The Best Small Business Payroll Software in 2026
We researched small business payroll software using official vendor websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings focus on the category’s core job—calculating and paying employees—along with value for money and verified features for routine payroll administration.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
RUN Powered by ADP#1 of 489.2/10Full-service payroll with tax filing, direct deposit and optional HR support.
Pricing on request
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Runner-up
QuickBooks Payroll#2 of 489.1/10Automates payroll taxes and direct deposit for small businesses in the QuickBooks ecosystem.
30-day trial
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#3 ranked
Xero Payroll#3 of 489.0/10A UK-focused payroll option with pension reporting, multiple pay schedules and Xero accounting plans.
30-day trial
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.
The full ranking 48 tools, best first
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Best forSmall businesses wanting established, full-service payroll
Full-service payroll with tax filing, direct deposit and optional HR support.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
9.2/10★★★★★Visit ADP -
Best forU.S. small businesses already using QuickBooks
Automates payroll taxes and direct deposit for small businesses in the QuickBooks ecosystem.
- Employee self-service
9.1/10★★★★★Visit QuickBooks -
Best forUK businesses needing detailed HMRC payroll support
A UK-focused payroll option with pension reporting, multiple pay schedules and Xero accounting plans.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Xero -
Best forUK small businesses needing payroll and workforce tools
UK payroll with HMRC submissions, employee self-service and workforce tools.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Sage -
Best forSmall businesses pairing payroll with HR and benefits
Payroll with HR, benefits, onboarding, and time tracking in one cloud platform.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Gusto -
Best forMid-sized firms needing payroll within a broad HR suite
A broad payroll and HR platform for mid-sized and enterprise organizations.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit ADP -
Best forSmall firms prioritizing mobile workforce management
A broad workforce platform for small firms that value mobile access and employee self-service.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Paylocity -
Best forSmall firms seeking payroll within a connected HR platform
Payroll sits within a broad HR platform that also connects time, benefits, and workflows.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Rippling -
Best forU.S. small businesses with varied pay schedules
Flexible payroll for varied schedules, tipped wages, and teams across all 50 states.
- Employee self-service
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit OnPay -
Best forRestaurants with tipped and multi-rate payroll
Payroll built for tipped teams, with optional attendance and HR tools.
- Employee self-service
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit APS Payroll -
Best forCanadian small businesses handling year-end tax forms
A Canada-focused payroll platform with automated tax slips, remittances, and employee self-service.
8.2/10★★★★☆Try PaymentEvolution -
Best forBudget-conscious U.S. small businesses
Unlimited payroll runs and contractor payments start at $17 per month.
8.1/10★★★★☆Try Patriot Payroll -
Best forU.S. teams paying employees and contractors across states
Automates U.S. employee and contractor payroll, with multi-state coverage and accounting integrations.
- Employee self-service
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Justworks -
Best forSolo employers and small restaurants with tipped staff
A small-business payroll service with tip support, tax filing, and mobile access.
- Employee self-service
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit SurePayroll -
Best forCanadian small businesses wanting straightforward payroll
Canadian payroll with CRA filings, year-end forms, and employee self-service.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Wagepoint -
Best forUK firms with CIS or umbrella payroll needs
Automates UK payroll with specialist CIS and umbrella processing; pricing starts at £43 per month.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forSmall businesses wanting payroll with broader HR tools
Payroll sits alongside onboarding, time tracking and broader HR tools.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Paycor -
Best forSmall businesses seeking payroll within a broader HCM suite
A broad HCM suite for small businesses that want payroll alongside HR and time tools.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Paycom -
Best forSmall firms seeking payroll with rostering and HR
A cloud employment platform that combines payroll with HR, rostering and hiring tools.
7.4/10★★★★☆Try Employment Hero -
Best forEuropean small businesses wanting payroll and HR together
Payroll, employee records and HR workflows in one cloud service, from €16 per employee monthly.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit PayFit -
Best forSmall retailers adding payroll to scheduling
Hourly workforce tools with payroll add-ons, priced by location.
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Homebase -
Best forAustralian businesses needing payroll and HR reporting
Australian payroll with ATO reporting, employee self-service and HR tools.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit CloudPayroll -
Best forCanadian small firms focused on workforce administration
A Canadian workforce suite with detailed HR and time tools; pricing is quote-based.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Payworks -
Best forAustralian employers needing award interpretation
A payroll and workforce suite for Australian employers, with award interpretation on Plus.
