10 Best Online Payroll Software In 2021

This article will help you quickly compare and evaluate the best complete payroll solutions and other online payroll services.

Human resource managers will often have a host of different HR software and HRIS software at their disposal. Some sort of digital tool for payroll calculation and distribution will undoubtedly be a vital component of your day-to-day toolkit. 

In this post, I’ll highlight a few of the best payroll systems and explain how they can be used to help HR managers and other team leads. 

Whether you need a paycheck software for large enterprise payroll or small business payroll, we have found a collection of payroll apps to meet your needs.

The Best Online Payroll Software List

Here’s a shortlist of the best online payroll software:

1. ADP 
2. Quickbooks
3. Namely
4. TraxPayroll
5. Knit People
6. Humi 
7. Wagepoint
8. Papaya Global
9. Safeguard Global
10. Kronos

Payroll App FAQ

Have some general payroll software questions? Start with this FAQ to get yourself oriented. 

What is the most popular payroll software?

It’s hard to gauge the most popular payroll software but a few have a large user base and strong brand recognition, like QuickBooks, Netsuite, or Xero. 

How much does payroll software cost? 

Payroll software varies in price and may land anywhere from $10/month to $80/month, depending on the number of users or list of features required. Additionally, there may be a one-time set-up fee of, for example, a couple hundred to a couple of thousand dollars. There may also be an additional monthly fee to add users to your plan, ranging from $2/user to $12/user. 

Which payroll software is best for small businesses?

Payroll software for small business should be inexpensive, appropriate for small scale staffing, and easy to implement (who has time for extensive training when you’re a team of 20 or less?). Payroll software you might want to check out includes WebHR ($1-2/employee/month) or PayDay! SaaS (starting at $25/month for up to 5 employees). 

What is the best free payroll software?

Free payroll software you can choose from includes Payroll4Free.com, HR.my, TimeTrex, eSmart Paycheck, Paycheck Manager, Wave, and ExcelPayroll.org. 

Not looking for a list of payroll software? Check out our other lists of top payroll software:

1. Looking to establish some high-level goals for your company? Objectives and Key Results software (OKR software) can help you do that.
2. Enterprise resource planning can be a chore. Try these 10 Best ERP Software suggestions to see what’s available to you. 
3. Can’t do payroll without hiring a staff first. Try these Staffing and Recruiting Tools to ensure you are attracting the best candidates. 

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Overviews Of The Best Payroll Software

Here’s a brief description of each of the payroll solutions that are featured within this payroll software comparison.

1. ADP – An employee payroll tool with employee and manager self-service online or with their mobile app and integration with HR systems/ERPs.

2. Quickbooks – Payroll management tools with features like payroll, HR services, health benefits, and workers’ comp with Tax Penalty Protection.

3. Namely – A system for payroll online that can sync with all of your HR, time and attendance, and benefits data in order to unify HR and payroll. 

4. TraxPayroll – A web-based payroll system centered around a promise to simplify the payroll experience for small to medium-sized businesses.

5. Knit People – Streamlined payroll and HR tools with the ability to track historical compensation and set vacation policy, plus more. 

6. Humi – HR, payroll, and benefits designed for small- to mid-sized businesses so they can pay employees, remit taxes, and keep records.

7. Wagepoint – Automated payroll software for Canada and the United States with direct deposit, payroll calculations, and tax compliance. 

8. Papaya Global – Manage global payroll, PEO, and contractors via one platform and make cross-border payments in more than 100 countries.

9. Safeguard Global – Streamlined payroll processing across currencies, languages, time zones, and customs with comprehensive data/insights. 

10. Kronos – A global payroll tool with in-depth reporting options and end-to-end solutions for tax filing, garnishment processing, and checks.

Other Online Payroll Options

Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list. If you need additional suggestions for handy payroll software for accountants, check these out.

1. Payment Evolution – Online payroll with all source deductions (CPP, EI, taxes and more) and custom pay rules for benefits and earnings.
2. Deluxe Payweb – Canadian payroll for Canadian or American companies with CRA compliance measures built-in. 
3. Humanic Payroll – Feature-rich applications that address the needs of your payroll department both domestically and internationally.
4. Simple X Payroll – Full service integrated Payroll coverage with Employee Scheduling, Time Management, Project reporting, and Payroll. 
5. TransNational Full Service Payroll – Enter your employees’ work hours, and this tool will handle your federal, state, and local payroll taxes.
6. EBS – A tool for keeping track of pay rates, managing pay codes, tracking employee benefits, and calculating tax withholdings. 
7. Epayroll – An Australian web payroll and employee management software provider with features for employee self-service included. 
8. Payroll City – Scalable cloud-based payroll software with advanced reporting, POS integrations, and an HR library.
9. BrightPay – Easy-to-use payroll software that is desktop-based and is available for both Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS X.
10. AscentPayroll – Intuitive payroll software with features like income tax calculator, Flexi reimbursements and Expat grossing up tax.
11. PayDay! SaaS – A cloud payroll and leave system targeted towards small businesses and startup companies. 
12. Paybooks – HR and payroll software for Indian companies with direct salary payment, inbuilt compliance, and biometric attendance. 
13. WebHR – An affordable global payroll provider with (additional cost) add-on modules for recruitment/applicant tracking and performance reviews. 
14. StarGarden HCM – a cloud-based HR automation with automated workflows, reporting, and dashboards as well as full-function HRM/HCM. 
15. Umana – Payroll tools structured around the navigation of personalized rules and exceptions for human resources and time management.
16. Vista Payroll – Complete payroll administration, time collection, calendars, auto-pay generation, and more.
17. ScalePEO – Efficient and secure payroll software with automated deposits, one-off payments, W-2s and 1099s, and multiple employee types.
18. HR Club – Employee management for Canadian small businesses with a modest annual fee and full CRA compliance. 
19. Checkmark Canada Payroll – A cloud-based Canadian payroll system with room for up to 99 departments and unlimited job titles.

What Do You Think About These Payroll Programs?

Have you tried out any paystub software listed above? What’s your go-to for your business online payroll? Is there any payroll software that you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments.