QuickBooks Payroll Review 2024
QuickBooks Payroll is a full-service payroll solution for small and mid-sized businesses. It includes automated payroll processing, benefits administration, tax filing, HR tools, time tracking, and more such features to help companies maximize their resources and ease their workflows.
- Automated payroll and tax filing
- Time & attendance monitoring included
- Comprehensive tax support for all 50 states
- Not as many reporting options
QuickBooks Payroll review: Ease of use
The interface of the QuickBooks platform and mobile app is intuitive and user-friendly. Navigating the dashboard’s many functionalities is easy and doesn’t require much time or study. Running payroll on the platform is also simple.
The process is automated and only needs around three steps. There are quick shortcuts that make it easy to add employees and contractors to the payroll.
QuickBooks Payroll review: Pricing
QuickBooks Payroll is available in three pricing plans with two attractive offers. Users can choose a discounted (50% off) offer price for 3 months or sign up for a 30-day free trial.
QuickBooks Core package
The Payroll Core plan is great for businesses that need basic payroll processing and tax filing services. It is available for a base price of $45 per month plus $6 per employee per month. Here are all the features included:
- Full-service automated payroll
- Next-day direct deposit
- 1099 E-filing and payment
- Benefits and workers’ comp administration
- Employee portal
- Expert product support
QuickBooks Premium package
Along with payroll and tax filing, the Payroll Premium plan includes time-tracking solutions and HR tools. It is available for a base price of $80 per month plus $8 per employee per month. Payroll Premium includes all the features of the Core plan plus the following:
- Time tracking
- 24/7 expert support
- Expert review
- HR support center
QuickBooks Elite package
The Payroll Elite plan is its top-tier offering and includes tax penalty protection and project tracking solutions, among other advanced features. It is available for a base price of $125 per month plus $10 per employee per month.
It includes all the features of the Premium plan along with the following:
- Project management
- Personal HR advisor
- Tax penalty protection
QuickBooks Payroll review: Features
Here is a quick review of all key features included in QuickBooks Payroll plans.
Payroll processing
QuickBooks provides automatic and manual payroll processing with unlimited payroll runs. Businesses only need to set up the system, and it automatically runs payroll for all listed employees, contractors, and freelancers. One of the best features of this payroll system is the option to make same-day and next-day direct deposits. This is an important feature for small businesses to stay on top of their cash flow management.
Team Benefits
Businesses can attract and retain more employees with the best health benefits, 401(k) plans, and workers’ comp. While QuickBooks partners with some third-party providers, availability may be limited based on subscription plans and location.
Automated tax filing
Under automated tax filing, QuickBooks manages the calculation and filing of state and federal taxes, which includes year-end tax filings. However, QuickBooks does not manage local tax filings. Those who opt for the Elite plan also have added coverage with a $25,000 tax penalty protection. You can opt out of the service if you want to file your payroll taxes manually.
Integrations
QuickBooks offers more than 750 business app integrations. However, there are very limited third-party options for essential services such as bookkeeping, accounting, time management, etc. If you want integrations for these tools, you’ll need to rely on QuickBooks’ catalog of products. And this can end up being too expensive for small businesses. Otherwise, these integrations are seamless and a breeze to work with.
In addition, the third-party integrations add functionalities such as customer management, marketing, document management, sales, shipping, etc., to further streamline your workflows and take your productivity to another level.
Time and project tracking
Time and project tracking, available in the Premium and Elite plans, helps businesses manage their workforce better. You can track project hours in real time, check labor expenses, approve timesheets, and much more. These robust time-tracking solutions are designed to suit the needs of different industries.
It also includes customizable reports for labor expenses, payroll, job costing, project budgets, and more, for easy access to critical business data. Moreover, this feature is accessible via desktop, laptop, mobile app, and tablet.
Workforce app
The Workforce app for employees allows team members to view their pay stubs, track total earnings, access payroll forms for taxes, and more. Employees can also use the app to input or change personal details, tax information, and other preferences. They can also clock in and clock out and submit time off requests from their mobile device.
QuickBooks Payroll review: Customer support
QuickBooks offers extensive customer support options. For instant responses, you can use the phone or chat options. Phone support is available Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 6 PM PT for Core users and 24/7 for Premium and Elite users. Chat support is available 24/7.
For more user resources, their support page has detailed guides, articles, video tutorials, and community discussions. Some of their expert HR support and assistance features are only accessible if you sign up for the Premium and Elite plans.
QuickBooks Payroll review: verdict
QuickBooks Payroll is ideal for two types of SMBs: those that want to offer next-day or same-day direct deposits and those that are already using QuickBooks’ other products. We found all their other offerings to be the standard among payroll providers, including their usability and customer service.
Although its features are still a good deal, QuickBooks is not the best option for budget-conscious businesses. Even its base plan is a mid-range offering compared to competitors’ pricing. QuickBooks’ plans are also quite lacking for large companies with more complex payroll and HR needs.
Additionally, businesses with an existing software ecosystem that consists of third-party solutions might want to opt for payroll software that is compatible with their existing setup.
