Best Payroll Software

To help you make a better choice, our team tested the highest-rated payroll solutions, consulted countless business owners, and sifted through hundreds of reviews to find the most functional and user-friendly solutions.

Payroll automation and simplification tools have become essential for businesses aiming to streamline daily operations, including salary administration, international payroll, and employee benefits administration. Choosing the right platform, however, can be challenging, especially for companies that need efficiency, affordability, and ease of use in a single package.

This guide focuses on payroll platforms that help simplify employee payments, improve compliance, and foster a productive workplace culture, without the complexities linked to more complicated or enterprise-grade systems.

1. Rippling (Editor’s Choice)

Rippling features a modular design that is ideally suited for rapidly expanding businesses that need a unified platform to oversee not only HR and payroll but also IT and expense management The platform’s payroll service stands out for its ability to automate common workflows with features for overseeing international employees and contractors. It lets users process off-cycle payroll runs, adding the element of flexibility.   

Rippling Pros And Cons

Best For

The platform’s diverse feature set makes it a suitable payroll option for businesses of all sizes across various industries and sectors, such as construction, financial services, and healthcare industries.

Key Features

• Global Workforce Management
• Policy Management
• Custom Workflows
• Access And Approval Management
• Workforce Analytics

Pricing

The platform offers a starting price of $8/user/month plus a $40 base fee and builds on it with modular pricing across four service categories, including Platform, HCM, IT, and Spend. Users can pick and choose from modules across these categories for the ideal HRMS experience. View pricing details.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Why We Like It

For companies with limited administrative teams, the level of automation Rippling offers for tasks like payroll, benefits enrollment, and app provisioning serves as a massive time-saving component. Its intuitive and user-friendly experience, along with automated onboarding capabilities, makes it easy for new employees to get started. It also allows administrators the space to manage a growing workforce without scalability concerns.

Rippling's strength also lies in its ability to automate compliance for payroll systems, freeing up time and resources for HR teams to focus on their people and not repetitive payment administration and paperwork.

User Rating

4.8/5. Some users have praised the platform’s ease of use and user interface, while others have complained about delays in implementation time for some modules. See more reviews.

2. BambooHR

BambooHR offers a unified payroll module, embedded AI, and native apps to simplify essential payroll tasks such as on-time payments, direct deposits, time tracking, and benefits administration. The platform also offers employee engagement tools, performance management systems, and reporting capabilities that are ideal for HR teams needing a bird’s-eye view of the system.

BambooHR Pros And Cons

Best For

The software is best for businesses of all sizes. It helps manage payroll operations for industries and sectors, such as education, non-profit, construction, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing.

Key Features

• Recruiting And Onboarding
• Employee Records
• Time Tracking
• Payroll Processing
• Performance Management
• Benefits Administration

Pricing

BambooHR offers tiered pricing in three unique plans. Pricing for HR features starts at just $10/employee/month, with plans including Core, Pro, and Elite. Various add-on solutions are also available. A free trial is also available. View pricing details.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Why We Like It

BambooHR excels as a user-friendly and people-focused payroll solution, purpose-built for the needs of small and growing businesses. Its winning feature is a centralized employee database that serves as a single source of truth for employee records, time-off tracking, and performance notes needed for compensation management.

We like this platform because of its emphasis on employee experience. It offers an intuitive self-service portal that empowers staff to manage their own attendance information. The system is designed to scale gracefully, meaning small startups can grow into mid-sized companies without needing to worry about accounts management and payroll changes.

User Rating

4.3/5. While some users praise the platform for its versatility with documentation, others have expressed issues with the lack of customizable fields in standard tables. See more reviews.

3. Deel

Deel helps small and growing companies manage payroll and compliance for employees and contractors across more than 150 countries. The platform offers integration with leading accounting platforms to provide a smooth payroll and HR workflow, along with local tax filings and authority compliance features.

Deel Pros And Cons

Best For

Deel is best for startup, mid-market businesses, and enterprises operaring in various industries and sectors, such as fintech, crypto, talent management, and insurance sectors.

Key Features

• Global People Platform
• Self-Serve Onboarding
• Document Management
• Learning And Development
• Performance Reviews

Pricing

Deel offers a modular and scalable pricing structure that allows companies to choose the payroll plan that best suits their needs. The modules include:

• Deel PEO: starting at $0
• Deel US Payroll: Custom pricing
• Deel Global Payroll: Starting at $29/employee/month
• Deel Contractor Management: starting at $49/contractor/month
• Deel Contractor of Record: starting at $325/contractor/month
• Deel EOR: Starting at $599/employee/month

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Why We Like It

Deel stands out due to its specialization in dealing with remote and part-time payments. The platform offers dedicated payroll features for companies that hire independent contractors or employees in other countries for contract-based work.

Its solution is specifically engineered to handle the complexities of diversified payroll, compliance, and localized contract generation. For a company navigating global employment law, it is nearly impossible to deal with international payment hurdles without specialized help, and Deel provides that peace of mind by automating everything from tax filing to payment processing.

