Intuit QuickBooks Workforce Review: More Than Just a Feature-Rich Payroll Platform

Intuit QuickBooks Workforce Review: More Than Just a Feature-Rich Payroll Platform | PCMag

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4.5 Outstanding this.$refs.template.innerHTML, onCreate: (instance) => this.tippyInstance = instance, onShow: (instance) => { this.escapeHandler = (e) => { if (e.key === 'Escape') instance.hide(); }; window.addEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); }, onHide: (instance) => { if (this.escapeHandler) { window.removeEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); this.escapeHandler = null; } }, onMount: (instance) => { const closeBtn = instance.popper.querySelector('[data-tooltip-close]'); if (closeBtn) closeBtn.addEventListener('click', () => instance.hide()); }, }; }, }">   What Our Ratings Mean 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies. The Bottom Line Intuit QuickBooks Workforce is a powerful, comprehensive payroll and HR platform with impressive AI and seamless integration with QuickBooks Online. Per Month, Starts at $50.00 Buy Now and Save 50% for 3 Months See It PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Pros & Cons Exceptional time tracking Helpful AI Deep integration with QuickBooks Online Voluminous HR tools and support Great employee and employer mobile access Expensive Challenging for new users Intuit QuickBooks Workforce Specs Name Value tr:nth-of-type(n+6)]:hidden" :class="{ '[&>tr:nth-of-type(n+6)]:!table-row': open }"> Mobile Admin Access App Submits Federal, State, Local, and Payroll Taxes W-2s 1099s Time Tracking HR Add-Ons Free Trial More Specs

QuickBooks Workforce (formerly QuickBooks Payroll) works exceptionally well on its own, but the payroll software benefits substantially from pairing with the best-in-class QuickBooks Online. It offers excellent payroll processing features and voluminous HR tools, and the latest version delivers new Human Capital Management (HCM) tools, an improved employee access experience, smarter AI tools, and other enhancements (such as the ability to automatically solicit worker hours and run payroll via SMS). For all these reasons, we've increased its rating by half a star. That said, it starts at a higher price than our Editors' Choice winner, Gusto, which offers the most compelling set of payroll and HR tools and a more intuitive user experience.Pricing: More Expensive Than Most CompetitorsQuickBooks Workforce’s base Core tier costs $50 per month, plus $6 per employee per month. It lacks features like expert support, same-day direct deposit, and time tracking. The Premium version ($88 per month, plus $10 per worker per month) removes those limitations but is among the most expensive of all the payroll services I've tested. Gusto Plus is in the same ballpark at $80 per month, plus $12 per worker per month. The high-end QuickBooks Workforce Elite ($134 per month, plus $12 per employee per month) adds tools such as expert setup, a personal HR adviser, and tax penalty protection.Patriot Software Payroll is the best value among services I've tested. Its Full-Service version costs $37 per month, plus $5 per worker per month, though you might also have to factor in the price of HR and time-tracking add-ons (each costs $6 per month, plus $2 per employee per month). Square Payroll is roughly the same price ($35 per month, plus $6 per employee per month), but it isn't as robust as Patriot Software Payroll ove