Best Payroll and Benefits Software Solutions in 2026

1. Reporting is great
2. Payroll is straight forward.
3. User friendly.

Printfly switched to Paycom following a brief stint with Namely. The switch was made because we didn't feel that Namely was robust enough for our organization. We switched to Paycom to enable the HRIS system, payroll, and scheduling.

1. Tax team is HORRIBLE. They are not customer interfacing and are not held accountable for their errors.
2. Problem tickets are not resolved quick enough.
3. If you have an issue and you need to call customer service, there is a 99% chance you are not connected to your dedicated rep. The rep you are connected to is usually clueless and cannot assist.

I've used Paychex, Intuit and Gusto in the past. I think that I like Paychex the best because they were easy to get in touch with to answer questions.

Price - It's a costly system. Time - The set up is annoying. You are shuffled around and really need to take the time to teach yourself the system.

Paycom has added things like "ask here" and it allows for users to more easily ask questions about paychecks or benefits. Paycom also launched Beti which pushes employees to approve their own timesheets to ensure that there are no missing hours.

Anyone that is tech savvy

Deel simplifies the hiring process, particularly for contractors, making it incredibly user-friendly. The compliance features are invaluable, keeping us informed of legal changes across different countries. Moreover, the platform itself is straightforward and easy to navigate.

Our organization needed a system that would enable us to quickly hire contractors in Europe while scaling with our growth. Deel was chosen for its clarity, ease of setup, and cost-effectiveness. Initially, it was used for managing our European contractors, but as we transitioned from contractors to full-time employees, Deel's capacity to handle EOR and contractors across multiple countries proved ideal. We have been using Deel for just over a year, starting with contractors and recently expanding to include EOR services for our European employees.

Navigating the platform can sometimes be confusing when trying to locate specific features. Currently, Deel does not support adding US employees, necessitating separate HRIS systems for our US and international staff. Additionally, we occasionally encounter unexpected fees.

Deel offers a more affordable solution compared to its competitors, although it's important to consider potential hidden fees. While the platform's overall look and functionality are similar to others in the market, the differences are relatively minor.

When considering a tool like Deel, evaluate your hiring needs outside the US. Inquire about all potential costs, including benefits and administrative fees. Also, plan strategically for the countries you intend to hire in, as adding multiple countries can complicate the process.

Deel is actively developing new features aimed at becoming a comprehensive solution for US-based employers managing international hires. This ongoing evolution is geared towards creating a single platform that can accommodate a variety of HR needs.

Deel is exceptionally well-suited for SMBs to small enterprise businesses that need an efficient platform for managing contractors. It offers simplicity and ease of use that is ideal for businesses at this scale.

I like how onboarding allows for remote employee self-onboarding that is customized to their location and role.

Recruiting has good reporting on the candidates, and the interview feedback flows easily to onboarding. Performance management makes it easy to create templates for verbal warnings, written warnings, and performance improvement plans in addition to standard review templates.

The company was using Paylocity previously. We were brought in to help them use the system more effectively. They wanted to use Paylocity for performance management, learning, and recruiting. Paylocity allowed for custom review templates and goals. We added interview forms for better candidate feedback. We added learning courses with quizzes.

The customer service is archaic and frustrating. If you need help in the system, you often have to fill out a form and wait for weeks before there is any resolution. If you have multiple EINs, the system keeps it all separate underneath a company set, so when you add things like performance review templates, you have to add it each time for each entity instead of just treating it all as one.

The reporting leaves a lot to be desired, but they seem to be working on it. You most often have to export to Excel and then create your own formulas to be able to get the data that you want.

The onboarding platform is one of the best out of all the HRIS platforms I have worked with. You can customize the flow, the wording, the checklist items and tasks, and incorporate custom fields.

Paylocity is great for midsized and small companies, but if you're larger, the reporting doesn't really support full analytics needed on a larger company, and the platform configuration is limited for those who need a lot of custom fields.

Know what specific requirements you need the system to do. For example, what do your review forms look like, how do you want data from those forms reported on? How do you want your interview process to work through automation?

Then you will have a better idea of how the system will work for your specific needs, since a lot of things you'd think are easy are not customizable in the system.

Paylocity added more performance review templates to align to a year-round performance review cycle process.

Paylocity is a solid fit for small to midsized companies. It has some really great features that can scale and evolve with companies, and is usually an affordable option in the HRIS space.

• We like the competitive pricing of Rippling compared to other HCMs.
• The representatives at Rippling have always been kind and have made us feel supported in finding solutions when needed.
• Payroll through Rippling is generally a smooth process.

Rippling offered a more affordable and structured payroll solution for our mid-sized company. We needed a more advanced payroll system that could provide access to clean workflows, detailed reporting, and organized recruiting pipelines.

