The Best HR & Payroll Software in 2024

GoCo is the ultimate HR and payroll software for 2024, designed to simplify and streamline HR processes with its modern, intuitive platform. GoCo’s unique combination of customization, ease of use, and powerful automation tools makes it the top choice for businesses that want to focus on growth rather than getting bogged down by administrative tasks. Unlike traditional HR platforms, GoCo offers a user-friendly interface that requires no technical expertise, allowing businesses to implement and adapt it to their needs quickly.

GoCo offers an all-in-one HR platform that covers everything from hiring to retiring. The software is fully customizable, allowing businesses to build workflows that fit their specific processes. Whether you need to automate onboarding, manage employee benefits, track time and attendance, or handle payroll, GoCo has you covered. The platform’s modular design ensures that you can pick and choose the features you need, making it a cost-effective solution that grows with your business.

GoCo’s HR and Payroll Features include:

• Custom Workflows: Tailor every aspect of the HR process to match your business’s unique needs. With GoCo, you can create custom workflows that automate repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing errors.
• Embedded Payroll: Run payroll start-to-finish in GoCo with their powerful embedded Payroll solution. With GoCo, you can process payroll in minutes instead of hours, ensuring your team gets paid accurately and on time, every time.
• Bring Your Own Payroll: Love your current payroll system? Not a problem! GoCo allows you to bring your own payroll and keeps your systems in sync by tracking all the changes to your data so you know what needs to be updated in payroll.
• Employee Self-Service: Empower your employees with self-service capabilities. They can easily access and manage their personal information, request time off, and complete onboarding tasks—all from a single, intuitive dashboard.
• Benefits Administration: GoCo simplifies benefits management by integrating with a wide range of benefits providers and providing an easy-to-use benefits administration wizard. The platform automatically handles compliance tracking, ensuring that you meet all legal requirements without extra effort.
• Automated Onboarding: Streamline the onboarding process for new hires. GoCo automates your hiring and onboarding workflow so you can greet your employees with a smile on the first day — instead of a stack of paperwork. New hires can complete their onboarding and sign documents from anywhere on any device.
• Document Management: Securely store and manage employee documents with GoCo’s built-in document management system. You can easily upload, share, and sign documents electronically, reducing paperwork and increasing efficiency.
• Time Tracking and PTO Management: GoCo’s time tracking and PTO management features make it easy to monitor employee hours, manage leave requests, and ensure accurate payroll processing. The system integrates with popular payroll providers, further simplifying payroll management.

GoCo doesn’t just automate HR tasks—it creates a better experience for both HR teams and employees. The platform’s modern design and user-friendly interface are easy for everyone to navigate, reducing the learning curve and encouraging adoption across the organization. GoCo also supports a variety of integrations with other business tools, allowing you to create a seamless workflow that fits your business’s existing ecosystem.

Pricing: GoCo offers transparent, competitive pricing tailored to businesses like yours. With customizable plans and no hidden fees, you can find a solution that fits your budget and scales as your business grows.

Best For: Businesses that need a flexible, all-in-one HR and payroll solution that grows with them, offering powerful automation tools, customization, and exceptional support.

Gusto is a leading choice for businesses that want to simplify payroll and benefits management. Known for its user-friendly platform, Gusto offers a range of HR tools that make managing payroll, benefits, and compliance straightforward and efficient.

Gusto’s HR and Payroll Features include:

• Automated Payroll: Simplifies payroll processing with automation, direct deposits, and tax filing.
• Employee Benefits: Provides a wide range of employee benefits, including health insurance, 401(k) plans, and more.
• HR Management: Includes basic HR tools for onboarding, time-off tracking, and employee management.
• Compliance Support: Helps businesses stay compliant with federal, state, and local payroll regulations.
  Pricing: Gusto’s Simple option starts with a base fee of $40 per month plus $6 per employee per month (PEPM). Tiers increase rapidly with the base fee ranging from $80-$180 and the per employee per month fee ranging from $9-$16.50.

While Gusto excels in payroll and benefits, its HR features are less comprehensive compared to dedicated HR platforms. Some reviews also mention issues with customer support and a relatively high price tag.

Best For: Businesses with under 10 employees focused on payroll efficiency and benefits management.

Paycom is an HR and payroll software solution that offers a range of features that help manage the entire employee lifecycle, from recruiting and onboarding to payroll and performance management.

