You have a business, and you want to keep the accounting simple. You do not want to spend a lot of money on accounting software. You just want a cheap solution to get your work done. That is where payroll software comes in handy. Payroll software for Mac helps many businesses streamline their operations while working on a budget.
In this review, I’ve compiled a list of some excellent accounting and payroll software for Mac that may be of great assistance to you!
FreshBooks
Whether you are a small or medium business or a personal user who is looking for a seamless solution for the management of their payments, invoices, and payrolls, FreshBooks is one of the best and simplest solutions that you can find. It is important to note that this accounting software package can be used for both on-premises accounting applications as well as cloud-based versions of the accounting functions in a business. A lot of the features available on this application can be accessed via the internet, such as electronic payments, remote payroll facilitation, online banking, reconciliations, and maps. It is also possible to import data into Excel spreadsheets from 2008 onwards, so that you can generate custom reports much more easily as a result of being able to import data.
Pros:
- A basic set of functions is included
- A low cost solution
- Interface that is easy to use
- The ability to integrate with third party applications is flexible
Cons:
- Lack of advanced business-specific features
- Errors caused by double entries and keying errors
- Problems with file sizes
2. FreeAgent
The FreeAgent software is a particularly handy tool that lets SME’s set up recurring invoices and automated reminders that help them stay on top of their accounts without having to spend a minute on them. It is easy to keep track of your expenditures by taking a picture of your receipts and uploading them to FreeAgent so that they can be automatically processed as part of the expense tracking function. In other words, you don’t have to perform any hard work in order to process receipts on your own, which saves you time and effort. Also, both sole traders and directors of limited companies are able to submit their tax returns using a single click near tax time. As well as this, SMEs will also be able to benefit from the overhead view of their accounts and the automatic bank feeds, which will enable them to import bank transactions directly into the program.
Pros:
- Simple and effective dashboard system
- Receipt processing by automated means
- The fastest way to file your taxes is by clicking one button
- View of the cash flow in real time
Cons:
- A limited set of core functionality is available
- The process of tracking inventory is confusing
- It is not able to support larger businesses due to its limited capacity
3. Xero
With its great interface and variety of functionalities, Xero has become one of the most well-known names in Mac accounting software. Despite its versatility, what makes it widely preferred is the ease of use it offers both on PCs and Macs. Even on the Mac version, Xero does not compromise on features when it comes to the software. The best thing about it is that there is no binding contract and the user has the option to cancel their subscription at any time.
Pros:
- Account monitoring is available on mobile devices in real-time
- Several third-party apps are included in this package
- Layout that is simple and easy to use
Cons:
- A digital signature cannot be added to the document
- The ability to create new business documents is not available
4. ZohoBooks
With the user-friendly interface, you can send professional invoices to clients from day one, regardless of whether you are using your desktop computer or an iPhone. It is possible to connect Zoho to your bank account for a real-time update on your transactions when you use automated banking with Zoho. A real-time inventory tracking system allows organizations to keep track of inventory in real time. With the Client Portal, you will be able to share recent transactions, accept bulk payments, and process feedback from customers. In addition to the ability to attach expense receipts, there is another feature that is particularly useful. With Zoho Books, you can capture all of your receipts in one place and upload them to the system. You can also take a picture of your receipts and upload them to the system as well.
Pros:
- Price that is competitive
- It is easy to send professional invoices to your clients
- Staying on top of your accounts is easy when you use automated banking
Cons:
- Payroll is proving to be impossible to complete
- There is nothing worse than receiving receipts that are disorganized
- There is a problem creating PDF files
5. WaveAccounting
Wave Accounting is a free accounting software for the Mac platform that allows users to create and send professional invoices and receipts to their clients. It is especially easy and convenient to use the invoice system, with most client invoices being cleared within two days of receipt. Using payroll software, business owners are able to pay their workforce simply and quickly, by using direct deposits and online pay stubs to save time and effort. It does not matter if the payment is made by the hour or by salary, it can be made every week, every two weeks, or every month.
Pros:
- It is extremely cost-effective to use this accounting software for Mac
- Featuring a solid invoicing, accounting, and receipt scanning feature set
- Payroll features that are flexible enable you to pay your staff as you see fit
Cons:
- It can be inconvenient to use a pay-as-you-go service
- It is distracting to see advertisements on the internet
- Customer service is limited as a result
ADP Run
Flexible Mac OS Payroll for Growing Businesses
PROS
- Strong HR tools; includes tax filing and payments
- Product flexibility
- Support 24/7
CONS
- Full-service payroll pricing is opaque
- Simple payroll with ADP
- Customer support inconsistent
| RATING CRITERIA | PRICING | 1.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| HR FEATURES | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| POPULARITY | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| REPORTING | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| PAYROLL FEATURES | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| EASE OF USE | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 |
It is possible to meet all your company’s payroll and human capital management software requirements with the help of ADP Run’s cloud-based payroll and human capital management solutions. With an overall rating of 3.66 out of 5 stars, it is a good choice for businesses that intend to scale up. With its payroll packages, it provides services for small businesses to large enterprises, as well as a PEO option for companies. Having this capability gives companies the ability to easily upgrade their ADP plan without having to change providers or to obtain extra HR support if the need arises for a team of HR professionals and experts to assist them.
