What Are Applicant Tracking Systems and How Do They Work?

Businessman studying a resume on his laptop

To screen a job applicant, an HR manager has to look carefully through a resume to confirm whether the experiences and skills listed meet the job requirements. When businesses receive hundreds of resumes, dozens of hours can be wasted going through them.

To fight this problem, many businesses are now using applicant tracking systems to automate hiring and significantly reduce cost-per-hire.

This article will detail what an applicant tracking system is, how it works, and how to get your resume past one as a job applicant.

What Are Applicant Tracking Systems?

An applicant tracking system streamlines the hiring process for a vacancy. This software screens job applications and ranks candidates based on experience and skill.

ATS software eases recruiting efforts for companies, especially for those with multiple vacancies that receive thousands of applications. From job postings to ranking applicants and scheduling interviews, applicant tracking systems are used at every hiring stage to minimize time spent on each resume.

These days, when someone submits an application online, there’s a high chance that it’s going to pass through an ATS before getting to a hiring manager. Over 90% of businesses use tracking systems to automate hiring.

For businesses, the best applicant tracking systems save money and time, and present only the best candidates to HR managers. For individuals, an ATS is another hurdle to jump before they can get a serious consideration from a company.

Why Do Businesses Use Applicant Tracking Systems?

Businesses implement tracking software in their hiring process for many reasons, including to:

Customize and automate the hiring process
Filter out spam and duplicate applications
Rank candidates in a searchable database
Save time and money

To Customize and Automate the Hiring Process

Businesses have custom hiring flows for different openings. For example, the hiring processes for a marketing manager may be different for a software engineer.

ATS software allows HR teams to create customized recruitment steps for different job openings and automatically track candidates as they move along the recruiting process. For instance, once a software engineer’s resume has been ranked, the HR manager can auto send an email to schedule an interview.

To Filter Out Spam and Duplicate Applications

Many applicants online play the numbers game—send as many applications as possible and hope for one positive response. This means that hiring managers have to deal with lots of irrelevant spam and duplicate applications.

Applicant tracking systems have algorithms that filter out duplicate applications and rank spam applications low.

To Rank Candidates in a Searchable Database

When someone applies online, the ATS automatically creates a candidate profile, parses the applicant’s data, and adds that information to the profile. Hiring personnel can then search the database for resumes containing relevant keywords or for highly ranked applicants.

To Save Time and Money

A tracking software saves hiring managers extra hours of looking through resumes and organizing them. By reducing the amount of time spent on applications, businesses can direct their capital to onboarding the right talents.

How Do Applicant Tracking Systems Work?

The most basic task of an applicant tracking system is to auto-read a resume and score an applicant. When an applicant submits a resume through an ATS like BambooHR, the resume is parsed into plain text, scored, and added to a digital profile.

An ATS software typically searches for keywords indicating that an individual may be qualified for a job. For instance, when hiring for the position of digital marketing manager, the employer is interested in keywords like “marketing strategy,” “digital marketing,” “search engine optimization,” “social media,” etc. An applicant’s resume that doesn’t include relevant keywords is scored low.

Recruiters search for qualified candidates by looking for relevant keywords in the database. When they search for “SEO,” for example, the tracking software pulls up all applicants who included this term in their resumes.

Employers set other parameters for applicant scoring. For instance, an employer may include a yes-no question to filter out inexperienced applicants. They may ask, “Do you have up to 2 years of experience?” or “Are you legally qualified to work in the U.S.?” When an applicant answers “No” to such questions, they’re automatically removed from the hiring process and auto-sent a rejection email.

ATS systems analyze the listed skills of an individual or the work experiences they’ve had. Modern applicant trackers implement artificial intelligence and natural language processing to improve accuracy.

How Accurate Is an Applicant Tracking System?

ATS software focuses on how a candidate’s listed skills and experiences match job descriptions. Over 80% of employers believe ATS inadvertently remove highly-skilled job seekers. This shows that ATSs are not entirely accurate.

Even though tracking software can filter out skilled applicants, employers are still willing to use it instead of manually sorting through resumes. The majority of recruiters find that application tracking systems speed up talent acquisition. Losing a few good talents to gain many others and maximize efficiency seems a fair price to pay.

How To Get Your Resume Past an ATS Software

Many applicants create sleek and visually enticing resumes that are designed to draw in a recruiter. However, hiring managers often never see those resumes unless it meets specific criteria.

The most important factor in getting past a tracking software is to make sure it can correctly parse your resume. Applicant trackers read from left to right, top to bottom. We recommend that you use the chronological or hybrid resume formats. These list your work experiences in a way that an applicant tracking software can easily read.

Many candidates are discouraged when they see the list of requirements and skills in job descriptions. Nevertheless, make sure to include the major relevant keywords in your resume. At this stage, your resume is for the ATS and not for a human recruiter.

Include keywords wherever you can—in your career description, past job titles, and listed skills. Use both the long-form and acronyms of relevant keywords, and common headings. For instance, use “work experience” not “what I have done,” “skills” not “what I can do,” and “recommendations” or “references” not “who to contact.” Inserting tables or images may cause resume parsing errors.

Submit your resume in the best file format. We recommend using DOCX and PDFs. PDFs have the advantage of preserving formatting but older tracking software cannot properly read PDFs.

5 Best ATS Software for Businesses

Here are five of the top applicant tracking systems for businesses.

Pinpoint

From $600

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Pinpoint is a relatively new ATS software ideal for companies that don’t want to outsource hiring needs to a recruitment agency. Pinpoint is designed to be easy for company personnel to advertise openings, source employees, and fill talent acquisition pipelines.

Pinpoint lets you create custom career sites that enforce employer branding. It automatically creates candidate profiles and ranks applicants based on who matches the job description. A talent acquisition team can also collaborate to hire the right employees.

The app has a Chrome extension that lets you source top hires for talent acquisition. You can send templated emails, schedule video interviews, see employee referrals, and pull custom reports with Pinpoint.

A great advantage is the well-designed UI. The dashboard shows you how many total applications there are for jobs and makes it easy for you to review them. Qualified candidates can apply when there is no vacancy, so you store applicant information for when there is an opening. Pinpoint starts from $600 per month.

Fixed monthly fees.
Custom reports and recruiting analytics.
Unlimited active jobs.
Connects with many job boards.

No mobile app.

iCIMS

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iCIMS Talent Cloud is a dominant ATS in the industry. For organizations with over a thousand employees and staffing agencies, iCIMS seems the best software for applicant tracking.

iCIMS is a cloud-based applicant tracking system that streamlines recruitment processes from job postings to making an offer. The tracking software integrates smoothly with a company’s career page and popular platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn Jobs, Monster, and Zip Recruiter. It can even integrate with other ATS software like BambooHR.

The ATS system adds a profile page for each applicant and parses every file they attach. Recruiters easily create custom hiring workflows, search for candidates, create a human resource information system, and pull data reports. The software has add-ons that make the recruiting process engaging for candidates and also a feature for social media posting.

iCIMS has a well-laid-out UI, but it can be a little overwhelming for new users. The number of features available may be too much for HR professionals who want to keep it simple. iCIMS has a mobile app that works for both Android and iOS.

Allows profiles and custom workflows.
Creates customizable recruiting data reports.
Has Text Engagement for a better candidate experience.

Pricey.
Add-ons cost extra.

BambooHR

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BambooHR is not only for applicant tracking but for the entire life cycle of existing employees. From onboarding to offboarding, BambooHR helps you analyze employee engagement and pull talent acquisition reports.

BambooHR integrates with popular job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn jobs. It provides you with a database of applicants and ranks them on how they match your job descriptions. Hiring managers can then search this database to select which applicants move on to the next stage in the recruitment process.

The software makes it easy for you to send templated emails to applicants and schedule discovery meetings. Employees can track their time with the PM software and create reports of their own. You can even work payroll taxes with BambooHR. The app manages human resources for both full-time and contract employees.

With BambooHR, you can work as a talent acquisition team and use employee referrals. By granting permissions, you give different team members access to candidates’ job applications, allowing them to advise on the hiring process. BambooHR has a mobile app for both Android and iOS devices.

Cheaper than other systems.
Tracks an entire employee lifecycle.
Great for talent management.

Not many applicant-engaging features.

monday.com

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monday.com is known for project management, but it also offers an applicant tracking system software. It helps you post jobs to popular platforms and your website’s career page.

To track applicants with monday.com, you have to create a dedicated board. There is a board template to customize, and you can even develop your own hiring flows.

Users can create an application form with a shareable link. You can then add the link to your website career page or job boards. Once an applicant fills the form, their details get added to the hiring board.

From this board, managers have an overview of the applicants who matched the job description and can decide who moves forward in the recruitment process. Since monday.com integrates with Gmail, you can automatically send acceptance or rejection emails to candidates.

Apart from hiring, monday.com is used for team collaboration and employee management. monday.com charges $8 monthly per user, and has no special pricing for applicant tracking.

Read: The Ultimate monday.com Review – Pricing, Features & More

Removes the need to buy special tracking software.
Easy to view applicants and their documentation.

Does not rank candidates.
Not optimal for a large number of applications.

JazzHR

From $39 to $359

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JazzHR is designed for companies with less than 500 employees. The software offers custom career pages and integrates with several job boards in the market to make talent acquisition easy.

With JazzHR, you can group applicants, rank their skills and experience, and move them along the hiring stages. You can create custom workflows for every job opening and collaborate with a hiring team.

JazzHR integrates with hundreds of apps including Microsoft Outlook and Gsuite for scheduling interviews, Bob and Gusto for doing payroll taxes, and PeopleG2 for running background checks. It also integrates with tracking software like BambooHR.

Publish job openings on several job boards at once with just one click. You can also work with third-party apps to run candidate skills assessments.

JazzHR has different pricing models from $39 to $359 per month.

Affordable for small to medium sized businesses.
Has features of enterprise ATS software vendors like iCIMS.

No applicant tracking for the lowest pricing tier.

Pros and Cons of Using an Applicant Tracking System in HR

Let’s look at the for and against of using the right ATS system for hiring.

