Payroll may not be the flashiest part of running a business, but when it’s done wrong, it can become the fastest way to lose trust, time, and money. Therefore, finding the right payroll software is critical, particularly for medium-sized businesses walking the line between small-business agility and enterprise-level complexity.
With stakes being higher than ever in 2025, driven by stricter compliance standards, hybrid workforces, and rising employee expectations, outdated systems just won’t cut it. In this guide, we cut through the noise and reveal the best payroll software solutions built to handle the unique challenges of growing businesses.
9 Best Payroll Software For Medium-Sized Business
- Gusto HR Software - Best for multi-state and multi-country payroll processing
- Paycom - Best for comprehensive employee self-service and payroll automation
- Deel - Best for global hiring, contractor management, and international compliance
- ADP Workforce Now - Best for scalable HR and payroll solutions
- Dayforce HCM - Best for continuous payroll processing
- Rippling HR - Best for unified HR, IT, and finance automation in one platform
- Namely HR - Best for customizable HR and benefits tools
- isolved HCM - Best for integrated HR, payroll, and talent management
- Paylocity HR & Payroll - Best for customized payroll management
Software | Our Ratings | Top Features | Price |
Gusto | 4.5 ★★★★★ |
| Multiple pricing plans, starting from $49/month + $6/person/month. Add-ons available |
Paycom | 4.6 ★★★★★ |
| Customized pricing plan, starting from $25/employee/month |
Deel | 4.8 ★★★★★ |
| Modular pricing plans, with global payroll costs $29/employee/month |
ADP Workforce Now | 4.5 ★★★★★ |
| Multiple plans available at customized pricing |
Dayforce | 5 ★★★★★ |
| Customized pricing plans, starting from $22/employee/month |
Rippling | 4.9 ★★★★★ |
| Modular plans available at customized pricing |
Namely | 4.2 ★★★★★ |
| Custom plans, starting from $9/employee/month |
isolved | 4 ★★★★★
|
| Custom plans, starting from $9/employee/month
|
Paylocity | 4.2 ★★★★★ |
| Modular plans available at customized pricing
|
Gusto is a user-friendly payroll and human resource (HR) platform that simplifies payroll processing, benefits administration, and compliance. It automates tax filings, offers direct deposit, and provides a self-service portal for employees to access pay stubs and documents. The software also includes onboarding tools, PTO tracking, and basic HR features, making it more than just a payroll system.
For mid-sized businesses, Gusto provides an intuitive and scalable solution that grows with the company. Its automation reduces manual data entry and errors, while built-in compliance support helps mid-sized businesses stay up to date with tax and labor regulations.
Why Choose Gusto?
- Global Payroll: Pay teams around the world with ease, all from one platform
- Built-In Time Tracking: Easily track hours, sync with payroll, and stay compliant without extra tools
- Unlimited Payroll Processing: Run payroll as often as you need—at no extra cost
Pros And Cons Of Gusto
Pros
- Efficiently handles tax reporting, reducing the administrative burden on management
- Streamlines the process of registering in multiple states for businesses operating across state lines
- Allows users to correct finalized payrolls before they are processed
Cons
- Does not offer the ability to set recurring payments for contractors
- Outlook integration needs improvement, as paid time off entries don’t always sync reliably with employees' calendars
Pricing
The vendor offers multiple pricing plans, catering to the diverse requirements of organizations. These include:
- Simple - $49/month + $6/employee/month
- Plus - $80/month + $12/employee/month
- Premium - $180/month + $22/employee/month
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
Paycom is a comprehensive human capital management (HCM) software offering end-to-end HR and payroll tasks automation. The platform includes payroll processing, talent acquisition, performance management, benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, and learning management, all within a single database.
For mid-sized businesses, Paycom provides powerful tools to streamline complex workforce management tasks. Its unified database eliminates duplicate data entry and improves data accuracy, which is crucial as businesses expand. Additionally, its powerful compliance tools, customizable reporting, and scalable modules also make it suitable for growing organizations.
