If you run any type of business, you already know that managing payroll is a necessity. At the same time, it can be a time-consuming and complicated task, and payroll errors can turn into complicated financial issues down the line! That’s why today businesses debate whether to choose in-house vs. outsourced payroll. Many are turning to outsourced payroll providers because they help businesses easily and efficiently manage their payroll needs. The best payroll providers today offer full-fledged payroll services, from payroll processing to automatic tax filing and even complete HR solutions!
Nowadays, there are tons of highly-credentialed online payroll service providers to choose from. It can be tricky to decide which is best for your business, but we’re here to help! Take a look at 360Connect’s list of the 8 best payroll providers and get a sense for their features, benefits, and pricing.
1. ADP
Best for: Mid-size to large businesses
ADP is one of the largest and most widely used payroll service providers in the U.S. They offer a massive list of features, benefits, and services, including full payroll services, HR solutions, time and attendance, recruitment, retirement, health benefits, outsourcing options and much more. ADP tends to be the best payroll solution for large businesses. However, they also have solutions for small businesses (1-49 employees). They have a robust support system and various pricing plans, so you can likely find what you’re looking for in terms of your payroll needs.
Benefits and Features
- Benefits: 401k, SIRA, SEP IRA, health, workers’ comp
- Automatic tax filing
- 1099 and W2 creation and filing
- Time and attendance integration
- Complete HR solutions
- Accounting integrations (ie. Quickbooks, Wave, and Xero)
- Quarterly and annual reporting
- Web-based or mobile app management
- Employee self-service portal
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Monthly cost | Cost per employee |
| Essential | Custom quote only | Custom quote only |
| Enhanced | Custom quote only | Custom quote only |
| Complete | Custom quote only | Custom quote only |
| HR Pro | Custom quote only | Custom quote only |
Request a custom quote on ADP’s website to get specific pricing details.
Pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Employee self-service portal Complete payroll and HR solutions No liability for tax errors | Higher cost than most payroll services Pricing not available online |
2. Paychex
Best for: SMB
Paychex is one of the mostly highly accredited and widely used online payroll service providers. Their payroll solution is a full-fledged service, allowing businesses to manage the entirety of their payroll needs online, as well as HR needs and employee onboarding. With Paychex’s employee self-service portal, employees can take control of their own paychecks by choosing payment methods, viewing their accrued earnings, and more. Additionally, Paychex has pricing plans available to all business sizes, from 1-1,000+ employees.
Benefits and Features
- Benefits: Health, retirement, onboarding, management
- Automatic payroll tax administration
- General ledger service
- Multiple employee pay options
- Analytics and reporting
- HR administration solutions
- Employee self-service portal
- Your choice of payroll schedule
- W2 and 1099 forms
- Flexible employee payment options
- Mobile app available
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Monthly cost | Cost per employee |
| Express Payroll | $60 | $4 |
| Paychex Flex Select | $90 | $3 |
| Paychex Flex Pro | $158 | $3.65 |
| Paychex Flex Enterprise | Custom quote only | Unavailable |
We recommend connecting with Paychex directly for their most accurate pricing, as pricing details are not present on their website.
Pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable and feature-rich HR basics included | Potential learning curve for new users No self-service sign-up option |
3. Intuit Quickbooks
Best for: Companies already using Quickbooks
Intuit Quickbooks payroll is a payroll service provider that integrates easily with Quickbooks. It is one of the most flexible payroll providers as they offer several different pricing plans for different business sizes. Additionally, their payroll platform is easily scalable, making it a great solution for small businesses or start-ups that hope to grow in the near future. Not to mention their software is available in both desktop and mobile versions and is very easy to navigate.
Benefits and Features
- Full-service payroll
- Auto payroll
- Automated tax forms
- Payroll reports
- Workforce portal
- Health benefits
- Workers’ comp
- 401k
- Expert support
- Same and next-day direct deposit
- HR support
- Time tracking
- Mobile app
- Onboarding solutions
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Monthly cost | Cost per employee |
| Core | $45 | $4 |
| Premium | $75 | $8 |
| Elite | $125 | $10 |
Look at the details of each of Intuit’s pricing plans more closely.
Pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Easily integrates with Quickbooks Affordable plans | Less robust employee benefits and HR Fewer reporting options |
4. Gusto
Best for: Easy-to-use software
Gusto is becoming one of the most popular online payroll providers in the market! They offer full-fledged, all-in-one payroll services with an easy-to-use web-based software. Plus, they offer a great value in terms of pricing and affordability. Gusto’s platform is designed to run efficiently on “autopilot,” meaning your business can set up the logistics once and let Gusto do the rest, from automatic payroll, to HR and onboarding. They also offer unlimited payroll cycles, so you can issue payments whenever you want!
