Running payroll can be a pain, but running payroll with software that isn’t suited to your needs is even worse. That’s why it’s incredibly important you get payroll software that suits your exact needs. Fortunately, there are a lot of options on the market. The best payroll solutions are packed with so many features that you’ll have all your needs taken care of. That’s certainly the case with Zenefits and Paychex, two of the best payroll solutions around. Both will take care of all your needs and beyond, but only one will help make your payroll completely painless.
| Main Features | Zenefits | Paychex |
| Logo |  |  |
| Rating |  | |
| Reviews | Reviews | Reviews |
| Visit | Visit Site | |
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial |
| Coupons | Coupons | Coupons |
| iOS App | ||
| Android App | ||
| Windows App |
| Payroll Management | Zenefits | Paychex |
| Employee Types | ||
| International Workers | ||
| Tax Form Generation | ||
| Tax Form Filing | ||
| Payment Intervals | ||
| Hourly Pay Rate | ||
| Salary Pay Rate | ||
| Multiple Pay Rates | ||
| Break Management |
| Payouts | Zenefits | Paychex |
| Digital | ||
| Paper | ||
| Lifetime Access | ||
| Auto Mode | ||
| Reimbursements | ||
| Bonuses |
| Integrations & Extra Services | Zenefits | Paychex |
| Health Insurance | ||
| Retirement | ||
| Time Tracking | ||
| Business Operations Systems | ||
| Expense Management Systems | ||
| Accounting Software Systems | ||
| Onboarding | ||
| PTO Policies | ||
| Vacation Policies | ||
| Sick Day Policies | ||
| Perk Management |
| Pricing | Zenefits | Paychex |
| Lowest Price | $6/mo | $59/mo |
| Monthly Plan | ||
| Yearly Plan | ||
| Free Trial | 14 days | 30 days |
| Free Plan | ||
| Money-Back Guarantee |
| Payment Methods | Zenefits | Paychex |
| Visa | ||
| PayPal | ||
| Mastercard | ||
| American Express | ||
| Wire Transfer | ||
| Discover | ||
| Google Checkout | ||
| Liberty Reserve | ||
| Bitcoins |
| Customer Support | Zenefits | Paychex |
| 24/7 Support | ||
| FAQ | ||
| Tutorials | ||
| Video Tutorials | ||
| Live Chat | ||
| Phone | ||
| Community | ||
| Training Events | ||
| About | Zenefits | Paychex |
| Headquarters | California, U.S. | California, U.S. |
| Founded | 2013 | 1971 |
| Languages | EN | EN |
Zenefits
Technically, San Francisco’s Zenefits isn’t payroll software, which is surprising because it’s one of the best in the business at payroll. Zenefits focuses on HR ordinarily with payroll as an extra, but it also offers users many other services such as compensation and performance management. All of this while still offering a user-friendly interface, making it ideal for beginners. There are also extra features aimed at boosting your employees’ wellbeing. Crucially, the payroll software itself is flexible and polished. Users can run an unlimited number of pay runs, register international workers, and keep everything totally digital by using the Zenefits mobile app. The app is particularly impressive, doubling as an employee work portal and time tracker. If that’s not enough for you, it’s worth taking a look at the long list of integrations available for accounts, finances, reporting, and even travel – there’s something that will help businesses of all sizes.
Payroll
Payroll Runs
Payroll Report
Apps
If all of that sounds complicated, don’t worry because Zenefits offers its own training courses with exams and certificates included to make sure you become an expert in the software. If you do have any issues though, you can get in touch through the live chat or over the phone. Zenefits prices are more than reasonable, especially for the wealth of features available but users can test out the software first by taking advantage of the 14-day free trial.
Paychex
Unlike Zenefits, Paychex focuses entirely on its payroll offering and has been doing so since its humble beginnings back in 1971. Although payroll is its bread and butter, there are still plenty of HR extras and integrations to get it on the same level as the competition. Due to the vast number of features on offer, the interface isn’t the easiest to come to grips with but everything you need is in one place. Paychex’s payroll is flexible too as payouts can be done via direct deposit, customizable paper checks, or by using paycards. The platform also allows you to add tips to wages and Paychex will even take care of your tax administration. As we have seen, Zenefits offers a great number of integrations but Paychex isn’t far behind in this regard, and there’s still a formidable number of them on offer.
Dashboard
Payroll Center
HR Overview
Employee Listings
Unlike Zenefits, Paychex’s pricing structure is less clear although there is a subscription that provides just the basic payroll without the HR extras. You’ll need to get in touch with the company yourself to find out your cost, but it will likely work out more expensive than Zenefits. However, if you do end up paying for the highest subscription, you’ll get access to 24/7 support and a dedicated account manager. Otherwise, you’ll have to settle with support over the phone or live chat during business hours.
Conclusion
Picking just one payroll software is no easy task, and that’s especially true with Zenefits and Paychex. Although it’s made easier by the fact that no matter which one you pick, you’ll have an excellent solution. They’ll both save you headaches with your payroll and give you much more besides. Zenefits is the cheaper option and the easiest to use, making it ideal for small businesses and payroll beginners. With all of its experience, Paychex offers the most thorough payroll package overall, so expanding and larger businesses with a little more to spend may want to splurge and get access to 24/7 support.
Best Online Accounting Software of 2023
| Rank | Provider | Info | Visit |
1 | Editor's Choice 2023 |
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2 |   |
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3 |  |
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