ATS Pros

Streamlines the recruitment process
Ranks applicants by comparing their resumes to the job description
Reduces cost-per-hire and increases recruiter productivity
Filters out spam applications
Creates candidate profiles
Makes resumes searchable
Helps in interview scheduling and candidate communications
Automates recruitment marketing and job posting

ATS Cons

May filter out skilled applicants
Cannot parse complexly designed resumes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Applicant Tracking Systems

What Are Common Applicant Tracking Systems?

There are over a hundred applicant tracking systems in the market. However, the most common ones include Pinpoint, iCIMS, BambooHR, Lever, and Jobvite. The best ATS systems are determined based on market share and data management capabilities.

What Is an Application Tracking System in HR?

An application tracking system is an HR software that scores job applicants based on the information that their resumes provide. ATS vendors compare the data from candidates’ resumes to job descriptions. This saves HR professionals extra time.

Which Is the Best ATS Software?

There is no single best recruiting software. Instead, there is the right applicant tracking software for your organization. If you run a small business, Pinpoint may be the best ATS for you because it provides many features with affordable pricing. If you manage HR in an enterprise, then iCIMS is among the best applicant tracking systems for your organization.

Do ATS Systems Read PDF?

There was a time when DOCX was the only recommended format. Now, most ATS software can read PDFs. PDF has the extra advantage of preserving the original format of your resume, just in case a recruiter wants to take a look.

What Is the Purpose of an Application Tracker?

An application tracker is designed to save hiring managers the cost and time of manually sorting through hundreds or thousands of resumes. A recruitment software creates a profile for each applicant, parses their resume, compares the data to the job description, and adds relevant information to their profile.

Bottom Line on Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant tracking systems are here to stay. Hiring teams minimize cost-per-hire when they set up a tracking system for talent acquisition and create customizable job reqs. Applicants craft more relevant resumes when they write with ATS software in mind. Maximize efficiency in your business by implementing an applicant tracking system—and transform the way you handle recruiting.

March 14, 2022November 23, 2022

Gusto vs SurePayroll: Choosing the Best Online Payroll Service for Your Business

Managing the administrative side of your business is never easy. Today, there are lots of powerful tools that help keep admin tasks more feasible. An essential part of a company’s operations is how it facilitates its payroll services. Instead of outsourcing your payroll, you can save on costs and time by using an online payroll application.

Two of the biggest players in payroll applications are Gusto vs SurePayroll. We compared the two to help you determine which option is the best online payroll service for you.

Gusto: Best for Larger Companies With Multiple Satellite Locations

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Companies that need a comprehensive payroll service may want to consider Gusto. If your business is larger with locations in multiple states, it may be the right option. Gusto gives you different pricing tiers for your payroll services, so you can customize your experience and choose which features are the most important to your company.

Gusto also allows you to incorporate your employee benefits tasks into your payroll applications, saving you time and resources. It gives businesses some different choices for paying employees and even offers payroll accounting for any workers on your team who are independent contractors.

Gusto features different pricing options depending on your needs. The least inexpensive tier starts at $39 a month plus $6 per employee. The most expensive option is $149 a month and $12 per employee. Read the Gusto review if you are interested in this tool.

Features automated employer tax filing
Provides additional applications for your human resources tasks
Allows employees to manage their paychecks and finances

No option exists yet for an app that works on mobile
Incompatible with popular work software like Office365
Does not offer a free plan or a free trial

SurePayroll: Best for Small, Local Businesses

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Companies that are smaller and need a simple but powerful payroll software solution may prefer SurePayroll. This payroll service is a great option for a single proprietor, household or another small business that has one location or a handful of local sites in one state.

SurePayroll is also more affordable than other payroll applications, allowing smaller companies to stay within a limited budget. This payroll application gives users the power to customize their experience by choosing and paying for only the essential features.

Pricing for SurePayroll is simple, with two different plans companies can choose from. The cheapest plan is $19.99 a month and $4 per employee. The most expensive plan is $29.99 per month and $5 per employee. To know more on SurePayroll features and pricing, read the review on SurePayroll.

Provides a powerful mobile app that can be run on your phone
Features after hours and weekend customer support
Offers a generous two-month free trial

Charges additional tax filing fees at the end of the year
Access to the employee portal website is limited
Unable to process payroll for international employees

Gusto vs SurePayroll Pricing & Features Comparison

When looking at the pricing of SurePayroll vs Gusto, there is a clear difference in costs. SurePayroll comes in as the least expensive option for payroll services on a budget. Its lowest-cost membership plan is only $19.99 a month. Gusto’s cheapest plan for a business that has regular employees is $20 more at $39 per month. Both software options charge a fee for each employee in the payroll system. SurePayroll’s lowest tier adds $4 per employee, and Gusto’s cheapest plan is $6 per worker.

With a higher price point, Gusto also offers more features than SurePayroll. Both payroll programs provide direct deposit, unlimited payroll runs, automated payroll and online paystubs. Gusto also gives users the option of incorporating employee benefits applications, retirement features and onboarding tasks. Gusto’s lowest tier also includes business tax filings for state and federal agencies. Additionally, Gusto also has a contractor mode for companies that work with freelancers, pricing this service at a reasonable $6 per worker.

Free Trial

Two-Month Trial

Monthly Cost

$19.99

$29.99

None

$39

$149

Per Employee Cost

$12

Direct Deposit

Unlimited Pay Runs

Tax Fillings

Online Paystubs

Onboarding Details

Human Resources Tasks

Employee Benefits

Add-on

Health Savings Accounts

Add-on $2.50 per person

Flexible Savings Accounts

Add-on $4 per person

401(k) Plans

Add-on $49 per month and $8 per person

529 Plans

Add-on $6 per person

Broker Integration

Online reviews of Gusto often describe loving the fact that the application is an all-in-one solution for payroll and HR tasks. The interface and online tools to run payroll are simple and require very little of a learning curve. Some things that Gusto may need to improve are its wait times for phone and chat customer service. Its benefits add-ons are also not highly rated by some customers. Average reviews are 4.3 stars out of five from G2 and 4.7 stars from Capterra.

SurePayroll

SurePayroll customers most often praise the company’s affordability and easy-to-use app. Customer service is sometimes uneven, even though its support is staffed longer hours than Gusto. The most positive reviews come from small business operators. Average reviews are 4.3 stars out of five from G2 and 4.2 stars from Capterra.

Alternative Payroll Software Options

Besides using Gusto vs SurePayroll, business operators can also choose from some other popular software packages. Here are additional programs that can help a company process its payroll.

QuickBooks Payroll

$45 to $125

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This option is great for small business operators who also use QuickBooks accounting software. Businesses that are familiar with the QuickBooks interface will be able to instantly start using the software without a lot of research and tutorials.

Monthly subscriptions run from $45 to $125. You will also pay from $4 to $10 per employee for this software package.

Makes tax filings and other financial details simple
Easy app use, especially for mobile businesses
Offers an excellent interface

Users report glitches with the computer and mobile application
Wait times to speak to a customer service representative are lengthy
The pricing is not affordable for small-time business operators

Paychex Flex

From $39

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Startup businesses that are in the early stages and plan to expand may benefit from the Paychex payroll software. Restaurants and multi-state companies may also find this software helpful.

The standard base service costs $39 per month and $5 per employee. Upgraded service plans must be individually quoted by a salesperson. To know more about this software, read the Paychex review.

Provides helpful employee self-service tools
Offers payroll via debit card to employees
Features Employee Assistance Programs to workers as an included service

No support for companies that use independent contractors
Time tracking, year-end tax forms and other tasks cost extra
The software can be slow and glitchy

Square Payroll

From $35

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Businesses that sell items to customers and use Square’s point-of-sale software may opt for Square Payroll. This solution provides seamless integration between the products.

Square’s monthly fee is $35 plus $5 per employee on your payroll. For contractor workers only, you can pay $5 per person. Read our Square Payroll review here if this software interests you.

Allows an upgraded instant and next-day payroll processing option
Features an affordable and simple pricing plan
Simple app and interface for ease of use

Costs can go up as a business hires more people
Included standard payroll processing is four days
HR tasks included with the app are weak

Bottom Line: Gusto vs SurePayroll

The bottom line is that Gusto may be the better option for businesses that need more than just a simple, basic payroll service. Its HR tools and flexible options for add-on services make it the clear winner. The option to use Gusto for contractors without investing in the monthly fee also makes it a better solution for most business operators.

For pricing between Gusto vs SurePayroll, SurePayroll is more economical for smaller companies. Whichever software solution your company chooses, you can improve your efficiency and time management with one of these products.

March 10, 2022November 23, 2022

Square Payroll Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Square Payroll is an online payroll service specially designed for small businesses. It offers an easy way to manage employees’ paychecks along with seamless timecard imports, automated tax filings, and a range of other helpful features.

We’ve thoroughly researched the payroll processing software market on your part to bring you a comprehensive Square Payroll review. Keep scrolling to learn more about how Square’s online payroll service matches up with some of the best payroll software out there.

Our Verdict

Square Payroll

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Square Payroll is best for small businesses that hire hourly wage contractors only. Although it works for both salaried employees and contractors, there’s no base fee for the contractor-only plan. It offers many useful features including healthcare and retirement benefits syncing, seamless integrations with other tools, and a mobile app for on-the-go payments.

Square Payroll should work perfectly for you if you already use Square POS – it integrates nicely to make employee payments much easier. That said, this payroll software is not for large businesses. It doesn’t have the scalability and customization needed for large-scale operations.

Low pricing
Easy to use
Integrates with other tools

Basic HR functionality only
Slow customer support
Basic payroll reports

Square Payroll at a Glance

Square Payroll is a subsidiary of Square, a company offering a range of business management solutions from POS systems to payment processing solutions. It’s a US-based payroll software and works in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

You can access the online payroll service through its web portal and mobile app. If you’re a small- to medium-sized enterprise, you will probably find all the features you need to streamline employee payments with Square. The service is fairly easy to use with an intuitive user interface that you can get familiar with pretty quickly.

