Looking for top-notch payroll software? Paycor is a great small business solution with strong features, competitive pricing, and an easy-to-use design.
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REVIEWED BY
Expert Contributor
| Total Rating | 4.0 |
|---|---|
| Pricing1.5 | |
| Ease Of Use3.7 | |
| Features4.6 | |
| Customer Service4.5 | |
| User Reviews4.1 | |
Payroll Processing Time
Same-day - 4 daysPricing Range
Custom pricingBusiness Size
Small to large-sized businesses with 1,000+ usersTable of Contents
Paycor is a cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) program, including full-service payroll, benefits administration, and other HR solutions. The software was designed to streamline services, so it is best suited for an owner-operator or business owner with a small HR department.
Paycor is a solid solution for small to medium-sized businesses looking for enterprise-level HR assistance. However, that assistance comes at a steep price, which kept Paycor off our list of the best cheap payroll software.
| Pricing1.5 |
|---|
| Software Plans 0.0 |
| Pricing Transparency 0.0 |
| Pricing Customization 2.1 |
Paycor’s low 1.5/5 star pricing rating is due to the software’s lack of pricing transparency and lack of a free trial. The software earned points in the pricing customization category based on what we do know about Paycor’s pricing model, as there are feature add-ons available, and set-up fees aren’t mandatory in all cases.
If you’re interested in Paycor, you must reach out to Paycor for a custom pricing quote.
Previously, Paycor’s published pricing started at $99/month + $5 per person paid for businesses with under 50 employees, which put it in the expensive range for payroll software pricing. However, Paycor runs promotions for new customers to help reduce costs.
Paycor’s Basic plan includes:
Paycor’s Essential plan includes everything in the Basic plan, plus:
Paycor’s Core plan includes everything in the Essential plan, plus:
Paycor’s Complete plan includes everything in the Core plan, plus:
| Paycor Extra Costs | Price |
|---|---|
| Workers' Comp | Variable premiums |
| Multistate Payroll Processing | Varies |
| Time + Scheduling | Custom |
| Recruiting | Custom |
| Benefits Administration | Custom |
| Learning Management | Custom |
Like most payroll software options, Paycor isn’t without its extra fees and costs. Most of Paycor’s fees are one-off or situational, such as W-2 amendment or late payment fees. However, Paycor also sets workers’ compensation, time tracking and scheduling, benefits administration, and recruiting support as add-on services, so you’ll have to pay extra for them.
That said, treating those services as add-ons allows businesses to build custom service packages that best suit their needs. As such, you may avoid paying extra for services your business doesn’t actually need.
| Ease Of Use3.7 |
|---|
| Set Up 4.4 |
| Software Reliability 4.0 |
| Everyday Use 4.4 |
| Integrations 2.5 |
Paycor’s 3.7/5 star rating in the pricing category reflects the software’s ease of use — as long as you stay within Paycor’s ecosystem. The software’s rating came down due to its limited integrations, some complaints about glitching, and room for improvement in the setup/onboarding process.
As cloud-based software, Paycor can be accessed wherever there is a stable internet connection. Off-web, Paycor operates a highly-rated mobile app for employers and employees that can be used on both Android and iOS platforms.
Even if you have never run payroll before, Paycor’s program can walk you through each step of the process. Most businesses hoping to streamline payroll and HR processes will appreciate how intuitive Paycor is, but some may wish for more customization options.
If you’re interested in trialing Paycor, taking Paycor’s online tour or watching the Paycor demo will let you test the software’s ease of use for yourself.
| Features4.6 |
|---|
| Payroll Processing 4.7 |
| Employee Management & PTO 5.0 |
| Time Tracking 3.8 |
| Payroll Tax Support 4.5 |
| Reporting & Tax Forms 5.0 |
| Onboarding & HR 4.3 |
| Benefits Administration 4.9 |
| Niche Features 4.0 |
With a strong 4.6/5 star rating in the pricing category, Paycor’s services should suit any business looking for a full-service payroll software and HR solution. The software only lost significant points as it charges extra fees for some features, lacks integrations, and doesn’t support access to HR professionals.
| Paycor Features | Availability |
|---|---|
| Payroll Tax Support | |
| Auto-Schedule Payroll | |
| Bonus Payroll | |
| Off-Cycle Payroll | |
| Employee Management | |
| Paid Time Off | Essential plan and up |
| Time Tracking | Add-on |
| HR Support | Core plan and up |
| Onboarding Support | Essential plan and up |
| Benefits Administration | Add-on |
| Number Of Reports | 31+ |
| Number Of Integrations | 300+ |
| Number Of Users Supported | 1-1,000+ |
However, Paycor’s robust feature set ranks highly among the top payroll software solutions on the market. As payroll software, Paycor can handle all the basics of payroll for your business — from auto-scheduling payroll runs to filing your business’s payroll taxes. As an HCM software, Paycor also boasts an impressive suite of HR, employee management, and benefits management solutions.
Smaller businesses may find themselves underutilizing the software’s robust feature set. So, if your business needs simpler payroll solutions, we recommend checking out some of the solutions that make our best payroll software for small businesses.
Paycor is a full-service payroll solution, offering essential payroll features plus some nice-to-haves, such as payroll automations and an employee mobile app with paystub access.
Paycor’s payroll processing features include:
Paycor has multiple features to help you manage your employees and contractors from a single interface, including an employee self-service portal and mobile app.
With Paycor, your business can manage employee information, store essential documents, manage time off, and more — provided you’re a user on the Essential plan or higher.