Why Choose Paycom?
- Beti: Empower employees to do their payroll with a guided, self-service experience that increases accuracy and accountability
- Vault Visa® Payroll Card: Give employees easy, fee-free access to their wages, even without a traditional bank account
- Paycom Pay: Eliminate reconciliation hassles by issuing paychecks that clear from Paycom’s account, not yours
- Everyday: Let employees access their earned wages daily, promoting financial wellness with no added fees
Pros And Cons Of Paycom
Pros
- Offers the ability to set notifications for important dates and deadlines
- Has a centralized system that eliminates the need to enter the same information in multiple places
- Allows employees to review and approve their timecards and paychecks, giving them more control
Cons
- Inconsistent mobile app performance, leading to reduced productivity on the go
- Some reports are difficult to navigate or interpret, making data analysis less intuitive
Pricing
The vendor offers customized pricing plans depending on business sizes and requirements, starting from $25/employee/month.
Disclaimer: The pricing information is sourced from third-party websites and is subject to change.
Deel is a global payroll and compliance platform built for businesses hiring international employees and contractors. It enables companies to hire, onboard, pay, and manage workers in over 130 countries without setting up local entities.
For mid-sized businesses expanding internationally, Deel eliminates the complexities of managing global payroll and compliance. It allows these companies to scale quickly into new markets without legal or administrative hurdles, reducing costs and risks associated with hiring abroad.
Why Choose Deel?
- Global Reporting: Gain visibility across your entire workforce with powerful, consolidated global reporting tools
- 350+ In-House Experts: Get reliable guidance from a deep bench of specialists across payroll, HR, and compliance
- 24/7 Support: Access friendly, expert help anytime you need it—day or night
Pros And Cons Of Deel
Pros
- Offers virtual cards that simplify and streamline global purchasing
- Provides multiple options for withdrawing funds, offering flexibility for employees
- Simplifies contract management, making it easy to create, track, and organize agreement
Cons
- Withdrawals can occasionally be delayed unexpectedly, causing inconvenience for users
- Initial setup can be complex and challenging for new users
Pricing
The vendor offers a modular pricing plan. For global payroll, the software costs $29/ employee/month.
Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.
ADP Workforce Now manages payroll, HR, benefits, talent, and time tracking in one integrated system. It’s particularly well-known for its powerful compliance features, automated payroll tax filing, and extensive reporting capabilities.
Mid-sized businesses find ADP Workforce Now beneficial as it provides enterprise-grade features that support scaling operations while keeping HR and payroll processes compliant and efficient. It enables them to manage multi-state payroll, track time and attendance across different locations, and generate detailed reports to guide business decisions.
The platform’s scalability and customization ensure it can adapt as the business grows, and its workforce becomes more complex.
Why Choose ADP Workforce Now?
- Built-In Error Detection: Catch issues early with smart alerts, automated calculations, and built-in accuracy checks
- Employee Self-Service Dashboards: Give employees instant access to pay stubs, tax forms, time tracking, and more—all in one place
- Unified Database: Manage HR, benefits, payroll, and time tracking from a single, seamless system with no data silos
Pros And Cons Of ADP Workforce Now
Pros
- The report grabber feature simplifies the process of creating and customizing reports to fit specific needs
- Has the ability to view an employee’s data history, making it quicker to find relevant details
- Offers easy access to pay stubs whenever needed, which can be helpful in verifying income or handling tasks like tax preparation
Cons
- Occasional glitches in time-off balance tracking may cause minor confusion or require manual corrections
- Updates or new feature releases are sometimes rolled out without prior notice, which can lead to confusion or disruptions
Pricing
The vendor offers multiple pricing options, tailored to the size of the organization. These include:
- Select
- Plus
- Premium
Dayforce by Ceridian is a cloud-based platform that unifies payroll, HR, benefits, workforce management, and talent management in a single solution. It offers real-time data updates, enabling payroll and HR to work off the same dataset for better accuracy and compliance.
