Best Free Payroll Software for Small Businesses and Startups in 2025

Find the best free payroll software options for small businesses and startups in 2025 with essential tools and flexible features. Compare user-friendly platforms offering global payments, tax calculations, employee portals, and cloud access at no cost.

By Brad Nakase, Attorney

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Leading providers of free payroll software

3. HR.my

8. PayEvo Payroll (Payment Evolution)

Additional affordable payroll software choices

Introduction

Managing payroll can be costly, time-consuming, and complex. Fixing errors requires expensive resources, and not all companies have the means to invest in expensive payroll software or hire a large staff of accountants.

Fortunately, there is much-needed respite in the form of free payroll solutions for startups, small enterprises, and entrepreneurs. These free payroll applications can assist you in managing your finances, regardless of whether you’re trying to save expenses or are managing a tight business on a limited budget.

Leading providers of free payroll software

These tools provide small business entrepreneurs with a lifeline. They free them from the complexities of payroll administration so they could concentrate on expansion and improvement.

1. BatchTransfer

With BatchTransfer’s user-friendly rapid payment technology, you may make several international and domestic payments at once.

Core Payroll Strengths of BatchTransfer

The dedication of BatchTransfer to provide the mid-market exchange rate is what distinguishes it. This implies that companies that make foreign payments receive a fair and open transaction.

The fact that BatchTransfer covers more than 160 countries and 40 currencies is another benefit of using it for worldwide payroll. Payroll processing for small firms can be streamlined with capabilities like API connectivity and automated payment scheduling, freeing up resources and time for other crucial duties.

How does BatchTransfer help companies with payroll?

BatchTransfer allows businesses to submit up to 1000 transactions with a single click.

Get your accounting program connected.

Integrations with accounting software like Xero or QuickBooks make it simple to handle and reconcile your large payments.

Key features

Real-time monitoring, delivery estimate, pay-to-email, mid-market exchange rates for currency exchanges, and payments to more than 160 countries in more than 40 currencies.

Price

There are no monthly fees or necessary minimum balances when opening a US business account. So it is a free payroll software. Competitive and transparent prices, as well as free use of integration tools, BatchTransfer, and API. For a one-time cost, you can also obtain the main currency account data needed to accept payments from outside.

2. Payroll4Free.com

Payroll4Free.com provides free payroll software for small businesses, as the name implies.

The software has two catches, although there aren’t any fees at all:

You are only able to pay ten employees.
The program has targeted advertisements, which keeps it free.

It’s a fantastic choice for the small group if neither stresses you out. Vacation monitoring and tax computations are also included on Payroll4Free.com. It even features an employee portal that allows users to view all pertinent papers on smartphones or PCs.

Key features

Connects to numerous banks, benefit administration corporations, and accounting platforms
Features for detailed reporting
On-demand assistance from knowledgeable payroll and tax experts

Price for upgrade

Access to the Payroll Tax Service & Direct Deposit Service costs $40 each month.

3. HR.my

The potential of crowdfunding is amazing. Employee management software HR.my is completely free and supported by donations from the community.

Because the omnichannel software works with Windows, iOS, Mac, and Android, your accounting or HR staff may access payroll for free from anywhere. It also covers incident reporting, attendance, and expense handling claims.

Key features

Complete capability for free, indefinitely
Forums and discussion rooms for employees
Browser-based; no installation or download is necessary

Price for upgrade

Ad removal, 3,500 MB of storage for files, an additional HR position, and early exposure to new features are all available for $5 a month.

4. eSmart Paycheck

For those who simply require assistance with tax and deduction calculations, eSmart Paycheck provides a free digital payroll calculator. Enter your basic information to obtain pay stubs that are accurate, quick, and printable.

Although eSmart Paycheck provides a free trial period of three months for their most sophisticated capabilities, further services and products become available as you expand and come at a cost.

