The best tablets of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed
ADP Debuts First Mobile Payroll App Targeting Small Business
Automatic Data Processing Inc., a provider of human resources, payroll and benefits administration services, has launched its first application, Run
First introduced in 2008, ADP has continually enhanced Run with direct client feedback, and thus the company realized that it had to take its payroll platform into the mobile space. The Run application for Apple's iPhone, iPod touch and iPad lets business owners take the functionality of Run and manage payroll remotely wherever they go.
"Over the last two or three years, we've been rolling out Run, our Web-based payroll product, and our clients love it, but they don't want to be tethered to their PC—they want to do things more mobilely," said Richard Wilson, Florham Park, NJ-based senior vice president of product development and small business services at ADP.
"It really resonated that we needed to extend the use of our Run payroll solution to mobile devices," he said. "Now we service the entire country with Run, our flagship payroll product for the small-business space, companies with 50 employees or less—we have nearly 400,000 of those clients.
"An office manager can run the payroll on the Mac or PC and can then call the owner, who can bring it up on the iPhone app, review it and approve it—a lot of clients doing that, and it's a very powerful thing."
ADP, with nearly $9 billion in revenues and about 550,000 clients, is a provider of business outsourcing products and services.
ADP expands payroll services to mobileWithin the next two years, businesses will be spending 35 percent of their IT budgets on mobile, per ADP.
The fact is, the definition of the office is changing. With smarter devices and faster networks, ADP's goal is to bring its products and services to clients wherever they choose to work.
A recent ADP Research Institute survey of small business owners nationwide indicates that small businesses are leading the way in this trend toward increased mobility.
In fact, nearly all small business executives surveyed—90 percent—indicated that they spend at least some time outside of the office for business, averaging nine hours a week or 23 percent of a 40-hour work week.
Of that 90 percent, nearly 30 percent indicated that their time spent on-the-go is increasing.
With Run
• Enter and review payroll information for employees and contractors
• Pay via checks or direct deposits
• Calculate earnings and deductions, as well as federal, state and local taxes
• Review hours and earnings to confirm accuracy before payroll is processed
• Preview payroll liability and cash required, and confirm funds to be withdrawn
• Review reports from the current and previous periods in real time
In today's environment, small business owners need to move quickly to manage their cash commitments and balance their obligations to employees and vendors.
With more than 1,000 small business-oriented mobile applications available for the iPhone alone, ADP clients can already monitor inventory, ship orders, and handle accounting on their mobile devices.
Now they can manage payroll remotely with ADP's secure systems.
ADP is running a national integrated marketing campaign featuring digital advertising to get the word out about the Run application.
The Run
ADP is also currently developing a version of the application for Android devices.
"Small businesses are fueling the recovery that we're having, and as we talked to clients, they told us, 'In this challenging economy, I can't be home or at the office to do payroll—I have to be able to be out and about and run payroll while on the go,'" Mr. Wilson said.
"All of our sales associates have been trained to demonstrate the Run app for new prospects, and we're contacting our clients now to get the word out about it," he said. "Our sales force is using this as another way to showcase the fact that we have a more complete offering for our clients."
Final Take
RUN Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It's how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts' opinions aren't influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
ADP® is one of the biggest names in human capital management (HCM) and HR, providing advanced technology and outsourcing solutions for major corporations worldwide. But ADP also provides small business payroll software, called RUN
Bottom Line: RUN
Pricing Plans: RUN
Essential Payroll
Enhanced Payroll
Complete Payroll & HR+
HR Pro Payroll & HR
Unfortunately, ADP does not share pricing information for these plans on its website. You have to contact ADP to get a custom price quote for your business.
Who is RUN
RUN
RUN
RUN
All of the features listed below are included in all four tiers of RUN Run payroll anytime, anywhere
This payroll software lets you run payroll online (via desktop or laptop computer), from a mobile app, or via phone. Whether you're at the office, in your store or restaurant, or on the go, RUN Auto payroll for recurring amounts
Not every small business payroll software solution offers automatic payroll, but ADP does. RUN Flexible pay options
RUN Automatic tax filings (and protection)
The best payroll software should make payroll taxes automatic, and RUN
No one wants to experience tax errors or misunderstandings with tax authorities. But if it happens to your business, it's good to have someone in your corner who can resolve any tax questions quickly. In case of inquiries or issues with tax authorities, ADP will respond to the inquiries that are relevant to its work on your company's deposits and returns. And in case of a tax filing error by ADP, the company will pay for the fines or penalties.