User Rating

4.8/5. While some praise the platform for its guided onboarding workflows, its complex pricing structure remains a concern for a few. See more reviews.

4. HiBob

HiBob offers comprehensive payroll functionality through its dedicated ‘Payroll Hub.’ It enables managers to process payments, streamline payroll operations, and ensure compliance efficiently. The platform offers a people-focused payroll solution, with a user-friendly interface that allows them to scale payments globally.

HiBob Pros And Cons

Best For

HiBob caters to businesses of all sizes across multiple industries and sectors, such as education, manufacturing, and finance, due to its powerful workforce analytics and compensation management features.

Key Features

• Onboarding
• Time And Attendance
• Compensation Management
• Payroll Processing
• Workforce Analytics
• Performance Management

Pricing

HiBob offers a completely customized pricing structure, with plans tailored to client needs. View pricing details.

Why We Like It

HiBob is a considerable payroll option as it offers a modern, engaging, and collaborative company culture. It unifies core payroll functions by offering all features in an organized payroll hub that is specifically designed to drive compliance, employee payment, performance, and well-being for workforces.

Its user interface is designed to be highly social and intuitive, encouraging employees and managers to connect and collaborate. The platform's flexible, modular structure adapts easily to evolving needs. Its real-time people analytics provide immediate, actionable insights, helping leaders make data-driven decisions about their most important asset: the people.

User Rating

5/5. While the platform’s employee appreciation and feedback features have been praised, users also have issues with possible errors in time management and reporting. See more reviews.

5. Paylocity

Paylocity unifies payroll management, benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, and talent management all into a single system. It allows businesses to streamline tax management, on-demand payments, and expense management with relative ease, while making sure managers have access to customized, aggregated payroll reports.

Paylocity Pros And Cons

Best For

Paylocity HR is best for payroll operations in businesses of all sizes operating in various industries and sectors, such as non-profit, retail, and transportation industries due to its powerful international payment features and currency support.

Key Features

• Benefits Administration
• Time And Attendance
• Payroll Processes
• Automated Workflows
• Employee Self-Service

Pricing

Paylocity offers modular pricing, enabling businesses to choose features they requrie. Modules include:

• Payroll
• Human Resources
• Talent Management
• Benefits Management
• Workforce Management
• Employee Experience Platform
• Marketplace Integrations
• Beyond Traditional HRIS

This modular approach makes it cost-effective for different organizations with varying requirements. View pricing details.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Why We Like It

Paylocity is a great choice for payroll management as it prioritizes a seamless and accurate payment system, with an integrated tax compliance experience and modern HR functionalities. The system also provides a strong, all-in-one solution for all local and international payment needs and expertly handles the complexities of employee benefits and local tax filing, which is often a major compliance risk area for businesses.

We recommend it for its focus on a great employee self-service mobile app that allows staff to easily access pay stubs, benefits, and time-off information while on the move. This level of automation and accessibility significantly cuts down on administrative delays and ensures peace of mind for HR teams that need to make payments on time.

User Rating

4.3/5. While some users love the platform for its intuitive interface and payroll accuracy, its marginal support service has been criticized. See more reviews.

6. Zenefits

Zenefits, now known as TriNet, intelligently handles payroll processing, benefits administration, and other HR functions through an intuitive interface. It aims to simplify complex localized tax and compliance requirements with payroll analytics for its users. The platform also offers a strong network of integrations, giving companies access to a powerful payroll and accounting ecosystem.

Zenefits Pros And Cons

Best For

Zenefits is best for small and mid-sized businesses across various industries and sectors, such as education, commerce, and consultation.

Key Features

• Employee Management
• Payroll Processing
• Benefits Administration
• Time And Attendance Tracking
• HR Compliance

Pricing

Zenefits offers customized pricing plans that can be molded to the specific, unique requirements of its clients. View piecing details.

Why We Like It

Zenefits stands out as it streamlines core payroll functions for businesses that need a unified system without excessive tax or compliance complications. Its primary strength lies in its integrated benefits administration and automated compliance features, which are critical for companies managing payments to remote teams and retirement plans.

The platform simplifies all payments from onboarding to offboarding, managing the entire payroll lifecycle for employees and keeping track of every payment. We also favor Zenefits for its transparent, value-driven pricing structure and user-friendly design, which consolidates essential payroll tasks into one easy-to-manage location, making it a highly practical and affordable choice.

User Rating

4.6/5. While the platform is praised for its employee tree structure and company hierarchy layouts, platform navigation has been cited as an issue by some users. See more reviews.

7. Quickbooks Payroll

QuickBooks Payroll helps businesses automate payroll, taxes, and HR management from one unified platform. The platform offers advanced banking and accounting solutions, allowing users to manage expenses like employee payments with a consolidated view of their overall expenses.

Quickbooks Payroll Pros And Cons

Best For

The platform is best for small businesses that require integrated accounting and payroll solution.