Square Payroll is one of the more reasonably priced software solutions. It has very competitive prices starting at just $35/month plus $5 per person paid for the Employees+Contractors plan. Whereas the Contractor-only plan only costs $5 per person paid without any base fee. Square offers relatively cheaper prices compared to alternatives.

Apart from other software solutions like Square, the service is integrated with a range of other management tools including QuickBooks, Beekeeper, TSheets, and Deputy. If you’re looking for an all-in-one payment processing software that runs payroll, calculates accurate taxes according to your location, and files them automatically, go for Square Payroll.

Who Should Use Square Payroll?

Square Payroll is a perfect match for small businesses, especially those that work with contractors only. If you already use Square Point of Sale, your search also ends here because you won’t find a better match than this. This vendor is not for you if you’re a large business and want to scale or customize the solution.

Pricing

Square offers only two pricing plans for its online payroll processing service: Pay Employees & Contractors plan starting at $40 per month and Pay Contractors only plan starting at $5 per month per person.

Price

$35 monthly subscription + $5/month/per person paid

$5/month/per person paid

Full-service payroll

Unlimited payroll runs

Automatic tax filing

End-of-year tax forms

W-2 and 1099-NEC

1099-NEC

Pay via check, direct deposit, and Square’s cash app

Direct deposit time

4 days

Square POS, QuickBooks Integrations

New hire reporting

Live support for account setup

Square has a straightforward and transparent pricing structure so it’s easy to ascertain what it will cost. Although it gets pricey as you pay more people, it gives you certainty with expenses.

Competitors like ADP and PayCor, don’t publish their pricing structures so can never tell what they’ll cost compared to other options, it’s also relatively affordable. Because Square doesn’t lock you into a contract, there’s no added cost if you need to cancel. Square also allows businesses to pause their subscription without a cost, which could be a good fit for seasonal businesses.

Square Payroll Features

Ease of Use

It’s easy to navigate to different tools when using Square Payroll. It has a simple design with all the tools you need easily accessible from the home page. Still, if you get stuck for some reason, the knowledge base is always there to help you get the job done.

After signing up, you have to enter your businesses’ details including tax information and bank account, among others. Next, you have to enter your employees’ or contractors’ details. This can be a daunting task but Square lets you send an invite to every worker so they can fill out tax and deposit details on their own.

Full-Service Payroll Processing

This payroll service aims to give you a one-stop solution to pay workers easily. It will take care of everything from processing payments, filing taxes, printing paychecks, to direct deposits. If you’re using Square POS, you can also import tips and commissions automatically.

Square Payroll makes your life easier as a business owner. All you have to do is import time cards from other tools or enter the hours clocked by each employee, choose a payment method and it’ll do the rest.

The vendor supports monthly, semi-monthly, weekly, and bi-weekly payment frequencies. Square is not the fastest service as your employees or contractors get paid four business days after the payroll is processed. For instance, if you run the payroll on a Friday, workers may have to wait until the next Thursday to get paid.

Automatic Tax Filing

This feature gives you accurate and timely-filed taxes and takes away yet another time-consuming task. The service takes all relevant data for every employee into account to calculate state and federal taxes, withhold them and send them to the right agency. It also handles quarterly and year-end tax forms like the W-2 and 1099-NEC.

Flexible Payment Options

Square Payroll lets you pay employees and contractors via direct deposits, checks, and the Square Cash App. Although direct deposits take four days to get processed and reach recipients, you can get them paid early if you and your employees use the vendor’s Cash app at no extra charge. Employees can also request an advance paycheck through the Cash app and receive up to 50% of their pay (maximum of $200).

Square POS, QuickBooks, and other Integrations

The integrations the online payroll service offers are one of the best features it’s got. Currently, it’s integrated with the following tools:

Square Point of Sale
Square for Retail
QuickBooks
TSheets
Homebase
Hubworks Hostel Management
Deputy
Beekeeper
TrackTime24

Benefits Management

square payroll review: benefits of square

The benefits management feature takes care of employees’ health insurance, retirement funds, pre-tax spending, and even workers’ compensation insurance. This means you don’t need an HR specialist on the team to manage employee benefits.

Square Payroll lets you choose the right benefits plans for your business, and once you’ve made that decision, you can invite employees to enroll on their own. It will handle everything moving forward including keeping records and deducting premiums from paychecks.

Square Payroll Mobile App

The Square Payroll Mobile app helps the vendor stand out among other services. It comes with both plans and offers almost the same features as the web version. You won’t be able to access the complete set of features but the mobile app is pretty useful for on-the-go payment processing.

The app is a great way for employees to stay updated with their payroll process. It lets employees clock in and out on timecards, file taxes, and view pay stubs.

Alternatives to Square Payroll

There are quite a few alternative options on the market if you think Square is not for you. But before you look for other services, please note that free payroll software won’t be able to offer you the same features as paid ones. That said, take a look at some of the best alternatives to Square:

Gusto – All-in-One HR Solution

Gusto is an HR and payroll service that works well for SMBs. It carries a comprehensive set of services including benefits management, HR, and compliance functions. It offers quicker payment processing than Square. Starting at $39 + $6/per person paid, it’ll cost you slightly higher than Square Payroll. Read the Gusto review to know more about its features and plans.

Rippling – Best for Mid-Sized Businesses

If you’re a mid-sized business, Rippling might be a good option for you. It offers a range of HR and payroll features to simplify your personnel management. It offers plenty of integrations too so you can sync it with other management services to streamline payments. Rippling has better reporting capabilities than Square, making it a great choice if you want to analyze salary trends. It has a quote-based pricing system but you can expect it to start at $8/month/per person paid.

Patriot – Best for Startups

If you’re looking for a payroll service for your startup and you want to get the best features while staying within your budget, Patriot might be the one for you. Patriot offers the most affordable plans on the market. Its Basic Payroll plan starts at $10/month + $4/per person paid. However, you won’t be able to access the automatic tax filing feature with this plan and would have to upgrade to the Full Service package.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Square Payroll Review

Does Square Payroll let you print checks?

Yes, Square Payroll lets you print checks. But it doesn’t let you print every check stock type. It works with DLT 104 only. To print a check, insert the blank check in the printer, run payroll, download it as a PDF, and then print it.

Does Square Payroll have good customer service?

It has a US-based customer support team that’s available from Monday to Friday (6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT). Customers can contact support via their number or email. There have often been reports of them taking too long to respond. There’s also a live chat feature to help users with account setup.

Does Square Payroll work outside the US?

Square is a US-based payroll software and works in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It will not work outside the US since the tax laws are different for every country. For now, it can only file federal and state taxes within the US.

Do I have to use Square POS to use Square Payroll?

No, you don’t. You can use Square Payroll as a stand-alone payroll software for your business. However, Square POS and other Square tools work perfectly with the payroll service which makes things much easier for you.

Bottom Line on Square Payroll Review

Square Payroll is best for small businesses. Go for it if you’re already using other services from Square. It has all the basic payment processing features an average small business needs. It should be on the top of your list especially if you hire contractors only. That said, its four-day waiting time, slow customer support, and lack of scalability and customization are its biggest drawbacks.

March 9, 2022November 23, 2022

What Is Payroll For Small Businesses?

Every business, regardless of size, needs to run payroll to pay employees and payroll taxes to the government. For small businesses, one of the biggest time sinks and expenses will be payroll, but you can get help. Read on to learn more about how to do payroll, why it’s important, and the resources available to help.

What Is Payroll?

Payroll is the organized process of calculating the wages owed to employees, calculating and paying payroll taxes, distributing employee wages, and documenting the whole process. As a result, explaining how to do payroll can be a complicated topic.

It’s important to understand both what is required of you, as the employer, as well as what your employees need to do. Keeping up to date on federal, state, and local income taxes and payroll laws are also vital for a healthy business.

Unfortunately, the only thing more complex than explaining the payroll process may be actually running payroll. In the inevitable moments of frustration, it may be natural to ask a common question.

Do I Need A Payroll?

A payroll is the organized method used to pay employees and deal with the associated responsibilities. If you don’t run payroll and use an organized process, all that’s left is a disorganized process. The penalties for an error in payroll taxes or employee paychecks are no joke. Small business owners, even those with only one employee, should certainly invest time in a consistent method for running payroll.

However, there are many options available for managing aspects of payroll for you. Rather than trying to manage it by-hand, payroll software is available for any budget, from free offerings to more complex options. Payroll services will manage the entire process for you.

Payroll Volatility and Small Business

The fewer employees a business has, the bigger an impact any firing or hiring will have on that business. Since small businesses, by definition, don’t have very many employees. As a result, changes in payroll are both more likely to occur and more likely to affect the business’s overall health. Rapid changes in payroll is known as payroll volatility.

Payroll volatility can be difficult to control, as it can be the result of employees leaving unexpectedly. As payroll is frequently a large part of a business’s overall finances, payroll volatility can have a significant impact on financial health. As a result, taking steps to cushion the effects of payroll volatility, such as arranging business financing, can be wise.

How To Do Payroll

Processing payroll is a multi-step process that has multiple requirements, many of which may vary depending on your location and type of business. As a result, there’s no simple answer to the question, “how to do payroll.” Luckily for small business owners, there are a number of ways to get help with processing payroll.

In general, business owners have two options when looking for help with payroll. If they want to keep more personal control, a business owner may prefer to investigate options for payroll and bookkeeping software. Otherwise, you can find a payroll service that will handle almost everything for you.

While you can do payroll by hand without any help, the number of requirements and the frequency with which they change means it can quite literally be a full-time job all on its own.

Payroll Software

The number of business tools available today is exploding. Whether you’re looking for bookkeeping software, help with customer relationship management, or just communicating with your team, there are long lists of options. When it comes to payroll, employers can find anything from basic, free software that aids just in calculations, to options packed with helpful features.

Some of the standard features include:

Tracking federal, state, and local requirements
Maintain employee information, ie. exempt vs. non-exempt, hours worked, OT hours, etc.
Calculating and paying payroll taxes
Guarantees regarding tax payments and calculations
Maintain required records
Required reporting of new hires
Options for distributing employee pay

Like many business tools, payroll software has been moving to cloud-based apps for easier access and handling of information. Additionally, at this point some payroll software options are essentially equivalent to complete payroll services.

