Best Payroll and Benefits Software Solutions in 2025

Deel has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. The 24/7 chat feature is helpful whenever I have questions. Creating background checks through Deel is straightforward.

We purchased Deel in the spring of 2024. Our company was expanding its contractor base and needed payroll software to streamline the process. Our goals included simplifying contractor onboarding and payment while allowing contractors to upload their timesheets.

We needed a platform that could support these tasks, answer questions along the way, and assist with tax filing. We used Deel for about two months before deciding to switch to a different platform.

I’m not a fan of the pricing model, as it charges for all contractors added, even if they haven’t been paid. It feels as though there is a fee associated with nearly every action. Contractors also often seem confused when uploading their timesheets.

I appreciate Deel’s customer service, especially the 24/7 chat feature. Other tools require calling during business hours, which can be inconvenient.

I suggest prioritizing ease of use, price, and potential hidden costs. Ask whether the tool charges for customer service inquiries, monthly fees, and how pricing is structured for each contractor or employee. Personally, I prefer not to pay for a contractor I haven’t actually paid yet.

The home page and navigation were recently updated and look improved, though I don’t find this to be a significant change.

Deel is suitable for established small businesses.

• Their customer service is quick and easy to reach.
• You can integrate modules and customize them according to the company's needs.
• The payroll module integrates with the workforce time management module, allowing employees to clock in and out and generating reports for payments.
• They keep you informed about changes in federal and state employee laws, especially those related to taxes and changes that may affect your company's payroll.

We are a growing company and can no longer manage payroll manually. In 2020, we started using Paylocity. It has greatly improved the time it takes to process payroll and the accuracy of the payments, particularly for our hourly employees. Additionally, our onboarding was done manually. We spent a lot of time sending emails, attaching documents, and transcribing applicants' information into our system. This task could take a full day and did not allow the HR team to focus on other tasks.

To address this problem, the company decided to purchase the onboarding module. It helped us automate the process and save time. Now, on one platform, employees can authenticate, sign, and submit documents, as well as input their information. This has reduced the need for printing and handling physical documents. I have used Paylocity for the past four years, and I believe it is an excellent tool worth the investment.

• The platform is challenging to navigate.
• You still need to add information manually to the payroll, such as holiday pay.
• The employee clock-in and clock-out system sometimes freezes or stops working without reason, requiring a reinstallation of the app.

I have worked with several tools, most of which are similar, but the workforce time management module stands out. It effectively tracks employee hours worked daily and is simple to use. It also integrates seamlessly with the payroll module, offering an advantage that no other HR system provides.

If you are looking for an efficient HR system that you can customize according to the organization's needs, Paylocity is a great tool. Also, if you are looking for payroll software but know that you will need performance appraisal or another HR process in the future, Paylocity allows you to acquire and integrate more modules.

Paylocity continuously changes to offer a better experience to its customers, especially HR departments. When I started working with them, some processes were still manual, but over time, they improved and automated these processes, saving us time that we can now invest in other tasks.

Paylocity is a valuable tool for companies with hourly workers as it allows for easy tracking and control of their time.

I like that our data sits in one place - makes it easier to find. I especially like the link to e-verify, that brings me peace of mind. I also enjoy the way the user experience is set up for the pay profile.

I was not a part of the organization when they decided to begin using ADP. My understanding is, we were using a PEO, and decided to move in-house utilizing the ADP tool. It's been great for payroll and for onboarding employees. I have used it for 2.5 years at this organization within HR, and as a user at other companies. ADP has been great for managing benefits, employee pay statements, etc. It is nice to have a system that employees can self-serve.

I am not sure if I am unaware or if we just haven't done this, but I wish ADP linked to our HRIS. It has been difficult to enter manual data and an integration would be helpful. Sometimes, I also feel like the user experience as a whole is a bit wonky. It is not always the most intuitive tool to use.

I have not really used other competitors, so I can't speak to this question.

