Intuit QuickBooks Workforce Review: Is It Right for You?

QuickBooks Workforce (formerly QuickBooks Payroll), one of the products in Intuit’s suite of solutions, gives you full-service payroll, automatic tax filings, next-day direct deposits, and multiple human resources (HR) functions. It’s ideal for businesses that already use QuickBooks Accounting or want to move to a reliable accounting solution that integrates with payroll. With monthly fees that start at $50 per month + $6.50 per employee monthly, it’s a reasonably priced option that works well for small businesses. In our evaluation of the best payroll software for small businesses, QuickBooks Workforce earned an overall score of 4.54 out of 5.

Overall Score:

4.54

/ 5

Pros

• Unlimited pay runs
• Native integration with QuickBooks for accounting
• Same- and next-day direct deposits
• Robust tax penalty protection; QuickBooks to cover tax penalties (up to $25,000 per year) regardless of who makes the mistake (with highest plan)
• Low-cost contractor payments
• Offers time tracking and HR advisory services

Cons

• Its basic Core plan doesn’t include local tax filings and time tracking; you have to upgrade to its Premium or Elite tier
• Basic HR features
• Tax penalty protection and HR advisory services available only in the Elite plan
• Limited health benefits coverage (doesn’t include HI, VT, and DC)
• Lacks mobile apps for employee self-service (only has a workforce portal you can access online)

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What We Recommend QuickBooks Workforce For

QuickBooks Workforce Deciding Factors

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Are you looking for something different? Read our guide to the best payroll services for small businesses to find a service or software that’s right for you.

How QuickBooks Workforce Compares With Top Alternatives

	Best For	Free Trial	Starter Monthly Fees	Our Reviews
	Small companies that use QuickBooks accounting	30 days	$50 per month + $6.50 per employee monthly
	Visit QuickBooks Workforce
	Businesses that need full-service payroll and solid HR support	1 month free payroll*	$49 per month + $6 per person per month	Read our Gusto review
	Visit Gusto
	Small retail and restaurants businesses	✕	$35 base fee plus $6 per employee	Read our Square Payroll review
	Visit Square Payroll
	Companies looking for an all-in-one HR, payroll, and information technology (IT) solution	✕	$35 base fee plus $8 per employee**	Read our Rippling review
	Visit Rippling

*Get one month free when you run your first payroll. Offer will be applied to your Gusto invoice(s) while all applicable terms and conditions are met or fulfilled.

**Pricing is based on a quote we received.

Intuit QuickBooks Workforce Pricing

5.00 / 5

QuickBooks Workforce offers transparent pricing, so you know just how much you need to pay when running payroll through its platform. While its monthly fees are reasonably priced, its unlimited pay runs also help to keep the costs down, unlike other payroll providers that charge fees on a per-employee and per-pay run basis. These factors contributed to QuickBooks Workforce getting perfect marks in this criterion.

Intuit QuickBooks Workforce pricing for its three plans (Core, Premium, and Elite) ranges from $50 to $130 per month plus per-employee monthly fees of $6 to $11. Each plan includes full-service payroll, tax payments and filings, next-day direct deposits, and automatic pay runs. However, depending on your plan, you have to pay extra for some services, such as multiple state filings and workers’ compensation administration.

*Additional fees may apply, depending on the type of plan selected.

**Workers’ compensation insurance isn’t available in Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming.

Contractor Payments

For small businesses that only hire contractors, QuickBooks has a contractor payments package that’s very affordable. For $15 per month, you can process payments for up to 20 workers (plus $2 for each additional contractor), e-file 1099 forms, and pay contractors via next-day direct deposits. This plan also comes with self-service tools, so your contract workers can set up their QuickBooks Workforce accounts, complete W-9s, and provide bank information details for pay processing.

Additionally, businesses that are first-time users of QuickBooks’ contractor payments package can get either a 30-day free trial or 50% off its base fee. However, if you must pay both employees and contractors, you must sign up for one of QuickBooks Workforce’s plans.

Intuit QuickBooks Workforce Pay Processing Features

4.56 / 5

While its intuitive interface is designed to streamline pay processes, it didn’t get a perfect rating here because it doesn’t have a pay-on-demand feature and only offers local state tax filings in its higher tiers. However, QuickBooks Workforce’s online tools are still a great choice for small businesses looking for fast direct deposits and an affordable contractor payment plan.

