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12 Best Free Hive Payroll Alternatives in 2026

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

Hive Payroll alternatives compared: the 12 top picks

Quick answer

The standout free payroll software alternatives to Hive Payroll are Patriot Payroll, CheckMark Payroll and KeyPay. Patriot Payroll comes first with a SpotScore of 8.8 and 4.87★ from reviewers. Compare all 12 on score, rating, and pricing below.

Looking past Hive Payroll? These 12 payroll software free alternatives hold up the best on the things that matter: cost, capability, and how easy they are to live with. We sort them by SpotScore, which weighs verified satisfaction against market presence, then by ratings and pricing. Compare them in the table below, then get the full picture for each.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
Patriot PayrollEfficiently streamline your payroll process.8.8★★★★★ 4.87(3151)Freefrom $14/moteams of all sizes
CheckMark PayrollStreamline payroll processing with ease.8.2★★★★ 4.17(6)Freefrom $449teams of all sizes
KeyPayEffortless payroll management at your fingertips.8Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
FMP PayriteEfficient payroll management made easy.7.8Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Aruti HRMSStreamlining payroll, empowering employees.7.4Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
PaycorTransform your workforce with Paycor.9.6★★★★ 3.9(552)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
BambooHRStreamline your HR processes for better business results.9.8★★★★★ 4.74(1093)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
GustoModern HR for Growing Businesses9.7★★★★ 4.38(947)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
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★★★★★ 4.5(545)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
OnPayStreamline your payroll process and save time and money.9.4★★★★★ 4.96(447)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
factoHRStreamline HR management and focus on growth.9.3★★★★ 3.95(10)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes

8.8

SpotScore

Patriot Payroll - Payroll Software

Patriot Payroll

Efficiently streamline your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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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 →

8.2

SpotScore

CheckMark Payroll - Payroll Software

CheckMark Payroll

Streamline payroll processing with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is CheckMark Payroll?

CheckMark Payroll is a desktop payroll application for small business owners who want to run payroll in-house without outsourcing. It handles check printing, W-2 generation, and federal tax reports directly from the user's printer, removing the need for a payroll service bureau. The software ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

8.0

SpotScore

KeyPay

KeyPay

Effortless payroll management at your fingertips.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is KeyPay?

KeyPay is our payroll software which can produce and print your time sheets with just one click. It produces payroll checks fully integrated with our database. It is also user-friendly, intuitive, reliable, affordable and fast. KeyPay is so easy to use that it eliminates the need for expensive ...

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KeyPay offers custom pricing plan

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Reach in-market buyersRank above rivals2M+ buyers a year

7.8

SpotScore

FMP Payrite

FMP Payrite

Efficient payroll management made easy.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is FMP Payrite?

FMP Payrite is a complete payroll system, choosing FMP Payrite gives you a package of time and expense tracking software to keep track of your office personnel and a complete payroll for your employees. This payroll software reports to the Internal Revenue Service, state agencies, insurance ...

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Free Trial·

FMP Payrite offers custom pricing plan

7.4

SpotScore

Aruti HRMS

Aruti HRMS

Streamlining payroll, empowering employees.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is Aruti HRMS?

Aruti HRMS is a cloud-based payroll tool for small to mid-sized teams that need employees to view and track their own paycheck history in real time. HR administrators store payroll data centrally and employees access their pay details without submitting manual requests. Integration with ...

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Free Trial·

Aruti HRMS 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

9.8

SpotScore

BambooHR - HR Software

BambooHR

Streamline your HR processes for better business results.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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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 ...

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Free TrialTry Free →·

BambooHR offers custom pricing plan

9.7

SpotScore

Gusto - Payroll Software

Gusto

Modern HR for Growing Businesses

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

HIPAA
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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 →·

Starts from $49/user/month when monthly

9.7

SpotScore

Homebase - Employee Scheduling Software

Homebase

Streamline team collaboration with Homebase.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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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 ...

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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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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

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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

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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, ...

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factoHR offers custom pricing plan

Why these options stand out

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.

CheckMark Payroll8.2Best for teams of all sizes

Offers multiple check printing formats so businesses can customize how employee paychecks are printed.

Watch for: The product focuses primarily on check printing and payroll processing, and may not include broader HR functionalities like onboarding, time tracking, or benefits administration.

KeyPay8Best for teams of all sizes

KeyPay streamlines payroll by enabling users to produce and print timesheets with a single click, significantly reducing administrative effort.

Watch for: It’s unclear whether the platform includes comprehensive payroll analytics or customizable reporting tools beyond timesheets and paychecks.

FMP Payrite7.8Best for teams of all sizes

Combines personnel timekeeping with payroll processing for more accurate and streamlined pay runs.

Watch for: Less flexible when it comes to adapting workflows or pay structures to fit unique business models

Aruti HRMS7.4Best for teams of all sizes

Allows employees to clearly view how much they are getting paid, promoting financial clarity and trust.

Watch for: Reports are basic and may not satisfy organizations looking for in-depth payroll analytics.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Why teams look for a Hive Payroll alternative

There are a few common reasons buyers start shopping for a Hive Payroll alternative:

  • The visual layout could use modernization to enhance the overall user experience.
  • May not fully accommodate complex pay scales or non-standard compensation models.
  • No dedicated mobile app or optimized mobile interface limits flexibility for on-the-go payroll tasks.

What separates a strong Hive Payroll alternative

Side by side, the 12 free alternatives break down like this: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $14–$449, with Patriot Payroll the cheapest entry point; and OnPay is the highest rated at 4.96 across 447 reviews.

The method behind the list.

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 Hive Payroll are OnPay (5.0★), Patriot Payroll (4.9★), BambooHR (4.7★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Hive Payroll, prioritize: Tax Management, Attendance Tracking, Check Printing, Deductions Management, Self Service Portal, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Hive Payroll starts from $17 /month. 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 Hive 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.

Picking a Hive Payroll alternative: where to start

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Patriot Payroll, CheckMark Payroll and KeyPay let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: OnPay has the strongest star rating (4.96★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Patriot Payroll has the highest Spotsaas Score (8.8) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Migrating from Hive Payroll, step by step

The smart way to leave Hive Payroll is step by step. Export your data, make sure it imports, and confirm your core workflows survive the move. Trial the new tool before committing, and keep Hive Payroll live until you're fully migrated. Most options above offer free testing.

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