One of the features that make ADP stand out from the competition is its HR capabilities, payroll tools, ease of use, and reporting capabilities. Based on user reviews, some reviewers noted that the system is generally easy to use, but its after-sales support is less than ideal in that some users complained about long wait times for support after they had purchased the system.
ADP Run Pricing
- As far as software fees are concerned, ADP offers four small business payroll plans (for businesses with up to 49 employees) as well as four midsize to enterprise payroll tiers (for businesses with 50 and more employees). When factoring in all payroll fees, including year-end reporting, and excluding benefits and other products, we received a quote that was approximately $14–$15 per employee monthly.
- The preparation, delivery, and filing of W-2s and 1099s are additional costs that have to be paid. In addition, there are a number of paid add-ons that can be purchased, including time and attendance monitoring, workers’ compensation insurance, retirement plans, and health insurance plans.
ADP Run Features
ADP Run is a full-service payroll payroll provider that offers unlimited pay runs for all 50 states, similar to Gusto’s full-service payroll. With this platform, you have the ability to manage payroll, tax and compliance, and human resources all from a single platform, simplifying and automating the processes. Here are some of its essential features.
- With Wisely, you have the option to pay your employees in a variety of ways, including direct deposit, paychecks, and a Wisely direct debit card. It is also possible to use ADP Run to fill out checks, stuff them, and deliver them to your place of business, whereby you can have them delivered just in time for you to distribute them to your employees.
- Paychecks that are highly secure: Your company’s designated approver can sign off on the paychecks for the ADP payroll system, which comes with ten advanced fraud protection features.
- Tax support: ADP Run supports payroll taxes (federal, state, and local) by automatically calculating, paying, filing, and reconciling them (federal, state, and local). As part of the package, you will also receive tax compliance support, which means that ADP will respond to tax agencies in case they have any questions about tax deposits and tax returns that the provider prepared for your company.
- Hiring solutions: One of the great things about ADP is that, in addition to payroll, it also offers a wide range of hiring tools, such as background checks, electronic HR forms, and job listings on ZipRecruiter, as long as you subscribe to its higher tiers. Some payroll providers do not offer these capabilities, and some will require you to purchase a separate recruitment module if you want to take advantage of these features.
- Providing HR documents: As a worker or manager, it is important for you to keep a collection of important HR documents such as checklists, best practice guides, and company policies in your hardware. You are also able to create a comprehensive employee handbook with the help of a wizard which guides you through the process of creating a comprehensive policy based on federal employment laws in addition to HR documents. In order to access these resources, you will need to subscribe to ADP’s premium payroll package in order to obtain access to them.
- Integrating third-party software with ADP: ADP integrates with a number of third-party software tools, including QuickBooks, Xero, Wave, SAP Success Factors, Workday, TSheets, Homebase, iCIMS, Docufree, OrgChart Now, Slack, and Pingboard.
SurePayroll
Small and Microbusinesses Needing a Simple Payroll App
PROS
- Payruns without limits
- Affordability and transparency
- Supports weekday evenings and weekends
CONS
- Fees for filing in multiple states
- Integration costs extra; options limited
- Onboarding is lacking
| RATING CRITERIA | PRICING | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| HR FEATURES | 2.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| POPULARITY | 1.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| REPORTING | 3.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| PAYROLL FEATURES | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| EASE OF USE | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
SurePayroll is an excellent payroll solution for small and microbusinesses, including household employers (if you have a household employee, check out our nanny payroll buyer’s guide). It includes straightforward and inexpensive online tools for calculating salary, earning 3.56 out of 5 stars (including deductions and taxes). You can also save money by filing payroll taxes yourself or have SurePayroll handle this for you.
While it received low reviews due to limited payment methods, third-party software integration, and interface customizability, its ease of use, useful reports, and reasonable pricing helped increase its ratings. Many user evaluations praised it for its low cost, user-friendly tools, and excellent customer service. However, some have complained that it is deficient.
QuickBooks Desktop for Mac
Our pick for:Best overall accounting software for Macs
Price:
- $399.99 one-time payment for a single-user license.
