Dana MirandaCEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET
Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® who's been writing about money management and small business operations for more than a decade. She writes the newsletter Healthy Rich about how capitalism impacts the ways we think, teach and...
Dana MirandaCEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET
Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® who's been writing about money management and small business operations for more than a decade. She writes the newsletter Healthy Rich about how capitalism impacts the ways we think, teach and...
Written By
Dana Miranda
Dana MirandaCEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET
Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® who's been writing about money management and small business operations for more than a decade. She writes the newsletter Healthy Rich about how capitalism impacts the ways we think, teach and...
Dana MirandaCEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET
Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® who's been writing about money management and small business operations for more than a decade. She writes the newsletter Healthy Rich about how capitalism impacts the ways we think, teach and...
CEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of Y...
Kelly Main
Reviewed
& 1 other
Updated: Apr 29, 2024, 2:48pm
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
If you’ve been using Paychex or Paychex Flex for your small business, you might be looking for a more affordable solution or a platform with more features and a simpler user experience. Forbes Advisor rated the top Paychex competitors to see how they compare with Paychex Flex and the full-service Paychex platform to help you decide which is right for you.
Read more
Best of
- Best Payroll Services
- Best Payroll Apps
- Best Cheap Payroll Services
- Best Payroll Software For Mac
- Best International Payroll Services
- Best Free Payroll Software
Show Summary
- The Top Paychex Competitors In 2024
- Summary: The Top Paychex Competitors In 2024
- Methodology
- How To Choose the Best Paychex Competitor for You
- Reasons To Choose a Top Paychex Competitor
- Bottom Line
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Next Up In Business
Featured Partners
Advertisem*nt
1
Justworks
Benefits Administration
Yes
Contractor Payments
Yes
Base Price
$50/month + $8/user
2
SurePayroll
Benefits Administration
Yes
Contractor Payments
Yes
Base Price
$29.99/mo plus $5 per employee
3
OnPay
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor payments
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month + $6 per user
4
Rippling
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor Payments
Yes
Base Price
$35 per month + $8 per user
5
Gusto
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor payments
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month plus $6 per user
The Top Paychex Competitors In 2024
- OnPay: Best overall
- Gusto: Best for fast growth
- QuickBooks: Best for accounting integration
- Justworks: Best for low-cost insurance
- Remote: Best for international workforce
- Paycor: Best for human capital management (HCM)
- Wave Payroll: Best for fluctuating workforce
Best Overall
OnPay
4.9
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$40 plus $6 per person
per month
Integrations
QuickBooks, Xero, When I Work, PosterElite and more
Standout Features
Flat-rate pricing, automated tax filing
On OnPay's Website
$40 plus $6 per person
per month
QuickBooks, Xero, When I Work, PosterElite and more
Flat-rate pricing, automated tax filing
Editor's Take
OnPay is a payroll provider for small businesses that includes HR and benefits management. Its pricing is simple, just a single flat monthly fee of $40 plus an additional $6 per employee you pay, so you don’t have to worry about choosing among plans or setting up custom pricing as you do with Paychex.
OnPay offers unlimited payroll runs, automated tax filing and payment, W-2 and 1099 filing, and integrations with accounting and HR software.
OnPay is available for desktop and its website is mobile responsive, but it doesn’t make a dedicated mobile app.
Learn more: Read our full OnPay review.
Who should use it:
OnPay is one of the best picks for payroll processing for any kind of small business. Single-tier pricing keeps it affordable, transparent and simple to use.
Pros & Cons
- Straightforward, flat pricing
- Accounting, HR and time-tracking integrations
- Unlimited monthly pay runs
- Automatic tax payments
- Offers extensive HR resource library
- Mailing tax documents costs extra
- Payroll approval isn’t fully automated
Best for Fast Growth
Gusto
4.7
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$40 plus $6 per person
per month
Integrations
QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Sage, Xero, Brex, Clover and more
Standout features
Automated charitable donations and Gusto Wallet
On Gusto's Website
$40 plus $6 per person
per month
QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Sage, Xero, Brex, Clover and more
Automated charitable donations and Gusto Wallet
Editor's Take
Gusto is an online payroll and benefits management platform with a self-service employee portal. It lets you automate payroll and automatically files and pays taxes and files W-2 and 1099 forms in all 50 states and for international workers. Unlike Paychex, tax filing is included in your plan, so you won’t pay an extra fee.
Gusto also lets you administer benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans and custom benefits. For employees, it offers Gusto Wallet, a full-service bank account where they can access their paychecks earlier than payday.
Gusto offers four monthly pricing tiers:
- Simple: $40 per month plus $6 per month per person paid
- Plus: $60 per month plus $9 per month per person paid
- Premium: Custom pricing
- Contractor Only: $0 plus $6 per month per contractor paid
Gusto is available for desktop and mobile web, and it offers an iOS and Android app for banking with Gusto Wallet.
