The Best Cheap Payroll Services for 2023

QuickBooks Payroll: Best for automated features

QuickBooks is a highly popular servicer of business accounting software solutions, as its product streamlines payroll processes as well as HR and tax operations. The platform uses automation to remove the significant human effort that would otherwise be necessary to conduct payroll processing. While all of QuickBooks Payroll products provide simplified tools for businesses to run their employee payroll, customers can also enjoy additional tax filing capabilities by choosing one of its higher-tier plans.

Features

• Auto Payroll tools, and automated taxes and forms.
• 1099 E-File & Pay — to create and e-file 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC forms.
• Expert product support from payroll experts for help, troubleshooting assistance, tips and resources.
• Next-day direct deposit (same-day for higher tier plans).
• Employee portal for team members to access their pay stubs, W-2s and other important tax information.
• 401(k) plans and workers’ comp administration.

Pros

• QuickBooks Payroll supports unlimited payroll runs in all 50 U.S. states, supports direct deposit payments, and its automated features can save users time and effort. All in all, it makes it easy for businesses to take care of their payroll taste quickly, easily and compliantly.
• The payroll solution integrates with other popular QuickBooks services, such as the QuickBooks accounting solution. Not only can users of both solutions perform all of their payroll and finance processes within one system, but connecting them can make it easier to access relevant data. Businesses are able to generate detailed payroll reports and make accurate payments through the connected system.
• QuickBooks Payroll supports team members as well through its employee self-service portal. Employees can easily view their personal payroll information like paystubs and W-2s within the QuickBooks employee portal.

Cons

• While QuickBooks Payroll is offered in several tiers, the prices may be too high to justify the limited features offered. For instance, the solutions do not provide advanced HR features, and these HR capabilities are especially basic in lower-tier products. Additionally, lower-tier plans must pay additional filing fees for employees in other states.
• Many advanced payroll processing features are only provided through their more expensive tier plans, like on-the-go time tracking, same-day direct deposits and the HR advisor support feature.

Pricing

QuickBooks offers three different pricing tiers for its payroll solutions:

• Core: $45 per month, plus $5 per employee per month.
• Premium: $75 per month, plus $8 per employee per month.
• Payroll Elite: $125 per month, plus $10 per employee per month.

QuickBooks also offers a 30-day free trial and 50% off the monthly price for the QuickBooks Products for the first three months of service.

For more information, read our full QuickBooks review.

OnPay: Best for integrations

OnPay is another great payroll option for businesses on a budget. Regardless of your organization’s size or industry, OnPay has products with specific features chosen to fit in with different types of organizations in mind. The service provides payroll features, HR capabilities and even integrates with many of the popular third-popular tools your business may already use. And better yet, you won’t need to worry about confusing pricing tiers, as all of OnPay’s payroll software features are provided for one price of $40 per month plus $6 per person.

Features

• All tax filings and payments.
• Multiple pay rates and schedules.
• Report designer with custom reporting.
• Accounting and time tracking integrations.

• Detailed employee profiles and contact info.

• Health and dental benefits in all 50 states.

Pros

• OnPay’s software is offered through a single basic pricing model, making it easier for businesses to determine the final cost of their payroll software.
• OnPay provides payroll services designed for all different sizes and types of organizations, with special payroll services offered at no extra costs. These special payroll features are specific to business sectors, so all companies can benefit from the tools that they need in a payroll solution.
• Tax filings and payments through OnPay are available in 50 U.S. states, including W-2 and 1099 workers. The vendor also promises an accuracy guarantee, calculating and filing taxes for businesses using the information provided by payroll staff, employees and data gathered through integrations with connected third-party systems.

Cons

• Unfortunately, the majority of OnPay’s customer support access is limited to weekdays, and users can only submit emergency support emails on weekends.
• Despite OnPay’s easy product pricing, certain services do come with additional fees. For example, printing and distributing annual W-2 and 1099 forms requires fees.

Pricing

OnPay payroll is priced at $40 per month as a base fee, plus $6 per month per employee.

For more information, read our full OnPay review.

Gusto: Best for international teams

Gusto is an all-in-one payroll software provider — and this one is beloved by business teams far and wide. Its online payroll solutions automate and simplify several areas of payroll and onboarding processes so workers can begin their jobs fast. In addition, international teams are sure to enjoy Gusto’s “contractor-only” payroll plan that can be used to hire workers remotely and fund international contractors on every continent except for Antarctica! Of course, the solution also provides local tax law and regulation compliance features for running payroll in multiple countries.

