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Resources · Checked October 2026 · General information, not legal or tax advice
HR & Payroll Tools for Small Businesses
Running payroll and HR in a small business comes down to a few jobs: paying people correctly, filing payroll taxes on time, tracking hours, and hiring and onboarding cleanly. Below are tools grouped by job, with who each one tends to fit.
Start here: Best payroll software for small businesses in Florida · Cheapest full-service payroll · Gusto vs OnPay · Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll
Payroll (full-service: they calculate, pay and file your taxes)
| Tool | Published price (as of Oct 2026, verify) | Often a fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Gusto | Simple $49/mo + $6/person (one state); Plus $80/mo + $12/person | Owners who want payroll, benefits and basic HR in one place |
| OnPay | $49/mo + $6/worker; multi-state included | Teams that want one flat plan, including workers in other states |
| Patriot Software | Full Service $37/mo + $5/worker; Basic (you file) $17/mo + $4/worker | Very small, budget-focused businesses |
| QuickBooks Workforce (Payroll) | Payroll $50/mo + $7/employee; Premium $88/mo + $13/employee | Businesses already keeping their books in QuickBooks |
| RUN Powered by ADP | Quote-based | Owners who want a large, established provider |
| Paychex | Quote-based | Businesses that may later want PEO, retirement or insurance services |
| Rippling | Quote-based, modular | Growing teams (often 10+) that want HR, IT and payroll together |
Scheduling and time tracking (hourly teams)
| Tool | Notes | Often a fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Homebase | Free plan available; paid tiers and payroll add-on (verify current pricing) | Restaurants, retail and service businesses with shift workers |
| Connecteam | Free plan for small teams; paid tiers (verify current pricing) | Field and deskless teams: crews, cleaners, techs, caregivers |
Hiring
| Tool | Notes | Often a fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Checkr | Pay-per-check background screening (verify current pricing) | Any business that runs pre-employment background checks |
Running checks? Follow the FCRA steps: a standalone disclosure, written authorization, and the pre-adverse and adverse action notices.
Free Florida HR guides
- Florida new hire paperwork checklist: I-9, E-Verify, W-4 and new-hire reporting
- Florida payroll setup checklist: EIN, reemployment tax account, new-hire reporting
- Free Florida Employer HR Checklist: one page of wage, poster, hiring and headcount basics
- All Florida HR guides
How tools are picked for this page
- Published pricing or a clear public quote process
- Built for small businesses (roughly 1–50 employees)
- Handles federal and Florida requirements (for example, Florida reemployment tax filings for payroll tools)
- Prices are rechecked periodically; the date at the top shows the last update
Last updated: October 2026.
Payroll set up, but HR questions left over?
Get an HR Quick Answer ($79): one question answered in writing within 2 business days. Or get the Florida HR Checkup ($395) for a full written review with your top 5 fixes. You won't need a call for either.
Prices are proposed. Or email [email protected].