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It's a split decision.
Choose Payroll4Free if you pay nine or fewer employees and its free basic service covers your needs—but confirm PTS, DDS and any add-on fees first; the published pricing notes do not publish them. Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if you want payroll tied to QuickBooks accounting, tax filing and payroll automation. Workforce Payroll lists a $50 monthly base plus $7 per employee after a three-month $25 base-price promotion. The choice depends on whether free basic payroll or integrated workflows matter more.
01Side by side
| Payroll4Free | QuickBooks Online Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Basic service is free for businesses paying nine or fewer. | Promo starts at $25/month; regular base is $50/month. |
| Free plan | Free basic service for businesses paying nine or fewer monthly. | No free plan; a 30-day trial is listed. |
| Best for | Small businesses paying nine or fewer employees monthly. | Teams needing payroll connected to QuickBooks accounting. |
| Core strength | Payroll, tax calculations, vacation tracking, reports and checks. | Accounting sync, tax filing and automated pay runs. |
| Learning curve | Not published on the vendor's site. | Not published on the vendor's site. |
| Integrations and data | Integration details are not published. | Syncs payroll directly with QuickBooks accounting records. |
| Team and seat costs | Basic service free through nine; other fees unpublished. | $50 base plus $7 per employee monthly. |
| Support | Support terms and service details are not published. | Support terms and service details are not published. |
Payroll4Free Choose Payroll4Free if
- Choose Payroll4Free if you pay nine or fewer employees.
- Choose Payroll4Free if free basic service fits your needs.
- Choose Payroll4Free if you can confirm fees before switching.
QuickBooks Online Payroll Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if
- Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if you use QuickBooks accounting.
- Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll for payroll tax filing features.
- Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll for automated payroll workflows.
02Pricing compared
Payroll4Free says its basic service is free for businesses paying nine or fewer employees monthly. But the published pricing notes do not list a price for PTS, DDS or fee-schedule add-ons, and do not explain what each includes. Confirm those fees before treating it as a zero-cost option.
QuickBooks Workforce Payroll lists a $50 monthly base price plus $7 per employee per month. Its base price is discounted to $25 for the first three months; per-employee fees still apply. A 30-day free trial is listed, while annual pricing is not published. Premium is $88 monthly plus $13 per employee, and Elite is $134 plus $17 per employee. The pricing page also lists extra charges for some services, including multi-state filing outside Elite. The key difference: Payroll4Free’s basic service may cost less, but its add-on costs are unclear; QuickBooks publishes more of its pricing.
03Features and depth
Payroll4Free covers core payroll tasks: it pays employees and contractors, calculates payroll taxes, tracks vacation, provides payroll reports and offers direct deposit or paper checks. It also includes an employee portal. The published material does not specify how tax filing works or what the optional PTS and DDS services add, so check those details if you need more than basic calculations and payments.
QuickBooks Online Payroll lists payroll schedules, unlimited payroll runs on its Workforce plans, tax filing and accounting sync with QuickBooks records. Its Auto Payroll feature is for salaried employees on direct deposit. The product also describes AI-assisted pay-run preparation for approval and time-and-attendance tracking that can flag inconsistencies. Premium and Elite add automated HR workflow options; Elite lists up to $25,000 in annual tax penalty protection. These are more connected payroll and accounting workflows, but they come with a monthly base charge and per-employee fees. Payroll4Free’s feature list is narrower, though it may suit a small team with straightforward needs.
04Ease of use and learning curve
The published material does not describe setup time, onboarding, interface complexity or training for either product, so we can’t make a sourced claim that one is easier to learn. Payroll4Free lists an employee portal and basic payroll tasks, but its PTS and DDS details are not published in the notes. Ask what setup and support those services require.
QuickBooks lists payroll alongside its accounting records, which may reduce switching between systems for businesses already using QuickBooks. Its options also include tax filing, time tracking and automated workflows, which may mean more settings to evaluate. Before choosing, map your pay schedule, employee count, tax needs and accounting setup against the features you will actually use.
Questions people ask
What are some alternatives to QuickBooks for small businesses with payroll?
Payroll4Free is one option in this comparison: the company says its basic service is free for businesses paying nine or fewer employees monthly. It lists employee and contractor pay, tax calculations and direct deposit or checks. Confirm PTS, DDS and add-on charges first; the published notes do not publish them.
Does QuickBooks Online include payroll?
The published product information describes QuickBooks Online Payroll as cloud payroll software that works alongside QuickBooks accounting records. It does not establish whether payroll is included in a separate QuickBooks accounting subscription. Workforce Payroll is listed at $50 per month plus $7 per employee, with a three-month base-price promotion.
What is better for payroll, Gusto or QuickBooks?
The published published material includes QuickBooks Online Payroll and Payroll4Free, but no Gusto pricing or feature details. We can’t make a sourced comparison with Gusto here. For the products covered, Payroll4Free may fit a team of nine or fewer if its fees check out; QuickBooks lists payroll and accounting integration.
What are the best payroll systems?
There is no single best choice in the published information. Payroll4Free’s basic service may suit businesses paying nine or fewer employees, though its add-on prices are not published. QuickBooks lists tax filing, accounting sync and automation, with Workforce Payroll starting at $50 monthly plus $7 per employee.