Rippling offers strong automation within payroll, especially when employees use timecards. Their workflows are more intuitive than those I have worked with on other HCMs. The recruiting tools have been easy to use, and we were able to integrate multiple hiring platforms into Rippling Recruiting.

The pain points we have experienced with Rippling include inconsistent customer service and frequent outages—often when we are finalizing payroll, which is a major concern. On that note, Rippling generally communicates well during these outages.

I have used Rippling for three years.

• The time it takes to receive help after submitting a ticket can be frustrating.
• Rippling’s AI chat feature is not helpful.
• There have been instances where we received two separate answers to the same question, including questions about payroll compliance, which should not occur.
• Some of the features need improvement and feel underdeveloped, such as the time-off calendar, which needs more customization options.

Rippling feels more advanced than some other HCMs we have used, such as Paycom, which only communicates via email, unlike Rippling, which offers a real-time chat feature. Rippling has easy-to-use employee profiles that allow for strong customization.

Consider which tools you actually need within an HCM. Evaluate the number of employees you have, as certain systems are better suited for larger companies. Make sure the system you choose can grow with your company, if applicable.

We have noticed an improvement in response time when submitting tickets over the past year. Recently, they updated the menu layout and refreshed the dashboard to make it more user-friendly.

Rippling is great for small to mid-sized companies with multi-state payroll and multiple employee classifications.

• Paychex handles payroll and compliance without needing constant double-checks.
• Made onboarding smoother.
• Easy to jump into, with most basic support covered.

We used Paychex about five years ago when our team was growing, and I was tired of doing payroll manually and hoping I didn’t mess up someone’s taxes.

It solved the headache of W-2 vs. 1099 processing and took a lot of the compliance stress off my plate — which, at the time, felt like a lifesaver.

What I really liked was that once everything was set up, payroll just happened in the background, and I didn’t have to triple-check every tiny detail.

It wasn’t fancy, but it was reliable, and for a busy recruiting/ops environment, that alone made a huge difference.

• Paychex wasn’t the most intuitive interface.
• Limited options in the most basic tier.
• Reporting could be a bit clunky.

I think Gusto is more modern and intuitive, but Paychex gets the job done. Since I used the most basic version, I can’t speak to the advanced modules.

I think reliability and integration with other systems are the two most important factors. The last thing you want is to manually update systems individually — integrations are crucial in the fast-paced world we work in.

I am not sure as I have not used Paychex in a while.

Paychex is good for consulting agencies and staffing companies that are scaling quickly.

• The automations around payroll processing were a game changer and made things so much more efficient.
• The integrations with our QuickBooks made things seamless and streamlined.
• It was great to have the same benefits access as larger businesses so we did not have to pay higher premiums just for being a small business.

We began working with JustWorks at a time when our team was expanding and we needed some HR help. We didn't provide medical benefits to our small team but we wanted help to build that into the rewards offered by our business.

We did not know where to start, so when I began searching for options, a PEO like JustWorks seemed like the right direction to go. We did not have consistency in how we kept employee files and we needed to reduce the complexity within our payroll processing tasks.

JustWorks checked the box for all of our needs.

• It would be nice to have access to better reports for payroll topics.
• Pricing is very high.
• No scheduling functions for shift-based teams like ours.

Better benefit offerings compared to Gusto. It's nice to have access to group benefits with JustWorks. It has the better quality benefit packages in my opinion.

Consider if your business truly needs a PEO or if software is the main need. The price difference is very large. Furthermore, JustWorks is a good option for teams approaching 10 team members. Larger teams should consider using internal HR instead of a PEO like this.

Additional features and integrations have been added. Features such as time keeping, expense management, and QBO integrations have expanded over the last few years. AI powered support has been around the last few years but JustWorks still provides good customer service and access to an actual representative when needed.

Small to mid-size businesses looking for more than simple software solutions for payroll management, benefits administration, and compliance. It's excellent for teams looking to build medical benefits into their rewards program for the first time.

I really like that all the HR resources are essentially located in one place, especially with links embedded to external sites (eg. benefit provider). I also really like that I can access all my payroll info online in one place. The organizational chart feature is also really helpful for identifying the reporting structure for areas of the business I was less familiar with and help me connect with the appropriate team member on cross-functional projects.

We bought ADP to cut back on internal payroll costs, provide employees with online access to their payroll info, avoid manually mailing out paper T4's every year, consolidate HR information and links into 1 platform, streamline data entry requirements for the payroll team, help move employee calls and inquiries to the ADP team, free up internal payroll/HR time, and streamline HR recruiting and tracking request. I have been personally using it for around 2 years now I believe.

