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12 QuickBooks Payroll Alternatives for Android, Ranked (2026)

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

QuickBooks Payroll alternatives: our 12 top picks at a glance

Quick answer

The best payroll software tools to replace QuickBooks Payroll are Zenefits, SurePayroll and Square Payroll. Zenefits sits at number one with a SpotScore of 9.5 and 4.5★ from reviewers. Compare all 12 on score, rating, and pricing below.

QuickBooks Payroll works for plenty of teams, but it isn't the only choice. If price, features, or the learning curve are pushing you to switch, these 12 payroll software alternatives are the strongest replacements. We rank by SpotScore, a blend of real-user satisfaction and market presence, alongside ratings and pricing. Start with the table, then read each breakdown.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
ZenefitsStreamline payroll and stay compliant with ease.9.5★★★★★ 4.5(545)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedsmall & mid-size businesses
SurePayrollEfficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.9.2★★★★★ 4.86(1436)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Square PayrollStreamline your payroll with ease.8.8★★★★★ 5(15)Freefrom $34 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
APS PayrollEfficient payroll management, with precision and security.8.7★★★★★ 4.69(352)Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
MicrokeeperEfficiency meets affordability - simplify your payroll process.8.7★★★★★ 4.69(90)Freefrom $2.25 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
PaycomAutomate decisions so you can focus on the extraordinary9.8★★★★★ 4.56(1295)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
PaycorTransform your workforce with Paycor.9.6★★★★☆ 3.9(552)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
XeroStreamline your finances and grow your business.9.6★★★★★ 4.65(4699)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
Remote.comEffortlessly manage your remote workforce.9.4★★★★★ 4.6(50)Subscriptionteams of all sizes

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

9.2

SpotScore

SurePayroll - Payroll Software

SurePayroll

Efficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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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

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8.8

SpotScore

Square Payroll - Payroll Software

Square Payroll

Streamline your payroll with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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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 ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

8.7

SpotScore

APS Payroll - Payroll Software

APS Payroll

Efficient payroll management, with precision and security.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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What is APS Payroll?

APS Payroll is a payroll and HR management platform for mid-sized businesses that need customizable reporting, employee self-service, and third-party integrations alongside core payroll processing. Its report builder lets HR teams generate custom outputs for workforce cost analysis without ...

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APS Payroll offers custom pricing plan

8.7

SpotScore

Microkeeper - Payroll Software

Microkeeper

Efficiency meets affordability - simplify your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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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 ...

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Free TrialTry Free →

9.8

SpotScore

Paycom - Payroll Software

Paycom

Automate decisions so you can focus on the extraordinary

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

HIPAA
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Add to compare

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What is Paycom?

Paycom helps organizations manage HR and payroll through built-in decisioning logic and full-solution automation. By automating routine decisions and workflows, Paycom helps reduce manual work, streamline processes and improve consistency across HR and payroll. Its single database consolidates ...

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Paycom 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 ...

Read more about BambooHR
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
Start Free Trial

Add to compare

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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/Month + $6/Employee 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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Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $0/ location / month when monthly, also offers free forever plan

9.6

SpotScore

Paycor - HR Software

Paycor

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 ...

Read more about Paycor
Free TrialTry Free →·

Paycor offers custom pricing plan

9.6

SpotScore

Xero

Xero

Streamline your finances and grow your business.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Xero?

Xero software is a cloud-based accounting system that helps businesses manage their finances, run payroll, and save time so they can focus on growing their business. This single platform connects all your finances and invoices. It's the resource you need to run your business, no matter where ...

Read more about Xero
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $3.75/month when monthly

9.4

SpotScore

Remote.com - Payroll Software

Remote.com

Effortlessly manage your remote workforce.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

See Plans & Pricing

Add to compare

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What is Remote.com?

Remote.com is a remote work management platform that simplifies global payroll, compliance, and workforce administration for businesses of all sizes. It seamlessly integrates with HR systems, centralizing payroll data for security and accuracy. The platform enables effortless onboarding with ...

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Starts from $29/employee/month when monthly

The main QuickBooks Payroll competitors

Across Payroll Software, 12 products compete directly with QuickBooks Payroll. The strongest overlap is with Zenefits, SurePayroll and Square Payroll. Each is compared against QuickBooks Payroll on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Sites and apps like QuickBooks Payroll

Searches for "sites like QuickBooks Payroll" and "apps like QuickBooks Payroll" land on the same set of options as "QuickBooks Payroll alternatives" — the 12 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

What earned each one a spot

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.

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.

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.

APS Payroll8.7Best for teams of all sizes

Integration with Sage Intacct simplifies operations and reduces manual work.

Watch for: Implementation can be disorganized with some inconsistencies and delays in setup or onboarding.

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.

Paycom9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Provides multiple payment methods in a single step.

Watch for: May not integrate seamlessly with all third-party HR software.

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.

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.

Xero9.6Best for small & mid-size businesses

Excellent and highly responsive customer support, praised for quick problem resolution and knowledgeable staff.

Watch for: Difficulty connecting with support initially, though the quality of assistance once connected is rated highly.

Remote.com9.4Best for teams of all sizes

Exceptional customer support that is quick, responsive, and patient, ensuring all user queries are resolved efficiently.

Watch for: Occasional delays in resolving issues on public or holiday schedules, leading to minor inconveniences.

Why teams look for a QuickBooks Payroll alternative

Teams rarely leave QuickBooks Payroll without a reason — usually it's one of these:

  • Steeper pricing compared to alternative payroll systems, especially for smaller businesses or limited payroll needs.
  • Complexity in resolving reporting errors or adjusting liabilities, often requiring external support or advanced accounting knowledge.
  • Occasional glitches, lag, and freezes, especially with the online version, impacting usability and efficiency.
  • Customer service inconsistency, with challenges in reaching support on weekends or resolving advanced issues promptly.

What to look for in a QuickBooks Payroll alternative

Comparing pricing, ratings, and strengths across the 12 alternatives: 9 offer a free tier; paid plans run $2.25–$34, with Microkeeper the cheapest entry point; and Square Payroll is the highest rated at 5★ across 15 reviews.

Behind the ranking.

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 QuickBooks Payroll are Square Payroll (5.0★), SurePayroll (4.9★), BambooHR (4.7★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to QuickBooks 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.

QuickBooks Payroll starts from $49 /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 QuickBooks 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.

Which QuickBooks Payroll alternative fits your needs?

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Zenefits, SurePayroll and Square 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.

Leaving QuickBooks Payroll behind

Planning your exit from QuickBooks Payroll? Pull your data out first and confirm the replacement imports it without loss. Make sure the workflows you depend on are covered, run a short trial before committing, and keep QuickBooks Payroll live as a fallback until you're settled. Many tools here offer a free path to test.

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