What is the best payroll software for a small US business?

Gusto and Justworks cover US payroll with published prices. Gusto's Simple plan lists $49 a month plus $6 per person, and Justworks charges $8 per employee plus a $50 monthly base fee for payroll and HR tools.

Which HR software covers staff in many countries?

Deel, Remote and Rippling run payroll across many countries. Remote also offers employer of record service in 90+ countries, and Deel's bundles list per-worker prices. Rippling does not publish prices.

Is there a free HR system I can host myself?

OrangeHRM's Starter edition is free and open source under GPL-3.0 and can run on your own server. The Advanced edition, which adds recruitment and payroll integration, is a paid subscription after a 30-day free trial.

Do HR platforms include payroll?

It depends on the product. Gusto, Justworks, ADP and Factorial run payroll directly. BambooHR sells payroll as an add-on, and OrangeHRM connects to third-party payroll apps.

Best HR and Payroll Software in 2026: Top 10 Ranked

The ranking

Top pickGusto92.0
Best with a free planOrangeHRM80.5
Runner-upRippling90.0

1
Gusto
Clear published prices, unlimited payroll runs and month-to-month plans make it a strong US payroll choice. It is built around US tax rules, so it does not cover staff abroad the way Deel or Remote do.
Best for US small business payroll with transparent prices
WebiOSAndroidSubscription
92.0of 100
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2
Rippling
Covers HR, IT, finance and payroll for employees and contractors worldwide on one platform. It is the broadest suite here, but with no published prices it needs a sales conversation, and a payroll-only team pays for modules it does not use.
Best for Global HR, IT and finance under one contract
WebiOSAndroidContact for pricing
90.0of 100
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3
BambooHR
The strongest HR records product here, with hiring, time off, benefits and performance in one database. Payroll is an add-on, and its bundle discount applies only to US employees.
Best for HR records and reporting for growing employers
WebiOSAndroidSubscription
89.0of 100
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4
Deel
Global payroll, contractor-of-record services and hiring in 150+ countries, with payments in more than 120 currencies. Plan details need a demo, and a single-country employer carries more coverage than it uses.
Best for Global teams that hire and pay in many countries
WebiOSAndroidSubscription
88.0of 100
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5
Factorial
Time off, time tracking, payroll and talent tools in one system, with a published starting price of $8 per user a month. Its focus is European employment rules, so teams outside Europe should check country coverage first.
Best for Time, payroll and talent tools for European employers
WebSubscription
86.5of 100
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6
Justworks
A published-price payroll and PEO service for US small businesses, with 401(k) access on PEO plans. PEO Basic costs $79 per employee a month, far above payroll alone, so it depends on whether you want an outside employer partner.
Best for US small businesses that want payroll and PEO
WebiOSAndroidSubscription
85.5of 100
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7
Remote
Employer of record in 90+ countries plus global payroll and contractor management, with monthly prices listed per product. The $699 per employee employer of record fee is high, so it suits companies that need coverage in several countries.
Best for Hiring across many countries without local entities
WebSubscription
84.5of 100
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8
OrangeHRM
The only open-source product in this ranking, with a free Starter edition under GPL-3.0 that you can run on your own server. Recruitment and payroll integration need the paid Advanced edition, and payroll runs through third-party apps.
Best for Self-hosted HR records for teams with IT support
WebSelf-hostedFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source
80.5of 100
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9
ADP
A payroll and HR provider with separate packages for small and midsized companies. No prices are published, and it is mainly suited to US employers, so it ranks below the products with listed prices.
Best for US employers that want a full-service payroll provider
WebiOSAndroidContact for pricing
79.5of 100
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10
HiBob
HR, payroll and planning in one platform, with UK and US payroll modules and real-time people analytics. No prices are published, and payroll covers only the UK and US on the site, so it suits those two markets.
Best for HR, payroll and planning for UK and US employers
WebiOSAndroidContact for pricing
77.5of 100
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At a glance

