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These payroll software programs for accountants are loaded with features and benefits to help you manage your accounting firm and provide excellent service to your clients.
Davina began writing for small businesses in 2018 and has since gained expertise in the SaaS industry. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature from SUNY Geneseo in 2018.
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Davina WardDavina began writing for small businesses in 2018 and has since gained expertise in the SaaS industry. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature from SUNY Geneseo in 2018.
Expert Contributor
Last updated onUpdated
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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Erica SeppalaErica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through referral partnerships, we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent rating and scoring system.
The best payroll software for accountants is easy to use and includes accounting software integrations, full-service payroll, discounts, and strong reporting tools. Additional perks you might want to look for include free or low-cost pricing plans, revenue sharing, free CPE credits, and marketing tools.
We reviewed the top payroll software solutions to determine which payroll software offered the best mix of value and features. This post will look at the top payroll processing software for accountants, so keep reading to find your payroll solution.
The best payroll software for accountants offers discounts for accountants and their clients, full-service payroll, reporting, strong integrations, and more. The top payroll software for accountants include:
Gusto: Overall best payroll software for accountants
$49/month + $6/person - $180/month + $22/month per person
Business Size
Small-medium sized businesses with up to 650+ users
Pros
Free payroll subscription
Client discounts
Intuitive UI
Comprehensive payroll and HR solution
Cons
Limited reporting
Client pricing could be cheaper
Benefits administration not available in all 50 states
Why We Chose Gusto Pro For Accountants
Full-service payroll, benefits administration, HR support, numerous software integrations, and solid customer support make Gusto Pro a top choice among accountants who are looking for a free payroll software option.
Gusto tops our list for its excellent all-around performance as a small business payroll service. For accountants, revenue sharing, client discounts, and ease of use are just a handful of extras that add to the value of this payroll software.
If your growing business needs basic payroll and only pays contractors
Gusto Pro is free for accountants, provided you onboard at least one new client every 12 months. For your clients, Gusto pricing starts at $49/month + $6/person.
With your Gusto Pro plan, you can potentially receive discounts of up to 20% off to pass down to your clients.
Gusto Pro Features
As a Gusto Partner, you’ll get a generous set of features within Gusto Pro. Most notably, you’ll receive:
Free Gusto Complete payroll by onboarding a new client every 12 months
Free trials for clients
Dedicated account rep
Discounts to pass to clients or keep as revenue share
Full-service payroll
Benefits management
Compliance and HR support
Opportunities to earn CPE credits from live webinars
Integrations with software and apps, including QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Expensify
Gusto Pro Dashboard
What To Watch Out For
Gusto’s benefits administration isn’t available in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Gusto does not have a mobile app but can be used on mobile web browsers.
At higher plan tiers, Gusto may be too expensive for many small business clients.
When To Use Gusto Pro
Your clients are smaller businesses
You’re looking for payroll software with revenue sharing or client discount options
You prefer software with a modern UI
You need payroll software that supports multiple accounting software integrations
Self-employed contractors to enterprises with 1,000+ employees
Promo: Eligible clients can enjoy three months of free payroll services Get 3 Months Free
Pros
Scalable
Easy to use
Strong reporting
Robust feature set
Cons
Non-transparent pricing
Customer complaints
No automated payroll processing
Why We Chose Paychex For Accountants
Paychex is a cloud-based payroll and HR solution. As an accountant, you can sign up for Paychex's partner program, which allows you to access and manage client data easily through a single dashboard, even clients with more complex payroll and HR needs.
With payroll, strong reporting, and solid customer service, Paychex is a robust and scalable option for growing businesses and accounting firms.
If you need advanced HR solutions, analytics, and insurance setup support
Unfortunately, Paychex isn’t very forthcoming on its website with the pricing of its products. You will need to contact the company directly to receive a quote for services.
Paychex Features
This cloud-based software offers a number of features for its users, including a nice set of perks for accountants.
Here’s what to expect from Paychex:
Accountant-specific dashboard in Paychex Flex to manage your client data
Financial calculators
Federal and state tax forms
Free CPE credits through online courses and webinars
Integration with Paychex General Ledger
Year-end accounting tools and resources
Numerous integrations with business apps and software, including QuickBooks and Xero
100++ reports
Offer clients professional HR support through Paychex’s Accountant HR Support
Small to enterprise-sized businesses with 1,000+ employees
Pros
Free accountant portal
Cloud-based
Single sign-on access for ADP clients
Comprehensive feature set for complex payroll needs
Cons
Non-transparent pricing for clients
Additional fees
Doesn’t offer free payroll processing for firms
Why We Chose ADP Accountant Connect For Accountants
ADP Accountant Connect is completely free for accountants and enables accountants to easily access payroll data, tax forms, and other important information for their clients who use Run by ADP, ADP Workforce Now, and ADP TotalSource.