Consider integrations with your HRIS and how that would work - how manual would your processes be? Ask yourself how open enrollment could benefit from this tool. Additionally, consider how employees would find the user experience. Consider which options you will utilize and how you will communicate about them. Also, talk to ADP about what their customer service setup will look like for your organization, what will the level of support be?

The e-verify feature has been a big one. It’s been great to have that functionality for our business.

I'd say a mid to large but imagine it is good for smaller organizations, too. Large-size organizations can benefit from having data in one place.

• Easy Onboarding - Remote does make onboarding hires in remote locations quite easy.
• Online Portal - great to have all the hires from all international locations in one place.
• Expenses - easy for employees and companies to track/pay expenses.

With a shortage of talent in the U.S., our firm needed to hire in locations where we did not have an entity. Global EORs offer a way to do that without setting up a legal entity first. Remote was an up-and-coming player in the space that made getting setup much faster, less complex than traditional partners like Velocity Global. We have used the system for approximately 2 years now.

• Billing/Invoicing - Remote has had multiple billing errors in our invoices and their system is incredibly confusing for reconciling what is outstanding vs. the errors they have made.
• Management - Remote has changed management recently and they have changed terms & conditions from our original invoices and have taken away promotions by saying they were "introductory promotions" rather than the "negotiated terms" like we originally discussed.

Remote was a leader in simplicity when we first began using their services a couple of years ago. Now, I believe certain competitors have caught up and surpassed them.

• Cash flow - these services require upfront payment for payroll so be prepared to pay month end payroll by the 17th of that month.
• Terminating employees - Employment laws vary country by country. Remote is offering a service to make it easier on your company to hire elsewhere; however, terminating employees can be quite difficult.

Remote was very startup friendly 2 years ago. Their management has changed and their culture has changed drastically. It is no longer a customer-focused culture going above and beyond to win customers.

Remote is good for an established company in search of a way to explore hiring people in other regions of the world.

I like the HR piece. It is pretty user friendly. I love the recruiting tool. It's my favorite I've ever used. The texting feature of the recruiting tool has been a big help for us.

We have been with Paycor since 2010. We bought it as our HRIS tool. We use it for HR tracking, recruiting, payroll, time, benefits, performance reviews, etc. I like that almost everything we need is in one tool. It helps to be able to use it for most of what we need.

Their customer service has been awful since covid. They have pushed more and more on the client so that they can expand. It takes way too long to get some tickets resolved.

I've used Peoplesoft previously and much prefer Paycor to it. It is easier to use for both the employee and employer.

Customer Service is so important, which is hard because I think many of these providers do not do that well. Functionality is important. They do this well on some modules. I do not like their time or benefits tool very well.

It has certainly evolved but I think it's away from the customer's needs.

I think it would be good for a tech organization where employees are all at their computers most of the day.

The ease of payroll and ability to have payroll run on auto-pilot is AWESOME. The customer service is friendly and for the most part quite efficient. The UI is pretty good compared to a lot of other platforms I've used.

We initially chose Gusto when the company was first established. We needed a simple payroll solution that would work for a company of our size, which at the time was just one W-2 employee on the payroll. We used the solution for about eight months before transitioning to a different solution that would allow us to manage payroll and offer benefits under one platform. Prior to that, I personally used the solution at another company for almost a year.

Since I also do freelance HR consulting, I am now working with a client who also uses Gusto. In this company, we use it for payroll, benefits management, and 401K.

Paying international contractors has been challenging in my experience. I'm not a huge fan of having the employees separated out by whether or not they are onboarded yet. I would rather see all employees with a status showing whether or not they have completed onboarding.

Payroll is a breeze! It's really one of the best tools I've used for payroll for a small company. The customer service is stellar.

Think about your long-term growth plans. I think Gusto is best for smaller companies. Think about whether or not you'll be paying contractors and especially international contractors because that can get complicated. And when you are first implementing the tool, do your best to have someone who understands the platform and how to best optimize it for your team do the set up.

I'm not sure but I do often see that they are rolling out beta features, which leads me to believe that they are always evolving to meet customer needs.

