Put simply, you have to take care of payroll if you’re a business owner. Whether it’s just you or you have a big team, it’s not something that should be left to chance. But whether you want accounting software with payroll included or not, the truth is, there are a lot of options out there.
If you don’t get your accounts in order, it will get hard to make money. Your business really needs proper bookkeeping and accounting. If you get stuck, don’t try to fix it on your own. Small business accounting software with payroll is the best solution for easy accounting and simple bookkeeping for small business.
Patriot
Trusted by tens of thousands of happy customers for Accounting, Payroll, Time & Attendance, and HR.
- Free, full-access instantly, no training required
- Streamline administrative tasks in minutes
- Free, expert and friendly USA-based support
- Easily add your data with our onboarding wizard
For 30 days, you can get free access to the complete Patriot Software Suite.
Gusto
Easy to use and compatible with requirements in all 50 states, Gusto makes payroll management easy. This software for payroll comes fully loaded with a number of important features. It can handle benefits, healthcare plans, taxes, 401(k) plans, and time tracking. It’s also fully compatible with most accounting software platforms, including the big names like FreshBooks, QuickBooks, and Xero. Small businesses can opt for the most basic Core plan when just starting off, levelling up to the more full-service options as your business grows. At the higher Concierge level, Gusto’s plan includes HR features including onboarding and surveys.
Xero
Founded across the ditch in New Zealand, Xero has grown to be a globally recognised accounting software provider, with the cloud-based system available in a range of subscriptions to suit all business sizes and industries.
Starting at $27 a month for the Starter pack, Xero also offers the Standard pack for $52 a month, and the Premium line beginning at $67 a month, with each price point increase unlocking additional features for businesses to utilise. The larger packs will suit larger businesses, allowing more employees to be added to the software (at an additional cost), while the Starter pack should suit owner-operated businesses.
Depending on which pack you purchase, features such as invoicing (including reminder emails for those forgetful clients), inventory and payroll are available for all packages, with additional features such as automatic bank transactions and bank reconciliations also available. If you’re looking to make the most of your accounting software, it’s best to research Xero’s website for a full comparison of capabilities and extras, or sign up for a free 30-day trial to get a feel for how the software works. And if you really want to see what’s available with Xero, you can add optional extras – such as claim expenses, track projects and analytics plus – to your plan on a free trial basis, although terms and conditions apply on sign-up.
- Back on top, Xero was rated five stars for almost every category, including ease of use, value for money, ease of integration, reporting, functionality and overall satisfaction, with four stars for customer service.
Square
You might associate Square with the portable square-shaped credit card reader, but this company has grown to include full-service payroll software as well. Like Gusto, Square’s services are customizable so you can adapt the plan to suit your company’s needs. The software can accommodate full-time employees as well as part-time workers and freelance contractors, paying both hourly rates and monthly salaries. It can also manage health benefits, which employees can see when they log in to their own Square accounts.
Sage
Founded in the UK, Sage is another well-known brand within the accounting software industry, offering a number of plans for businesses and individuals to check out to help with the pluses and minuses. Sage is a cloud-based accounting software service which offers a variety of traditional features, such as cash flow forecasting, personalised invoices, the ability to accept online payments through PayPal, payroll for multiple employees, inventory stock management, email support as well as a number of business solutions to help with your specific business. Sage only has one plan available, which costs $20 per month, along with a 35-day free trial if you’re on the fence. You can also download the Sage app for when you’re on the go, with the app available on both iOS and Android operating systems.
BambooHR
Payroll goes hand in hand with HR, so it’s worth looking at HR software when seeking your payment solutions. BambooHR covers all your bases, providing a separate payroll platform to sync with its main talent management software. This makes it super easy to onboard new employees, tracking hours right from the start. Additional features include staff databases, applicant tracking, time-off tracking, and digital signatures.
Reckon
Originally operating under the QuickBooks brand, Reckon is now a separate entity, offering a number of accounting software features for small businesses outside of the financial industry, as well as specialised products suitable for accountants and bookkeepers.
With the Reckon One software, businesses can choose between the Basics, Essentials and Premium packages, priced between $8 and $42 a month, with the more expensive package allowing you to create invoices and bills, reconcile bank transactions and track expenses. Reckon additionally offers the Reckon One Payroll to help with paying wages, leave and super, which is available for $8 a month.
In addition to accounting software, Reckon also provides Point of Sale (POS) software, ideal for bricks and mortar businesses, meaning you’ll be able to take care of money coming into the business, plus money going out.
- Reckon rounded up our ratings with three stars across most categories, including reporting, ease of use and overall satisfaction, with just two stars for value for money.
Zenefits
Another HR platform that includes comprehensive small business payroll software is Zenefits. It builds time-off tracking, hour tracking, salary upgrades, and benefits into a single one-size-fits-all platform. If your HR and payroll departments are intertwined, it makes it much easier to avoid making double entries. For example, your HR administrator only needs to input a salary change once for it to sync with payroll. As with other software on this list, there are multiple subscription packages to choose from, each with its own features.
QuickBooks
You’re probably familiar with QuickBooks already, but this accounting software also includes an easy auto-pay feature. Perhaps the biggest benefit of using this platform is that it is designed to run automatically, so theoretically, you only need to set up your payroll once. The program will handle taxation, payments, and other issues without manual input.
Paychex
Finally, Paychex is a major payroll software provider dating back to 1971. This comprehensive program is a great choice if you’re interested in boosting employee retention, because it includes a built-in learning management system allowing employees to upgrade their skills. When it comes to payroll, Paychex automatically calculates both state and federal taxes and integrates fully with 401(k). It also includes a free mobile app for management on the go.
As you can see, there are plenty of easy payroll software solutions to choose from. You’ll need to think about your business’s size and whether or not you’re interested in extra HR features to find the best fit.
Conclusion:
So, you’re looking into small business accounting software with payroll for your business? I can help you there. Small business accounting software with payroll is of interest to many businesses. No longer are the days where stand-alone systems of record were all that was needed for bookkeeping. Nowadays, businesses can get bogged down, especially if they’re not proficient in the area of Accounting. The more companies deal with financial matters, taxation, new technology and rapid growth, the more complex their transactions become.