12 Best Examples of Payroll Software for Accountants

Whenever you search for payroll software for accountants, the same names tend to dominate the results. Gusto, QuickBooks, Sage, and Xero are solid products, but they are far from the only options worth considering.

Below, we review 12 payroll software tools that cover a wide range of firm sizes, compliance requirements, and workflows. The list includes enterprise HR platforms, India-focused statutory compliance tools, and programs built specifically for accounting firms. Whether you manage payroll for one company or a portfolio of clients, at least one of these should match your situation.

Quick comparison

Top 12 payroll software for accountants (2026)

1. UKG Pro

Key features:

• Payroll management
• Tax filing
• Employee benefits management

UKG Pro is a cloud-based human capital management system that handles payroll, benefits, HR administration, compensation, and bonuses.

The reporting system gives you a wide range of reports at the click of a button, so there is no need to build your own for most use cases. UKG Pro lets you configure custom payroll models and includes tax filing functionality that automatically recommends federal, state, and local taxes based on each employee’s location. This makes it possible to process payroll for US and Canadian employees with just a few clicks.

For onboarding, UKG Pro offers one-on-one support, video guides, and webinars to help you get up to speed.

2. factoHR

Key features:

• Automated payroll
• Statutory compliance
• Attendance and leave integration
• Mobile app
• Employee self-service portal

factoHR is a cloud-based HR and payroll platform built for companies of any size. Salary structures are configurable: you can set up as many earning or deduction components as the business needs, organize them by industry, and process payroll for the entire company in a single click. PF, ESI, TDS, and Professional Tax are calculated automatically, which reduces the manual checking that tends to produce costly payroll errors.

For accountants, the biggest time saving comes from the attendance and leave integration. Payroll inputs pull directly from the attendance module, so there is no manual cross-referencing between systems. Employees can view payslips, apply for leave, and access other services through the mobile app. The self-service portal handles payslip access, leave requests, and expense submissions, which cuts down on routine queries to HR and frees up capacity for more complex work.

3. Factorial

Key features:

• Streamlined payroll
• Expense tracking
• Electronic signature
• Time tracking

Factorial is a cloud-based all-in-one HR software platform built for small and medium-sized companies. It handles payroll alongside time tracking, time off management, and expense management, giving businesses a single system for most of their HR needs.

Factorial’s payroll feature updates automatically whenever employee data changes. All payroll information is stored in one place and easy to access. Accountants can create custom reports, digitally sign documents, and share payroll data with managers, all while keeping records securely stored in the cloud.

4. Paylocity

Key features:

• Benefits management
• Payroll
• Data insights
• Mobile app

Paylocity is an all-in-one HR platform covering payroll, benefits, and workforce management in an easy-to-use interface with a short learning curve.

For accountants, the platform simplifies payroll processing, keeps you tax compliant, and cuts down on manual steps. Approved expenses can be pulled automatically into payroll, and employees can access a portion of their earned wages without disrupting payroll runs.

5. BambooHR

Key features:

• Benefits management
• Payroll
• Data insights
• Mobile app

BambooHR is payroll software aimed at small and medium-sized businesses that want better control over their HR data. The cloud-based system covers payroll and employee leave tracking with easy-to-use reporting tools, plus wage garnishment, benefits management, and tax compliance.

BambooHR gives you access to more than 100 payroll reports, so you can export the data you need without building reports from scratch. If you are migrating from another platform, a dedicated HR manager will assist you through the transition.

6. Rippling

Key features:

• Attendance management
• Payroll
• Benefits management
• Software integrations

Rippling is an HR platform built for small to medium-sized businesses that want employee systems and data in one place. When you bring on new hires, their information is automatically added to payroll and pro-rated without any manual input required.

The tool integrates with a wide range of apps, including time tracking software. Rippling auto-synchronizes payroll with paid time off and tracked working hours, so there is no need to reconcile data between systems.

7. Namely

Key features:

• Benefits administration
• Compliance
• Payroll
• Time tracking

Namely is a cloud-based payroll platform for medium-sized businesses looking to manage all their HR needs in one system. It keeps benefits deductions current and files local, federal, and state taxes on your behalf.

Namely also tracks payroll regulation changes for you. Information on new policies updates automatically through the cloud, so you do not have to monitor rule changes yourself.

8. Workday

Key features:

• Financial management
• Payroll
• Reporting
• Billing automation

Workday is a cloud-based platform covering HR, workforce planning, talent management, and recruiting. It offers payroll support for the US, Canada, UK, and France, with integrations available for other regions.

