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Paychex Payroll Review
Table of Contents
- Paychex is suitable for businesses of all sizes, from sole proprietors to companies with 1,000 or more employees.
- The vendor provides 24/7 customer support via chat or phone, depending on your plan tier.
- Paychex automates local, state and federal tax filings to help maintain compliance.
- Advanced tools like integrations, benefits administration, time and attendance, and onboarding cost extra, even on higher-tier plans.
- Pricing isn't transparent on the website, making it harder to compare the platform with other options.
- The entry-level plan is more limited than the starter tiers of many competitors.
Paychex is a full-service payroll provider that also delivers tax preparation, HR services, employee experience tools, analytics and performance management. With more than 50 years in business, it now serves around 740,000 companies of all sizes. Its scalable packages make Paychex a strong choice whether you’re running a small firm or managing a growing enterprise, with payroll and HR in one unified platform. We also like that Paychex offers 24/7 support by phone or chat, depending on your subscription level.
Paychex Payroll Editor's Rating:
9.3 / 10
- Pricing
- 9/10
- Features
- 9/10
- Usability
- 9/10
- Employee self-service
- 9.5/10
- Customer service
- 9.5/10
Why Paychex Is Best for Businesses of All Sizes
Paychex is built to scale with your business, whether you’re paying a handful of employees or managing a workforce of 1,000-plus. It supports W-2 staff and 1099 contractors, offers flexible pay schedules and provides multiple payment methods, including checks, direct deposit and pay cards. A standout feature is Paychex’s compliance support. The company employs more than 200 HR compliance experts who track regulatory changes across all 50 states, from tax updates and pay equity laws to industry-specific issues like workplace safety and privacy. That level of oversight helps businesses of any size stay compliant.
Beyond payroll, Paychex includes essential HR features like benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, recruiting and employee onboarding — all managed in one platform. For growing or multi-location businesses, this helps streamline operations without juggling multiple vendors. Keep in mind, however, that many of these advanced HR tools come with extra costs.
Paychex serves small, midsize and large businesses alike, offering flexible plans that can adapt as your needs evolve. No matter your plan level, employees can access pay stubs and tax forms through the mobile app, and you’ll get 24/7 customer support by phone, chat or email.
Usability
Paychex runs on its cloud-based platform, Paychex Flex, which combines payroll processing, HR and compliance tools in one system. The software is designed to be intuitive, with clear menus, dashboards and mobile access so you and your employees can manage tasks anywhere.
When you log in, the homepage alerts you when payroll is due and provides quick links to start a new run, review reports or check upcoming payroll costs. Paychex says you can run payroll in just two clicks: enter your data, confirm it’s correct and submit. You can also set payroll to run automatically with the vendor’s TaxPay service, which files and deposits payroll taxes on your behalf. For added peace of mind, higher-tier plans include access to payroll tax specialists who can manage submissions for you.
Employees benefit from self-service access via secure mobile login, where they can view personal details, download pay stubs and retrieve year-end tax forms. The platform also integrates seamlessly with other Paychex services, like HR tools, to give business owners of any size a single, unified system.
Paychex Features
Part of Paychex’s appeal is that it goes beyond standard payroll by offering HR and compliance tools in one platform. Businesses of all sizes can choose only the features they need or add more as they grow.
Full-service payroll | Paychex calculates employee pay and issues it via direct deposit, paper checks or pay cards. |
|---|---|
Managing payroll taxes | The platform manages local, state and federal payroll taxes, as well as year-end W-2 and 1099 filings. |
Onboarding | Digitally assign and track onboarding tasks for new hires. (Add-on service) |
Third-party integrations | Connect Paychex to accounting, POS and productivity software. (Additional fees apply) |
HR administration | Manage benefits, compliance, and employee records through Paychex’s all-in-one HR platform. |
Time and attendance | Track hours and sync directly with payroll through a cloud-based service. (Add-on service) |
Full-Service Payroll
Paychex automatically calculates employee pay based on hours worked and pay rates, while also factoring in bonuses, commissions and tip disbursements. The software handles deductions such as health insurance, uniforms and wage garnishments, depending on your plan.
Employees can be paid by direct deposit, pay card or paper check. For the latter, Paychex can print paychecks and mail them to you, or you can print them on-site.
Managing Payroll Taxes
Paychex calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxes, including year-end W-2 and 1099 payroll forms. The company guarantees accuracy and will cover any penalties that result from payroll tax errors.
Employers also get access to more than 160 standard payroll reports, plus tools to build custom reports, making it easier to track payroll and tax-related financials.
Onboarding
Paychex Flex users can opt for employee onboarding tools like paperless onboarding for new hires, which includes digital forms for tax withholdings, I-9 and direct deposit, although this feature will cost you an additional fee. The Pro and Enterprise plans include pre-employment background checks as well, or you can add this feature to the base plan. We especially like that regardless of the plan you purchase, Paychex manages all state-required new-hire reporting for you.
The Paychex Flex mobile app also makes onboarding more accessible for employees, allowing them to complete forms and get set up right from their phones. This makes the process faster, more convenient and less intimidating for new hires.
Third-Party Integrations
Paychex integrates with more than 150 third-party applications, including many of the best accounting software platforms like QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage 50 and more. It also connects with point-of-sale, HR and productivity tools such as BambooHR and Workforce. These integrations let businesses of all sizes share data seamlessly across platforms without relying on manual entry. However, access to integrations is only available as a paid add-on.
HR Administration
Paychex provides all-in-one HR technology that complements its payroll service, making it easier for businesses to manage employees. Depending on your plan, you’ll find tools to track performance reviews, organize employee training, and securely store company and employee documents.