Product	Score	Price	Platforms	Regional focus	Modules covered	Employer of record
Gusto	92.0	Subscription	WebiOSAndroid	US payroll, including multi-state	Payroll, taxes, health benefits, PTO	Not described on the pages checked
Rippling	90.0	Contact for pricing	WebiOSAndroid	Payroll for staff around the world	HR, IT, finance and payroll apps	Not described on the pages checked
BambooHR	89.0	Subscription	WebiOSAndroid	US payroll; customers in 150+ countries	Records, hiring, time off, benefits, reviews	Not described on the pages checked
Deel	88.0	Subscription	WebiOSAndroid	Global, 150+ countries	Payroll, HR, IT, benefits, mobility	Deel Hire, in 150+ countries
Factorial	86.5	Subscription	Web	Europe-focused; Spain and Germany examples	Time, talent, payroll, IT and finance	Not described on the pages checked
Justworks	85.5	Subscription	WebiOSAndroid	US for payroll and PEO	Payroll, benefits, HR support, compliance	PEO in the US; international hiring without an entity
Remote	84.5	Subscription	Web	Global, 90+ countries	Global payroll, contractors, PEO, devices	Yes, in 90+ countries
OrangeHRM	80.5	Free plan, paid upgrades	WebSelf-hosted	Not region-specific; cloud or self-hosted	Employee records, leave, time, recruitment	Not applicable, it is HR software
ADP	79.5	Contact for pricing	WebiOSAndroid	US-focused payroll	Payroll, tax filing, HR software	Not described on the pages checked
HiBob	77.5	Contact for pricing	WebiOSAndroid	UK and US payroll	HR, time, compensation, planning, payroll	Not described on the pages checked

How to choose HR and payroll software

Where you employ people: A US-only team fits Gusto, Justworks or ADP. Staff in many countries points to Deel or Remote, and a European team points to Factorial.
Employer of record: Deel and Remote hire workers in other countries without a local entity. Justworks offers a PEO for US teams, which is a different legal arrangement.
HR records first: BambooHR and OrangeHRM focus on employee records, leave and time. Payroll is an add-on for BambooHR and an integration for OrangeHRM.
Open source: OrangeHRM's Starter edition is free and open source under GPL-3.0, so you can host it yourself. The other products here are vendor-hosted.

What the scores weigh

Payroll coverage and geography
HR modules and breadth
Employer of record and PEO options
Price transparency
Open-source and self-hosting

Scores are editorial, from 0 to 100, and use these criteria. Full method · Disclosure

About HR and payroll software

Most products here combine payroll with HR records, but they differ in where they run payroll. Gusto, Justworks and ADP focus on US employers, and Justworks adds a PEO. Rippling, Deel and Remote cover staff in many countries, and Deel and Remote also hire workers without a local entity. HiBob runs UK and US payroll, Factorial serves European employers, and BambooHR and OrangeHRM sit closer to HR records.

Prices are the clearest difference. Gusto, Justworks, Factorial, Remote, Deel and BambooHR publish per-person prices, and Gusto charges a monthly base fee plus a per-person fee. Rippling, ADP and HiBob do not list prices. OrangeHRM's Starter edition is free and open source under GPL-3.0, so a team can run it on its own server without a license fee.

The scores are editorial judgments against the criteria, based on the vendors' pages checked in October 2026. They are not lab measurements and do not predict how any one company would experience a rollout. Employer-of-record and PEO services carry different legal responsibilities, so check the contract before choosing one.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best payroll software for a small US business?: Gusto and Justworks cover US payroll with published prices. Gusto's Simple plan lists $49 a month plus $6 per person, and Justworks charges $8 per employee plus a $50 monthly base fee for payroll and HR tools.
Which HR software covers staff in many countries?: Deel, Remote and Rippling run payroll across many countries. Remote also offers employer of record service in 90+ countries, and Deel's bundles list per-worker prices. Rippling does not publish prices.
Is there a free HR system I can host myself?: OrangeHRM's Starter edition is free and open source under GPL-3.0 and can run on your own server. The Advanced edition, which adds recruitment and payroll integration, is a paid subscription after a 30-day free trial.
Do HR platforms include payroll?: It depends on the product. Gusto, Justworks, ADP and Factorial run payroll directly. BambooHR sells payroll as an add-on, and OrangeHRM connects to third-party payroll apps.