Payroll Providers

When employers want to focus more on business operations, they may opt to hire a service to wholly handle payroll processing. Obviously, a service is frequently going to be more expensive than a software solution. For some employers, the extra cost may be worth it. Payroll services will provide all the advantages of software, plus more.

Those additional services may include things like employee advances on future pay and providing an employee self-service portal. Employers may also be able to access HR reports, handling wage garnishments, and even employee training materials. Using payroll cards or direct deposit may be options for pay.

Payroll Taxes

Payroll can be stressful for a variety of reasons, but payroll taxes probably are at the top of the list for many people. Imagine the anxiety of your yearly personal taxes, only multiplied by the number of employees you have, and required to be filed several times throughout the year. That is one reason payroll software and services are so popular.

As we’ve mentioned, payroll taxes will vary depending on a number of factors, such as your location and type of business. Some aspects will remain consistent, however, primarily regarding federal taxes.

Requirements

Anyone who has received a paycheck has some idea how payroll taxes work. Your gross pay is calculated, then income taxes, FICA deductions, garnishments, etc. are subtracted to calculate your net pay, the amount you’ll actually receive. The employer is responsible for figuring all those amounts and paying them to the government.

These payments can be made either monthly or semi-weekly. Payroll tax filings must be made on the quarterly tax filing deadlines. Those are:

April 30th
July 31th
October 31th
January 31th

There may be a grace period for some filings. Tax payments must be made in a timely fashion, however, to avoid penalties.

State and local governments largely follow the federal government’s lead, in terms of payment and filing deadlines. However, employers should certainly confirm their local requirements.

Penalties

If tax payments are late, the IRS charges a percentage of the late payment. The percentage increases the tardier a payment is:

1-5 calendar days – 2% of unpaid amount
6-15 calendar days – 5% of unpaid amount
Over 15 days – 10% of unpaid amount

After that point, the IRS will send you a notice requesting payment. The penalty increases to 15% of the unpaid amount 10 days later.

That’s not the end of penalties, however. The IRS charges interest on unpaid taxes at a rate that varies. As a result, even a small penalty can become significant fairly quickly. There are ways to avoid interest charges, such as applying for a payment plan.

What Is Payroll? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I Do Payroll Myself?

Employers can certainly handle payroll on their own. However, it’s probably wise to invest in a decent payroll software solution. Payroll mistakes can be costly and while payroll software is expensive, it’s probably a good investment in the long run.

What Are Payroll Taxes?

Payroll taxes are the amounts deducted from a person’s paycheck before they receive it. Examples include income taxes, medicare tax, unemployment taxes, and social security.

How Long Do You Need to Keep Payroll Records?

The IRS requires that you keep payroll records for four years, at least. However, that number can vary depending on the circumstances.

Bottom Line: What Is Payroll?

Processing payroll for the first few times can be understandably intimidating. However, it will soon become just another aspect of your business. It may be a chore, but one far outweighed by the excitement of running a business.

March 7, 2022November 23, 2022

Gusto Review: Solid Payroll Software Mixed With Time Management

Gusto is a payroll processing software, offering tools to expedite payment processing and tax filing. To rise above the competition, it provides features to make other areas of business management easier as well. This Gusto review uncovers the features that make this platform shine.

Our Verdict

Gusto

From $39

Visit

Built with small businesses in mind, Gusto has a slew of payroll tools that simplify or automate the entire process. In addition, its higher tiers throw in HR services to help you and your employees make the most of time management.

Built-in time tracking
Unlimited payroll runs
Auto process and submit payroll taxes

HR assistance locked behind the most expensive tier
Customer service is slow
Costlier than other options

Gusto at a Glance

Gusto packs a lot into each of its packages, going well beyond what a typical payroll processing app can do. At its core, Gusto offers unlimited payroll runs and automated payroll processing for fixed hourly and salaried workers.

If you are slow to get payments processed in any given week, Gusto might be a good pick for you – it can have funds in your employees’ bank accounts in just 24 hours. Above that, the software calculates and processes tax filing without you needing to lift a finger.

Gusto really stands out through additional tools such as time tracking and access to HR professionals that can help with the tough questions. Starting at $39 per month, Gusto isn’t as cheap as some other payroll processing software, but you get what you pay for.

Who Gusto is Best For

The payroll processing software gets along best with smaller businesses that can make the most of having an abundance of features in one package. Gusto can run payroll in any state and even seamlessly crunches the numbers for small businesses spread across multiple states.

Pricing

Gusto features three price points to connect with your business. The Core tier costs $39 per month, with an additional $6 per payee. The Complete plan has the same base rate of $39, but each employee is $12 per month. Finally, the Concierge package will set you back $149 per month, but staff are still just an additional $12 each.

Price

$39/month

$6 per month per person

$39/month

$12 per month per person

$149/month

$12 per month per person

Unlimited payrolls

Automated payroll processing

Auto-file payroll taxes

Next-day direct deposit

Time tracking

HR resource center

Gusto Features

Gusto’s features extend beyond typical payroll processing tools to include HR services as well. You can get quick direct deposits for employees, automated payroll processing, and an HR resource center, which can connect you with an actual HR professional.

Unlimited Payrolls

When it comes to doing payroll, sometimes once just isn’t enough. Last minute changes or addendums can be an issue if your software service decides to charge you every time you need to run the numbers. With Gusto, you can do your payroll as many times as you need to and not worry about incurring additional costs.

Automated Payroll Processing

Gusto has the ability to run payroll automatically on the day of your choice. The software can accommodate salaried employees or hourly staff with fixed hours where payment is the same each time. You’ll receive a notification a day before Gusto does its processing, so you can make any last-minute changes before it’s too late.

Auto-file Payroll Taxes

Managing and submitting payroll taxes for each employee can be a job in itself, and any issues with the numbers can lead to more headaches down the road. Luckily, Gusto can calculate and file these for you.

The software can handle filings for local, state, and federal governments each time payroll is completed. To sweeten the pot further, Gusto makes this service available at even their lowest price tier.

Next-day Direct Deposit

Even if you’re a little late to work through payroll for the week, Gusto has your back. With its Complete and Concierge plans, you can direct deposit funds into employees’ accounts the very next day. If you’ve chosen to go with the Core plan, you still have the option to direct deposit two or four days after payroll is processed.

Time Tracking

When dealing with hourly staff, it’s imperative to know hours worked so you can pay them the correct amount. Gusto has a built-in time tracker through the website or mobile app to keep everything in-house. At a glance, you can add hours worked for each employee into payroll without getting lost in a sea of programs. Read how to do payroll for contractors and freelancers.

You can also use Gusto to track sick days and PTO and run reports off the data. Team members can also see this information and make time-off requests right from their Gusto login. Note that this feature is missing from the Core package.

HR Resource Center

Gusto’s Concierge service goes a step further with a comprehensive HR resource center. Within this portal, you have unlimited access to a team of human resource professionals who can guide you through issues you may face while on the job. Furthermore, this resource center allows you to build a custom employee handbook, job descriptions, and guides and policies for your company. Read on the different payroll laws here.

Alternatives to Gusto

While Gusto has a lot to offer, it may not be for everyone. Business managers with other time management software are effectively double-dipping with Gusto’s extra features. All these tools do come at a higher price than other options out there. Here are some alternatives to Gusto worth checking out:

SurePayroll

SurePayroll matches Gusto blow for blow with payroll processing at its $29.99 per month tier. At $5 per employee, it is cheaper than Gusto in that regard. SurePayroll’s services are more affordable because it lacks the time tracking tools that Gusto brings to the table. If you already have time tracking covered elsewhere, SurePayroll may be a good option for your small business instead. Read the SurePayroll review if you’re interested in this tool or the SurePayroll vs Gusto review.

Wave

Wave’s unique pricing structure is based on its limited ability to run automated payroll. The software can only do so in 14 states and charges a $35 base fee for use in those states. Other states are only $20 per month, but both charge $6 per employee.

What makes Wave stand out for small businesses is its free accounting and invoicing software. Without setup fees or hidden charges, these tools are made available at any time. If you’re interested in this tool, read the Wave Payroll review.

Onpay

Onpay doesn’t charge for setup or the first month of use, and its base fee of $35 is lower than Gusto. With only one tier of service, you’re not able to pick from a list of packages for the one with the features you need.

The payroll processing software does scale well with small businesses, adding just $4 for each new user. Onpay includes automatic payroll, unlimited pay runs, and free tax document processing just like Gusto does. It doesn’t have any built-in time tracking but does come with some basic HR tools. Read the OnPay review to learn more about this payroll software.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Gusto Review

Does Gusto Do Direct Deposit?

Gusto can direct deposit funds into bank accounts or prepaid debit cards. Depending on which subscription tier you choose, payments can go out in as little as 24 hours.

Does Gusto Integrate With QuickBooks?

Gusto integrates with several different applications, including QuickBooks. Once a link is established, you can use QuickBooks to sync up wages and taxes between the two.

Does Gusto Provide HR Services?

At its higher tiers, Gusto provides HR services such as time tracking, PTO and sick day tracking, and the ability for employees to submit time-off requests. Its Concierge package gives unlimited access to a team of HR professionals who can help with documentation and questions.

Bottom Line on Gusto Review

Gusto doesn’t stop at payroll software, adding more features small businesses can use. A project management software with built-in time tracker and HR tools eliminate confusion about hours and processes so you can dedicate more time to getting things done. The service includes the staples of auto payroll and fast deposits while keeping costs to a modest amount.

March 3, 2022November 23, 2022

The 8 Best Restaurant Payroll Software Options in 2023

Person looking at a payroll software on a tab device

One of the biggest expenses for any restaurant is payroll. Modern payroll software platforms for restaurants include features that do the math for you, file your taxes, manage benefits, and even help with hiring new workers. Check out our list and see which of the best restaurant payroll software can help you save money in 2023.

