APS Payroll vs QuickBooks Desktop Payroll

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Our analysts compared APS Payroll vs QuickBooks Desktop Payroll based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Payroll Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Software Tool

Product Basics

Designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses, APS Payroll is a cloud-based solution for managing human resources. It provides features to help automate and streamline a variety of core HR tasks including processing payroll, tracking time and attendance, hiring the best talent, managing employee benefits, and creating analytic reports based on user data.

Users can access their account from any internet-connected device to conveniently complete tasks. Built with scalability in mind, it’s able to grow with businesses. Additionally, each organization has access to a dedicated support team and account lead that can assist with tech support and field general assistance inquiries.
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QuickBooks Desktop Payroll is a subscription-based labor management solution that offers robust functionalities, including tax penalty protection, automated payrolls, expert support, direct deposits and detailed reports.

The product covers essential aspects of workforce regulation like payroll deductions and approvals, tax liabilities, workers' contributions, holiday tracking and more. It offers group health benefits, scalable subscription plans, smart integrations and support resources for an enhanced user experience. Same-day direct deposits save time and notifications help stay up-to-date with business processes.
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$250 Monthly
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$61 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Insights

  • Multiple Pay Options: Direct deposit and pay card options available. Partners with major banks, including US Bank, which offers a pay card and allows employees to use a bank card without an account. 
  • Training: Offers recurring and one-time training courses for individuals and groups. Managers receive notifications when users enroll and complete courses to help ensure that all employees are up to date on all training. 
  • Information Filtering: Offers employee search through filters by sorting according to employee name, number, social security number or description. 
  • Consistent Branding: Branded career pages guarantee consistent branding messages to clearly convey company values to potential new employees. Post on popular job boards including LinkedIn, Indeed and Glassdoor. 
  • Interactive Employee Performance Management: Allows managers to set goals for employees and measure them against specific job-related competencies. Employees can access information, complete self-assessments and electronically sign off on reviews. 
  • Easy-to-Use Templates: Prebuilt templates and customizable reporting options help build schedules and provide insight into the workforce. Create electronic versions of any existing forms for easy record-keeping using a PDF builder. 
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  • Manageable: Tack contributions for insurance, retirements, time-off and bonuses to ensure smooth administration through a software wizard. 
  • Automated Compliance: Ensure timely tax payments, regulatory compliance and error-free calculations with automated compliance services. 
  • Time-Saving: Give employees access to personal information to save time and fast-track key payroll processes without third-party intervention. 
  • Real-Time Tracking: Calculate and track company benefits such as contributions towards paid leaves, retirement and insurance, and process payments using an in-built wizard.  
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  • Payroll: Simplifies payroll by reducing errors, avoiding penalties, calculating summary audits and providing a dedicated support team. It also assists in: 
    • Analytics: Creates data-driven decisions about important assets and offers better visualization of payroll metrics. It also offers solutions to questions such as overtime trends on payroll, cost of payroll expense and employee compensation trends. 
    • Compliance: Offers guided tax compliance with a defined process for tax management, payroll tax filings and payments. Also assists payroll process and tax compliance in 411 jurisdictions, in all 50 states. 
  • Self-Service: Provides separate portals for employees and system administrators, with different levels of access and dashboard capabilities based on designation. 
  • Benefits Administration: Tracks and manages all benefits plan types, including medical, dental, life insurance and disability plans. Automatically assigns deduction amounts via mass update during open enrollment. 
  • Multiple Carrier Compatibility: Compatible with all types of benefits providers and ensures coverage under any plan. Automatically sends relevant paperwork and ensures compliance with organizational requirements to guarantee coverage. 
  • Integration: Integrates with more than 100 third-party applications to create a more robust suite for businesses with additional needs that aren’t met by the system. Noteworthy integrations include Xero and Sage Intacct. 
  • Schedule Creation: Allows seamless creation of schedules based on a variety of factors including department, break times, length of time and much more. Employees can be added directly to the template and schedules without the need for recreation again in the future. 
  • Reporting: Organizes data metrics and provides insights into workforce efficiency via more than 80 prebuilt reports. Build reports based on factors such as income, employee demographics, custom options or a combination, and specify whether the reports are public or private. 
  • Affordable Care Act (ACA) Reports: Create and file 1094-C and 1095-C forms with a guided interface. The system automatically checks for discrepancies before filing the forms with the IRS. 
  • Time Management: Efficiently records and tracks HR and payroll processes. Calculates labor expenses, minimizes compliance risks and reports time through various channels such as mobile, kiosk, biometric and online. 
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  • Time Management: Build employee schedules, track work hours, assign job functions, regulate shifts, create invoices, edit timesheets, oversee projects, change job codes and more on a fully-integrated system. 
  • Reporting: Review business finances and analyze employee performance using insightful reports based on company data. Review taxes, track loans, calculate payments, summarise earnings, understand costs and more. 
  • Benefits Management: Track vacations, sick leaves, paid time offs, medical insurance, retirement plans, cash advances and more for employees on a single platform. Use the pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation service to process total payments on payday automatically. 
  • Direct Deposits: Process payments into U.S. bank accounts or edit employees’ banking information before the paycheck date to save time and effort spent in making in-person bank visits. 
  • Integrations: Leverage powerful integrations to automatically complete key payroll processes without manual entries or technical work hassles. 
  • Compliance: Reduce the hassle of tax penalties with automated compliance services for changing government regulations and federal, state and local laws. Perform accurate calculations and file tax returns to avoid errors and missed deadlines. 
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Product Ranking

