Home > Payroll Software > Paychex Flex > Paychex Flex vs Payroll4Free

Paychex Flex vs Payroll4Free

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Our analysts compared Paychex Flex vs Payroll4Free based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Payroll Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Overview Pricing Benefits & Features Analyst Ratings Comparison Charts User Ratings Analyst Summary Screenshots
Paychex Flex Software Tool
Payroll4Free Software Tool
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Product Basics

Analyst Rating

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Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Great User Sentiment (2205 Reviews)

Analyst Rating

47 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Fair User Sentiment (9 Reviews)
Paychex Flex is a cloud-based compensation and HR solution with the capability to serve thousands of employees. While there is an essential core version that mainly handles financials, it runs a wide range of departments and tasks. Some of its functions include payment management, benefits, talent management, time clocks, attendance, workforce management and more.


It’s a scalable option with unique versions for small, medium and large businesses with different versions for groups of varying sizes, including one to nine, 10 to 49, and 50 to thousands. It also has distinct user roles for workers, managers or administrators. A winner of multiple industry awards, its automation cuts down on time doing manual operations like processing payments, auto calculating taxes and staying up to date with current rates and compliance.
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Payroll4Free offers online payroll services and professional support to small businesses. It is easy-to-use, secure and was built to handle both simple and complex payroll requirements. It tackles all payroll matters for businesses, including direct deposits, employee and contractor payments and tax form calculations.

Its basic features are available free of charge for small businesses with less than 25 employees. It helps businesses pay employees via paper check, direct deposit or a combination of both. Companies can use it to make payments to contractors and file year-end taxes. It also calculates federal, state and local taxes and grants access to filled out tax forms.

It offers an employee portal that helps staff members edit or access their personal information from anywhere. It can be used to generate reports that offer insight into a company’s taxes, earnings, benefits and more.
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$39 Monthly
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$35 Monthly
Free Trial is available →
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Insights

