Best Payroll Vendors For Canadian Businesses - 2023

The Best Canadian Payroll Vendors, their benefits, pitfalls, pricing, and more

Emmanuel Smith
Human capital management researcher

Contributing Experts

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The Top Canadian Payroll Software

Hand picked by our HR Technology experts after product testing, user research, and much debate - enjoy!

Deel has a robust global payroll offering that of course covers Canada as well as 150 other countries for companies that need to pay contractors and employees internationally.
Besides payroll, ADP Workforce provides other HR add-ons and tools that are available when you need them and sync seamlessly between each other.
Ceridian allows you access and audit payroll data anytime you want during the pay cycle.
Quickbooks is easy to use and it integrates with just about any other accounting, financial, and HR software.
Wage point boasts a particularly intuitive design and user-friendly interface, great for the average user.
Payworks makes it easy and seamless to switch from any payroll provider. Plus, it generates lots of customizable and shareable reports.
It is very affordable, easy to use, and its accounting software is free to use as an add-on.
Humi lets HR managers improve benefits administration by centralizing information about benefits cards, health spends, employee profiles, and multi-level plans on a single platform.
It is 100% Canadian and you can set up the platform to run your payroll on autopilot.
Excellent customer support.
Push Operations offer an integrated solution with all your operations (payroll, time tracking, etc., in one tidy interface).

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Introduction to Payroll Vendors for Canadian Businesses

As a business set up in Canada, it is only wise you are critical of the payroll vendor you choose to handle one of the most important aspects of your business. Costing organizations up to 70% of total business costs, improper handling of your labor costs can have severe impacts on your bottom line. Choosing one that is not built to understand Canadian legislation around payroll can be dire for your business in the long run. 

On the other hand, well-rounded Canadian payroll software will be beneficial to your business in so many ways. Companies have recorded massive successes using some of the payrolls in this article; some as unbelievable as 1000% return on investment (ROI).   

The good thing is, you don’t have to do all the hard work of looking for one that will best suit your business and will, at the same time, ensure compliance with Canadian provincial laws; we have done a good part of the work for you. We put in hours of research to bring you a list of the best payroll vendors for a variety of Canadian businesses— big, small, freelance, etc.

We will also talk about what you need to look out for before committing to a particular software, some pitfalls to avoid, and we will be answering some commonly asked questions around the topic, so stick around till’ the end.

Our Criteria: Here's how we chose who made the cut

We take research seriously. To make sure we’re offering our readers the very best solutions in a given software category, we are methodical, rigorous, and expansive in our research. We consult with HR professionals, vendors, and industry experts. We cut through the noise to bring you a carefully curated list of vendors, along with other essential information, to help you find the right software platform for your business. 

Here’s how we chose who makes the cut: 

Product: We believe in gaining a comprehensive understanding of a product before we recommend it, so we start by getting to know the software. Whenever possible, we meet with a senior executive (CEO or Head of Product) for a demo and Q&A. We also test the product ourselves to make sure it has a solid UI, intuitive workflows, and the features to make it a best-in-class offering. 

User feedback: We go straight to the source and compile feedback on user experience. Real-world input supports our commitment to diligence in our software evaluation methods and the products we recommend. Keeping up with the everyday experience of HR pros also puts new vendors on our radar, and it keeps us close to our community so we can better connect the right products to the right people.

Financial metrics: We are certified finance nerds, so we use all the data we can get our hands on to make selections for our guides. We comb through data for concrete statistics like retention rates, growth, profitability, and scalability. We evaluate the bottom line of each product because we know making a software purchase can put your reputation on the line. 

Best for a use case: Software is never a one-size-fits-all product. Sometimes the best solution is free or cheap. Other times it’s the one that is best for global companies or the one that’s sized right for early-stage startups. Keeping this in mind, we include solutions across the spectrum so our readers can find the best fit for their unique needs.

Here's more detail if you want to read more about how we research vendors. Our dedicated staff writers rely on hard data, impartial experts, and user feedback to ensure our reviews are helpful, truthful, and hopefully a pleasure to read!

Top Payroll Vendors for Canadian Businesses

We reviewed thousands of payroll solutions and, based on our stringent research procedures and expert council, these are the best payroll software for Canadian businesses as of 2023.

Deel

Review:

If you're looking for a Canadian payroll solution, Deel is a great option. Their offering will facilitate paying both contractors and employees in Canada. They also have a free HRIS that they recently launched in 2023. This HRIS offering includes the basic employee of record functionality, in addition to onboarding, employee engagement, and a host of other features.

