is same-day payroll?
Other Payroll Software Reviews
Want to check out our other reviews related to payroll software? Here are a few more:
- Automated Payroll Software
- Payroll Software for CAD Businesses
- Payroll Software for Small Businesses
- Payroll Services for Small Businesses
- Free Payroll Software
Modernize Your Payroll Process
There are plenty of payroll software options available, and each one is a bit different from the next. That's why understanding the core functionality of these platforms equips you to pick the right one for your business needs.
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