As a small business owner, one of the most important aspects of managing your employees is ensuring everyone gets paid accurately and on time. However, payroll processing can be a complex and time-consuming task that takes your attention away from other important business activities, but it doesn’t have to be.
SurePayroll is an online payroll processing company that offers small businesses an easy and affordable way to manage their payroll. We’ll take a look at SurePayroll and how it can benefit small businesses. We’ll explore everything you need to know, from features like unlimited payroll and payroll tax calculations, to help you decide if SurePayroll is the right solution for your business.
Pros
- Available plans starting at $19.99 per month plus $4 per employee
- Simple payroll for employees
- Mobile app for small businesses
- Centralized HR and business forms
Cons
- Must enter information to get pricing
- Customer support not available 24/7
What Is SurePayroll?
SurePayroll is an online payroll and tax filing solution designed for small businesses. This online payroll company was founded in 2000. It is a subsidiary of Paychex, Inc., which it acquired in 2011. However, the solution is different from Paychex Flex.
Anyone looking to simplify payroll management and automate repetitive processes will find this tool to be an ideal solution. It offers flexible payroll options, unlimited payrolls, and payroll tax calculations so you can keep your employees happy and manage your small business with ease.
For more information on pricing, please contact their sales representatives. Users report that their plans range from an affordable $19.99 to $29.99 per month, plus a $4 per-employee fee.
SurePayroll can be a good option if you want to ensure that everyone in your organization gets paid on time. However, it’s important to note that while SurePayroll has features designed for HR professionals, it’s not as comprehensive as other payroll services designed for HR professionals.
How SurePayroll Works
SurePayroll caters to a variety of groups, including:
- Small businesses. SurePayroll helps small businesses streamline their payroll processes, including 401(k) plan withholding, W-2 payments to employees and 1099 contractors, FSA and HSA account funding, and payroll withholding. It also offers compliance training and reporting to ensure compliance with all federal and state payroll regulations.
- Nanny and Caregiver Services: This platform is also a convenient payroll solution for employers who hire nannies, caregivers, or other home workers. With SurePayroll, employers who provide child care services can quickly pay their employees and manage payroll taxes. This makes it easier to comply with state and federal labor laws and avoid costly penalties.
- Benefits and Human Resources: In addition to payroll processing, SurePayroll offers human resources and benefits management services. These services include engagement, time and attendance, and employee benefits management, allowing businesses to manage all aspects of their employee needs.
- Accountants: SurePayroll also offers payroll services for accountants whose clients need to process their payroll. Accountants can use SurePayroll’s platform to manage the payroll needs of multiple clients from a single account. This simplifies the provision of payroll services and ensures accuracy for all clients.
What Sets SurePayroll Apart
This award-winning solution supports W-2 employees and 1099 contractors, manages 401(k) withholdings, and manages Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) funds.
Key software features include:
- Mobile app for payroll processing
- New employee reporting and general ledger support
- Easy direct deposit setup
- Tax calculation and filing
SurePayroll is easy to set up and learn in minutes. You can automate recurring payroll calculations, make necessary changes, and receive reminders before processing.
SurePayroll Features
Ease of Use
SurePayroll is easy to use and reliable for small businesses that need to process payments quickly. The platform’s simple and intuitive interface makes setup, payroll management, and tax filing a breeze.
The software also offers step-by-step guidance throughout the payroll process and access to a representative who can help new users enter employee hours, review payroll reports, and make any necessary adjustments.
Compliance
SurePayroll understands the importance of regulatory compliance and offers a variety of resources to help customers stay informed. It offers free compliance guides, information on labor law compliance, and access to business forms like I-9 and job applications. It also includes notifications and reminders to ensure customers are aware of compliance updates.
Onboarding
SurePayroll includes a setup assistant that guides users through the entire process. After creating an account, the software will guide you through all the necessary paperwork. From there, you’ll need to fill out five sections to set up your payroll. This includes personal information, company information, employee, federal, and state taxes, and payroll bank account information.
