Top Payroll Software Possibilities for 2019
- Payroll software greatly simplifies the accounting tasks surrounding employee compensation
- There are at least six companies offering powerful solutions for businesses of all sizes
- The different service providers in the payroll industry vary considerably in cost and ease of use
- All of them depend on solid bookkeeping like the kind SyncLedgers provides to avoid costly errors
Accountants at all types and all sizes of companies have to deal with a mountain of work every two weeks. Ensuring that every employee’s paycheck is accurate and delivered or deposited on time is one of the most important roles within a company. Without those outcomes, work quickly grinds to a halt, because no one can afford to keep spending their effort if they’re not getting paid what they agreed on. It’s a critical task that therefore requires careful recordkeeping and planning. Of course, there are plenty of organizational ways to make it much less daunting. One of the most effective of these is the use of modern payroll software. We decided to take a look at some of the best solutions available in 2019.
Payroll Software Solutions You Can Use
We’ve found at least 6 good companies out there now offering effective payroll software. Each of these can be useful in their own way, depending on their clients’ particular business situations.
QuickBooks Payroll by Intuit
The main advantage of using this system is that it integrates extremely well with other QuickBooks applications that you may already be using. If you’re already familiar with Intuit software, then the learning curve for this payroll system will be especially easy. Pricing is comparable to many others on this list, with tiers of service and features. The base packages start at $54 per month, with full service topping out at $149 per month, and always an addtional $2 per employee. Be careful about mistakes, because they charge extra to do additional payroll runs.
Gusto
Overall, this payroll software may offer the best bang for your buck. It’s very easy to use, and costs less than several of the others on this list. They don’t offer any version with limited features to try and tempt you into buying a more expensive plan. The base price is $39 per month, plus $6 more for each employee you’re using it for, and that includes everything you need to run payroll, including tax support. The only relevant things it doesn’t do automatically are easy to take care of otherwise, like downloading labor law posters.
Payroll4Free
As the name implies, you won’t ever find a less expensive payroll software solution anywhere. The catch is that it’s only free up to 25 employees, which is actually still a really good deal, but that also doesn’t include tax support. Programs with tax filing options cost $12.50 per month, and if you want to direct deposit your employees’ pay rather than printing out old-school checks, it’s another $12.50. But that’s it!
Patriot Software
This software takes a bit more effort to use, but it’s the second-best value out there at only $10 per month plus $4 per employee. It’s not as user-friendly as others here, lacks some useful options, and it requires a fair bit of additional upfront setup, but it certainly gets the essential job done. Tax support requires additional upgrades, and it doesn’t integrate directly with HR functions like time clocks.
Paychex
Expensive, but awesomely useful for large companies. It enjoys high brand recognition for good reasons, not the least of which is that it uniquely lets you go so far as to run your payroll from a mobile device! The interface is not as slick as you’ll find with newer services, but its customer support is top-notch.
ADP Run
Similar to the situation with Intuit, ADP Run is a good option to consider if your business is already using ADP software for other applications. The trouble, though, is that it’s hard to get a clear or consistent picture of their pricing schedule. It definitely tends to be one of the most expensive options out there. It also offers every feature a large business could need. For many reasons, it is probably not a good option for smaller companies, but there may be exceptions.
Bookkeeping: More Than Just a Supplement to Payroll
No matter which of these solutions is the best for your accounting department, one thing’s for sure. Taking care of payroll is almost impossible if your company doesn’t have a solid bookkeeping strategy. Payroll software only covers one part of a business’s financial equation. To make sure that the company stays on a profitable footing, and is able to continue paying its employees, it’s important to know exactly where and how all the rest of the money is moving, too.
SyncLedgers provides affordable bookkeeping solutions that give you a clear financial picture. We keep all the moving parts of your business synchronized. Contact us today to put this critical piece of business infrastructure to work for you!
