NEWJoin 2M+ software buyers|Get Weekly Insights, Trends & Expert PicksSubscribe free →

Spotsaas logo
Last updated:

Top 6 Free Paymate Alternatives, Compared (2026)

Explore 6 alternatives to Paymate — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

6 free Paymate alternatives, ranked at a glance

Quick answer

The most popular free payroll software alternatives to Paymate are Gusto, Freshbooks and Paycor. Gusto tops the ranking with a SpotScore of 9.7 and 4.36★ from users. Compare all 6 on score, rating, and pricing below.

Thinking about life after Paymate? These 6 payroll software free alternatives are the options most worth your time, ranked by SpotScore (real-user satisfaction and market presence), ratings, and pricing. We check every tool ourselves. The table sums them up quickly; the breakdowns below give you the reasoning.

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
SurePayrollEfficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.9.2★★★★★ 4.83(1436)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
PaybooksEffortlessly manage payroll with Paybooks.8.5★★★★★ 4.7(3)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Based · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
CheckMark PayrollStreamline payroll processing with ease.8.2★★★★☆ 4.3(6)Freefrom $449teams of all sizes

9.7

SpotScore

Gusto - Payroll Software

Gusto

Modern HR for Growing Businesses

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.4

947 verified reviews

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

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

4.6

1379 verified reviews

Add to compare

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

Add to compare

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

9.2

SpotScore

SurePayroll - Payroll Software

SurePayroll

Efficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.8

1436 verified reviews

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

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

Spotsaas Ads

Want your product up here? Put it in front of buyers the moment they're comparing your category.

Reach in-market buyersRank above rivals2M+ buyers a year
Advertise your product

8.5

SpotScore

Paybooks - Payroll Software

Paybooks

Effortlessly manage payroll with Paybooks.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.7

3 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Paybooks?

Paybooks is payroll software for HR teams in mid-sized to large companies managing payroll across multiple business units or tax jurisdictions. It handles salary calculation, statutory compliance, and supports both cloud and on-premise deployment depending on IT policy. Setup requires ...

Read more about Paybooks
Free TrialTry Free →·

Paybooks offers custom pricing plan

8.2

SpotScore

CheckMark Payroll - Payroll Software

CheckMark Payroll

Streamline payroll processing with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.3

6 verified reviews

Add to compare

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 ...

Read more about CheckMark Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

Why each tool made the shortlist

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.

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.

Paybooks8.5Best for teams of all sizes

Paybooks offers a robust suite of payroll functionalities that can handle end-to-end payroll processing, making it suitable for a wide range of organizational needs.

Watch for: Due to its high level of customization, setting up Paybooks to suit specific business structures and jurisdictions can be time-consuming without expert assistance.

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.

Why teams look for a Paymate alternative

Teams looking past Paymate often cite reasons like these:

  • Doesn’t appear to include newer automation tools or AI-driven features like predictive analytics.
  • Primarily optimized for North America, potentially limiting use for companies with international teams.
  • While suitable for small and medium enterprises, large businesses may find the feature set limiting as they scale.

What to look at before switching from Paymate

The quick comparison across all 6 free alternatives: 6 offer a free tier; paid plans run $8–$449, with Freshbooks the cheapest entry point; and SurePayroll is the highest rated at 4.83★ across 1436 reviews.

Behind 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 Paymate are SurePayroll (4.8★), Paybooks (4.7★), Freshbooks (4.6★). Compare all 6 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Paymate, prioritize: Multi-country, Compensation Management, Check Printing, 401(k) Tracking, 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 Paymate 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 best Paymate alternative for your goals

  • 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: SurePayroll has the strongest star rating (4.83★) 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.

The switch from Paymate

A low-stress switch from Paymate starts with exporting your data and confirming the new tool imports it. Check feature parity for your real workflows, run a short pilot, and keep Paymate active until the move is finished. The free tiers above let you trial first.

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