Tax Filing
SurePayroll lets you calculate, pay, and file payroll taxes. Its full-service plan also offers state and local tax filing for an additional $9.99 per month. Some states have more complex tax regulations at the jurisdictional level, but the platform can help small business owners navigate these complexities. SurePayroll processes over 6,000 active taxes in the United States.
Time Tracking
SurePayroll’s integration with time clocks allows businesses to easily track their employees’ hours and automatically import the data into their payroll system.
With the integration with Stratustime, employees can record their time through web-based time entry, online time entry, and a mobile web app. Hours and payments are automatically updated, helping users avoid data entry errors and manual work.
SurePayroll also supports third-party integrations with time and attendance companies such as Redcort, Homebase, OnTheClock, and Time Wolf.
Benefits Administration
For benefits management, companies can offer employee compensation with flexible payment options, health insurance, and pre-employment screening. They can also provide employees with 401(k) benefits, determine specific retirement plan services, and develop a qualified workforce.
Analytics and Reporting
SurePayroll includes payroll reports that allow for greater transparency in the payroll process. These reports include payroll summary, monthly, quarterly, and annual calculations, date ranges, cash claims, checkbook, taxable wages, and withholdings.
Accessibility
SurePayroll has a mobile app for Apple and Android. Here you can access the same features you would on a laptop or desktop computer. This includes employee and independent contractor compensation, access to pay stubs, and control over pay deadlines and holidays. Employers can log into the portal to view their payroll details, find pay stubs, check pay rates, and monitor tax information.
SurePayroll Pricing and Plans
SurePayroll’s solution offers two basic payroll services: tax-free and full-service. Both plans offer unlimited payroll, automatic payroll, new employee reporting, direct deposit, deposit and live help.
Because SurePayroll has quote-based pricing only, the cost may be challenging to estimate for growing businesses. As your business grows, pricing may change, and new features may be introduced.
SurePayroll Tiered Pricing and Plans
| No Tax Filing | Full Service | |
|---|---|---|
Starting Price | $19.99 per month, plus $4 per employee per month | $29.99 per month, plus $5 per employee per month |
U.S. Payroll | ✔ | ✔ |
Global Payroll | X | X |
Onboarding | ✔ | ✔ |
Tax Filing | ✔ | ✔ |
Benefits Administration | Available as an add-on | Available as an add-on |
Time Tracking | Available as an add-on | Available as an add-on |
Expense Management | Not stated | Not stated |
Auto Payroll | ✔ | ✔ |
No Tax Filing Plan
The Tax Reporting Absence Plan is ideal for small business owners who want to manage unlimited payroll and manage tax reporting themselves. Popular features include direct deposit, online pay stubs, payroll taxes, and live chat support. Managing employees with your HR consultant, creating new hire reports, different pay rates, and bonuses are also easy.
Full Service Plan
The Full Service Plan is ideal for businesses looking for comprehensive payroll and tax reporting services. This option includes everything included in the Tax Reporting Absence Plan, plus two-day payroll processing. You can also choose additional features such as local tax filing and multiple state tax filing.
SurePayroll Customer Service and Support
SurePayroll offers live chat phone support during select hours, Monday through Friday and Saturday. It also has a comprehensive FAQ section for software-related questions and resources for payroll and payroll tax information.
SurePayroll Customer Service and Support
SurePayroll offers live support from its U.S.-based support team via chat, email, or phone. Users can access an expert accounting support team and a dedicated sales and enrollment specialist to help them with their business needs. SurePayroll integrates with major accounting software, including Zoho Books, Xero, AccountEdge, and Intuit.
Additional Features Worth Noting
SurePayroll offers live support through its United States-based support team through chat, email or phone. Users can access an expert Accountant Care Team and a dedicated Sales and Enrollment Specialist to address their business concerns. SurePayroll supports integrations with leading accounting software, such as Zoho Books, Xero, AccountEdge and Intuit.
