9 Best Human Resources Payroll Software

Gusto’s core product is payroll, and it offers its online tools at reasonable rates, with monthly fees that start at $40 plus $6 per employee. This is unlike TriNet Zenefits and Rippling, which offer their pay processing solutions as paid add-ons. For those needing to pay contract staff, Gusto has a contractor payroll plan that only costs $6 per contractor monthly. However, it doesn’t compare to Square Payroll’s low-cost, contractor-only option, which is priced at $5 per contractor monthly.

Unlike Paychex or ADP, Gusto lets you run payroll as many times as you want and need without having to pay extra. It even has an “AutoPilot” mode that processes your payroll automatically.

Salaries are remitted to the employees’ accounts either through pay cards or direct deposits. Gusto’s standard direct deposit timeline is two or four days, although it has a next-day option if you subscribe to its higher plans. You can also pay via paper checks, but you have to print your own. If this isn’t an option for you, consider ADP or Paychex, as both offer paper checks with signing services.

Employees with financial emergencies can get money between paydays through the “Gusto Cashout” option. Available via the free “Gusto Wallet” app, this feature lets your staff withdraw up to 40% or a maximum of $500 ($200 only for the first transaction) of their average paycheck, whichever option is less. Although Gusto considers this a loan, it doesn’t charge interest fees since the requested amount is automatically deducted from the employee’s next paycheck. Aside from Square Payroll and Paychex, which offer early access to earned wages, none of the other providers in this list have a similar feature.

Gusto can manage your benefits plans or integrate your existing broker and eligible health plans into its system for a fee ($6 per eligible employee monthly). It offers a wide range of options that include commuter benefits, HSA/FSA, 529 college savings accounts, and retirement plans. However, Gusto’s health insurance coverage is limited—it isn’t available in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. For health benefits that cover all 50 states, consider any of the human resource payroll software in this guide except TriNet Zenefits (its health plans aren’t available in Hawaii). Note that with Rippling, you have to pay extra for its benefits modules.

Gusto provides small businesses with essential HR tools that they would need. These include online offer letters, state new hire reporting, paid-time off (PTO) and time tracking, job postings, applicant tracking, performance reviews, and a self-onboarding portal. Gusto even offers analytics to help you understand workforce costs and see how much time employees spend working on projects and tasks.

It also provides access to software provisioning tools for new hires and surveys to measure employee engagement. However, it lacks the learning management solution that ADP, Paychex, and Rippling offer, as well as the compensation and salary benchmark tools that TriNet Zenefits provides.

Having access to HR experts who can answer your compliance and HR queries is helpful. With Gusto, you can contact SHRM- and HRCI-certified HR professionals—provided you subscribe to its highest plan.

Compared to the other providers in this guide that offer bundled plans with a fixed set of features, some of which you may not need, Rippling lets you select your needed HR and IT tools. While you have the freedom to choose which features to get, you’re required to purchase its core workforce management platform before you can buy other modules. This can get pricey as you add more functionalities to its system—but Rippling can also create a custom package that fits your needs. However, if you have a limited budget and only need payroll, benefits, and basic HR, we recommend OnPay, as it has only one plan that’s reasonably priced ($40 plus $6 per employee monthly) and comes with all of its features.

Similar to TriNet Zenefits, Rippling’s pay processing solution is a paid add-on to its core platform. It offers unlimited pay runs, direct deposit payments, payroll tax filings, and year-end reporting. If you have international staff, Rippling (like ADP) can help manage your global payroll needs.

Rippling grants you access to several benefits options such as health insurance, retirement plans, FSA/HSA, and commuter benefits. Similar to Gusto and TriNet Zenefits, if you’re already working with a broker that manages your plans, Rippling lets you add your preferred broker as a user in its system for a fee. Note that the other six human resource payroll software that we reviewed don’t offer this option.

Unlike the other software in this list, which either don’t have IT features or only handle software setup for new hires (like Gusto), Rippling offers app and device management solutions to streamline IT provisioning and deprovisioning processes. Aside from helping manage computer inventories, it can set up app accounts for new hires and install the required business software on company-issued laptops. For your resigning staff, Rippling automatically revokes system access on your employee’s last working day. It can even remotely lock devices and wipe data from computers.

Rippling is the only provider in this guide that connects with over 500 third-party apps. Given its extensive network of partner systems, it’s highly likely that the business software you’re using are included in its integration options.

From job postings to applicant tracking, Rippling has the hiring tools you need to find and screen qualified candidates. It also offers onboarding, new hire reporting, and learning management solutions. Tracking employee attendance is also possible through its time and attendance module. However, it doesn’t have ADP’s wide job posting reach and Paychex’s and Zenefits’s compensation management tools.

