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Accountants are some of the most important people in business, but many accountants that have been trained in traditional methods find it difficult to learn new software. With a number of payroll services being introduced each year, picking out one company is becoming increasingly harder for accountants with limited experience or knowledge about IT.
The “payroll software for multiple clients” is a type of software that allows employers to manage payrolls. The main difference between this and other types of payroll software is that the company has multiple clients, which means it can handle more than one employee at a time.
The finest payroll software for accountants makes managing payroll for a large number of customers simple. It should be able to interface with accounting software, provide a dashboard for managing many customers, and provide benefits tailored to CPAs’ requirements. The eight best payroll software for accountants are listed here.
Compare the Best Payroll for Accountants
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*There may be extra charges for access to the accounting software used by the providers.
**Pricing is based on a quotation obtained from a vendor.
If you’re not sure which payroll for accountants platform is suitable for your company, take our free quiz and we’ll help you figure it out.
Which Accountant Payroll Software Is Right For You?
If you’re not sure which payroll for accountants is ideal for your company, take our free quiz and we’ll help you figure it out.
Accountants should choose Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll. because it is the best overall payroll software for accountants.
Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll.
4.61 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountants | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- There are no limits to how much money you can make.
- Next-day and same-day direct deposits are available.
- Tax penalties are well-protected.
- QuickBooks Accounting is smoothly integrated.
- Discounted payroll plans for clients plus free payroll software access for accounting firms (requires signing up for its free QuickBooks Online Tool for Accountants)
What Isn’t There
- Accounting must be done using QuickBooks.
- Basic HR Benefits only
- Only the Elite plan offers tax penalty protection.
- The basic Core tier does not include payments or filings for local taxes.
Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll. Pricing
Fees for software
- There are three options (Core, Premium, and Elite), each having a monthly base charge of $45–$125 plus a monthly fee of $4–$10 per employee.
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- If you purchase QuickBooks Online Accountant, you will get free access to QuickBooks Payroll Elite.
- The ProAdvisor discount program subtracts 30% from monthly software base prices and 15% from per-employee expenses, but your company will still be paid.
- QuickBooks online courses are available for free.
Discounts for customers
- For the first 12 months of service, the Direct Discount option gives 30% off the monthly software base prices and 15% off the per-employee expenses—but your customers will be paid.
If you use QuickBooks for your clients, then we highly recommend Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll.. It lets you set client permissions, guarantees tax accuracy, and includes 24/7 support—plus, its accounting and payroll modules sync seamlessly with each other. And if you sign up for its free QuickBooks Online Accountant solution, you can easily access your clients’ QuickBooks accounts to check their books, edit transactions, and address issues. It even comes with free access to QuickBooks Payroll Elite (which you can use to pay your employees), discount pricing for your clients, and a partner ProAdvisor program with preferential rates for both you and your customers.
Scoring an overall of 4.61 out of 5 in our evaluation, Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll. earned high marks (4 and above) in all of our criteria given its solid accounting and payroll solutions, User-Friendliness, robust reporting, and transparent pricing. Users also appreciate its efficient payroll tools as it helps simplify employee pay processing. However, its HR resources are limited. prevented it from getting a perfect rating because, unlike ADP and Paychex, QuickBooks doesn’t have a suite of HR solutions for managing the entire employee lifecycle.
Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll. Discounts & Perks
With Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll., your clients can choose from three QuickBooks Payroll plans (Core, Premium, and Elite) with monthly fees that start at $45 plus $4 per employee. For your new clients, discounts are available but only for the first three months.
Accountants who are members of QuickBooks’ ProAdvisor program may opt to pay their customers’ monthly fees on their behalf. This entitles them to a lifetime ProAdvisor discount. They may also use a Direct Discount option to pass the discount on to new customers, however this is just for the first 12 months, and QuickBooks will send the billings straight to the clients.
*For the first three months, your new customers will get a 50% discount on the software base charge. Note that the reduced pricing are subject to change, so check QuickBooks Payroll’s website for the most up-to-date offers.
Note, however, that QuickBooks Payroll doesn’t offer local tax filing and payment services in its Core package. You have to convince your clients to sign up for at least a Premium plan if they want full payroll Tax preparation services (federal, state, and local). While you get preferential pricing under the ProAdvisor program, Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll.’ discounted Premium tier ($52.50 per month plus $6.80 per employee monthly) is still pricier than Patriot Payroll—which offers full-service payroll and automated tax filings for only $30 per month plus $4 per employee monthly.
Accountants should use QuickBooks Payroll. Key Features
Payroll
Setting up QuickBooks Payroll is very easy, and you can pay contractors, hourly workers, and salaried employees with just a few clicks. It comes with automatic and There are no limits to how much money you can make., and salary payouts can be done through paychecks and via next-day and same-day direct deposits. Its mobile app (for iOS and Android devices)—which is our top-recommended payroll app for small businesses—lets you process payroll and even e-file taxes while on the go. While the other providers on this list (except Gusto, Rippling, OnPay, and Patriot Payroll) have mobile apps, it doesn’t offer electronic tax filings.
