Paychex vs OnPay

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Our analysts compared Paychex vs OnPay based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Payroll Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Paychex provides payment processing, time-keeping and other general human resource software. They offer this to self-employed users, small businesses, medium business and large enterprise ventures. Buyers can choose from various pricing plans and payment options such as direct deposit, real-time transfers and same-day ACH. Most versions have some core HR management and pay processing functionalities.

Based in the cloud, it assists with hiring, onboarding, tax filing, benefits management, business insurance, startup services and more. Users can customize it to meet their specific needs, adding only what they use. This allows administrators to ensure it fits their requirements, whether they be simple or complex.
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OnPay is designed to address core payroll needs for small businesses and handles basic HR functions as well. It integrates with a variety of other HR systems to enhance HR processes that include time tracking, accounting, benefits and compliance software integrations.

It requires no more than a few minutes to set up and features an easy-to-use interface. It also offers assistance with data migration for new users, making the transition even easier.
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$39 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$46 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Chromebook
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Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
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Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Email
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Reduce Errors: Ensure accuracy in payroll processing with the help of a variety of safeguard features, such as sending managers notifications when the system detects potential issues so that these problems are avoided entirely.
  • User Support: Access 24/7 online support to assist with all aspects of processing, and the option for a dedicated specialist that can act as a personal support expert for both payment and tax needs.
  • Convenience: The mobile app enables employers and employees to access the system from any device. By leveraging the cloud, they can start work on a desktop and pick up right where they left off directly from their mobile device, allowing them to complete core tasks from anywhere.
  • Informed Employees: Employees can get information about their time off, upcoming paychecks, benefits information or retirement funds. This saves time from HR and accounting by answering their more pressing questions while also building transparency and trust in the entire process.
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  • Automation: Automates calculation for state and federal payroll taxes and withholdings. Can also file tax forms and make tax payments. 
  • Accuracy: Guarantees tax filing accuracy and pledges to cover any fees that result from an error in tax calculation or filing. 
  • Saves Time: Eliminate the need for time-consuming tasks like data entry by integrating with other software and offering employee self-service functions. 
  • Ease of Operations: Offers health and dental benefits in all 50 states, access to major providers, integration of 401(k) retirement plans, quick employee census and the option to keep existing plans. Additionally provides life, vision, disability and more. 
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  • Products: It has many different products for different applications. Here are the most important:
    • Payroll: The platform offers payment for businesses with one employee, under 10 employees, from 10-49 employees and from 50 to over 1,000 workers. This includes online payroll, taxes, deductions and many tools to generate reports and look at costs.
    • Time and Attendance: The online time and attendance function ties in directly to payroll, saving time when trying to calculate paychecks. In addition to the software, it also offers TrueShift physical time clocks and the InVision iris recognition clocks. Users can track team activity in real time through the manager’s dashboard, and allow employees to record time, approve timecards and check schedules through the employee dashboard.
    • HR: It has a range of HR services and software including employee development, hiring, records administration, compliance, benefits administration, learning management and more.
      • Professional Employer Organization: This is a full-service HR consulting program that helps organizations with liability issues, daily worker problems, risk management, benefits administration and other related issues.
      • Hiring Service: The software can make the hiring process easier with applicant tracking, screening, recruiting and onboarding capabilities. Please note, they don’t have employee leasing, temp staffing or contract staff services.
      • Employee Benefits: Managers and workers alike can get access to health insurance for groups or individuals, financial wellness and retirement planning.
    • Business Insurance: Users can get property and casualty insurance with the help of agents who assist in the selection and implementation process for the new benefits. This includes business owner policies, cyber liability and workers’ compensation.
    • Finances and Payments: Besides payroll, this program also has business loans, expense management, tax administration and processing for payments.
    • Startup Solutions: For new businesses, it offers guides, consulting, advice and more for multiple aspects of the process. They give aid with marketing, the incorporation process, business management and access to free online tools.
  • Payroll and Tax Filing: Process payroll and automatically calculate taxes. Paychex can calculate, file and pay taxes at the federal, state and local level automatically. The platform can calculate hours, doing setup for direct deposit and setting hours per pay period.
  • General Ledger: Synchronize payroll data with integrations offered by Paychex. The system is compatible with a variety of popular accounting systems, including QuickBooks Online and Xero.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generate custom analytics and reports or choose from over 160 customizable templates to track and visualize relevant data.
  • Learning and Development: Employees can take advantage of online courses to stay educated on relevant topics. Not only does this increase productivity, but it makes employees feel more invested in.
  • Core HR: It gives employee feedback, manages employee training and tracks important documents through the system’s interface.
  • Onboarding: Applicants and new hires can complete new hire documents, such as tax forms, and set up direct deposit directly through the platform.
  • Paycheck Protection Program: Introduced by the CARES Act as a measure for economic stability during the COVID pandemic, the Paycheck Protection Program loans encourage small businesses to keep or rehire workers that have been furloughed. This system offers a quick way to apply for this loan.
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  • Payroll: Automate payroll processing, schedule unlimited pay runs, customize pay runs to match business functions, make corrections and cancel pay runs when necessary. 
  • Employee Management: Provides self-service to employees. They can go through self-onboarding, enter personal details, make changes, and access pay stubs and tax forms. 
  • Multiple Pay Rates: Supports direct deposit, check and debit card payments. Allows payment to different types of employees, including salaried employees, hourly workers and contractors. 
  • Tax Filing: Processes tax filings, including special tax filings for clergy and nonprofits. OnPay assists users with taxes by calculating, paying and filing tax forms automatically. 
  • Integrations: Connects with a variety of other systems that enable the system to complete tasks such as time tracking, benefits management, accounting and other core HR functions. 
  • Org Charts: Offers detailed employee profiles and contact info, along with a company directory and a visual org chart. Automatically updates details based on changes, organizes employees by location, department or teams. 
  • PTO Management: Provides custom paid time off policies, up to three accrual tiers, automated accrual tracking, a PTO calendar, and reminders and email notification. In-app requests and approvals are also available. 
  • Integrated Workers’ Comp: Aids in administration and includes pay-as-you-go policies and low up-front costs. Automatically updates during team changes and offers support from experienced brokers. 
  • COVID-19 Compliance: Tracks FFCRA sick or medical leaves, automated FFCRA tax credits, and PPP expenses and forgiveness. 
  • Additional HR Tools: Includes onboarding workflows, e-signing, in-app offer letters, new hire reporting and custom personnel checklists. Also offers: 
    • Online I-9 and W-4 forms.
    • Delegation and tracking of non-HR requests (like IT).
    • Built-in document templates, document storage and personnel files.
    • Direct messaging, compliance audits and an HR resource library.
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Product Ranking

