8Expert Score

SurePayroll Payroll Service Review 2023

SurePayroll is specifically created to help small business owners and those who support household workers. This payroll processing service is owned by the second largest payroll processing company, Paychex, Inc. SurePayroll has processed over 20 million payroll runs and calculates payments for over 6,000 different taxes.

Price

7.7

Customer Service

9

Payroll Standard Features

9.5

Payroll Add on Features

6.5

Reporting

7.5

Time in Business

8.7

Other Expert Ranking

8

PROS

• Need Pros

CONS

• Need Cons

Surepayroll Review

What businesses are best served by SurePayroll?

How much is your time worth? According to SurePayroll, small business owners spend as much as four hours per week processing payroll. And 32 percent of those business owners experienced making a payroll error.

SurePayroll’s mission is to help small businesses affordably process payroll accurately.  From 2000 they have focused on helping small organizations with one to 100 employees. In 2011, they joined the Paychex, Inc family of brands to offer additional related services. Other services they offer small operations include health insurance, workers’ compensation, 401(k) plans, and employee screenings.

This online payroll service also offers services to support payroll processing for in-home workers such as nannies, caregivers, and household helpers. This service helps families stay compliant when employing household workers.

SurePayroll provides a No Penalty Tax Filing Guarantee to help protect employers should they receive a tax noticed based on SurePayroll’s calculations.

This payroll processing service supports US-based businesses. If you require payroll processing for foreign workers, its parent company Paychex has options available via FMP Global.

What services does SurePayroll offer?

SurePayroll offers a self-service and a full-service plan with optional add-ons. To help control costs, both plans include unlimited payroll runs and direct deposits. Often payroll services charge per payroll run, which adds up quickly for small businesses that pay weekly.

The core services SurePayroll provides:

• Unlimited payroll runs
• Direct deposit payments
• Payroll tax calculations
• Supports varied pay rates and bonus pay
• Handles 401(k), benefits, garnishments, and other deductions
• Supports W-2 and 1099 workers
• New hire reporting
• Evening and weekend live support
• Online paystubs for employees
• Online and mobile app support
• Payroll reporting

SurePayroll add-ons:

• 2-day payroll processing (4-day is standard)
• HR advisor
• Accounting software integration support
• Local tax filing
• Timeclock integration
• Stratustime timeclock integration
• Workers’ compensation
• 401(k) plans
• Health insurance
• Pre-employment screening

What about SurePayroll’s security and reliability?

This payroll service employs a variety of security protocols to keep company and employee information secure. SurePayroll’s security measures include,

• 24/7 data center monitoring with redundant power and backup
• Encryption of SSNs and account numbers
• 128-bit SSL and 256-bit browser encryption
• PIN required logins
• Multiple security for phone calls to authenticate ID
• Third party system security monitoring
• Multiple security audits per year
• Protocols to monitor possible account misuse

For more information, review SurePayroll’s Privacy Policy and its Terms of Service.

SurePayroll’s financial position

SurePayroll is not a public company itself, but its parent company Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAYX) has been since 1983. In 2020, it had four billion in revenue, 680,000 business clients, and 16,000 employees. That year it also processed payroll payments for 12 million workers or one in 12 US private-sector workers.

Paychex is headquartered in Rochester, New York, with over 100 locations supporting 600+ dedicated human resource consultants. It is the second largest professional employer organization (PEO).

SurePayroll Features and Benefits

SurePayroll provides the payroll features needed for small businesses to process payroll. The self-service plan supports DIY business owners who need help calculating payroll and taxes. The full-service plan includes additional automated features. Add-on features are also available for a low monthly rate.

All features are designed for small businesses with less than 100 employees. Household employee and accounting plans are also available.

Payroll processing
The star feature of SurePayroll is payroll processing. Using this payroll service, you can manually enter timesheet information or connect it to a time tracker to help you process payroll accurately. It supports salary, hourly, W-2, and 1099 workers. SurePayroll can also manage common deductions such as benefits, garnishments, workers’ compensation, and taxes.

Direct deposit
Direct deposit is the preferred payment method for employers and employees. SurePayroll pays employees by direct deposit and provides online paystubs for employees. The standard plan processes direct deposits in four days. The upgraded version delivers payment within two days allowing business owners to hold on to funds for two extra days.

Unlimited payroll runs
Many services charge a fee per payroll run. SurePayroll helps small business owners save money by supporting unlimited payroll runs. For those that pay weekly, these savings can add up quickly.

Tax calculations
Keeping track of changing local and state tax laws is covered by SurePayroll, so small business owners can accurately calculate payroll taxes. The upgraded versions will perform the calculations and pay and file as well. SurePayroll supplies tax forms such as W-4s and I-9s for processing new hires.

Payroll taxes paid and filed
SurePayroll calculates, prepares, and files tax payment forms according to your state and local tax laws. It provides a No Penalty Tax Filing Guarantee. If you receive a tax notice, it will work with the tax agency to resolve the issue if it was made by its software. If SurePayroll makes an incorrect tax calculation, it will pay the penalty.

Local tax filing
This online payroll services process payroll according to your state tax and labor laws. Local laws it considers include wage requirements, state reciprocity laws, final paychecks, unemployment taxes, and payroll schedules. It supports over 6,000 tax law requirements and keeps tax considerations up-to-date.

HR advisor
If needed, it can provide small business owners access to an experienced human resource advisor. The advisor can help with compliance issues, benefits, HR best practices, and more.

Benefits and HR
SurePayroll provides affordable, competitive 401(k) and other benefit plans for small businesses.  It also helps manage workers’ compensation, health insurance, and pre-employment screenings.