Paycom’s HR and Payroll Features include:

• Payroll Processing: Automates payroll with real-time data and compliance tools to ensure accuracy.
• Employee Self-Service: Employees can manage their payroll, benefits, and time-off requests through an intuitive portal.
• Talent Acquisition: Includes recruiting and onboarding tools to streamline the hiring process.
• Performance Management: Provides tools for tracking employee performance and managing reviews.
  Pricing: Paycom's pricing is not publicly available and typically requires a consultation for a customized quote based on the size and needs of the business. But according to Outsail, “Paycom charges companies on a per paycheck basis. When converted to a Per Employee Per Month fee, a Paycom subscription can cost anywhere from $25-36 PEPM, depending on the size of your company and the modules included in your scope.”

Paycom is highly rated for its comprehensive features but can be more expensive and complex to implement, particularly for smaller businesses. Some users have noted that the extensive features can lead to a steeper learning curve. Additionally, users on G2 often note poor and slow customer service as well as issues with payments and payroll.

Best For: Large businesses looking for an all-in-one HR and payroll solution with advanced features who have dedicated resources to learn the platform.

Remote is an HR software focused on managing global payroll and compliance for distributed teams. It's beneficial for companies with remote workers spread across different countries, offering tools to handle international payroll, benefits, and compliance.

Remote’s HR and Payroll Features include:

• Global Payroll: Manages payroll for employees in multiple countries, ensuring compliance with local laws.
• Employee Benefits: Offers global benefits packages that can be customized by region.
• Compliance Management: Handles the complexities of international labor laws, reducing the risk of non-compliance.
• Remote Onboarding: Streamlines the onboarding process for remote employees with tools designed for a distributed workforce.
  Pricing: Remote has a number of different offerings. For Employer of Record (EOR) services, Remote starts at $599 per month for annual plans. For multi-country payroll, Remote costs $50 per employee per month. Remote Talent starts at $119 per month. Additional costs may apply based on specific services required. GoCo customers can get 10% of Remote services.

Remote is ideal for businesses with global teams, but may not be necessary for companies operating solely within a single country. It’s well-suited for those looking to manage international HR and payroll complexities.

Best For: Businesses with remote or distributed teams needing global payroll and compliance management.

Justworks offers a platform combining payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR tools. As a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Justworks is suited for businesses that need to outsource HR functions to stay compliant while offering competitive benefits. Justworks handles payroll processing while also managing payroll taxes and compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

Justworks’ HR and Payroll Features include:

• PEO Services: Provides comprehensive PEO services, including payroll, benefits, and compliance management.
• HR Tools: Includes basic HR tools for onboarding and performance management.
• Automated Payroll Processing: Justworks takes care of all aspects of payroll, from calculating wages and deductions to processing direct deposits and issuing paychecks.
• Tax Filing and Compliance: The platform automatically files payroll taxes and generates the necessary reports to keep your business compliant with ever-changing tax laws.
  Pricing: For PEO Basic, Justworks starts at $59 per employee per month, and PEO Plus starts at $109 per employee per month.

Justworks can be more expensive than other HR software due to its PEO services. It’s also important to note that as a PEO, Justworks essentially becomes the employer of record for your employees. This means that they take over many aspects of HR management, including payroll, benefits, and compliance. While this can relieve your business of significant administrative responsibilities, it also means you lose a degree of control over your HR processes.

For businesses that prefer to maintain ownership of their HR functions and have the flexibility to make independent decisions, this loss of control can be a drawback. Additionally, Justworks' PEO model may not offer the same level of customization and flexibility that non-PEO HR software solutions provide.

Best For: Businesses that prioritize comprehensive payroll and compliance management but are comfortable with outsourcing much of their HR operations to a third-party provider.

ADP TotalSource is a well-known name in the HR and payroll space, particularly as a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) that offers an HR solution, including payroll. While ADP’s reputation is built on decades of experience, there are critical aspects to consider before opting for TotalSource, especially if your primary focus is on payroll efficiency.