Key features

Add after-tax, non-tax, or pretax (401k) deductions.
Pay stubs and checks can be printed.
Compute commissions, overtime, and bonuses.

Price for upgrade

eSmart Paycheck provides a complete payroll package for as little as $75 per year. More personnel result in higher prices, which also include certain extras for stuff like automated tax contributions.

5. ExcelPayroll

Microsoft Excel has been used by owners of small enterprises for decades to track spending and process payroll. Although it isn’t an accounting program, its versatility and powerful calculation power have made it the preferred choice for basic back-office tasks.

ExcelPayroll, often known as ExcelBook Accounting, is a pre-made payroll solution that is available for free for small businesses. It has seven modules:

General ledger
Accounts payable
Accounts receivable
Fixed asset
Inventory
Job cost
Payroll

It’s a good starting point for those who feel overburdened by payroll and bookkeeping.

Price for upgrade

It is a free payroll software. Although updates are frequently released, they are totally free.

6. SumoPayroll

The cloud-based platform of SumoPayroll is among the most reliable free payroll services. The easy-to-use program allows staff members to receive pay stubs, ask for time off, and track their hours worked using a mobile app.

It has several optional features for expanding enterprises and is a totally free payroll software for a maximum of ten employees.

Key features

You can utilize BatchTransfer to pay several bills at once.
Cloud data storage and accessibility
Smart dashboards

Price for upgrade

SumoPayroll charges up to INR 1500 per month for businesses with more than ten employees, or INR 15 per employee. A number of add-ons cost INR 5 per employee every month, including the mobile app, leave management, and spending management.

7. Microkeeper

It is a cutting-edge workforce management program from Australia. It can distribute contracts, employment offers, onboarding paperwork, and training materials in addition to efficiently managing payroll.

According to their claims, it was among the first platforms to offer STP (single-touch payroll). In Australia, this can be a very useful partner for small enterprises.

Key features

Consolidates multiple HR tasks onto a single platform
Contains remote access mobile apps
Excellent for sectors like healthcare that handle sensitive data.

Price for upgrade

There can only be one administrator plus a single user with the free edition. The ordinary version has a minimum subscription fee of AUD 28 and costs AUD 4 per user per month.

8. PayEvo Payroll (Payment Evolution)

Cloud-based platform PayEvo Payroll (Payment Evolution) is established in Canada. More than 20,000 companies nationwide utilize it, which streamlines the processing of payroll by automating crucial procedures.

The cost of each payroll run is CAD 3.50 per employee, even though the software is free. Even yet, given the program’s abilities, that is a very affordable price.

Key features

Self-service portal aimed at employees
Free small business direct deposit
Compatible with programs such as Xero, Oracle, Freshbooks, and Quickbooks

Price for upgrade

In fact, as you scale, the cost per run decreases. One to three employees pay CAD 3.50, four to twenty-five employees pay CAD 2.50, and twenty-six to three hundred employees pay CAD 2.00.

Additional affordable payroll software choices

These alternative affordable payroll software choices are available if the no-cost payroll for business owners alternatives on the list don’t seem like the best fit for you or if you live in an area that they don’t serve. Despite not being free, they are nonetheless reasonably priced and useful.

Wave Accounting: A simple payroll system that costs CAD 25 per month plus CAD 6 per employee
HomeBase: An intuitive time-tracking, scheduling, and human resources software. The monthly cost of the payroll add-on is USD 39, plus USD 6 per employee.
WebHR: A cost-effective, comprehensive payroll and HR system that can be scaled to accommodate companies of any size. Each employee pays USD 4 per month, however annual plans offer discounts.
Rippling: A payroll and HR system that is modular, allowing you to alter it to suit your needs. It begins at USD 8 per month and goes up according to the services you utilize.
Patriot Payroll: For small company owners, Patriot Payroll offers a straightforward and reasonably priced payroll solution. The starting monthly rate is $17, plus an additional $4 per employee.

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Best Free Payroll Software for Small Businesses and Startups in 2025

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