If you're looking to pay employees in Canada, Deel will setup a local entity for your business, which allows you to compliantly pay employees. They will also take care of payroll taxes, necessary filings, benefits, and basically everything else you need to stay in compliance and keep your employees happy.

They also have a contractor offering in case you have non-employees that you need to pay and don't want to worry about the paperwork!

Deel

Pricing:

A cool thing about Deel is that you can sign up for free and play around with the tool, not being charged until you pay your first team member. Once you do, pricing for Deel will vary as follows: 

  • Contractors: At $49 per contractor per month, Deel takes care of payroll and compliance for contracts in 150 countries. 
  • Full-time: From $500, this plan lets you hire full-time employees in a new country without having to set up a legal entity there. Deel becomes an Employer of Record and hires the employee for you.

Best For

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ADP

Review:

ADP is a trusted platform for just about anything HR, with over 70 years of experience (since 1949). They provide HCM solutions in anything related to employee management, talent management, payroll, etc. Due to their global reach, they offer payroll services both locally (within Canada) and internationally.

ADP is an all-in-one, easy-to-use system for just about any business with any number of employees. This is evident in their payroll packages designed according to business size. 

With ADP Workforce, you can either get the Essential package, Enhanced package, Complete package, and the HR Pro - each with varying tools and add-ons of course. And if you feel the need to upgrade, you can easily switch between these packages.

ADP

Pricing:

ADP offers tailor-fitted prices for their services depending on the number of employees you have and the size of our business. They generally do not give out the prices on their packages outright, so you would have to request a quote to get an idea.

Custom pricing is available upon request of a demo for each specific product.

Best For

ADP is a good choice for just about any company of any size looking to get a quality payroll solution without compromising on the price.

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Ceridian

Review:

Ceridian provides an innovative cloud-technology payroll and HR solution in their Dayforce platform. Dayforce makes it possible for you to manage all your HR and Payroll transactions in one single database. 

Most users commend the flexibility of the system as it allows you to access and audit payroll data at any time during the pay cycle, allowing more time for reviews and a more accurate payroll documentation.

Ceridian

Pricing:

Dayforce payroll tool starts at $10.00 per employee per month.

Pricing for the Dayforce HCM suite is not provided upfront.

Best For

Ceridian Dayforce is a good option for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking to grow and will need the flexibility to opt for other HCM options in the future. It can also be used by large corporations.

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QuickBooks

Review:

Quickbooks is perhaps the most popular accounting software in the market, revered by many for its dedication to providing accounting software suites that help businesses manage clients, finance, and inventory. They also offer a comprehensive payroll solution to business organizations.

Intuit’s Quickbooks is characterized by its simplicity and friendly interface. Plus, they offer a 30-day free trial.

QuickBooks

Pricing:

You pay a $20 monthly base subscription rate for Quickbooks payroll and $3 extra for each employee you add.

For payroll, Quickbooks has three plans:

  • Core: The basics to pay your team and have payroll taxes done for you at $22.50 per month
  • Premium: Manage your team's payroll with HR support and some employee services for $37.50 per month
  • Elite: This plan provides access to on-demand experts in order to simplify payroll to the max. It starts at $62.50 per month.

QuickBooks often offers discounts for its plans. They currently have a 50% discount on all plans for the first three months of subscription.

Best For

Small businesses that just want to get their payroll done without the bells and whistles of an HCM software suite.

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Wagepoint

Review:

Wagepoint is a Canadian payroll software company founded in 2012. It has everything you need to pay your employees and contractors while staying compliant with payroll regulations. 

This software was built with the small business owner in mind as it is evident in the simplistic design that can be operated by just about anybody.

Wagepoint

Pricing:

The price for WagePoint’s payroll software is a monthly base fee of $20 and an additional $2 per employee.

The price for WagePoint's payroll software is a monthly base fee of $20 and an additional $2 per employee.

Best For

Wagepoint works well for sole proprietors, startups, and any small business with less than 100 employees.

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Payworks

Review:

Payworks inc. is a Canadian company that provides total workforce management solutions, HR tools, and of course, cloud-based payroll for Canadian organizations. Established in 2000, they have since made a name for themselves as Canada’s trusted payroll solution provider. 

Payworks especially stands out for its excellent understanding of Canadian tax laws. Unlike most small business payroll solutions, Payworks also processes Quebec payroll. Making it an excellent choice for any Canadian business.

Payworks

Pricing:

The price for Payworks’ payroll software is a monthly base fee of $20.90 and an additional $2 per employee.