Key Features

• Same-Day Direct Deposit
• Automatic Payroll
• Time Tracking Management
• Employee Benefits Administration
• Tax Filing And Compliance

Pricing

QuickBooks offers the following pricing options:

• Simple Start: $38/month
• Essentials: $75/month
• Plus: $115/month
• Advanced: $275/month

The platform also offers a 30-day free trial for all plans.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Why We Like It

While it is better known as an accounting solution, Quickbooks offers a dedicated payroll feature, suitable for smaller teams. It offers an integrated layout with financial data tracking and a powerful dashboard in one place, providing detailed reporting and payroll analytics. 

For a small company that needs to manage payroll for limited users, Quickbook’s dedicated financial system and advanced payment management tools, like expense reporting, ensure that each user gets paid on time. It is a considerable choice, offering a complete financial solution for a small team that needs an efficient system.

User Rating

While some users have praised the platform for its expense reporting and financial management, others have criticized it for the lack of scalability and features catering to larger teams.

8. Workday HCM

Workday HCM comes with a powerful international payroll suite that is built to enhance engagement with a dedicated AI system for financial management. The platform offers detailed financial reports and analytics into cost tools for talent management and in-depth workforce analytics. This helps small businesses streamline operations, enhance employee engagement, and adapt to evolving market demands by turning real-time data into actionable strategic insights.

Workday Pros And Cons

Best For

The platform is best for mid and large-scale enterprises in various industries and sectors, such as financial services, healthcare, and hospitality due to a powerful set of workforce management features.

Key Features

• Human Resource Management
• Workforce Management
• Talent Management
• Time Tracking
• Employee Experience

Pricing

Workday offers customized pricing plans that are designed to fit specific services needed by the client.

Why We Like It

While often associated with large enterprises, we recommend Workday HCM for small businesses that estimate high growth and need to build a future-proof, strong HR foundation early on. It offers an integrated system where HR, finance, and planning data exist in one place, providing detailed reporting and people analytics.

For a small company anticipating rapid scale, Workday’s powerful configurability and advanced talent management tools, like goal setting, ensure the HR system won't become a bottleneck. It's a strategic investment for a determined small team demanding deep data and flexibility.

User Rating

4.1/5. While some users have praised the platform’s powerful document management features, others have criticized the mobile app for being too cluttered. See more reviews.

9. Paycor

Paycor offers a powerful set of features that simplifies payroll, taking users beyond simple payments and expense tracking. The platform offers features like automated payroll processing, tax compliance, and advanced reporting, empowering organizations to streamline operations, minimize errors, and maximize efficiency.

Paycor Pros And Cons

Best For

The platform equally suits businesses of all sizes across various industries and sectors, such as retail, healthcare, and restaurants.

Key Features

• 360 Degree Feedback
• Time and Labor Management
• Onboarding
• Employee Self-Service Portal
• Access Controls and Permissions
• Reporting and Analytics
• Alerts and Notifications

Pricing

Paycor offers customized HR and payroll pricing plans based on the unique needs of users and their workforces. For small businesses (below 50 employees), its plans include:

• Basic
• Essential
• Core
• Complete + ASO

All of these plans are available on custom pricing. Businesses over 50+ employees can also get custom packages.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Why We Like It

The platform is a considerable option due to its compatibility with different kinds of workforces, as it can cater to various payment modules, with added tax and overtime calculations.  It offers an integrated system where HR, finance, and payroll are highly flexible and can be handled from a single interface.

For businesses that expect to grow their employee base, Paycor offers a scalable system with advanced talent management tools that allow companies to hire and pay employees faster.

User Rating

4.3/5. While the majority of users praise the platform for its all-in-one HCM features, and flexible payroll options, some are bothered by the lack of consistent support options and transparent pricing. See more reviews.

Settling on the ideal payroll software for your small business requires a strategic focus on simplicity, compliance, international compatibility, and scalability according to your unique payment needs. Start by prioritizing a system that offers an integrated set of core payroll features like multi-currency support, benefits, and time tracking. This will minimize administrative time, reduce costly data errors, and save you from the hassle of shifting between tools for different payment needs.

Look for solutions with a user-friendly, preferably mobile-optimized experience for both employees and managers. This gives your employees more control and less reliance on the HR and finance teams. Evaluate the provider’s financial structure and support model, as well as the implementation structure. Cloud-based solutions are generally preferred for quick setup and low IT overhead.

Most importantly, ensure that the platform provides detailed compliance assistance for labor laws and secure data management. A successful payroll tool is one that not only manages administrative work, but also actively supports your growth without becoming overly complex or restrictively expensive as your team expands.

What Not To Overlook

• Hidden tax filing and implementation fees
• Integration with accounting software and other core business software tools 
• Mobile usability for on-the-go payroll support
• Good customer support accessibility for unexpected issues like overtime payments
• Complexity and potential cost of data and accounts migration