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Best Online Payroll Software

Best Online Payroll Software

By Richard C.Richard C. Verified by Inês P.Inês P. Last updated: October 23, 2024 (0)
Table of contents

Processing payroll yourself is no easy task. It involves tracking all your employees’ hours to make sure they get the right pay every time. Figuring out the exact number of hours worked is just one aspect of payroll – you also have to work out overtime, deductions, benefits, and taxes. All of this has to be done perfectly, or it can have serious consequences for your employees and result in expensive mistakes if you do not take into account all the legal regulations.

That’s why payroll software is so important to businesses, whether you have to worry about 10 employees or 1,000 there are solutions that cater specifically to your needs. These solutions provide automation that guarantees that you get payroll done right.

Best payroll software of 2025

Editors' choice
Gusto logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
Plenty of extra functionalities
User-friendly interface
Tax solutions
Payout customization
Small businesses
Paycor logo
Editor's rating:
(4)
Unlimited payruns
Automated payroll
On-demand pay
Trustworthy tax compliance
Growing businesses
ADP logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
Easily scalable
Huge number of integrations
Useful mobile app
Extra HR support
All-in-one HR
Zenefits logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
Large number of integrations
Feature-filled apps
Useful for businesses of any size
International employees included
Medium-sized businesses
OnPay logo
Editor's rating:
(4)
Unlimited payroll runs
In-depth reporting
Error-free guarantee
HR resources
Simplicity
Paychex logo
Editor's rating:
(4)
Extensive, unique HR features
24/7 support with some plans
Suitable for companies of all sizes
Robust platform

Other payroll software providers

Gusto
Editors' choice: Gusto
Editor's rating:
Reviews
  • Plenty of extra functionalities
  • User-friendly interface
  • Tax solutions
  • Payout customization
  • Could have more accounting software integrations
  • Healthcare not available in all states
  • Not possible to use with international workers
Starting price: $6/mo Visit Gusto
Screenshots
Offers
$100 discount for yourself and a friend with the Gusto referral program
Free 30-day trial of Gusto without prior payment
Paycor
Small businesses: Paycor
Editor's rating:
Reviews
  • Unlimited payruns
  • Automated payroll
  • On-demand pay
  • Trustworthy tax compliance
  • Digital wallet
  • High subscription price
  • No refunds
  • Unresponsive email support
Starting price: $99/mo Visit Paycor
Video overview
Offers
50% off the first year with Paycor
No setup fees with Paycor
14-day free trial of Paycor
3-month free trial of Paycor
ADP
Growing businesses: ADP
Editor's rating:
Reviews
  • Easily scalable
  • Huge number of integrations
  • Useful mobile app
  • Extra HR support
  • Responsive customer support
  • No pricing on the website
  • No free trial
Starting price: $10/mo Visit ADP
Video overview
Offers
3 months for free with ADP
Personalized quote with ADP
Interactive demo of ADP
Zenefits
All-in-one HR: Zenefits
Editor's rating:
Reviews
  • Large number of integrations
  • Feature-filled apps
  • Useful for businesses of any size
  • International employees included
  • No 24/7 support
  • Payroll only sold as an add-on
Starting price: $8/mo Visit Zenefits
Screenshots
Offers
Up to 29% on your Zenefits subscription
Free 14-day trial of Zenefits
OnPay
Medium-sized businesses: OnPay
Editor's rating:
Reviews
  • Unlimited payroll runs
  • In-depth reporting
  • Error-free guarantee
  • HR resources
  • First month free
  • No dedicated mobile app
  • Can't access outside the U.S.
Starting price: $36/mo Visit OnPay
Screenshots
Offers
Free first month of OnPay
Free 30-day trial of OnPay
Paychex
Simplicity: Paychex
Editor's rating:
Reviews
  • Extensive, unique HR features
  • 24/7 support with some plans
  • Suitable for companies of all sizes
  • Robust platform
  • Pricey
  • Difficult to navigate offers
  • No lifetime access to user accounts
Starting price: $59/mo Visit Paychex
Screenshots
Offers
$1,000 worth of digital marketing services
Risk-free trial of all Paychex features

How payroll software works

Running a business isn’t easy – it’s often a stressful and time-consuming endeavor. Similarly, processing payroll manually can take up a huge amount of time that could be spent on other things. It is essential that payroll done right, or there’s could be big consequences – which is where payroll software comes in. Payroll software does all of this for you automatically, taking into account time worked (this can be tracked through an app or inputted manually), benefits, deductions, and taxes while providing flexibility to tailor the service to your needs. Payroll software ensures you’ll easily be able to manage salaried employees, contractors, and international workers with ease. Meanwhile, employees have the option of accessing their online payslips anytime, anywhere even long after they’ve left the company.

The best payroll software offers more than just calculating the numbers though. They can also help with other aspects like onboarding, time tracking, generate detailed reports, as well as helping find new job candidates. Some even come with apps allowing employees to clock in and out, request time off, read documentation, and even send messages, becoming a complete package.

Why your company needs payroll software

When you set up a new business and have just a few employees to worry about, you may find payroll is a fairly easy process. However, as your business grows, and you take on more staff it will only get more complicated and time-consuming. This is time that can be better spent on other aspects which is where payroll software comes in. But it’s not just about saving you precious hours – payroll software also ensures you’ll be in the hands of specialists who know all about which taxes needed to be paid and how to stay compliant with any regulations. If you have any issues, there’ll be someone who can help you right away.

As your company grows, your payroll software will be able to adapt to the new challenges you face. Whether it’s through hiring contractors or expanding internationally, there’s a lot more to consider. That’s before you need to make sure you’re paying the exact amount for healthcare, insurance, bonuses, as well as taking the correct deductions for loan or alimony payments. Try doing this yourself, and you may find it to be much more of a hassle than you would expect.

How to choose the best payroll software for your business

Choosing which payroll software is right for your business is tricky, and there are a lot of different aspects to consider. First, it depends on your business’s current size while also considering what size of business you expect to become in the future, as you don’t want to outgrow your payroll software down the line. Some payroll software is designed with small-to-medium sized businesses in mind while others are tailored for the needs of bigger companies. The features are also something that you should look at carefully, as you want to make sure you accommodate for desired payment intervals, customized reports, and tax form generation. On top of that, many services go far beyond payroll and can help with all aspects of human resources.

Of course, it’s very important to read expert reviews, just like the ones you’ll find here, so you know you’re getting the perfect payroll software for your business.

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