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Intuit QuickBooks Payroll is a cloud-based payroll processing software that allows you to pay up to 150 employees, though it's designed primarily for teams of 50 or less. QuickBooks Payroll easily integrates with other Intuit programs, particularly QuickBooks Online, but it doesn't offer other accounting software integrations. Read our expert review of QuickBooks Payroll to see if it's the best choice for your needs.
Pricing plans:
Payroll Core - $45 per month, plus $6 per employee
Payroll Premium - $80 per month, plus $8 per employee
Payroll Elite - $125 per month, plus $10 per employee
QuickBooks Payroll is designed for small and medium businesses in need of payroll services, particularly those that already use QuickBooks Online for accounting. The three-tiered plan structure is good for small businesses that are expanding and may need to add features as they grow.
Running payroll can be a time suck -- and as a small business owner, you probably have a never-ending list of to-dos on your plate. The best payroll software makes it easy to automate as much of the process as possible. Many providers offer HR assistance and time-tracking tools, as well. Read on for a discussion of some of the best QuickBooks Payroll features.
After you have at least one eligible and you've run payroll manually at least once, you can set up automatic payroll. You can use automatic payroll for salaried employees and hourly employees -- though QuickBooks only recommends this option for hourly employees if their schedule doesn't vary by pay period. You won't be able to use automatic payroll for commission-only employees or contractors.
About 1 in 3 small business owners with five or more employees report spending at least six hours per month handling payroll taxes, according to the National Small Business Association. With all three of its plans, QuickBooks Payroll will calculate and file federal and state payroll taxes for you. Automated filing for local payroll taxes is available with the Premium and Elite plans.
All three plans have an accuracy guarantee, provided that your business provides correct and on-time information and has sufficient funds to cover its tax obligation. With the Elite plan, you also get reimbursed for up to $25,000 in IRS penalties and interest if there's an error -- even if you're responsible for the mistake.
Each plan also includes e-filing an unlimited number of 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC forms for independent contractors.
The basic Payroll Core plan allows you to submit payroll until 5 p.m. Pacific Time the day before payday. If you upgrade to the Premium or Elite plans, you can run payroll until 7 a.m. Pacific Time on payday. Same-day direct deposit is free under both plans.
Your employees can provide and update their personal details, tax information, and payment preferences using QuickBooks Payroll's employee portal under all three plans. Employees can also view their pay stubs, W-2s, earnings, and tax withholdings when they log in. Even if you cancel QuickBooks Payroll, employees will retain access to the portal for 12 months.
A 2022 Paychex poll found that tracking employee hours is the most time-consuming human resources task in a hybrid or remote workforce. Intuit says that its QuickBooks Time tools, which are included with Premium and Elite plans, saves up to two hours on each payroll run and about 4% of payroll costs.
Employees can clock in and out using the QuickBooks' Workforce app on their mobile devices. You can also manage schedules and approve timesheets using the app. If you choose the Elite plan, you'll get several additional project management features. For example, you'll be able to track project budgets and deadlines. You can also set up geofences so employees will get reminders to clock in or out when they leave a job site.
Offering competitive benefits is vital to attracting top talent. But untangling the complexities of health insurance and 401(k) plan administration can be a challenge for small business owners. QuickBooks Payroll partners with AllState Health Solutions to offer more than 200 health insurance plans for small businesses. It also has a partnership with Guideline to offer 401(k) plans.
We gave QuickBooks Payroll a 5-star rating for its ease of use. Once you've provided federal and state tax information for your business and a few other pieces of information, you'll get a task list of the steps you'll need to take to set up payroll. You can manage payroll for contractors and employees, scheduling, payroll taxes, and benefits from a single dashboard with a fairly intuitive interface.
Once you've entered your business info, you'll need to enter each employee's name and email. If you turn on employee self-setup, QuickBooks can then send each employee an email so they can input their tax withholdings and direct deposit info, which can save you time. After you've run payroll manually at least once, you can automate payroll for salaried and hourly employees with set schedules.
QuickBooks Payroll offers three different plan tiers to customers who only need payroll services. Additional plans are available if you bundle payroll and bookkeeping tools.
Plan | Price | Features |
---|---|---|
Payroll Core | $45 per month, plus $6 per employee | Full-service payroll, including taxesAutomated payrollNext-day direct deposit1099 filing and paymentsEmployee portalHealth benefit, 401(k), and worker's comp administration |
Payroll Premium | $80 per month, plus $8 per employee | Everything in the Payroll Core plan, plus:Same-day direct depositTime-tracking and scheduling tools 24/7 product supportPayroll setup reviewHR support center |
Payroll Elite | $125 per month, plus $10 per employee | Everything in the Payroll Premium plan, plusAdvanced time-tracking and project management toolsPayroll setup by a QuickBooks expertTax penalty protectionProfessional HR guidance |
QuickBooks Payroll offers 24/7 customer support via chat and phone support Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific time. You'll also find an extensive online library of articles and videos to help you navigate the platform's features.
Intuit QuickBooks Payroll gets points for price transparency, as it posts the prices of each plan on its website, while many competitors require you to contact a sales rep to get pricing. The software isn't the cheapest payroll software option out there. For example, Patriot Software Payroll offers full-service payroll services starting at $37 per month, plus $4 per employee, with even cheaper basic plans available.
QuickBooks Payroll offers easy integration with other Intuit products, especially QuickBooks Online, which is a top accounting software option for small businesses. Integrations are limited to Intuit products, though. Several competitors, like Gusto Payroll, offer far more extensive integrations.
It's essential to compare your options when you're choosing a payroll service company to ensure your small business can save time on payroll processing and meet its payroll tax requirements. Here are a few situations where QuickBooks Payroll could be a good fit, along with some circumstances in which you should explore the alternatives.
Consider QuickBooks Payroll if:
Consider alternatives to QuickBooks Payroll if:
It's pretty straightforward to set up QuickBooks Payroll. You'll need to provide your employer identification number (EIN), address, and banking information. QuickBooks Payroll currently offers a free 30-day trial, but you'll still need to provide a credit card to sign up. You can also forgo the free trial and get 50% off the cost of your first 90 days.
Setting up payroll is a cinch if you're already using Intuit QuickBooks Online accounting software. You can simply sign into your account and click "Add payroll" to get started. If you opt for the Premium plan, a QuickBooks expert will review your payroll to ensure you've set up everything correctly. With the Elite plan, a QuickBooks expert will handle the entire setup once you've provided the required information.
QuickBooks Payroll is an easy-to-use payroll software for small business owners who want to save significant time on payroll. Setting up payroll requires some upfront effort, particularly if you're not using QuickBooks Online and you opt for the basic Core plan, but you can save time by having employees upload some of their information. It offers faster payroll processing times than several competitors, however, it lacks some of the HR tools that some platforms provide.
Yes, Intuit QuickBooks Online Payroll can be used as a standalone application, though you will reap more benefits including special pricing if you're a QuickBooks Online user.
Yes, next-day direct deposit is available for both employees and contractors, though you will have to pay an additional fee if paying contractors. The Premium and Elite versions of QuickBooks Online Payroll offer same day direct deposit, though it is only available for employees.
Yes. Support is U.S. based and both telephone and chat support is available at no additional cost.
QuickBooks Payroll pricing starts at $45 per month plus $6 for its basic Payroll Core plan. If you have 10 people on your payroll, that works out to $105 per month or $1,260 per year.
QuickBooks Payroll is best for small- to medium-size businesses that use QuickBooks accounting software and have 50 or fewer employees and contractors, though it can support payroll for up to 150 workers.
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