Employee self-serviceRUN Integrates with accounting software
RUN RUN
RUN
A menu bar at the top of the screen offers access to employee data, reports, taxes, and your general ledger (G/L), if you're integrating RUN with your accounting software. RUN
RUN by ADP includes an easily navigated, customizable dashboard. Image source: Author
ADPs home page provides detailed payroll information, including upcoming payroll information, a list of top to-do items, a graph detailing the most recent payroll, and a business calendar with important dates circled in red.
Clicking on one of the menu options will display a grid with all available features listed. RUN
One of the nice things about the setup process is that you can partially complete the process and when you're ready to continue, just click on the Complete tab, where the New Hire Wizard opens to where you left off.
RUNRUN
ADP offers a variety of plans to choose from. Image source: Author
Both the Complete and HR Pro plans include HR resources such as the HR Help Desk. Pricing varies, typically running between $150–$180/month for 10 employees, but keep in mind that many RUN
There are numerous specials run throughout the year, so it's best to talk with a company rep to obtain accurate pricing for your business, though they are very closed-lipped when it comes to providing pricing, so be prepared if you contact them for a quote.
Working with RUNADP offers support for both employees and payroll administrators, with separate support options available, depending on your role. For administrators, a FAQ page is available, and you can access support using the password provided to you once your subscription is finalized.
A toll-free number is available, with different numbers offered for each of the ADP products available. Online help is also available in the application and help and support options can also be accessed from within the application.
Benefits of RUNRUN
Access to numerous add-on applications, excellent reporting options, good HR resources, and easy integration with your accounting application are some additional benefits you'll enjoy while using RUN Deciding if it's worth the cost
All ADP payroll applications, including RUN
Difficulty in getting ADP to commit to a specific price can also be frustrating, but in the end, may be worth it.
How RUN FAQsYes, it does, though you will have to purchase the Enhanced plan if you'd like ADP to also process SUI.
Yes, a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices is included in all plans.
ADP offers phone support for both payroll administrators and employees, so both can contact the company with questions or concerns.
Use RUN Learn More
The 9 Best Payroll Software And Services
Payroll software empowers business owners, HR departments and accounting teams to tackle employee pay in-house. The right software can streamline tedious tasks like tax filing, which in turn frees up time to spend on other aspects of business management.
Gusto is the best payroll software solution for many small and midsize businesses thanks to its thorough automation, comprehensive payroll tools and optional employee benefits with built-in administration. But if Gusto isn't the best fit for you, we have seven other payroll solutions for you to consider. Below, we'll weigh their features, strengths and weaknesses.
Rippling free one-month subscriptionTechRepublic readers are eligible for a one-month free Rippling subscription. Visit the link below to get started.
Top payroll software: Comparison tableData accurate and verified as of 4/23/2024.*One-month free subscription available for TechRepublic readers only.**Starting price for businesses with 101+ global employees. Price decreases to $20/employee with 501+ employees and $15/employee with 1,001+ employees.
DeelEmployees per Company Size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Company Size Any Company Size
Features
API, Document Management / Sharing, Employee Self Service
Multiplier TechnologiesEmployees per Company Size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Company Size Any Company Size
Features
Time/Attendance Management
QuickBooksEmployees per Company Size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large
Features
24/7 Customer Support, API
The year's best payroll software Gusto: Best overall payroll software
Image: Gusto
Our star rating: 4.6 out of 5
Gusto's modern payroll and HR platform offers payroll processing, employee benefits administration and talent management solutions. As one of the most popular small-business payroll providers, Gusto integrates with dozens of popular third-party applications, including accounting solutions like QuickBooks Online and Xero.
Along with third-party integrations, Gusto's payroll service also has built-in time tracking and project tracking features for higher-priced plans. Managers can easily track team hours and process time off requests and approvals. Workers can track their time by logging their hours on a computer or through Gusto's employee mobile time-tracking app, which uses geolocation to verify hours.
Why we chose Gusto: If you don't have any prior experience with payroll software and aren't sure where to start, Gusto is absolutely our top recommendation.
Few online payroll providers can compare with Gusto's automations, features and overall user friendliness. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with the most popular third-party business apps and takes the hassle out of payroll processing, including payroll taxes and benefits deductions.
PricingGusto has three business payroll plans:
If you pay contractors only, Gusto's contractor plan costs $6 per contractor paid per month for six months, then $35 per month plus the per-contractor fee after that.
Gusto also has an international contractor payment plan that lets businesses pay independent contractors in 120+ countries. Pricing is country-specific.
Finally, Gusto recently added international payroll in the form of an employer of record service. Contact Gusto for more information.
