Best Online Payroll Services

Melio Payments is a free and easy-to-use payment platform established in New York in 2018. It focuses on accounting and bookkeeping businesses but also those working in logistics, retail, food and beverage, healthcare, and more.

With Melio, companies in the US can make fast payments using credit cards and bank transfers and receive their payments through direct deposit or check. 

User Experience

Melio can be used to manage all your company’s payments. After downloading the app, you’ll be able to connect your business bank account and add vendors and suppliers. Users are not required to sign a contract, which makes things extremely flexible.

Once everything is set up, you can start making payments to vendors with just a few clicks. The entire process is straightforward and user-friendly, even for those who are not tech-savvy.

The multi-client dashboard is well organized and easy to navigate, so you can quickly find what you’re looking for. There is an accountant dashboard, too, which helps accounting professionals manage and keep track of their clients’ payments in one place.

Industry Features

Melio offers many great options for businesses, including automatic two-way sync with QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, and Business Central to save time on manual data entry. 

Melio is one of the payroll companies that provide international payments, easy payments to more than 7,000 members of the Melio Network, and even payments to those who don’t have a Melio account. 

You can pay your vendors by card even if they don’t accept it, as they’ll get their money in the way they choose. You’ll earn rewards along the way and redeem them for cash back, airplane miles, tickets, meals, and more.

There’s an option for easy bill capture and reconciliation, which is another big time-saver for businesses. With this feature, businesses can take a photo of their bills and Melio will automatically reconcile them. 

Another neat feature is approval workflows, which let you set up payment responsibilities for a team member, share responsibilities among employees, and avoid bottlenecks.

Pricing

Melio Payments is free to download and use, and there are no sign-up or monthly subscription fees. Users only pay when they make a payment; there’s a 2.9% fee for credit card payments and no fee for ACH bank transfers or paper checks.

For businesses that need to send international USD payments, there’s a flat fee of $20 per transaction. Those who’re opting for expedited check delivery with FedEx are also required to pay $20. If you wish to send or receive a payment on the same day, an instant bank transfer will cost you 1% of the transaction amount. 

Tax Guarantees

Melio Payments is subject to all federal and state tax laws. Businesses can be confident they’re in compliance with all the relevant tax regulations. 

You can use Melio to easily and confidently fill out your 1099 form. The platform automates the completion of most of the tax and regulatory requirements to avoid human error.

Supported Devices

Unfortunately, Melio Payments doesn’t offer an iOS and Android standalone app at this moment, but you can access the dashboards from any mobile browser. 

The website is mobile-responsive, so you won’t have any trouble using it on the go. You’ll just be required to launch your browser on the phone or tablet, type in the URL, and log in to your account.

Customer Support

Melio offers live customer support via chat, so you can get help as soon as you need it. 

The team operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, but it is closed on federal holidays, so make sure to check the schedule before signing up and reaching out. You can also contact the team via email and get an answer within a day.

Finally, you can browse through the extensive Help Center to find answers to the commonly asked questions.

Pros:

• No need to sign a contract
• QuickBooks integration
• Intuitive and straightforward dashboard
• Free to use

Cons:

• No native mobile app

The QuickBooks payroll software is owned by Intuit. It was founded in 1983 and currently offers four excellent financial products. 

Intuit’s years of experience helped the company create one of the most well-known tools for paying taxes and efficiently organizing the finance department. 

User Experience 

Even though this platform is quite complex and has a massive number of options and features, it has a very simple design. The dashboard shows an overview of the income, expenses, Intuit paychecks, sales, bank accounts, profit and loss. 

Customers can easily navigate through Banking, Sales, Employees, Reports, Taxes, Accounting, Apps, and My Accountant pages. Features in each page help users complete their tasks in an efficient and timely manner. 

Industry Features

Aside from the payroll process, the service has several other useful options. It handles medical and dental insurance, retirement plans, includes a vacation tracker, 401(k), and much more.

By using this Intuit platform, clients can manage bills, track income and expenses, pay employees, manage contractors, and even store receipts. 

Clients can also secure loans, track products and costs, create customized reports, and even have multiple users on one platform. 

Pricing

The first and cheapest option available is the Core plan. It was created for independent contractors, and currently costs $45 per month, plus $4 per additional employee.