Tax preparation services
QuickBooks Payroll’s tax services include federal and state tax filings in addition to year-end tax report preparation and delivery. If you need local tax filings, you’ll need to upgrade to the Premium or Elite tier. QuickBooks also offers a tax penalty guarantee, which covers any fines (up to $25,000 per year) in the event of tax filing mistakes, regardless of who caused the error. The alternative payroll software for accountants in this book may provide comparable protection, but solely for tax filing errors made by their agents.
Tools tailored to accountants
Access to client management solutions and the free QuickBooks Online Tool for Accountants, including the seamless integration between QuickBooks products, make managing both client payroll and bookkeeping easy for accountants. Apart from the ProAdvisor and Discounts for customers, its partner program includes access to training and resources to help improve your skills and grow your accounting business.
HR Benefits
Employee onboarding, paid time off (PTO) monitoring, and time tracking with QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) are just some of the HR Benefits that QuickBooks Payroll offers. While it provides an HR advisor and HR support center via its third-party partner (Mineral) to help keep you compliant, these services are unavailable to accountants calling on behalf of their clients.
Employee advantages
You have access to 401(k) plans and health insurance that is offered in all US states, in addition to pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation (via AP Intego). Gusto’s health benefits, on the other hand, only cover 39 states.
Read our QuickBooks Payroll review to see whether its Features of Payroll can fulfill your customers’ payroll processing requirements.
Gusto is the best payroll software for accountants that need help marketing their payroll services.
Gusto
4.38 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountantss | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 4.13 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 4.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- Integrates with a variety of accounting software.
- A revenue sharing option and a dedicated account representative are available in the accountant partner program.
- You may get free marketing materials to promote your payroll services.
What Isn’t There
- It doesn’t have its own accounting system.
- Only 39 states have health insurance coverage.
- Only higher levels include time monitoring and next-day direct payments.
- There are no special deals for consumers (unless accountants opt to pass discount perk to customers)
Pricing for Accountants by Gusto
Fees for software
- Monthly payments of $39–$149 + $6–$12 per employee, each month are included in the Core, Complete, and Concierge plans.
- Select tier that includes all of Gusto’s capabilities as well as a personal customer success manager; custom priced and needs a minimum of 25 workers.
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- If you sign up one customer with Gusto each year, you’ll get free access to its Complete plan.
- Clients may benefit from a revenue sharing or a reduced price option (10%–20% discount on Gusto services).
Discounts for customers
- No special Discounts for customers
Gusto is a well-liked and highly rated payroll provider that also offers HR help. It has an accountant partnership program that includes certification training and marketing opportunities in addition to providing client payroll. Gusto Pro also includes a client dashboard and features to assist you in providing excellent customer service.
In our evaluation, Gusto earned an overall rating of 4.38 out of 5 with perfect scores in pricing and reporting capabilities. It lost some points for not having as many HR Benefits as others on our list and for not providing insurance in all 50 states, although it does offer online onboarding. However, users still love its efficient payroll and Tax preparation services, plus they find its features robust given its price.
Gusto for Accountants Discounts & Perks
You and your customers may pick from four affordable options (Core, Complete, Concierge, and Select) with monthly prices starting at $39 + $6 per employee with Gusto. Although you may opt to share your accountant discount with them, new customers are only entitled to a one-month free trial.
You get various benefits as a Gusto partner, including free payroll migration for your customers and free payroll software for your company (provided you enroll one client with Gusto per year). You’ll also have the opportunity to become People Advisory Certified and have your company included in the Gusto Partner Directory.
When you join up for Gusto’s partner accountant program, you’ll be given the choice of choose one of the following discounts and incentives:
- Gusto to charge your customers at a reduced cost
- Gusto to charge your customers at the listed prices, but you’ll get a cut of the profits.
- Gusto will charge you at a reduced rate.
Depending on the number of customers you have, the proportion of the discount or income sharing fluctuates. To obtain the resultant discount or revenue split, newly registered accountant partners must execute client payroll with Gusto within 30 days of signing up for the program.
To get discount advantages from Gusto, you must have at least three customers. Consider QuickBooks Payroll if you want to acquire cheaper pricing or want to pass savings on to your clients. Its accountant partner program has no client restrictions and gives more savings (30 percent and 15% off the monthly base and per-employee costs, respectively) than Gusto’s (10 percent–20 percent only).
Key Features of Gusto for Accountants
Payroll
Gusto’s pay processing capabilities include unlimited payroll, numerous pay rates and schedules, and automated pay runs. It can manage payroll for contractors as well as hourly and salaried workers, in addition to hourly and salaried employees. It accepts four- and two-day pay cards, paychecks, and direct deposits, with next-day direct payments available if you join up for its higher levels.