8 Best Restaurant Payroll Software – Quick View

Best Overall – OnPay
Best Full-Service Platform – Gusto
Best for Small Businesses – Paychex
Best for Worry-Free Taxes – Quickbooks Payroll
Easiest To Use – Square Payroll
Best for Large Businesses – ADP Run
Best Option for HR – Paycor
Best Value – Wave Payroll

OnPay

$36/month + $4/employee

E-file and pay

Custom reports, export reports to PDF, spreadsheet, or accounting software

All options included in plan

Library of support docs, plus business-hours phone, chat, and email support

Gusto

Core – $39/month + $6/employee per month

Complete – $39/month + $12/employee per month

E-file and pay

Custom reports, Workforce cost totals, Anonymous feedback surveys

Next-day direct deposit, paycards, and Gusto Cashout

Guides, tutorials, and phone support

Paychex

Paychex Flex Essentials – $39/month + $5 per employee.

Inquire for other plans

Pro and above can calculate, file, and pay taxes

Standard payroll analytics

Direct deposit

Phone support

Quickbooks payroll

Core – $45/mo + $4/employee

(Discounts often available)

E-file and pay

Some reports

Direct deposit and checks

Phone, chat, docs

Square payroll

Employees and Contractors – $35/month + $5/employee
Contractors only – $5/employee per month

E-file and pay

Basic reports

All options

Live support + docs

ADP Run

Starts at $59/month + $4 per employee

E-file and pay

Create your own reports

Paycards extra

Support docs

Paycor

Basic – $99/month + $5/employee

E-file and pay

Create your own reports

Direct deposits and paycards

Phone, chat, docs

Wave payroll

$20/month + $6/employee or contractor

Some states E-file and pay

Basic reports

Direct deposit and check

Chat and docs

Quick Verdict

Best Overall – OnPay. The service offers a straightforward price plan and a complete slate of features. It does that while also offering great customer service. It’s a hard combo to beat, making it the best payroll software for restaurants.

The 8 Best Payroll Software for Restaurants

Let’s take a look at some of the best restaurant payroll software options out there.

OnPay

From $36/month

★★★★★

4.6

Visit

OnPay provides both HR and payroll software for a single rate, one of several payroll providers who do so. On offer are a standard slate of features, like unlimited pay runs, services to manage payroll taxes, and direct deposits.

Reporting tools are also available, as is the ability to export payroll data. Additionally, OnPay has several tools aimed specifically at restaurateurs such as minimum wage tip makeup and overtime calculations.

Accurate tip calculations, even with OT.
Free help setting up integrations and migrating.
HR and business management tools included.

Short list of integrations.

Gusto

$6 to $149

★★★★★

3.8

Visit

Gusto isn’t solely a piece of restaurant payroll software, but it does offer many helpful payroll features, such as automatic payroll tax calculations. Support for all 50 states is offered, as well as multi-state payroll processing. Also, even the most basic service level comes with unlimited pay runs.

With Gusto, you’ll also get a number of other useful features. It can help you manage your employees’ benefits, as well helping you hire new employees. Gusto can also help you distribute and evaluate satisfaction surveys. If you’re interested in Gusto, see our review on Gusto for more information on its features and pricing.

Unlimited payroll runs.
Overtime alerts.
Slate of tools for easy hiring.

More expensive option.

Paychex

$39

★★★★★

2.4

Visit

Paychex offers a wide range of subscription levels, with specific features added at an individual cost. Features that come at an additional cost include tax management tools, wage garnishment services, and state unemployment insurance. Some features, like paycards for your employees, can be added without additional cost.

Unlike some other options, Paychex doesn’t come with tools for time tracking and benefits. However, it does integrate with apps that can help. Additionally, you can find help at physical locations around the United States.

Find help nationwide at brick-and-mortar locations.
Run payroll from the mobile app.
Find tax credits for a percentage of return.

Lots of features have additional fees.

Quickbooks payroll

$45 to $125

★★★★★

3.2

Visit

Intuit has been around for decades and many people are familiar with its accounting or tax software platforms. Quickbook is not specifically restaurant payroll software, but it does provide many useful features, like automated payroll processing, tax management, and a guaranteed accurate payroll.

Part of a wider suite of accounting tools.
Expert-assisted setup available.
Lots of nice features included with Core package.

Some features reserved for other Quickbook products.

Square Payroll

From $35

★★★★★

4.0

Visit

Square payroll offers a standard menu, including things like payroll tax payments, and the ability to manage benefits. The software also helps restaurant owners, in particular, address a common headache: there are several options for common tip-splitting arrangements.

There’s really only one tier of service, so everyone gets the same access to Square’s customer support team. Square offers other products for accounting, reporting, and a variety of other functions, but these aren’t included in their payroll software. Read our Square payroll review for an in-depth analysis of this software.

Single, low fee for all features.
Live support for account setup.
Several options for tip-splitting.

Some features saved for other Square products.

ADP Run

From $59

★★★★★

3.3

Visit

ADP may be familiar to restaurant owners, as well as other business people, as a well-known provider of financial tech. They offer a slate of payroll features, with a menu of add-ons that can be matched to your specific budget. For example, time tracking isn’t included with the basic payroll software, but is available with the Workforce Management add-on.

ADP Run is not specifically restaurant payroll software, but it may work well for larger businesses. In particular, the web-based payroll service means it’s easy to run payroll for multiple locations.

Tax filing error detection and alerts.
Tailored plan and price.
Automated reporting of new hires.

Pricing is not transparent.

Paycor

$99 to $199

★★★★★

3.4

Visit

Paycor offers bundles of business software, not just payroll software. As a result, it offers a lot more than just payroll management, potentially including help with onboarding, a range of analytics options, and other HR functions.

It does offer a lot of payroll tools, too. The software will help with payroll taxes, garnishments, and provides an employee self-service portal. It can also provide things like a FICA credit tip report, to help you find tax savings.

30+ years serving restaurants.
Employee self-service portal
In-app prompts for regulatory support.

Expensive option.

Wave Payroll

$20 to $35

★★★★★

2.6

Visit

Wave payroll software offers many of the same features other options do, though in some ways it’s a bare-bones payroll solution. It does offer full-service payroll in some states, including tax calculations and filing. In most of the US, however, you’ll have to file for yourself, though the service has a correspondingly lower price.

Wave doesn’t have some fancier features, like running a FICA tip credit report to look for additional savings or the ability to pay employee wages using a card. However, overall you get everything you need at an affordable price. Read the Wave payroll review for more information.

Less expensive option.
Pairs with free invoicing and accounting software.
Employee self-service portal.

No auto-filing taxes in most states.

Choosing the Best Restaurant Payroll Software

The restaurant industry is always demanding, but the last few years have been particularly tough. A robust payroll software system can help you pay employees, of course, but the best restaurant payroll software can do a lot more.

A full-service payroll solution will calculate and fill all your payroll-related taxes for you, for example, saving time and money. The software can also help you manage employee benefits, hiring, and even help you find tax credits and other savings.

Managing Payroll Taxes

One of the most important functions restaurant payroll software fulfills is payroll tax calculation and management. Tax filings are complex and payroll software can help sort through them, as well as automatic, electronic tax payments, which can free up a manager’s time.

‘Full-service’ tax services usually include automated payroll tax filing of tax forms for both state and federal taxes. Some options will also take care of new hire reporting for you, as well as calculating taxes owed on credit card tips, or ways to free up money like FICA tip credit reporting.

Time Tracking

There are a few options that offer everything, including restaurant payroll software, time tracking, employee scheduling, and more. It may be more common for a payroll system to integrate with other apps. One thing to note is that an online payroll service may help you store employee hours and payroll records.

Benefits Management

Restaurant payroll is more likely to include a need to manage employee benefits than in the past, so it can be wise to find software that includes tools to help. Many options will include health benefits administration as an optional add-on, though you can find it included in the base price of some platforms.

Hiring and Onboarding

Many options for payroll software also include HR software. Some software may fulfill a few HR functions, like notifying government agencies of new hires. Others also include tools for training new employees, as well as advertising and hiring new talent.

Read: Best applicant tracking systems for small businesses

Payment Management

Obviously, the most important task of the restaurant payroll system is payroll management, making sure everyone gets the money they earned, with the correct deductions. Employee payroll has multiple aspects, from getting employees’ actual pay to them, to managing child support wage garnishments and other special situations.

There are a number of features that are more or less standard, such as a direct deposit into a bank account. Customizable payroll plans include multiple pay rates, a selectable pay period, and even the ability to run mobile payroll. Most options will also offer minimum wage alerts, to notify you if an employee drops under minimum wage requirements, particularly useful for restaurants.

Other options that are available, but not standard, include things like an employee self-service portal, where employees can fill out paperwork, see online pay stubs, and more.

Analytics and Reporting

There are many reporting tools that can be considered part of payroll management to help you reduce costs or identify payroll problems. Most restaurant payroll software includes some basic reporting options, or the opportunity to build your own reports. The best payroll system for your business will include all the analytics reporting options you need to be a success.

Read: How to conduct a payroll audit

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Best Restaurant Payroll Software

How Do Restaurants Do Payroll?

Restaurant payroll software has to be fairly sophisticated in some ways, mostly because of the complexity of paying servers in the US. Tipping is considered income, of course, so it has to be taxed. Additionally, it can also count toward a worker’s minimum wage requirements. Tipped employees can be paid less than the minimum wage, as long as the difference is made up by the tips they make.

As a result, the best payroll software for restaurants includes things like alerts about minimum wage earnings, or help finding tax credits, like with FICA tip credit reports.

What Types of Software Are Used in Restaurants?

Many different types of software may be used in a restaurant. There is the point-of-sale system used for placing orders and taking payments. As we’ve seen, there can be a range of different types of payroll software, as well programs helping with tax management, time tracking, or accounting software. Most restaurants are small businesses, so everything has to be handled in-house.

What Is the Most Popular Payroll Software?

There are a wide range of options and it’s hard to say which is the most popular or best restaurant payroll software. Some are better options for small business owners, while others cater to franchises. Also, not all payroll software is suitable for restaurants. Even the best free payroll software may not have all the necessary features

What Percentage Should Payroll Be in a Restaurant?