The second online package is called Premium. The current price for this plan is $75 per month, plus $8 per additional employee. This plan adds features like same-day direct deposits, workers’ comp administration and HR support center.

The third and the most complex plan for Quickbooks’ online payroll services is the Elite plan, and it costs $125 per month, plus $10 per additional employee. With it you will get 24/7 expert product support, a personal HR advisor and tax penalty protection, among other things. 

QuickBooks also offers two desktop packages, Enhanced payroll, and Assisted payroll. The first one is priced at $50 per month, plus $2 per additional employee while the latter costs $109 per month plus $2 per employee paycheck.

Tax Guarantees

All details concerning tax calculations, payments, payroll liability, income, and required forms are available within the QuickBooks platform. Clients can pay taxes online with all necessary information available for tax reimbursement. 

Supported Devices

QuickBooks advanced payroll systems are also available for users who prefer desktop, online or even mobile versions. Clients can run their payrolls on Mac OS, Windows, iOS and Android devices.

Customer Support

QuickBooks has a very resourceful support page. Customers can find articles, tutorials, webinars, video explainers about every segment of the service, starting from sign-up to all the smallest details.

There is also a QuickBooks community where more experienced users answer questions. 

In case clients do not want to check out the exhaustive knowledge base, QuickBooks payroll support agents can be contacted by phone or via email from Monday to Friday, 5:00 - 18:00 PST, and over the weekends from 7:00 - 14:00 PST. 

Pros:

• Massive number of features
• Several pricing options
• Exhaustive knowledge base
• Mobile friendly  

Cons:

• Occasional bugs in the system

Zenefits’ payroll solution is a full service payroll software that seamlessly integrates into their flagship HRIS system.

With these integrations they provide automated employee data cross-referencing allowing for instantaneous additions or deductions based on things like benefits, time-off, hours worked, etc.

Part of a Bigger Picture

Zenefits is a HR-first platform that provides payroll solutions as an add-on feature.

This mainly influences the price but it also comes with the added benefit of a complete organizational ecosystem suited for most businesses.

Pricing

Zenefits costs $8/month per employee with a minimum requirement of 5 employees bringing the cost up to $40/month. Payroll is paid for separately and it costs $6/month per employee.

Compliance

Most common US forms at the federal, state and local level required by employees are covered automatically by Zenefits.

Taxes can also be calculated directly through Zenefits’ apps and the platform gives you the option to pay them directly through the app.

Furthermore, the app can create and format and file W-2s and 1099s for the IRS, on top of a plethora of other compliance and tax support.

Pros

• Full integration of employee data across the entire system
• UX friendly layout and interface
• Strong mobile support
• Great automation systems
• A full organizational ecosystem with integrated payroll

Cons

• HR-centric tool with payroll features as an add-on
• Slow customer support
• Requires 5 employees as the minimum

The company was founded in 1990 with the aim of providing payroll and HR support to small and midsize businesses.

Today it is an all-in-one payroll and HR solutions company that helps businesses make their financial work more efficient and organized. Paycor is certified by NAHCA and serves customers in all 50 states.

User Experience

When it comes to user experience, Paycor developed a very intuitive interface that guides you through the payroll process and stores employee data in a single place. Clients can easily access payment history, import hours, and manage all integrated payroll services in just a few clicks.

The platform has several integrations, allowing employers to keep track of time and attendance, use a paycheck manager, leverage on robust analytics for their decision making, and much more.

By simplifying everyday tasks, Paycor offers you a very stress-free user experience, with carefully marked steps for each payroll run. 

Industry Features

Paycor has several outstanding functions that are more than welcome when it comes to payroll, including self-service options. Employees can access their pay history that dates back three years as well as other important documentation. Everything is automated, including the notification system and sync option. 

Aside from the most common features like an expense management tool, garnishment managed services, and tax calculators, Paycor also has an employee's compensation service. It allows Paycor to pay premiums on the companies' behalf.

Paycor can even be instructed to deduct child-support payments from employee paychecks and send them to the custodial parent. 

Pricing

Small business clients have four plans to choose from, starting with the Basic plan which is priced at $99 per month.

The second plan is the Essential plan which is much more extensive, and adds features like custom reporting, new hire onboarding, compliance checks and PTO requests and approvals, while increasing the monthly cost to $149.