Features

• Full-service single-state payroll processing, including W-2s and 1099s (full-service multi-state payroll capabilities are also provided in higher-tier plans).
• Basic hiring and onboarding tools.
• Gusto-brokered health insurance administration provides extensive health benefits to employees.
• Employee financial benefits including 401(k) retirement plans, workers’ comp administration, insurance plans and free financial tools.
• Payroll and time-off reporting (with time-tracking features included in higher-tier plans)
• Integrations for processes like accounting, time tracking and expense management.

Pros

• Businesses can file payroll taxes through Gusto’s solution and ensure accuracy with auto-calculations. Higher-level plans also include additional HR and team management features, like employee surveys and performance review tools.
• All of Gusto’s plans provide self-service capabilities to employees with easy self-setup support and access to view their employment documentation, including their pay stubs and W-2s.
• Gusto’s Mobile Time Tracking and Geolocation tools allow workers to log their work hours from anywhere in the world, making it possible for employers to ensure that their international workers are being productive.
• The software processes all local, state and federal payroll tax forms. It also reports new hires and automatically calculates, files and pays all local, state and federal payroll taxes.

Cons

• Gusto Basic plan users cannot access customer support on weekends, and the HR Resource Center can only be accessed through the most expensive Premium tier plans.
• Gusto can be an inexpensive payroll product, depending on the size of the team that uses it. The solution charges a high per-employee fee and can become expensive for organizations with a greater number of employees.
• While Gusto’s software contains a wide range of payroll and HR capabilities, it may not provide as many fine-tuned features for accounting and bookkeeping as its competitors.

Pricing

Gusto offers three different pricing tiers for its payroll solutions:

• Simple: Starts at $40 per month, plus $6 per month per employee.
• Plus: Starts at $80 per month, plus $12 per month per employee. As a limited time offer for the first six months of service, the Plus plan is priced at $60 per month, plus $9 per month per employee.
• Premium: Pricing for this plan is available upon request.

The Contractor Only plan provides services for contractor-only businesses. It is priced at $35 per month plus $6 per month per contractor. This plan has international contractor payments available as an add-on service.

For more information, read our full Gusto review.

SurePayroll: Best for reporting

SurePayroll is enjoyed by users for its inexpensive pricing, robust reporting tools and ease-of-use. The solution enables businesses to do all the basic payroll processes with automated payroll features, tax calculations and filing capabilities. But where the software really stands out is through its reporting features. The comprehensive reports can enable businesses to leverage their data regarding payroll, new hires, employee trends, benefits and other vital factors. This way, users can save even more money by making informed business decisions through actionable data-backed insights.

Features

• Accurate tax liability calculation guarantee.
• Extensive reporting capabilities.
• Workers’ compensation coverage with flexible payment options.
• 401(k) plans and handling of 401(k) deductions.
• Affordable and transparent retirement plans and healthcare for small businesses.
• Pre-employment screenings of candidates.

Pros

• SurePayroll’s extensive reporting capabilities are next-level, as users can view and download custom reports that reflect data accessed from integrated systems. This can allow business leaders to gain valuable reports from various areas of their business operations.
• Businesses can alleviate the stress of tax procedures thanks to SurePayroll’s accurate tax liability calculation guarantee. The guarantee ensures users SurePayroll will cover any related expenses due to tax payment mistakes — and at no extra charge to the user organization.
• SurePayroll provides users with access to live U.S.-based support on evenings and weekends.

Cons

• SurePayroll provides an additional fee for businesses that want to use the service to process their year-end taxes.
• Unfortunately, SurePayroll’s pricing is not cut and dry. Businesses must complete an online form and provide their email and phone information to receive a quote for the cost of a payroll solution.

Pricing

Although a Google search of SurePayroll’s pricing indicates that their plans start at $19.99 per month plus $4 per employee, it appears as though the specific price numbers have recently been wiped from their website. Instead, the website encourages visitors to complete an online form to receive a price quote.

However, we do know that SurePayroll offers Full-Service payroll and No Tax Filing (self-service) payroll solutions. While the plans likely differ in cost, they each provide services through a base price plus an additional price per worker.

For more information, read our full SurePayroll review.

Square Payroll: Best for U.S. multi-state payroll processing

Square Payroll is another excellent option for businesses with employers and contractors. The software helps businesses in all 50 U.S. states to run payroll and streamline wage-related tasks. It offers businesses and users a wide range of options for payments, as it can process hourly, salary or custom amount payments and can distribute them as checks, direct deposit or Cash App. In addition, its integration options with Square’s other software tools or third-party solutions can expand the software’s functionality, and administrators and team members alike can use the platform online or through the Square Payroll App to view and manage their payroll operations on the go.

