Payroll can quickly escalate into a very expensive venture if you’re not careful. And many small business owners don’t have the time or experience required to properly understand how it works. This is where free payroll software comes in.
Here are the best payroll software options for an employer with only one employee.
BEST REPORTING Paychex Flex
Paychex Flex offers more than 160 reports for you to get a clear look at wages, taxes, turnover, and more. Paychex is our best reporting option because it checks almost all the boxes for what you’d want in payroll software when it comes to reports and data. It also automatically files your payroll taxes, ensures compliance, and includes integrations with important programs you also use, such as accounting and benefits apps.Pros
- 24/7 support
- Easy to use
- HR add-on options
- Robust reporting feature
Cons
- Hidden fees for setup & EOY tax docs
- Mixed reviews from users regarding support
There’s a lot to like about Paychex. The payroll software makes it easy to set up and run payroll, it automates the submission of federal, state, and local payroll taxes, and it offers plenty of upgrade options, which you may need as your business grows. Still, the basic reporting you get from Paychex could be worth the monthly fee alone, giving it the edge in this category. Plus, you’ll be able to add any other data field you’d like, thanks to custom fields, which is rare for small business online payroll services.
While the Paychex Flex Essentials plan is $39 per month and $5 per employee, it’s difficult to say how much Paychex will cost you for the more comprehensive plans—Paychex Flex Select and Paychex Flex Pro—unless you go through the process of getting a custom quote.
One of the most important aspects of a good online payroll solution is whether it integrates with software you already use. Paychex does integrate with QuickBooks and Xero accounting software, plus many health insurance and benefits apps, time tracking and attendance software, and HR software.
QuickBooks Payroll
Best Mac OS Payroll for Small Business QuickBooks Users
PROS
- Next and same-day direct deposits
- Free support from payroll experts
- Mac users have two options for processing payroll
CONS
- Lacks a desktop payroll software for Mac
- Limited to 150 employees
- Inconsistent customer support quality
Overall Score3.29OUT OF5
| RATING CRITERIA | PRICING | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 |
| HR FEATURES | 1.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| POPULARITY | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| REPORTING | 1.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| PAYROLL FEATURES | 3.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| EASE OF USE | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
QuickBooks Payroll offers reasonably priced plans with essential pay processing tools small businesses need. Given that its payroll function can be directly and easily accessed through the QuickBooks system, it saves QuickBooks users time from having to separately set up a chart of accounts and import pay-related data into its platform. Earning 3.25 out of 5 stars, QuickBooks Payroll was rated favorably for ease of use, payroll functionalities, and pricing.
Overall, QuickBooks Payroll users received a lot of positive feedback from online reviewers who said that its simple yet efficient tools make running payroll easier for them. However, some users commented that its app can be glitchy and that connecting with its support team via phone can be challenging at times.
Please note: What we’ve covered so far is QuickBooks Payroll Online, which is more commonly used. However, Intuit has a second Mac payroll software, called QuickBooks Payroll for Mac. Both are cloud-based, and the QuickBooks Payroll for Mac solution integrates with QuickBooks for Mac (versions 2006 and higher). It can handle payroll for up to 150 employees (but excluding contractor payments) and comes with instant paycheck calculations, free direct deposits, free support from payroll experts, and payroll tax payments and filings that cover multiple states.
If you want to learn more about QuickBooks Payroll’s functionalities, read our full review.Visit QuickBooks Payroll
QuickBooks Payroll Pricing
- Software fees for QuickBooks Payroll for Mac online payroll service: QuickBooks Payroll for Mac is one of Intuit’s legacy products. It isn’t advertised online, but you can contact QuickBooks to request more information, including pricing details.
- Software fees for QuickBooks Online Payroll: QuickBooks has three plans that all include full-service payroll with automated taxes and forms. Its Core option costs $45 plus $4 per employee monthly, while its Premium and Elite packages are priced at $75 plus $8 per employee and $125 plus $10 per employee monthly, respectively. Note that its higher tiers come with additional features like same-day direct deposits, workers’ compensation administration, and time tracking.
- Add-on costs: Payroll tax filing in more than one state costs $12 per month for each additional state (for Core and Premium subscribers only since the Elite plan covers multi-state tax filing). Integrating your payroll data with QuickBooks Accounting also costs anywhere from $25 to $70 per month.
QuickBooks Payroll Features
Both QuickBooks Payroll for Mac and QuickBooks Online Payroll provide the essential tools you need to efficiently pay your employees. Although, the latter’s tools are more robust than the former’s. Here are some of the two solutions’ functionalities.
QuickBooks Payroll for Mac Features
- Instant paycheck calculations: Employee salaries, including taxes and deductions, are instantly calculated, allowing you to easily review and approve payroll. In addition, QuickBooks Payroll for Mac provides an easy three-step process to completing pay runs.
- Payroll taxes: Apart from federal payroll taxes, it supports electronic tax payments and filings for most states.
