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8 Free Microkeeper Alternatives Ranked by Real Users (2026)

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

Best free Microkeeper alternatives, ranked and compared

Quick answer

The quick answer: the best Microkeeper alternatives are Freshbooks, Paycor and OnPay. Freshbooks tops the list with a SpotScore of 9.6 and a 4.59★ rating. Compare all 8 on score, rating, and pricing below.

Comparing Microkeeper free alternatives doesn't have to be guesswork. These 8 payroll software options are ranked by SpotScore, which blends verified satisfaction with market presence, alongside ratings and pricing. Each tool clears editorial review. Use the table for a fast comparison, then read the full breakdown below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
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
Time Clock WizardEffortlessly manage, track, and bill for your time.9.2★★★★★ 4.6(65)Freefrom $19.95/moteams of all sizes
Timesheets.comEffortlessly track time for increased productivity.8.9★★★★☆ 4.2(399)Freefrom $3.60 /Userteams of all sizes
KeyPayEffortless payroll management at your fingertips.8Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Hive PayrollStreamlining payroll management, one click at a time.7.8★★★★★ 5(1)Freefrom $17/mosmall & mid-size businesses
RemofirstEffortlessly hire, manage, and grow your remote team.7.3★★★★★ 4.55(50)Freefrom $25 per person/monthteams of all sizes

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 ...

Read more about Freshbooks
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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watch-demo

Watch Demo

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 ...

Read more about Paycor
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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watch-demo

Watch Demo

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 →

9.2

SpotScore

Time Clock Wizard - Time Tracking Software

Time Clock Wizard

Effortlessly manage, track, and bill for your time.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.6

65 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Time Clock Wizard?

Time Clock Wizard is a time and attendance platform for businesses with distributed or field-based workforces, providing GPS tracking, mobile clock-in, and direct QuickBooks integration for payroll. It replaces paper timesheets and manual punch cards for hourly employees across retail, ...

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8.9

SpotScore

Timesheets.com - Time Tracking Software

Timesheets.com

Effortlessly track time for increased productivity.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.2

399 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Timesheets.com?

Timesheets.com is a web-based time tracking and payroll tool for small to mid-sized businesses that need hourly time logs, expense tracking, and billing management in one place. It includes GPS-enabled mobile time entry for field employees and generates reports for both payroll processing and ...

Read more about Timesheets.com
Free Trial

8.0

SpotScore

KeyPay

KeyPay

Effortless payroll management at your fingertips.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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 ...

Read more about KeyPay
Free TrialTry Free →·

KeyPay offers custom pricing plan

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 →

7.3

SpotScore

Remofirst - Payroll Software

Remofirst

Effortlessly hire, manage, and grow your remote team.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.5

50 verified reviews

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Remofirst?

Remofirst is a comprehensive platform designed to simplify the process of hiring, onboarding, and managing remote teams across the globe. With its all-in-one software, businesses can efficiently onboard new employees while ensuring compliance with international labor laws. The platform offers ...

Read more about Remofirst
Free TrialTry Free →

What each tool does well

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.

Time Clock Wizard9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Includes automatic time tracking, GPS integration, and report generation for payroll processing.

Watch for: Relies heavily on stable internet connectivity, limiting offline functionality and posing challenges in low-connectivity areas.

Timesheets.com8.9Best for teams of all sizes

Facilitates time tracking, making it easier to record billable hours, project time, expenses, and payroll.

Watch for: Outdated design and unappealing user interface, often described as "old-fashioned" and in need of modernization.

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.

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.

Remofirst7.3Best for teams of all sizes

Easy-to-navigate and user-friendly platform, ensuring smooth use for administrators and employees alike.

Watch for: Initial setup process can be tricky or confusing for some users without prior experience in EOR operations.

Why teams look for a Microkeeper alternative

Here's what tends to push teams toward a Microkeeper alternative:

  • Occasional app or feature downtime causes minor disruptions.
  • Superannuation or payslip summary updates sometimes lack clarity or employee-facing visibility.
  • App design and layout are considered less modern by some users.
  • Switching from another platform can feel awkward before the benefits become apparent.

What makes a good Microkeeper replacement

By the numbers, these 8 payroll software free alternatives shake out as follows: 8 offer a free tier; paid plans run $3.6–$40, with Timesheets.com the cheapest entry point; and Hive Payroll is the highest rated at 5★ across 1 reviews.

What drives the order.

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 Microkeeper are Hive Payroll (5.0★), OnPay (5.0★), Time Clock Wizard (4.6★). Compare all 8 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Microkeeper, prioritize: Wage Garnishment, Leave Tracking (Vacation), Self Service Portal, Direct Deposit, Deductions Management, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Microkeeper starts from $2.25 /User/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 Microkeeper 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.

The right Microkeeper alternative for your situation

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Freshbooks, Paycor and OnPay 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: Freshbooks has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.6) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to move on from Microkeeper

A safe move off Microkeeper starts with the basics: export your data and test the import into your new tool. Make sure the workflows you depend on are covered, run a short pilot, and keep Microkeeper active until the migration is finished. Free tiers above make trialing easy.

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