Top 09 QuickBooks Payroll Alternatives
QuickBooks is a leading platform that optimizes payroll, taxes, and compliance for businesses through automated, integrated solutions. However, despite its widespread use, some users face issues with complex payroll tax handling, set-up errors, missed deadlines, and confusing tax filing procedures. These issues may drive human resources organizations to look for alternative solutions that help curb such shortcomings.
Here, we will review the top 9 QuickBooks Payroll alternatives to help you make an informed decision for your organization. For each product, we will cover:
- How the vendor compares to QuickBooks Payroll
- Pros and cons
- Pricing details
Let’s dive deeper into the details.
TL;DR: What is the best alternative to QuickBooks Payroll? OnPay stands out due to its affordable pricing, unlimited payroll, automated tax filings, and excellent support for small businesses.
OnPay
Best For: Retail, healthcare, nonprofits
Overall Rating: 4.7
Free Trial: 1-month free trial
OnPay Payroll is an all-in-one payroll and Human Resource (HR) platform designed for small to mid-sized businesses. Its key features include unlimited monthly payroll runs, multi-state payroll, employee self-service onboarding, automated tax filings, interoperability, and medical and retirement benefits.
QuickBooks software sometimes does not let users make the required payroll changes manually. However, OnPay has resolved the issue by combining payroll processing, local tax filings, and benefits administration. All of it comes under one flat-rate plan with no add-ons, and that makes it the ideal solution for small to mid-sized scale organizations, as compared to QuickBooks Payroll.
We recommend OnPay as an alternative to QuickBooks, as it is particularly helpful for businesses that prefer transparent pricing with comprehensive payroll and HR features in a user-friendly platform.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of OnPay?
Pros | Cons |
Delivers a logical, descriptive user experience that saves time Simplifies the onboarding and payroll submission process Provides comprehensive reports without special requests | Complicates the set-up of bi-monthly payroll cycles Delays account activation after micro-deposit verification |
How Much Does OnPay Cost?
The pricing for OnPay starts at $49/month as a base fee and $6/person. It offers transparent pricing to users.
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Paylocity
Best For: Education, healthcare, financial services
Overall Rating: 4.2
Free Trial: Not available
Paylocity HR & Payroll is a cloud-based payroll and HR software designed to simplify workforce management. Unlike QuickBooks Payroll, Paylocity provides better quality of support, and it excels in its Employee Self-Service (ESS) features.
Furthermore, Paylocity shines with its direct deposit and tax calculation features, providing seamless payroll processing and accurate tax management compared to QuickBooks. Apart from that, the check/W-2 printing capabilities are much superior when viewed in comparison to QuickBooks.
We recommend Paylocity as a QuickBooks alternative for businesses looking for a comprehensive payroll solution with efficient compliance tools and employee engagement features.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Paylocity?
Pros | Cons |
Provides immediate support when assistance is requested Ensures backup help if the manager is unavailable Facilitates real-time resolution of system issues | Requires manual setup for each new company Does not support easy duplication of structure
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How Much Does Paylocity Cost?
Paylocity offers custom pricing for its HR, IT, and Finance solutions, based on the needs and budget of each organization.
Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change.
Rippling
Best For: Construction, financial services, healthcare
Overall Rating: 4.9
Free Trial: Not available
Rippling HR is an all-in-one workforce management platform combining payroll, HR, and IT. The employee set-up process at QuickBooks Payroll is complicated and time-consuming. However, Rippling counters that issue by providing seamless integration across HR and IT functions that offer full employee lifecycle management.
It automates payroll tax filings, garnishment management, and supports multi-state and global payroll. As compared to QuickBooks, Rippling is easier to use with an intuitive user interface. The automated time tracking and reporting abilities of Rippling make it easier for companies to manage employees’ time off.
We recommend Rippling as an alternative to QuickBooks for businesses that need a comprehensive, unified HR and payroll management system. It can particularly reduce manual work and improve accuracy.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Rippling?
Pros | Cons |
Offers a comprehensive all-in-one platform facilitating payroll, time off, benefits, and pay info Centralizes access to salary, 401K, and HR-related data Eliminates the need to email HR by making processes transparent and self-service | Lacks customization options for notification frequency Does not have a visible dashboard or calendar view for upcoming pay dates |
How Much Does Rippling Cost?