  • Better Organization: Centralize important files and payroll data in one centralized location, making it easier to access. Assign user roles through administration; organizations control the dissemination of sensitive data.
  • Greater Accuracy: Run auto calculations for taxes and direct deposit and sync the general ledger making it easy to plug the information into an integrated accounting program. Creates a streamlined, easy way to manage all of the relevant data.
  • Increased Efficiency: Save time and work by decreasing the amount of manually input data. Record attendance within the application, making payment more straightforward. Auto-calculate local, state and federal taxes saving tons of manpower and time.
  • Better Scalability: Grow the platform as the company experiences exponential growth. Go from workplaces with as few as two employees to workforces that number in the thousands. Each level comes with more functionality and increased administrative and HR control over the processes.
  • More Open Communication: Use notifications, mass emails and electronic bulletin boards to promote an easy flow of information. Communicate enrollment reminders, announcements or company news seamlessly. Ensure employees, managers, executives, contractors, remote workers and other employees are all on the same page.
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  • Quick Setup: Businesses opting for Payroll4Free can get it up and running quickly and easily. It comes with a guided, step-by-step account set-up tool for prompt installation. 
  • Easy-to-Use: It is easy to navigate and requires minimal training to get the hang of its offerings. Its interface has a menu bar at the top of the screen and a number of tiles to perform payroll-related functions. Hitting a relevant tile takes users to a grid-style data-entry screen. Administrators can add employees, log their working hours and process payroll on this grid screen. All employee details are visible on the grid screen, and businesses have the option to pay them via checks or direct deposits. 
  • Integrations: Payroll4Free allows its users to export their payroll data to third-party accounting programs like Quickbooks, banks, benefit companies and more. It lets users import employee working hours from a time clock file. 
  • Affordable: It offers free payroll services to businesses with less than 25 employees who are on a tight budget. It simplifies payroll for new companies, and it can also be used by companies with more than 25 employees for a minimal subscription fee. 
  • Friendly Assistance:  It offers additional support from experienced payroll and tax professionals, who can be contacted for payroll-related advice in tricky scenarios. 
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  • Online Payroll: Handle payroll management. Automatically calculate taxes, payments and files. View critical data, including the cash required for upcoming paydays. Use safeguards such as notifications to prevent errors. Employees can access direct deposit and pay stub information directly. Last, administrators can access documentation and records like cash requirements, the payroll journal and tax deposit notices.
  • Tax Administration: Calculate taxes, add hours to each pay period, file returns and set up direct deposit.
  • Mobile: Access information on W-2s, direct deposit and other important information. For organizations that want to use the solution’s attendance functionality, workers can easily punch in and out on the app. Run it on smartphones and tablets with iOS or Android. It requires iOS 12.0 or higher and an Android OS of 7.0 or higher to run.
  • Reporting: Comes with over 160 dashboards and reports. Access reporting for payroll journals, department summaries, notices of tax deposits and cash requirements. For businesses looking for more robust options, look into the workforce management options.
  • Multiple Versions: Choose from a variety of purchase options to select the option that best meets business needs. The packages include:
    • Small Business Payroll: Use for businesses with under 50 workers. Use payment processing and access to the mobile app. Calculate state, federal and local taxes. Finish onboarding, complete forms, edit personal info and see compensation data. Provide direct deposit, pay cards and paper check for payment options. For businesses with multiple worker types, offer payment hourly, by salary or by contract. Provide help with labor compliance, garnishment payments, new hire reporting and over 160 reports for analytics.
    • Mid-Sized Business Payroll: Use for businesses with 10 to 49 employees. Handle applicant tracking, attendance, recruiting, onboarding, hiring, health benefits, retirement, health insurance and other similar administrative tasks. Expand the platform HR capabilities by including HR record management, an events calendar and reporting and analytics for the department.
    • Enterprise Payroll Management: Use for 50 to over 1,000 workers. Provide more robust HR abilities in addition to compensation management. Works for hiring, recruiting, training, compliance, handling offboarding, applicant tracking, time and attendance, health benefits, HR record management, an events calendar, retirement and expanded HR analytics.
  • Benefits: Complete the benefits management process. Run enrollment and analyze data. Manage group health insurance, retirement, section 125 plans, FSAs, POPs, retirement and more. Update information in real time and change benefit data easily. Give employers more control over invoices, benefit costs and bill reconciliations. Work with financial advisers and educate staff about the retirement plan offerings.
  • Compliance: Keep up with new tax laws and determine the status of essential laws like the Affordable Care Act.
  • Workplace Analytics: Analyze data and create a staff and workforce strategy. Create reports for analytics, HR, payroll and benefits. Generate customized reports for more detail. Provide accountants, financial advisors or bookkeepers with the access they need. Access the quick answers function, giving info on total earnings, net pay, tax liability and hours without pulling a full report. View live reporting to see information as it happens. Export information in various file types, including CSV, fixed-width, PDF and XLS. Send data to third-party software where users can add fields, adjust formatting or even build graphs.
  • Time and Attendance: Provide several options for tracking time and clocking in and out. It integrates with other solutions to track labor costs.
    • Time Kiosk: Allow employers to turn a tablet into a time clock where employees can punch in and out, do job transfer and register lunches and breaks.
    • TrueShift: Offer a time clock that has automated tracking and reporting, making it easy to import to payroll. Use biometric technology to prevent buddy punching. Track up to 500 workers per clock and connect to up to 32 other clocks. Punch in via web or mobile and use a backup camera to verify punches and keep compliant. It can track overtime pay and other wage requirements. Print and email timecard reports and clock in or out with a fingerprint, proximity badge, web punch or PIN entry.
    • InVision Iris Recognition Time Clock: Use iris recognition to ensure employees are working. Integrate with the rest of the HR and time and attendance. Prevent rework and cut down on errors. It works with contacts, goggles, glasses and face masks up to 15 inches away. Track up to 50,000 workers. Unlike a retinal scanner, it doesn’t store images. Instead, encrypt templates to guarantee privacy.
  • Online Learning: Use the built-in learning system. Provide eight free courses to users and customize/build current training, classes, quizzes and videos. Promote skill acquisition, up-skilling and career development. Run classes for on and offsite students. Use the calendar to schedule an in-person training, track transcripts and create content. Access the additional content libraries for purchase and provide surveys so employers can get feedback. Subjects include business, HR compliance, leadership, management, sales, software and workplace safety.
  • Payment Options: Gives options for paying employees, including same-day ACH capability, direct deposit, paper checks and pay cards.
  • Accounting: Manage payment and HR data with the accounting-specific dashboard. Access a library of resources, including tax forms and CPE courses. Import files through the general ledger service and post payroll data through the enterprise solution. Integrate with Sage Intacct, QuickBooks and Xero. Upload or download many files for one or multiple companies from one location.
  • Workers Compensation: Handle workers’ compensation covering medical expenses and lost wages while still ensuring stable cash flow. Provide insurance plans from A-rated national carriers.
  • Onboarding: Give new employees paperwork to fill out online. Customize the experience with personalized messages, welcome videos or other information about the company culture.
  • Payroll Protection: Let managers extend funds from a bank account for up to seven days without services being interrupted or charges for insufficient funds. Process two same-day ACH requests for a last-minute payroll, correcting pay or adding an employee. Help build business credit, deal with fraud, gain small business loans and more.
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  • Pay Employees and Contractors: Payroll4Free lets businesses make payments to contractors and pay salaries to their employees. It gives users the option to clear contractor payments from the new employee setup screen. Businesses can choose to process a 1099 form end at the end of the year for newly hired contractors rather than using a W-2. 
  • Tax Forms and Calculations: It takes care of all tax preparations and filings for businesses. It computes all federal, state and local taxes for its users and provides access to completed tax forms. It also makes all requisite deposits and tax filings, including W-2, at the end of the year. 
  • Paper Checks or Direct Deposits: It facilitates payments to employees and contractors through paper checks or direct deposits. Businesses can also choose to make payments using a combination of both methods according to their convenience. 
  • Employee Portal: Payroll4Free comes with an employee portal that gives staff members access to their personal information online, using any device. Employees have access to previous and current salary slips and year-end tax forms like W-2s. Employees can also edit their personal information, review leave statuses and manage their vacation time and requests. 
  • Track Employee Time-Offs: It gives businesses numerous options to track employee vacations, sick leave and PTO. It calculates the total number of working hours per employee based on their time spent with the company. This data can then be used to compute remuneration and overtime payments, if any. 
  • Detailed Reporting: Payroll4Free offers detailed reporting options to keep businesses updated on their payroll information. It provides detailed reports on earnings, benefits, taxes, accrued time off and a payroll journal. These reports offer deep insights into a company’s performance and help users make smart business decisions. 
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Product Ranking