The price for Payworks' payroll software is a monthly base fee of $20.90 and an additional $2 per employee.

Best For

Small businesses, corporations, and franchises especially.

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Wave Payroll

Review:

A subsidiary of Wave Financial, Wave Payroll is a management solution designed to simplify and automate payroll processes. It is primarily built for payroll but you can connect the software to the Wave accounting platform for heavy-duty accounting such as invoicing and receipt management.

Wave Payroll

Pricing:

Wave payroll costs a $20 base fee per month and an additional $6 per active employee or independent contractor paid. Also, you get a 30-day free trial with Wave Payroll.

Wave payroll costs a $20 base fee per month and an additional $6 per active employee or independent contractor paid. Also, you get a 30-day free trial with Wave Payroll.

Best For

Freelancers, small businesses, and sole proprietorships with very few employees (<50).

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Humi

Review:

Humi is designed to help small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) automate payroll and HR tasks. A peculiar feature of Humi is that you get your HR and payroll in one place, thereby eliminating dual entry.

The fully integrated system is easy to use and can literally run payroll in just three clicks.

Humi

Pricing:

To get the price of their payroll package, you will have to reach out to get a quote as they do not disclose their prices.

To get the price of their payroll package, you will have to reach out to get a quote as they do not disclose their prices.

Best For

Canadian SMBs with 5 to 500 employees

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Knit People

Review:

Knit people is a Canadian payroll software company that provides simplistic HR and payroll solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Being 100% Canadian, Knit keeps up-to-date on tax and employment legislation in Canada, thereby helping you stay compliant with strict tax legislation in places like Ontario and Quebec. 

Unlike other systems, this Canadian payroll software performs some complex operations that are peculiar to Canadian businesses like WSIB reporting, ROE filing, and employee health tax (EHT) remuneration for companies that are in Ontario or have employees that reside in the province.

The software is also easy to set up and it features a very simple user interface.

Knit People

Pricing:

Knit people’s payroll software goes for a flat rate of $39.00 per feature per month.

Knit people's payroll software goes for a flat rate of $39.00 per feature per month.

Best For

Startups, small and medium-sized businesses, as well as accountants that manage payroll for their clients.

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Rise People

Review:

Rise people is also a 100% Canadian payroll software company. Though relatively young in the industry, they have made a tremendous impact and have helped many Canadian businesses manage employee engagement and payroll. 

The software is easy to use and everything is laid out perfectly so you can customize your screen to suit your preferences.

Rise People

Pricing:

You will need to contact Rise People to get a quote on their packages. For small businesses that have less than 20 employees and just want to run payroll, you can get Rise Lite for free.

You will need to contact Rise People to get a quote on their packages. For small businesses that have less than 20 employees and just want to run payroll, you can get Rise Lite for free.

Best For

Small and medium-sized businesses in Canada that want HER together with their payroll, but do not want the hefty and expensive packages Ceridian and ADP provide.

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Push Operations

Review:

Push operations provide a fully integrated solution that allows you to utilize data from scheduling, time tracking, and other HR applications in your payroll activities. 

They offer robust features that are ideal for Canadian businesses of any type. However, due to their integrated functionality, they are specifically good for businesses with hourly employees. Note that Push Operations only offer payroll as an add-on. They are more of an HR product that caters to the needs of small Canadian businesses.

Push Operations

Pricing:

Push Operations has three base plans - Starter, Pro, and Premium. The Starter plan costs $4 per employee per month, Pro costs $5 per employee per month, and Premium costs $8 per employee per month. To get payroll as an add-on, you have to pay an additional $6 per employee per month with any of these plans.

The pricing plans are as follows:

  • Starter - $5/user/month
  • Pro - $6/user/month
  • Premium - $10/user/month
  • 50+ users - Custom pricing

You can book a demo before making a purchase.

Best For

Businesses that have hourly employees and multi-locational businesses with 50 employees or more.

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Canadian Payroll Software Use Cases

Earlier on we mentioned that it is important to pay attention to the software you choose to run your payroll, hence the review of the payroll vendors above. However, we never really mentioned the general manner in which these payroll systems can be useful. Here are some use cases for a typical Canadian payroll software:

  • Recruiting support: Payroll systems can help in the recruiting process by providing support like background checks to improve your chances of making a good hire. 
  • Business management: Most, if not all, Canadian payroll software offer reporting and analytics which can provide insights that can be crucial in key business decision-making. 
  • Onboarding: Some Canadian payroll systems offer onboarding tools to help new hires acclimate with their new work environment.
  • Human capital management: Payroll software makes gathering employee data (personal, banking, financial, tax, etc.) much easier and well-coordinated.

