I bet when you started your auto repair business, the thing you were most excited about was payroll, right?

It’s hard to sense tone in writing, so YES, I’m being sarcastic. Yet payroll is one of the core processes for a successful business. It directly impacts profit, operational efficiency, compliance, and sustainability. In other words, it’s a pretty big deal.

And it might feel overwhelming to ensure you’re doing all the right things at the right time. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone.

There are many options for outsourced payroll services, but which is best for you? Find out what the five best options are for your auto repair shop.

How to Choose the Best Outsourced Payroll Service for Auto Repair Shops

As your auto repair business grows, you’ll have a lot on your plate. From servicing cars and making sure customers are happy, you’ll need to start training new employees and managing schedules, benefits, and payroll.

Or, you could let someone else manage your payroll and connect you with resources and agents who can handle workers’ comp, HR resources, compliance, and taxes. “Yes, please!” I hear you shout.

The best payroll providers make your life easier and treat you like a human being, not just another number. As well as intuitive time and attendance management, automated payroll, simplified reporting, and paperless payroll, your payroll provider needs to support you. 

That means answering the phone and being knowledgeable or directing you to someone who can help. It means helping you understand what the IRS expects from you and ensuring you’re compliant. Without a personalized service, you’re replacing one drain on your resources with another.

This article highlights the best outsourced payroll services for your auto repair shop. You’ll discover which features stand out, what you can expect to pay, and what customers have to say.

Let’s dive in!

1. Gusto

Features: One of the big guns, Gusto started as ZenPayroll a decade ago. It’s best for businesses that want to file taxes in multiple states, tech lovers, and new companies that need a comprehensive feature set–you can set up new employees, create a benefits package, and onboard them in one place.

Like other modern payroll providers, Gusto automatically files taxes, can help with compliance and syncs your team’s schedules. Great, but what about price and support?

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:

“I like the new hire onboarding experience. From sending the offer letter via Gusto to the onboarding checklists for the manager, HR team, and new hire. Gusto’s reminders are helpful. They keep us informed of what is due and coming soon, and I find them supportive overall.” - Gusto User

2. Quickbooks

Features: Another big name in payroll services, Quickbooks is feature-rich and boasts over 750 integrations, but it doesn’t include onboarding or HR support across the board. Maybe not a game-changer, but it helps to have support with all aspects of payroll.

Quickbooks integrates directly with Quickbooks Online accounting software, runs payroll automatically, and allows same-day direct deposits. Unfortunately, many features and integrations are only available on the Plus and Advanced packages, and if you want to run payroll in more than one state, you pay more tax filing fees.

Pricing: Payroll Core + QuickBooks Simple Start is $37.50 per month, plus $5 per employee. Payroll Core + QuickBooks Essentials is $50 per month, plus $5 per employee. Payroll Premium + QuickBooks Plus is $70 per month, plus $8 per employee.

What customers say: 

“Payroll processing is nearly a one-click experience, so if your employees and salaries/hours are set up correctly, it can be done in minimal time with minimal experience.” - QuickBooks User

3. ConnectPay

Features: ConnectPay offers the tried-and-true features every small business owner needs to succeed. On top of that, we stand out because our pricing is transparent and because we pride ourselves on supporting small business owners with what they need.

Building relationships with customers is more important than a robust feature list. You need someone who will answer the phone, provide expert advice, and connect you with workers’ comp agents who can easily set you up. 

While we’re on workers’ comp, instead of paying a lump sum upfront, way over or under what you need, ConnectPay offers pay-as-you-go, where your premium is based on your actual payroll and exposure risk, so you only pay for what you use.

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

What customers say:

“The team are terrific! Setting up payroll for our new business was super easy. ConnectPay walked us through everything and executed the set up flawlessly. If you’re just starting your payroll, definitely reach out to them - I bet they are just as good when transitioning from your existing payroll too!” - Guy & Heidi Tremblay

4. Justworks

Features: As well as automated payroll and payments for teams of all shapes and sizes, Justworks stands out in its richer benefits packages. Justworks is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), meaning that, in effect, they are employers of your employees, too.

This allows your business to join other businesses in the PEO and leverage buying power to get better health insurance rates and options. Onboarding is well-thought-out, and customer support is robust. You will, however, pay premium prices for a premium service.

Pricing: Basic is $59 per month per employee and $49 per month for your 50th employee onwards. Plus is $99 per month per employee and $89 per month for your 50th employee onwards.

What customers say:

“When we were researching PEO options, Justworks was in the final 2. Ultimately its user interface and ease of use coupled with awesome customer service are the best features.” - Justworks User

5. ADP

Features: More suited to mid-sized and large businesses, ADP is a global provider of payroll, time and attendance, and HR services. It serves companies like Dell and Pfizer and is a member of the NASDAQ 100. In other words, it’s a pretty big fish.

ADP offers various payroll, taxes, new-hire reporting, and HR services. Support is available 24/7, but only on specific plans.

ADP now has a mobile-first option called Roll. If you like working from your phone or tablet, it’s a good option, but be aware that automated payroll, time tracking, and priority support aren’t included. Depending on the support and features you need, you can ask for a quote for other packages.

Pricing: You’ll need a quote because ADP has several different pricing levels based on your business size and needs. The basic package on Roll costs $29 per month plus $5 per employee.

What customers say:

“What I like best about ADP is that it is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Being able to customize reports is nice! I like that our employees can use this program as well, no problem.” - ADP User

The Best Outsourced Payroll Services For You

We believe in finding the right fit for both our customers and us. We hope this list of the five best providers of payroll services helps you find what you’re looking for.

The best way to determine which provider is right for you is by deciding which benefits you need most, the support you want, and the right price point.

If you want transparent, easy-to-understand pricing, and tailored connections to experts in all things payroll, you can trust ConnectPay to meet your needs. At ConnectPay, we pride ourselves on simplifying payroll and providing next-level client support so you can focus on driving your business forward.

Schedule a call with one of our Connected Service Representatives today to dig deeper into how we can help you run your auto repair shop without breaking the bank.