Paychex Reviews, Features & Popular Alternatives in 2022

Paychex is an American software provider that offers various business administration services to small and medium-sized companies. Its flagship software package, Paychex Flex, is an all-in-one payroll and human resources service used by thousands of clients in the US and Europe. In addition to payroll and HR concerns, it takes care of tax, benefits, compliance, and risk management services.

Paychex is a member of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) and is IRS-certified and accredited by both the BBB and ESAC. Independent Paychex reviews favor the company with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars on the majority of customer review sites. In this article, we will take a look at Paychex features, pricing, and client testimonials, and other Paychex HR solution reviews.

Plans & Pricing

Paychex calculates its pricing on a quote basis depending on company size and services required. However, it does have three set packages to choose from which have been priced by independent Paychex Flex reviews as follows:

These prices are not necessarily verified Paychex rates and are only based on reviews, so they should only be used as a guide. The final price can depend on employee numbers, services, and business location. Currently, Paychex is offering 3 months free via some of its affiliate marketing schemes.

Plans’ Details

Express Payroll includes your basic HR administration, payroll, benefits, and support while the Select package includes regulatory compliance, training, and a dedicated payroll support agent. The Pro package includes everything Paychex has to offer, such as analytics and reporting, background checks, general ledger, and worker’s compensations.

Fees and Cancellation

Independent Paychex negative reviews indicate that the company often charges more than expected, has several hidden fees, and tries to pressure customers into buying additional, unnecessary services. However, according to the Paychex website, there are “no surprises, no long-term contracts, and no cancellation fees”, and the company offers a 6-month money-back guarantee to eligible clients enrolled in its AICPA-Paychex Partner Program.

Paychex User Reviews & Testimonials

Paychex Online Reviews

Paychex is a widely-used software package with thousands of reviews online across several independent review sites. Although it has issues, it seems to be generally trusted as a good provider of PEO services.
The majority of independent Paychex PEO reviews give the company an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Users praise the self-service portal that allows employees to view their own paychecks and information, while others say it has cut their time spent processing payroll in half.

Paychex Ratings:

• Capterra: 4.1/5
• TrustRadius: 7.6/10
• PCMag: 4/5
• Software Advice: 4 / 5
• G2: 4.2/5
• Yelp: 1.5/5

Most complaints revolve around software errors and slow customer service responses. Certain reviews on Capterra complain of the site going down and causing a disruption to payroll processing or employee time tracking.

Paychex is good at responding to complaints and requesting an opportunity to rectify the problem, but it is unclear if these problems were ever solved. There are also a number of verified Paychex reviews on ConsumerAffairs that indicate the company tries to charge additional hidden fees for cancellation.

Accreditations

Paychex is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating. However, many Paychex BBB reviews give the company 2 out of 5 stars due to problems with W-2 preparation, high transaction fees, and bad customer support.
Paychex is also accredited with the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC) and certified by the IRS.

Alternatives

While Paychex is one of the most well-known PEO payroll services, there are several Paychex alternatives to consider. When making a decision on a PEO software provider it’s helpful to consider a few alternatives.

Paychex Flex is one of the most popular and widely used payroll programs along with ADP, Justworks, and SurePayroll. Some Paychex reviews on Yelp suggest that the company may be a bit cheaper than ADP although it may not provide the same level of service.

• Paychex vs ADP TotalSource

When comparing Paychex vs ADP Total Source payroll company reviews, we find ADP is a more-established company and is often rated more highly than Paychex. It’s slightly more expensive, however. For purely processing payroll, Paychex may be a better option, whereas ADP offers more services and features. For customer support, in particular, ADP generally scores higher points than Paychex in independent reviews.

• Paychex vs SurePayroll

SurePayroll is actually a subsidiary of Paychex, bought out in 2011 for $115 million. However, SurePayroll continues to operate as an independent entity, specifically serving the small business sector.

When comparing Paychex vs SurePayroll the two companies are clearly aimed at different audiences. While Paychex can fit any business size, small businesses might find SurePayroll easier to deal with, particularly when it comes to customer support. SurePayroll offers a small range of products but is more cost-effective for companies with simple needs.

• Paychex vs Justworks

Justworks is another all-in-one PEO service combining HR, payroll, and benefits services in a single package. In Paychex vs Justworks reviews, most sites give Justworks a higher rating. It scores 4.7 out of 5 on Capterra and 4.5 out of 5 on G2. However, Paychex does better in some categories, particularly complex payroll operations, meaning it could be better suited to larger companies.

Summary

Paychex customer reviews are mostly positive and show that Paychex Flex remains one of the most widely used and trusted third-party payroll, HR, and benefits administration providers. It offers a very broad range of services backed by experts with decades of experience in their fields and an impressive list of accreditations.

However, due to its massive user base, it struggles to give its customers individual attention. If you’re a large business that requires a wider range of complex payroll, HR strategy, and business services then Paychex may be the service you require. However, smaller firms with fewer demands would likely be better off with a smaller company that can offer better customer support.