Aside from its feature-rich human resource and payroll software, it offers a professional employer organization (PEO) service in case you’re looking for a co-employment option to help manage your day-to-day HR, payroll, and benefits administration processes. Both ADP and Paychex also have PEO solutions, but lack Rippling’s flexible services, which allow you to easily turn off its PEO and transition to its HR platform with a click of a button.

You can contact Rippling’s customer service team through email and chat, but if you want one-on-one HR phone support, you have to pay a flat monthly rate. It also doesn’t provide a dedicated payroll specialist (Paychex offers this) who can help you manage pay and tax concerns.

QuickBooks Payroll offers full-service payroll with unlimited pay runs, year-end W-2/1099 reporting, and tax filing services. However, if you don’t want to manually input local tax rates into its system and file the applicable local tax forms yourself, then you have to subscribe to its highest plan. Note that the other human resource payroll software we reviewed offer tax filing services that cover all levels (federal, state, and local)—regardless of the plan selected.

QuickBooks Payroll processes direct deposits faster than the other providers on our list. It has same-day direct deposits included in its higher tiers and a next-day option as its standard processing timeline. Note that most of the providers in this guide have a standard two-day processing timeline. Square Payroll may also offer next-day direct deposits and even instant payouts, but you need to have an active Square Payments account.

QuickBooks Payroll’s health insurance plans are available in all US states as opposed to those of Gusto and TriNet Zenefits, which both have limited coverage (39 and 49 states, respectively). However, it doesn’t have Gusto’s college savings accounts and ADP’s employee discount perks.

QuickBooks Payroll offers a tax accuracy guarantee and a tax penalty protection program. The first one covers penalties for late tax payments, provided you gave the accurate information to QuickBooks and have available funds in your account to pay applicable payroll taxes. The second option is only for its Elite plan subscribers, wherein QuickBooks will shoulder tax penalties (up to $25,000/year), regardless of who made the mistake. None of the providers on our list have a tax penalty protection program as robust.

QuickBooks Payroll’s HR features aren’t as advanced compared to ADP, Paychex, Rippling, and TriNet Zenefits. It only offers basic tools that small businesses would need such as employee onboarding, new hire reporting, customizable job descriptions, and time tracking through its QuickBooks Time solution.

Get answers to your compliance and HR questions through QuickBooks Payroll’s HR advisory services (provided through Mineral). Available for Elite plan subscribers, you can consult with certified HR professionals on critical HR issues either via phone or online. Its services also include helping you create company policies and an employee handbook.

Paychex’s multiple plans target businesses of different sizes, including those run by only one person. Solopreneurs can start with its Paychex Solo option, which includes payroll, a retirement plan, and business incorporation services. If their operations expand, requiring them to hire workers, then they can transition to its Paychex Flex product (which has three tiers) that come with more compliance support and advanced HR tools for handling employees. Note that while ADP also offers flexible plans that can handle the growing HR and payroll needs of your business, it doesn’t have a special package that’s geared toward the self-employed.

Paychex’s payroll tools can handle both employee and contractor payments, although it lacks the separate contractor-only payroll plans that Gusto and Square Payroll offer. Tax calculations, payments, and filings to federal, state, and local agencies (including W-2/1099 tax reporting) will be managed by Paychex, but some of these payroll administration services require add-on fees. For a payroll solution that doesn’t charge extra for filing tax forms, consider any of the providers in this guide except ADP and SurePayroll (which charges $9.99 monthly for OH and PA local tax filings). QuickBooks Payroll is also a good choice, but you have to subscribe to its Elite plan if you want local tax filings.

In addition to retirement, health insurance, FSA/HSA, dental, and vision plans, Paychex offers financial wellness tools—the other human resource payroll software that we reviewed don’t have this. However, it lacks ADP’s employee discounts and Gusto’s college savings plans.

Paychex’s HR solution suite is similar to that of ADP, but more robust than those of Square Payroll, OnPay, QuickBooks Payroll, and Gusto. These four mainly offer onboarding, online document management, and new hire reporting functionalities, although Gusto also provides performance review tools. Paychex has all these functionalities and more, including learning management, employee attendance tracking, background screening, hiring, and PEO services.

However, if you require a wide job posting reach, consider ADP, as it can advertise your job listings to over 25,000 sites. TriNet Zenefits is also a good choice if you’re looking for a compensation planning solution, while Rippling is great for those wanting basic IT tools to streamline computer and software provisioning and deprovisioning processes (Paychex doesn’t have these features).

Paychex assigns a highly trained payroll specialist to its clients to serve as their single point of contact for everything related to pay and tax processing. It also provides 24/7 phone support with customer service reps that are all US-based.

