Payroll Software for Small Businesses

Q: What is payroll software?

Payroll software automates payroll processing by calculating wages, taxes, deductions, and government employment taxes, while also ensuring the timely delivery of accurate pay slips to employees.

Q: How does payroll work with QuickBooks?

You can connect with Payroll once you signup for QuickBooks. Explore our Setup Guide for more information.

Q: Does QuickBooks charge per payroll?

Yes, for every 'active employee' paid through QuickBooks Payroll, a monthly charge of $5.00 (including GST) will be incurred.

Q: Does QuickBooks have a payroll system?

Yes, QuickBooks have a payroll system powered by Employment Hero, including QuickBooks Standard Payroll for simple payrolls and QuickBooks Advanced Payroll for complex payrolls.

Q: How do small businesses keep track of payroll?

Small businesses can use QuickBooks Payroll Software to keep track of payroll anywhere, anytime. Streamlining payroll management with ease. Efficient, accurate, and hassle-free.

Q: Which is the best payroll management software for small businesses?

For businesses with fewer than 10 employees, free payroll software that meets ATO compliance is enough. However, it may not fulfil all requirements. Small businesses or those seeking additional functionality in Australia should opt for paid ATO-compliant software. To get the most out of your payroll software, choose a system like QuickBooks Payroll.

Q: What is the best payroll software?

We think QuickBooks Payroll Software is the best, we offer a choice of secure payroll accounting solutions. There’s QuickBooks Standard Payroll for simple payrolls and QuickBooks Advanced Payroll for complex payrolls.

Make payroll a breeze

Save time, streamline your employee payroll management, and ensure compliance by using QuickBooks Payroll Software powered by Employment Hero, the number one choice for Australian businesses.*

A small business owner using QuickBooks Payroll Software for her business

Cloud Payroll solution for small business

Streamline data entry and simplify payroll management with our cloud-based payroll software.

Automatic payroll compliance updates with ATO

Employee self-service

Seamless cloud payroll management

Single Touch Payroll compatible

A QuickBooks’s Payroll expert setting up a free onboarding session for a small business owner.

Simplify Payroll Management

Enter hours and pay, and let our payroll software handle the rest

Say goodbye to complex payroll calculations: Save more than just time and money.
Tax Compliance: Efficiently operates all tax obligations for your small businesses and ensures accurate payments and deductions.
Complete Financial Visibility: Comprehensive reports and readily available assistance make tax time a breeze.

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A manager adding employee details into their STP compliant payroll software

Single Touch Payroll (STP) is sorted

The QuickBooks single touch payroll solution powered by Employment Hero includes integrated STP compliance.

Inbuilt Single Touch Payroll
ATO approved
Pre-built Awards for peace of mind (Advanced payroll option)
Eliminate manual data entry by automatically sending payroll information with each pay run.
Save time by sending a report to the ATO with every pay run.

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Employee self-service app notifications about information from QuickBooks payroll software

Let employees serve themselves

Swag helps employees manage work, grow their savings and claim exclusive benefits and allows employers to offer more competitive workplace benefits and a refreshed user experience.

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Payroll software for small businesses that allows you to manage timesheets and rostering

Rostering and wage overviews

Staff can easily access rosters and manage shifts, and you’ll be able to see projected wage costs at any time.

*(Advanced payroll option)

See projected wage costs
Set budgets for each shift or location
Easy-to-use roster templates and shift swapping

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Super streamlined contributions

We’ve teamed up with Beam, a game-changing super fund clearing house, to change the way you pay your staff’s super. It’s fast, automated, and you can manage everything right from QuickBooks Payroll.

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Customise and send your own payslips

Yes, your business matters to us! QuickBooks Payroll Software provides fully customisable and compliant payslip templates to reinforce your business brand and create a consistent professional image.

A small business owner relaxing in the coffee shop

Save time and focus on what matters

QuickBooks Payroll Software automates the calculation of superannuation, leave, and termination payments, while also providing proactive notifications for any required actions from small businesses.

Free Payroll setup session

Get up and running with Payroll by scheduling a free session with our expert onboarding team.

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Build the right plan for your business

Cancel anytime

Unlimited support

Free guided setup

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Find the best payroll plan for your small business!

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What our users are saying

“Easy and brings peace of mind” Using QB payroll gives me peace of mind that I won't overlook something...The software is very straightforward and gives me the options I need. If I have a question, I am able to get support...and they walk me through the process.

Stephanie H., HR Director, Marketing and Advertising - QuickBooks Payroll Customer for 2+ years

Frequently asked questions

What does payroll software do?

In a nutshell, payroll software will ensure you pay your staff the right amount at the right time. And that’s crucial in holding onto your staff – happy staff will stick around for longer, which improves your bottom line.

Full-service payroll providers and payroll software offer unique advantages over other payroll solutions. Here are just some of the tasks that full-service payroll software can help with:

Automate payroll: When you use payroll software, you can automate most aspects of the payroll process. After some initial setup, you can run online payroll in a matter of clicks each pay period, saving time and hassle.

