4 Top Payroll Companies for Small Businesses in 2025
Running payroll in 2025 is no longer just about punching the clock and cutting checks. It’s about leveraging AI-driven automation, integrating HR and benefits, and ensuring compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape—all while keeping your small business nimble and your employees happy. If you’re still wrestling with manual payroll or outdated software, it’s time to upgrade to a platform that works as hard as you do.
Here are four top payroll companies that stand out this year for small businesses, blending smart automation, creator economy needs, and practical business tools to keep your payroll seamless and your team empowered.
Gusto
Gusto remains a powerhouse in the small business payroll space, now more focused than ever on delivering an all-in-one people platform that combines payroll, HR, and benefits with AI-enhanced automation. Its intuitive interface lets you run payroll, manage health insurance, and track PTO with minimal clicks—perfect for founders or small HR teams juggling multiple hats.
Pricing starts at $39/month with no per-employee fees on the core payroll plan, making it straightforward and predictable. Gusto’s AI-driven tax filing and compliance tools reduce costly errors, while employee self-service portals empower your team to update info and access pay stubs anytime.
Automated tax filings and compliance monitoring
Integrated health benefits and 401(k) management
Time tracking and PTO automation
Employee onboarding and surveys
Transparent pricing with scalable plans
For small businesses aiming to streamline payroll while enhancing employee experience, Gusto remains a top contender in 2025.
Homebase
Homebase has surged ahead as the go-to payroll processor for small businesses with hourly teams, especially in retail, hospitality, and the gig economy. Its platform brilliantly syncs scheduling, time tracking, and payroll into one AI-powered app, automating tax calculations, tip management, and unlimited payroll runs.
Starting at $39/month plus $6 per employee, Homebase’s mobile-first design and POS integrations (Square, Toast, Shopify) make it a natural fit for businesses where speed and accuracy are critical.
Automated tax filing and payments
Unlimited payroll runs with real-time error checking
Tip management and labor cost forecasting
Seamless integration with popular POS systems
Mobile app for managers and employees
If your small business thrives on hourly workforces and needs a payroll system that keeps pace with rapid changes, Homebase is a smart choice.
Intuit QuickBooks Payroll
Intuit’s QuickBooks Payroll continues to be a favorite for small businesses already embedded in the QuickBooks ecosystem. Its AI-enhanced payroll automation handles everything from same-day direct deposits to expert tax filing, while integrating tightly with QuickBooks accounting software for seamless financial management.
Plans start at $22.50/month plus $4 per employee, scaling up to more comprehensive HR support and benefits administration. The platform’s AI-driven time tracking and user permission controls help reduce administrative overhead and errors.
Full-service payroll with auto payroll runs
Same-day direct deposit and tax filings
Health benefits and workers’ comp integration
Mobile time tracking and employee self-service
Expert setup review and support
For small businesses looking to unify payroll with accounting and financial planning, Intuit remains a practical and powerful solution.
Rippling
Rippling is the payroll and HR automation platform designed for small businesses ready to scale with maximum automation and customization. It excels at handling complex pay types, global payroll compliance, and deep HR integrations—all powered by AI to guarantee error-free payroll runs.
Rippling’s pricing is quote-based, reflecting its tailored approach for businesses from 1 to 1,000 employees. Its employee portal and customizable workflows make it ideal for startups and creator economy businesses that need flexible, automated payroll and HR tools.
Global payroll and compliance automation
Customizable pay types and workflows
Employee self-service and onboarding portals
AI-powered error checking and reporting
Integrations with hundreds of business apps
If your small business is growing fast or hiring remote/global talent, Rippling’s automation-first platform can save you countless hours and headaches.
Switching to a modern payroll provider in 2025 means embracing automation, AI, and integrated HR tools that free you to focus on growth and your people. Whether you’re managing hourly workers, scaling a creator business, or expanding globally, these four payroll companies offer smart, practical solutions to keep your small business running like clockwork.
Kevin "KevRoss" Ross is a music and radio industry expert. He is a 20 -plus year entrepreneur with the leading most successful industry trade publication and site Radio Facts (www.radiofacts.com). He has also published various books, magazines, performed marketing and promotions for major corporations and recording artists and he is on the advisory board of several industry organizations. This year Ross introduced his non profit organization LOMARI (Leaders of the Music and Recording Industry) to help teach young minority students how to market and manage their music and products.