The third plan is the Core plan, costing $199 (+$8 per employee/month) and adding features such as expense management, employee import, and more. 

The fourth and the most complex package is the Complete plan, costing $199 per month (+$14 per employee/month) and adding personalized HR support, integrations with 401(k) and GL providers, advanced analytics and much more.  

Tax Guarantees

With stress-free tax compliance, simplified paper-based tax, and an optimized payroll service, Paycor is a dream come true. Following all tool instructions and using all features efficiently leaves little room for mistakes or federal tax return errors. 

Supported Devices

Most payroll providers are accessible from anywhere and at any time. Future customers will be glad to hear that Paycor is available on every operating system and device, including web, tablet, and mobile. All details about its availability can be found directly on the website. 

Clients can access Paycor from Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge. The only requirement is to have the latest version of each browser and Adobe Player installed.

For the mobile version, clients can download the app from both the Android and Apple store, or simply open it directly in their mobile browser. 

Customer Support

Clients can contact Paycor customer service via phone or email. In case there is no emergency, there is an exhaustive knowledge base with all the general information about all service options.

Paycor also organizes webinars, has a resourceful FAQ section and even a help center. 

Keep in mind that Paycor agents can only discuss tech issues with employees, and more delicate inquiries are reserved for employers or heads of departments. 

Pros:

• 401(k) Integrations
• Mobile friendly
• e-Child support
• Live chat 
• More than 2.3 million people use Paycor solutions

Cons:

• Service only available in the US

Launched in 2012 as ZenPayroll, Gusto currently serves over 100,000 customers. As a full-service payroll operator, the company provides additional services that facilitate more efficient small business finance.

Through a simple and completely user-friendly platform, employees can easily integrate everything they need into their system. Gusto developed a perfect solution to simplify the payroll process, HR tasks, time tracking, add benefits plans, and much more. 

User Experience 

Developed to provide both modern design and simplicity, Gusto’s online payroll service is an easy to navigate platform with a very straightforward interface. It is intuitive and time-saving.

But, most of all it is automated to resolve any errors, and repetitive tasks that are most common when it comes to business finance. 

In some ways, this service provider is a dream come true for both the HR and accounting departments. Every employee can easily create their Gusto account, while all paperwork can be stored on the platform directly. 

Industry Features

Customers can automatically file tax payrolls, time-track progress and process, add customized benefits plan and enjoy transparent and clear pricing. All extern programs are integrated into one, as Gusto collaborates with Xero, QuickBooks Time Tracking, Trainual, Clover, and many others. 

Within just a few clicks, customers can easily execute any type of task, without having to wait for hours. All taxes are filed automatically, which is perfect for small businesses that would like to avoid any kind of errors and hefty fines. 

Pricing 

Gusto has three pricing plans depending on one’s business needs.

The basic “Simple” plan targets smaller teams. It includes full service, health benefits, and workers’ comp administration, customer support and paid-time-off policies. The cost for this package is $6/mo per employee and $40/mo base price. 

The second, “Plus,” in addition to all “Simple” plan features, also offers customized permissions, onboarding, simple time tracking, PTO policies, time-off requests, employee directory and survey features. It costs $12 per person and $80 per month. 

The third, “Premium” payroll service package, offers exclusive quote-based prices. In addition to everything that Complete and Core plans cover, Concierge offers Certified HR pros and human resources center services as well.

Tax Guarantees

Gusto is designed with a very quick payroll that is completely automated to run under 10 minutes. It can even be customized to run on auto-pilot, without requiring the actual employee to click on anything. 

However, to ensure tax computations, the person in charge needs to input all necessary numbers to avoid any penalties for their employees. Gusto does not provide automated tax filings, these options require manual work. 

Supported Devices

Gusto's payroll service is available on every device, including Android, iPhone, Mac, and Windows operating systems. However, there were many complaints about the way Gusto functioned on mobile devices, or the Safari browser.

The one great thing is that the company has grown substantially over time, correcting mistakes that were detrimental to their customers. 

Customer Support

In case you need urgent help with an error, have a question or something completely different, Gusto is available through several channels.

Clients can contact the support agents via email, live chat or by phone. Gusto’s Customer support is available from Monday through Friday, from 6:00 PST to 17:00 PST.