The platform provides an integrated system that simplifies managing a growing workforce. Its real-time data access reduces payroll errors and improves decision-making by giving HR teams immediate insights into labor costs and compliance risks.
Why Choose Dayforce?
- Global Payroll: Access accurate, streamlined payroll with unified time and pay, plus compliance support across 200+ countries and territories
- Managed Payroll Services: Free up time for strategic work by letting Dayforce handle payroll operations and compliance at every growth stage
- Dayforce Wallet: Empower employees with on-demand access to their earnings, without any payroll delays or funding hurdles
Pros And Cons Of Dayforce
Pros
- Offers a centralized access to employee data, which makes it convenient to manage multiple locations seamlessly from a single, user-friendly interface
- The modular implementation approach enables phased rollouts of features for a smoother, more flexible deployment process
- Allows users to preview changes before saving, providing greater control and reducing the risk of errors during updates
Cons
- Offers limited leave management options, which may not fully support the tracking requirements for various types of absences
- The performance module only supports traditional reviews and lacks flexibility for more modern performance management methods
Pricing
Dayforce offers subscription-based models, with pricing starting from $22/employee/month.
Disclaimer: The pricing information is sourced from third-party websites and is subject to change.
Rippling is an all-in-one workforce management platform that combines payroll, HR, IT, and finance functions. It automates processes like onboarding, payroll runs, benefits administration, and device management, all from a unified platform. The software's strength lies in its automation engine, which reduces manual tasks by triggering updates across connected systems whenever employee information changes.
For mid-sized businesses, Rippling offers efficiency and scalability by replacing disconnected HR and IT systems with a single platform. As the company grows, it ensures smooth onboarding, accurate payroll, and compliance across states or countries without increasing administrative workload.
Why Choose Rippling?
- Global Payroll: Effortlessly manage global payroll with unified time and pay in one solution, ensuring compliance across 185+ countries and territories
- Multiple Pay Rates: Set up multiple pay schedules, rates, and types in just a few clicks, accommodating diverse employee compensation structures
- Compensation Management: Utilize integrated compensation bands and benchmarking tools to create equitable and competitive pay structures, aligning with industry standards
Pros And Cons Of Rippling
Pros
- Easy to implement, with clear step-by-step instructions that guide users through the setup process
- Displays clear and timely reminders on the homepage, helping users stay on top of pending tasks
- Salary slips offer a detailed breakdown of deductions, helping employees better understand their compensation and withholdings
Cons
- Lacks a salary correction tool, which makes it challenging to retroactively adjust pay runs in cases of payroll errors
- The mobile app can be slow to load at times, which may hinder quick access to important information on the go
Pricing
The vendor offers a modular pricing structure tailored to organizations’ unique requirements.
Namely centralizes and streamlines HR processes for growing companies. It offers an integrated suite of tools that covers core HR functions such as payroll, benefits administration, talent management, and time tracking. The software features an intuitive, user-friendly interface and provides customizable workflows, detailed reporting, and compliance support.
The software delivers the scalability and functionality needed by mid-sized businesses to support both current HR demands and future growth. Namely’s compliance tools are particularly valuable for mid-sized companies navigating complex labor laws, helping mitigate risks with proactive alerts and built-in guidance.
Why Choose Namely?