The cost of labor in a restaurant can vary widely, with payroll usually making up 25% to 40% of revenue. Your payroll system may be able to help you save some money, but if you’re not sure how to do payroll, find an accountant to help.

Conclusion: Best Restaurant Payroll Software

Every moment you spend in the back running payroll is time you’re not on the floor making sure things are running smoothly. Find the right restaurant payroll software for your needs so you can spend more time putting out fires and less time doing paperwork.

March 1, 2022November 23, 2022

SurePayroll Review: Great for Small Businesses and In-Home Help

SurePayroll is a payment processing app designed to take the stress and guesswork out of paying your employees. This SurePayroll review takes a look at the software’s top features and what makes it worth considering for your small business.

Our Verdict

SurePayroll

From $19.9

Visit

Designed for small to medium businesses, SurePayroll features the ability to auto-process payroll while dealing with the nuances of tax forms and state government submissions.

One of its most notable features is an entire service dedicated to payroll for in-home care. SurePayroll easily navigates all the pitfalls of payroll processing for these employees that often amount to penalties and headaches.

Unlimited payroll runs
2-month free trial
Can process and submit taxes

Struggles with employees who switch between hourly and salaried pay
App can be challenging to navigate
Long customer service hold times

SurePayroll at a Glance

Screenshot of SurePayroll website homepage

SurePayroll stands tall as one of the best payroll options for small businesses currently available. The product has three different tiers of service starting at $19.99 per month and working their way up to $49.99 monthly at the highest level.

All plans offer the option to perform payroll automatically, and payroll can be run an unlimited number of times per day without additional cost. The Full Service plan goes so far as to calculate and submit all payroll taxes alongside a guarantee that they will be filed correctly. Higher tier plans drop money into employees’ accounts two days after submission for prompt payment.

The payroll system has a feature tier specific to in-home care, such as nannies. This particular package contains all the payroll and tax info you need to avoid penalties and fees.

Screenshot of SurePayroll Nanny Payroll services page

SurePayroll extends its service to offer worker’s comp, 401(k) plans, health insurance, and pre-employment screening, though HR services aren’t included in any plan. Having these options available keeps everything under one roof while also meaning you don’t have to search around for them on your own.

Who SurePayroll is Best For

SurePayroll’s line of services are all set up specifically with small and medium businesses in mind. Pricing is reasonable at the onset but grows quickly for organizations with a large number of employees. Should you need to keep track of payroll for a household helper, SurePayroll has a feature set just for that.

Pricing

SurePayroll has three tiers of service to choose from, depending on your needs. The No Tax Filing plan costs $19.99 per month, plus $4 for each employee in your organization. The Full Service plan starts at $29.99 monthly but charges $5 per team member. Finally, the Household Payroll plan runs $49.99, including one employee. Additional employees will set you back $10 a month for each.

Price

$19.99/month + $4 per employee

$29.99/month + $5 per employee

$49.99/month (includes one employee)

$10 per additional employee

Free two-day direct deposit

File and deposit taxes

Unlimited payroll runs

Auto payroll

New hire reporting

PTO/sick time tracking

SurePayroll Features

SurePayroll’s suite of payroll handling tools center around making the process as simple as possible. It includes two-day direct deposit, which is faster than some big names in payroll that may take up to four days to deposit funds. The company also offers paid time off (PTO) and sick day time tracking without you having to integrate an app.

Free Two-Day Direct Deposit

SurePayroll provides the means to pay your employees through printed checks or via direct deposit. There’s no additional charge for either one outside of the costs you’ll incur for paper and ink for a printed option.

When it comes to direct depositing, SurePayroll lets you know once you’ve completed payroll when employees can expect the funds to reach their bank accounts. If you’ve signed up for the Full Service or Household Payroll plan, SurePayroll promises a two-day turnaround.

File and Deposit Taxes

Screenshot of Payroll processing, tax calculation on SurePayroll

Even with a small business, calculating and submitting payroll taxes and filings is quite the chore. In the Full Service and Household Payroll plans, SurePayroll will crunch the numbers and send everything off for you error-free.

Read: How to Avoid Common Payroll Mistakes

Even if you opt for the No Tax Filing plan, SurePayroll still runs calculations for you when it generates payroll information. That being said, it’s up to you to submit the paperwork and applicable fees on your own.

Unlimited Payroll Runs

Whenever the need arises, SurePayroll allows you to run an unlimited number of payrolls on any day at any time. Whether you need to add, change, or remove information, you can do it for no additional cost. Best of all, this feature is available at any price tier.

Auto Payroll

With Auto Payroll, you can set up a repeating day of the week and time that SurePayroll will run the numbers for you. The software will send you a reminder before payroll processing begins, giving you time to input salary numbers or hours worked for each employee. You can even have SurePayroll add in these values automatically if you’re sure they won’t change from week to week.

When the aforementioned day and time arrive, SurePayroll will run the payroll and prepare checks or send out direct deposits as instructed. The platform will inform you once the process is complete.

New Hire Reporting

Depending on your state, you only have so many days to report a new employee to the state government. SurePayroll can take the information for new staff entered into its payroll system and send the necessary details to the powers that be so you don’t have to.

PTO/Sick Time Tracking

Although only available in the Household Payroll plan, SurePayroll is able to keep tabs on days employees miss and track vacation days they can use this year. Since the Household Payroll plan is designed for nannies and other in-home services, you won’t be caught completely off guard by time-off requests.

Alternatives to SurePayroll

SurePayroll has several features at its disposal, but struggles with a difficult-to-manage app and lackluster customer service. While good at what it does, the software doesn’t offer much outside of payroll. If you’re looking for something a little different, here are some alternatives to SurePayroll that are also worth considering:

Gusto

Gusto is a modern payroll platform in the same vein as SurePayroll. Similar to SurePayroll, Gusto can auto-process payroll and run the numbers as many times as needed. Although comparable on payroll, Gusto adds time management and employee benefits to its package that SurePayroll does not have. If you’re interested in both software, see the Gusto vs SurePayroll review.

Still built for small to medium-sized businesses, Gusto does cost more because of its enhanced feature set. Plans start at $39 per month but can reach as high as $149. Read the Gusto review to learn more about it.

Wave

Wave has payroll with direct depositing and automation options alongside timesheets for either $20 or $35 per month, depending on the state your business is located in. What makes Wave stand out is the free accounting and invoicing software that you can use at any time.

Following the same trend as SurePayroll, Wave is best for smaller businesses without a massive number of employees to process payroll for. Wave is limited to automatic filing in only 14 states. Read the Wave payroll review if you’re interested in this software.

Payroll4Free

Payroll4Free boasts that its basic payroll software is entirely free for any business with fewer than 25 employees. These features include payroll processing, tax calculations, and reporting. Tools are more rudimentary than what SurePayroll offers, but the price is right.

If you want the software to process taxes and run direct deposits for you, this will cost $30 per month.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for SurePayroll Review

Should I Outsource Payroll?

Outsourcing payroll to a software service can save time and money in the long run. This allows you to use that time on areas of your business where it will be better spent.

What is the Average Payroll Cost Per Employee?

Finding the right payroll processing software can keep costs down to an absolute minimum for small businesses. The average platform costs $30 per month plus roughly $6 per employee. Even with five individuals on staff, you’re only looking at $12 per person per month.

Can I Do My Own Payroll for My Small Business?

There’s certainly nothing stopping you from doing your own payroll in your small business, but this may not be the most efficient use of your time. Processing payroll and the taxes that come with it is a timely process that could be used elsewhere.

Bottom Line on SurePayroll Review

SurePayroll is a stellar tool for small to medium businesses, offering the capability to automate payroll and tax submissions so you don’t have to. In addition, you can run an unlimited number of reports and pay your employees within a few days of payroll submission. Best of all, it is a very affordable solution even for new ventures just getting their feet off the ground.

February 9, 2022November 23, 2022

Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

Hiring can be a time-consuming process that costs a lot of money and distracts your team from the goal of your business. The right applicant tracking system (ATS) can save time and generate better results from the candidate pool while streamlining the recruiting process. This helps you find the right candidates faster and your team can stay focused on the right tasks. In this article, we look at the best applicant tracking systems for small businesses.

Best ATS Overview

Best Overall – Pinpoint
Best Access to Job Boards – iCIMS Recruit
Best for Candidate Tracking – Greenhouse
Best for Social Media Interaction – Manatal
Best for Staffing Agencies – Zoho Recruit
Best for Automated Tools – SmartRecruiter

PinPoint

$600 per month or $1200 per month

Can advertise on 1,450 job sites

Communications, video interviews, talent pools, candidate scorecards

Personalized workflows to engage employees from day one

Analytics dashboard, custom report builder

iCIMS Recruit

From $1,700 per month

iCIMS career sites and platform

Text engagement, video interview scheduling

Automated processes to maximize engagement

Robust recruitment marketing reporting and source analytics

Greenhouse

Must contact sales for pricing information

Access to job postings from over 1,000 boards with candidate recommendations

Collaborate with hiring managers; scorecards and plans to track candidate skills

Automated task execution, personalized welcome experience

Analyze and share 30+ core reports

Manatal

$15 to $35 per user per month, with custom options available

Thousands of free or premium channels, LinkedIn and social media extensions

Easy to use candidate pipeline

In-app training and interactive onboarding

Customizable dashboard, complete analytics suite

Zoho Recruit

Free to $75 per user per month

Career portal, premium boards, job posting on Facebook and Google

Client portal with assessments and interview options

Candidate and employee flows for onboarding

Multiple levels of reporting

SmartRecruiter

Depends on your customized bundle and the number of employees

Manage all job post contracts in one location

Standardized interview evaluation criteria and processes

Custom fields and automatic data transfer

Reports based on interviews, positions, applications, and more

Quick Verdict

Best Overall – Pinpoint. Pinpoint brings together the best of every aspect of recruiting together in one package. Its access to job sites, applicant screening, and customizable onboarding are second to none. Best of all, its features are available for one flat rate.

