You know the benefits of getting paid as an S Corporation, and you’ve figured out how best to run payroll for yourself. But now you’re faced with another challenge: how will you find the time to manage all of the specifics?

If the thought of juggling manual payroll on top of managing all the other responsibilities of your S Corp is making you start to sweat, you’ll be relieved to know that managing payroll doesn’t have to be a chore. When you choose the best payroll service for S Corp payroll, it can be pretty straightforward. But how can you know which service is best for you?

This post will walk you through seven top S Corp payroll service options. We’ll explore each option’s benefits, features, and pricing, giving you everything you need to make the best choice for your operations.

How To Choose the Best Payroll Service for S Corp Owners

First, so we’re all on the same page, a quick recap on how S Corps work. An S Corp chooses to pass its corporate income, credits, losses, and deductions to its shareholders for the purpose of federal tax benefits. 

It sounds simple, but it can become quite overwhelming, and thoughts of calculations and penalties might cause headaches. Doing it yourself or assigning the work for an employee leaves you prone to human error. A payroll service takes on the risks and handles payroll on your behalf.

But are there payroll services out there that deal with S Corporations? Yes! But how can you choose the best one for your business?

Consider features:

• What do you need to handle payroll successfully?
• How many employees do you have, or is it just you?
• Also, consider the price. Cheap doesn’t guarantee good, and excellent customer support is a significant advantage in a payroll service.
• Lastly, what do customers have to say?

Let’s dive into the best payroll service providers.

1. QuickBooks

Features: QuickBooks is a scalable solution for various businesses and a mainstay in the small business accounting world. It’s feature-rich. You can keep detailed records and customize records as you see fit. For example, you can add reference numbers and attachments to expenses.

Quickbooks integrates with over 650 apps, making managing all aspects of your business easy. The caveat is that many useful features are only available on the Plus and Advanced packages. If you want premium customer support, you’ll pay premium prices.

Pricing: 4 tiers, starting from $30 per month, peaking at $200 per month.

What customers say:

• “I like that you can automatically categorize transactions by creating rules. I also appreciate the reports section because it makes it very clear how the company is doing in terms of revenue by month.” -QuickBooks User 

2. SurePayroll

Features: SurePayroll h as been in the game for a long time—22 years, to be exact. This software is often listed alongside QuickBooks for ease of use and the features you need to run payroll. It’s likely to beat most providers on cost, but the drawbacks are a lack of HR and reporting capabilities.

SurePayroll stands out for out-of-hours customer support, and if you want a robust mobile app, this vendor delivers. It also has a self-service plan that still calculates your taxes. If you’re a growing company, you might find SurePayroll less than ideal; it’s best for small businesses.

Pricing: 2 tiers. The self-service plan is $19.99 per month plus $4/per employee. Its full-service plan is $25.99 per month plus $5 per employee.

What customers say:

• “Even with my MBA in accounting, running the payroll of my small firm was a nightmare for me. Lisa at Surepayroll helped turn that nightmare into a super easy automated process. Understood all my questions and left me time to do the work I know and love without worrying again about payroll.” -SurePayroll User

3. ConnectPay

Features: We don’t think any business, especially small businesses, should be underserved. At ConnectPay, we handle payroll and tax compliance for scaling businesses, while also maintaining the resources S Corps and other small businesses seek when it's time for payroll help.

Your payroll service should be the right fit for your business and provide only the features you need until you’re ready to scale. We thrive on building relationships with our customers and always answer the phone. If we make a mistake on your taxes, we accept responsibility, so you’re never left with a tax penalty or fee.

Our most robust feature is our connections. If you have a payroll question or challenge, we connect you with a partner who can assist you with local laws, compliance, and more.

Pricing: ConnectPay offers competitive market pricing, contact us today for a quote that suits your small business's needs.