I think Gusto is best for small businesses, especially for small businesses that may not have a dedicated HR personnel. It's easy enough to use that the average business owner should be able to navigate it without too much trouble.

I love the ease of use and the way it's laid out. I appreciate that there’s one place for all information. I also like that they have many useful tools, so as the company grows, they can adapt other features within their system (like performance evaluations, tracking, and learning management trainings).

Our company needed an HRIS system that would allow us to handle payroll, administer benefits, and provide compliance advice. We used Rippling for one year. The key benefit Rippling provided was a one-stop shop where everything could be tracked and kept together in one place, rather than having to visit different sites for various tasks (e.g., payroll, compliance, etc.). We were originally using an Excel file to track employee data. We switched to Rippling to store this data on their platform in a more secure and user-friendly way.

We used it as a PEO, and the health plans offered weren’t as competitively priced as if we had brought benefits in-house. Additionally, the benefit rates increased during open enrollment. I also dislike the $65 per employee, per month fee, which I find a bit steep.

Rippling is very comparable to other PEOs. What sets it apart is that they allow you to continue using their HRIS platform for HR, employee data tracking, and payroll even if your company decides to leave the PEO and bring benefits in-house. This flexibility is helpful, as it allows you to start with them as a PEO and transition to their standalone platform without searching for a new system, making the process easier.

The fees per employee per year are important to consider. If you’re in a period of rapid growth, make sure to account for expected new hires in your budget. You’ll also want to decide which features you’ll actually use. For example, we didn’t use their recruitment feature because we had a different system for that, but Rippling does offer a recruitment tool. The more features you use, the higher the cost, so be mindful of that.

I think their customer service improved from the time we started using them until we stopped. Initially, they didn’t have a designated rep for companies, so you had to go through their experts and didn’t always get the same person helping you, which could be frustrating. By the end of the year, we noticed improvements in their customer service, which was a positive development.

Rippling is great for any company with more than 10 employees. It’s ideal for small companies using a PEO, especially if employees are spread across multiple states. For larger companies that want to stop using a PEO and bring benefits in-house, Rippling is still very effective as an HRIS system for data tracking.

• Payroll processing is made simple for users of all levels by OnPay’s user-friendly interface.
• Its comprehensive suite of payroll solutions ensures accuracy and saves time, offering features like direct deposit, automatic tax calculations, and compliance management.
• The customer service provided by OnPay is excellent, with professional support agents available to help with any queries or issues.

My company chose OnPay because we needed a less time-consuming and more straightforward solution to manage employee benefits and payments. Before OnPay, we had trouble tracking taxes and ensuring accuracy. Payroll automation, tax computation, and benefit tracking became easier with OnPay. It has helped us save a lot of time and minimize errors over the past year. Additionally, the customer service has been excellent in answering queries and providing support.

• Compared to some of its competitors, OnPay offers limited integration with third-party apps, which can hinder seamless data flow for companies relying on multiple software programs.
• The pricing structure can be expensive for smaller firms that require more services or products beyond the basic payroll package.
• There are limited options for customizing payroll settings and reporting, which can make it challenging to adapt the system to specific business requirements.

OnPay sets itself apart from rivals by offering a simple, user-friendly interface that makes payroll processing accessible, even for those with minimal accounting experience. In contrast, some competitors have more complex systems that require in-depth training.

OnPay’s transparent pricing, with no hidden fees, allows businesses to budget for payroll services more easily. Other competitors have more variable pricing structures, which can become complicated and expensive as they scale.

OnPay is designed with small to mid-sized enterprises in mind, offering features like easy setup, streamlined processes, and extensive customer support tailored to their needs. In comparison, some competitors focus on larger businesses and may prioritize different tools over OnPay.

• When choosing a payroll solution, look for one that is easy to use with a flexible design, like OnPay.
• Ensure there are no hidden fees and that the pricing structure aligns with your organization's budget.
• To make payroll processes more efficient, prioritize features such as automatic tax calculations and compliance tools.
• Choose a service provider like OnPay, which offers dedicated customer support when needed.
• Finally, maximize productivity by selecting a tool that integrates with other apps your organization uses.