- Automated Salaried Proration: Automatically adjust salaried employees' pay for partial workweeks or mid-period salary changes, ensuring accurate compensation
- Unlimited On And Off-Cycle Payrolls: Run payroll as often as needed, whether scheduled or unscheduled, without additional fees or limitations
- Expense Tracking: Enable employees to submit and track business-related expenses directly through their profiles, streamlining reimbursement processes
Pros And Cons Of Namely
Pros
- Has powerful reporting capabilities with customizable reports and real-time data access
- The newsfeed helps create a fun and interactive environment, contributing positively to the company culture
- Consolidates all essential information, including employment details, benefits, PTO, salary, documents, birthdays, and more, in one convenient place
Cons
- Onboarding for rehires should be streamlined to match the process used for new hires for consistency and efficiency
- Lacks compensation analysis and benchmarking tools, making it difficult to compare salaries and benefits against industry standards
Pricing
Namely offers multiple pricing plans, including:
- Namely Now
- Namely Plus
- Namely Plus People
- Namely Complete
The basic plan (Namely Now) starts from $9/employee/month, with additional plans available at custom pricing based on businesses' need.
isolved is an HCM platform offering payroll, HR, time tracking, and benefits administration within a single system. Its cloud-based design allows businesses to manage the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment to retirement, while automating key processes like payroll tax filings, ACA reporting, and compliance management.
As a company expands, isolved scales alongside it by minimizing administrative burdens through automation and integration. Its advanced compliance tools also help businesses stay ahead of evolving labor laws, making it easier to manage a growing workforce without juggling multiple disconnected platforms.
Why Choose isolved?
- Diverse Payment Options: Offer employees flexible payment methods, including direct deposit, pay cards, and on-demand pay, all through a unified platform
- Total Data Security: Protect your workforce with a multi-layer security strategy, SSAE-16-certified data centers, and multi-factor authentication (MFA), ensuring compliance and peace of mind
- Employee Self-Service: Enable employees to manage their data, view pay stubs, update personal information, and request time off via the isolved People Cloud mobile app
Pros And Cons Of isolved
Pros
- Provides an easy process for retrieving important information, such as pay stubs, or updating contact details quickly
- Offers a seamless onboarding process, enabling new hires to complete forms and documentation efficiently
- isolved university offers a wealth of articles and course videos for both admins and employees
Cons
- Generating department-specific reports can be challenging and may require extra effort
- Users cannot correct a wrongly entered department after payroll has been processed, leading to potential discrepancies
Pricing
isolved's pricing starts from $9/employee/month.
Disclaimer: The pricing information is sourced from third-party websites and is subject to change.
Paylocity integrates payroll processing with HR management, benefits administration, time and attendance, and talent management. It emphasizes collaboration and employee engagement, offering tools like surveys, peer recognition, and social sharing within the platform.
Mid-sized businesses can leverage Paylocity’s employee-focused features to build a stronger workplace culture while streamlining operations. The platform’s engagement tools, like surveys and peer recognition, support retention efforts as teams grow, while automated payroll and integrated HR functions reduce manual tasks.
Why Choose Paylocity?
- On-Demand Payment: Enable employees to access earned wages early, reducing financial stress and enhancing retention, without impacting your payroll process
- Global Payroll: Simplify international payroll with real-time access to aggregated data across 100+ countries, ensuring compliance and efficiency
- Garnishment Managed Services: Delegate the complexities of wage garnishment to experts, ensuring accurate calculations, timely disbursements, and full compliance
Pros And Cons Of Paylocity
Pros
- Allows users to easily set up and manage multiple direct deposit accounts, with the flexibility to edit them at any time
- Enables both users and admins to access important payroll reports instantly with just a click
- Simplifies multi-county company management by centralizing all operations within a single, unified system
Cons
- The platform may occasionally become slow or unresponsive, which can be frustrating when trying to complete important tasks
- Some features lack flexibility, limiting the ability to customize the platform to meet specific business needs
Pricing
The vendor offers a modular structure, with pricing tailored for companies’ unique requirements.
Ultimately, choosing the best payroll software for your mid-sized business comes down to finding a solution that balances ease of use, scalability, compliance, and powerful features tailored to your growing needs.
So, carefully evaluate each of the options listed above and make an informed choice. If you need further assistance, reach out to us, and our experienced software consultant will help you pick the best solution that aligns with your business's requirements.