Make compliance easy: Staying up-to-date with the ATO rules and current award rates can be a lot of admin work. But there’s no need to worry with payroll software, as all of this is in-built with ATO compliance, single touch payroll enabled and award rates integrated.

Reduce staff costs: Processing payroll manually is time consuming, so requires more staff time. Hiring in-house payroll managers or accountants can be costly. You’ll have to pay for salaries, benefits, leave, and so on. However, with payroll software you typically pay a flat monthly fee, making it a cost-effective option in the long run. Pricing is one of the most important considerations for many small business owners.

Minimise errors: When you run payroll manually, all sorts of human errors can occur. These errors can result in employee dissatisfaction or tax noncompliance. Payroll software can complete complex calculations in no time, saving you time and minimising the chance of human error.

Access anywhere: Almost every payroll software has a website or mobile app, so you can access payroll data no matter where you are. Many also offer employee self-service portals that allow your workers to track their hours and view HR data on the go.

What are the benefits of payroll software?

You’ll save time
Payroll accounting software such as QuickBooks takes the number crunching out of the process, leaving your payroll administrator to oversee everything. Tax deductions will all be worked out for you. It can also track absences, expenses, bonuses, holiday pay, overtime, super and (of course) hourly pay or salaries. And with the advent of open banking, payments are faster than ever (and more secure).
You’ll stay compliant
Staying up-to-date with current tax rates can feel like a constant game of catch-up. But there’s no need to worry with payroll software. It tracks all the latest regulations automatically.
You’ll improve accuracy
As with all aspects of your business, manual data entry means the risk of human error and potentially costly mistakes. Under-deductions, late payments, miscalculations – they’re all part and parcel of manual entry. We’ve all done it: hit the spacebar mid-spreadsheet on Excel and deleted a formula without even noticing later on. When all the number crunching is handled by your payroll software, that risk is removed. You’ll actually be on top of your record keeping, so it’s much easier to meet your deadlines and make those payments to the ATO in plenty of time. Especially with a built-in reminder.
Your employees will benefit
Some payroll software offers employees access to their own portal. This gives them restricted access to the system and allows them to check details, take a look at their payment history and even book time off.
It sorts your stationery
Employers are required to give each employee a payslip with the details of their pay and any deductions. Make sure the payroll software you choose lets you produce smart (ideally customisable), secure and compliant payslips that can be printed or emailed as well as PAYG summaries and payroll reports.
It’ll make your year-end easier
Automatic tracking, recording and reporting is offered as part of most payroll software. These features make the year end far less stressful for you or your payroll manager – gone are the days of paperwork mountains.

And there’s an added bonus…

It could save you a lot of money in penalties. Payroll places extremely high levels of responsibility on employers, and getting it wrong could potentially be very painful and expensive.

What is payroll software?

How does payroll work with QuickBooks?

Does QuickBooks charge per payroll?

Does QuickBooks have a payroll system?

How do small businesses keep track of payroll?

Which is the best payroll management software for small businesses?

What is the best payroll software?

* Employment Hero was voted the leading payroll solution for SMBs <50 employees (Australian Payroll Association 2021 Payroll Benchmarking Study)

* Free onboarding: Not available for the QuickBooks Self-Employed product or trials.