The QuickBooks QuickBooks Workforce dashboard contains helpful shortcuts, a to-do list, and an “auto-payroll” box that allows you to turn its automatic pay runs feature on and off easily. (Source: QuickBooks Workforce)

If you’re a new user and need help navigating its pay features, check out our guide to setting up and running QuickBooks Workforce. It also includes a video tutorial if you prefer a visual walk-through.

Payroll Processing

With QuickBooks Workforce, you can run unlimited monthly payroll and pay employees and contractors through paper checks or direct deposits. Since payroll processing is unlimited, you can set different schedules for different employees. You can also pay your staff quickly—QuickBooks offers next- or same-day direct deposit vs the two- to four-day option with other providers. While some services charge extra for processing deductions and garnishments, QuickBooks includes this in all plans.

For business owners who prefer to pay employees via paychecks, QuickBooks Workforce has check printing capabilities. To print paper checks yourself, you need to purchase the proper check stock and adjust your printer settings. For more information about this feature, check out our guide to printing QuickBooks Workforce checks.

If you’ve run payroll several times and don’t require any revisions or salary changes, QuickBooks has an auto-payroll feature that will run payroll automatically every pay period. However, this functionality is available only for those who employ salaried employees and have payments set on direct deposits with e-services enabled. Your payroll account should also be in good standing and not have been placed on hold in the six months prior to running auto-payroll.

With QuickBooks Workforce, you can process, review, and approve employee payroll with a few clicks. (Source: QuickBooks Workforce)

Payroll Tax Management

QuickBooks Workforce handles tax payments and filings for federal and state taxes, including year-end tax forms. If you require automated local tax filings, consider either its Premium or Elite plan. For Elite subscribers, there’s additional insurance against penalties of any kind up to $25,000, even if you are at fault. A QuickBooks tax resolution team will also represent you in resolving filing or payment issues with the IRS.

Unemployment Insurance & Workers’ Comp

QuickBooks Workforce files state and federal unemployment insurance and works with AP Intego for workers’ comp to get you the best plan price. Managing workers’ compensation is also made easy since AP Intego integrates your plan directly into QuickBooks Workforce. Note, however, that workers’ comp administration is only included in the Premium and Elite tiers. If you’re on Core, you have to pay $5 monthly for this service. Also, it isn’t available in Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming.

You can manage workers’ comp plans easily and get an online quote from the provider’s insurance partners directly through QuickBooks Workforce’s benefits module. (Source: QuickBooks Workforce)

Intuit QuickBooks Workforce HR Features

4.38 / 5

This system’s HR functionalities may not be extensive but are sufficient enough to help small businesses manage basic employee data, benefits, and time tracking. While it earned a 4.38 out of 5 in this category, QuickBooks Workforce would have received a much higher rating if it provided access to health insurance plans that cover all 50 states (unavailable in Hawaii, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.).

Time Tracking

If you select either its Premium or Elite package, you can track your employees’ work hours and paid time off (PTO) through QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets). With its mobile app, your staff can clock in/out, switch jobs or tasks, and check their attendance while on the go. It has GPS functionalities, allowing you to check your field employees’ location when they clock in.

If you’re not on a Premium or Elite plan, you can input your staff’s regular and overtime hours into QuickBooks Workforce directly. (Source: QuickBooks Workforce)

Employee Benefits

For employee health benefits, QuickBooks Workforce offers health insurance options through SimplyInsured, which helps small businesses find the best insurance packages for their budget. It’s a three-step application, and you get instant quotes. If you select benefits through QuickBooks Workforce, you can easily administer them through its software. Note, however, that its health plans aren’t available in Hawaii, Vermont, and the District of Columbia, as of this writing.

In addition, all of its plans include access to a 401(k) program. It is administered by Guideline, an independent third party that handles compliance and record-keeping—although there may be some 401(k) plan fees (Guideline offers three plans with fees that start at $49 plus $8 per active participant monthly).

HR Administration & Support

QuickBooks Workforce has partnered with Mineral to provide HR support and administration to its clients. Available only for Premium and Elite subscribers, the HR support center grants you access to customizable job descriptions, onboarding checklists, and performance tools. If you sign up for an Elite plan, you can contact Mineral HR and compliance experts (either online or via phone) if you have critical HR issues. They can also assist you in creating HR policies and custom handbooks.