TriNet Zenefits has an HR solution suite that includes a wide range of essential features. Aside from processing payroll, it can help you onboard new hires, manage compensation plans, monitor performance reviews, and even run employee surveys. However, its HR plans lack the hiring tools that Gusto offers in its higher tiers. Similar to Rippling and Paychex, you have to pay extra (monthly fees start at $62) to unlock its recruiting tools.

While TriNet Zenefits, like Rippling, requires you to purchase its payroll module separately, it comes with all the tools you need to process employee and contractor payments. It also offers payroll tax filing services and year-end W-2/1099 reporting at no extra cost (Paychex and ADP charge additional fees).

Time and attendance tools are included in all of its HR plans, making it easy for you to capture actual employee time data for pay processing. Note that SurePayroll and OnPay don’t have time tracking capabilities, while Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll offer this in their higher tiers. Rippling, ADP, and Paychex also have time tracking functionalities, but as a paid add-on.

Aside from access to employee benefits options (like medical, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, and retirement plans), TriNet Zenefits provides online tools to streamline benefits administration. You can use its partner brokers to manage your plans or pay a monthly fee ($5 per employee) to have your own broker administer your benefits.

Unlike Square Payroll, which doesn’t have HR advisory services, TriNet Zenefits has a team of HR and payroll professionals who can provide expert compliance, HR, and employee management advice. However, this service costs extra ($10 per employee monthly).

Priced at only $5 per contractor monthly, Square Payroll has the most budget-friendly contractor-only plan in this guide. Gusto has a similar option but charges a slightly higher monthly fee ($6 per contractor), while the other seven human resource payroll software we reviewed don’t have a special contractor plan.

Employee salary payouts can be made through direct deposits, paychecks, and via its “Cash App.” While the standard direct deposit processing timeline is four days, this can be shortened to a next-day option and even instant payments if you have a Square Payments account. Plus, like Gusto and Paychex, it has an on-demand pay feature that enables employees to withdraw a portion of their earned wages in case of financial emergencies.

Square Payroll offers automatic payroll tax filings for all levels (federal, state, and local) at no extra cost. This is unlike Paychex and ADP, which charges fees for year-end tax reports, and QuickBooks Payroll, which requires you to upgrade to its highest tier if you want local tax filings. Square Payroll will also prepare and file W-2 and 1099 tax forms at year-end—a service that costs extra with ADP.

Given the seamless connection between Square Payroll and Square POS, you can easily import tips, commissions, and even employee time data for pay processing.

Some of Square Payroll’s employee benefits options include health insurance, retirement plans, and workers’ compensation. If you prefer a wider selection, consider Gusto (offerings include a college savings plan), Paychex (has financial wellness tools), and ADP (provides employee discounts).

Square Payroll’s HR functionalities are limited to new hire reporting, employee onboarding, and PTO tracking. It can capture employee clock-ins/outs, but it has to be through the Square POS and its Square Team app. If you’re looking for advanced HR features, Rippling, ADP, Paychex, and TriNet Zenefits are great options.

ADP and Paychex are very similar, as both have plans and products for businesses of all sizes. What ADP lacks is a pricing plan for solopreneurs and the self-employed—an option that Paychex offers. However, compared to those of Paychex, the features included in ADP’s plans are slightly more robust, as it comes with employee discounts, a wide job posting reach (over 25,000 job sites via ZipRecruiter), and legal assistance (like consultations for contract review and debt collection) through Upnetic Legal Services. Note that Paychex’s hiring services are paid add-ons, plus it doesn’t have employee discounts and legal assistance services.

ADP makes processing payroll easy given its cloud-based system that automatically calculates earnings, deductions, and tax withholdings—it can even handle international payroll for global employees. It remits payroll tax payments and files the applicable tax forms to federal, state, and local agencies at no cost (Paychex charges extra for this). The creation, delivery, and filing of W-2/1099 tax forms at year-end are also included in ADP’s services, but this requires add-on fees.

For year-end reporting and tax filings that come with no extra cost, consider Square Payroll and Gusto. Rippling and TriNet Zenefits are good options but their payroll and tax filing modules are paid add-ons to its core platforms. QuickBooks Payroll also offers robust payroll tax administration services, but you need to get the highest plan for local tax filings. In case you have a small team and prefer to handle tax filings yourself, consider SurePayroll as it offers a DIY plan apart from its full-service payroll package.

Salaries are remitted to employee accounts via direct deposits and through Wisely Direct debit cards. Secure paychecks that include check signing and stuffing services are also available in ADP’s higher tiers. Note that aside from Paychex, the other providers in this guide don’t have similar paycheck services.