Features

• Payroll for employees and contractors with automatic payroll tax calculations.
• Pay through check, direct deposit or Cash App.
• Automatic filing of quarterly and annual taxes.
• Timecard, tips and commissions integration through Square solutions and third-party partners.
• Employee self-service app and timecards.
• Workers’ comp insurance, healthcare and retirement benefits integration.

Pros

• If you try Square Payroll and decide you don’t love it, you’re in luck. Square uses a month-by-month pricing plan with no long-term commitments, so businesses can cancel their subscription anytime.
• Square Payroll provides free seasonal inactivity, meaning that businesses are able to freeze their billing and pause payments if they are not using the service.
• The integration options offered by Square Payroll enable businesses to provide integrated benefits options for health insurance, workers’ compensation and retirement. Businesses can also apply their existing benefits within the Square Payroll platform to gain taxable benefit deductions and contributions to their employees’ profiles.

Cons

• Unfortunately, Square Payroll does not provide new users with a free trial of its payroll software solution.
• Square Payroll lacks accounting features and robust reporting capabilities, which other payroll competitors commonly provide.

Pricing

Square offers two different pricing tiers for its payroll solutions:

• Pay Contractors Only: $5 per contractor
• Pay Employees & Contractors: $35 per month, plus $5 per employee/contractor

For more information, read our full Square Payroll review.

Patriot Software: Best for small businesses

Patriot Software offers all-in-one payroll solutions with user-friendly tools and affordable pricing plans that are beneficial for small businesses on a budget. In addition, the solution provides several tools to simplify payroll operations for business leaders and team members alike, including tax filing, timekeeping, financial management, invoicing and expense tracking. This is also great for businesses existing in multiple physical locations or with teams working remotely in various areas, as Patriot Software can process payroll taxes calculated correctly based on the employee’s location.

Features

• Easy onboarding and setup.
• Customizable hours, money and deductions.
• Electronic or printable W-2s.
• Multiple pay rates and all pay frequencies.
• Optional 1099 e-filing.
• Filing and depositing of federal, state, local and year-end payroll taxes (for Full-Service plan customers) and guaranteed tax filing accuracy.

Pros

• The software is available in a free trial version for potential buyers that are interested in testing the software before committing to a paid subscription.

• Patriot Software provides unlimited payrolls and contractor payments, all under one monthly price with no hidden fees. And with no long-term contracts, businesses can quit at any time.
• Patriot Software resides on a secure server that encrypts user and business information using secure socket layers, so all information is secure.

Cons

• Patriot Software’s website is mobile-friendly, however, it does not have a mobile app.
• While Patriot Software may be ideal for smaller businesses, larger organizations may not be able to use its solutions, as they only support payroll for employers with up to 500 employees.
• Patriot Software’s standard payroll option takes four days to process direct deposits, and businesses must purchase the Full-Service Payroll plan to access tax filing and deposit features.

Pricing

Patriot offers two different pricing tiers for its payroll solutions:

• Basic Payroll: $17 per month, plus $4 per employee/contractor
• Full Service Payroll: $37 per month, plus $4 per employee/contractor

For more information, read our full Patriot Software review.

Paychex: Best for mobile access

The all-in-one payroll solution that Paychex offers provides HR capabilities, automated payroll features and benefits outsourcing services. The payroll software is designed with business needs in mind, as buyers can choose between the Small Business Payroll or Midsize to Enterprise Payroll, based on their size and needs. In addition, the platform has impressive HR services and provides a free Paychex Flex mobile app so that users can access payroll information easily on the go.

Features

• Online payroll processing, and online employee self-service tools.
• Direct deposit, paycards, paper checks, online tip sharing and on-demand access to earned wages.
• Free mobile app for business leaders and employees.
• Robust reporting and analytics for insights into payroll and HR data.
• 24/7 customer service and technical support.
• Benefits administration.

Pros

• Businesses can access a range of optional employee benefits offerings at no additional charge.
• Users can receive software help through their dedicated point of contact and have 24/7 access to the customer support center.
• Paychex has 200+ compliance experts monitoring ever-changing tax laws and regulations, so users can trust that their taxes are processed accurately.

Cons

• While Paychex is on this list of inexpensive payroll solutions, it may be a pricier option than other vendors. For instance, Paychex charges additional fees per employee to process year-end W-2s and 1099s, and pricing information for its higher-tier options is not available online.
• Only users with the most expensive Paychex Flex Pro plan can access Paychex’s State Unemployment Insurance Services.

Pricing

Paychex offers three different pricing tiers for its payroll solutions:

• Paychex Flex Essentials: $39 per month, plus $5 per employee.
• Paychex Flex Select: Custom pricing information is available upon request.
• Paychex Flex Pro: Custom pricing information is available upon request.

For more information, read our full Paychex review.