What customers say:

• “ConnectPay simply cares about your business. They treat you like a partner, not a client. ConnectPay is focused on small and medium-sized businesses, able to create real value by simplifying all things payroll, allowing you to focus on growing your business.” - Jim Barton, owner of Allegra Printing

4. ADP

Features: From mid-sized to large businesses, you can customize ADP to fit your business. On top of payroll, ADP features include HR tools, benefits, and marketing tools. According to its website, ADP is designed for speed, accuracy, and efficiency. 

ADP offers ‘more payroll options than any other provider,’ often attracting large companies and corporations. Its feature set is robust, with payroll options, tax and compliance, reports, a self-service option, software integrations, and outsourcing.

Pricing: Quote-based pricing. The basic package costs $29 per month plus $5 per employee.

What customers say:

• “ADP Payroll has enabled me to reduce payroll processing time from 3-4 days to one day. We were using QuickBooks and were manually entering timesheets. We are now using ADP time & attendance along with payroll and it has made a world of difference.” -ADP User

5. Wave

Features: Wave uses words like ‘effortless’ and ‘simplified,’ and the solution they provide lives up to these descriptors. With no hidden fees, guaranteed accuracy, and a 30-day free trial, Wave is a solid payroll service option. Support includes live chat Monday-Friday, and you can hire a Wave Advisor to get help completing and filing taxes.

It offers tax filing services in 14 states and syncs with Wave apps, including Wave Accounting. Features include invoicing, accounting, online payments, and receipts. Another handy feature is the automatic generation of tax forms.

Pricing: Tax service states: $35 per month plus $6 per employee, and $6 per independent contractor. Self-service states: $20 monthly base fee plus $6 per employee, and $6 per independent contractor.

What customers say:

• “I love being able to keep track of everything with my business finances in one place, including income and expenses. I also like being able to create invoices and link my wave account to my business bank account.” -Wave User

6. Gusto

Features: Gusto’s most talked about feature is an exceptional user experience that will appeal to people unfamiliar with payroll. The Gusto platform has a set of payroll tools designed for small businesses and consistently adds new functionality.

Gusto shines for businesses with 1-10 employees. Its HR tools and services help to manage employee onboarding, health benefits, and running payroll. It also leans heavily on automation. Payroll takes just a few clicks. Gusto automatically files your taxes, helps you with compliance, and saves you money by identifying hidden tax credits.

Pricing: Simple pricing starts at $40 per month, plus $6 per person. The Plus plan is $80 per month, plus $12 per person. You’ll need to talk to a sales representative for the Premium plan.

What customers say:

• “Gusto makes it very easy to onboard new employees and contractors - and to manage payroll. There is not a steep learning curve with the product and it is very easy to share access with your bookkeeper and accountant.” - Gusto User

7. Square

Features: Square is best known for its payment-processing tools. Relatively new to the payroll industry, its payroll service fits nicely with its Point of Sale solution and covers setup, payroll runs, reports, and taxes. They’ve recently updated their features to include W2s and 1099s and offer a flat pricing structure.

Reports are lacking in depth, and customization isn’t its strong suit, but for hourly employees, it’s a solid solution. They have small businesses in mind. For example, you can cancel your account at any time. You can easily track and import tips from the Square POS and provide worker’s compensation insurance.

Pricing: $35 monthly subscription, plus $5 per person. They also offer a contractors-only service which is a $5 monthly fee per person.

What customers say:

• “Our employees can log in at the beginning of their shift, and clock out when they are done (or go on their breaks), and Square takes all the guesswork out of it. They literally run payroll for you automatically while making sure you are compliant with state and federal laws. Also sends out the new hire forms etc, for you and W-2s around tax time! SO EASY!” - Square User

Getting the Most from the Best Payroll Service for S Corp Owners

These six payroll providers are incredible options for your S Corp payroll. Exploring the features and benefits you need, the support you require, and your price point will help you find the perfect match for your S Corp. 

If you’re looking for worry-free payroll with transparent, easy-to-understand pricing, robust features, and next-level client support, consider ConnectPay for your S Corp payroll. 

Schedule a call with one of our Connected Service Representatives today to see how our tailored connections and features can help you run your S Corp payroll without breaking a sweat.