ADP Accountant Connect is a great tool for accountants who work with one or more small- to mid-sized businesses already using ADP Payroll. As ADP earned an overall 4/5 star rating as a payroll service for small businesses, it shouldn't be too hard to convince clients to switch.
If you need performance analytics and improvement tools for 50+ users
ADP Accountant Connect is free. However, your clients will need to subscribe to one of ADP’s payroll plans. Unfortunately, ADP is not transparent when it comes to payroll pricing, so your clients will have to connect with an account rep for more information.
However, you can easily refer clients to ADP through your Accountant Connect dashboard. Simply enter client information, and an account rep will reach out to help them get started.
ADP Accountant Connect Features
ADP Accountant Connect makes it easy to manage payroll for multiple clients. Standout features include:
Single sign-on access for all authorized accounts
Multi-client payroll reports
Easy onboarding
Client Insights feature provides transparency, tips, and emerging trends
Compensation Benchmarking
Access to Wolters Kluwer IntelliForms for current tax forms and instructions
Numerous accounting software and business app integrations, including QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, and Slack
Hundreds of client letter templates
Payroll, tax, and retirement calculators
Accounting Marketing Toolkit
ADP Accountant Connect Dashboard
What To Watch Out For
ADP charges on a per-payroll run basis, which can raise costs for your clients.
The full breadth of ADP’s features may be too complex for smaller clients.
ADP’s customer reviews tend to be lukewarm, with complaints citing poor customer service and trouble with 401(k) accounts and services.
When To Use ADP Accountant Connect
Your clients have complex payroll needs
You manage payroll for large employers or have a large firm
You need excellent reporting features and customization options
You need software with an extensive integration list and an API
$50/month + $6/per person - $229/month + $11/per person
Business Size
Small to medium-sized businesses with up to 150 employees
Current Deal: Get 50% off for three months when you sign up now. Save 50% Today
Pros
Integrates with QuickBooks Online
Client discounts
Free QBO Elite Payroll subscription for accountants
Easy to use
Cons
Poor customer support
Payroll processing is capped at 150 employees
Tends to have many extra fees
Why We Chose QuickBooks Online Accountant For Accountants
Intuit Online Payroll (also known as QuickBooks Online Payroll) is cloud-based software that seamlessly integrates with QuickBooks Online. For accountants, signing up for QuickBooks Online Accountant and QuickBooks ProAdvisor offers numerous perks — from free software subscriptions to client discounts and more.
If you're already a QuickBooks Online user, it makes sense to sign up for QuickBooks Online Payroll. QuickBooks Online gets high marks for its robust feature set, ease of use, and full-service payroll processing. Add in free benefits for accountants, and it's easy to see why this software is a top pick.
QuickBooks Online Accountant Pricing
It is free to sign up for QuickBooks Online Accountant and the ProAdvisors Program. You can also pass down your ProAdvisor pricing to your clients, helping them save 30% off QuickBooks Online Payroll. Plans range from $35-$91/month + $5.10-$9.35/month per contractor or employee.
QuickBooks Online Accountant Features
QBO users already know the benefits of using this robust accounting software. But there are even more benefits to signing up for QuickBooks Online Accountant and the ProAdvisor Program, including:
Free QuickBooks Online Elite Payroll software for accountants
Free QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Time Pro for your firm
Billing options for your firm or directly to your clients
30% off discounts for QuickBooks Online accounting software
30% off discounts for QuickBooks Online Payroll
ProConnect Tax Online for syncing QBO data to tax returns
Marketing resources
Free training and opportunities to earn CPE credits
QuickBooks For Accountants Dashboard
What To Watch Out For
QuickBooks Online doesn’t offer free payroll services for accountants, while some competitors, such as Gusto, do offer them at no cost.
QuickBooks Online Payroll only supports businesses with fewer than 1-1,000+ contractors or employees.
While QuickBooks Online Payroll includes a mobile app, it is not well-received, with users citing bugs and glitches.
When To Use QuickBooks Online Accountant
Your business already uses a QuickBooks Online product
You’re looking for an integrated payroll and accounting solution for your firm
You want free accounting software for your firm
You want to offer your clients discounts on QuickBooks software
Small businesses to enterprises with 2-2,000+ users
Pros
Suitable for large accounting firms
HR and IT management features
Numerous integrations
Excellent customer support
Cons
Non-transparent pricing
It may be unsuitable for smaller firms
Payroll requires Rippling Unity subscription
Why We Chose Rippling For Accountants
Rippling is a professional employer organization (PEO) solution that provides payroll, HR, and IT management services. Rippling For Accountants boasts numerous integrations for additional automation and excellent support to help you get the most out of the software.