Over time, OnPay has added features like payroll compliance management and automated tax computation tools, improving its user interface for a better customer experience. It has enhanced integration capabilities, making data sharing with other apps easier.

OnPay has also invested in attentive customer service to offer timely support. Additionally, the pricing strategy has become more flexible and transparent, catering to the financial needs of small and mid-sized enterprises.

Small to medium-sized enterprises needing a reliable payroll solution with features like automated tax computations and compliance monitoring will find OnPay well-suited to their needs.

OnPay provides an effective payroll processing solution for businesses seeking simplicity without the complexity of larger systems, thanks to its clear pricing structure and prompt customer service.

1. QuickBooks integrates seamlessly with other business tools and software
2. It allows us to customize our needs and only pay for what we use
3. It integrates with other vendors to help us streamline processes

I have used it for almost 3 years and tried different versions. I chose QuickBooks because it provides a user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, industry recognition, seamless integration capabilities, and scalability options—all of which contribute to efficient financial management and supports the organization's needs.

It is easy to switch between versions as business needs change (add or remove payroll option, etc). One of the primary reasons we selected QuickBooks is its widespread adoption and industry recognition. QuickBooks is widely regarded as a leading accounting software solution, trusted by millions of businesses worldwide. This reputation reassured us of its reliability and stability.

It offers scalable options that can accommodate our organization's growth and evolving needs. As we expand, QuickBooks provides the flexibility to add additional features or upgrade to more advanced versions to support our changing requirements, ensuring long-term viability for our financial management system.

1. There are so many versions and it's hard to find directions for the one that we use at that time
2. It is nearly impossible to talk to a human being
3. During the sales process they will give you as much attention as you need but as soon as you are in, you are pretty much on your own

1. Quickbooks offers many different options and they will cater to your business needs (just make sure you do your due diligence at the beginning before they close the deal)
2. EVERYONE knows about Quickbooks so it's easy to use and clients have no problem paying you via QB
3. However, many other similar tools will offer live support or even a dedicated account manager. Even though it may cost a little more but this might be a dealbreaker to some businesses.

1. Know exactly what you need it to do for you and clearly specify it during the sales process. Make sure you do not overpay for something you will not use
2. Make sure you stay within budget and pay attention to special pricing as most plans will offer discounted costs but only for the first few months.
3. Check that your bank and other third-party vendors will integrate with QB. While a lot of them do, not all.

They evolve all the time by adding new versions to accommodate everyone's needs (last time I checked there were 45).

Small to Medium, independent contractors, startups.

Paycom provides excellent customer support. Paycom is able to handle our complicated payroll. Paycom has simplified a lot of processes within our HR department.

We were using a different payroll service provider.  We had a very complicated payroll and needed more support, especially when it came to taxation issues.  Paycom assured us that they could provide the needed support and could handle our payroll efficiently.  We reviewed several other providers but ultimately felt that Paycom would be the best fit for our company.

We selected Paycom and have been using it for 5 months now.

There are certain processes that require a step or two that could be eliminated. You have to click on different menus to see all employee info.  We were not able to use Paycom's time and attendance platform due to our needs for geofencing.

The customer service is better. You have a dedicated support person whom you are actually able to reach on a regular basis.

You need to consider your payroll needs as well as the cost of the service.  Paycom is not the most cost-effective solution but is worth the increased cost due to the complications of our payroll.

We have not been with Paycom long enough for me to know the answer.

Organizations who need a one-stop shop for payroll services.

It provided straightforward payroll processing for W-2 employees. You could customize it and add specific features as needed. It was more modern than QuickBooks and offered improved compliance support.

Before my time at Kelly OCG, the smaller firm I worked for used Paychex for payroll. We had previously used QuickBooks, which had become outdated, and Paychex was gaining traction in the industry.

It was user-friendly for processing payroll, including handling wage and bank garnishments when applicable. We were able to customize it to meet our business needs, which was a major advantage.

