Intuit QuickBooks Payroll Review: Is It Right for You?

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 HR functions. It’s ideal for businesses that already use QuickBooks Accounting or want to make the move to a reliable accounting solution that integrates with payroll. With monthly fees that start at $45 plus $5 per employee, it’s a reasonably priced option that works well for small businesses.

QuickBooks Payroll

What We Like

• 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/year) regardless of who makes the mistake (with premium plan)

What's Missing

• No low-cost contractor plan
• Its basic Core plan doesn’t include local tax filings; you have to upgrade to its Premium or Elite tier this service
• Tax penalty protection is available only in the Elite plan
• Basic HR features only

Deciding Factors

• Ease of use:
  • Generally user-friendly, but you need to have basic knowledge of how to run payroll
  • Has online guides to help you through the setup process
  • Offers “expert setup” services, provided you get its highest tier
• Pricing:
  • Has three plans (Core, Premium, and Elite) with base software fees that range from $45–$125 per month and per-employee fees of $5–$10 monthly
• Customer support:
  • 24/7 chat support
  • Phone support is available Mondays through Fridays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific time
  • Access to HR advisory services limited to Elite plan holders

Visit QuickBooks Payroll

What We Recommend QuickBooks Payroll For

We’ve examined and compared QuickBooks Payroll against several payroll software for multiple uses—from general business to specific industries like trucking—and it almost always ranks in our lists of best employee pay processing tools because of its versatility, ease of use, and breadth of features. It’s also easily accessible through the QuickBooks Online accounting software, so it’s a simple transition for small employers that are existing QuickBooks users.

In short, QuickBooks Payroll is best for:

• QuickBooks users: If you are already comfortable using QuickBooks Accounting, then having its payroll system natively integrated makes handling your payroll a breeze; all of your payroll transactions flow to the general journal, and you don’t have to spend time on the front-end setting up and assigning accounts. In addition, the system lets you use the information in the payroll application for budgeting and other analysis using QuickBooks.
• Small businesses: Intuit’s payroll pricing is reasonable for small business owners since you can process unlimited pay runs without paying extra; in fact, it ranked well in our best payroll software for small businesses guide. QuickBooks Payroll also has several plan options you can choose from, all of which provide full-service payroll processing (pays your taxes and employees). You can even add time tracking and get access to HR experts as the need arises—and still keep it at an affordable rate as compared to other providers.
• Mobile businesses: If you’re out in the field often, QuickBooks Payroll’s mobile app will come in handy. In fact, it holds the No. 1 spot in our best payroll apps buyer’s guide. You can use the app to run payroll, e-file taxes, and even pay employees, no matter where you are—provided an internet connection is available.

When QuickBooks Payroll Would Not Be a Good Fit

• Large businesses: QuickBooks Payroll is best for small and midsize businesses. If you are a large business with complex payroll and HR needs, consider one of our recommended HRIS services.
• Businesses on a tight budget: QuickBooks Payroll is relatively inexpensive for what it offers, but if you need something simpler and cheaper, consider Patriot Payroll—it has a lower-cost full-service plan in addition to an even cheaper self-service plan, if you’re willing to file the taxes on your own. There are also free payroll software options that may suffice.
• Businesses without consistent internet access: QuickBooks Payroll is an online payroll software; therefore, you will need internet access to stay connected. If your business is located in an area that doesn’t have reliable internet or you just don’t want a regular Wi-Fi bill, consider a QuickBooks Desktop Payroll product.

Top QuickBooks Payroll Alternatives

Visit Gusto	Visit Paychex	Visit Square Payroll
Best for: Small businesses looking for full-service payroll with basic HR tools	Best for: Startups planning to grow significantly	Best for: Square POS users, particularly retailers and restaurants
Base monthly fee from: $40	Base monthly fee from: $39	Base monthly fee from: $35
Per employee monthly fee from: $6	Per employee monthly fee from: $5	Per-employee monthly fee from: $5
Read our Gusto Review	Read our Paychex Flex Review	Read our Square Payroll Review

If you’re not sure if QuickBooks Payroll is right for you, see how it compares with other HR payroll software.

Intuit QuickBooks Payroll Pricing

Intuit QuickBooks Payroll pricing for its three plans (Core, Premium, and Elite) ranges from $45 to $125 per month plus per-employee monthly fees of $5–$10. Each plan comes with full-service payroll, tax payments and filings, next-day direct deposits, and automatic pay runs. However, you have to pay extra for some services (like multiple state filings and workers’ compensation administration), depending on your plan.

*QuickBooks offers discounts (such as its current 50% off for three months for new users) from time to time, so check its website to see the latest promotions on offer.

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

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

Unsure which QuickBooks Payroll plan to get? Read our QuickBooks Payroll: Core vs Premium vs Elite guide to help you find the right payroll package for your business.

Intuit QuickBooks Payroll Features

QuickBooks Payroll is easy to use and set up. You can input payroll information by hand or, if you’re a QuickBooks user, through the QuickBooks accounting software. However, if you get the Premium plan, QuickBooks offers a setup review to ensure everything is put in correctly, while the Elite plan gives you access to custom setup services. Once setup is completed, running payroll is as easy as putting in the hours and clicking a button.

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

Check out our guide to setting up and running QuickBooks Payroll. It also includes a video tutorial if you prefer a visual walk-through.

Payroll Processing

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

If you’ve run payroll several times and don’t require any revisions or salary changes, QuickBooks has an auto-payroll feature that will automatically run payroll 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 Payroll, you can process, review, and approve employee payroll with just a few clicks. (Source: QuickBooks Payroll)

Payroll Tax Management

Employee Benefits

Unemployment Insurance & Workers’ Comp

QuickBooks Payroll files state and federal unemployment insurance and works with AP Intego for workers’ comp to get you the best price on plans. Managing workers’ compensation is also made easy since AP Intego integrates your plan directly into QuickBooks Payroll. 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 easily manage workers’ comp plans and even get an online quote from the provider’s insurance partners directly through QuickBooks Payroll’s benefits module. (Source: QuickBooks Payroll)

HR Administration & Support

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 even 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 directly into QuickBooks Payroll. (Source: QuickBooks Payroll)

Employee Portal

QuickBooks Payroll Ease of Use

• Automatic integration with QuickBooks Accounting software
• Self-service onboarding
• Intuitive interface
• Chat and phone support
• How-to guides and videos
• Mobile app lets you run payroll and e-file taxes

QuickBooks Payroll 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 Premier package does give you access to a setup review to ensure everything is correct before you run 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 Payroll dashboard will show tasks that you need to complete when setting up your business and employee details in the system. (Source: QuickBooks Payroll)

When running payroll in QuickBooks Payroll, the whole process requires only several button clicks. Its system automatically pulls up the necessary employee and pay information, including time data (if you have QuickBooks Time), 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., and Saturdays, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pacific time.

What Users Think About Intuit QuickBooks Payroll

The Intuit QuickBooks Payroll reviews on third-party sites (such as G2 and Capterra) showed solid ratings. Many users highlighted 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 efficiently update general ledgers 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, QuickBooks Payroll earned the following scores on popular user review sites:

• Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 based on more than 700 reviews
• G2: 3.6 out of 5 based on 40+ 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 Payroll. 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 Payroll’s three-month free trial today and learn more about its features.

Visit QuickBooks Payroll