Top Paychex Alternatives & Competitors For 2024

Paychex incorporates a range of different solutions and is used widely by small, medium and large-sized companies. While around 40% of users were happy with the functionality of the system, the majority expressed dissatisfaction with its tax capabilities, pricing and customer service. Many described it as dishonest and complained especially that they were oversold on its capabilities and that the salespeople used pushy tactics to try and upsell them. Other complaints of the system included making errors, overpaying employees or even miscalculating taxes resulting in serious penalties. Current and former clients greatly disliked the service. The UI was the most positively reviewed element of the platform with around 80% expressing satisfaction with the design and navigation. Around 50% were happy with the pricing structure and a minority of around 30% of users said they had positive experiences with some select customer service members. This disparity in experiences may be in part to the high turnover rate in representatives which is mentioned many times during the reviews. This solution could be appropriate for small and medium-sized businesses. It supports larger enterprises, but buyers should make sure it has the necessary functionality before purchasing.

Gusto is a well-reviewed payroll solution which many users enjoy for its good design and easy-to-use features. It’s UI and payroll processing abilities in particular make it a popular choice for automating payroll. Many also feel it handles benefits and PTO well. Some say it's an affordable choice given what it does while others note that it’s on the pricey side. The time tracking features aren’t universally loved. Users are split on the integration abilities with around 10% satisfied and around 10% dissatisfied. All in all, it appears to be a good solution for small and medium-sized businesses looking to streamline their payroll. Keep an eye on the price and, as always, demo extensively before buying.

Square Payroll is an online payment, time and attendance and POS system. Users like it best because it’s easy to use with an intuitive design that can be adopted quickly. They felt the pricing was fair and were especially pleased with its efficient processing of payment. Many users said they’d recommend it to other businesses similar to their own and were happy with its ability to create and file sales, quarterly and new hire reports. Lastly, they were pleased with its features, specifically its easy sign-in, reporting, time tracking and tax calculating. On the con side, customization options were minimal as it’s a reasonably straightforward system. Many companies that use the solution are restaurants that either want to give employees discounts on food or pay with money from their upcoming paycheck. They were displeased with its inability to allow this. Overall, this solution is excellent for small businesses, especially retail and food service. Larger companies should look elsewhere.

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.

User reviews for Papaya Global paint a vivid picture of a powerful and user-friendly platform aimed at simplifying global payroll. Many users laud its automation capabilities, praising it for saving time and reducing manual work. "Papaya automates everything from tax calculations to payments, freeing up our HR team to focus on strategic initiatives," says one reviewer. This is a major advantage over traditional payroll solutions, often described as cumbersome and prone to errors. However, some users point out Papaya's limitations in customization. While its standardized platform excels in broad strokes, it may not bend to every unique business need. "We love the ease of use," says one reviewer, "but wish there were more options for tailor-made reporting." In comparison, users report that competitors like Deel offer stronger customization options, but at the expense of Papaya's user-friendliness. Papaya's global reach is another key differentiator. With support for payroll in over 160 countries, it simplifies managing a distributed workforce with ease. "Our company has employees all over the world," says one reviewer, "and Papaya handles compliance and payments seamlessly across all locations." Users find this a significant advantage over regional payroll providers, who are often limited to specific countries. Ultimately, user reviews suggest Papaya Global shines for businesses seeking a user-friendly platform to manage global payroll efficiently. Its automation tools and extensive country coverage stand out, but those requiring deep customization may need to explore further. As one reviewer summarizes, "Papaya takes the headache out of global payroll, but be prepared to adapt your processes to its structure."