18 Best Payroll Software for 2025 [Buyer’s Guide]

ADP’s functionality goes beyond being a basic payroll tool, offering HR features like application tracking system, benefits management, and employee cost insights. Additionally, ADP Payroll is fully scalable and fits companies of every size, making ADP Payroll the best overall payroll software.

For small businesses, ADP Payroll offers plans that include an HR module, recruitment module, ATS etc., so that you don’t have to purchase separate software as your business scales up. For large enterprises, ADP offers APIs for integration with your existing software.

ADP Payroll syncs payroll data with benefits management and time tracking tools to help businesses efficiently manage the payroll process.

I like the mobile access feature, as it offers on-the-go payroll management. It enables employees to view pay stubs, request time off, and record attendance, especially people who travel a lot as part of work. It also helps in quickly submitting claims and expenses.

ADP Payroll Pricing

ADP Payroll offers multiple plans for both small business and mid-large sized business. You need to ask for custom pricing for the plan that suits your needs.

Deel enables SMBs to hire and pay talents from all over the world without establishing separate entities in each country by offering EOR Services. It also helps such businesses expand globally without worrying about complex international tax and employment regulations, making it the ideal payroll solution for small and mid-sized businesses.

Deel offers Global Payroll services in over 100 countries and also a US payroll service for US-based businesses.

In the Global payroll option, it offers 24*7 service and a single POC in each country. It helps administer employee benefits, local tax filing, localized contracts and documentation and ensures legal compliance. For US Payroll, it offers bulk payment option for easy processing and a free HRIS module to manage global workforce.

You can generate custom reports by analyzing gross-to-net, 401k, pensions, etc., that stakeholders can easily understand and gather insights. It allows organizations to compare employer costs, bonuses, taxes, and other parameters across the company entities in a standard currency. Thus, users get a unified view of their expenses in the chosen currency.

I am impressed with Deel’s integration support for 80+ business apps, such as Google Workspace, Jira, Slack, QuickBooks, Outlook Calendar, Xero, BambooHR, and Zapier. This integration simplifies businesses management and increases efficiency.

Deel Pricing

You can choose from any of the following subscription plans to use Deel’s payroll service.

– US Payroll at $19/employee/month

– US PEO at $89/employee/month

– Payroll at $29/employee/month

Paychex is a cloud-based payroll software platform where you need only a few clicks to run payroll. Its intuitive and self-explanatory UI makes it the best payroll software for a user-friendly experience.

Your employees can use Pre-Check service to instantly approve their pay check before payday and avoid costly payroll discrepancies. It lets you pay with options such as direct deposit, same-day ACH, paper checks, paycards, eChecks service, Pay-on-Demand (before payroll date), and 24/7 real-time payments.

I find Paychex’s ever-expanding API library to be a valuable feature for the companies with in-house developers. It lets you securely integrate with popular business tools like BambooHR, Clover, Deputy, JazzHR, Indeed, Jobvite, and Microsoft Azure AD. It makes hiring, managing, paying, and retaining employees easier.

Paychex Pricing

Paychex has three plans, and you need to provide your company information to get a customized quote.

Gusto provides industry-specific payroll and HR solutions for US companies. Its proactive compliance alerts and automated tax reporting features prevent businesses from making human errors. It offers health insurance, paid time off, and 401(k) plans, in one place. All these make Gusto the top payroll software for US small businesses.

I like how it allows you to submit various payroll tax forms like Form W-2, Form 940, Form 8974, Form 1099, Form 941, and more. It ensures accurate and timely tax submissions, avoiding potential penalties.

Gusto Pricing

Gusto offers three plans for its users:

– Simple at $40/month+$6/month/person

– Plus at $60/month+$9/month/person

– Premium at $135/month+$16.50/month/person

Paycor operates as an online payroll software company, offering HR functionalities that sync well with the payroll software to simplify the data management process. Its employee self-service portal reduces your HR workload. Businesses looking for HR and payroll integration should opt for Paycor.