Pro Tips on Top Canadian Payroll Software

Pitfalls To Avoid When Buying Payroll Software for Canada

The main pitfall you need to be aware of in Canadian payroll software is the inability to process multi-provincial payroll. Many times, employers get into business with a payroll vendor only to find out they cannot run Quebec or Ontario payroll. The tax laws in these regions are strict and they change a lot. Only a few established payroll vendors like Ceridian and ADP, or fully Canadian vendors like Knit and Rise people have the resources to keep track of these changing laws in order to stay compliant.

Benefits and ROI of Using Canada-Specific Payroll Software

Payroll is a very complicated and exhausting process. It is even more complex in Canada, where the premiums and insurances to be deducted differ from province to province. If you resort to outsourcing your payroll, you should be ready to pay up to $200 per employee per year

Using payroll software and potentially employing the services of a professional employer organization can make a world of difference in your finances. Contrary to the $200 you have to pay per employee, a typical payroll software vendor will charge you, at most, $10 per employee per month. Totalling $120 per employee per year.  

Payroll systems also save you time. Quickbooks, for example, can save you up to 40 hours per month. Calculating these man-hours, you will be saving a lot of money that can be recycled into the business. Still on Quickbook, because it saves users up to 40 hours per month, you can potentially save $3,000 in tax savings. The same goes for other payroll software that is equally efficient.

Furthermore, payroll systems are constantly up-to-date with local and international laws on payroll and taxes. This protects users from lawsuits and fines resulting from non-compliance. 

Besides, as you keep expanding, you would want to conduct your payroll operations in-house and that is possible with the right payroll software. All in all, the right payroll systems can be a great investment in the short and long run.

Canadian Payroll Software Pricing Models

When it comes to Canadian payroll software, there are two major pricing models, and most times, vendors prefer to combine both models. So what are these two pricing models you ask?

  • Flat rate: In this pricing model, vendors charge you a fixed price per month or annually, depending on which you prefer. If you are going to be using vendors that charge a fixed rate, it is best you choose the annual plan because it always comes with a discount. And it is worth it in the long run.
    The good thing about this model is that you can run payroll for as many employees as you want without paying a dime extra. You can also bring in new hires without having to worry about incurring additional costs. This pricing model is fit for small businesses looking to grow and expand.
  • Per employee per month: This model is self-explanatory and just a few Canadian Payroll Software vendors offer this type of pricing model solely. Usually, this model comes with a fixed base price you need to pay per month, then an additional amount for the number of employees you choose to run their payroll. This model is fit for businesses that have a lot of contracted employees.

Key Features You Should Look Out For in Canadian Payroll Software

There are several payroll management systems in the market, each with its defining features and attributes. As an employer, human resource manager, or payroll officer, it is imperative you choose one that specifically addresses the needs of your business. In doing so, however, you must look out for these features in any Canadian payroll software you choose:

Compliance

One thing about Canada is that the law changes as you move from province to province, especially tax laws. For example, it is compulsory for employers to pay what is known as the employee health tax (EHT) in Ontario and British Columbia. This is not the case in other provinces. Whatever Canadian payroll software you choose, it must have an adept understanding of Canada’s provincial tax laws.

Tax Management

This is perhaps one of the most important features you should look out for. Your Canadian payroll software must be able to remit monthly, quarterly, or bi-monthly (depending on your preference) tax deductions to the appropriate agencies - the REVENU Quebec for the province of Quebec, and the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) for other provinces in Canada. The software must be able to calculate and deduct the three basic tax remittances accurately and according to recent rates. These deductions include income tax, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, and employment insurance(EI) premiums.

Direct Deposit

The whole point of having a payroll management solution is so you can pay your employees on time and with ease while staying compliant. A direct deposit option eliminates the stress of going to cash a cheque in a bank, and you also save time and money by avoiding printing paychecks. 

Reporting

Your Canadian payroll software should be able to generate important reports when you need them. Reports like pre-post payroll journal, pay run audit report, cash requirement reports, and so on, ensure your pay run is error-free. Reports and analytics also provide insight into the financial aspects of the business.