Top payroll featuresTop integrations: FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct, Xero, ZipBooks, QuickBooks Desktop and Bookkeeper360.
ProsLearn more about Gusto by reading our in-depth Gusto payroll software review.
ADP RUN: Best for growing organizations
Image: ADP RUN
Our star rating: 4.4 out of 5
With ADP's main payroll product for small and midsize businesses, RUN
Why we chose ADP: Whether you're looking for a simplistic app-based payroll solution or fully featured enterprise-level program, ADP has a payroll product for you. Its extremely versatile products are diverse enough to accommodate businesses of all sizes and in plenty of industries.
For instance, ADP TotalSource is a PEO for small businesses that want to offload hiring and payroll responsibilities. Roll by ADP is a chat-based app for businesses with fewer than five employees. ADP Workforce Now is an HCM solution for midsize businesses while ADP GlobalView Payroll helps businesses pay employees in 40+ countries.
PricingADP doesn't list the base prices for any of its payroll solutions online, including RUN Top payroll features
Top integrations: QuickBooks Online, Wave Accounting, Xero, SAP, Sage, Workday, 7shifts, ZipRecruiter, HiBob and Microsoft Teams.
ProsLearn more about ADP in our thorough RUN Rippling: Best time-saving automations
Image: Rippling
Our star rating: 4.3 out of 5
Rippling's full-service payroll solution has excellent built-in compliance support and HR tools, which makes it a solid alternative to software like Gusto that focus more on payroll than on HR. Its payroll plan includes workers' compensation insurance administration, customizable reports and excellent compliance oversight. Most notably, Rippling lets businesses build custom automations, including custom policies for syncing payroll data with your general ledger.
Rippling's other HR products include time and attendance software, benefits administration, applicant tracking and learning management. Companies can also add Rippling's IT and finance software to its HR and payroll plan, creating a customizable package that grows with companies as they scale from startups to international enterprises.
Why we chose Rippling: If saving time while ensuring accuracy is your top payroll priority, we recommend Rippling payroll. The software's thorough automations ensure processing payroll takes no more than a few minutes at most.
Rippling is currently offering a one-month free subscription for TechRepublic readers. Visit Rippling's site to get started.
PricingRippling charges $8 per employee per month on top of a standard monthly base fee. Rippling doesn't list its base price online, though the site previously listed its starting price at $35 per month.
Contact Rippling to request a custom quote.
Top payroll featuresTop integrations: QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage and Oracle NetSuite.
ProsDig deeper into Rippling's features by reading our Rippling payroll review.
OnPay: Best industry-specific payroll
Image: OnPay
Our star rating: 4.7 out of 5
OnPay's payroll software program helps businesses in all industries pay employees, offer benefits, deposit taxes and get solid HR assistance. Along with its general payroll services, OnPay also offers industry-specific payroll services tailor-made for more niche companies. For instance, OnPay's bar and restaurant payroll solution includes features for processing tipped wages, employee onboarding and time-tracking software integrations.
Why we chose OnPay: All of OnPay's payroll plans include an impressive amount of HR features (especially when compared to similar HR payroll solutions like Gusto). Features like compliance auditing and HR library access give small and midsize businesses access to HR tools they'd typically have to pay extra for. OnPay's stellar payroll features include wage garnishment and free multi-state payroll — two services most of the other top payroll systems charge extra for.
PricingOnPay payroll has just one plan that includes all of its payroll and HR features. It costs $40 per month as a base fee plus $6 per month per employee.
Top payroll featuresTop integrations: Xero, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time and Magnify.
ProsLearn more about OnPay's payroll system by reading our comprehensive OnPay review.
SEE: The 9 Most Common Payroll Mistakes and Ways to Avoid Them (TechRepublic)
Papaya Global: Best for international payroll
Image: Papaya Global
Our star rating: 4.2 out of 5
Why we chose Papaya Global: For fast, budget-friendly global payroll processing, it's hard to do better than Papaya. Its contractor payroll plans start at just $2 per contractor per month, or you can also choose Papaya's employer of record service for comprehensive employee hiring in 160+ countries.
PricingPapaya offers a variety of international payroll services tailored toward businesses with diverse budgets and workforce needs:
Top integrations: NetSuite, Workday, Expensify, BambooHR, Namely and HiBob
ProsLearn more about whether Papaya Global will work for you by reading our in-depth Papaya review.
Paychex: Best HR solutions
Image: Paychex
Our star rating: 4 out of 5
Paychex's all-in-one payroll software solution includes HR and payroll tools with optional add-on employee benefits. Unlike single-plan solutions like Square Payroll or OnPay, Paychex has four payroll plans that are designed for startups, enterprises and everything in between.