All HR changes sync directly to payroll, so data reconciliation is not required. A compliance dashboard updates automatically with new regulations, and the platform is built to scale for large enterprises.

9. OnPay

Key features:

• Payroll
• HR management
• Benefits management

OnPay is a payroll platform with built-in automation, comprehensive reports, and visual charts. It integrates with other software products to eliminate repetitive data entry and save time across the workflow.

For accounting firms specifically, OnPay has a partnership program that offers discounted pricing on a sliding scale based on how many clients you manage, along with support from payroll experts and marketing resources for your practice.

10. SurePayroll

Key features:

• Payroll automation
• HR compliance
• Benefits management
• Reports

SurePayroll is designed for small businesses that need payroll to be as automated and accurate as possible. It handles compliance and provides access to data through multiple report types.

Beyond payroll, SurePayroll includes HR tools for managing employee benefits, retirement plans, and health insurance for the whole team.

11. BrightPay

Key features:

• Tax management
• Simple payroll
• Payments
• Leave management

BrightPay is a UK-based payroll tool that handles everything related to employee compensation. It tracks absences and unpaid time off, simplifies payment calculation, and helps you comply with UK minimum wage, annual leave, and statutory sick pay requirements.

BrightPay integrates with popular accounting software through pre-built API packages for QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Sage.

12. OnTheClock

Key features:

• Payroll management
• Employee scheduling
• Time tracking
• Attendance management
• Mobile app

OnTheClock is a cloud-based time tracking and payroll tool built for small and medium-sized businesses that want practical tools at a sensible price.

For accountants, the main advantage is that employee hours, overtime, and PTO flow directly into payroll, cutting out manual data entry and reconciliation. GPS and geofencing verify that the hours being processed are accurate before they reach your desk. OnTheClock integrates with popular payroll and accounting tools, making it easy to add to an existing workflow without disrupting what already works.

Bonus tool: actiTIME

If you need payroll software for accountants, you are probably looking for something that makes the process easier and reduces the risk of errors. While actiTIME is not a payroll tool, it collects the time and cost data that feeds into payroll and eliminates manual errors before they can compound.

With actiTIME, you or your team can accurately record work hours, run detailed cost and billing reports, manage projects, and monitor task progress. It gives you clean, exportable access to labor costs, billable amounts, and project data — the inputs your payroll and invoicing processes actually depend on.

Time tracking became a breeze

With actiTIME’s mobile app, tracking time on the client’s side became a breeze. Now accountants simply switch on the timer on their phone as they start another task and get accurate time logs without taking notes.

Try actiTIME

FAQ

What software do accountants use for payroll?

There is no single standard. The choice depends on firm size, client base, and geography. Common categories include standalone payroll platforms (OnPay, SurePayroll), all-in-one HR platforms with payroll modules (Rippling, BambooHR, Workday), and accounting software with built-in payroll (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage). Firms managing payroll for multiple clients often prioritize tools with accountant partner programs and support for managing several client accounts from one login.

What do accountants use instead of QuickBooks?

Accountants who move away from QuickBooks typically turn to Xero or Sage for bookkeeping, and standalone payroll tools like OnPay, Rippling, or Gusto for payroll processing. The right choice depends on payroll complexity, the number of clients you manage, and whether you need the payroll system to connect with your existing accounting platform. OnPay is a common pick for accounting firms because of its partner pricing and support for managing multiple clients.

Is QuickBooks Online Payroll free for accountants?

No. QuickBooks Online Payroll is not free for accountants, but Intuit offers ProAdvisor discounts and a wholesale billing option where accounting firms can pay on behalf of clients at a reduced rate. Pricing and program terms change periodically, so check Intuit’s accountant resources directly for current details.

What does an accountant need for payroll?

At minimum: employee records (name, address, Social Security Number or EIN), a defined pay schedule, direct deposit authorization, current federal and state withholding tables, and jurisdiction-specific unemployment rates. For year-end compliance, you will also need to prepare W-2s (due January 31) and file Form 941 quarterly. Some states have additional filing requirements. Payroll software automates most of these calculations, but the accountant remains the signatory of record on all filed returns — the software vendor disclaims liability for errors.

Summary

When you look past the biggest names in the space, you will find tools built for more specific situations. Some specialize in statutory compliance for Indian payroll, others offer partner programs for accounting firms managing multiple clients, and others handle straightforward payroll for small businesses with hourly workers. This list covers all three categories.

If you want to make sure the hours feeding into payroll are accurate before they get there, actiTIME is built for exactly that. Join thousands of companies using it every day and start your free trial today.