Learn more: Read our full Gusto review.
Who should use it:
Gusto is a better option than Paychex Flex for companies that require time tracking because the feature is included in plans instead of an add-on. Gusto’s built-in time-tracking tool makes it easy for your employees to clock in and track their hours based on projects and for you to verify hours and generate workforce cost reports.
Pros & Cons
- HR and benefits administration included
- Automatic tax filing and compliance guidance with no extra fee
- Integrated free checking and high-yield savings account with paycheck advance for employees
- Harder to grow with an enterprise business
- Less customizable plans than Paychex
Best for Accounting Integration
QuickBooks
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$45 plus $5 per person
per month
Integrations
QuickBooks accounting and time tracking, Etsy, PayPal, Salesforce and more
Standout features
Shared platform with QuickBooks accounting software
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
$45 plus $5 per person
per month
QuickBooks accounting and time tracking, Etsy, PayPal, Salesforce and more
Shared platform with QuickBooks accounting software
Editor's Take
QuickBooks Payroll is available as a stand-alone or an add-on to QuickBooks bookkeeping software. The stand-alone payroll service can manage payroll and benefits, including automated tax filing and payment, for up to 50 employees. If you already use QuickBooks for bookkeeping and accounting, this is an easy add-on, although it may come with a higher price tag than Paychex, which also integrates with QuickBooks accounting software.
QuickBooks Payroll plans include:
- Core: $45 plus $5 per employee per month
- Premium: $75 plus $8 per employee per month
- Elite: $125 plus $10 per employee per month
You can bundle QuickBooks bookkeeping plans with Payroll to reduce the total cost.
QuickBooks Payroll is available for mobile through the Intuit Online Payroll mobile app for iOS and Android.
Learn more: Read our full QuickBooks Payroll review.
Who should use it:
If you already use QuickBooks for accounting, Payroll is an easy add-on. This suite of tools is also a better fit for many online and e-commerce businesses because it integrates with hundreds of platforms for automated bookkeeping.
Pros & Cons
- Automated calculation, filing and payment of federal and state taxes
- Native Salesforce integration
- Robust reporting
- QuickBooks accounting integration
- Time tracking not included
- Slightly more expensive than Paychex
Best for Low-Cost Insurance
Justworks
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$59 per person
per month ($49 per person per month with 50-plus employees)
Integrations
Justworks Hours, QuickBooks, Xero and more
Standout Features
HRIS and PEO for extra support
On Justworks' Website
$59 per person
per month ($49 per person per month with 50-plus employees)
Justworks Hours, QuickBooks, Xero and more
HRIS and PEO for extra support
Editor's Take
Justworks is a human resources information system (HRIS) and professional employer organization (PEO), so its offerings are far more robust than Paychex Flex for small businesses—though Paychex’s large-business offerings do include a PEO.
In addition to a payroll platform with employee self-service, Justworks offers robust HR support and acts as an employer of record for your employees to take some of the administration work off your plate. A PEO also gives you access to large group health insurance plans, which can lower premium costs for you and your employees.
Justworks offers two pricing tiers:
- Basic (payroll and some benefits): $59 per month per employee; $49 per month per employee (50-plus employees)
- Plus (access to health insurance): $99 per month per employee; $89 per month per employee (50-plus employees)
Justworks is available for desktop and mobile web but doesn’t offer a dedicated mobile app.
Learn more: Read our full Justworks review.
Who should use it:
Justworks is a robust solution for payroll and people management, which makes it a pricier option than many competitors, but more affordable for small businesses than Paychex. It’s a fit if you need the added HR support of a PEO and access to low-cost insurance for employees.
Pros & Cons
- Automatic tax filing with no extra fee
- Compliance support
- Extensive HR features
- 24/7 support
- Time tracking only as a paid add-on
- No mobile app
Best for International Workforce
Remote
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$29
per contractor per month; $599 per employee per month (billed annually)
Integrations
BambooHR, Greenhouse, HiBob
Standout Features
Payment processing and HR compliance in 170-plus countries
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
$29
per contractor per month; $599 per employee per month (billed annually)
BambooHR, Greenhouse, HiBob
Payment processing and HR compliance in 170-plus countries
Editor's Take
Remote payroll is a unique solution for companies that want to employ workers in countries where they don’t have a registered legal entity. It offers payroll, HR and legal expertise to make sure you’re compliant with local regulations in more than 170 countries.
Remote can act as the employer of record for your employees (similar to a PEO) through its most comprehensive plan at $599 per employee per month. You have access to local benefits packages and can run payroll and taxes with support from local compliance experts.
If you just want to run payroll without local benefits and compliance, you can contact the company for a quote for a tailored plan. Managing invoices and paying international contractors is $29 per contractor per month.