Rippling offers different modules, and their prices vary. Here are the details:
- Platform – Custom pricing
- HCM – Custom pricing
- IT – Custom pricing
- Spend – Custom pricing
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Paychex
Best For: Retail, healthcare, professional services
Overall Rating: 3.8
Free Trial: Not available
Paychex Flex is a comprehensive payroll and HR software designed to support businesses of all sizes. The payroll system of QuickBooks needs improvement, but Paychex offers flexible payroll scheduling, full tax administration with error liability, and extensive HR services.
Key features include automatic payroll processing, paycheck delivery options, employee self-service portals, new hire reporting, and integrations with accounting software like QuickBooks and Sage. Unlike QuickBooks, Wagepoint keeps these functions simple and affordable, while also offering additional add-ons, including workers’ compensation, health benefits, 401k plans, and voluntary benefits. This makes it a comprehensive all-in-one payroll solution.
We recommend Paychex as an alternative to QuickBooks, as it is absolutely ideal for businesses that need scalable payroll with integrated HR and benefits management.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Paychex?
Pros | Cons |
Enables easy access to payroll reports post-processing Includes tools for tax filing and onboarding to help businesses Provides centralized HR solutions that particularly benefit small teams | Includes clunky navigation between platform sections Lacks smooth transitions between system modules |
How Much Does Paychex Cost?
Paychex offers custom pricing to users, depending on their needs. The plan details are mentioned here:
Small Business Essentials
- Paychex Flex Select – Custom pricing
- Paychex Flex Pro – Custom pricing
Full Service HR And Payroll
- Paychex Flex Enterprise – Custom pricing
- HR Pro – Custom pricing
- HR PEO – Custom pricing
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Gusto
Best For: Technology, real estate, healthcare
Overall Rating: 4.4
Free Trial: Not available
Gusto HR software is a cloud-based payroll and HR platform that simplifies employee management. While QuickBooks still has issues with automated tax filing, Gusto takes the lead by offering a comprehensive HR ecosystem with intuitive onboarding, benefits management, and automated tax filings.
As compared to QuickBooks, Gusto is much more user-friendly. It supports unlimited payroll runs, direct deposits, PTO tracking, and employee self-service portals for pay stubs and tax documents. You can also integrate it with top accounting and time-tracking tools. It ensures that your workflows remain on track and there are no delays.
We recommend Gusto as a QuickBooks alternative for businesses that need an easy-to-use and all-in-one payroll and HR solution.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Gusto?
Pros | Cons |
Supports time and attendance tracking efficiently Offers low-cost health benefits for employees Provides strong customer support and helpful resources | Limits customization due to rigid advanced technology selection Users report occasional errors and glitches with passwords |
How Much Does Gusto Cost?
Gusto offers five pricing plans to users. The details are mentioned here:
- Simple - $49/month + $6/month/person
- Plus - $80/month + $12/month/person
- Premium - $180/month + $22/month/person
- Solo - $49/month + $6/month/person
- Contractor Only - $35/month + $6/month/person
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
SurePayroll
Best For: Accountants, healthcare providers, law firms
Overall Rating: 4.5
Free Trial: Not available
SurePayroll is an online payroll solution designed for small businesses to simplify payroll and tax filing. Some users complain about the limited access to QuickBooks; however, SurePayroll offers access to HR advisors, unlimited payroll runs, and integration with multiple time-tracking tools.
It handles automated time tracking of employees and insurance coverage in a better way than QuickBooks. The software is also lauded for its live support during evenings and weekends. SurePayroll is ideal for small businesses that need an affordable, flexible payroll with strong tax compliance and timely customer support.
We recommend SurePayroll as an alternative to QuickBooks Payroll as it simplifies payroll and HR processes for users with automated tax filings, direct deposits, and compliance tracking, compared to the prior platform.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of SurePayroll?
Pros | Cons |
Provides user-friendly payroll and employee portals to facilitate the users Enables smooth employee onboarding during mid-year transitions Offers monthly billing instead of per-run charges, avoiding disruptions in company workflows | Limited options for customizing payroll reports Changes tax filing frequency without a clear rationale |
How Much Does SurePayroll Cost?
SurePayroll offers three pricing plans. Here are the details:
- Full Service - $29/month + $7/employee
- No Tax Filing - $20/month + $4/employee
- Household (for one employee) - $39/month + 10/employee
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Square Payroll
Best For: Retail, beauty, food, and beverages
Overall Rating: 4.8
Free Trial: 30-day free trial
Square Payroll is ideal for all kinds of businesses, especially those using Square’s POS system. While QuickBooks Payroll has limited options for direct payments to employees, Square Payroll offers contractor payments with no extra fees.