Pros:

• Integrated benefits and time tracking
• Automated taxes
• Employees onboard themselves

Cons:

• Missing some features

Launched several decades ago,  Automatic Data Processing has a very long history of providing efficient solutions to HR and accounting departments. 

It is a cloud-based human capital management global provider, offering solutions that cover HR, payroll, tax and benefit plans all in one platform.

Trustworthy and with plenty of experience, the company has over 600,000 clients, and it is perhaps no surprise the ADP payroll is one of the most sought after service providers in the industry. 

User Experience

Due to a number of different features the company provides to its customers, it is capable of accommodating the needs of both small and big size businesses. This difference also affects the type of interface they provide.

Depending on the size of the business and the number of employees, the company created two separate designs for each case. One is the RUN Powered by ADP for 1-49 employees, and the other one is ADP TotalSource for 1-1,000 employees. 

Even though the interfaces of payroll programs look different, the company ensures that clients enjoy the same user-friendly environment. Everything one needs is just a couple of clicks away. 

Industry Features

The company ensures simplified and easy payroll services for small businesses and midsize/enterprise companies. The platform offers a wide range of tools that cover all necessary processes regarding HR and accounting. 

The clients’ HR departments are treated to features like keeping track of the types of income, new hire reporting, background research, and much more. ADP Run Complete Payroll also offers HR consulting services, giving you the opportunity to talk to HR certified representatives and ask all the questions you need about the service. 

When it comes to accounting, the company gives you the opportunity to run the payroll anytime, anywhere and on any device. Additional information about their numerous services can be found on the website. 

Pricing

If you decide to integrate this payroll into your business, you can choose between four packages and pricing. Offers include Essential, Enhanced, Complete & HR Pro packages. All new customers can also enjoy a 3-month free trial period. 

The Essential Payroll package is reserved for startups and small companies that only need basic payroll solutions. It covers a mobile app, phone calls, direct deposits, payroll delivery, robust reporting, new-hire reporting, W-2s and 1099s, tax filing, ADP employee access, HR tips & newsletter, state and federal forms and resources, and HR checkups. 

The Enhanced Payroll package includes everything from the basic payroll and adds wage garnishment payments, SUI and labor law posters features. For more HR inlined customers, the Complete and HR Plus plan offers employee handbooks, background checks, and an HR Help Desk. 

And the most complete business payroll plan is HR Pro Payroll & HR plan, offering full HR support and benefits for you and your employees.

The price of every plan is based on the business’ health history, credit rating, and risk profile among other factors. Due to the price span affected by these factors, make sure to ask for pricing directly on the website.

Tax Guarantees

In an effort to offer the best services, this provider made sure to cover all aspects affecting the process of filing taxes and overall job growth.

With so many options, including automated and manual ones, chances for errors are minimal. By following instructions and using all available options (the company missed payroll alert, etc.), you can ensure the tax guarantee. 

Supported Devices

ADP's payroll services are available on all platforms, including Windows, iPhone, Apple, and Android. Customers can check the earnings report from their mobile phones with just a tap on the screen.

Customer Support

When it comes to customer support, the company does not have the best reputation. However, the service is available around the clock. Some of these shortcomings are perhaps not all that surprising, given the company’s size and their many clients.

The good news is that they are constantly working to improve their services and correct their errors. Customer support is available via live chat, email, or by filling the form. 

Pros:

• 3 month free trial
• Complete payroll solutions
• Available on all devices
• Small businesses to mid/enterprise companies

Cons:

• Customer support needs improvement

Paychex is widely regarded as one of the leading human capital management solutions and payroll platforms on the market.

With over 670,000 payroll clients, Paychex is a perfect solution for both small to midsize/enterprise companies.

By offering real-time accuracy combined with multiple payroll features, this vendor’s service can be fully tailored to the customer’s needs. 

User Experience

As a cloud-hosted platform, it is designed to provide a simple yet modern interface that everyone can use. After integrating the payroll service to an existing company, clients can easily access all necessary information regarding the payroll.

The software informs the client about deadlines, amounts due and other important details to ensure accurate payroll accounting. 

In addition to running payrolls, which is a relatively simple task, clients can also use the Paychex platform to access other services from the company. Instead of opening several tools, customers can simply use just one and avoid time-consuming work. 