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit KeyPay -
Best forAustralian small businesses needing basic STP payroll
Cloud payroll with ATO reporting, PAYG and super calculations, and employee self-service.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Reckon Payroll -
Best forCanadian firms wanting payroll with time tracking
Canadian payroll essentials with optional time tracking and managed payroll support.
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Knit Payroll -
Best forAustralian solo operators seeking free basic payroll
A free, mobile-first payroll option for Australian solo operators, with paid web access and Xero integration.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Payroller -
Best forVery small U.S. teams prioritizing free payroll calculations
A free payroll option for very small teams, with extra fees for tax filing and direct deposit.
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Payroll4Free -
Best forSmall firms seeking payroll within an HR suite
Combines payroll with onboarding, time tracking, and HR features in one platform.
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Rise -
Best forVery small U.S. teams with simple payroll needs
A straightforward payroll service for small U.S. teams, with tax filing on Plus.
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
6.3/10★★★☆☆Try Run Your Payroll -
Best forCanadian small businesses managing payroll and schedules
A Canadian payroll tool that turns employee schedules and pay details into payroll.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit site -
Best forCanadian small teams wanting HR and payroll together
Payroll and HR tools share employee time-off and timesheet data, at $18 CAD per employee monthly.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Collage -
Best forCanadian teams needing basic payroll calculations and forms
A focused Canadian payroll calculator for deductions, pay records, T4s and ROEs.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Try Canadian Payroll -
Best forCanadian firms preferring desktop payroll processing
Canadian payroll processing with flexible pay periods, tax filings and desktop software.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Easypay -
Best forSmall restaurants managing tipped payroll in-house
Desktop payroll for tip-based businesses, with multi-location and multi-state support.
- Employee self-service
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit CheckMark -
Best forSmall firms needing multi-company desktop payroll
A desktop-first payroll option for firms that need multi-company processing and tax calculations.
- Direct deposit
- Employee self-service
5.7/10★★★☆☆Visit PenSoft -
Best forAustralian small businesses seeking managed payroll support
Managed Australian payroll with PAYG, super, ATO STP submissions and employee self-service.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
5.6/10★★★☆☆Visit ADP Payline -
Best forUK microbusinesses running monthly salary payroll
A monthly payroll service for eligible Tide members, with HMRC filing and Tide salary payments.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
5.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Tide -
Best forAustralian small firms needing accounting and payroll
Broad accounting and inventory tools, with payroll available as an add-on or in higher tiers.
5.4/10★★★☆☆Visit MYOB -
Best forMalaysian small businesses seeking low-cost monthly payroll
Affordable Malaysian payroll with statutory calculations, leave tools and employee self-service.
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
5.3/10★★★☆☆Visit PayrollPanda -
Best forUK or Irish small businesses handling statutory payroll
UK and Irish payroll processing with statutory submissions, pensions and employee self-service.
- Employee self-service
5.2/10★★★☆☆Visit BrightPay -
Best forCanadian small businesses needing payroll remittance
Canadian payroll essentials in a cloud service with variable, activity-based pricing.
- Direct deposit
- Tax filing included
- Employee self-service
5.1/10★★★☆☆Visit SimplePay -
Best forUK small businesses running desktop-only payroll
A Windows desktop tool for UK payroll, with RTI submissions and year-end documents.
5.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit Moneysoft -
Best forSolo operators or bookkeepers needing basic payroll runs
A low-base-price payroll tool for basic pay runs, with tax deposits left to employers.
4.9/10★★☆☆☆Visit LivyPayroll -
Best forTeams embedding AU or NZ payroll via API
A partner-only API for embedding Australian and New Zealand payroll workflows.
4.7/10★★☆☆☆Visit site -
Best forIndian businesses paying contractors through Zoho tools
A Zoho-connected option for Indian contractor pay, but less suited to employee-only payroll needs.
4.4/10★★☆☆☆Visit Zoho Payroll -
Best forBusinesses building an online store
Useful for online sales, but not a small-business payroll product.
1.0/10☆☆☆☆☆Visit Square Online -
Best forSmall businesses seeking invoicing and bookkeeping
Wave handles invoicing and bookkeeping, but it does not fit a small-business payroll shortlist.
