QuickBooks Payroll Review 2023

And if you want reassurance that everything has been set up correctly, the middle-tier Premium plan comes with an expert review to catch any mistakes you might have made in the setup process. QuickBooks Payroll is an easy program to use, especially if you are already familiar with QuickBooks in general. You do have to set up payroll on your own unless you get the Elite plan, but you can contact support with questions.

What is QuickBooks Online Payroll?

• You can add team member—employee or independent contractor—details manually or import from external sources, such as spreadsheets or previous payroll applications.
• You can also pay your staff quickly—QuickBooks offers next- or same-day direct deposit vs the two- to four-day option with other providers.
• Our mission is to equip business owners with the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions.
• The QuickBooks Payroll Core package handles tax filing and payments, and also offers employee health benefits and 401(k) plans.
• You can print them, or employees can view them in the workforce portal.

While the people on the other end of the phone/chat/screen are well-intentioned, very few of them are actual payroll experts. There are also desktop versions available, which rate higher among consumers for speed. To read forms and use the print checks feature, you need Adobe Reader 7.0+ or the Firefox PDF plugin.

Full Service Payroll with QuickBooks

Most full-service payroll providers will automatically file taxes on your behalf. QuickBooks Payroll calculates, files and pays state and federal taxes. Note, however, that QuickBooks Online Payroll Core does not handle local taxes. The Premium and Elite plans require users to upload forms to local sites. Employees can also sign up for a Netspend Visa prepaid card as an alternative to direct deposit.

We have financial relationships with some companies we cover, earning commissions when readers purchase from our partners or share information about their needs. Our editorial team independently evaluates and recommends products and services based on their research and expertise. Every QuickBooks Payroll plan has the option to automatically run payroll for salaried employees paid via direct deposit and hourly employees with default hours paid via direct deposit. Before payroll runs each pay period, you’ll get a preview email with the opportunity to make changes. Once your employees are paid, QuickBooks Payroll will send you a confirmation text. This provider scored well for ease of use, given its intuitive interface and user-friendly tools.

• On the other hand, Paychex Flex supports more employee benefits than QuickBooks.
• However, QuickBooks Online is a market leader, with ICSID reporting that 29 million U.S. small businesses use the software.
• QuickBooks falls into the latter camp; its HR support center is only accessible to those on the Premium and Elite plans.
• To print paper checks yourself, you need to purchase the proper check stock and adjust your printer settings.

Positive reviews suggest that the software is easy to use and valuable if you are already within the QuickBooks ecosystem. Complaints include customer service issues, feature limitations, and high pricing. QuickBooks offers plenty of built-in payroll reporting features alongside customizable reports. The platform’s reporting dashboard is easy to navigate and allows users to favorite specific payroll reports for quick access.

Tax penalty protection

All in all, although QuickBooks Payroll doesn’t tick all the extra boxes, they still have a lot to offer. QuickBooks Online Payroll earned 4.4/5 stars in the features category with plenty of features spanning payroll processing, employee management, time tracking, HR, and benefits administration. The bulk of the software’s lost points come from its local tax support limitations and limited HR integrations. Some businesses struggle to choose a pay schedule if they have limited funds. We like that QuickBooks makes this easier by offering next- and same-day direct deposit, depending on your plan.

We examined dozens of payroll solutions that help small business owners realize the benefits of paperless payroll. Our investigations included speaking with company sales representatives and support agents. Our analysis considered usability, third-party integrations, payroll and HR features, and pricing. To determine the best payroll software for business owners who prioritize an accounting integration, we looked for vendors with all-in-one accounting and payroll products. As small businesses look to consolidate vendor contracts and streamline operations, Intuit QuickBooks offers the ideal solution for payroll and accounting needs.

Quickbooks will set up the system for you with the Quickbooks Elite plan, and they’ll review your setup to check for mistakes with the Quickbooks Premium plan. We also wish QuickBooks Payroll included time-tracking features with all payroll packages, like Zenefits does. Instead, limited tools are available only with the Premium and Elite plans. See our Zenefits review to learn about its native scheduling and attendance tools. QuickBooks Payroll also requires a higher subscription tier for payroll setup services, unlike some other options. Its Elite plan will assign an expert to get it done, as long as you give them the required documents beforehand.

This cloud-based payroll software from one of the most trusted names in accounting comes with automatic payroll, abundant reports and fast direct deposits. Robie Ann Ferrer is a human resources professional with a decade of experience helping companies manage their workforce and optimize HR processes. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services.

Generally, QuickBooks Online doesn’t experience data breaches frequently. Most recently, QuickBooks worked to mitigate its software’s security vulnerabilities to cybercriminals exploiting the logj4 code that QuickBooks software is built on. Cybercriminals have exploited logj4 coding present in QuickBooks software to steal data. A QuickBooks Online Payroll API for time tracking and deductions is available on the platform’s developer sandbox. QuickBooks Online Payroll also has mobile apps for Apple products and Android products. Join our Business Center for all the free tools and resources you need to start and grow your business.

Learn more about our full process and see who our partners are here. Alternatively, you can set up automatic payroll, which works best for companies with salaried staff on direct deposit. We also like that QuickBooks Online Payroll manages your state and federal taxes, so you don’t have to worry about missing a tax filing deadline.

For other plans, you need to integrate payroll with Facebook’s Time Meter or any other time tracking app. Of course, you need to sign up with QuickBooks partners that administer these plans. For instance, workers’ compensation is powered by AP Intego and health benefits are provided in partnership with SimplyInsured. Intuit QuickBooks Payroll is nowhere near the most advanced provider in the industry, but much of its value comes from its convenience. Folks who are already using QuickBooks Accounting software are able to integrate all their existing business data and tax information, making for a streamlined setup process. Calculating paychecks and paying employees are the only features included in QuickBooks’ Basic Payroll package.

Unemployment Insurance & Workers’ Comp

The software’s lost points came from its lack of an API, some complaints of glitching, limited white glove setup options, and a poor selection of HR software integrations. QuickBooks also runs promotions for its payroll product frequently, so be sure to check for any available discounts before purchasing. QuickBooks Online Payroll offers a 30-day free trial, but if you opt to try before you buy, you’ll miss out on a 50% off “buy now” promotion. QuickBooks Online Payroll rated 2.6/5 stars in the pricing category due to its higher-than-average cost, lack of a discounted annual plan option, and pricey add-ons. However, the software gets points for pricing transparency and plans that are generously packed with features. You can add team member—employee or independent contractor—details manually or import from external sources, such as spreadsheets or previous payroll applications.

HR Administration & Support

QuickBooks has an easy-to-use dashboard from where you can manage the payroll of your employees as well as independent contractors. Once you enter personal and payment details, payroll is calculated automatically on the pre-decided date. You can also choose to approve each month’s payroll before disbursement or set it to run automatically.

Many of those who left positive QuickBooks Payroll reviews appreciate its ease of use, fast direct deposits, and intuit payroll review efficient online tools that make paying employees and managing taxes easy. Some reviewers like that it integrates with QuickBooks as it helps them update general ledgers (GLs) efficiently after pay runs. In our expert assessment of QuickBooks Payroll, we found its online solutions great for small businesses looking for solid payroll and tax support.

We collaborate with business-to-business vendors, connecting them with potential buyers. In some cases, we earn commissions when sales are made through our referrals. These financial relationships support our content but do not dictate our recommendations. Our editorial team independently evaluates products based on thousands of hours of research.