Nanny and household employee support
There are specific tax laws that govern household employees, such as nannies and caregivers. SurePayroll can keep you out of hot water with the IRS by keeping your payroll and tax filings compliant. It configures deductions, files 1040-ESs, and provides completed Schedule Hs.

Accountant support
This payroll service offers discounted plans for accountants. If you are an accountant, you can easily add payroll processing to your service offerings. The platform can be white labeled to support clients using your branding. Accountant plans also include dedicated support.

Unlike many online payroll services, they publish their CPA reseller pricing and discount schedule. Accountant plans start at $69.99 plus $4.00 per employee per month.

Live evening and weekend support
Paid customers can access support via telephone, email, or chat support during extended hours. Support is available in English and Spanish.

What are some of SurePayroll’s greatest strengths?

While SurePayroll offers features similar to other online payroll services, it does offer a few standout features. The most noticeably prominent features are those pertaining to small businesses and in-home workers.

DIY payroll processing
Many small business owners are comfortable processing payroll but need help with tax calculations, deductions, and compliance. SurePayroll manage all calculations accurately, so small business owners can confidently administer payroll payments. The self-service version even supports unlimited payroll runs and direct deposit payments.

Household workers
Far too many people, including some quite famous ones, have gotten into trouble by not correctly processing payroll for household workers. It is simple to violate tax laws if payroll is not processed correctly. One part of the challenge is that some in-home workers receive non-pay benefits such as room, board, and transportation. SurePayroll can help employers process payroll and pay taxes correctly.

Supports workforce growth
While SurePayroll is specifically intended for small operations, its parent company can manage companies of any size. It can also connect you with its global PEO partners if your business expands its workforce outside of the US.

What makes SurePayroll unique?

One salient thing that stands out for SurePayroll is that the service focuses on small businesses. While its parent company Paychex supports large companies and even international employees, this service is for companies with less than 100 employees.

Another unique service it provides is payroll and tax support for in-home workers such as nannies and caregivers. This is beneficial since taxes for in-home workers is complicated.

What makes SurePayroll a top payroll service provider?

SurePayroll is a leading payroll service because it helps ensure that businesses, no matter how small, can process payroll accurately and compliantly. Small business owners have better things to do than follow tax law changes. SurePayroll takes tedious payroll tasks away from business owners so they can spend more time building their business. It has concentrated on serving small operations for over 20 years and can help these businesses offer investment and healthcare options to their employees.

What integrations does SurePayroll offer?

SurePayroll integrates with popular accounting solutions and nearly 20 timeclock tools.

Compatible accounting software:

• QuickBooks
• Xero
• LessAccounting
• ZOHO Books
• Sage
• Kashoo
• AccountEdge

SurePayroll directly integrates with stratustime time and attendance software. Timeclock software partners include,

• Shift2Work
• TimeTrex
• Timeforge
• Buddy Punch
• Virtual TimeClock
• EasyTimeClock
• SpringAhead
• Redcort
• Homebase
• Trinity Enterprise Solutions
• NOVAtime
• Acrotime
• timeshEASY
• net
• Timeco
• Inception technologies
• Pacific Timesheet
• Time Wolf
• Nettime Solutions

If you request it, they can build integrations with other timeclock software.

Does SurePayroll offer data migration from other providers?

Every new customer has the opportunity to work with an implementation specialist to help build an implementation plan, including data migration. Since SurePayroll focuses on small businesses, implementation support is not always needed, but support is available if needed.

If you rather not DIY payroll, SurePayroll offers accountant plans. Many accountants are willing to use the payroll service of your choice to process payroll and help with data migration and implementation. Plus, this service is compatible with software that accountants use, such as QuickBooks, making the switch simple.

It should be noted that SurePayroll does not charge setup fees.

What is a Payroll Service?

Payroll services help businesses process payroll and pay accurate employee taxes. Some payroll services offer payroll processing as an add-on to accounting or HR software. Others provide the SaaS product as an independent product.

These services process payroll, configure taxes, produce tax statements, help calculate year-end taxes, and provide tax filing support. To help ensure payroll is configured correctly, most help manage PTO, benefits, overtime, sick time, and timesheets.

Most payroll services charge per employee per payroll run. They may also charge a flat monthly fee based on the services provided. For example, it may cost more if you add HR functions to your payroll package.

Basic payroll services include,

• Payroll processing
• Check or direct deposit payroll payments
• Employee tax configuring and reporting
• Tax filing support
• Benefit and withholding support
• Employee self-service tools including mobile
• Expense management
• Reporting features
• Garnishment processing
• Time tracking
• Compliance support

For more information about SurePayroll

You can easily contact SurePayroll by email form or telephone. To request a quote, simply fill out the email form, and a representative will contact you.

You can contact a sales team member by calling 1-877-954-7873 Monday thru Friday 7:30 am to 7 pm Central time. English and Spanish language speaking representatives are available.

You can contact customer support Monday thru Friday from 7 am to 9 pm, or Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm Central Time by calling 1-877-956-7873. Help is available in English and Spanish.

Customers have access to support during expanded business hours.

If you are interested in trying SurePayroll, a two-month free trial is available.

Resources about SurePayroll

To learn more about SurePayroll, you can call sales or support or request more information via an online form. Other resources available include,

• Podcast: Back of the Napkin
• Press Releases
• Blog: The Payroll Blog
• Customer Support: Access sales and support phone numbers and hour of operation.
• SurePayroll Media Center: Links to blog, business articles, and press releases.
• State-by-state Tax Information: Provides state specific payroll tax information.
• Timeclock and accounting software integrations