We especially like that Paychex Flex Enterprise subscribers gain access to dedicated HR professionals who can assess your company’s people management needs, create an action plan and help you put it into practice. This is especially valuable for smaller businesses without a full HR department, while larger companies can use these tools to simplify and centralize employee management.
Time and Attendance
Paychex Flex Time is the company’s cloud-based time and attendance software that integrates seamlessly with its payroll and HR services. This integration helps save time and reduce errors.
Employees can access the program through a laptop, tablet or the Paychex mobile app, making it easy to clock in whether working remotely or on-site. Through the self-service app, employees can also view time cards, request time off and submit pay adjustments. (Keep in mind that the timekeeping software is charged as an add-on to Paychex Flex payroll tiers.)
Paychex Costs
Paychex has three main bundle options that all include core payroll processing and payroll tax administration services, along with basic employee experience and workforce management tools. Paychex says pricing starts at $39 per month plus $5 per employee, but actual pricing depends on your employee count, service needs and payroll frequency. This flexibility allows Paychex to serve businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises with complex payroll needs.
Here’s an overview of its plans:
Plan | Best for | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
Select | Smaller businesses that want the essentials |
|
Pro | Growing businesses that need more compliance tools | Everything in Select, plus
|
Enterprise | Larger businesses seeking a unified payroll and HR platform | Everything in Pro, plus:
|
Additional pricing notes to consider include:
- Paychex sometimes runs promotions such as three months of free payroll for new customers.
- Benefits administration, time and attendance and integrations are billed as add-ons, even at higher tiers.
Paychex Setup
We appreciate that when you sign up with Paychex, the vendor works with you to ensure a smooth setup process. Your sales rep and client transition partners help gather the necessary paperwork and get your account started.
If you’re switching from another payroll provider, Paychex may be able to pull your information directly from that system, which significantly speeds things up. Once Paychex has your data, your account could be live within 48 hours — much faster than we noted in our review of ADP, whose process can take up to a month.
An implementation specialist will also guide you through the software. They’ll walk you through running your first payroll, viewing reports and granting employee access. If you prefer, Paychex can even run your first few payrolls for you while balancing year-to-date data. The Flex interface itself is colorful and intuitive, with a left-hand menu covering areas like time and attendance, documentation, reports and HR. Hover windows bring up employee profiles and reports, while custom analytics can be set up with just a few clicks.
Paychex Customer Service
- Support channels: Paychex provides customer service by chat (24/7 for all subscribers), phone and email. Most phone support operates Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, with dedicated lines for different services like payroll, time and attendance, benefits, COBRA, retirement and ACA reporting.
- Enhanced support: Flex Pro and Enterprise users can access multi-channel support, including phone and email assistance from agents who provide more hands-on guidance. For Pro subscribers, this is available as a paid add-on, while Enterprise includes it.
- Premium support: Enterprise customers also receive premium support, which provides direct access to support advisors, multi-channel contact and a dedicated payroll specialist who can even process payroll on your behalf. Pro users can purchase this as an add-on.
- Online resources: Paychex maintains a blog, podcasts, webinars and compliance articles. A highlight is its interactive U.S. map, which shows state-specific obligations such as payroll taxes, benefits, safety policies and minimum wage rates.
Paychex Drawbacks
Paychex has much to offer, but there are a few potential concerns to consider:
- Limited features in lower tiers: The entry-level Select plan lacks payroll perks that some competitors include, like state unemployment insurance filing and general ledger integration. Even at higher tiers, features such as benefits administration, onboarding, time and attendance and integrations may require paid add-ons. If you want an all-inclusive option, check out our OnPay Payroll review, which covers this vendor’s single, affordable plan with robust features.
- Opaque pricing: While Paychex notes that plans start at $39 plus $5 per employee, per month, you’ll need to request a custom quote for your company based on its needs. This can make cost comparisons difficult. If you want a provider with impressive HR tools and more transparent pricing, read our Gusto Payroll review or visit our Gusto vs. Paychex comparison to see how these vendors stack up.
- Customer feedback concerns: While Paychex holds an A+ BBB rating, it scores poorly on Trustpilot (1.1 stars) and Consumer Affairs (1.4 stars), with many customer complaints. Some users say they value having a dedicated payroll specialist, but others report long wait times and inconsistent resolution quality. If strong customer satisfaction is a top priority, you may want to explore our review of QuickBooks Payroll, where we note this platform’s breadth of features and high user ratings.
Methodology
To identify the best payroll services in the industry, we evaluated each platform’s payroll features, ease of use, pricing, customer support, integrations, HR tools and implementation process. We also reviewed online ratings and customer feedback to understand how well each service performs in real-world use.
To select the best payroll service for businesses of all sizes, we focused on providers that offer scalable plans suitable for companies at different growth stages. Paychex stood out for its flexibility, with options that work whether you’re paying just a few employees or managing a workforce of 1,000 or more. Our goal is to help businesses choose the right payroll service for their needs.
Paychex FAQs
Overall Value
We recommend Paychex for …
- Companies of all sizes seeking a comprehensive payroll provider.
- Businesses looking to run payroll via a mobile app.
- Organizations that want 24/7 customer support and strong compliance guidance across multiple states and industries.
We don’t recommend Paychex for …
- Businesses that want all-inclusive plans that offer extensive HR tools without additional fees.
- Companies seeking robust entry-level plans.
- Startups or very small businesses that need transparent, low-cost pricing without add-ons.
Erin Donaghue contributed to this review.
