Managing payroll can be one of the biggest challenges for small business owners. Between tracking employee hours, ensuring accurate tax calculations, and meeting compliance requirements, payroll can feel like an uphill battle. Every small mistake can lead to costly penalties, and manual processes often take valuable time away from running and growing your business. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by payroll responsibilities, you’re not alone.
At Lift HCM, we’ve worked with countless small businesses facing these exact challenges. That’s why we’ve created this guide to the best payroll services for small businesses in 2025. Whether you’re searching for a budget-friendly option or a robust, full-service solution, we’ve got you covered.
What You’ll Learn in This Guide:
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Payroll services streamline complex tasks, ensure compliance with ever-changing tax laws, and free up valuable time to focus on your core business. For small businesses, investing in payroll solutions is about gaining peace of mind and leaving compliance and calculations to the experts.
Gusto offers a robust payroll solution tailored for small to mid-sized entities, encompassing benefits administration and HR tools.
Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses needing an all-in-one payroll and HR solution.
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Customer Support: Phone, email, and live chat, with priority support for higher-tier plans.
OnPay simplifies payroll processes for small businesses with essential payroll features and HR compliance tools.
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses needing compliance features.
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Pricing: $40/month + $6/employee.
Customer Support: Email, phone, live chat, and online help center.
Paychex is a software service for W-2 employees and 1099 contractors. In addition to payroll, it provides a variety of HR tools, customizable user roles for tailored access, and integrations with time tracking, attendance management, and other business management systems.
Best for: Businesses requiring payroll with HR management capabilities.
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Customer Support: 24/7 phone support, dedicated account manager, and online resources.
Rippling merges payroll, HR, and IT into a single platform, which is ideal for varying business sizes with customization and automation.
Best for: Businesses needing payroll, HR, and IT management in one platform.
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Pricing: Starts at $8/user per month (custom quotes available).
Customer Support: Phone, email, live chat, and knowledge resources.
ADP Run is designed for small businesses with under 50 employees. It offers a range of features, including payroll processing and HR tools, that can be customized to meet your business's needs. The platform also provides customer support to assist with any questions or issues that may arise.
Best for: Small businesses planning for growth.
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Pricing: $79/month + $4/employee.
Customer Support: 24/7 expert support with HR advisory services.
SurePayroll, a subsidiary of Paychex, is designed for small businesses and offers a suite of services to manage payroll processes. These include tax filings and payroll processing, along with optional features such as retirement plans and health insurance support, which may incur additional fees.
Best for: Small businesses seeking straightforward, low-cost payroll solutions.
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Pricing: $29.99/month + $5/employee.
Customer Support: Phone, email, and live chat.
Patriot Payroll is designed for small businesses looking for a simple, cost-effective payroll solution that integrates payroll, tax filing, HR, and accounting services. However, it lacks mobile support and international payroll capabilities.
Best for: Small businesses needing a low-cost, easy-to-use payroll system.
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Customer Support: Phone, email, and online help center.
Choosing the right payroll provider requires careful consideration of your business size, budget, and unique needs. Here’s what to prioritize:
At Lift HCM, we believe in transparent, personalized service. With over fifty years of experience, we know what small businesses need to stay compliant and grow. Our goal is to simplify your payroll management so that you can focus on what matters most—scaling your business. Reach out to Lift HCM today to discover how we can provide a tailored payroll and HR solution to support your unique needs.