Tax preparation services
Unlike QuickBooks Payroll, all of Gusto’s plans offer federal, state, and local tax payment and filing services. It also handles year-end tax reporting (W-2 and 1099) and won’t charge you extra for it, unlike SurePayroll, ADP, and Paychex.
Tools tailored to accountants
Gusto does not have in-house accounting software like QuickBooks or Patriot, but it can link with Xero, FreshBooks, and QuickBooks. You also receive a client dashboard with Gusto Pro, which you can use to manage your clients’ payroll requirements, monitor pay run deadlines, and discover problems like missed and blocked payrolls. It also gives you access to useful materials on revenue management and regulatory developments, allowing you to provide your clients specific advice.
Printed marketing materials
To assist sell payroll services to customers, all accountant partners get free Gusto marketing material, cobranded dashboards, and referral tools. Additional marketing options, such as inclusion in Gusto’s partner directory, Gusto partner badges that you may put to your website, and a highlighted partner profile, become available as your incentive level rises.
HR Benefits
In addition to online new hire forms and onboarding features, Gusto’s platform allows you to upload and retain electronic documents (such as e-signed offer letters). Basic time tracking, workforce costing, professional advisors, and an HR library with job description templates, example policies, and HR manuals are all included in the higher levels.
Employee advantages
Gusto provides a broad variety of benefits, including commuter benefits, pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation, health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health reimbursement, and 401(k) plans, albeit its health insurance is only offered in 39 states. Your customers and their workers may also get the Gusto Wallet, a free financial management app from Gusto that includes time tracking and a “Cashout” option in case your client’s employees want early access to earned pay.
Your customers, on the other hand, won’t be able to take use of all of Gusto’s perks if their company is situated in a place that isn’t covered by the company’s health insurance. Consider any of the other providers on this list for health insurance offered throughout the United States (except Patriot Payroll).
For more information about the platform’s payroll, benefits, and HR Benefits, check out our Gusto review.
OnPay: Best Payroll Software for Accountants With Clients in Agriculture & Farming Industries
OnPay
4.24 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountantss | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- Interface that is simple to use
- Payroll for your business is free, and there are no client minimums.
- Discounts and income sharing possibilities are available as part of the accountant partner program.
What Isn’t There
- OnPay’s risk evaluation determines whether you can get two- or four-day direct payments.
- Integrations with third-party applications are limited.
- Services for printing and sending tax returns at the end of the year are extra.
- There is no accounting solution available.
Pricing for Accountants on OnPay
The cost of the software
- $36 per month extra $4 per month each employee
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- Your company’s payroll is completely free (no client minimums required)
- Discounted pricing and revenue-sharing options are available.
Discounts for customers
- 10%–20% off the monthly Fees for software
OnPay allows you to deliver payroll, HR tools, and benefit alternatives to your customers in all 50 states. Because it can submit Form 943 taxes, including taxes for employees on H-2A visas, its software is versatile enough to handle pay processing and tax files for enterprises in niche areas like agriculture and farming.
Similar to Gusto, its partner program for accountants comes with a client dashboard and an incentive scheme that lets you choose between revenue sharing and discounted pricing. You can even pass the discount to your clients and have OnPay send billing statements to their offices. What We Enjoy best about OnPay for Accountants is that you get free payroll software for your firm without having to meet client limits or add a customer to your client base every year (like QuickBooks Payroll).
OnPay had a 4.24 out of 5 rating in our review, closely behind Gusto. Given its HR functionality, reporting capabilities, fast payroll tools, and cheaply priced plan that many customers love, it achieved ratings of 4 and above in practically all of our criteria. If it had an in-house accounting software, it would have rated higher on our list (QuickBooks and Patriot does).
OnPay for Accountants Discounts & Perks
OnPay’s partner Benefits of becoming an accountant include free account setup, free data migration, marketing resources, free payroll for your firm, and options for either discount or revenue sharing. You can also pass the discount to your clients. The incentives are based on the number of clients you have.
Key Features of OnPay for Accountants
Payroll
OnPay can handle payroll for employees and contractors from various business types (like startups and SMBs), organizations (nonprofits and religious), and industries (such as restaurant, healthcare, dental, fitness, and agriculture). It offers There are no limits to how much money you can make., multiple pay rates and schedules, and multistate payrolls. You can pay employees through check, debit card, and direct deposits. Note that you have to undergo OnPay’s risk assessment to identify whether or not you’re eligible for two- or four-day direct deposits.
While risk assessment is a safeguard put in place by OnPay, you may not be able to provide your customers two-day direct payments if they don’t fulfill OnPay’s standards. Some of your larger payroll customers may be authorized for a “wire only” option, in which they handle the direct deposit transactions themselves. We suggest QuickBooks Payroll for quick direct deposit since it offers same-day and next-day choices.
Tax preparation services
All payroll tax computations, payments, and filings will be handled by OnPay. Year-end reporting is also available, but you’ll have to pay extra if you want OnPay to print and distribute W-2s and 1099s to your workers and contractors, much like ADP, SurePayroll, and Paychex.