Employee Portal

The QuickBooks Workforce portal lets employees access pay stubs and W-2s as well as view PTO balances and withholdings. They can also change and update their details like contact information, bank accounts, and more. In addition to logging time sheets, it lets employees apply for expense reimbursements and request PTO. There’s also a section for HR documents like employee manuals. Note that the features employees can use may vary according to your QuickBooks Workforce plan.

QuickBooks Workforce Reporting

5.00 / 5

QuickBooks Workforce meets all the requirements we’re looking for when it comes to reporting capabilities. It has built-in reports that cover anything from payroll costs and tax liabilities to employee details and retirement plan contribution information. Reports are downloadable in comma-separated values (CSV) and XLS file formats. You can also customize reports (and save these) by selecting items you want to appear in the report and adding filters, such as date ranges and employee types.

If you click on the star beside the report, QuickBooks Workforce will add it to your Favorites, making it easy for you to access. (Source: QuickBooks Workforce)

QuickBooks Workforce Ease of Use

4.38 / 5

This provider scored well for ease of use, given its intuitive interface and user-friendly tools. However, its limited customization options cost it some points. While QuickBooks Workforce connects seamlessly with other Intuit products, you need to get its accounting solution if you want to integrate with third-party software.

• Automatic integration with QuickBooks Accounting software
• Self-service onboarding
• Intuitive interface
• Online setup wizard
• 24/7 chat support
• Setup assistance available in Elite plan
• How-to guides and videos
• US-based live phone support

QuickBooks Workforce is an easy program to use, especially if you are already familiar with QuickBooks in general. You do have to set up payroll on your own unless you get the Elite plan, but you can contact support with questions. The Premium package does give you access to a setup review to ensure everything is correct before you process your first payroll. Once you run payroll for an employee, you can no longer add historical data, so be sure to add all the information first.

For new users, your QuickBooks Workforce dashboard will show tasks that you need to complete when setting up your business and employee details in the system. (Source: QuickBooks Workforce)

When running payroll in QuickBooks Workforce, the entire process requires only several button clicks. Its system pulls up the specific employee and pay information, including time data (if you have QuickBooks Time) automatically, and you can make changes before completing the payroll run. The interface is not complex, and there is a help button with how-to articles, plus a way to contact its 24/7 chat support. You can also call a customer service rep via phone from Mondays to Fridays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time, and Saturdays, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., PT.

QuickBooks Workforce Expert Score

4.38 / 5

In our expert assessment of QuickBooks Workforce, we found its online solutions great for small businesses looking for solid payroll and tax support. However, its HR functionalities aren’t as robust as other pay processing software, such as Rippling and Gusto. If you require advanced HR tools to hire employees and manage learning programs, consider either ADP or Paychex.

Popularity: What Users Think About QuickBooks Workforce

3.75 / 5

The Intuit QuickBooks Workforce reviews on third-party sites, such as G2 and Capterra, showed solid ratings. In our evaluation of this provider’s popularity among users, QuickBooks Workforce received a 3.75 out of 5 score. While it received an average rating of 4 and up on online review sites, it lost points because its average number of user reviews didn’t reach 1,000.

Many of those who left positive QuickBooks Workforce reviews appreciate its ease of use, fast direct deposits, and efficient online tools that make paying employees and managing taxes easy. Some reviewers like that it integrates with QuickBooks as it helps them update general ledgers (GLs) efficiently after pay runs.

However, others said it is expensive compared to similar small business payroll providers. Customer support is also hit or miss. Many reviewers complained about the long wait times when contacting its support team, while a few said that the customer reps they spoke with are not helpful.

At the time of publication, Intuit QuickBooks Workforce reviews earned the following scores on popular user review sites:

• Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 based on nearly 800 reviews
• G2: 3.7 out of 5 based on 40-plus reviews

Bottom Line

If you like QuickBooks, then its payroll software is a natural choice. With seamless integration, it makes calculating employee pay simple and easy. Plus, it handles tax payments and filings for you. In addition, QuickBooks’ parent company, Intuit, has partnered with several reputable companies to enable you to offer and manage benefits and basic HR tasks for your employees, so you can do it all on one system.

What’s great about this software is you don’t have to have QuickBooks Accounting to use QuickBooks Workforce. You can get its payroll module as a standalone solution and then add Intuit’s other products to your platform as you grow your business.

Sign up for QuickBooks Workforce’s three-month free trial today and learn more about its features.

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