The login process always feels very cumbersome with the multiple authentication steps and 2FA. The performance review functionality was extremely tedious - there were a lot of different screens and it wasn't easy to locate reviews or edit them - it just seemed much more complicated than it needed to be and a lot of my managers struggled to complete their reviews even with instruction manuals. I also wish there was a way to inquire about any payroll discrepancies directly - employees would have to email me (with no visibility as a District Manager) and I would have to forward payroll and it always seemed to slow down the efficiency, especially when the answer was something simple.

More functionality and works as a total company website as opposed to just a payroll viewing platform. Much more visually appealing and easy to navigate than some other platforms (like some SAP ones I've seen)

How much functionality you want out of the platform - just access to paystubs or a fully integrated HR platform. Customization options - for example we could add custom fields like t-shirt size for team events and/or self-declaration options (eg. covid vaccination status)

We're still relatively new to the platform, so it's hard to say what is an ADP change or just an organizational learning, but I have seen the addition of new self-declaration fields in the employee profile. The benefits section and external links continue to expand as well. We struggled with the performance review section, but I believe this is now being worked on in the backend by our L&D team.

For a large organization looking to streamline HR / payroll operations, particularly if trying to move away from paper-based payroll/pay stubs.

I love their customer service, they always have an answer for you and make my job so much easier. The interface is fantastic, and the design is very appealing, which is a huge factor for someone that uses it quite often. I also really like the admin dashboard, Gusto will list outstanding tasks with their deadlines and will prompt you with helpful information to finish the task.

My company is a portfolio company for High Alpha Innovation. Gusto is the go-to HRIS for all portfolio companies. We have been using it since we started in 2020 and have even used it for one of our own portfolio companies. Gusto is a very easy-to-use tool that has fantastic customer support. When you're working for a start-up, you don't want to spend a long time on payroll and Gusto really helps with that. It's also very easy to set up a new instance of Gusto for a company - it took like two hours and was a painless experience due to Gusto's interface.

Sometimes the outstanding tasks aren't accurate, we recently had tasks pop up for an employee that has been gone for two years. This is very specific, but I wish that you could make some employee documents private to employees, all the documents you upload are automatically public and don't give you an option. I dislike their benefits -- we ran a quote before and it took a few weeks to get back the quote and it was incredibly expensive.

The only similar tool I've used is a PEO called Justworks. I'm not sure if it's a fair comparison, since PEOs pretty much do everything for you. I will say, it was nice that you could set up Gusto in a day and run payroll the next day if needed. For Justworks, you have to wait until the system start date, which can be weeks later.

I think that customer service is a huge buying criteria, especially if you have an inexperienced team. It's invaluable to have experts that you can call or chat with at any time. Cost is definitely a big factor that differs from organization to organization. It's sometimes worth it to pay a little bit more to make your life easier and that's what we've found with Gusto. Lastly, I think that it's important to have an easy-to-use system for both HR and employees. Payroll is VERY important which makes it vital to have a system that is easy to comprehend.

Gusto has become more well-rounded over the years. Last year, they added performance reviews into the mix. It's definitely not perfect and not very customizable, but it's a free add-on, which can be a huge value to organizations that don't have performance management built out.

Small to mid-sized organizations. I think it could work for a small start-up, but would be better for slightly more mature organizations.

• 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.

While I don’t have anything positive to say about Papaya Global specifically, the concept of the platform is a great idea if executed correctly.

One thing that was done adequately was that the implementation was relatively smooth on the company’s end. The website itself was easy to navigate.

We needed a payroll platform that supported our global entities. At the start of the merger, we were managing multiple payroll providers across regions, which created complexity and inefficiency.

Our goal was to streamline operations by consolidating everything into a single, unified system. We wanted better visibility into payroll processing worldwide.

We ultimately sought one platform that could handle compliance, accuracy, and scalability across all of our locations.

Inconsistent billing practices—we were constantly billed for services we never used or requested. We haven't used Papaya Global in over two years and still receive invoices for services rendered, even though none have been provided.

Customer service was poor; when we had an issue, it was always bounced around with no accountability or resolution. Reporting functions were inadequate. Payroll reporting was frequently incorrect, with continuous errors in paychecks and tax deductions.

Papaya Global falls significantly short of expectations and failed to deliver on its promises. Throughout our use, we encountered numerous limitations that hindered efficiency rather than improving it. The lack of flexibility and overall reliability made the platform a burden instead of a solution.

Watch for hidden fees. Papaya Global may seem inexpensive compared to some competitors at first, but costs can add up over time. You’ll also need to have someone on staff who is proficient in global payroll to double-check their records.

Papaya Global hasn't evolved. We canceled the service in 2023.

Papaya Global can work for someone very small, with fewer than 10 employees.

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.

1. Super Simple: Onpay is easy to use, even for someone who’s not a payroll expert.
2. Tax Magic: It takes care of all our tax filings automatically, saving us a lot of time.
3. Great Value: For what it offers, the price is excellent, especially for a smaller team like ours.