Why we chose Paychex: While Paychex has more or less the same full-service payroll features as Gusto, it has a more robust set of HR features. In contrast to Paychex's professional employer organization service, its payroll and HR software isn't a total HR solution. However, each Paychex plan has far more HR tools and support than any of Gusto's plans, including access to a comprehensive HR library, optional financial wellness benefits for employees and access to labor posters.
PricingPaychex has three different pricing tiers for its HR/payroll solutions, but all of them require a custom quote:
Top integrations: BambooHR, Greenhouse, Indeed, NetSuite, SAP, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks Online, Workday and Xero.
ProsLearn more about Paychex by reading our in-depth Paychex software review.
SurePayroll by Paychex: Most affordable payroll
Image: SurePayroll by Paychex
Our star rating: 4.7 out of 5
SurePayroll by Paychex is both the cheapest payroll provider on our list of best payroll software as well as one of the cheapest payroll providers overall. Its lower price point doesn't prevent SurePayroll by Paychex from offering extensive payroll features — in some cases, more features than its paid payroll competitors. For instance, both SurePayroll by Paychex plans include new-hire reporting, free two-day direct deposit and access to HR features like labor law compliance posters.
SEE: What Payroll Documents Do You Need to Pay Employees? (TechRepublic)
Businesses can also use SurePayroll by Paychex to find 401(k) retirement plans for employees as well as health insurance and workers' compensation insurance. SurePayroll by Paychex also offers optional hiring tools like pre-employment screening and background checks.
Why we chose SurePayroll by Paychex: SurePayroll by Paychex is hands-down the most affordable payroll solution with the most essential payroll features. It offers the best value for the price and includes more features at no additional cost than providers like Paychex include in their base plan — for instance, free two-day direct deposit, HR advisor access and free year-end tax form filing.
PricingSurePayroll by Paychex has two payroll plans:
With the first plan, SurePayroll by Paychex calculates your payroll taxes but leaves the filing up to you. With the second plan, SurePayroll also withholds and remits your payroll taxes on your behalf.
SurePayroll by Paychex doesn't have many additional fees, though you can pay an extra filing fee of $9.99 for multi-state payroll tax filing.
Top payroll featuresTop integrations: Xero, QuickBooks Online, BuddyPunch, Homebase and Less Accounting.
ProsFind out if SurePayroll by Paychex is a good fit for you by reading our SurePayroll by Paychex review.
QuickBooks Payroll: Best user experience
Image: QuickBooks
Our star rating: 4.1 out of 5
QuickBooks Payroll integrates natively with QuickBooks Online, Intuit's leading cloud-based accounting software used by thousands of companies globally. Since Intuit's cloud-based products were built specifically for non-accountant business owners, those who already manage their finances through QuickBooks Online should enjoy a relatively low learning curve if they add QuickBooks Payroll.
Why we chose QuickBooks Payroll: If you're new to payroll, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the new processes and legal requirements. But if you already use QuickBooks Online for bookkeeping, adding QuickBooks Payroll ensures you don't have to get used to an entirely new, confusing interface while you're learning how to do payroll.
Top payroll featuresTop integrations: QuickBooks Online.
PricingUnlike some of its top competitors, QuickBooks Online Payroll lists its prices clearly and upfront:
New customers can choose between receiving 50% off QuickBooks' base price for their first three months of service or signing up for a free trial of QuickBooks' payroll software.
ProsLearn more about QuickBooks Payroll by reading our QuickBooks Payroll review.
Bambee: Best for compliance assistance
Image: Bambee
Bambee is a payroll software and service company with modules to support small-business needs, like onboarding and compliance training tracking. Bambee differentiates itself from others in our roundup by emphasizing the personalized support it provides for your business, including crafting company-specific policies in line with federal, state and local labor laws.
You also receive a dedicated HR manager that allows you to offload or share responsibility for common HR processes, like terminations, disciplinary actions, onboarding, and employee incident investigations. When it comes to payroll, the HR manager works with you to craft compliant pay practices for your domestic employees, including pay rates, pay schedules and approval workflows.
Why we chose Bambee: Bambee is an excellent option for companies new to payroll processing and unsure of the compliance aspects involved in the process. Its dedicated HR manager keeps you up to date with changing regulations, including state and local minimum wage rates and paid leave time. Its simple platform also makes it easy to input and finalize payroll while automatically handling all payroll tax filings and deposits on your behalf.