Industry Features

Paychex offers three different company payroll packages that include separate services. Paychex Go is the basic package best-suited for smaller businesses, and it is priced at $59/mo + $4 per additional employee.

The second plan is called Paychex Flex Select and includes everything from the basic business payroll plan, plus dedicated specialist, labor compliance poster kit, additional payment options, and Paychex Learning Management System. 

The third and most extensive plan is Paychex Flex Enterprise, which also includes HR administration and custom analytics and reporting. 

Pricing

All new customers can enjoy a 3-month free payroll trial. Similar to other providers, Paychex also creates its pricing depending on the size and needs of the business.

Due to the complexity of the platform and its coverage, the price ranges between $6 to $30 per user/month and $12 to $110 per user/month.

However, keep in mind that the price of the service is customized depending on the number of employees and payroll schedules. For a more accurate price, please consult the Paychex website. 

Tax Guarantee

For some companies, it is very important to ensure a tax refund. Paychex helps clients keep all their data up to date and always filled and filed in the right way. This is not only time-saving but also a very efficient solution for every business. 

The annual tax return can be a very complicated matter that can affect how the business works. By using the automated payroll with some manual aspects such as Paychex, the company can ensure the desired tax refund. Like most similar firms, it also has a tax refund estimator. 

Supported devices

The great thing with Paychex is that the account can be managed from every operating system and on every browser. Clients can easily access their financial data on iOS, Android and Windows mobile phones. 

Customer Support

To reach Paychex customer support, you can call them directly and receive assistance from their many agents. 

Customer support is available 24/7, but keep in mind that support agents may not be authorized to speak directly with employees, but only administrators and actual clients. With all these options, we are certain customers can find the best fit for their business needs. 

Pros:

• 3 months free trial
• Mobile friendly
• Fast payrolls 

Cons:

• Email can not be changed without admin

Founded in 1997, Paylocity was created as an innovation in a stale industry.

Paylocity offers an efficient, and user-friendly single-database software platform, available on every device. It covers necessities of small, mid-size, and enterprise payroll requirements within one online interface. 

User Experience

This platform relieves companies that have nearly 1,000 employees of their workload. With its comprehensive service offer, Paylocity delivers a strong product for professionals. It ensures more efficient decisions for their payroll, HR, and workforce management.

More importantly, it helps businesses cultivate a more enjoyable and modern working environment. 

Once the company integrates its app, it can immediately start processing all payroll with customizable onboarding templates for every employee. Everything is smoothly designed as a simple and user-friendly solution for anyone who works in accounting or HR. 

Once the employer provides the required information, each employee receives access to Paylocity’s self-service portal. The portal allows individual team members to sign up, make a deposit, provide and edit withholding information, or access other personal and company information.

Industry Features

Paylocity's primary product is the Web Pay Payroll app. It offers multiple features for small business owners that require payroll and HR software. 

Clients who choose this product are provided with new-hire templates, automated customized payroll, workers' compensation administration, expense management program, a self-service portal, and much more. 

Employees are given freedom to execute simple tasks and quickly update their information.

Pricing

The pricing for Paylocity's service is not available online. To get an accurate price for one’s business size and needs, clients need to request a demo from the company’s sales department. Keep in mind that prices may vary depending on the number of features that the business requires.

Tax Guarantees

Even though Paylocity created room for manual corrections, some features are fully automated. Instead of worrying about mistakes and possible errors, this tool ensures that everything is calculated automatically and warns employers about any changes and upcoming required actions. 

Supported Devices

One of Paylocity's flaws is that it is not available outside the United States. The app is available for Android, iOS and Windows phones. 

Employers can run Paylocity on several operating systems, including Windows 7, Mac OS, Linux, HP-UX, AIX, Solaris, Unix, and a web browser (OS agnostic). 

Customer Support

Paylocity's policies dictate that it can only work directly with the client. Employees need to contact their employer or HR department to get the assistance they need. This can pose as an issue when urgent adjustments are required.

However, the company provides client training for their product, ensuring everybody understands all the features before using the software. 

Paylocity customer service is available via phone and email. For more general help users can turn to the FAQ section on the company’s website. 

Pros:

• Paylocity app
• Simplified payroll
• Client training
• Quick approval process

Cons:

• No free trial
• Not available outside the US