Alternatives to QuickBooks Payroll

Last updated: 2025-11-27

QuickBooks Payroll: Payroll product designed to integrate closely with QuickBooks accounting workflows.

Best for: Small businesses already using QuickBooks that want payroll tightly connected to accounting.

Quick comparison

Tool	Best for	Pricing	Key features
OnPay	Small businesses that want reliable payroll and tax filing without a heavy HR suite.	Typically a base fee plus per-employee pricing (check vendor site).	Payroll processing Tax filings Direct deposit Contractor payments
Zenefits	Small businesses that want HR administration plus payroll in a unified system.	Plan-based pricing, often per-employee (check vendor site).	HR management Payroll processing Benefits administration Employee self-service
Gusto	Small businesses that want payroll plus basic HR and benefits administration in one place.	Tiered plans; pricing typically scales with headcount and selected add-ons (check vendor site).	Payroll processing Tax filings Employee onboarding Benefits administration
Rippling	Growing teams that want payroll integrated with broader HR workflows and scalable administration.	Modular pricing; typically per-employee with add-ons (check vendor site).	Payroll processing HR management Workflow automation Integrations
Paylocity	Mid-sized organizations that want a wider HCM suite alongside payroll.	Custom pricing; varies by modules and organization size (check vendor site).	Payroll processing HCM suite Employee self-service Reporting

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).