On top of this, SurePayroll has add-on features for accounting software integration, local tax filing and time clock software integration. There are some additional charges for some services.
SurePayroll Alternatives and How They Compare
| SurePayroll | Namely | Paycor | Gusto | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Forbes Advisor Ratings |  | | |  |
Starting Price | $19.99 per month, plus $4 per employee per month | Quote-based | $199 per month, plus $8 per employee per month | $40 per month plus $6 per month per person |
U.S. Payroll | ✔ | Yes, with higher-tiered plan | ✔ | ✔ |
Global Payroll | No | Yes, with higher-tiered plan | Add-on | No |
Direct Deposit | Yes, employees and contractors | No | ✓ | ✔ |
Onboarding | ✔ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ |
Tax Filing | ✔ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ |
Benefits Administration | ✔ | Offered as add-on | ✓ | ✔ |
Time Tracking | Available as an add-on | Yes, with higher-tiered plan | ✔ | Yes, via an integration |
SurePayroll’s most basic plan costs $19.99 plus $4 per employee per month. However, it includes additional integration features, so you may pay more or less depending on the features you use. SurePayroll compares relatively well to its competitors in the industry. It offers core features such as tax filing, benefits management, reporting, workflow automation, and third-party integrations.
SurePayroll vs. Namely
Namely is a comprehensive HR software platform that offers a variety of benefits management, reporting, performance management, and time tracking capabilities. However, core features such as payroll, direct deposit, time tracking, expense management, and analytics are only available on higher-tier plans.
On the other hand, SurePayroll offers benefits management capabilities in its most basic plan, including affordable 401(k) plans, health insurance, and workers’ compensation coverage for small businesses.
SurePayroll vs. Paycor
SurePayroll and Paycor are both cloud-based payroll and HR software solutions designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), but they differ in their features and approach. Paycor offers specific solutions for industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and hospitality, while SurePayroll focuses more on general business needs.
SurePayroll vs. Gusto
Gusto is a comprehensive payroll and benefits platform for small businesses and startups. It offers automated or manual payroll for employees and contractors, self-service profiles, and two-day direct deposits starting at $40 plus $6 per person per month. It also offers the Gusto Wallet banking platform, which allows employees to receive same-day paychecks and access spending and savings accounts.
Is SurePayroll Right for Me?
SurePayroll is a trusted payroll service provider with over two decades of experience. It is ideal for small businesses, offering a ready-made solution that is easy to deploy and manage. It includes an employee self-service portal, HR library, reporting, and all the essential features that small businesses need.
SurePayroll is ideal for:
- For small businesses: SurePayroll is ideal for small businesses that need a simple and efficient payroll solution. It is ideal for companies that want to save time and effort, get an affordable option, and get help with tax compliance.
- Accountants: SurePayroll offers an accounting partner program with core payroll and HR functionality. It offers the ability to white label the platform to customize, the platform with white-label branding, profit from payroll and integrate payroll into existing services.
- Household employers: Unlike most payroll platforms, SurePayroll has features for household employers with caregivers, nannies or other domestic workers. It also features Schedule H, or Household Employment Taxes, which household employers need to report household employment taxes to the IRS.
SurePayroll Is Not Recommended For:
- Customers looking for clear pricing: SurePayroll requires customers to request pricing information. This is a disadvantage for individuals and small businesses looking to scale, as prices can easily change based on growth.
- Large companies: Startups and fast-growing online businesses may prefer other solutions that make it easier to transition to enterprise platforms.
Our Expert Opinion
SurePayroll is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, HR professionals, remote workers, and accountants who want to manage their payroll. It includes onboarding, tax filing, benefits management, reporting, and a mobile app. Since the pricing plans aren’t transparent, it can be difficult to determine if it’s the most cost-effective solution for your business. Its core features are ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, but larger businesses may find better options elsewhere.
