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Top 12 Free CheckMark Payroll Alternatives, Compared (2026)

Explore 12 alternatives to CheckMark Payroll — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

The best free CheckMark Payroll alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

In short, the best free alternatives to CheckMark Payroll are Gusto, Freshbooks and Paycor. Gusto is first with a SpotScore of 9.7 and 4.36★ from users. All 12 are compared on score, rating, and pricing below.

If CheckMark Payroll isn't the right fit on price, features, or ease of use, these 12 payroll software free alternatives are the strongest options. We rank them by SpotScore, which blends real-user satisfaction with market presence, then by star ratings and pricing model. Every tool here is vetted by our editors. Scan the table first, then read the full breakdown below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
GustoModern HR for Growing Businesses9.7★★★★ 4.36(947)Freefrom $49 /user/monthsmall & mid-size businesses
FreshbooksInvoicing made easy. Anytime, anywhere.9.6★★★★★ 4.59(1379)Freefrom $8/mosmall & mid-size businesses
PaycorTransform your workforce with Paycor.9.6★★★★ 3.74(552)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
QuickBooks PayrollStreamline your payroll process with ease.9.2★★★★ 4.32(56)Freefrom $49/mosmall businesses
FingercheckEffortless payroll management with a swipe.8.7★★★★ 4.3(163)Freefrom $23/moteams of all sizes
Patriot PayrollEfficiently streamline your payroll process.8.8★★★★★ 4.88(3151)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
BambooHRStreamline your HR processes for better business results.9.8★★★★★ 4.75(1093)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
HomebaseStreamline team collaboration with Homebase.9.7★★★★ 4.41(131)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
ZenefitsStreamline payroll and stay compliant with ease.9.5★★★★ 4.1(545)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
OnPayStreamline your payroll process and save time and money.9.4★★★★★ 4.95(447)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
factoHRStreamline HR management and focus on growth.9.3★★★★★ 4.5(10)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
JustworksEfficient payroll management on the go.9.2★★★★ 3.9(50)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes

9.7

SpotScore

Gusto - Payroll Software

Gusto

Modern HR for Growing Businesses

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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What is Gusto?

Gusto is a comprehensive HR platform designed to help businesses of all sizes thrive. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling rapidly, Gusto provides the tools and guidance you need to grow and nurture your team. Trusted by over 300,000 businesses across the U.S., Gusto combines payroll, ...

Read more about Gusto
Free TrialTry Free →·

Gusto offers custom pricing plan

9.6

SpotScore

Freshbooks

Freshbooks

RECOMMENDED

Invoicing made easy. Anytime, anywhere.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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What is Freshbooks?

FreshBooks is cloud accounting software for freelancers, small agencies, and service businesses with under 10 employees who handle their own books. It automates invoicing, expense categorization, and time-to-invoice workflows so owners can bill clients and track billable hours without a ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Freshbooks offers custom pricing plan

9.6

SpotScore

Paycor - HR Software

Paycor

RECOMMENDED

Transform your workforce with Paycor.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Paycor?

Paycor is a human capital management platform for mid-size businesses and nonprofits that need payroll processing, time tracking, benefits administration, and employee onboarding managed in a single system. It eliminates the need for separate payroll and HR tools by centralizing people ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Paycor offers custom pricing plan

9.2

SpotScore

QuickBooks Payroll - Payroll Software

QuickBooks Payroll

Streamline your payroll process with ease.

Best for: SMB teams

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What is QuickBooks Payroll?

QuickBooks Payroll makes it easy to stay on top of your HR needs. It’s payroll software that gives you the power to handle all the payroll processing you need, from modeling an employee’s paycheck to tracking deductions and taxes. Whether you need a few employees or thousands, QuickBooks ...

Read more about QuickBooks Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

8.7

SpotScore

Fingercheck - Payroll Software

Fingercheck

Effortless payroll management with a swipe.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Fingercheck?

The FingerCheck payroll software does everything the other payroll programs do but with a finger swipe. Timesheets, employee punch times and attendance reports are just a few of the functions offered by FingerCheck payroll software. Attempting to enter information while on the move works ...

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8.8

SpotScore

Patriot Payroll - Payroll Software

Patriot Payroll

Editor’s Pick

Efficiently streamline your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Add to compare

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What is Patriot Payroll?

The Patriot's secure payroll solution is designed to lower the total cost of payroll administration, while helping you reduce your staffs' workload. With its fully integrated interface with Patriot's fund accounting and other core compliance solutions, Patriot Payroll Software automates the ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $14/Month

9.8

SpotScore

BambooHR - HR Software

BambooHR

Streamline your HR processes for better business results.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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Add to compare

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What is BambooHR?

BambooHR is an HR platform built for small and mid-sized businesses — typically 10 to 500 employees — covering employee records, onboarding, time-off tracking, and performance management in one system. It replaces fragmented spreadsheets and disconnected tools by centralizing all employee data ...

Read more about BambooHR
Free TrialTry Free →·

BambooHR offers custom pricing plan

9.7

SpotScore

Homebase - Employee Scheduling Software

Homebase

Streamline team collaboration with Homebase.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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What is Homebase?

Homebase is a comprehensive time-tracking software developed by experienced people managers to enhance team collaboration and efficiency. It simplifies employee time tracking, scheduling, and payroll management, reducing administrative workload. The platform allows users to generate insightful ...

Read more about Homebase
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $0/ location / month when monthly, also offers free forever plan

9.5

SpotScore

Zenefits - Payroll Software

Zenefits

Streamline payroll and stay compliant with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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Add to compare

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What is Zenefits?