The 6 Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses in 2023

Here are the six best options available for tracking and hiring applicants:

Pinpoint

$600 to $1200

★★★★★

4.2

Visit

Pinpoint’s applicant tracking software brings several features to your hiring process for a flat monthly fee. You can get started with Pinpoint for $600 per month or gain access to all its features for $1,200 monthly. In either case, you can post job openings on as many of the 1,450 popular job boards that Pinpoint works with all from within the recruiting software itself. The ATS provides candidate profiles and scorecards to rate job applicants. During the recruitment process, you and your hiring team can communicate directly in Pinpoint.

Once you’ve identified promising candidates from the talent pool, you or your HR managers can schedule interviews and generate offers from within Pinpoint. The software creates employee engagement from day one with a customizable built-in onboarding process. While in the recruiting process, you’ll have access to Pinpoint’s powerful analytics dashboard to view candidate information. A custom report builder helps pull insights from your hiring processes and glean insights for next time.

Unlimited active jobs.
Fixed monthly fees.
Customizable reporting.
Good customer service.

Can be pricey for smaller businesses.

iCIMS Recruit

From $1700

★★★★★

3.9

Visit

iCIMS Recruit’s applicant tracking systems work to connect you with qualified candidates as quickly as possible. The platform is built around cloud-based recruiting software, making everything easily accessible no matter where you are. A user-friendly mobile app lets you and top talent communicate with the push of a button.

The talent cloud is the place for job seekers and hiring managers alike to track the recruitment process through every step of the journey. You or your HR professionals can conduct video interviews, track applicants, and manage offers from the cloud.

Although there are features aplenty, iCIMS Recruit comes with a hefty price tag. Pricing information on their site is far from transparent, but their talent management solutions will likely set you back upwards of $1,700 per month.

There are also several impressive reporting tools to help analyze your recruiting efforts. Hiring managers can view candidate data at a glance across iCIMS’ multiple job boards and identify the best people for your needs.

Unique software for career portal.
Automated employee onboarding.
Cloud-based software.
Stellar mobile app.

Cost-prohibitive for smaller businesses.

Greenhouse

Must contact sales

★★★★★

3.4

Visit

Greenhouse is an ATS solution that proves strong in candidate management through diverse talent acquisition tools. Unfortunately, the ATS software hides its pricing information from view, theoretically offering custom plans depending on company size and feature set.

This modern applicant tracking system uses the power of technology through a mobile app and automated candidate sourcing. Greenhouse optimizes the talent acquisition process by recommending job applications based on your history.

Also within Greenhouse are several candidate relationship management tools to track qualified candidates every step of the way. Hiring teams can communicate right within the ATS software to keep everyone informed in one fell swoop.

Human resources teams or recruitment agencies have over 30 different core reports to view performance management metrics at a glance. There are abundant integration capabilities across all areas to plug into as needed.

Mobile app.
Several reporting features.
Job advertising on over 1,000 external job boards.
Automated hiring tasks.

Opaque pricing.
Clunky user interface.

Manatal

$15 to $35

★★★★★

4.1

Visit

At prices as low as $15 per user from your company per month, Manatal offers the next best thing to free software. You’re limited in your job posting to just 15 per account unless you upgrade to the $35 plan where you can go unlimited.

One of Manatal’s strongest features is the extension that lets you tie its applicant tracking software to social media like LinkedIn or Facebook. With thousands of other job posting channels available, these are just the tip of the iceberg.

The ATS software can pull in data from resumes to create candidates in your system. Manatal has several applicant tracking tools, including a candidate pipeline that recruiting teams can use to list these applicants in various buckets to keep things organized.

Similarly, you can run various reports within Manatal to understand your performance management during the recruiting process. Manatal also lets you see candidate reports for optimal talent acquisition and even where your money is going during the process.

Can list jobs on social media platforms.
Budget-friendly price points.
Candidate pipeline to track prospects.
Tight security features.

Customer service can be slow to help.

Zoho Recruit

Free to $75

★★★★★

3.9

Visit

Zoho Recruit was created with corporate HRs and staffing agencies in mind. The applicant tracking software shows off powerful sourcing channels alongside automated resume extraction tools to manage candidates across a multitude of positions.

Among other benefits, these tools will automatically scan resumes for key skills or experience and weed out applicants that don’t have the experience you’re looking for. Such features can really expedite the hiring process, especially when you’re looking across several jobs at any given time.

Prices are set to a monthly fee per recruiter and can range anywhere from $25 to $75 per month, depending on your desired feature set. Zoho does offer a free applicant tracking system that’s limited to one job posting at a time.

The client portal is the best place to view qualified candidates at a glance and offer assessments. You can plan and schedule interviews with individuals that stand out the most from the portal.

The ATS software has multiple layers of reporting tools and dashboards, but many of these only become available at the $50 price point or higher.

Automated resume screening.
Several job sites, including Facebook and Google.
Free plan available.
Employee referrals.

Few options for job advertisement.
Limited customer support.

SmartRecruiter

No fixed fee

★★★★★

3.3

Visit

SmartRecruiter offers a one-stop-shop for advertising through a central vendor management system. You can track your postings across the big names in job hunting from one convenient location within the software.

You and your hiring managers can standardize things like the interview evaluation process to save time and peruse common results. You can run reports based on applications or interviews, but this tool has some limitations.

When it comes to pricing, SmartRecruiter gets a little hazy. There’s not so much as a hint of what plan options may be, and only filling out a form with the features you’re interested in will get you a quote.

SmartRecruiter shines with automation and is designed to make the hiring process as easy as possible. You can make use of chatbots, automatic resume screening, or recommendations based on artificial intelligence.

Recruitment chatbot.
Dashboard for managing applications.
Automatically screen resumes.
Centralized viewing of posted jobs.

Vague pricing model.
Limited reporting features.

How To Choose an Applicant Tracking System for a Small Business

It’s helpful to do an applicant tracking system comparison to uncover the ideal platform for your business. The right applicant tracking software is going to incorporate the best mix of the following:

Features.
Corroboration.
Career site.
Analytics and reporting.
Think long term.

Features

Having the right tools for the job can go a long way towards making the recruitment process a snap. Applicant tracking systems manage candidate tracking and onboarding areas so you don’t have to.

Corroboration

This may not be important if you are the only person on your hiring team, but corroboration is paramount for companies with an HR staff. The best recruitment software provides the means to talk with your team right from the interface, keeping information in one place and not lost in a series of emails.

Career Site

If you’re using an ATS for posting jobs, make sure it allows you to list on the top free and premium boards out there. Some platforms will let you build and customize your own career portal to appeal to applicants and walk them through the onboarding process.

Analytics and Reporting

The best applicant tracking systems come with analytic and reporting tools to offer additional insights into potentially exceptional applicants. These tools can also provide the means to look into your own hiring process to see what you’re doing well and which areas need improvement.

Think Long Term

Pick software that will benefit you both now and in the future. As your business grows, you want your ATS software to expand with you as you post more jobs and increase the size of your hiring team.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Applicant Tracking Systems

What is the most popular applicant tracking system?

Many applicant tracking systems have standout features, but Pinpoint does the best at bringing all of these together. It has access to thousands of job sites and the tools you need to bring in the best candidates. In addition, there’s one monthly fee no matter how large or small your team becomes in the future.

How do I choose an applicant tracking system?

Consider features, corroboration, career sites, and analytics and reporting when choosing an applicant tracking system that works best for you. Start with the features you can’t live without and go from there. Many platforms allow customized plans depending on what you need and what you can live without.

Do small businesses use an ATS?

Even a single hiring manager can benefit from the reach that an ATS provides. You can access thousands of job sites from one location and automate searches and onboarding processes that free you up to spend time on interviews or other areas that need attention.

Conclusion: Top Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant tracking software provides a way to automate a lot of redundant job hiring tasks and makes it easier to focus on the more human side of things. These platforms also allow quick access to thousands of sites and the means to screen candidates faster and more completely than ever before.

Whether you have a team or are a one-person show, we feel that Pinpoint is the best applicant tracking system for the features it adds to your repertoire. If this platform doesn’t fit into your business model, we’re confident one of the others on this list will.

February 4, 2022November 23, 2022

Best Free Payroll Software for Small Businesses 2023

Every business that needs to hire employees will need to process payroll. With all of the complexities that payroll can bring, and the rules varying by state, it’s important to either have a firm that can process payroll for you or the right software to guide you through the process. A mistake can be costly, but not everyone can afford a good payroll solution. We’ve analyzed the best free payroll options to make the choice easier for you.

Quick View

Best Overall – Payroll4Free
Best Scaleable Payroll Software – TimeTrex
Best for Global Businesses – HR.my
Best Payroll Calculator – eSmart Paycheck
Best for Microsoft Office Users – ExcelPayroll
Best for Tax Calculations – Paycheck Manager

Payroll4Free

Direct deposit, paper checks, or a combination of each

Can calculate and track vacation hours, PTO, and sick days

Can run detailed reports on earnings, tax, benefit, accrued time, and more

Tax calculation, filled out tax forms

2048 bit SSL encryption alongside Amazon Cloud to store data

TimeTrex

Direct deposit, paper checks, or a combination of each

Tracks in real-time, can add vacation or sick days

Real-time timesheets

Can generate a variety of tax forms, including international

Cloud-based system with robust built-in security features

HR.my

Automates payroll processing

Track overtime, undertime, tardiness, daily attendance, time off

Monthly attendance reports with filtering

None available

Encrypted with SSL (TLS) protocol and secured with daily off-site export

eSmart Paycheck

Can print pay stubs or paychecks

Information must be added manually

None with free payroll service

Performs tax deductions

No information is saved

ExcelPayroll

Can print checks

Everything must be entered manually

Can run reports from Excel

Can print tax forms

Limited to the security of your device

Paycheck Manager

None available

Will calculate tax compliance

No information is saved

Quick Verdict

Payroll4Free gives free access to more tools than any other payroll software out there. The ability to track employee time and hours away from work is second to none. Payroll4Free makes your life easier by offering options for paper checks or direct deposit and will even do tax calculations for you. However, free payroll software can only do so much. If you’re looking for the best paying option, check out our article on the best overall payroll software.

6 Best Free Payroll Software for Small Businesses

Below we cover the six best payroll software options available for small businesses.