For tax filing, there was an additional charge for W-2s and, I believe, 1099s, although we did not have any 1099 contractors on our payroll.

Customer support was not very helpful. It often felt like a new representative was assisting each time we called. Although not needed in our case, employee time tracking required an upgrade. There were additional fees for tax filings.

It is better than QuickBooks in terms of usability and features. That is the only similar payroll processing system I can compare it to. Between the two, I would choose Paychex.

Consider how many employees you have. Think about whether the person processing payroll prefers phone or online access. If your company plans to offer employee benefits, this might not be the best solution.

They now offer Paychex Flex, which is a more cost-effective solution for smaller businesses.

Small businesses or companies planning to hire many 1099 contractors would find Paychex beneficial.

Customer service is exceptional; you really feel that they are part of your team. I also loved the guarantees of local compliance, which created great trust with our in-house auditors. The ability to see the big picture of our workforce globally was also crucial, as it provided a great understanding of the workforce map and enabled strategic moves on the people side of things.

I was setting up PapayaGlobal for one of my previous clients. The reason we needed a tool like this was that we wanted to hire talent from different countries. Previously, we bypassed this by hiring on a "contractor agreement," but we really wanted employees, not contractors. While managing paperwork for EU candidates was somewhat easier, when it came to hires from outside the EU, it was a bit of a nightmare. Our HR team had to learn local employment laws, and we even contacted local lawyers to send us an empty contract so we could be fully compliant. These were the pains that the service greatly alleviated. We saved a lot of time, and audits were less stressful. We used it for about two years, but then the business took another direction.

It took a long time to learn the navigation through the platform; you really need to invest time to learn everything—you cannot just jump in with no training. Sometimes the screen would not load properly; words were overlapping, and it took some reloads for it to work, which was disappointing for a service that charges so much. We also had some issues with invoices; it was not clear how to manage them, but customer service helped with that.

Compliance support and global presence are the main reasons we chose PapayaGlobal. Another key factor is the customer service, which was consistently excellent. I also enjoyed the real-time access to analytics, which was helpful in following trends and monitoring important metrics globally.

First, consider the cost and how the pricing is structured to determine how much value a company can derive from the service at the agreed price point. Another important factor is access to real people who can guide the onboarding and integration with existing tools, which was commendable. Additionally, global access to local labor laws is perhaps the biggest consideration.

PapayaGlobal has evolved, but I believe other platforms have caught up and may be more attractive in their pricing.

PapayaGlobal is great for rapidly scaling businesses that need support in managing a multinational workforce.

The HR system was easy to use and set up, making the transition from our previous, more disorganized HR processes smooth. The employee self-service feature was excellent, reducing the amount of data entry and admin work for our HR team. The continuous feedback appraisal system allowed us to appraise staff more regularly with minimal increases in administrative tasks.

There wasn’t a significant problem driving the decision. The organization had been managing HR through payroll software, Excel files, and Word documents. As the company grew, it wanted to consolidate and centralize HR into a single system that could be accessed online. Namely provided an all-in-one HR solution that handled payroll, HR records, and talent management. We used Namely for about a year or two.

Customer support wasn’t as responsive as it could have been. The reporting features are somewhat limited and don’t fully meet our needs, requiring us to do a fair amount of manual reporting. The portal is not as intuitive as other HR tools I’ve used.

The user interface and workflow are not as intuitive as some competitors. However, I appreciate the integration with payroll and timesheets, which not many systems do well. I also like that it offers managed services add-ons, such as payroll and benefits, which become more relevant as the business grows and becomes more complex.

Ensure the tool has a comprehensive records system and both employee and manager self-service features. Efficient onboarding and offboarding functionality are essential, as these processes can be time-consuming. A continuous appraisal feedback system is also important, as this approach to performance management is becoming the norm.

There has been better integration between its modules.

Namely is suitable for all kinds of organizations but particularly good for smaller organizations due to its affordable entry-level pricing.