The best thing about Square Payroll is that it can be integrated with your POS, and it facilitates taxes, accounting, and compliance for users. It offers benefits and accounting solutions that automatically sync with a company's payroll, including 401(k) plans and health benefits for employees. Not only that, Square Payroll facilitates seamless integration with Square payments as well.
We recommend Square Payroll as an alternative to QuickBooks, as it is perfect for businesses that want easy payroll management tightly linked to their retail or service payments.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Square Payroll?
Pros | Cons |
Offers straightforward payroll setup for new businesses Enables easy entry of EIN and tax details Supports simple onboarding for newly hired employees | Sometimes, it requires manual correction of unexpected tax changes Might be difficulty to resolve direct deposit banking issues
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How Much Does Square Payroll Cost?
Square Payroll offers the following two pricing plans:
- Full-service payroll - $35/month + $6/month/person
- Contractor-only payroll - $6/month/person
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Heartland Payroll+
Best For: Food and restaurants
Overall Rating: 4.2
Free Trial: Not available
Heartland Payroll+ is a scalable payroll and HR solution designed for businesses of all sizes. QuickBooks Payroll occasionally lags behind with the updates in tax forms, but Heartland Payroll+ offers comprehensive tax calculation features.
With Heartland Payroll+, businesses can access a team of payroll professionals anytime they need help. They offer guidance on state and industry-specific labor laws and respond quickly to issues. The system also facilitates time and attendance tracking, payroll tax management, pre-employment solutions, and ACA reporting. Furthermore, it has better approvals, direct deposit, and employee self-service features as compared to QuickBooks.
We recommend Heartland Payroll+ as a QuickBooks alternative for businesses looking for a flexible and all-in-one payroll system, as it can adapt to their growth and compliance needs.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Heartland Payroll+?
Pros | Cons |
Enables easy scheduling with a clear availability display Supports copy-paste scheduling with proper shift tracking Offers help from dedicated representatives for HR and payroll onboarding | Requires support contact for extra payroll runs Demands manual steps for off-cycle termination payrolls |
How Much Does Heartland Payroll+ Cost?
Heartland Payroll+ offers custom pricing, based on the needs and budgets of different businesses.
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Wagepoint
Best For: Accountants and bookkeepers
Overall Rating: 4
Free Trial: 14-day free trial
Wagepoint is a cloud-based payroll software tailored for small businesses. QuickBooks often has limitations with handling larger employee numbers, but Wagepoint resolves that issue. Furthermore, Wagepoint offers straightforward pricing with no contracts and includes time tracking, tax filing, direct deposit, and employee self-service in all plans.
Overall, this platform takes the lead over QuickBooks Payroll due to its ease of use, quality of support, ESS, wage garnishment, direct deposits, and more. Wagepoint is ideal for businesses that want flexible, scalable payroll solutions. It also offers strong customer support.
We recommend Wagepoint as an alternative to QuickBooks for its efficient payroll features such as automated tax filings, direct deposits, compliance tracking, and cost-effectiveness.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Wagepoint?
Pros | Cons |
Enables seamless implementation across the organization Provides smooth, effective training experience Supports monthly use for managing multiple payrolls | Lacks an option for lump sum amount bonuses Does not provide much clarity on fund distribution across multiple bank accounts |
How Much Does Wagepoint Cost?
Wagepoint offers two pricing plans. Here are the details:
- Solo - $20/month + $4/employee/contractor
- Unlimited - $40/month + $6/employee/contractor
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
How We Chose Our Best QuickBooks Payroll Alternatives?
At Software Finder, we conducted a detailed assessment of multiple payroll solutions to identify the most effective alternatives to QuickBooks Payroll. Our comprehensive review process involved several stages, including the following:
Choosing The Best QuickBooks Payroll Alternative
Selecting the best alternative to QuickBooks Payroll can be challenging because the available choices are too many. Each alternative system has varying features, pricing models, and customization levels. Therefore, it is important to evaluate your needs, budget, and workflows to pick a solution that aligns with your organization’s goals.
Additionally, you should also check software demos, compare pricing structures, and review feedback from other organizations to assess a vendor’s reliability. We hope that this comprehensive approach will help you make an informed decision. You can pick one of these best QuickBooks Payroll alternatives for your organizational needs.