Our top picks for payroll apps
Read our full payroll methodology and learn how we test and review products.
What is a payroll app and how does it work?
A payroll app is software that companies use to pay employee salaries and file payroll taxes. Most of these apps also include self-service for employees to view pay stubs, W-2 forms, and other information. Some payroll apps and plans may include advanced features, such as time tracking, PTO management, and benefits management.
Businesses of all sizes—as well as home-based employers—can use a payroll app to ensure timely and accurate payments to employees while remaining compliant with tax regulations. Many payroll apps include automation for initiating the correct payments to employees and filing with tax authorities, so HR departments spend less time managing these important processes.
Benefits of payroll apps
Using a payroll app can provide employers with a number of benefits, including:
- Less time spent on payroll
- Reduced risk of salary errors through automatic calculation of wages and deductions
- Improved compliance with automated payroll tax calculations and filings
- More convenience for employees through self-service functions
- Real-time reporting and analysis of payroll data
Disadvantages of payroll apps
While the benefits of a payroll app are not that numerous, it can also come with some disadvantages. These include:
- Time-consuming implementation process
- Additional costs for the subscription
Features to consider when choosing a payroll app
To get a sense of what HR professionals want from a payroll app, we surveyed HR software users about the factors that matter most to them. Here are their answers:
Below we examine some of these factors.
Integrations
The best payroll apps integrate with other popular business solutions. Built-in integrations create a more seamless experience for administrators, allowing them to easily share data between the various systems they may use to run back-office operations.
Integrations eliminate or reduce manual data entry, helping HR teams become more efficient. Companies can also customize their payroll solution to their unique workflows, which 31% of HR software users say is the most important thing in an application.
Here’s an overview of the payroll apps on our list that support integration with accounting, time tracking, and POS software:
| accounting | Time recording | Point of sale | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OnPay | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| gusto | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| QuickBooks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Paycor | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| SurePayroll | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Payroll | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Employee accessibility
It’s important for company administrators to have convenient mobile access to manage payroll on the go, but it can also be useful for employees to have self-service access to pay stubs, tax forms, and other resources. 16 percent of HR software users said ease of use is the most important thing they look for in HR software, which applies to both employees and administrators.
Each payroll app in this review offers a mobile app for employees. Below we show a side-by-side comparison of the specific features employees can access in the app with each payroll plan.
| Pay stubs and W-2 forms | Time recording | Absence management | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OnPay | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| gusto | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| QuickBooks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Paycor | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| SurePayroll | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payroll | ✅ | ❌* | ❌ |
Customer Service
Payroll app users want to know they can quickly contact support through their preferred channel if they encounter a problem with payroll. For 18% of users, customer support is a top priority. When we asked specifically what type of customer service they expect, a large majority responded that they expect 24/7 support through one or more channels.
Below we provide an overview of the payroll apps that offer 24/7 support for all users across all channels. We also show the different support channels each provider offers.
| 24/7 customer support | Support channels | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| phone | Chat | |||
| OnPay | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| gusto | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| QuickBooks | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Paycor | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| SurePayroll | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payroll | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
How to choose the best payroll apps
Each payroll app offers unique features and is therefore suited to specific business needs and preferences. To find the right payroll app for your business, consider the following questions when evaluating potential providers.
What are your business goals?
First, define your overall business goals. Do you want to increase your team’s productivity? Increase profits? Improve employee satisfaction? Depending on your answer, certain payroll apps might be more interesting for you.
For example, if you’re looking to improve employee satisfaction, you might lean toward an app with more robust self-service and financial wellness features, like Gusto or Paychex Flex. On the other hand, if your primary focus is profitability, you might want to choose a cheaper option, like QuickBooks Payroll’s Basic plan.
Which pricing structure makes the most sense for you?
Payroll apps typically charge a flat fee plus an additional monthly fee per employee. Some vendors do not publicly disclose pricing details because they will create a custom solution with a custom monthly flat rate based on the size of your company and the features you want.
For small businesses with a steady workforce, per-user, per-month pricing may make sense as the monthly cost is affordable and predictable. However, the monthly price of using these apps can increase significantly as your business grows, so using a provider that can provide you with a plan tailored to your needs may be a better option for expanding or large businesses.
Which core functions are most important to you?
Before you start comparing apps, make a list of the payroll features that are most important to you. That way, you’ll have a list of objective requirements against which to evaluate your options.
It can be helpful to break down features into “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” so you have some wiggle room. Maybe payroll and tax automation and integrated time tracking are your top priorities. But it would also be nice if the platform also offers employee onboarding and PTO management. In this case, Paycor or Gusto might be a good fit.
The conclusion
Payroll apps can make it easier for you to pay your employees and file your taxes. During our research, the six apps in this test emerged as the best payroll services available with their user-friendly interfaces, employee self-service features, and automated functions.
There is no one payroll app that is best for all businesses. Each business must decide for itself which app fits its specific needs and budget.
Frequently asked questions about payroll apps
No, a payroll app is not required to pay your employees. You can have payroll handled manually by an in-house accounting team or outsource it to an accounting firm. However, a payroll app can help your team manage payroll more accurately and efficiently.
The cost of payroll apps varies by provider. For the providers on our list with transparent pricing, plans start at $20 per month plus $4 per employee per month for the basic SurePayroll plan and go up to $180 per month plus $22 per employee per month for the top Gusto plan. The more expensive plans typically include advanced HR features and analytics capabilities in addition to basic payroll.
Yes, most payroll apps support integration with various business applications, including accounting software, time tracking solutions, and point of sale systems.
Yes, payroll apps can help businesses comply with employment laws. Many handle compliance tasks such as calculating and filing payroll taxes, preparing year-end tax returns, and reporting new employees automatically on users’ behalf.
Every app on our list can calculate and withhold payroll taxes. However, some apps, like SurePayroll, only include tax filing in their higher-end plans.
Certain payroll providers offer a mobile app that you can download to your phone or tablet to access the payroll features. Others have a mobile-responsive platform, meaning you can access it through a browser on your mobile device with no download required.
How we selected the best payroll software
Choosing human resources (HR) software for your business is an important decision. To help you make that decision, we at MarketWatch Guides team have researched and reviewed 50 leading HR software companies, including Paycor, ADP, Workday, Gusto, ZipRecruiter, and Clockify. These providers help with some or all of the following HR disciplines:
- Payroll accounting
- Time recording and personnel scheduling
- Recruitment and job advertisement
We conducted a survey in 2024 among 200 professionals who currently use HR software or have used HR software in the past year. We analyzed the results of this survey to establish the following evaluation criteria:
- Functions (25%)
- Value and price (25%)
- User experience (20%)
- Customer support (15%)
- Reputation and ratings (15%)
For more details on our evaluation system, please see the full HR methodology page.
