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7 Best Free eBacon Alternatives in 2026

Explore 7 alternatives to eBacon — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Our 7 top free eBacon alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Here's the shortlist of eBacon alternatives: Gusto, Freshbooks and Paycor. Gusto leads on SpotScore (9.7) with a 4.36★ rating. All 7 are compared on score, rating, and price below.

Maybe eBacon costs too much, misses a feature you need, or just feels clunky. Whatever the reason, these 7 payroll software free alternatives are the picks worth a closer look. We order them by SpotScore, a mix of verified user satisfaction and market presence, plus ratings and pricing. Use the table to compare at a glance, then dig into each 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
OnPayStreamline your payroll process and save time and money.9.4★★★★★ 4.95(447)Freefrom $40/moteams of all sizes
SurePayrollEfficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.9.2★★★★★ 4.83(1436)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
JustworksEfficient payroll management on the go.9.2★★★★☆ 3.9(50)Freefrom $8 /user/monthteams of all sizes
Hive PayrollStreamlining payroll management, one click at a time.7.8★★★★★ 5(1)Freefrom $17/mosmall & mid-size businesses

9.7

SpotScore

Gusto - Payroll Software

Gusto

Modern HR for Growing Businesses

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

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4.4

947 verified reviews

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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, ...

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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

4.6

1379 verified reviews

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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

3.7

552 verified reviews

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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

9.4

SpotScore

OnPay - Payroll Software

OnPay

Streamline your payroll process and save time and money.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

5.0

447 verified reviews

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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 ...

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9.2

SpotScore

SurePayroll - Payroll Software

SurePayroll

Efficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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4.8

1436 verified reviews

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What is SurePayroll?

SurePayroll is a cloud-based, Payroll Software with Time Tracking Service. The software can be accessed from any device and is hosted by SurePayroll in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center for fast processing and performance.It automates most employee related tasks including accurate and ...

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Free Trial·

SurePayroll offers custom pricing plan

9.2

SpotScore

Justworks - Payroll Software

Justworks

Efficient payroll management on the go.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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3.9

50 verified reviews

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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 ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

7.8

SpotScore

Hive Payroll

Hive Payroll

Streamlining payroll management, one click at a time.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

5.0

1 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Hive Payroll?

Hive Payroll is payroll software for single-site and multi-site businesses that need payslip generation, deductions management, and statutory compliance handled without separate tools for each function. It consolidates pay calculations and compliance tracking into one interface, reducing the ...

Read more about Hive Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

What each eBacon alternative is good at

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.

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.

SurePayroll9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Payroll setup is quick, easy to use, and simplifies previously cumbersome tasks like tax deductions and filings.

Watch for: Occasional issues with missing payments or discrepancies that require follow-up.

Justworks9.2Best for teams of all sizes

International payroll capabilities

Watch for: Higher cost for small businesses

Hive Payroll7.8Best for small & mid-size businesses

Hive Payroll is intuitively laid out, allowing even non-tech-savvy users to process payroll without a steep learning curve.

Watch for: The visual layout could use modernization to enhance the overall user experience.

Why teams look for a eBacon alternative

Teams usually start looking for a eBacon alternative for a few concrete reasons:

  • The feature-rich interface may be intimidating for first-time users or smaller teams.
  • Functionality is heavily geared toward government contract compliance and may not apply to other industries.
  • Smooth operation may depend on how well it integrates with existing HR and accounting systems.

How to choose among eBacon alternatives

On price, ratings, and standout strengths, the 7 free alternatives compare like this: 7 offer a free tier; paid plans run $8–$49, with Freshbooks the cheapest entry point; and Hive Payroll is the highest rated at 5★ across 1 reviews.

How positions are set.

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 eBacon are Hive Payroll (5.0★), OnPay (5.0★), SurePayroll (4.8★). Compare all 7 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to eBacon, prioritize: Wage Garnishment, Leave Tracking (Vacation), Self Service Portal, 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.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply eBacon 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.

How to settle on the best eBacon alternative

  • 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: Hive Payroll has the strongest star rating (5★) 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.

How to cut over from eBacon

Before switching off eBacon, run the checks that prevent headaches later. Export your data, verify the import, and confirm feature parity for your must-have workflows. Pilot the new tool free, then migrate, leaving eBacon active until you're done.

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