#14

among all
Payroll Software

#90

among all
Payroll Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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QuickBooks Desktop Payroll
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Benefits Management Dashboard And Reporting Expense Management Mobile Capabilities Payroll And Tax Management Platform Capabilities Security And Compliance Time And Attendance Management 52 100 50 56 81 91 92 95 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1249 reviews
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92%
of users recommend this product

APS Payroll has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 1249 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

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5.0 (11)
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4.6 (577)
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4.6 (610)
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4.4 (51)
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Awards

APS Payroll stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Ease of Use: Of users who mentioned the platform’s usability, 85% suggested it’s user-friendly and has an intuitive interface.
Payroll Tracking: The software offers seamless workday tracking and updates irrespective of employee location, according to 84% of reviews on this feature.
Support Team: Customer service is helpful and informative in resolving technical issues, as reviewed by 76% of users mentioning it.
Workflow Automation: Of reviews about workflows, 88% suggested it reduces the need for manual entries by organizing and automating tasks.
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Accurate Calculations: Users praise QuickBooks Desktop Payroll for its precise tax calculations, ensuring compliance and reducing errors.
Direct Deposit: The direct deposit feature streamlines payroll processing, making it convenient for both employers and employees.
Reporting Capabilities: QuickBooks Desktop Payroll offers comprehensive reporting options, providing valuable insights into payroll expenses and employee data.
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Not Cost-Effective: The platform is a bit on the pricey side, according to 76% of users who reviewed cost.
Restricted Reporting: The system has limited report usage and exporting, as noted by 60% of users referencing this feature.
Unstable Mobile App: The mobile app’s functionality isn’t user-friendly and creates problems when processing payroll, according to 80% of users who reviewed it.
Limited Customization: Of users who mention customization, 60% stated that some commonly used features such as performance review aren’t customizable.
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Outdated Interface: Many users find the interface clunky and outdated compared to modern cloud-based payroll solutions.
Limited Mobile Functionality: Users seeking robust mobile access for tasks like approving time-off requests or running payroll on-the-go may find the mobile app lacking.
Technical Issues: Some users report encountering technical glitches and errors, leading to frustration and wasted time.
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APS Payroll provides easy-to-use HR management tools and exceptional payroll tracking. Other notable features include workflow management to ease manual tasks, intuitive technology and stellar customer support. Users dislike its restricted mobile app functionality, lack of customization and reporting options, however. The system is a good fit for SMBs that are trying to organize and create workflows, as well as looking for core HR functionality in a unified platform.

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Is QuickBooks Desktop Payroll truly a "quick" book to payroll mastery, or does it leave users feeling like they're stuck in a rut? User reviews from the last year suggest that QuickBooks Desktop Payroll is a powerful and reliable tool for managing payroll, but it may not be the best fit for every business. Users praise its ease of use, particularly for those already familiar with QuickBooks Desktop, and its affordability compared to other payroll software like Gusto or ADP. However, some users have reported that the software can be slow and clunky, especially when dealing with large amounts of data. A key differentiating factor for QuickBooks Desktop Payroll is its tight integration with other Intuit products, such as QuickBooks Desktop accounting software. This integration allows for seamless data transfer and eliminates the need for manual data entry, saving businesses time and reducing errors. However, this integration can also be a drawback for businesses that don't use other Intuit products, as it can limit flexibility and make it difficult to switch to other software in the future. Overall, QuickBooks Desktop Payroll is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses that are already using QuickBooks Desktop for their accounting needs and are looking for a reliable and affordable payroll solution. Businesses with complex payroll needs or those looking for a more modern and user-friendly interface may want to consider other options.

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