Rippling is best suited for larger firms that serve clients with complex payroll, HR, and IT needs. As it ranks among the best PEO companies for businesses, Rippling could offer accountants the unique opportunity to outsource payroll completely.
This core plan is required to add on Rippling’s payroll, HR, and IT solutions
Rippling does not disclose its pricing online, only stating that plans start at $8/month per user. You must contact Rippling to receive your custom quote.
Rippling For Accountants Features
Rippling is designed to help you automate your payroll processes and improve accuracy, whether you have a single client or thousands. Here’s what to expect when you subscribe to this software:
Free Rippling payroll and HR for your firm
All-in-one payroll, HR, benefits, time, and attendance system
Pay rate auto-calculations
Integrates with accounting software, including QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct
Integrates with time-tracking tools, including QuickBooks Time
Dedicated support line for accounting firms
White-glove client payroll migrations
20% payroll and HR discount for clients
Tax support and compliance
Job costing
90-second employee onboarding
Rippling Payroll Dashboard
What To Watch Out For
Rippling isn’t suited for smaller clients, as its pricing and overly complex feature set may be prohibitive for small business owners.
Rippling requires businesses to purchase its base plan to access its the Rippling payroll add-on.
Rippling doesn’t offer a free trial.
When To Use Rippling For Accountants
Your firm manages payroll for large employers
Your firm requires strong IT management features
Your clients include employers with international employees
$17/month +$4/month per person - $37/month + $4/month per person
Business Size
Small to mid-sized businesses with up to 500 employees
Pros
Free accounting and payroll subscription
Client discounts
Excellent customer support
30-day free trial
Cons
Limited benefits and HR
Limited customization options
Doesn’t support new-hire reporting
Why We Chose The Patriot Partner Program For Accountants
Patriot Payroll is cloud-based software that features everything you need in payroll software, along with excellent customer support and tax support. For accountants, Patriot's Partner Program includes free accounting and payroll software and discounted client pricing.
What Patriot lacks (such as benefits, HR management, and a customizable dashboard), it makes up for usability and affordability. For accountants managing one or more small business clients with basic payroll, Patriot offers just enough features and integrations to fulfill that need.
Patriot Partner Pricing
You can receive your Patriot software at a discounted rate when you sign up for its Partner Program.
Pricing is based on your number of clients and ranges from $25.90-$35.15/month + $3.50-$4.75/month per employee or contractor. This pricing is for full-service payroll.
You can also receive Patriot’s accounting and payroll software for free if you have six or more active clients.
Patriot Partner Features
Patriot’s Partner Program is a free program open to accountants, bookkeepers, and CPAs. Here’s what to expect when you sign up:
Discounts of 5%-20% on your payroll software
Free payroll and accounting software for users with six or more clients
Consolidated billing
Free two-day direct deposit for qualified clients
Free co-branding
Summarized Partner Reports to easily view client data
A single sign-in to access all client accounts
Bonuses for referring new clients
Easy data migration for clients
Patriot Partner Program Dashboard
What To Watch Out For
Patriot Payroll does not handle new-hire reporting.
Patriot can get expensive when combining its time tracking, HR, and payroll solutions.
Patriot Payroll’s third-party integrations are limited compared to other options.
Patriot Payroll is not suited for larger clients with more complex payroll needs.
When To Use Patriot's Partner Program
Your firm manages smaller business clients with simple payroll needs
You’re looking for free payroll and accounting software for your firm
You want to offer clients a cheap payroll solution
Unsuitable for businesses with advanced payroll needs
Lacks built-in time tracking
Why We Chose SurePayroll For Accountants
Accountants can partner with SurePayroll by becoming a SurePayroll Reseller. This cloud-based software boasts an easy-to-use dashboard with single sign-on access and a mobile app to handle payroll on the go.
SurePayroll For Accountants is most suitable for smaller firms with small clients, including individuals who have household employees. White-label options, custom billing, and accounting software integrations should make it easy to provide payroll services to your clients.
If you run a household and need to pay your household employees
You can get started with SurePayroll For Accountants with a free Reseller Dashboard. Your payroll software is also free if you bring on 10 clients.
If you don’t receive your product for free, you will receive wholesale pricing as a Reseller.
Typical pricing for SurePayroll starts at $20/month + $4/employee.
SurePayroll Features
SurePayroll For Accountants has a wide selection of features designed to help you manage payroll while boosting your brand and revenue.
Highlights include:
Free software for your firm by bringing on 10 clients
White-label option available
Dedicated Sales and Enrollment specialist and support from a team of payroll experts
Revenue Share and Direct Invoice consolidated billing options
Free integrations with accounting software, including QuickBooks Online, Zoho Books, Xero, AccountEdge, and Sage 50
Marketing tools and other resources for accountants
SurePayroll Dashboard
What To Watch Out For
Compared to other payroll software solutions, SurePayroll’s features are limited and may struggle to handle the needs of larger businesses or those with complex payroll needs.
