Best Payroll Software to Use In 2022

Payroll is likely one of the largest expenses in any business, making it something you do not want to mess up. But humans make errors, and it can take a lot of time and energy to do it manually. That is where payroll software becomes useful. Turning to payroll software can ease the burden on your business and improve efficiency.

That being said, there are a lot of choices for payroll software in 2022. Fortunately, some of them stand out, especially if you want software that acts as an all-in-one solution for payroll and team management. Keep reading to learn more about the best payroll software to use in 2022.

Why Payroll Software Matters

It has already been touched upon, but payroll software is incredibly important. While it might be possible to get by without it, you have to invest serious time and effort. Moreover, you have to worry about making mistakes since you will be entering a lot of data manually.

Using payroll software can make the process much easier. Once you have the basics in the system, you can get through payroll much quicker. In fact, a lot of the payroll software out there can narrow it down to 15 or 30 minutes. Additionally, it can interface with many facets of the business, including:

• Onboarding
• Employee Benefits
• Data

Therefore, payroll software matters because it makes your job easier and increases efficiency. Additionally, since you will have more time, you can invest it where it matters, whether that be running the business or interacting with employees.

What Makes Great Payroll Software

Great payroll software is whatever fits your needs. While it might not sound like much of an answer, payroll software with too many options can be just as ineffective as payroll software that lacks features. After all, a small business will not need things compared to a large business.

However, some indicators of great payroll software do exist. For one, automatic features are always welcome. The more the software helps you get done, the better. Additionally, in-depth reports and mobile access tend to set payroll software apart. The same is true with flexibility, whether it be where the platform is available to payment options.

The Best Payroll Software

Although there are plenty of payroll software providers out there, some definitely stand out. That is especially true when it comes to payroll for small businesses. On the list below, you will see various examples that are meant for businesses of all sizes. You will also find that many of them offer much more than just full-service payroll solutions.

Gusto Payroll

If you want an all-in-one solution to a slew of different payroll and team management problems, Gusto might be exactly what you need. Gusto is considered the best by a lot of people, which is why it is the software of choice for more than 200,000 businesses. Part of that is due to what they do, which starts with full-service payroll and includes:

• Employee Benefits
• Time and Attendance
• Hiring and Onboarding
• Talent Management
• Insights and Reporting

With Gusto, you do not have to worry about any of the usual payroll concerns. Not only do most customers finish their payroll in under 15 minutes, but they report that switching to Gusto is easy. It becomes even better when you consider that Gusto automatically files payroll taxes after they are calculated. There is no additional charge, either.

On top of that, all of the features available sync perfectly on their platform. If you only need payroll software, great. But you can also utilize health insurance, 401(k), workers’ comp, and more all on their easy-to-use platform. It allows you to keep everything in one place, and if you do need to use other software, it works well with others.

Paychex Payroll

Paychex offers software solutions covering basic payroll, HR, and team management. However, payroll is their main focus, and they offer packages for businesses of all sizes. Whether you are self-employed or run a company with more than 1,000 employees, there is a solution tailored for you. The key takeaways when it comes to Paychex are:

• Payroll in as few as two clicks
• Support and flexibility to fit your needs
• Accurate and effortless payroll that reduces errors
• Compliance experts that keep you up to date with regulations

Paychex takes pride in its multiple payment methods. Moreover, the methods can be branded, which is a great detail for any business. Another benefit is its cloud-based system, which ensures it is accessible online and via mobile app at all times. Not only is that a benefit to employers, but employees can also see their personal information.

However, what really makes Paychex stand out from the crowd is the fact that it is always innovating. Paychex rolls out new features regularly, including things like Paychex Pre-Check, which previews their pay stub ahead of time. There is also self-service onboarding, a labor cost tool, and vaccination tracking where needed.

Heartland Payroll

Payroll can be difficult and time-consuming, but Heartland is dedicated to helping its customers. They do that by assigning a representative that handles your company’s needs. There are also HR professionals with local and industry knowledge that ensure everything goes smoothly.

On top of expert help, they have a customizable web-based management solution. It can help with payroll processing, time and attendance, and more. It includes scheduling, tracking, PTO, and integration to help automate the workflow. And it is all in one simple system that cuts down on the stress of managing a team, regardless of size.

But Heartland is not limited to the features above. They also offer additional features that include payroll tax management and pre-employment solutions. With these features, remaining compliant is effortless. Moreover, thanks to Heartland’s payroll solution, keeping track of job candidates and the onboarding process becomes a breeze.

Heartland separates things into multiple parts, allowing companies to choose the features they need. While it might make figuring out what you need a tad more difficult, it offers the opportunity to only select and pay for the things you will use. Plus, Heartland is all about transparent pricing.

ADP Payroll

ADP offers software that spans from simple payroll solutions to complex setups. For instance, companies that have to maneuver around heavy regulations or across borders. That is where it shines, when things are not quite so simple. And it can do this across multiple business sizes with its highly scalable software.

In fact, there are specific payroll platforms that are tailored towards businesses of different sizes. On top of that, the first-class payroll software is loaded with features to make things easy, even at the base level. Some of the common features include things like:

• Access from any device at any time for 24/7 support
• A user interface that is easy to use
• Automated features that reduce manual effort and errors

Using ADP’s payroll software is proven to improve operations and save time. Of course, the main way it saves time is the aforementioned automation, which includes calculations, tax withholdings, and payments. The same is true for compliance.

With ADP, you are promptly informed about any changes in the minimum wage, tax codes, or other regulations. It also makes sure all paperwork is filed on time and provides access to any forms you might need. With ADP, you can rest at ease, knowing everything will be taken care of with minimal effort.