Paycor’s in-product compliance updates caught my attention. It notifies you of major changes so that you do not have to spend hours researching employment laws in your state or county. You will benefit from its 250+ integration partners for benefits, payments, POS, background screening, and scheduling.

Rippling is a payroll application that comes with a tightly integrated HR service. Hence, its unified system allows smooth syncing of HR data with payroll. Companies can track time and attendance from the same platform, review expenses, and manage employee benefits. If you are looking for comprehensive software to perform HR and payroll tasks from one platform, Rippling is the best bet.

I find Rippling’s extensive integration support to be highly beneficial. It integrates with 600+ applications, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite. So, if you are already using these accounting programs, you can easily sync data with fewer chances of errors. Its reports on payroll analytics helps with visualization and informed decisions.

Multiplier helps you with on-time global payroll management. It enables businesses to employ EOR from 150+ countries without establishing entities in those countries. I consider Multiplier as the perfect choice for companies that want to use EOR and global payroll from the same platform.

I like the security features of Multiplier. It uses AWS hosting services and complies with GDPR to process personal data. It follows country-specific laws and regulations for payroll and employment to ensure compliance in every country. Multiplier allows you to oversee taxes, social contributions, and local insurance policies so you do not have to purchase additional software to manage these processes.

Patriot payroll offers free 2-day and 4-day direct deposit facilities for qualified customers for hassle-free employee payment. Its monthly base pay and per-employee charges are affordable for businesses of all sizes. Hence, Patriot is an affordable payroll and ideal for startups.

Patriot software can be accessed from any device without downloading it. It generates various payroll reports, such as tax filing, tax deposit, pay rate, payroll register, individual paycheck history, payroll tax liabilities, assigned contributions and deductions, and time-off management. These enable businesses easily interpret payroll data.

I would recommend Patriot payroll for its feature of filing company tax on time with 100% accuracy. In case of any mistake, it covers all the penalties and interest, which is a win-win situation for the companies.

TriNet HR Payroll, previously known as Zenefits, is a payroll solution for small and medium businesses. This software is integrated with the HR application so that you can effortlessly use the HR data to process payroll on time. Businesses looking for an all-in-one HR and payroll solution should go for it.

I like how its employee self-service tools enable companies to spend less time on payroll. It ensures compliance with regulations and payroll tax requirements in various US states. TriNet HR Payroll supports hourly and salaried employees in getting paid on time.

QuickBooks Payroll is a streamlined payroll application that smoothly integrates with other QuickBooks applications like QuickBooks Accounting, QuickBooks POS, and QuickBooks Time for data sync. Hence, QuickBooks Payroll is the best choice for integrating with other QuickBooks products.

I like the feature of syncing QuickBooks Payroll with QuickBooks Time. It increases payroll accuracy and reduce risks involved with manual entry. It also supports managing timesheets and connecting time-tracking data to reduce payroll costs.

QuickBooks Payroll Pricing

QuickBooks Payroll is available as standalone and QuickBooks Online add-on plan.

Standalone base pricing starts at $42.50/mo + $6/employee/mo.

Add-on starts at $25/mo + $6/employee/mo.

Add-on subscription will be ideal if you are already using or planning to use QuickBooks Online accounting software.

OnPay is a full-service payroll solution for small businesses, accountants, or non-profits. Its straightforward pricing is suitable for a small team and includes basic HR tools in addition to the suite. So, if you are a growing business, OnPay is the perfect choice for you.

OnPay’s report designer caught my attention. It enables custom views and filtering by employee type, location, or department. Moreover, you can view the reports in real-time online, download them in PDF or spreadsheet format, or move the data to the accounting software.

Its responsive portal design lets you conveniently use it on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets without downloading a mobile app.

OnPay Pricing

OnPay offers simple pricing of $40/month base fee with $6/person/month.

PrimePay enables you to handle all payroll complexities easily using its automation features. It helps you manage all the federal and state tax filings of a business, including Form W-2. So, PrimePay is the best choice for those looking for a tax compliance feature in payroll software.