Zenefits is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits administration platform for growing companies that want to consolidate onboarding, time-off tracking, payroll processing, and compliance management in a single system. It eliminates the common pattern of using separate tools for HR records, ...

Read more about Zenefits
Free TrialTry Free →·

Zenefits offers custom pricing plan

9.4

SpotScore

OnPay - Payroll Software

OnPay

Streamline your payroll process and save time and money.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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What is OnPay?

OnPay is an intuitive online payroll software designed to meet the needs of supervisors, managers, payroll specialists and people who manage pay for hourly or salaried staff. OnPay helps companies of all sizes reduce costs for processing payroll checks, making tax reports, tracking down pay ...

Read more about OnPay
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $40/Month

9.3

SpotScore

factoHR - HR Software

factoHR

Streamline HR management and focus on growth.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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What is factoHR?

FactoHR is a mobile-first, fully integrated HCM platform designed to empower businesses in building a high-performing workforce while streamlining HR operations. The solution offers a feature-rich mobile app, enabling employees to access their data and perform HR tasks anytime, anywhere, ...

Read more about factoHR
Free TrialTry Free →·

factoHR offers custom pricing plan

9.2

SpotScore

Justworks - Payroll Software

Justworks

Efficient payroll management on the go.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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Watch Demo

What is Justworks?

Justworks is payroll software that offers international payroll, payroll tax filing and realtime benefits administration. The Justworks app is a simple way for teams to bill their hours directly from their iPhone or Android devices. This mobile solution provides employees with a transparent ...

Read more about Justworks
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $8/user/month when monthly

What each CheckMark Payroll alternative brings

Gusto9.7Best for small & mid-size businesses

Handles payroll processing and tax compliance without requiring accounting expertise.

Watch for: Occasional reports of errors in support communication or inconsistencies in handling complex account issues.

Freshbooks9.6Best for small & mid-size businesses

User-friendly interface, making it simple to set up and use even for non-accounting experts.

Watch for: Reporting functionalities and customizations are less capable compared to industry giants, limiting advanced financial analysis.

Paycor9.6Best for teams of all sizes

Covers payroll, recruiting, onboarding, performance management, and benefits administration in one platform.

Watch for: Customer service response times are consistently slow, with no assigned representatives and frequent case mismanagement.

QuickBooks Payroll9.2Best for small businesses

Automates tax filing, paycheck generation, and sends real-time notifications to reduce manual effort.

Watch for: Steeper pricing compared to alternative payroll systems, especially for smaller businesses or limited payroll needs.

Fingercheck8.7Best for teams of all sizes

Centralizes payroll, time tracking, and attendance in a single platform, making processes more efficient and error-free.

Watch for: User interface for complex features can be challenging for some without customer support guidance.

Patriot Payroll8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Very user-friendly software, making tasks straightforward and efficient for startups and small businesses.

Watch for: Occasional learning curve during setup or for newcomers, though consistently offset by good support.

BambooHR9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Automates HR processes including document signing, onboarding, and payroll.

Watch for: Lacks advanced features found in more comprehensive HRIS platforms.

Homebase9.7Best for teams of all sizes

Streamlines scheduling processes, making it easy to set and manage employee schedules.

Watch for: Limited customization options in the free version, with some advanced functionalities restricted.

Zenefits9.5Best for small & mid-size businesses

Handles onboarding, offboarding, payroll, and benefits administration in one workflow, reducing paperwork.

Watch for: Customer support response times are slow, with limited availability during urgent situations.

OnPay9.4Best for teams of all sizes

OnPay stands out for its intuitive design, making it easy for supervisors, managers, and payroll specialists to navigate and execute payroll tasks efficiently

Watch for: While great for SMBs, larger companies might find customization options less robust for complex payroll needs.

factoHR9.3Best for teams of all sizes

Simplifies payroll and attendance management with features like punch in/out tracking and automated calculations.

Watch for: Limited mention of advanced or specialized features may reflect a lack of versatility for larger or complex organizations.

Justworks9.2Best for teams of all sizes

International payroll capabilities

Watch for: Higher cost for small businesses

Why teams look for a CheckMark Payroll alternative

Teams looking past CheckMark Payroll often cite reasons like these:

  • The product focuses primarily on check printing and payroll processing, and may not include broader HR functionalities like onboarding, time tracking, or benefits administration.
  • Some functions, such as data entry or record updates, may require manual intervention, which can be time-consuming and prone to user error.
  • The product description suggests a desktop-based system, which may lack modern cloud features like remote access, automatic updates, or mobile support.

What matters most in a CheckMark Payroll alternative

The quick comparison across all 12 free alternatives: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $8–$49, with Freshbooks the cheapest entry point; and OnPay is the highest rated at 4.95 across 447 reviews.

The ranking explained.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to CheckMark Payroll are OnPay (5.0★), Patriot Payroll (4.9★), BambooHR (4.8★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to CheckMark Payroll, prioritize: W-2 Preparation, Leave Tracking (Vacation), Direct Deposit, Deductions Management, Check Printing, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

CheckMark Payroll starts from $449. Many alternatives offer similar functionality at different price points — some with free tiers, others with more flexible per-seat pricing. Use the filters above to narrow by budget.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply CheckMark Payroll is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

Choosing the CheckMark Payroll alternative that fits

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Gusto, Freshbooks and Paycor let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: OnPay has the strongest star rating (4.95★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Gusto has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.7) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Transitioning away from CheckMark Payroll

Before replacing CheckMark Payroll, do a quick dry run. Export your data, make sure it imports into the new tool, and confirm the features you rely on are there. Pilot the switch with a free tier or trial, and keep CheckMark Payroll alive until the migration finishes cleanly.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].