QuickBooks Online Payroll Pricing & Features

 

When it comes to managing your business, payroll is an integral and time-consuming task. Small businesses that use QuickBooks for their accounting needs may have noticed that the company is always in a state of flux, changing in direct response to client feedback. QuickBook’s recent revamping of its payroll platform is a testament to that commitment to stay responsive and on-trend. There are two different versions of QuickBooks payroll products. The QuickBooks Desktop Payroll system works with QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, or Enterprise. However, the QuickBooks Intuit Online Payroll platform is available for QuickBooks Online clients. And, bonus! Adding payroll to your QuickBooks suite is as simple as clicking a button.

Designed for new or current users, QuickBooks Online Payroll (also referred to as Intuit Online Payroll) offers three online payroll pricing structures — all with full-service, automatic payroll options.

QuickBooks Online Payroll Price Plans

All of QuickBooks Online Payroll pricing plans include full-service payroll. That means even at the lowest pricing tier, QuickBooks payroll includes automatic tax and form filing. QuickBooks Online Payroll comes at three pricing tiers: Core, Premium, and Elite. The program also has month-to-month contracts and no early termination fees. (QuickBooks also runs deep promotions frequently for its products, so be sure to check for any available discounts before purchasing.)

Here are the cost breakdowns:

Core

The most basic payroll program, Core’s Payroll plan, costs $45/month + $4/per employee and includes:

• Next day direct deposit
• Unlimited payroll runs
• Calculates paychecks
• Calculates and files federal and state taxes
• Calculates and files year-end forms
• Expert support
• Workplace portal
• Manages garnishments and deductions
• Offers reporting features
• Health benefits management

This program has everything needed to pay employees and file taxes. Advanced HR and payroll support is not available at the Core level, so this is best for small businesses with

Premium

QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium Payroll plan costs $75/month + $8/per employee and includes everything in the Core Payroll plan, plus:

• 24-hour same day direct deposit
• Automated payroll
• HR support
• Worker’s compensation administration
• Assisted payroll setup
• Help from US-based expert support staff
• Time tracking

Elite

QuickBooks Online Payroll’s Elite Payroll plan costs $125/month + $10/per employee and includes everything in the Premium Payroll plan, plus: 

• HR support with a personal HR advisor
• White glove customized setup
• Track time and projects on the go
• Tax penalty protection
• 24/7 product support

Extra Payroll Costs & Fees

Intuit QuickBooks Online Payroll does have some additional costs per month depending on your small business needs:

• Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Most businesses with one or more employees across the 50 states will need workers’ compensation as a legal business requirement. Workers’ comp pays for medical expenses and lost wages if an employee is injured on the job. Intuit partners with AP Intego’s pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation insurance. There is a $5 monthly fee to use this service. Premiums for workers’ comp will depend on how many employees you have and what type of business you operate.
• QuickBooks Simple Start/Essential/Plus: Tracks income, expenses, sales, and sales tax; organizes receipts and maximizes tax deductions. The program also creates invoices and accepts payments. This is an additional $25 a month +, depending on features.
• Labor Law Poster Subscription Service: All businesses that have an employee or contractor working for them must display or have available all appropriate labor law posters. Posting this information is a legal requirement, but staying on top of new regulations and changes can be tedious for business owners. Through an add-on subscription, payroll customers can have access to the labor law posters for their state, and QuickBooks will send new posters as needed.
• E-File 1099s: In January of each year, your business will need to file the 1099 forms sent out to contractors. This service helps prepare your 1099s via an auto-fill from your Intuit QuickBooks Online Payroll information. You can send PDFs to contractors, and QuickBooks will e-file for you. This additional service is available for $14. You can also order tax forms and other business forms, such as checks, directly through QuickBooks.
• Multi-State Processing Fees: If you are processing payroll for people in different states, expect to pay a $12 processing fee per state.
• Medical/Dental/Vision: QuickBooks partners with Simply Insured to offer health benefit options to your team.

Which Intuit Payroll Plan Is Right For Me?

When it comes to deciding which payroll plan is right for your business, you will need to decide how much you can afford and how much work you want to put into payroll. At the Core pricing level, the automated tax filings, basic reporting features, and basic benefits management programs are enough to help a small business with a handful of employees. As a business grows and the HR requirements increase, the offerings at the Premium and Elite levels may align better.

The tax penalty at the Elite level is a great added layer of security, and it comes partnered with a white glove/curated experience for business owners short on time. If your company does not have a bookkeeper, accountant, or HR team in charge of payroll and benefits management, QuickBooks can keep your payroll seamless while also offering tools to meet those other needs.

QuickBooks Online Payroll Support & Customer Service

Each and every payroll plan comes with assistance at no additional cost. The level and detail of that service depend on which service you purchase; the white glove support is only available at the Elite level. However, every level has the following support and customer service options:

• Phone: Call the QuickBooks phone line to talk to an expert Monday through Friday, 6am-6pm PST, and on Saturdays from 6am-3pm PST.
• Online Chat: The online chat feature is available 24-7.
• Email: Customer service is available via email from either outside or inside the QuickBooks program.
• In-Software Support: QuickBooks offers forums, chat rooms, and guides within the software. Check the online resources for checklists for onboarding or access to other payroll tips from experts. The online help center also directs users to articles, forms, and FAQs to help keep you knowledgeable and organized.
• QuickBooks Community: In addition to maintaining social media accounts, QuickBooks also has a thriving online Q&A section where users can ask questions to experts in a public forum. Chances are if you are having an issue, someone else has had the issue before, and you can find assistance from the vast QuickBooks community.

Reviews & Complaints

People who like and use QuickBooks are more likely to have a positive experience transitioning to the Intuit QuickBooks Online Payroll system. The platform works seamlessly with other QuickBooks products and earns high praise, especially among accountants/bookkeepers/HR representatives. The software has a 4.5/5 on Capterra (based on 531 ratings) which includes a generous increase in positive reviews since their last update.

QuickBooks receives high praise for its ease of use, its dedication to updates, and its assistance with onboarding. For small business owners using other QuickBooks products, this is a seamless integration guaranteed to work well with your other business software.

When it comes to complaints about the system, reviewers note that while the customer service is kind, it can be difficult to talk to someone with payroll expertise, and wait times for customer service tickets can leave something to be desired.

Getting Started With QuickBooks Online Payroll

Is it time to add Intuit QuickBooks Online Payroll to your business? With its recent changes to its payroll platform, QuickBooks proves that it wants to remain a small business’s best option when it comes to business software. While you might have to pay extra for that Elite service, the features and ease-of-use at all levels mean that QuickBooks should be in contention if you need to add a payroll system. If you are already a fan of QuickBooks, then Intuit QuickBooks Online Payroll will easily win your heart with its efficient and competitive product.