Demo Questions to ask Your Canadian Payroll Software Providers

Payroll software vendors usually provide demos so you can get acquainted with their system before you commit. We recommend you schedule demos with several payroll vendors to arrive at the one that best suits your business and preferences. We have curated some questions you can ask during this process:

  • How much does your service cost for my business (number of employees)
  • Does your software allow for multiple users?
  • What additional service do you provide?
  • How will the pricing change when I want to scale?
  • Can your system generate a record of employment (ROE)? 
  • Can my employees view their pay statements and T4's online?
  • Does your system integrate with other business management tools? If so, what are they?
  • How much control do I have over the payroll process?
  • Does your software automatically submit my CRA, WCB, or WSIB remittances?
  • Do you handle Alberta and Quebec payroll? 
  • Do you handle international payroll?
  • What are the measures you have put in place to ensure you stay on top of Canada’s changing tax laws?
  • Does your software automatically upload the EFT file (Electronic Funds Transfer) to my company's bank?
  • What are your payment options?
  • What metrics have you used to prove the effectiveness of your solution, and where can I see these in my analytics dashboard?
  • Does your software allow for mid-month advances or special pay runs?
  • Besides Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions and Employee Insurance (EI) premiums, what other premiums, deductions, and contributions do you remit?

Implementation: How do You Get Started With the Best Canadian Payroll Software?

We have mentioned 10 different payroll systems in this review and all of them have their unique interface and functionality. No matter the differences, setting up and running with these Canadian payroll solutions typically follows the same procedure: 

  • Set up: The first thing you want to do with your payroll software is to set it up to run per your business policies. Policies around holidays (paid or not), general benefits (like accommodation, etc) should be inputted in the system so when the payroll is to be run, these policies will take effect. The setup stage also involves you inputting your business information (business name, location, business number, etc) into the system.  
  • Add Employees: The next thing you want to do is add employees. Most systems allow you to add employees to tabs where you can fill in all their necessary information and allocate a monthly salary. While filling the employee tabs, you will be required to collect their TD1 forms and add their tax codes. 
  • Run Payroll: After setting up your system and adding your employees, the next step is to pay them. Some payroll software can automate this process - all you have to do is input the pay frequency and necessary tax information, and the system will run the calculations, deduct the taxes, and pay the employee the net salary after all the deductions. We, however, advise you to manually control some aspects of this process. For example, when an employee has reached the maximum Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) annual contribution before the year runs out, you can “uncheck” this deduction to avoid inaccurate tax remittance which, in turn, affects the employee’s pay and payroll data. 
  • Make Remittance: Most Canadian payroll software will automatically calculate and deduct remittances from the wages you paid your employees. Some go a step further by actually filing and submitting these remittances to the CRA or REVENU Quebec, depending on your province.
  • File T4s/ T4As/ Releve 1s: At the end of the year, your payroll software will file your end-of-year summaries and distribute them to your employees. 

In most payroll software, customer success representatives, who are Canadian payroll experts, help with the aforementioned procedures. If you are a new business set up in Canada or perhaps you simply need help navigating the turbulent waters that are business payroll, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Others are self-service putting you solely in charge. Again, these payroll software vendors are here to serve your specific needs. Whatever your preference, there is always a solution for you.

FAQs

What is payroll software?

Payroll software is a cloud-based solution that provides automated payments to employees of a business organization. Payroll software helps with anything from filing taxes, generating reports, storing data, and so on. 

Why is Quebec’s payroll different from other provinces?

Canada’s system of government allows for different provinces to enact their own statutory laws. 

Unlike other provinces where you have to pay Canada Pension Plan (CPP), in Quebec, employees pay the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) and this differs in rates.

Moreover, while you submit remittances to the Canada Revenue Service (CRA) in other provinces, you submit to REVENU Quebec in the province of Quebec. 

What is the best Canadian payroll software for small businesses?

All the payroll software companies we mentioned here, such as Push Operations, Humi, Intuit, and Ceridian Dayforce, are great bets for most Canadian companies. For small businesses processing payroll in Canada, the following are even better:

  • WagePoint
  • Payworks
  • Wave Payroll
  • Rise People

Last Advice About Buying Canadian Payroll Software

If you’ve made it this far, you will likely choose a payroll solution that fits your business perfectly. That being said, we recommend you always follow SSAFE - Security, Support, Affordability, Features, and Ease of use. Once all those are in place, you are very likely to end up with a good deal.

As a final word, if your business involves hiring a lot of remote employees outside Canada, you will want to be compliant with international legislation in their respective regions. Choosing one of the best international payroll companies to run your payroll is your best bet. You get to pay your employees with ease without having to worry about whether or not you are breaking any laws.

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