#6

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#45

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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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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 2205 reviews
Fair User Sentiment 9 reviews
83%
of users recommend this product

Paychex Flex has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 83% when considering 2205 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

64%
of users recommend this product

Payroll4Free has a 'fair' User Satisfaction Rating of 64% when considering 9 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

4.5 (24)
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4.2 (1114)
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3.2 (9)
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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

User-Friendly: Just under 50% of reviews said the user experience was good and the interface worked well.
Good Support: Around 40% had good interactions with customer service and were happy with their level of care.
Proper Functionality: One-third of reviewers felt that the system was fully equipped with the tools they needed and especially liked the efficient payroll processing, benefits management, the transparency employees had on their payments and the PTO features.
Value for Price: Around 20% of reviews felt happy with the price and said it was well worth it.
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Easy to Use: Users praise Payroll4Free for its intuitive design and ease of use, making payroll processing straightforward even for those without prior experience.
Affordable Pricing: Many users appreciate the cost-effectiveness of Payroll4Free, especially smaller businesses or startups with limited budgets.
Reliable Customer Support: Users highlight the responsive and helpful customer support provided by Payroll4Free, ensuring any issues or questions are addressed promptly.
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Issues with Features: Just under 40% of reviewers felt the features were lacking. The biggest concerns were that the UI was difficult to learn initially and the reporting wasn’t sophisticated enough.
Time and Attendance Systems: Over 20% of users had problems with the punching system or the biometric clocks.
Poor Customer Service: While users felt that the customer service was helpful overall, they noted a high rate of turnover with their reps which often led to gaps in service.
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Limited Customer Support: Users have reported difficulties reaching customer support and receiving timely assistance when encountering issues.
Occasional System Glitches: Some users have experienced occasional system errors or glitches that disrupt their payroll processing.
Basic Feature Set: Payroll4Free is generally considered suitable for businesses with straightforward payroll needs, as it may lack some advanced features found in other payroll software.
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Paychex Flex is a solid payroll processing system best liked for its ease of use, positive customer service interactions, fair price and useful functionality. However, it comes with several drawbacks as well. While it’s easy to use, the onboarding takes time and can be initially frustrating. The customer service is good but the high turnover with representatives can be trying. A small but significant percentage had problems with the time and attendance features, either having issues with their punches not being registered or issues with the physical biometric clocks. Overall, it seems best for small and medium businesses looking to automate their payroll. Any organization with multiple types of workers, complex pay rules or many different kinds of income to report should be sure to demo the system carefully and may want to find a more complex option.

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Is Payroll4Free truly free, or is there a hidden cost? User reviews from the past year suggest Payroll4Free delivers on its promise of a free and easy-to-use payroll solution, particularly for small businesses with 25 or fewer employees. Users praise its intuitive interface, highlighting the guided account setup wizard and straightforward navigation. They appreciate the software's ability to handle both employee and contractor payments, simplifying the payment process. The automatic tax calculations are a major plus, easing the burden of payroll tax compliance. Some users even compared their manual calculations to Payroll4Free's reports, finding them to be spot-on. However, the "free" aspect comes with caveats. The software is ad-supported, which some users find intrusive. While the free version allows for 12 pay runs per year, exceeding this limit requires an upgrade. Additional fees apply for features like direct deposit, contractor payments, and multi-state employee payments. Users also point out limitations in functionality, noting that Payroll4Free is best suited for basic payroll needs. Larger companies or those requiring advanced features like robust reporting, automation, and analytics might find Payroll4Free lacking. Alternatives like OnPay, with its base price of $40 per month plus $6 per employee, offer more comprehensive features. In conclusion, Payroll4Free is a viable option for startups and small businesses with limited budgets and straightforward payroll requirements. Its ease of use, free basic features, and accurate tax calculations make it an attractive choice for those seeking a no-frills payroll solution. However, businesses with more complex needs or a larger workforce might find themselves outgrowing Payroll4Free's capabilities and needing to consider paid alternatives.

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