SurePayroll doesn’t support built-in time tracking, so you and your clients will be limited to tracking time via one of the software’s few integrations.
SurePayroll tends to be a little fee-heavy.
When To Use SurePayroll
Your firm’s client base is made up of smaller businesses with simple payroll needs
You’re looking for payroll software with white-label options
You’re looking for free payroll for your firm (10+ clients)
Limited accounting integrations: QuickBooks (Online or Desktop) or Xero
Doesn’t support built-in time tracking
No free trial
No support for automated payroll runs
Why We Chose OnPay For Accountants
OnPay earned an outstanding 4.2/5 star rating as a small business payroll software solution. Accountants enrolled in OnPay's Partner program gain access to marketing resources, accounting software integrations, revenue sharing, client discounts, and free payroll processing for firms with 3+ clients.
OnPay is easy to use, affordably priced, and has a comprehensive feature set. OnPay also provides good customer support and is available to help you get your firm (and your clients) efficiently set up for payroll processing.
If you need essential payroll and basic HR features for up to 500+ employees
It is free to become an OnPay partner. For your clients, OnPay has a single pricing plan. Depending on the number of clients you have, you can receive discounts of up to 20% that can be passed along to your clients.
OnPay Features
The OnPay Partner Program is designed to help you streamline your accounting business, manage your clients, and even boost your revenue.
Standout features available to OnPay partners include:
Free payroll software for your accounting business
Intuitive dashboard to manage multiple clients in one place
Multiple user permissions
Integrations with QuickBooks and Xero
Discounts of 10%-20% that can be passed to clients or used as revenue sharing
Marketing resources
OnPay experts available for support, dashboard setup, and client transitions
Co-branding available for larger firms
OnPay Payroll Partner Dashboard
What To Watch Out For
OnPay doesn’t offer a free trial.
Although OnPay offers several integrations with popular accounting and other third-party software solutions, OnPay’s integrations are limited compared to other software solutions, such as Gusto, ADP, or QuickBooks.
OnPay doesn’t support built-in time tracking, so you and your clients will need to use a third-party solution to track time when using OnPay.
When To Use The OnPay Partner Program
Your firm has 3+ clients and wants free payroll processing
You want to offer your small business clients an affordable payroll service
You want the option of revenue sharing or client discounts
Merchant Maverick has been researching and reviewing payroll providers since 2018. Our writers have tested more than 75 different payroll software systems, evaluating pricing, features, ease of use, customer service, and user reviewers. Read more about how we rate payroll providers.
Weighted Rating Breakdown
Features 40%
Ease Of Use 20%
Customer Service 20%
Pricing 10%
User Reviews 10%
When comparing different apps, we consider over seventy data points, including the speed and cost of payroll runs, federal and state tax filing features, HR integrations, employee management tools, time tracking, and more. Our lists of the best providers include only apps we’ve deemed worthwhile from several vantage points. The payroll apps we pick are widely available and relatively easy to train on, with robust features and reasonable pricing. We also look carefully at features such as employee and client portals, user onboarding services, PTO management, benefits administration, multistate compliance, and more.
We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, making sure the providers included meet our internal standards for quality and reputation.
75+
Vendors evaluated
76
Attributes assessed per vendor
26
Features weighed
20+
Combined years of experience
Do Accountants Process Payroll?
Some accountants do process payroll as part of their services for small business owners. These accountants work hand-in-hand with their clients to ensure that payroll is processed promptly and accurately. Many accountants work with multiple clients, so choosing the right payroll software is important.
Which Payroll Software Is Right For Your Accounting Firm?
The best payroll software for your accounting firm should be robust enough to handle the many needs of your clients. Keep in mind your budget (and your clients’ budgets), as affordability should be a significant consideration when making your final decision.
Look at the quality and quantity of features and integrations, customer support options, and additional benefits that can help you better meet your clients’ needs and grow your business. Modern software with an intuitive UI, mobility, and an easy-to-use dashboard that allows you to access client data quickly are additional things to keep in mind when choosing your payroll software.
If you’re on the fence, don’t forget about testing out the software with free accountant dashboards or free trials.
Davina began writing for small businesses in 2018 and has since gained expertise in the SaaS industry. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature from SUNY Geneseo in 2018.
View Davina Ward's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation.
Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
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Our Featured Payroll SolutionADP is an industry leader that our experts endorse.Our reviewers like ADP Payroll for its advanced employee management, strong payroll features, and great customer support. For a limited time, get three months free.View OfferClaim three free months
