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Most buyers should pick QuickBooks Online Payroll.
Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if you want published monthly payroll pricing and payroll tied to QuickBooks accounting. Workforce Payroll lists a $50 monthly base plus $7 per employee, with a $25 base introductory price for three months; per-employee fees remain. Choose Paychex if you need a wider payroll, HR, benefits or PEO package with advisory support. Paychex lists no public rates, so compare quotes before deciding.
01Side by side
| QuickBooks Online Payroll | Paychex | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Workforce: $50/mo + $7/employee | Quote-only; rates unpublished |
| Free plan | No free plan; 30-day trial | No free plan listed; trial unpublished |
| Best for | Small businesses using QuickBooks accounting | Businesses needing broader HR or PEO services |
| Core strength | Payroll synced with QuickBooks accounting records | Payroll, HR, benefits, and compliance services |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Integrations/data | Syncs with QuickBooks accounting records | Integration details not published |
| Team/seat costs | $7 per employee monthly; higher-tier fees vary | Employee-based pricing; rates require a quote |
| Support | Support details not published | HR guidance and advisory support |
QuickBooks Online Payroll Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if
- Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if you use QuickBooks accounting.
- Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if published payroll pricing matters.
- Choose QuickBooks Online Payroll if you want per-employee pricing.
Paychex Choose Paychex if
- Choose Paychex if you need payroll and broader HR services.
- Choose Paychex if you want benefits or PEO options.
- Choose Paychex if HR guidance and advisory support matter.
02Pricing compared
QuickBooks Workforce Payroll lists a $50 monthly base price plus $7 per employee per month, with unlimited payroll runs. Its introductory base price is $25 per month for the first three months; the per-employee fee still applies. Premium is $88 per month plus $13 per employee, and Elite is $134 plus $17 per employee. Annual rates are not published. A 30-day trial is listed. Contractor Payments is $25 per month for up to 20 contractors, then $2 per month for each additional contractor.
Paychex publishes no monthly or annual rates: Basic, Foundations, Advanced, Complete, HR Pro and HR PEO are quote-only. Pricing depends on employee count and business needs, so a direct price comparison requires a quote. QuickBooks gives buyers a clearer starting point, but compare Paychex quotes with the full QuickBooks bill, including employee charges and separately priced benefits or add-ons.
03Features and depth
QuickBooks Online Payroll covers payroll schedules, employee and contractor pay, and payroll tax filing. Its homepage also lists Auto Payroll for salaried employees on direct deposit, plus AI-assisted pay-run preparation for approval. Payroll AI can collect time and attendance data and flag inconsistencies before wages are processed. Payroll solutions sync with QuickBooks accounting records, which is a practical fit if you want payroll alongside that accounting system.
Paychex covers payroll and a wider set of HR services. Its listed capabilities include automated tax administration, time tracking, recruiting and onboarding, benefits, and HR software with advisory support. It also offers PEO services for businesses seeking outsourced HR administration. Some capabilities, such as time and attendance, insurance, retirement plans and applicant tracking, appear as add-ons, so confirm what a quote includes rather than assuming they come with every plan.
The distinction is scope: QuickBooks emphasizes payroll connected to its accounting records; Paychex offers a broader payroll, HR, benefits and compliance menu.
04Ease of use and learning curve
QuickBooks lists familiar payroll steps—set a schedule, run payroll, review AI-prepared pay runs and sync records with QuickBooks accounting. Auto Payroll is limited to salaried employees on direct deposit, so it will not cover every pay setup. Its per-employee pricing also means the bill grows with the team.
Paychex offers payroll software alongside HR tools and advisory services, but its quote-only pricing makes cost comparison less straightforward before a sales conversation. The published review scores put ease of use at 6/10 for QuickBooks and 6.5/10 for Paychex. Those ratings are close; they are not a substitute for checking whether each workflow fits your payroll and HR needs.
Questions people ask
Does QuickBooks also do payroll?
Yes. QuickBooks Online Payroll supports payroll schedules, employee and contractor payments, and payroll tax filing. The homepage also lists Auto Payroll for salaried employees on direct deposit and AI-assisted pay-run preparation for approval. The Workforce Payroll plan lists unlimited payroll runs.
Which is cheaper, ADP or Paychex?
We can’t determine that from the published pricing information: it includes no ADP prices, and Paychex lists quote-only pricing with no public monthly or annual rates. Ask both providers for quotes based on the same employee count and services before comparing totals.
What are the four types of payroll?
The published material for this comparison does not define four payroll types, so we can’t give a sourced list here. It does distinguish employee payroll from contractor payments in QuickBooks’ offerings; that distinction alone is not a complete four-type classification.
Who is the biggest competitor to QuickBooks?
The published information does not identify QuickBooks’ biggest competitor or provide market-share data to establish one. This comparison covers Paychex as an alternative for payroll and broader HR services, but it does not show that Paychex is QuickBooks’ largest competitor.