We bought Onpay because our previous payroll system was outdated, causing delays and errors that made payroll days difficult. We needed something reliable and easy to use, especially for our small team. Onpay met all our requirements with its straightforward interface, automated tax filings, and affordable pricing. It also integrates well with benefits and handles employee onboarding efficiently. I've been using Onpay for about a year now, and it has significantly reduced our administrative workload.

1. Limited Customization: I wish there were more options to customize reports and dashboards.
2. Customer Support: The support can be slow at times, which is frustrating when you need quick assistance.
3. Advanced Features: It lacks some advanced features that larger businesses might need, making it feel a bit basic for more complex needs.

Onpay stands out with its straightforward, user-friendly interface and great value for money. Unlike some other tools I've tried, it's incredibly easy to navigate and doesn’t overwhelm with unnecessary features. I appreciate that it automates tax filings, which many other tools don't do as effectively. While it might lack some advanced options that larger businesses may need, for a small team, it offers the right balance of functionality and simplicity at a great price.

1. Ease of Use: Choose a tool that is easy to navigate, so you’re not stuck figuring out complex menus.
2. Automation: Ensure it handles tax tasks and direct deposits automatically to make payroll days stress-free.
3. Support: Verify that the support team is helpful and quick to respond when needed.
4. Cost: Make sure it fits your budget without sacrificing essential features.

Onpay has improved over time by keeping things simple and adding useful features. They have perfected automating tax filings and direct deposits, making payroll days easier. The interface has become increasingly user-friendly, which is a big plus.

It is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses that need a payroll system without extra complexity. It’s perfect for those who want an easy-to-use platform that handles all the payroll essentials, such as automated tax filings and direct deposits. If you’re running a business and want something straightforward and affordable without all the complicated features, Onpay is an excellent choice.

The platforms were integrated, which simplified processes. Dashboards and the interface were user-friendly. Compliance assistance was useful for a smaller team.

At my former role, we used Paycor primarily for payroll but also occasionally for talent management. I used it for about two years, though the company had used it for several years before and continued to use it after I left.

One benefit of Paycor is that it focuses on smaller organizations. This focus is less common among larger providers and was helpful because the system was not overly complex. It provided a more accessible platform for teams without extensive HR resources.

Pricing transparency was limited, as many features required paid add-ons. The mobile app was not very user-friendly. Integration with other applications was difficult initially.

It targets smaller businesses, which is valuable because the tool is designed with features suited to companies of that size.

Company size is one of the most important factors. Data security should also be a priority when selecting a payroll system. Pricing is always a key consideration, especially when budgeting for add-ons.

The recently integrated AI features have been helpful in several areas.

Smaller businesses with fewer than 500 employees will benefit greatly from Paycor.

Namely has a clean, easy-to-navigate platform that is user-friendly. It is accessible for both employees and HR professionals. The tool includes compliance features like reporting and ACA tracking to help meet regulatory requirements. It integrates with third-party apps, including accounting software, which ensures smooth operations across business areas.

At my previous company, we used Namely primarily to streamline our HR processes, including payroll, benefits administration, and employee data management. Our previous system was mostly paper-based and very inefficient. We needed a centralized solution that could handle our growing business.

Namely has a user-friendly interface that has improved onboarding, HR management, and overall communication. We’ve been using it for almost two years, and it has significantly improved compliance and efficiency.

Although Namely is user-friendly, some features—such as advanced reporting and customization—have a steeper learning curve. The cost can be high compared to other HR software, especially for smaller businesses. The mobile app lacks some functionalities of the desktop version, which can hinder accessibility for HR management on the go.

Namely offers a user-friendly, all-in-one HR platform for mid-sized companies. It combines payroll, talent management, employee benefits, and compliance into one solution.

Compared to competitors like Workday and ADP, Namely is more customizable and simpler. Many users appreciate its strong customer support. While other platforms may offer more advanced features, Namely focuses on simplicity and ease of use.

Consider ease of use, integration capabilities, and scalability. An intuitive interface is important for daily operations and efficient onboarding. Scalability ensures the tool can grow with your company and adapt to changing needs. Integration with systems like performance management and payroll is important for smooth data flow. Pricing and customer support should also be considered to ensure long-term value.

Namely has continued to improve its platform to better serve mid-sized companies. It has expanded to include enhanced benefits, payroll, and compliance tools. Customization options have been improved, allowing businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs. User experience enhancements have made the software more efficient and intuitive. Namely has also focused on strengthening customer support to assist users as the platform grows.

Namely is well-suited for most mid-sized businesses, HR managers, recruiters, business owners/CEOs, payroll managers, and benefits coordinators.