Although Bambee does not offer quite the liability protection of payroll PEO or EOR vendors like Rippling, it does assist with employee classification. This limits the chance you incorrectly categorize employees as contractors or salaried employees and deny them their rights to minimum wage, overtime pay and benefits. This is a huge plus if your small business plans to move away from freelancer work to hiring and paying full-time, in-house employees.
PricingBambee starts at $99 per month, and prices increase as your headcount grows. Its guided payroll is an add-on, meaning you must pay an additional amount on top of your Bambee subscription fee. Bambee does not reveal pricing for its payroll add-on, so you must contact it directly for a quote.
You can review its price tiers and feature sets in the table below.
0 employees 1–4 employees 5–19 employees 20–49 employees 50–70 employees 71+ employees Price $99/mo. $299/mo. $399/mo. $499/mo. $1,299/mo. Contact sales One-time setup fee $0 $500 $500 $1,500 $2,000 Contact sales HR manager access No (Bambee HR platform access only) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Number of core HR policies supported 4 4 4 4 4 Custom Number of custom HR policies supported 2 2 4 8 12 Custom Number of job descriptions 2 3 4 5 5 Custom Support mediums Chat and email Chat, email and phone Chat, email and phone Chat, email and phone Chat, email and phone Chat, email and phone Top payroll featuresTop integrations: Bambee doesn't have any notable integrations at this time.
ProsTo review the best payroll software for businesses, we set up free accounts with payroll providers whenever possible to test the software for ourselves. When creating a free account wasn't an option, we viewed demos and watched product reviews from customers detailing their experience with the software.
In all cases, we read product spec sheets, thoroughly reviewed each company's website and reviewed verified user reviews on trustworthy third-party sites.
After conducting this initial research, we used a proprietary in-house algorithm to calculate star ratings for each brand, determine their use cases and rank each brand according to its score. Our algorithm breaks down as follows:
Our expert's insight and hands-on experience accounts for the final 10% of our score. Learn more about how we choose the software we review and what criteria we use to evaluate products by reading our payroll review methodology piece.
How do I choose the best payroll software for my business?To find the right payroll software for your company, you need to first evaluate which payroll features are essential to your day-to-day business operations. Make sure to consider third-party integrations, automatic payroll processing and tax remittance, compliance checks, HR tools, employee self-service features, wage garnishment and optional employee benefits.
It's also crucial to consider the price. As you're budgeting for payroll software, look at not just the monthly fixed base price you'll pay to use the software but the per-employee fee, which will change over time as you gain employees.
Most importantly, sign up for free trials and request free software demos before fully committing to any payroll product for the long term.
Frequently asked questions What is payroll software?Payroll software is a (typically cloud-based) tool businesses use to pay their employees. Payroll software calculates paycheck amounts for both hourly and salaried employees, including gross paycheck amounts, payroll tax amounts and other paycheck deductions.
Most payroll software automatically deposits employees' net pay via direct deposit and includes features like payroll reports, optional HR features (like employee benefits administration) and time-tracking solutions for hourly employees who clock in and out.
How does payroll software simplify payroll processing?Payroll software removes the need for business owners to calculate paycheck amounts by hand. It also simplifies record-keeping processes and helps businesses stay legally compliant with tax and labor laws.
Is payroll software good for small businesses or only for larger enterprises?Payroll services can help business owners who want to save time on processing payroll and reduce the possibility of making a critical error with an employee's paycheck amount or payroll taxes. Businesses in any industry and of any size can benefit from streamlining their payroll processes with payroll software.
How much does payroll software cost?Most payroll products charge a monthly base fee along with a per-employee fee, though some payroll providers like Gusto and Square Payroll waive their base fees for business owners that pay only contractors. Most entry-level software plans charge around $20 a month as a self-service base fee and up to $45 a month as a full-service base fee. Per-employee fees for entry-level plans can range from $4 per employee to $10 per employee.
There are also free payroll software options, like Payroll4Free, which offers free payroll for businesses with up to 25 employees. Alternatively, businesses can use spreadsheet software like Excel (which costs a monthly fee) or Google Sheets (which is free) to calculate payroll by hand.
However, these more affordable payroll-processing methods aren't feasible for businesses with dozens of employees. They're also less ideal for businesses that want to save time on payroll while reducing the possibility of human error.
Which payroll software is best?Gusto is generally considered the best payroll software for most small and midsize businesses. It syncs with dozens of third-party products, includes both HR and payroll features and offers thorough automation for businesses that want to minimize the time they spend on payroll each month.
At the same time, Gusto isn't the best payroll product for all businesses. As you try to decide which payroll software is right for you, consider factors like pricing, scalability, features, customer support and third-party integrations.
Comments
Post a Comment