- - QuickBooks reserves the right to change pricing, features, support and service at any time. Prices are in AUD and include GST. See our Terms of Service for further information.
  - Pricing: All prices are in AUD and include GST.
  - ProAdvisor Program: Please find the terms of our ProAdvisor program here.
  - 50% off for 3 months: For new subscribers, enjoy a 50% discount off the current monthly retail price for QuickBooks Self-Employed, QuickBooks Online Simple Start, QuickBooks Online Essentials or QuickBooks Online Plus for the first 3 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will applied from the date of your enrolment and will continue for 3 months. From month 4, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - 50% off for 12 months: For new subscribers, enjoy a 50% discount off the current monthly retail price for QuickBooks Self-Employed, QuickBooks Online Simple Start, QuickBooks Online Essentials or QuickBooks Online Plus for the first 12 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will applied from the date of your enrolment and will continue for 12 months. From month 13, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - 30% off for 3 months (Advanced): For new subscribers to QuickBooks Online Advanced, enjoy a 30% discount off the current monthly retail price for the first 3 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will apply from the date of your enrolment and will continue for 3 months. From month 4, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - 30% off for 12 months (Advanced): For new subscribers to QuickBooks Online Advanced, enjoy a 30% discount off the current monthly retail price for the first 12 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will apply from the date of your enrolment and will continue for 12 months. From month 13, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - 30% off for 3 months (existing subscribers): For existing QuickBooks subscribers who upgrade to QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus or Advanced, enjoy a 30% discount off the current monthly retail price for 3 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will be applied from the date you upgrade in-product and will continue for 3 months. From month 4, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time services and prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - Free Trial: First thirty (30) days of subscription to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Self-Employed and QuickBooks Payroll (including QuickBooks Advanced Payroll), starting from the date of enrolment, is free. During the free trial, you may pay any number of employees using QuickBooks Payroll free of charge. To continue using QuickBooks after your 30-day trial, you'll be asked to present a valid credit card for authorisation and you'll be charged monthly at the then-current fee for the service(s) you've selected.
  - QuickBooks Payroll powered by Employment Hero: Payroll services are offered by a third party, Employment Hero. QuickBooks Payroll is only accessible via QuickBooks Online subscriptions. You will be charged $5.00 (incl. GST) per month for each ‘active employee’ paid using QuickBooks Payroll. An ‘active employee’ is one who has been paid at least once in the billing month. For Advanced Payroll, there is an additional monthly subscription fee of $10 (incl GST). Pricing, terms and conditions, including service options, are subject to change.
  * Employment Hero was voted the leading payroll solution for SMBs <50 employees (Australian Payroll Association 2021 Payroll Benchmarking Study)
  - Customer support: Call or chat to an expert for QuickBooks Online Accountant, QuickBooks Simple Start, Essential, Plus, and Advanced or use in-product QB Assistant and chat for QuickBooks Self-Employed. You'll also find useful resources in the QuickBooks Community.
  - Compatible Devices: QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Self-Employed and QuickBooks Payroll require a computer with Internet Explorer 10, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari 6 and an Internet connection (a high-speed connection is recommended). The QuickBooks Online mobile app works with iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets. QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll are accessible on mobile browsers on iOS, Android, and Blackberry mobile devices. Devices sold separately; data plan required. QuickBooks Payroll cannot be used on the mobile apps. Not all features are available on the mobile apps and mobile browser. QuickBooks Online mobile access is included with your QuickBooks Online subscription at no additional cost. Data access is subject to cellular/internet provider network availability and occasional downtime due to system and server maintenance and events beyond your control. Product registration required.
  - Get paid faster: Get paid 2.5x faster invoicing with PayPal
  * PayPal and QuickBooks customers get paid on average in less than 5 days, which is over 7 days faster than the average for invoices that get paid with other payment methods. Data is for paid invoices that were created in QuickBooks in Australia between 23.05.22 and 23.11.22
  - Tax deductions: Tax deductions not guaranteed due to being subject to user data entry errors. Mileage calculation provided by the Australia Taxation Office - 78 cents per kilometre from 1 July 2022 for the 2022-2023 income year. To a maximum of 5,000 business kilometres per car (Deductions are only applicable to cars)
  - Customer Service Awards: Excellence in Customer Service Award at the CX Australia Awards 2022
  - Multiple file discount: Multiple file discount applies to QuickBooks Australia customers only and valid when signing up for more than one QuickBooks Online subscription in one order. Further terms and conditions available here. Not applicable to QuickBooks Self Employed.
  - Reviews: GetApp, Capterra, Google Play Store, Apple App Store reviews as at date 08/01/24.
  - Cost per day claim: Based on a QuickBooks Simple Start Plan at its regular retail price of $25 per month and a 31 day month.
  - Cost per day claim (annual): Based on a QuickBooks Simple Start Plan at its regular retail price of $270 per year and a 365 day year.
  - Annual Billing: You may pay for your QuickBooks Online subscription on an annual, upfront basis to enjoy a discount on the current fees. If you use QuickBooks Payroll powered by Employment Hero, your payroll costs will still be charged monthly to your nominated payment method in accordance with your usage as set out here. If you cancel your QuickBooks Online subscription within the pre-paid 12 month period, you will not be eligible for a refund, but will retain full access to your QuickBooks Online subscription for the remainder of the 12-month period. Unless cancelled by you prior, your annual subscription will auto-renew on the 12 month anniversary of your sign-up date using the billing details you have given us. Discounts, prices, terms and conditions are subject to change.
  - Over 7 million customers: Based on number of global QB customers (ecosystem) (7.1m) worldwide as of October 2022.
  - Free Onboarding: Applicable to Buy Now subscriptions on QuickBooks Simple Start, Essentials and Plus plans. Not available for QuickBooks Self-Employed.
  - Save Hours: Save up to an average of 29 hours per month with QuickBooks.
  - * Based on a survey conducted by Intuit Australia Pty Ltd in September 2022. Time saving is in comparison to previous accounting method, based on 184 responses from customers that saw time savings.
  - Get access to QuickBooks Tax: ***Access QuickBooks Tax, powered by LodgeiT, by becoming a member of the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program (it’s free to join). Find out more about the ProAdvisor Program here, including the terms of the QuickBooks Tax offer in the Program here.
  - QuickBooks Time Disclaimers & Offers for Australia: For Important pricing offers and disclaimers with further information, please see here.
  - *Full terms and conditions for access to QuickBooks Tax, powered by LodgeiT as part of the the Proadvisor Program can be found here. QuickBooks reserves the right to change pricing, features, support and service at any time.
  - **Intuit conducted a study involving 56 interviews with accountants and bookkeepers who used Books Review for BAS preparation between March to December 2021 and found that when using Books Review, participants reduced the time spent preparing their clients BAS Reports by around 40%.
  - Our Terms of Service apply to all QuickBooks Online subscriptions. Please review them carefully.