Tools tailored to accountants
You’ll get access to a client dashboard, as well as experienced payroll assistance and free client migration services.
HR Benefits
OnPay’s HR Benefits include employee onboarding, PTO management with in-app requests and approvals, offer letters, and state new hire reporting. There are also document templates, compliance warnings, online document storage, and an HR resource library built-in. Consider Paychex, ADP, or Rippling for HR solutions like background checks and online training classes.
Employee advantages
OnPay offers health insurance to your customers that is accessible in all 50 states (unlike Gusto’s, which is only available in 39). Disability, life, and retirement plans are among the other advantages.
Visit our OnPay review to learn more about what this platform has to offer.
Patriot Payroll is a payroll service for accountants. is the best option for accounting firms looking for a low-cost payroll solution.
Patriot Payroll is a payroll service for accountants.
4.08 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountantss | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 3.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 3.13 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 2.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- Plans that are reasonably priced
- Discounts of up to 20% are available.
- Accounting software for usage in-house
- If you have 6 or more customers, you get free access to its payroll and accounting systems.
- Cobranding is used across the company’s software.
What Isn’t There
- HR resources are limited.
- The user interface is not editable.
- Multistate filings are more expensive.
- Lacks Employee advantages options
Patriot Payroll is a payroll service for accountants. Pricing
Fees for software
- Its full-service payroll package costs $30 + $4 per employee.
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- If you have at least six clients, you get free payroll and accounting software; for 1–5 customers, you get a 5% discount.
- For its time and attendance and HR modules, it offers a 5%–20% discount.
Discounts for customers
Patriot Payroll, the least priced choice in our tutorial, allows you to easily manage client payroll. It also includes time tracking and basic HR solutions for maintaining an online employee database, monitoring employee work hours, and defining overtime regulations. While all of these features are costly add-ons, adding them to Patriot’s payroll platform makes it suitable for your customers that have a lot of hourly employees and want to track their attendance precisely.
In our evaluation, Patriot Payroll earned 4.08 out of 5 with perfect marks with reporting, pricing, and popularity among users. It also received high scores in accountant-specific and pay processing tools given its helpful client dashboard, seamless integration with its accounting software (including QuickBooks), and the ease of running payroll with Patriot. It scored the lowest in HR Benefits because it lacks onboarding, state new hire reporting, and benefits options.
Patriot Payroll for Accountant Discounts & Perks
Accounting firms that join Patriot Payroll’s partner program enjoy discounted rates based on the number of clients they have. It offers product Discounts of up to 20% are available. for its payroll, accounting, time and attendance, and basic HR modules. Unlike discount perks from Gusto and OnPay, which require at least three customers, Patriot Payroll provides 5% off even if you only have one client.
While you can’t pass the savings on to your customers, paying Patriot Payroll’s membership costs on their behalf allows you to determine your own pricing for your services, regardless of the discount you get.
Employee information, document management, and HR reporting capabilities are all part of Patriot’s HR package.
For clients only requiring payroll and automated tax filing solutions, Patriot Payroll is a great choice as it is affordably priced and has full-payroll services. However, if you want to offer access to Employee advantages, the other providers on this list are better options since they have several options that include health, workers’ compensation, and retirement plans—although Gusto’s health insurance coverage is limited to 39 states.
Patriot Payroll is a payroll service for accountants. Key Features
Payroll
Pay hourly and salaried workers, as well as contractors, with simplicity. You don’t have to pay extra to run payroll as many times as you wish. If you’ve previously completed a successful paycheck and don’t foresee any changes, you may configure Patriot Payroll to run automatically. It enables PTO accrual monitoring, numerous pay rates, and customized hours, earnings, and deduction types in addition to paychecks and direct transfers.
Tax preparation services
Patriot Payroll’s tax services include depositing and submitting your federal, state, and municipal taxes. Your year-end payroll tax forms will also be sent to the proper authorities at no cost to you (ADP, SurePayroll, and Paychex charge extra for this).
Tools tailored to accountants
You can easily add and maintain your clients’ payroll information using Patriot Payroll’s client dashboard. Patriot provides a co-branding solution that allows your company’s logo to display across its software if you join its partner program.
HR tools
Patriot provides an online time tracking system with customized overtime regulations, as well as a basic HR software for handling employee information and documentation. Both of these tools, however, are costly add-ons. Gusto is an affordable payroll software that includes useful checklists, offer letters, and payroll onboarding tools to assist customers onboard new staff. Consider ADP, Rippling, or Paychex if you or your customer need a comprehensive set of HR solutions.
Read our Patriot Payroll review to learn more about its features, including the benefits and drawbacks of utilizing the system.
Paychex is a payroll service for accountants.: The Best Payroll for Accountants Who Want to Continue Their Education
Paychex is a payroll service for accountants.