I like its simplistic interface that anyone can use without having to go through any training. Thus, PrimePay saves valuable time by letting you start using it right away. PrimePay supports on-demand pay, allowing employees to access their earnings before payday. This increases employee satisfaction and higher employee retention rate.

PrimePay Pricing

PrimePay offers custom pricing without any base fee.

Square Payroll is one of the 36+ products of Square, that has an entire suite of business tools like POS hardware and software that integrate well with each other. So, if you use other Square products like Square POS, Square Payroll is the best option for you.

I like how the software allows qualifying businesses to run payroll two business days before the original pay date, giving them more time and flexibility to do so. Square Payroll comes with helpful HR and compliance resources to give you peace of mind when running payroll.

Square Payroll Pricing

For full-service payroll, you need to pay $35/month+$6/person/month. The contractor-only payroll will cost $6/person.

Wave Payroll is developed specifically for small businesses to address industry-based needs. It reduces the workload of payroll management and saves companies from manual, time-consuming calculations. For these reasons, Wave Payroll is ideal for small businesses and freelancers.

I would recommend Wave Payroll because it always updates its features to incorporate various financial assistance programs for small business, unemployment benefits, and tax relief. Such updates financially and strategically benefit freelancers and small businesses.

Wave Payroll Pricing

Wave users can opt for its free forever plan or choose paid subscription at $16/month.

TimeTrex is a payroll processing software that also manages workforce scheduling and team attendance. It eliminates the hassle of manual calculations and reduces the chances of human errors with its automated payroll processing. It simplifies workforce management with consistent data supply via software integration. Therefore, TimeTrex is the best payroll software for workforce management.

I find TimeTrex’s compliance and tax management features beneficial because they minimize the risk of penalties and make the tax filing process easy. It also assists businesses in making better decisions with custom payroll data reports.

TimeTrex Pricing

TimeTrex has three pricing plans.

– Professional Edition at $50/month for up to 10 employees included.

– Corporate Edition at $80/month for up to 10 employees included.

– Enterprise Edition at $100/month for up to 10 employees included.

Papaya Global Payroll is an international payroll platform focused on integration and compliance. It keeps you updated on country-specific payroll laws and immediately alerts you of compliance issues. Papaya Global Payroll holds SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 audit reports that demonstrate its capability of securing the ultra-sensitive data. These make it the best software for global payroll.

I like how Papaya Global Payroll offers total visibility and control over the workforce’s spending. Its reports reveal all the hidden payroll data insights to help you make better business decisions. Its real-time reports also allow you to access data from all locations in one place.

Papaya Global Payroll Pricing

You can choose from any of the subscription plans.

– Grow Global starting from $25/mo/employee

– Scale Global starting from $20/mo/employee

– Enterprise Global starting from $15/mo/employee

BambooHR Payroll is an HRIS solution that streamlines your compensation process. It offers customizable workflows, custom reports, and self-service tools for admins and employee management. Thus, BambooHR Payroll is an excellent choice for those looking for customization in payroll software.

I recommend BambooHR Payroll for implementing security measures like advanced data encryption, SOC II audit, diverse data centers, and continuous monitoring, These keep the sensitive business data safe and protected. BambooHR Payroll automatically fetches all time-tracking, benefits, and time off data from one place. It eliminates the need for double data entry or manual approval.

Zoho offers country-specific features for the US (track Forms 941, DE-9, and W-2) and India (Form 16 submission) while ensuring compliance with UAE labor laws. These features make Zoho Payroll the best payroll software for India, the US, and the UAE.

Zoho Payroll Pricing

For US users, Zoho Payroll costs $39/month with $6/mo/employee. For other countries, it has varied subscription plans.

I would recommend Zoho Payroll for companies that use other Zoho products like Zoho Books, Zoho People, and Zoho Expense. They will benefit from contextual data flow between these applications for an integrated payroll ecosystem. Zoho Payroll connects with banking solutions so you can pay salaries without leaving the software interface.