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Best Heartland Payroll Alternatives — 8 Compared, With Free Tools (2026)

Explore 8 alternatives to Heartland Payroll — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

The 8 best free Heartland Payroll alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Our pick of free payroll software alternatives to Heartland Payroll: Zenefits, OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll. Zenefits leads the pack with a SpotScore of 9.5 and a 4.5★ rating. Compare all 8 on score, rating, and pricing below.

If Heartland Payroll isn't the right fit on price, features, or ease of use, these 8 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
ZenefitsStreamline payroll and stay compliant with ease.9.5★★★★★ 4.5(545)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
OnPayStreamline your payroll process and save time and money.9.4★★★★★ 4.96(447)Freefrom $40/moteams of all sizes
QuickBooks PayrollStreamline your payroll process with ease.9.2★★★★☆ 4.4(56)Freefrom $49/mosmall businesses
SurePayrollEfficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.9.2★★★★★ 4.86(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
Square PayrollStreamline your payroll with ease.8.8★★★★★ 5(15)Freefrom $34 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Patriot PayrollEfficiently streamline your payroll process.8.8★★★★★ 4.87(3151)Freefrom $14/moteams of all sizes
MicrokeeperEfficiency meets affordability - simplify your payroll process.8.7★★★★★ 4.69(90)Freefrom $2.25 /User/Monthteams of all sizes

9.5

SpotScore

Zenefits - Payroll Software

Zenefits

Streamline payroll and stay compliant with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.5

545 verified reviews

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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, ...

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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

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

QuickBooks Payroll - Payroll Software

QuickBooks Payroll

Streamline your payroll process with ease.

Best for: SMB teams

Start Free Trial

4.4

56 verified reviews

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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 →

9.2

SpotScore

SurePayroll - Payroll Software

SurePayroll

Efficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

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 ...

Read more about SurePayroll
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

Start Free Trial

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 ...

Read more about Justworks
Free TrialTry Free →

8.8

SpotScore

Square Payroll - Payroll Software

Square Payroll

Streamline your payroll with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

5.0

15 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Square Payroll?

Square Payroll is payroll software for small businesses and sole proprietors, particularly those already running payments or point-of-sale through Square's ecosystem. It automates pay runs, tax filings, and direct deposit, and pulls time tracking data directly from Square tools to eliminate ...

Read more about Square Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

8.8

SpotScore

Patriot Payroll - Payroll Software

Patriot Payroll

Efficiently streamline your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

3151 verified reviews

Add to compare

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Watch Demo

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 ...

Read more about Patriot Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

8.7

SpotScore

Microkeeper - Payroll Software

Microkeeper

Efficiency meets affordability - simplify your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.7

90 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Microkeeper?

Microkeeper is a user-friendly payroll software that connects you with the world of business payroll processing: delivering quick online setup, automated time keeping and more. Payroll processing has never been easier or more affordable. Microkeeper gives you simplicity and convenience in ...

Read more about Microkeeper
Free TrialTry Free →

Who competes with Heartland Payroll?

Across Payroll Software, 8 products compete directly with Heartland Payroll. The strongest overlap is with Zenefits, OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll. Each is compared against Heartland Payroll on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Tools similar to Heartland Payroll

Searches for "sites like Heartland Payroll" and "apps like Heartland Payroll" land on the same shortlist as "Heartland Payroll alternatives" — the 8 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

What sets each pick apart

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.

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.

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

Square Payroll8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Square Payroll integrates effortlessly with existing payroll providers, making it an ideal plug-and-play solution without the need for major system overhauls.

Watch for: While great for small businesses, it may lack some of the advanced reporting, analytics, or customization features needed by larger enterprises.

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.

Microkeeper8.7Best for teams of all sizes

Consolidates payroll, rosters, timesheets, and HR tasks into one platform.

Watch for: Occasional app or feature downtime causes minor disruptions.

Why teams look for a Heartland Payroll alternative

When teams go looking for a Heartland Payroll alternative, it's often because of issues like these:

  • Onboarding processes can be disorganized and manual, leading to errors and requiring additional oversight.
  • Frequent turnover of payroll representatives affects continuity and consistency for some customers.
  • Employees often face challenges accessing the portal, with issues like account lockouts or subpar mobile experience.
  • Limited customization in some areas, such as payroll entry screens, reporting, or recurring benefit changes.

Choosing a Heartland Payroll alternative

Here's what the data says about these 8 payroll software free alternatives: 8 offer a free tier; paid plans run $2.25–$49, with Microkeeper the cheapest entry point; and Square Payroll is the highest rated at 5★ across 15 reviews.

Our methodology.

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 Heartland Payroll are Square Payroll (5.0★), OnPay (5.0★), Patriot Payroll (4.9★). Compare all 8 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Heartland Payroll, prioritize: Wage Garnishment, W-2 Preparation, Leave Tracking (Vacation), Self Service Portal, Direct Deposit, 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 Heartland Payroll is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to pick the best Heartland Payroll alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Zenefits, OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Square Payroll has the strongest star rating (5★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Zenefits has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.5) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to migrate from Heartland Payroll

To switch off Heartland Payroll without disruption, handle your data first: export it and test that the new tool imports it cleanly. Verify your key workflows still function, pilot the move on a free plan or trial, and keep Heartland Payroll active until the cutover is complete.

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