4.05 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountantss | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 4.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 4.13 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 3.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- HR software in its entirety
- Payroll software with all the bells and whistles
- Paychex’s online courses and Accountant Knowledge Center provide ongoing training.
What Isn’t There
- Pricing isn’t always straightforward.
- Charges for each pay run
- Payroll tax administration and year-end reporting are not included in the price.
Paychex is a payroll service for accountants. Pricing
Fees for software
- Paychex Flex offers three options (Essentials, Select, and Pro), each with a monthly charge of $39 + $5 per employee.
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- Accountants have access to online courses and tools for continuing professional education (CPE).
Discounts for customers
- No special Discounts for customers
Accounting professionals may benefit from Paychex’s payroll and HR software, which includes technology and partnerships to help you deliver outstanding service to your customers. It all begins with AccountantHQ, a client dashboard where you may interact with customers to conduct payroll (using Paychex Flex) or do it yourself. HR capabilities such as onboarding, new employee reports, background checks, and recruiting services are then included. Then there’s access to professional education webinars, compliance assistance, resources and tools to help clients enhance their relationships, and a dedicated account services team of accountant relationship managers.
In our evaluation, Paychex earned an overall of 4.05 out of 5. Like ADP, its pricing took a hit, as most of its HR and payroll products require you to call for a quote. It also Charges for each pay run, making it more expensive for most clients. Nonetheless, it offers a terrific range of payroll and Tax preparation services, including a dedicated payroll specialist. You can offer clients HR support, given Paychex’s wide selection of online tools—from hiring and Employee advantages to learning management and even PEO services.
Paychex is a payroll service for accountants. Discounts & Perks
As part of its partner program, you’re granted access to Paychex Flex (an online payroll solution), including a variety of Tool for Accountantss and resources. Paychex will also provide you with its official logo and company description that you can add to your firm’s website.
Paychex is a payroll service for accountants. Key Features
Payroll
You can pay contractors and workers via direct deposits, pay cards, or paychecks using Paychex Flex. Check logo and signature services are also available. You have three pay input choices, including a grid view for fast pay data entry, in addition to adjustable income and deduction kinds.
Tax preparation services
Its payroll tax administration services encompass federal, state, and local tax payments and filings on your behalf. It also provides tax report preparation and delivery at the end of the year. Paychex may, however, charge a fee for certain of these services. Consider Gusto, Rippling, Patriot Payroll, and OnPay for tax services that are included in your payroll package. QuickBooks Payroll has comparable features, but if you want automatic local tax filings, you’ll need to upgrade to the highest tier.
Tools tailored to accountants
Paychex’s partner program offers free access to continuing professional education webinars made available by its cooperation with CPA.com and Wolters Kluwer, in addition to its AccountantHQ client dashboard. By registering with its Accountant Knowledge Center, you will have access to additional materials, such as videos and industry news. Paychex Flex can link with prominent accounting solutions like Xero, Sage Intacct, and QuickBooks, despite the fact that it does not have its own accounting software like QuickBooks and Patriot.
HR Benefits
Paychex Flex offers HR capabilities like as new hire reports, an HR library with company forms, and a labor compliance kit with e-posters for federal and state updates. If you sign up for one of the higher levels, it also includes new recruit onboarding, background checks, learning management, access to HR specialists, and an online employee handbook.
Employee advantages
Paychex allows you to offer health, dental, and vision insurance to your customers in all 50 states. It also offers HSA, FSA, and 401(k) plans, as well as a financial wellness program, something none of the other providers on our list do.
Do you want to find out more about this cloud-based payroll software? See our Paychex Flex review for more information.
Accountants face a rippling effect.: Best Payroll for Accountants With Clients Looking for Payroll, HR & IT Tools
Accountants face a rippling effect.
3.78 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountantss | 4.13 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 4.13 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 2.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- Payroll, IT, and HR systems are modular, allowing you to pick and choose what you need.
- Options for robust integration (over 500 apps)
- Clients and accountants get discounts as part of the partner program.
What Isn’t There
- Before you may purchase further products, you must first get its basic workforce management platform.
- Pricing isn’t always straightforward.
- Purchasing all of the company’s tools might be costly.
Accountants face a rippling effect. Pricing
Fees for software*
- Monthly fee of $10 per employee for the core workforce management platform
- Monthly full-service payroll: $8 per employee
- Employee advantages: $6 per employee monthly
- Commuter perks and flex HSA/FSA: $6 per employee per month
- App management costs $8 per month per employee.
- Monthly device management costs $8 per employee.
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- HR and payroll services are provided at no cost to your company (up to 25 employees)
Discounts for customers:
*Pricing is based on a quotation from a vendor.
Rippling’s modular HR, payroll, benefits, and IT technologies enable you to deliver a larger choice of solutions to customers than the other providers in this list. Rippling also features quick provisioning and deprovisioning procedures for computer devices and software, as well as the ability to store your unneeded machines in its warehouse for protection. Its partner accountant program, on the other hand, isn’t as extensive as ADP’s (with its benchmarking benefits) or Paychex’s (with its CPE webinars). Rippling solely offers discounts for your clients and free payroll and HR solutions for your organization, apart from a client dashboard.
