Small Businesses in 2025 In 2025, achieving efficient payroll processing remains a top priority for small businesses. With increasing complexity around tax compliance, multi-state labor laws, employee benefits, and remote work, choosing the right payroll software is crucial. This guide highlights the top contenders, compares their features and pricing, and draws insights from expert reviews to help you make an informed choice.
🚀 1. Gusto – Best Overall Choice
Why it’s a standout:
Gusto offers an all-in-one platform combining full-service payroll, automated tax filings, employee benefits administration, and HR tools. It’s praised for its clean design and intuitive workflows, making it a favorite among small business owners trustmysoftware.combusiness.com+3business.org+3trustmysoftware.com+3.
Key features:
- Automated tax filings at federal, state, and local levels
- Benefits: health insurance, 401(k) plans, workers’ comp
- Two‑day direct deposits on mid-tier plans
- Employee onboarding and compliance support
Pricing (as of early 2025):
Starts at $49/month + $6 per employee business.com+3business.org+3nerdwallet.com+3meruaccounting.com+3nerdwallet.com+3business.com+3.
Typical tiers range from Core (~$40 + $
- to Plus (~
$80 + $12), with HR support and dedicated advisors at the top tier en.wikipedia.org+1business.com+1.
User feedback:
Gusto consistently scores 4.0–5.0 across surveys like NerdWallet and Business.org for reliability, user-friendliness, and payroll automation inovapayroll.com+15business.org+15nerdwallet.com+15.
2. QuickBooks Payroll – Best for Accounting Integration
Why choose it:
If your business already runs on QuickBooks Online, this add-on synchronizes payroll data seamlessly with your accounting tools inovapayroll.com+2nerdwallet.com+2trustmysoftware.com+2.
Features:
- Auto tax calculations and filings
- Same-day or next-day direct deposits
- Integrated sync with QuickBooks Online
- Custom plans with HR support and penalty protection
Pricing:
Core plan: $45/month + $6 per employee; Premium: $80 + $8; Elite: $125 + $10 trustmysoftware.com+1usnews.com+1capterra.com+7nerdwallet.com+7business.com+7.
Pros & Cons:
Highly convenient for QuickBooks users, but higher tiers may be cost-intensive for very small teams.
3. OnPay – Best for Simplicity and Value
What stands out:
OnPay offers transparent pricing and core payroll features without excessive extras, making it ideal for small teams and service-based businesses business.commeruaccounting.com+7usnews.com+7business.org+7.
Features:
- Unlimited U.S. payroll runs at flat-rate
- Covered employee and contractor payments
- Multi-state payroll support
- Integration with accounting platforms (QuickBooks, Xero)
- Employee self-service portal
Pricing:
$40/month + $6 per employee; first month free in many cases nerdwallet.comhrlineup.com+3trustmysoftware.com+3nerdwallet.com+3inovapayroll.com+6usnews.com+6meruaccounting.com+6.
Review summary:
Praised by U.S. News and others for its simple, all-inclusive pricing and solid feature set .
4. ADP RUN & Paychex – Best for HR-Heavy Needs
RUN (by ADP):
Great for businesses needing scalable HR support alongside payroll. Plans start at $79/month + $4/employee, with customized options and HR add-ons techradar.comusnews.com.
Paychex Flex:
Offers strong HR features, benefits administration, and multistate payroll with plans varying by company needs. Paychex handles around 740,000 clients, showing its scale and reliability en.wikipedia.org.
5. Patriot Payroll – Best Budget Option
Why it’s valued:
Patriot stands out as the top-rated software on Capterra: $17/month plus $4/employee for basic, and $37 + $4 for full-service tax filing capterra.comsoftwaretestinghelp.comselectsoftwarereviews.com+2business.org+2techradar.com+2.
Features:
- Unlimited payroll runs
- Federal and state tax filings (full-service tier)
- Employee portal and simple reporting
Considerations:
Some users mention occasional delays in direct deposit and limited customer service during heavy periods selectsoftwarereviews.com+15capterra.com+15usnews.com+15.
6. Deel, Rippling, Trinet – Best for Remote & Security-Focused Teams
Deel:
Ideal for international hiring, contractor/employee compliance across 150+ countries. Flexible plans starting around $19‑49/month depending on employee type hrlineup.comen.wikipedia.org.
Rippling:
Robust HR/IT integration with 4.9‑rating on Capterra. Great for automating onboarding, benefits, devices, and payroll capterra.com+1nerdwallet.com+1.
Trinet HR Plus:
Stands out for data security (SOC II compliance, encryption). A smart pick for businesses prioritizing sensitive data protection capterra.com+3tech.co+3techradar.com+3.
Choosing the Right Option: Feature Checklist
| Feature | Gusto | QuickBooks | OnPay | ADP/Paychex | Patriot | Deel/Rippling/Trinet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service payroll | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Tax filing | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Basic/Full | ✔️ |
| Benefits & HR integrations | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Multi-state payroll | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Contractor support | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Pricing transparency | Moderate | Moderate | High | Varies | High | Varies |
| Best for | All‑rounder | QB users | Value-focused | HR scale | Budget | Remote/security |
Final Recommendations
- Gusto – Best overall for small businesses needing ease of use, automation, and HR features.
- QuickBooks Payroll – Ideal for users already in the QuickBooks ecosystem.
- OnPay – Best budget option with transparent pricing and reliable service.
- ADP RUN / Paychex – Great for businesses ready to scale or needing robust HR support.
- Patriot – Lowest-cost choice for simple payroll with optional tax filing.
- Deel, Rippling, Trinet – Top picks for international teams, tech-savvy operations, or heightened security compliance.
2025 Trends to Watch
- Remote-first support: Platforms like Deel and Rippling are growing rapidly as global teams expand g2.com+6nerdwallet.com+6capterra.com+6techradar.comnerdwallet.com+3usnews.com+3business.com+3business.com+9business.org+9equalpaytoday.org+9business.com+9trustmysoftware.com+9business.org+9techradar.com+3meruaccounting.com+3business.org+3capterra.com+1nerdwallet.com+1capterra.com+3selectsoftwarereviews.com+3techradar.com+3hrlineup.com+1techradar.com+1.
- Integrated HR platforms: Small businesses now lean toward systems that offer hiring, onboarding, benefits, and payroll in one suite.
- AI and automation: AI-powered payroll—such as Sage Copilot and Employment Hero—streamlines tasks and reduces manual admin en.wikipedia.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3theguardian.com+3.
Conclusion
Selecting the best payroll software in 2025 depends on your business size, existing tools, budget, and growth plans:
- For simplicity with strong feature sets: Gusto or OnPay.
- For existing QuickBooks users: QuickBooks Payroll.
- For HR scalability: ADP RUN or Paychex.
- For cost-conscious operations: Patriot Payroll.
- For remote security and global compliance: Deel, Rippling, or Trinet.
Whichever option you choose, consider taking advantage of free demos or trials to assess interface, support responsiveness, and feature fit. A well-chosen payroll system can save valuable time, reduce compliance risk, and help your small business thrive.