Payroll4Free

4.6

★★★★★

Visit

Payroll4Free offers completely free payroll services for any small business with 25 employees or less. The software tracks time and absences, and you can log whether these are vacation hours or sick days. Your team can check their hours via the employee portal to print pay stubs or check accruals.

With the information in hand, Payroll4Free gives you the option to send direct deposits or use paper checks. You can view this information through the payroll processing software’s reporting tools.

The HR and payroll software has some strong security to protect your information. Large-scale SSL encryption alongside Amazon’s cloud is well-designed to keep your info safe.

When it comes to payroll taxes, Payroll4Free can calculate tax numbers for you. While they will be ready to send, the free software doesn’t do tax filing services for free. The service has a $15 monthly fee and no free trial available.

Since Payroll4Free makes it easy to report wages and tips for a small staff, it is one of the best restaurant payroll software options.

Integrates with QuickBooks and other accounting software.
Higher security than most.
Unlimited customer support.
Pre-filled year-end tax forms.

Tax filing is not free.
Limited to Windows OS only.

TimeTrex

4.3

★★★★★

Visit

TimeTrex fancies itself as paid payroll processing software but has a free option with their Community Edition. This plan is open-source and supported by a network of volunteers from around the world.

There are no limits to the number of users you can have in the Community Plan. The free payroll software tracks hours in real-time, and you can view this data at any time through timesheets. Time and attendance tracking are viewable on the employee self-service portal.

The software will auto-run payroll, and you can pay employees through direct deposits or print paychecks to hand out. It’s possible to generate forms for federal and local taxes but not do any filing.

While there are several free features, all others such as expense tracking are locked behind a paywall. Pricing for these other plans is unclear on the website, making it hard to decipher what’s best for your small business. TimeTrex does offer free trials for 30 days to try out its full-service payroll software.

Integrates well with payroll programs like QuickBooks.
Several pre-filled tax forms.
Real-time employee hour tracking.
Open-source.

No tax filing feature.
Pricing is not transparent for paid plans.

eSmart Paycheck

2.4

★★★★★

Visit

eSmart Paycheck’s free payroll software for small business owners excels at intuitive payroll calculations. All data has to be entered manually with no option to import employee hours, so eSmart Paycheck is best for small businesses with fewer employees.

As you run the payroll software, you’ll be able to enter hours or salaries alongside overtime, commissions, or bonuses. You can load in local tax information to run payroll specific to your location. It will also calculate benefits, deductions, and how much to withhold.

With all your information entered, you can print pay stubs or paychecks directly from the site. Hopefully you won’t encounter any issues with the payroll check software, as there is no customer support available.

When you’re done with the free software, it doesn’t save your information. This means your data isn’t stored anywhere, but it also means you’ll have to input everything again next time you use it. If you like what you see, there are options to upgrade to a paid plan with more features.

Quick and easy to use.
Paycheck printing.
Customizable inputs.

Does not save information.
No customer support.

ExcelPayroll

2.7

★★★★★

Visit

As the name implies, ExcelPayroll is completely free payroll software that relies on Microsoft Excel to run. If you’re not familiar with the Microsoft Office Suite, you may have trouble adapting to this payroll calculation tool.

If you are familiar with Excel, ExcelPayroll makes payroll processing easy. You do have to manually enter your employee information and hours, but the software shows you how to do payroll as you go. The app allows up to 50 names, but small businesses with fewer employees will have a faster time.

Once you’ve filled in all the blanks, you can run reports off that data through the tools ExcelPayroll has to offer or tap into Excel itself. As an isolated payroll software program, there’s no way to do direct deposit, but you can send paychecks to your local printer.

ExcelPayroll has the means to print pre-filled tax documents and help calculate federal or state taxes. Keep in mind that all this information is saved on your device and must rely on whatever safeguards you use to keep your information safe.

Simple and intuitive to use.
Can customize as you see fit.
Able to print paychecks.
Up to 50 employees.

Customer support only through email.
Rather basic in its design.

Paycheck Manager

1.8

★★★★★

Visit

Paycheck Manager has several features that roll up into a nice package, but many of these are unavailable for free. With a three-month free trial, it’s well worth checking out all it can do.

Free users have access to a calculator that’s effectively a form to fill out on their website or mobile app. You have to manually enter your team’s hours and salary alongside deductions. The form does help fill in federal and state tax information as you go.

Depositing and reports are locked away in Paycheck Manager’s paid plan alongside expense reports. Similarly, there’s no way for your employees to log their hours on the free version of the site.

Websites like Paycheck Manager’s free calculator have no built-in security and don’t save any of your information. You’ll want to make sure your browser is protected, but no data storage means you’ll have to re-enter your numbers every time.

Factors in deductions.
Automatically processes payroll information.
Free mobile app.

Does not save information.
Limited features.

How To Choose a Free Payroll Software for Small Businesses

Here are four things to consider when choosing payroll software for your small business:

Team size.
User-friendliness.
Payment delivery.
Integrations.

Team Size

Some of these free apps have limitations on the number of users they will allow. Double-check that the software you choose can accommodate all your players. It’s also essential to think about how you may be affected down the road if your team grows.

User-Friendliness

Some of the payroll software on this list is for your eyes alone, but others allow access to a self-service portal where employees can log hours and view information. It’s helpful to find a program that is easy to wade through, especially if you want your team to have accurate timesheets.

Payment Delivery

Many companies in this day and age look to direct depositing, while others prefer paper checks. Be sure to check the software you’re considering if you desire one of these options.

Integrations

If you’ve already found a groove with other software, you shouldn’t have to stop using it completely. Look for payroll software that integrates well with those other tools you’re using. It may even be possible to import data from one program to the other and facilitate things that much more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Free Payroll Software

Which free payroll software is best?

The best free payroll software is the one that assimilates most smoothly into your business. That being said, if you only need a program for payroll calculation, Paycheck Manager, eSmart Paycheck, and ExcelPayroll may suit you best. If you’re looking for time tracking, reporting, and payroll depositing, consider Payroll4Free, TimeTrex, or HR.my.

How much does payroll software cost?

Everything we’ve shared on this list today is free to use. Should you decide to upgrade to a paid plan with additional features, assume at least $10 per user every month.

What is the easiest payroll software to use?

None of the software on this list is particularly challenging to use. If you’re big into Microsoft Office, ExcelPayroll seamlessly drops right in. Overall, Payroll4Free is user-friendly and straightforward for reporting and calculations.

How can I do payroll myself for free?

There’s certainly a means for small business owners to create their own payroll spreadsheet in Excel or a similar program. Such a method does allow for complete customization and unique options for reporting. Any of the payroll software options in this article won’t cost you a penny to use. You just need to find the one that best suits your company’s needs.

Bottom Line: Best Free Payroll Software

Payroll can cost a lot of time to do on your own or a lot of money if you look to some of the more expensive software options out there. Fortunately, there is common ground with free payroll services that do a lot of the work for you while not tapping into the coffers.

We’ve chosen Payroll4Free as the best free option out there with its abundance of features and only a few tools that would require payment if needed. Should Payroll4Free not speak to you, it’s likely one of the others on this list will.

January 18, 2022February 17, 2023

Topics in U.S. Employee Law: Sexual Orientation

Lawyers in an office going through documents

Topics in U.S. Employee Law: Sexual
Orientation

This section of the library provides miscellaneous information
which may be helpful as an overview of various aspects of business
law in the United States of America. Businesses designing personnel
policies should obtain advice from an attorney specializing in
the area of employee laws. Businesses requiring legal advice regarding
potential or current litigation should seek counsel from an attorney.

Note that employees laws apply the same to for-profit and nonprofit
organizations.

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Various Perspectives

Sexual Orientation Discrimination?
Employment
Discrimination Against Gays and Lesbians
The
National Journal of Sexual Orientation Law

Learn More in the Library’s Blog Related to this Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, see the following blog which has posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog.

Library’s Human Resources Blog

For the Category of Legal:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.

What Are Applicant Tracking Systems?

Why Do Businesses Use Applicant Tracking Systems?

To Customize and Automate the Hiring Process

To Filter Out Spam and Duplicate Applications

To Rank Candidates in a Searchable Database

To Save Time and Money

How Do Applicant Tracking Systems Work?

How Accurate Is an Applicant Tracking System?

How To Get Your Resume Past an ATS Software

5 Best ATS Software for Businesses

Pros and Cons of Using an Applicant Tracking System in HR

ATS Pros

ATS Cons

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Applicant Tracking Systems

Bottom Line on Applicant Tracking Systems

Gusto: Best for Larger Companies With Multiple Satellite Locations

SurePayroll: Best for Small, Local Businesses

Gusto vs SurePayroll Pricing & Features Comparison

Membership Type

SurePayroll Self Service

SurePayroll Full Service

Gusto Contractor

Gusto Core

Gusto Complete

Gusto Concierge

Direct Deposit

Gusto

SurePayroll

Tax Filing

Gusto

SurePayroll

Human Resources Tools

Gusto

SurePayroll

Application Interface

Gusto

SurePayroll

Third-Party Software Integration

Gusto

SurePayroll

Customer Service

Gusto

SurePayroll

Customer Reviews

Gusto

SurePayroll

Alternative Payroll Software Options

Bottom Line: Gusto vs SurePayroll

Our Verdict

Square Payroll at a Glance

Who Should Use Square Payroll?

Pricing

Plan

Pay Employees & Contractors

Pay Contractors Only

Square Payroll Features

Ease of Use

Full-Service Payroll Processing

Automatic Tax Filing

Flexible Payment Options

Square POS, QuickBooks, and other Integrations

Benefits Management

Square Payroll Mobile App

Alternatives to Square Payroll

Gusto – All-in-One HR Solution

Rippling – Best for Mid-Sized Businesses

Patriot – Best for Startups

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Square Payroll Review

Bottom Line on Square Payroll Review

What Is Payroll?

Do I Need A Payroll?

Payroll Volatility and Small Business

How To Do Payroll

Payroll Software

Payroll Providers

Payroll Taxes

Requirements

Penalties

What Is Payroll? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Bottom Line: What Is Payroll?