Scoring an overall of 3.78 out of 5 in our evaluation, Rippling received ratings of 4 and up in payroll and HR Benefits, reporting capabilities, and User-Friendliness. Many users even like its intuitive interface and the seamless integration between its products. It scored the lowest in pricing because details of its product suite’s monthly fees aren’t all posted on its website, plus it can get pricey if you purchase all of its HR, IT, benefits, and payroll modules.
Accountants face a rippling effect. Discounts & Perks
Rippling’s partner program gives accountants free access to payroll and HR software for their businesses (up to 25 employees only). You’ll also receive a dedicated partner success manager and partner enablement materials so you can help your customers with payroll.
It provides free white-glove payroll migrations for your new customers, allowing them to quickly transfer from their existing payroll system to Rippling. Discounts of up to 35% are available to your customers. If you want training benefits, look at QuickBooks Payroll, Paychex, or ADP, since all three provide learning courses as part of their partner programs.
Accountants face a rippling effect. Key Features
Payroll
There are no limits to how much money you can make. and auto-calculations of pay rates are just some of Rippling’s Features of Payroll. You can pay both employees and contractors either through paychecks or direct deposits. Rippling even flags errors and pay data discrepancies between your draft pay runs and processed payrolls.
Tax preparation services
You won’t have to worry about submitting payroll taxes if you use Rippling. Its tax services include year-end reporting, as well as payments and filings for federal, state, and municipal taxes.
Tools tailored to accountants
Rippling, unlike QuickBooks and Patriot, does not have its own accounting software, however it can link with QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, and Xero. Rippling’s client command center makes it simple to keep track of all of your clients’ payroll demands and deadlines.
HR Benefits
The HR solutions from Rippling are intended to help you manage your personnel more effectively. It offers solutions for job advertising, applicant tracking, time tracking, onboarding, and learning management, as well as payroll and benefits. Sign up for its HR help desk add-on if you need expert counsel. You’ll receive one-on-one support from an HR specialist. Paychex, on the other hand, is an excellent tool for customers that prefer to work with a specialized payroll expert.
Employee advantages
You may purchase one or all of the company’s benefits modules, which include ACA and COBRA administration, flex benefits (commuter benefits, FSA, and HSA), and benefits administration.
IT tools
Rippling makes it simple to allocate and deploy computing devices to new recruits. You may also install the required applications on computing devices and limit access for quitting staff. Rippling can link with over 500 business applications, which is a huge plus. None of the companies on this list have such a large network of partners.
Check out our Rippling review for a more in-depth look at its features.
SurePayroll for Accountants is a payroll software designed specifically for accountants.: The Best Payroll for Accountants Who Want Customizable Client Billing Tools SurePayroll for Accountants is a payroll software designed specifically for accountants. is the Best Payroll for Accountants Who Want Customizable Client Billing Tools
SurePayroll for Accountants is a payroll software designed specifically for accountants.
3.62 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountantss | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 3.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 2.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 1.88 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- Two complimentary employee seats are included with the Payroll for Accountants package.
- Options for revenue sharing or direct billing
- Provides a branded online client portal.
What Isn’t There
- W-2/1099 reporting is not free.
- There are no benefits for continued education.
- There is a monthly cost for revenue sharing.
- HR resources are limited.
SurePayroll for Accountants is a payroll software designed specifically for accountants. Pricing
Fees for software*
- Monthly pricing begins at $39.99 + $3 per employee each month (fees decrease as the number of clients increases)
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- Your company will get free payroll if you have 10 or more customers, as well as subsidized rates.
- Client portal with a custom design
- Options for revenue sharing or direct billing
Discounts for customers
- No special Discounts for customers
*Pricing is based on a quotation from a vendor.
SurePayroll is a Paychex subsidiary that provides many of the same services as Paychex, but their software is simpler and less costly. It provides a partner program for CPAs that includes a platform for managing clients, specialized support, and wholesale pricing, in addition to full-service payroll, tax filings, basic HR capabilities, and access to benefits packages. It also has white-label branding options (i.e., you can customize its client portal). You may utilize its Revenue Share feature to handle client billings for an extra cost. This enables you to charge each customer a different markup fee and send them invoices.
In our rubric, SurePayroll received an overall rating of 3.62 out of 5, earning high marks of 4 and above in pricing and reporting. While it offers efficient payroll and Tool for Accountantss and has mostly positive feedback on online review sites, it scored the lowest in popularity among users since its average number of reviews on third-party sites is below 500.
SurePayroll for Accountants is a payroll software designed specifically for accountants. Discounts & Perks
SurePayroll’s payroll accountant price isn’t published on its website, however you may simply get an estimate from the company. According to the one we got, price is determined by the amount of customers you have, with monthly base rates (which start at $39.99) decreasing as your client base grows. It also provides two free user seats after which it costs $3 per employee each month for each additional employee; W-2/1099 filings are $45 + $4.50 per tax form.