What sets ADP apart from the other human resource payroll software that we reviewed is its employee discount program—a perk you can offer to your staff that allows them to get discounts from ADP’s partner brands and retail shops. Plus, it also provides access to the usual benefits options, like retirement and health insurance plans, that are available across the US (Gusto’s coverage is limited to 39 states, while TriNet Zenefits’ health plans don’t cover Hawaii).

ADP has comprehensive HR solutions for managing hiring, training, performance reviews, employee attendance, and more. It even lets you post open jobs to more than 25,000 job sites, enabling you to easily find qualified candidates and hire employees. While Paychex and Gusto offer hiring services and solutions, their job posting reach isn’t as extensive as that of ADP. Rippling also provides a similar service, but its recruiting tools are a paid add-on to its core workforce management module. However, Rippling offers a more flexible PEO solution than ADP, as it allows users to easily turn it on and seamlessly transition to using its HR software again (ADP doesn’t have this option).

OnPay offers unlimited monthly pay runs and can handle multiple payout schedules for both W-2 and 1099 workers. It remits payroll tax payments and files the applicable tax forms for you (Paychex charges extra for this). For those with unique payroll and tax filing needs, such as farms and agricultural business owners, OnPay can file Form 943 and process taxes for workers on H-2A visas. It also offers printable year-end W-2 and 1099 tax forms, but charges an additional fee if you want OnPay to print and mail the forms directly to employees and contractors.

OnPay can pay employees through debit cards, paychecks, and direct deposits. However, it doesn’t have QuickBooks Payroll’s next-day option and Square Payroll’s instant payments. And while it offers two- and four-day direct deposits, you can’t select the option you want—OnPay will identify this for you based on the results of its risk assessment.

With benefits options available in all US states, you are assured that your employees have sufficient health insurance coverage. This is unlike the health benefits of Gusto and Zenefits, which are limited to 39 and 49 states, respectively.

Aside from online offer letters and new hire reporting, it offers onboarding solutions that include digital I-9 and W-4 forms, customizable checklists, and an e-signature tool. It even has six levels of permissions, allowing you to delegate tasks and select who has visibility into its payroll and HR tools.

HR documents and templates are also available, but it lacks in-house HR advisory services. OnPay offers this service through its partner, Mineral, but you have to pay $20 to speak with an HR professional. If you prefer having easy access to HR experts you can contact for compliance issues, we recommend Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, ADP, and Paychex. Rippling and TriNet Zenefits also provide HR advisory services but you have to pay extra for them.

OnPay may not have multiple plans like the other human resources payroll in this guide (except Square Payroll), but it offers an affordably priced package that costs $36 plus $4 per employee monthly. Providers like Square Payroll, SurePayroll, TriNet Zenefits, and Rippling may appear to charge slightly lower monthly fees but you actually end up having to pay more in a year, mainly due to either its high base monthly or per-employee fees.

SurePayroll has solid payroll tools that can handle payment processing for contractors, hourly and salaried employees, nannies, and household workers. It offers automatic and unlimited pay runs, supports multiple pay rates, and pays employees via two-day direct deposits and checks that you print yourself.

However, if you prefer check signing services, consider either ADP or Paychex. Gusto and Square Payroll are also excellent choices if you want multiple payment options that include early access to earned wages. QuickBooks Payroll is also great for fast direct deposit payments (with next- and same-day options).

Apart from quarterly and year-end tax reporting, SurePayroll can help you file 940, 941, W-3, and 1096 tax forms. It also manages 1040-ES and Schedule-H tax filings for nanny taxes. However, unlike most of the human resource and payroll software in this guide (except ADP and Paychex), it charges extra for multistate and OH/PA local tax filings.

SurePayroll also offers a tax accuracy guarantee, wherein it will pay all tax penalties for filing errors made by its representatives. But if you want a tax penalty protection that covers even tax mistakes that you might make, consider QuickBooks Payroll, as it provides this program to its Elite plan subscribers.

Its partnership with Paychex Insurance Agency, a group of experienced insurance experts, enables SurePayroll to help you find benefits plans that fit your business needs. Apart from health insurance that’s available across the US (Gusto’s is unavailable in 11 states while TriNet Zenefits’ plans don’t cover Hawaii), you are granted access to 401(k) plans and pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation. But if you’re looking for non-standard benefits options, consider Gusto, as it has a 529 college savings plan, or ADP, because it offers employee discounts with partner restaurants and retail shops.

Its platform may not be as full-featured as Rippling, ADP, Paychex, Gusto, and TriNet Zenefits, but it offers basic HR solutions for managing new hire reporting and background screening. It even provides access to behavioral assessments and skills testing to help you make better hiring decisions.