ADP TotalSource’s Payroll Features include:

• Payroll Processing: ADP TotalSource handles payroll with a high degree of automation, covering everything from wage calculations to tax deductions. While the system is robust, the complexity of ADP’s platform can be overwhelming for smaller businesses or those without dedicated payroll staff, often leading to a steep learning curve.
• Tax Filing and Compliance: ADP’s payroll services include automatic tax filing at all governmental levels, which is essential for compliance. However, users have reported that ADP’s support can be slow to respond to issues, which can be a significant problem when dealing with time-sensitive tax matters.
• Employee Self-Service: While ADP’s self-service portal is a valuable tool, feedback indicates that it can be difficult for employees to navigate, leading to frequent questions and increased dependency on HR for payroll-related issues.
  Pricing: Contact ADP TotalSource to get a custom quote for your business.

Despite its comprehensive offering, ADP TotalSource’s PEO model comes with significant trade-offs. By choosing TotalSource, your business effectively outsources not just payroll but a broad array of HR functions, which can lead to a loss of control over critical aspects of your operations. For businesses that value autonomy and flexibility in managing HR and payroll, this could be a major downside.

Moreover, ADP’s pricing is notably high, reflecting the breadth of services offered but also making it less accessible to smaller businesses or those with tighter budgets.

Best For: Larger businesses or those willing to trade control and flexibility for a comprehensive outsourced HR and payroll solution, despite the high cost and potential for service delays.

QuickBooks Payroll is part of the QuickBooks suite of accounting software, offering seamless integration for businesses already using QuickBooks for their financial management. It simplifies payroll processing and tax management, making it a popular choice for small to mid-sized businesses.

QuickBooks Payroll Features include:

• Automated Payroll: Process payroll quickly with automated calculations, tax filing, and direct deposit.
• Integration with QuickBooks: Easily sync payroll with your QuickBooks accounting software, streamlining financial management.
• Employee Self-Service: Employees can access pay stubs, W-2s, and manage their direct deposit information online.
• Tax Management: Handles federal and state tax filings, reducing the risk of errors and penalties.
  Pricing: QuickBooks Payroll starts $35 per month for limited features. The Essentials Plan begins at $65 per month or Plus for $99 a month. Advanced starts at $235 a month. To add Payroll to any of these plans, it costs between an extra $50 per month and $130 per month as a base plus a PEPM cost.

QuickBooks Payroll is ideal for businesses already using QuickBooks, providing a seamless experience. However, for businesses needing more robust HR features, it may fall short compared to other dedicated HR platforms.

A major win for Quickbooks is that it works seamlessly with GoCo!

Best For: Small to mid-sized businesses using QuickBooks for accounting and needing a streamlined payroll solution.

CheckMark Payroll is a simple and affordable payroll point solution designed for small businesses. It offers basic payroll features with a focus on ease of use and compliance.

CheckMark Payroll Features include:

• Payroll Processing: Offers straightforward payroll processing with support for direct deposit and check printing.
• Tax Reporting: Handles federal and state tax calculations and filings.
• Employee Management: Manage employee records, including pay rates, deductions, and tax information.
• Multi-State Payroll: Supports payroll processing across multiple states, making it suitable for businesses with a distributed workforce.
  Pricing: CheckMark Payroll is available as a one-time purchase starting at $549, but their more popular plan costs $619 per year.

CheckMark Payroll is best suited for small businesses looking for a budget-friendly payroll solution. However, it lacks the advanced features of more comprehensive HR and payroll software, making it less ideal for growing businesses with complex needs. Additionally, they offer limited support, with their more affordable payroll plan only including 90 minutes of support per year.

Best For: Small businesses seeking a simple, affordable payroll solution and are okay with limited support and features.

factoHR is a cloud-based HR and payroll software designed to automate and streamline HR processes. It offers a range of features, including payroll management, employee attendance tracking, and performance management.

factoHR’s HR and Payroll Features include:

• Automated Payroll: Simplifies payroll processing with automation and compliance management.
• Employee Self-Service: Provides employees with access to their payroll details, leave balances, and other HR-related information.
• Attendance Management: Integrates with biometric devices to track employee attendance and automate payroll accordingly.
• Performance Management: Helps track employee performance, set goals, and manage reviews.
  Pricing: factoHR offers customized pricing based on the specific needs of your business, with plans available for small to large organizations.

factoHR is an option for businesses of various sizes. However, users on G2 note that there are limited integration options, slow load time, and software bugs. Finally, the business is based in India, which may make it harder to receive timely support for US companies.

Best For: Businesses, particularly those based in Asia, who are looking for a payroll and performance solution