SurePayroll’s partner accountant program offers free account creation as well as free access to its payroll application, which you may utilize for your company if you have 10 or more customers. There are also a variety of billing methods available.
- SurePayroll’s software expenses will be billed directly to you, enabling you to select a markup rate when charging customers for payroll services.
- Revenue sharing billing: SurePayroll’s software allows you to manage all client billing for an extra price. On a per-client basis, you may even establish markup prices for payroll services.
SurePayroll is the only accounting payroll software we researched that charges a fee for revenue sharing. With Gusto, OnPay, and ADP, all you have to do is join up for their partner accountant program and choose between revenue sharing or dividends as your reward.
SurePayroll for Accountants is a payroll software designed specifically for accountants. Key Features
Payroll
You get There are no limits to how much money you can make. each month with payout options that include paper checks and two-day direct deposits. Similar to many of the providers on this list, SurePayroll has an automatic pay run feature—which is optimal for client payrolls that don’t have any changes.
Tax preparation services
SurePayroll will take care of your federal, state, and local tax remittances and filings, however local tax services in Ohio and Pennsylvania are additional ($9.99 per month). It charges a fee for year-end tax reporting, similar to ADP and Paychex ($45.00 per customer + $4.50 every W-2/1099).
SurePayroll’s add-on costs for W-2/1099 tax reports may be too costly if the majority of your customers are startups and small company owners with restricted payroll budgets. Consider Gusto, Patriot Payroll, Rippling, and QuickBooks Payroll for year-end payroll tax reporting that doesn’t cost extra.
Tools tailored to accountants
SurePayroll provides white-label branding to partner accountants, allowing you to design the client interface to fit your company’s color scheme. Although it does not offer an accounting solution like QuickBooks or Patriot, its platform can link to accounting software like as Xero, Zoho Books, LessAccounting, Kashoo, QuickBooks, Sage 50, and AccountEdge.
HR Benefits
SurePayroll does not provide the time monitoring features that the other companies on this list do (except OnPay). It does, however, provide comprehensive new recruit screening measures, including as background checks, drug tests, behavioral evaluations, and skills testing.
Employee advantages
Health insurance, 401(k) plans, and workers’ compensation are among the advantages provided by SurePayroll. Consider ADP for employee discounts and a financial wellness program. Gusto is an excellent alternative if your consumers are searching for a health reimbursement solution, however their health insurance only covers 39 states.
Accountant Connect via ADP: The Best Payroll Accountant for Growing Companies
Accountant Connect via ADP
3.54 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE
| CRITERIA FOR RATING | Tool for Accountantss | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| User-Friendliness | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Expert Opinion | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| HR Benefits | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Features of Payroll | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 4.38 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Pricing | 0.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
What We Enjoy
- Has plans that are adaptable to various company sizes.
- A revenue-sharing incentive is part of the partner accountant program.
- Client dashboard for ADP Connect Accountant is available for free.
What Isn’t There
- Pricing that is not transparent
- Tax reporting towards the end of the year is more expensive.
- Setup costs are charged.
Pricing for ADP Connect Accountant
Fees for software
- Call ADP for a quotation on custom pricing.
Benefits of becoming an accountant
- Incentives based on revenue
- Payroll and HR professionals, marketing tools, tax studies, and industry information are all available.
Discounts for customers
- No special Discounts for customers
ADP is popular among businesses because it offers a complete collection of payroll and HR solutions, as well as scalable plans and packages for startups, emerging businesses, midsize businesses, and major corporations. Payroll, basic HR, and job advertising (through ZipRecruiter) are all included in its small company payroll software (ADP Run) for businesses with up to 49 workers.
ADP also provides a free version of their Accountant Connect service, which includes a client dashboard that allows you to quickly access your clients’ data, tax forms, and other information. It also gives you access to compensation benchmark data, help desk assistance, and marketing tools, as well as a revenue-sharing scheme if your customers choose ADP for payroll.
It earned an overall score of 3.54 out of 5 in our evaluation, with ratings of 4 and up in most of our criteria given its solid pay processing, wide range of HR solutions, reporting capabilities, Tool for Accountantss, and User-Friendliness. ADP is also highly rated by many reviewers because, apart from streamlining essential HR and payroll processes, its interface is generally easy to learn and use. Meanwhile, its Pricing that is not transparent pulled its score down significantly.
Many of its solutions, including some of its services, are either costly add-ons or only accessible in the upper levels of a product. If you use all of its online features, you and your customers may wind up paying a lot of money. If the majority of your clients are small company owners, suppliers such as Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, Gusto, and OnPay are ideal choices that provide reasonably cost payroll solutions.
Accountant Connect via ADP Discounts & Perks
Accountants who sign up in the ADP Incentives based on revenue Program earn dividends whenever their clients use ADP’s suite of HR and payroll solutions. Other perks include access to marketing resources, learning courses, and help desk support.
