Alternatives to Paychex

Paychex: Payroll + HR services, strong SMB presence

Best for: SMBs wanting service + HR add-ons

Quick comparison

Tool	Best for	Pricing	Key features
ADP	Businesses wanting established provider	Custom / varies	feature1 feature2 feature3
Rippling	Growing teams needing payroll + IT/HR	Custom / varies	feature1 feature2 feature3
Paylocity	Mid-sized companies with complex HR and payroll needs	Custom pricing	Payroll processing HCM suite Employee engagement tools
Justworks	Small to mid-sized companies wanting outsourced HR and benefits	Per-employee pricing (custom)	PEO services Benefits administration Payroll processing HR compliance
Zenefits	Small businesses needing HR tools with payroll	From $X/mo per employee	Payroll processing Benefits administration HR compliance

If you want the simplest setup and good SMB defaults, prioritize ease of use and support.
If you need benefits, time tracking, or HR add-ons, compare integrations and total cost.
If you have contractors or multi-state complexity, prioritize compliance features.

Common reasons include pricing, feature fit, support, integrations, or needs that change as a company grows.

Start with company size, payroll frequency, benefits needs, and integrations (accounting, time tracking, HR).