#4

among all
Payroll Software

#20

among all
Payroll Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

90
75
94
89
100
60
100
40
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Dashboard and Reporting
Expense Management
Platform Capabilities
Security and Compliance
Benefits Management
Security and Compliance
Benefits Management
Payroll and Tax Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Paychex
OnPay
+ Add Product + Add Product
Benefits Management Dashboard And Reporting Expense Management Mobile Capabilities Payroll And Tax Management Platform Capabilities Security And Compliance Time And Attendance Management 94 100 100 81 90 100 100 91 89 60 40 69 88 83 100 52 0 25 50 75 100
92%
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8%
83%
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17%
100%
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60%
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100%
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80%
80%
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40%
87%
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13%
87%
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13%
100%
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78%
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22%
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88%
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12%
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75%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

71%
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29%
43%
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57%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 2800 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 616 reviews
83%
of users recommend this product

Paychex has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 83% when considering 2800 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

98%
of users recommend this product

OnPay has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 98% when considering 616 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.5 (24)
5.0 (16)
4.2 (1342)
4.9 (195)
4.1 (1122)
n/a
n/a
4.9 (377)
3.9 (312)
4.6 (28)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Paychex and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Payroll Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Expense Management and Platform Capabilities.

Analysts' Pick Award
Expense Management Award
Platform Capabilities Award

OnPay stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

User-Friendly UI: A total of 80% of reviewers who mentioned the UI felt it easy to use.
Price Within Budget: Around 50% of reviewers that mentioned price were satisfied with the pricing structure and found that the system was worth it.
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Customer Support: The service team is well-versed with the product and responds quickly, as noted by 93% of users referencing support.
Budget-Friendly: OnPay’s cost has good value against the features offered, according to 91% of users mentioning price.
User-Friendly: The application is easy to adapt to and use, suggested 82% of users who reviewed usage and interface.
Payroll Updates: Gantt Charts provide management with a rich visualization of project workflows and data depiction that helps solve scheduling problems, as observed by approximately 100% of users who talk about its visualizer tool.
Workflow Management: Of users mentioning workflow management, 85% suggested the platform simplifies and organizes workflows to make operations easy.
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Late Submissions and Missed Deadlines: Around 80% of reviewers that mentioned taxes ran into issues, with around 70% saying they had to pay penalties as a result.
Terrible Customer Service: Clients complained that the customer service was rude, unqualified, ill-informed, unhelpful and had high turnover in almost 70% of reviews that mentioned customer service.
Broken Features: Over 50% of reviews that mentioned the features said they were left wanting. The most common issues were communication problems. Just under 20% of all reviewers complained about errors made by either the solution or the staff.
Late Cancellations: Around 20% of reviewers that discussed price complained that they had canceled the program, but it had kept taking money out of their account.
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Unstable Mobile App: The mobile app doesn’t offer optimum usage and lacks functionality compared to the web and desktop versions, according to 66% of reviews referring to this feature.
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Paychex incorporates a range of different solutions and is used widely by small, medium and large-sized companies. While around 40% of users were happy with the functionality of the system, the majority expressed dissatisfaction with its tax capabilities, pricing and customer service. Many described it as dishonest and complained especially that they were oversold on its capabilities and that the salespeople used pushy tactics to try and upsell them. Other complaints of the system included making errors, overpaying employees or even miscalculating taxes resulting in serious penalties. Current and former clients greatly disliked the service. The UI was the most positively reviewed element of the platform with around 80% expressing satisfaction with the design and navigation. Around 50% were happy with the pricing structure and a minority of around 30% of users said they had positive experiences with some select customer service members. This disparity in experiences may be in part to the high turnover rate in representatives which is mentioned many times during the reviews. This solution could be appropriate for small and medium-sized businesses. It supports larger enterprises, but buyers should make sure it has the necessary functionality before purchasing.

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OnPay is a payroll and HR management software ideal for small businesses. It offers various robust features such as workflow management, automated payroll updates, taxations and billings. It’s also easy to use and good for small budgets. The one notable drawback users cited was the mobile app’s functionality and speed. Overall, small businesses looking for an economic payroll solution with plenty of functionality should consider OnPay.

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