Check out Paycor’s most notable employee management features:
Paycor’s time-tracking and scheduling solution is an add-on service and must be purchased separately rather than built into any service package. However, the software’s time-tracking features include all the basics, such as hour tracking and mobile clocking software.
Paycor’s time-tracking integrations are limited and include just Adi Insights, OnShift, and Deputy. Fortunately, Paycor’s time-tracking and scheduling solutions are functional enough to handle most businesses’ clocking needs.
Here are Paycor’s time-tracking features:
As a full-service payroll solution, Paycor offers tax support at all levels. However, local tax support comes at an additional cost. That said, if your business is looking for a payroll solution that can handle your payroll taxes from calculation to payment, Paycor is a solid option.
Here’s a look at Paycor’s tax support features:
Paycor boasts impressive reporting features, even for those on the software’s lowest plan tier. However, Paycor has an uncomplicated and intuitive report builder for those needing advanced reporting and analytics and offers assistance in creating highly customized reports.
Here are Paycor’s most notable reporting features:
Paycor’s HR features are robust enough to manage small and large business needs. However, only those on the software’s Core plan and up can take advantage of all the HR features Paycor offers.
Here’s a breakdown of Paycor’s HR features:
Paycor offers strong benefits administration options for businesses looking to automate and streamline everything from benefits enrollment to benefits benchmarking.
While Paycor’s platform doesn’t have a built-in benefits marketplace, businesses can work with a Paycor-partnered broker or use integrations to manage benefits from within Paycor’s platform.
Paycor’s benefits administration features include:
| Customer Service4.5 |
|---|
| Personal Support 3.9 |
| Self-Service 5.0 |
Paycor scores exceptionally well in the customer service category, earning a 4.5/5 star rating based on its extended live support options and excellent self-service support.
However, Paycor’s customer reviews lowered its overall rating, as nearly all user review complaints center on a lack of action in times of need or a general slowness in responding to issues.
That said, Paycor offers users plenty of ways to get in touch when they need support. Here’s a breakdown of Paycor’s customer service options:
| Paycor Customer Service | Availability |
|---|---|
| Phone Support | |
| Email Support | |
| Support Tickets | |
| Live Chat | |
| Dedicated Support Representative | |
| Knowledge Base or Help Center | |
| Videos & Tutorials | |
| Company Blog | |
| Social Media |
Like many payroll software solutions, Paycor lacks an easy way to get in touch with payroll experts. Most customer service representatives will be able to help you troubleshoot software issues but may not have the answers to payroll-specific problems. However, Paycor does operate an in-depth payroll support library with up-to-date payroll-specific resources.
Currently, Paycor has 300+ available integrations, including Deputy, GoodHire, Indeed, Square, and Toast. Compared to other payroll solutions, Paycor’s selection of accounting, HR, and time and attendance software is lacking.
However, user reviews mention integrations with non-listed partners, meaning the company can create bespoke integrations, depending on need.
The company also has an API available for app creation within the platform. You can visit the Paycor app marketplace for a complete list of currently available integrations.
| User Reviews4.1 |
|---|
| Customer Feedback 4.0 |
| Review Site Aggregate 4.1 |
Paycor performed well in the user reviews category with a 4.1/5 star rating based on data from user reviews across the web and app stores.
Paycor’s reviews generally skew positive, with most users satisfied with the software. Customers especially enjoyed the automatic onboarding process, eliminating the slog of paperwork on the employer’s end and the ease of running payroll.
In general, reviews are positive, especially about the payroll platform. However, the functionality of a few other platforms and the inability to talk to an expert immediately were two areas that needed improvement.
Paycor is a secure platform that utilizes industry-standard security features and protocols to keep customer data safe. Paycor does not have a history of data breaches. Data is encrypted at the file level to help protect information from security breaches.
Here’s a look at some of Paycor’s security features:
| Paycor Review Summary | |
|---|---|
| Pricing Range | Custom pricing |
| Choose If You Need |
|
Paycor is a solid HCM software for businesses looking for an easy-to-use platform with guided assistance from a trustworthy service. However, as a standalone payroll solution, Paycor’s price, limited benefits administration options, and lone accounting integration make it less appealing than options such as Gusto or ADP.
For larger businesses needing advanced HCM software with full-service payroll, Paycor is an excellent option. However, smaller businesses may be looking for simplicity and affordability over advanced features.
If you’re not sure that Paycor is the right choice for your business, you might be interested in considering other payroll software solutions. Patriot Payroll or Gusto may be better options if your business is looking for a simple and affordable payroll solution without all the bells and whistles. If you want to learn more about Paycor alternatives, including feature lists, pricing, and more, check out our Patriot Payroll review or Gusto review.
We research, evaluate, and test each payroll software app that we review at Merchant Maverick, placing special emphasis on key characteristics to generate granular ratings.
Our exhaustive, 76-point rubric guides the star rating of each payroll provider we review, examining pricing, ease of use, features, customer service, and user reviews. Each section is weighted differently.
When rating payroll software, we are looking for very specific qualities. The speed and cost of payroll runs and the availability of tax filing services are given high weight, as are the quality and availability of accounting, time-tracking, HR integrations, and user onboarding services. We also look for the presence of client and employee portals, benefits administration, PTO and time management tools, and many more vital features.
Learn more about how we rate payroll software providers.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
|
Paycor
|
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Paycor for yourself.
The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆
|
Paycor
|
|---|
After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Paycor for yourself.
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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 team of experts spends hours on every review so that we can find the best companies to recommend to our readers. Paycor made the cut.
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