1.0/10☆☆☆☆☆Visit Wave
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Tax filing included | Direct deposit | Pay frequencies | Employee self-service | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUN Powered by ADP | No | — | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 9.2 |
| 2 | QuickBooks Payroll | No | $50/mo | — | — | — | Yes | 9.1 |
| 3 | Xero Payroll | No | £39/mo | Yes | Yes | weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually | Yes | 9.0 |
| 4 | Sage Payroll | No | — | — | — | — | — | 8.9 |
| 5 | Gusto | No | — | — | — | — | — | 8.8 |
| 6 | ADP Workforce Now | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8.7 |
| 7 | Paylocity | No | — | — | — | — | — | 8.6 |
| 8 | Rippling | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8.5 |
| 9 | OnPay | No | — | — | — | — | Yes | 8.4 |
| 10 | APS Payroll | No | — | — | — | — | Yes | 8.3 |
| 11 | PaymentEvolution | No | — | — | — | — | — | 8.2 |
| 12 | Patriot Payroll | No | $17/mo | — | — | — | — | 8.1 |
| 13 | Justworks Payroll | No | — | — | — | weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly | Yes | 8.0 |
| 14 | SurePayroll | No | $20/mo | — | — | — | Yes | 7.9 |
| 15 | Wagepoint | No | CA$20/mo | — | — | — | — | 7.8 |
| 16 | IRIS Staffology Payroll | No | £43/mo | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 7.7 |
| 17 | Paycor | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.6 |
| 18 | Paycom | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.5 |
| 19 | Employment Hero | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.4 |
| 20 | PayFit | No | €16/user/mo | — | — | — | — | 7.3 |
| 21 | Homebase | Yes | $30/mo | — | — | — | — | 7.2 |
| 22 | CloudPayroll | No | — | Yes | Yes | Weekly, fortnightly, monthly, bi-monthly, 4-weekly; quarterly available on Mini | Yes | 7.1 |
| 23 | Payworks | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7.0 |
| 24 | KeyPay | No | — | Yes | — | — | Yes | 6.9 |
| 25 | Reckon Payroll | No | A$16/mo | Yes | Yes | weekly, fortnightly, monthly | Yes | 6.8 |
| 26 | Knit Payroll | No | $6/user/mo | — | — | — | — | 6.7 |
| 27 | Payroller | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly | Yes | 6.6 |
| 28 | Payroll4Free | Yes | $15/mo | — | — | — | — | 6.5 |
| 29 | Rise | No | — | — | — | — | — | 6.4 |
| 30 | Run Your Payroll | No | $19/mo | Yes | — | weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly | Yes | 6.3 |
| 31 | Payroll Connected | No | — | Yes | Yes | — | — | 6.2 |
| 32 | Collage Payroll | No | CA$18/user/mo | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 6.1 |
| 33 | Canadian Payroll | No | CA$250/yr | — | No | — | — | 6.0 |
| 34 | Easypay | No | — | Yes | Yes | Weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly, ten or thirteen pays per period | Yes | 5.9 |
| 35 | CheckMark Payroll | No | — | — | — | — | Yes | 5.8 |
| 36 | PenSoft Payroll | No | $689/yr | No | Yes | null | Yes | 5.7 |
| 37 | ADP Payline | — | — | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 5.6 |
| 38 | Tide Payroll | No | £2/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Monthly | — | 5.5 |
| 39 | MYOB Business | No | A$315/yr | — | — | — | — | 5.4 |
| 40 | PayrollPanda | Yes | — | Yes | No | Monthly | Yes | 5.3 |
| 41 | BrightPay | No | — | — | — | — | Yes | 5.2 |
| 42 | SimplePay | No | — | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 5.1 |
| 43 | Moneysoft Payroll Manager | — | — | — | — | weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly | No | 5.0 |
| 44 | LivyPayroll | No | $14.99/mo | No | — | weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly | No | 4.9 |
| 45 | Lightning Payroll API | No | — | — | — | — | — | 4.7 |
| 46 | Zoho Payroll | Yes | ₹1,000/mo | — | — | — | — | 4.4 |
| 47 | Square Online | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 1.0 |
| 48 | Wave | Yes | $190/yr | — | — | — | — | 1.0 |
Head-to-head All 21 comparisons →
- RUN Powered by ADP vs Xero Payroll
- RUN Powered by ADP vs Sage Payroll
- RUN Powered by ADP vs Gusto
- RUN Powered by ADP vs ADP Workforce Now
- RUN Powered by ADP vs Paylocity
- RUN Powered by ADP vs Rippling
- QuickBooks Payroll vs Xero Payroll
- QuickBooks Payroll vs Sage Payroll
- QuickBooks Payroll vs Gusto
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How we rank small business payroll software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update