- $649.99 for two users.
- $899.99 for three users.
QuickBooks for Mac has a robust accounting suite that includes invoicing, billing, inventory monitoring, reporting, budget planning, sales and customer management. Several new features for 2021, such as automated reminders, the option to combine numerous invoices in one email, and an online payment gateway, simplify payment collection. Self-employed freelancers or creatives that prefer Apple gadgets may benefit from this QuickBooks edition, especially if they do all of their own bookkeeping.
Xero
Our pick for: Unlimited users
Price:
- Early: $11 per month.
- Growing: $32 per month.
- Established: $62 per month.
At every subscription tier, Xero allows unlimited users, a potentially valuable feature for businesses with multiple users who need limited access to run reports and analyze performance. Permissions can also be set up differently for each user, so employees only see what they need. In contrast, QuickBooks Online Advanced only allows 25 users and three accounting firms to use it at the same time. A New Zealand-based company, with accounting software that has achieved market share in some parts of the world, is also working hard to enter the United States market. As a full-fledged accounting software (like QuickBooks does), it offers a full certification program for accountants (like QuickBooks does), with more than 100,000 accountants and bookkeepers using Xero — which makes it easier for Xero customers to find outside help.
FreshBooks Accounting
Our pick for: Best Apple Pay-friendly option
Price:
- Lite: $15 per month.
- Plus: $25 per month.
- Premium: $50 per month.
- Select: Quote only.
FreshBooks’ mobile app is intuitive and feature-rich, making it a good option for entrepreneurs who spend most of their time on the phone. In addition to accounting functions, the mobile app lets you respond to clients’ questions and receive notifications when invoices are overdue or viewed or paid. Because of FreshBooks’ addition of double-entry accounting, it has become a contender for a broader range of companies, receiving generally positive reviews for its easy-to-use interface and intuitive design. Completely cloud-based, it provides some attractive automated features and reports. Ensure that the price includes access by more than one person if required.
Zoho Books
Our pick for: Low cost, high value
Price (when paid annually):
- Free for businesses with less than $50,000 in annual revenue.
- Three users: $15 per month.
- Five users: $40 per month.
- 10 users: $60 per month.
There are a number of impressive features and reporting abilities offered by Zoho Books for an affordable price. The free version is available to businesses with less than $50,000 in revenue; it is limited to one user and accountant per firm. Besides its easy-to-use interface, it also has the option of automating workflows – for instance, sending an email alert when an invoice exceeds a certain amount, or applying a discount or late fee. The basic plan allows for the creation of five automated workflows, while higher tiers allow for the creation of up to ten. Customer relationship management and productivity apps that integrate well with Zoho’s accounting software may be the company’s best known features. Contacts can be created in Zoho Books by using Zoho CRM, for instance.
Wave Accounting
Our pick for: Best free option
Unlike many “freemium” software products, Wave doesn’t offer a barebones product as bait, then charges for upgrades. Adding unlimited collaborators and connecting unlimited bank and credit cards are all possible even in the free version. Additionally, it offers automated invoice reminders and unlimited invoices with its separate invoicing product (also free). Payment processing is a service you can add (starting at 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction), which is how H&R Block makes money. It is also one of the best accounting software options for payroll, as it offers a payroll add-on for $20 per month ($35 in states that require tax services).
Before purchasing accounting software for Mac, users should consider the following features:
Your Mac-based business should consider the following factors when choosing the best small-business accounting software:
- Accessibility: Most new accounting software is cloud-based, so you can access it from any device with an internet connection through either a browser or an iOS app. Choosing a cloud-based solution may be your best option if your business requires wide accessibility, collaboration, and integration. QuickBooks for Mac, however, may be the best option if you prefer local hosting. Your integrations will be limited and you won’t be able to access it from other devices.
- Collaboration: Choosing a software that an outside accountant or bookkeeper can use is essential if you plan to work with them. QuickBooks is one of the most ubiquitous options on the market, but QuickBooks for Mac may not be as easy to collaborate with.
- Scalability: It is important that your accounting software can grow with your business. You should check whether you can upgrade your accounting software when necessary and if certain features are limited.
- Feature set: In addition to the standard accounting features, what else does your business need to run efficiently? Modern accounting software may also include inventory management, payment processing, multicurrency capabilities, integrations, and more. Ensure that the one you choose has all the features you need. Conversely, don’t spend money on unnecessary “extras”.
- Cost: Accounting software prices aren’t the only determining factor, but knowing what to expect is crucial. Fees for monthly and annual subscriptions vary a lot, and add-ons can increase them.
Conclusion
A small business owner knows how taxing everyday business operations can be. In order to manage payroll and accounting, you need to have a good understanding of them.