Tool Of The Week: Payroll4Free

Keeping tabs on your employees’ salary, vacations, and working time is a challenge, no matter how small or large your company is. This is where automation systems come in handy. Payroll4Free is a simple and intuitive software that helps entrepreneurs manage payrolls and enjoy an extensive range of additional services. 

In this Payroll4Free review, we will find out who can benefit from this service most, and which tools are available for users.

Who Payroll4Free is Best For?

If you run a minor business or a startup, finance management might add up significantly to your expenses. Instead of hiring a whole team of book-keepers, you can simply automate the payment process and reap benefits from modern programs. For example, Payroll4Free can be downloaded for free. It streamlines simple payments and facilitates work with reports while being a sustainable option for companies with a limited budget.  

This software is a perfect solution for businesses counting 5-25 workers that need a free but comprehensive payroll tool with additional functions. This is a versatile option that can be integrated into any company regardless of its specialization to cover basic payroll needs. It also features add-in services at a reasonable cost (each function is worth $15 per month). 

Payroll4Free’s features

Despite being a simple solution, Payroll4Free provides all essential features which prove to be enough for payroll and personnel management. The list of functions includes:

1. Tax calculation. Based on your expenses and payouts, the software calculates all types of taxes automatically, which makes it easier to predict how much you should pay every period. Ready tax forms are included as well. For an extra $15/month, Payroll4Free can also send you annual notifications about filing tax data or can even handle it for you. 

2. Digital payments and paper checks. With Payroll4Free, you choose how to manage salary payments with both basic options (checks and deposits) available.  

3. Management of vacation time. The user can track and manage workers’ vacation, sick leave, and PTO payments. The settings are saved forever, so once the entrepreneur customizes the vacation days for each employee (it can be based on the hiring date, hours of work, and other options), he doesn’t need to bother about tracking it all. 

4. Reporting. Payroll4Free provides a detailed insight into vacation dates, working hours, and so much more. All information is available in real-time being quite easy to research.

5. Employee interface. Workers can also log in to get full insight into their vacation period, salary, payment reports, and other personal data. W-2 forms are available in the portal. 

6. Interaction with QuickBooks. The software is easily integrated with third-party programs. It supports the export of information to benefit companies and banking organizations, as well as some widespread accounting solutions. 

Pros	Cons
It’s ever-free for companies counting up to 25 workers with all essential payroll options. Additional features are non-expensive and not mandatory. A free trial is also available.	Although the software can also run on Mac, it’s compatible with Windows only. No mobile version is available either. It’s a strictly web-based/cloud solution, which means it should be used by technically-advanced workers.
Direct deposits and tax filing options are included and stay affordable.  It features ready tax form templates and allows paying W-2 employees, as well as 1099 ones.	There’s a lot of manual work required even despite automation. That takes time, but once all settings are made, the software user experience gets easier.
Payroll4Free can be integrated with QuickBooks and some third-party accounting services. Data can also be imported from third-party programs, as well, so it’s easy to continue tracking employees’ hours and attendance.	The interface is a bit outdated and looks old-fashioned. For some users, it complicates navigation.
It features a self-service portal. Both employers and employees can manage payrolls and get access to ample reports and personal data.	Functionality is limited, which might be the main reason for larger companies to use alternative software solutions.
Payroll4Free can fully automate certain business processes, such as tax filing, management of vacations, and, of course, payrolls. Thus, it can be used as a replacement for some staff management solutions or function side-by-side with third-party apps thanks to easy data exporting.	No training materials or webinars are found online. In order to overcome the learning curve, users need to consult customer support or figure out how the app works by themselves. Alternatively, third-party Payroll4Free tutorials can be found online. However, the search and testing might be challenging for dummies.

Payroll4Free Pricing

As the name suggests, Payroll4Free is a free software solution. However, there are paid options available, too. For instance, you can order tax-related reporting at $12.50/month, which isn’t expensive at all. Other services come at $15/month each. 

If more than 25 employees are using the app, it becomes paid. The entire suite is worth $39/month plus $6/month per each employee - that’s costly for a company with 30+ workers. In this case, the entrepreneur should consider moving to another software. 

Bottom Line

Although Payroll4Free isn’t equally suitable for all businesses and lacks some functions, it’s definitely worth considering for small companies. If you are in search of basic payroll software and don’t want to spend money on it, this option is a must-try. Even with paid features included, it won’t hurt your budget.