Dominion Payroll

Dominion offers an all-in-one software that takes care of payroll and HR. Moreover, it is all cloud-based, making it even easier to keep up with your team and increase productivity. Even if you only look at the payroll aspect of the software, there are some major benefits, which include things like:

• Minimizing manual data entry
• Automated tax filings
• In-depth payroll analytics

There is even more than that offered by the software, which saves a lot of time and effort. In fact, it can help users complete payroll in as little as 15 minutes. It even helps reduce errors. Not only does it alert you and prevent completion upon finding critical errors, but it makes reviewing everything as simple as the click of a button.

Dominion does not just focus on the basics of payroll. It also includes a free onboarding solution. That makes it easy to add new employees without missing a beat. In addition, the software delivers robust reports that give insight into the organization. The reports include things like payroll history, bank transactions, and overtime.

The software even makes compliance easier, rounding out the payroll portion nicely. So, if you want some sophisticated software that can be learned and used with ease, consider Dominion.

OnPay Payroll

OnPay’s payroll software has received some high praise from users, especially when it comes to using it for small businesses. In fact, it lets small businesses run as many payrolls as they need, making it easy for them to pay employees flexibility. It can even be done through direct deposit or paper check.

The focus allows OnPay to pay particular attention to what smaller businesses need. Doing so avoids all the extra things that might simply get in the way. Because of this, it saves even more time and can emphasize simplicity and ease of use without losing quality or value. Some of what you can expect from OnPay includes:

• Full-service payroll done quickly and efficiently
• Automated taxes that prevent mistakes and save time
• Accounting integrations that are easy to use
• In-depth payroll reporting to get the insights you need

OnPay also offers more than payroll software, including HR, benefits, and compliance. You can consider it a one-stop shop for all your small business payroll and team management needs. Moreover, they offer their software and services with transparent pricing that is quite reasonable, especially for small businesses.

Toast Payroll

Toast takes care of payroll and team management in a single piece of software. Moreover, it focuses on tailored services for restaurants and those in the food services industry. That means there are systems put in place to deal with tips and other things that are specific to the industry. It can help manage tedious stuff like:

• Paid Time Off
• Benefits
• Tips
• Overtime

Toast Payroll minimizes the time needed for managerial work, maximizing the time you can spend with customers and staff. And in the restaurant business, that is a big deal. In fact, many customers are able to complete payroll services in under 30 minutes.

The Toast Payroll system starts after an employee is added. That begins an onboarding process, allowing employees to set up a profile that includes how they like to be paid and I-9 and W-4 forms. It can all even be done via mobile phone. The process can also be customized to include restaurant-specific forms, such as a handbook.

From there, everything is taken care of on the platform. Tips can be automated and kept transparent, timesheets do not need to be imported manually, and everything is clear and direct. It is a flexible and powerful system that is fantastic for restaurants and their employees.

Intuit QuickBooks Payroll

QuickBooks is a popular accounting software, and the same people make this payroll software. It can even be integrated with QuickBooks to make an even more powerful combination. That being said, it focuses on small businesses, providing scalable solutions that can make it far easier to manage many aspects of payroll, such as:

• Easy paychecks that only require hours worked
• Unlimited payroll runs standard on every plan
• Free direct deposits through the software
• Help with filing tax forms, filing W2s, and paying payroll taxes
• Employee access to pay stubs and W2s online

And those are just the basics. There are other packages that include things like automatic filing of taxes, premium support, and a no tax penalties guarantee. Of course, that does make the basic package less appealing, but it is not much more expensive to upgrade if you want the extra convenience Intuit QuickBooks Payroll offers.

You can also add other facets of team management software, including HR support, workers’ comp, health benefits, and 401(k). Intuit QuickBooks is a fantastic small business solution. It also makes it easy to only get the benefits you need with its different plans and features. And if you already use QuickBooks, it is even easier.

SurePayroll

The name of the game with SurePayroll is simplicity. The software is meant for small businesses or home use, and it is boiled down to only the essentials. Of course, that includes things like tax and compliance updates, but you will not have to struggle to figure things out. It is not very expensive, either, which is another bonus.

However, if it comes down to what SurePayroll is best known for, it is not the software’s simplicity. In fact, customer support is one of its strong points. That is a valuable addition for smaller setups, where support can fill the gaps of not having a specialist or someone with payroll experience.

The software also has in-depth record keeping and fast processing capabilities, making it easy to get things done and keep up with everything afterward. Users will also have access to mobile apps that deliver a smooth experience and give you even more options.

Along with basic payroll, SurePayroll also offers HR and benefit options. The options include 401(k), workers’ comp, health insurance, and pre-employment screening to give you peace of mind. It even has systems in place to make tax filing a breeze.

Square Payroll

The final choice for payroll software is Square Payroll. It is another bit of software focused on small business or single-person operations. The software also works well for dealing with contractors, including a plan targeted at contractors only. Some of what you get when you go with Square includes:

• Full-service payroll that has everything a small setup needs
• Payroll software that is flexible for both employees and contractors
• All tax filings and payments
• Flexible payment options
• Unlimited pay runs per month

There is more offered with the plan, and although the contractor-only plan has fewer features, it has everything you need. Regardless of which plan you go with, Square Payroll is highly affordable. It also comes with no commitments and customer support that can help you get up and running quickly.

The only negatives involved are the slightly underwhelming reporting and lack of features for large businesses. However, it is hard to beat Square for those who want effective software that comes at a great price.

Final Thoughts

Payroll is one of the most important aspects of any business, but it can be very time-consuming. In fact, it can take hours out of each cycle, which can eat into time better spent elsewhere. Payroll is a solution to that, allowing you to spend more time on what matters most: the business.

Using payroll software can also cut down on human error. Plus, a lot of the payroll software out there comes with or offers team management solutions, doubling the effectiveness. So, if you want to make an important part of your business easier, check out some of the software providers above.