QuickBooks Payroll Reviews

“simple payroll with excellent support”

Pros

Navigating the program is very easy which makes it especially helpful for business owners. The customer service has also been excellent.

Cons

The only issue I ran into was during a callback from a customer service representative who hung up after I mentioned that their accent was very heavy and I needed someone I could understand without having to repeat myself.

“payroll filing handled for you”

Pros

The biggest benefits of this software is how much of the payroll process it takes care of for me. I mostly just need to run payroll and from there it handles the rest behind the scenes. I do not have to stress about quarterly or annual tax filings either since QuickBooks takes care of those for me.

Cons

There are a few problems I have run into with this software. First, if an employee has a mailing address in another state, there is no way for me to update the state code in the system. Second, the options for how allowances are paid and how vacation time accrues are pretty limited. It would be much better if there were more customization choices. With allowances especially, I have to be careful to put them on only one paycheck instead of spreading them across multiple checks because otherwise the totals are not calculated correctly by the end of the month.

“accurate tax tracking, frustrating support delays”

Pros

One thing QuickBooks Payroll handled well was keeping state and federal taxes accurate. Direct deposits also consistently arrived on time as long as the two-day processing window was met. It was also simple to add deductions and contributions and the system taxed them correctly.

Cons

At first, we used the assisted payroll option, where Intuit takes care of paying the state and federal taxes on your behalf. Eventually, though, we switched down to the enhanced payroll service with direct deposit because tax payments were being submitted late and notices from tax agencies seemed to sit unresolved for far too long. Support told us it could take 21 business days to address a tax notice and anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks to process a wage or tax adjustment, all while charging very expensive fees. In the end, we decided it was better to save the money and avoid the hassle by paying the taxes ourselves on time.

“simple setup and reliable payroll”

Pros

It handles exactly what I need it to and getting everything set up was simple too.

Cons

One downside is that I cannot really manage it by myself. Anytime something needs to be changed with the standard payroll setup, I have to reach out to customer support for help.

“affordable quickbooks integration”

Pros

The pricing is affordable and it works well because it's integrated directly with QuickBooks.

Cons

Try dealing with their new Risk Assessment Department. I have been attempting to set up direct deposit for my new company for the past three months and they still cannot seem to get it sorted out. It feels more complicated than applying for a mortgage. My other companies haven't had this issue but with this one they keep requesting more and more information just to process $2,000 a week in payroll. Their explanation is that I am a new company and they are fronting the direct deposit funds. Honestly that's not my concern. Other payroll providers are able to handle this without all the hassle. They should be upfront and clearly say they don't really offer direct deposit for new companies.

“stress-free payroll calculations”

Pros

Using QuickBooks Payroll has been a really positive experience. The platform is simple to navigate and it removes a lot of the pressure that comes with handling payroll especially when the calculations get complicated. I'd definitely recommend this product because it makes the whole process much less stressful and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Cons

One drawback is the customer support setup which seems to be outsourced across different parts of the world, like many large companies do. That alone isn't really an issue but it can turn into one when communication is hard because the person on the phone is difficult to understand. It seems to come down mostly to a language barrier.

“payroll tasks fully covered”

Pros

From payroll taxes to health insurance, HSAs, unemployment and even child support, this software handles just about everything I need. It also keeps the tax tables updated automatically which helps me stay current without having to check for changes myself.

Cons

With a small business, the software can feel a bit oversized and packed with more features than I actually need. I have had to disable some of them and without a decent accounting background, it's pretty easy to feel overwhelmed or lose your way.

“payroll setup made simple”

Pros

Getting payroll up and running for every employee is really easy because the software walks you through the setup step by step. It also does a good job of helping with weekly, quarterly and annual tax setup.

Cons

One frustrating part is that when payroll needs to be adjusted, updating the payroll tax details can be difficult and not very convenient.

“smooth QuickBooks payroll fit”

Pros

Using this for payroll has been the simplest and most fully integrated option alongside our QuickBooks software.

Cons

We haven't run into any issues as it's been proven a great product for our business.

“vague rejection and wasted time”

Pros

The software itself was fairly user friendly and the layout made it simple to learn quickly. Adding employee information was also fast and efficient.

Cons

We signed up for a free trial of QuickBooks Payroll and had to verify our bank account before we could finish setting up direct deposit. They were supposed to send a small test deposit and once we confirmed the amount, we could move forward. After waiting a full week, nothing ever appeared in our account. When I finally called support and sat on hold for nearly 30 minutes, I was told that after reviewing our account, QuickBooks had decided they could not provide payroll service to us. The explanation was extremely vague as they just said some internal review team had labeled our business as high risk. I tried to explain that we are a brand-new company and had only opened our bank account three weeks earlier. The day before, one transaction had been flagged by the bank for review but I had already resolved it and confirmed it was legitimate. I assume that may have influenced their decision but there was no way to speak with the review team directly, no clear explanation of why they denied us and no option for a second review or appeal. After spending more than a week trying to get everything set up, QuickBooks rejected our business without giving a real reason so I had no choice but to find another payroll provider.