Benefits and Features
- Full-service payroll
- Automatic payroll filing
- Unlimited payroll cycles
- Medical, dental, and vision
- Certified HR support
- Hiring and onboarding
- Employee finance tools
- Integrations with Xero and Quickbooks
- Time tracking tools
- W2 and 1099 forms
- PTO policies
- Direct deposit
- Employee pay stubs and tax forms
- Workers’ comp
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Monthly cost | Cost per employee |
| Basic | $19 | $6 |
| Core | $39 | $6 |
| Complete | $39 | $12 |
| Elite | $149 | $12 |
Learn more about Gusto’s pricing models and plans.
Pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Unlimited payroll runs Easy-to-use interface | Limited customer service hours 4-day payroll processing using most affordable plan |
5. OnPay
Best for: Affordable self-service
OnPay is an online payroll service provider that offers a simple payroll solution. They also offer one of the most affordable payroll solutions in the industry. OnPay charges its customers one flat monthly fee, no matter how large or small your business is. Then, they charge an additional fee per user. However, most businesses that use OnPay will find it to be a more affordable, hands-off payroll solution compared to other services. Another big benefit of OnPay is that they will enter employee information for you, so you can skip the tedious data entry and save time.
Benefits and Features
- Full-service payroll
- Automatic payroll calculation, withholding and filing
- End-of-year tax filing accuracy guarantee
- Unlimited payrolls per month
- Direct deposit or paper check options
- First month free
- W2 and 1099 forms
- Several HR service options
- Health benefits and 401k plans
- Workers’ comp
- Flexible pay rates and schedules
- 40+ reports
- Time and attendance integrations
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Monthly cost | Cost per employee |
| Base Fee | $36 | +$4 per employee |
Learn more about how OnPay’s pricing works and get an exact monthly estimate based on the number of employees.
Pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Automatic employee info entry Guaranteed tax filing accuracy | Only one pricing plan End-of-year tax filing fees |
6. Deluxe
Best for: Hospitality and Restaurant industry
Deluxe is a top-rated payroll provider that works especially well with the hospitality and restaurant industries. It integrates seamlessly with point of sale (POS) systems frequently used in hospitality businesses, such as Micros/E7, NCR Aloha, Digital Dining, Fisher, and many more. Another benefit of Deluxe is that they do not charge set-up fees and do not require a long-term contract. Deluxe offers valuable and convenient features with their payroll solution, such as an easy-to-use employee portal, employee choice of payment method, and various online reports for business leaders.
Benefits and Features
- Full service payroll
- Automatic tax filing
- Free payroll set up for new users
- Pay and tax calculations
- Point of Sale (POS) integrations
- General ledger systems
- “Pay as you go” workers’ comp
- 401k options
- Customizable payroll reporting
- Self-service employee portal
- W4 and W2 forms
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Monthly cost | Cost per employee |
| 1-5 employees | Starting at $30 | Unknown |
| 6-10 employees | Starting at $50 | Unknown |
| 11-20 employees | Starting at $55 | Unknown |
| 21-50 employees | Starting at $120 | Unknown |
Note: Deluxe’s pricing isn’t 100% transparent online. Find out more about Deluxe’s payroll pricing and get in touch with them to get a custom quote.
Pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Great customer support system Multiple employee payment options | Pricing not transparent online Charges per payroll cycle |
7. Square
Best for: Contractors and retail businesses
Square is one of the best tech-savvy payroll service providers that integrates seamlessly with Square point of sale. It also works particularly well for businesses who use contractors or freelancers, as time can be tracked easily using the Square app. Square offers affordable, transparent pricing - at just $29 per month plus $5 per employee. However, with Square’s contractor plan, there’s no base fee at all! You simply pay $5 per month per contractor, which is a deal you can’t beat. However, keep in mind that while Square is an easy, seamless payroll solution, it doesn’t have the same robust reporting tools as larger competitors like ADP and Paychex.
Benefits and Features
- Full-service payroll
- Automatic tax filing
- Time and attendance tracking
- Integration with Square point of sale
- Employee choice of payment method
- Employee self-service portal
- Business management tools
- W2 and 1099 forms
- Health insurance and 401k
- No annual commitments
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Monthly cost | Cost per employee |
| Base Fee | $29 | +$5 per employee |
Pros and cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable pricing Great solution for contractors | Limited features, such as reporting and HR Not suitable for large businesses |
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a reliable and affordable payroll service provider for your specific needs, keep in mind that there are lots of options out there for you. Don’t just consider larger name-brand payroll providers, make sure to dig in and do your research!
Here at 360Connect, we are focused on helping all sorts of businesses find the perfect payroll solution for their needs. Use our free online comparison tool to match with up to 5 of the best payroll providers that have what you are looking for. Plus, you get to save up to 30%!