Remote is available for desktop and mobile web but doesn’t offer a dedicated mobile app.
Learn more: Read our full Remote Payroll review.
Who should use it:
Remote payroll is best suited for companies that need to run international payroll and benefits. It’s a better fit than Paychex if you have a global workforce of employees or contractors.
Pros & Cons
- Manage and pay international payroll taxes
- Country-specific benefits packages
- Compliance with international labor laws
- Customer support via email only
- Expensive option if your workforce is mostly U.S. based
Best HCM
Paycor
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$99 plus $5 per employee
per month
Integrations
GoodHire, WageWorks, PosterElite and more
Standout Features
Integrations with banking and insurance providers
On Paycor's Website
$99 plus $5 per employee
per month
GoodHire, WageWorks, PosterElite and more
Integrations with banking and insurance providers
Editor's Take
Paycor is a complete human capital management (HCM) platform that offers payroll, HR and compliance support for small- and medium-sized businesses. Its Basic plan, at $99 plus $5 per employee per month, is pricier than Paychex Flex and offers similar features. But it offers the option for OnDemand Pay for employees, which Paychex does not. Higher-tier plans come with HR and benefits management and compliance support.
Paycor plans include:
- Basic: $99 plus $5 per employee per month
- Essential: $149 plus $7 per employee per month
- Core: $199 plus $8 per employee per month
- Complete: $199 plus $14 per employee per month
Paycor is available on the web for desktop and mobile, and it offers a mobile app for iOS and Android.
Learn more: Read our full Paycor review.
Who should use it:
Paycor is best suited for growing medium-sized businesses that need HR, benefits and compliance support along with payroll.
Pros & Cons
- Start with three months free
- On-demand pay available
- Custom reporting
- Compliance support
- HR tools and library
- Offers a mobile app
- No QuickBooks or Xero integration
- Lots of added fees
- Time tracking only available as an add-on
Best for Fluctuating Workforce
Wave Payroll
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting Price
$40 (or $20 in self-service tax states) plus $6 per person
per month
Integrations
Zapier to integrate with 5,000-plus apps
Standout Features
Flexibility for seasonal and contract workers
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
$40 (or $20 in self-service tax states) plus $6 per person
per month
Zapier to integrate with 5,000-plus apps
Flexibility for seasonal and contract workers
Editor's Take
Wave Payroll is an add-on to Wave’s invoicing and accounting platform for solo businesses and agencies. It includes basic payroll services for small businesses and is easy to learn and use, though it’s far less robust than Paychex or Paychex Flex.
Wave offers payroll processing in all 50 states, but only pays and files taxes for you in 14 states. Its pricing depends on whether you’re in a tax-service state or not:
- Tax-service state:$40 plus $6 per employee per month
- Self-service state:$20 plus $6 per employee per month
Wave Payroll is available for desktop and mobile web, and you can manage invoicing through the mobile app for iOS and Android.
Learn more: Read our full Wave Payroll review.
Who should use it:
Wave is designed for individuals and small businesses that need flexibility and ease managing their finances. It may be a more flexible solution than Paychex for consultants and solo entrepreneurs with a fluctuating roster of employees and contractors.
Pros & Cons
- Three-day direct deposit
- Time tracking included
- Self-serve employee portal
- No auto tax filing in 36 states
- Payroll isn’t automated
- No mobile app for payroll
Summary: The Top Paychex Competitors In 2024
Company | Company - Logo | Forbes Advisor Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | Starting Price | Integrations | Standout Features | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | LEARN MORE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OnPay | 4.9 | $40 plus $6 per person per month | QuickBooks, Xero, When I Work, PosterElite and more | Flat-rate pricing, automated tax filing | Learn More | On OnPay's Website | |||
Gusto | 4.7 | $40 plus $6 per person per month | QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Sage, Xero, Brex, Clover and more | Automated charitable donations, Gusto Wallet | Learn More | On Gusto's Website | |||
QuickBooks | 4.5 | $45 plus $5 per person per month | QuickBooks accounting and time tracking, Etsy, PayPal, Salesforce and more | Shared platform with QuickBooks accounting software | Learn More | Read Forbes' Review | |||
Justworks | 4.5 | $8 per user per month + $50 monthly base fee | Justworks Hours, QuickBooks, Xero and more | HRIS and PEO for extra support | Learn More | On Justworks' Website | |||
Remote | 4.4 | $29 per contractor per month; $599 per employee per month (billed annually) | BambooHR, Greenhouse, HiBob | Payment processing and HR compliance in 170-plus countries | Learn More | Read Forbes' Review | |||
Paycor | 4.4 | $99 plus $5 per employee per month | GoodHire, WageWorks, PosterElite and more | Integrations with banking and insurance providers | Learn More | On Paycor's Website | |||
Wave Payroll | 4.3 | $40 (or $20 in self-service tax states) plus $6 per person per month | Zapier to integrate with 5,000-plus apps | Flexibility for seasonal and contract workers | Learn More | Read Forbes' Review |
Methodology
Forbes Advisor analyzed 11 factors to organize this list of the top Paychex competitors. Based on those factors, each payroll provider could score a total of 500 points. We then translated that point system into an easily digestible 5-star rating and those that made this list all scored higher than Paychex Flex overall:
- Pricing: We measured three pricing factors: whether the software offers a free trial, the starting (or lowest) price and the highest pricing tier. We noted whether software would be considered expensive, moderately priced or cheap relative to Paychex Flex for the review.