“reliable payroll tracking features”

Pros

Running Enhanced Payroll has been working really well for us. It keeps up with payroll liabilities accurately and lets you pay them online through QuickBooks which is really convenient when everything is functioning properly.

Cons

After we changed bank accounts, moving all of the payroll direct deposit information over turned into a nightmare. On top of that someone in the office selected the wrong state for withholding and unemployment and we still haven't been able to remove it. Just like with QuickBooks in general, if something goes wrong and you need customer service, expect to spend several hours dealing with them. They are far from quick and tend to pass you around multiple times before you finally reach someone who can actually help.

“same-day check issue”

Pros

If all you need is basic integration or payroll use tied to job costing with TSheets, QuickBooks full-service payroll can be a suitable option.

Cons

A big frustration is not being able to issue checks the same day unless you pay an extra $100, otherwise you need to allow a two-day lead time. I did figure out a workaround but I should still be able to pay an employee without having to post-date the check by two days. Customer support is usually willing to assist but every call tends to turn into a 2-3 hour phone session and that is coming from someone who is QB certified.

“payroll features that deliver”

Pros

Compared with using a traditional payroll service, QuickBooks Payroll costs a lot less while still covering a wide range of essentials. It includes direct deposit, employee self-service portals, W-2 and 1099-MISC filing, quarterly tax filing and electronic tax payments. It also handles direct deposit for independent contractors, offers strong customizable financial reporting, makes collecting Form W-9 details simple and has a dependable mobile app so payroll can be processed from anywhere. Support for multiple pay rates, benefits and withholdings is another big plus.

Cons

One limitation is that QuickBooks Payroll is offered through both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and if you're using the Online version, payroll processing depends entirely on having an Internet connection available when you need to run it.

“payroll that removes the hassle”

Pros

One of the best parts is how well it works with QuickBooks. I have used it with both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online and it makes payroll much simpler to run. I have also worked with both the Enhanced and Full Service payroll options. It's really helpful that the system lets you know when forms need to be filed and how much has to be paid to local, state and federal agencies. It takes a lot of the stress and hassle out of paying employees.

Cons

The setup can be a bit confusing now and then but QuickBooks does provide support to help with that. It's just important to give yourself enough time to get everything set up properly.

“support mistake caused overdrafts”

Pros

It works well with QBO and the system is quick and simple to navigate. I also appreciate that payroll can be submitted the day before which is really convenient.

Cons

I handle bookkeeping for churches and rely on classes to track different funds and projects so it is frustrating that I cannot assign a class to an employee on my own. Instead, I have to contact support and the wait times are usually long. That leads to my biggest issue with this service as support has been extremely inconsistent. Some representatives are helpful but others are absolutely not. I called once to adjust a payroll period and the rep I reached was very rude. I ended the call feeling like it had been a complete waste of time but without my permission or even my knowledge, she deleted a payroll I had already processed. Then when she reprocessed it, she overpaid one employee by $10,000 which emptied the church's bank account and caused several overdraft fees. It took three months to fix the damage and the whole situation was a nightmare. I will never use this payroll service again.

“payroll fits perfectly in qbo”

Pros

Running payroll directly through our existing QBO file means there's no need to enter the same information twice anymore which is a huge plus.

Cons

This may not be the best fit for larger companies that need more advanced HR capabilities beyond simply processing paychecks each pay period, although setting up employee deductions for things like healthcare and retirement plans is still fairly simple.

“powerful payroll and job costing”

Pros

Running a cost-plus general contracting business, we rely heavily on the Procore ERP integration to create vendors directly in QuickBooks. Once those vendors are set up, entering bills and paying subcontractors is very easy. Setting up customer jobs also lets us apply job-cost codes correctly when billing clients. The reconciliation feature is helpful for confirming that our charges line up with the monthly statement. Being able to print checks through QuickBooks is another big plus since they come out looking professional. The Profit & Loss report is probably the most valuable tool for us because it lets you drill into individual G/L accounts and clearly track gross income and profit. Without QuickBooks, our company would be far more disorganized. It does an excellent job of keeping our expenses, payroll and vendors organized and stored in one place.

Cons

One area that can be difficult is the credit card reconciliation tool. It is not always user friendly and usually requires extra guidance and training from an accountant to make sure it is being handled correctly.

“payroll reminders and direct deposit”

Pros

It handles all the calculations for me, sends reminders when payroll and liability payments are due and offers direct deposit for a small, reasonable fee. I honestly wouldn't want to go back to doing payroll on paper.

Cons

The enhanced payroll option does cost more but it's definitely worth paying for

“predictable pricing for many eins”

Pros

One thing I really appreciate is being able to use this software for up to 50 EINs without paying extra based on employee count. The single annual subscription is also a big plus because it lets me know my costs upfront for the year.

Cons

It would be much better if I could handle payroll for multiple clients at the same time. Having to keep opening and closing company files whenever I need to enter data gets frustrating.

“costly and frustrating payroll”

Pros

Sending invoices was fairly easy and the online payment option was a nice feature too.

Cons

Using it took way too much time, the cost felt high and it was hard to work with especially when compared with other products on the market.