Accountant Connect via ADP Key Features
Payroll
With ADP’s handy mobile applications (for iOS and Android smartphones) and automated payroll capability, pay runs may be accomplished fast and properly. Contractors and workers may receive salary payments through direct deposits, paychecks, or the Wisely Direct debit card. Paychecks may also be sent to your clients’ offices for distribution to workers and contractors.
Tax preparation services
Tax preparation servicesFederal, state, and local tax payments and filings, as well as W-2/1099 reporting, are included in ADP’s payroll tax services. However, year-end tax report printing and delivery cost extra.
Tools tailored to accountants
You receive compliance support, professional analysis, tax resources, and benchmarking tools in addition to an online dashboard to help you advise clients. QuickBooks, Xero, and Wave are just a few of the major accounting programs that ADP interfaces with.
HR Benefits
ADP, like Paychex, provides onboarding, training, background checks, and professional assistance for new hires. One feature that distinguishes ADP from the other companies on this list is the inclusion of ZipRecruiter job posts in its ADP Run product (if you subscribe to the higher tiers).
Employee advantages
ADP has a wide range of Employee advantages options, such as health, dental, vision, and retirement plans. And unlike the other payroll software in this guide, it provides employee discounts with brand-name providers and local retailers. This allows you to offer clients a discount perk they can provide to their staff.
Are you unsure whether ADP provides the payroll and HR capabilities your small company requires? For a more in-depth look, see our ADP Run review.
How We Decided on the Best Accountant Payroll Software
The first thing we searched for was payroll software with accountant-specific partner programs. We looked for features like client dashboards and accountant-specific advantages in the program, as well as reduced pricing. Then we compared the features available, such as pay runs, tax filings, and HR software. Finally, we took into consideration the cost to clients and accountants.
20%
Tools tailored to accountants
20% of the overall score
We gave points for plans that cost less than $50 per user, as well as companies that offered transparent pricing, multiple options, There are no limits to how much money you can make., and zero setup fees. We checked if the provider has transparent pricing, zero setup fees, and multiple plan options with There are no limits to how much money you can make.. Those priced at $50 or less per employee monthly were also given extra points. Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, and Patriot Payroll scored highest in this area—although Patriot Payroll is the most affordable among the three.
15% of the overall score
We prioritized software that offers two-day direct deposit, manages all payroll tax payments and filings, and comes with a no-penalty guarantee. Except for SurePayroll, which provides restricted payment alternatives and costs extra for Ohio and Pennsylvania local tax filings, the majority of the systems we tested scored 4 or above here.
15% of the overall score
In this criterion, we assess whether the software’s User-Friendliness, pricing, and the width and depth of its payroll and HR tools are ideal for SMBs. QuickBooks Payroll, Gusto, Paychex, Rippling, and OnPay are at the lead with a score of 4.38 out of 5 in this criteria.
10% of the overall score
Access to expert support including online onboarding and state new hire reporting are the top HR Benefits we looked for; followed by benefits options, health insurance available across the US, and a self-service portal. ADP, OnPay, and Paychex are the high scorers here because all three allow you to provide clients with Employee advantages plans in addition to essential HR tools.
10% of the overall score
Payroll service and software should be simple to set up, be customizable, and have a Interface that is simple to use. We also looked at whether the provider offers live support and integration options with online tools that most SMBs use. QuickBooks Payroll received perfect scores in this criteria because of its intuitive interface, extensive how-to guides, and easy payroll setup.
5% of the overall score
On a 5-star scale, we analyzed user evaluations, including those from our rivals; any choice with an average of 4+ stars is optimal. In addition, any program having 1,000 or more reviews on a third-party website is preferable. In this category, Gusto, Paychex, and Patriot all received a perfect score.
5% of the overall score
Software with built-in basic payroll reporting and customization capabilities was preferred. Here, we gave flawless marks to all of the small company payroll software we tested.
*Percentages based on total score
Conclusion
If you’re providing payroll accounting services, you’ll need to choose payroll software that also includes an accounting solution. It simplifies bookkeeping and eliminates the need to manually enter payroll-related data into your books since its accounting and payroll tools work in tandem. Check to see whether your accounting software includes payroll, and vice versa. Then think about your clients’ requirements and add-on solutions that might be beneficial to both you and them, such as basic HR and benefits alternatives.
We think QuickBooks Payroll is the finest payroll software for small company accountants because it has an integrated payroll and accounting platform that allows you to move payroll data to the general ledger without having to do it yourself. It also provides your business with free payroll, a client dashboard, a free revenue sharing option, and reduced pricing for both you and your clients.
Pay attention to QuickBooks Payroll.
Gusto is a payroll software that allows accountants to manage their employee’s paychecks. Gusto is one of the best payroll software in 2022. Reference: gusto payroll for accountants.
Related Tags
- best payroll software for payroll service providers
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- adp for accountants