- Free services: You don’t have to pay extra for direct deposit transactions. Plus, you get free support from QuickBooks’ team of payroll experts.
QuickBooks Online Payroll Features
- Payroll processing: You can set up payroll to run automatically—provided that all employees are under direct deposits and your first pay run using QuickBooks has been successful. You also get unlimited payrolls, wage garnishments, and automated taxes (federal and state) with year-end filings like W-2s and 1099s.
- Multiple pay options: In addition to check payments, QuickBooks Payroll offers next-day deposits for its Core subscribers and same-day direct deposits for Premium and Elite plan holders.
- Employee benefits: All of QuickBooks Payroll’s plans include access to health benefits and 401(k) options. As of this writing, its integration with SimplyInsured for health benefits provides you with affordable coverage and an efficient way to manage your benefits, while its partnership with Guideline for retirement ensures that you get expert administration of 401(k) plans.
- Customer support: For new users, the provider has a guided setup and expert professionals who can help get QuickBooks Payroll up and running. It also has 24/7 chat support, including US-based phone support from Mondays through Fridays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time and Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific time.
Aatrix
Best Mac OS Payroll for Budget-Conscious Employers
PROS
- Integrates with QuickBooks
- Handles multiple payrolls
- Access to a free time tracking program
CONS
- Not cloud-based
- Electronic tax filings cost extra
- Lacks employee benefits options and online onboarding
Overall Score3.26OUT OF5
| RATING CRITERIA | PRICING | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| HR FEATURES | 0.63 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| POPULARITY | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| REPORTING | 3.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| PAYROLL FEATURES | 2.63 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| EASE OF USE | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 |
Unlike Gusto and most of the software mentioned in this article, Aatrix doesn’t offer a cloud-based solution which explains why it lost some points—it earned 3.26 out of 5 stars. Instead, it provides downloadable software with a subscription to its tax-table service. It doesn’t however charge monthly software fees.
Aatrix scored high for pricing, ease of use, and reporting capabilities. The lack of HR features (like onboarding and self-service tools), limited payment and integration options, and its paid payroll tax filing services also prevented it from ranking high. Aatrix doesn’t have a lot of user reviews, but those who left online feedback said that it is easy to set up and use.
If you want to learn more about Aatrix’s functionalities, read our full review.
Aatrix Pricing
Aatrix offers two programs, Top Pay and Ultimate Payroll. Each comes with direct deposit and check options, PTO tracking, payroll runs for unlimited number of employees, and free access to Aatrix’s “TimeCard” software for capturing employee time-ins/outs. Both programs cost $259.95 per year, with the Ultimate Payroll option having more features like small business forms (employee- and payroll-related) and a sample employee handbook.
- Subscription fees: Aatrix’s Top Pay and Ultimate Payroll solutions for Mac are free to download if you subscribe to the provider’s tax table service ($259.95 per year).
- Add-on costs: Aatrix’s e-filing services for W-2s, 1099s, and ACA 1095s cost anywhere from 49 cents to $1.99 per employee, per filing (requires a minimum spend of $24.95). Meanwhile, access to Aatrix’s “Print and Mail Payroll Reports” tool is priced at $79.95 per year. This includes over 300 state, federal unemployment, withholding, and payroll-related new hire reports.
Aatrix Features
Aatrix offers fast and easy payroll processing that supports direct deposits and manual paycheck printing, although your Mac-compatible computer must run on at least OS 10.7 or higher. It also includes the following essential features:
- Unlimited payroll processing: It can handle pay runs for unlimited employees and departments, including contractors. Aside from tracking employees’ work hours and PTO, it automatically calculates deductions and liability payments.
- Time tracking: Aside from PTO tracking, you are granted free access to its “TimeCard” solution that allows your employees to clock-in/out from a Mac computer. The system then captures all employee time data and automatically totals the actual hours worked.
- Automatic tax table updater: With Aatrix, you don’t need to manually keep track of tax table changes and form updates. The system provides you with the latest tax information. You only have to pay annually for its tax table service, and the fee isn’t as high as similar payroll solutions. Having an up-to-date tax table is critical for payroll processing as it helps reduce the risk of incorrect tax deductions and costly penalties.
- Small business forms: If you get Aatrix’s Ultimate Payroll, you are granted access to a comprehensive library of online payroll and employee management-related documents. The provider also included a free sample employee handbook that you can use as a reference to create your own.
- QuickBooks integration: After you have processed employee paychecks (either through direct deposits or manual checks), you can post your payroll to QuickBooks with just one click. Note, however, that this feature is available only with Aatrix Top Pay.
Conclusion
If you are running a small business, then the most important employee for your business is yourself. Your employees are the ones who make or break your company. Even if you don’t have any part-time or full-time employees, you still handle payroll. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you are using the best payroll software for one employee to make handling payroll easier and more efficient.