- General features: Our criteria weighed features including compliance, tax options, new-hire reporting, third-party integrations, analytics and mobile apps.
- Customer reviews: Software was scored based on its Capterra rating and G2 rating.
How To Choose the Best Paychex Competitor for You
To choose a payroll software provider to replace Paychex, consider how it compares to your current software in these four areas: cost, features, customization and ease of use.
Cost might not be the most important factor for you, but if it’s a major constraint for your business, start by finding software that covers your basic needs at a low price. Paychex Flex is priced similar to other payroll providers for small businesses, but its features are more limited compared with many competitors.
To determine whether a higher price is worth it, determine what your business needs and doesn’t need in a payroll solution. For example, do you need direct deposit, an employee portal, time tracking and benefits management? Most Paychex competitors offer just about everything a business might need to manage payroll, HR and benefits, but the pricing structures to access various features vary a lot. Consider what’s available for free or for a fee on the platform, which additional apps it integrates with (and how much those cost) and what other options you have to customize the platform to suit your business.
Finally, don’t ignore the user experience of a platform. Many competitors might look similar to Paychex Flex on a features comparison alone, but the UX of more modern platforms could mean a much more pleasant experience for you and your employees day to day compared with the complex add-ons you may need with Paychex.
Featured Partners
Advertisem*nt
1
Justworks
Benefits Administration
Yes
Contractor Payments
Yes
Base Price
$50/month + $8/user
2
SurePayroll
Benefits Administration
Yes
Contractor Payments
Yes
Base Price
$29.99/mo plus $5 per employee
3
OnPay
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor payments
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month + $6 per user
4
Rippling
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor Payments
Yes
Base Price
$35 per month + $8 per user
5
Gusto
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor payments
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month plus $6 per user
Reasons To Choose a Top Paychex Competitor
Using online payroll software makes your life as a business owner easier in a ton of ways. It can automate the complicated processes of calculating payroll, filing taxes, reconciling hours tracking and delivering payment to your employees or contractors.
Paychex Flex and most of its competitors offer the basic services you need with payroll. While Paychex can file and pay payroll taxes automatically, the service comes with an extra fee, which you won’t pay with most competitors.
Paychex Flex, the company’s offering for small businesses, doesn’t provide the robust HR and benefits management you can find with many Paychex competitors. You can get that with the full-service Paychex platform, but that platform might be more complex and expensive than you need as a small business owner. A simpler, more affordable solution such as Gusto or Justworks could give you everything you need.
Bottom Line
Paychex is a popular HR and payroll provider for businesses of all sizes, and its small business solution, Paychex Flex, takes care of all of your basic payroll needs. But it lacks the more robust HR, benefits and compliance support you can get with many Paychex competitors for a similar price. If your business has outgrown Paychex Flex and the full-service Paychex platform is too complex or too costly, consider a more streamlined, affordable competitor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are payroll services?
Payroll systems manage and automates employee payments. They help businesses issue wages on time and stay in compliance with tax requirements.
What other companies are similar to Paychex?
ADP is a top Paychex competitor for medium and large enterprise businesses. If you’re looking to replace the small business solution, Paychex Flex, consider a more modern platform such as Gusto or Justworks. Read our comparison of ADP vs. Paychex for more information.
What type of company is Paychex?
Paychex is a payroll services company that offers everything from basic payroll runs to a full-service professional employer organization (PEO).
Does Paychex integrate with Salesforce?
Paychex doesn’t offer a direct integration with Salesforce, but it can be created through the platform’s open application programming interface (API). Several services exist to connect the two platforms for performance-based compensation.
Is Paychex a competitor of Paycor?
Paycor is a complete human capital management (HCM) platform that offers payroll, HR and compliance support for small and medium-sized businesses, so its plans are pricier than Paychex Flex, which typically serves smaller companies. Read our review to learn more about Paycor.
Next Up In Business
- Best Payroll Services For Small Business
- Wave Payroll Review
- SurePayroll Review: Plans, Pricing And Features
- Namely Payroll Review
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