OnPay is a neat option for any small businesses looking for a more streamlined approach to office administration tasks. The cloud-based software lets users amalgamate several chores into one workflow, with the focus primarily on payroll. However, OnPay can also be called upon to help you handle tax-related issues, HR duties and other miscellaneous office tasks too.

• Want to try OnPay? Check out the website here

More recently, the OnPay package has been carefully honed and adds in lots more functionality, which alongside its already generous suite of features leaves users with lots of options for managing their payroll more efficiently. While it’s not the cheapest cloud-based software package you can buy, it does represent great value. Combined with its fast and efficient feature set, OnPay certainly deserves closer inspection.

OnPay: Pricing

Following the coronavirus pandemic, small businesses are looking for more value than ever. While OnPay isn't exactly a bargain-basement cloud-based software package, what it does provide is value. 

Currently the pricing structure offers a first month free option, with no charges for getting set up either. From there, the base fee is $36 per month with an additional $4 per month charge for each person who needs to use the software. There’s actually a handy slider on the pricing page that gives you a dynamic price quote based on the amount of people you’d expect to add. 

Interestingly, it goes right up to 1000 people with a price of $4036 per month, although that is perhaps an extreme example. Either way, OnPay says that you’re only billed for workers who are paid in a given month.

OnPay: Features

Following a fairly recent update, OnPay has plenty of features to make the cloud-based solution of interest to small businesses. There are unlimited monthly pay runs with all tax filings and payments covered. The revised dashboard also allows you to pay W-2 employees and 1099 workers, while payments themselves can be carried out using direct deposit, debit card or good old-fashioned check. 

OnPay is versatile too, with the option to set multiple pay rates and schedules, take garnishments and handle unemployment insurance. OnPay is also adaptable if you have to pay employees that are located in more than one state, and works across all 50. 

The added bonus of using OnPay is that it can be tailored to suit different kinds of small business, including restaurants, farms and agriculture concerns, non-profits and even churches and clergy. What’s more, there’s the capacity for plenty of employee involvement too, thanks to the OnPay built-in self-service side of things.

OnPay: Performance

With OnPay being cloud-based software and able to work on Windows and Mac platforms you should be sure of decent performance. However, while the package works a treat on a desktop or laptop machine, the experience on mobile is less impressive. 

You’re essentially faced with using the same desktop offering, but in a smaller environment, rather than via a dedicated app, which if you’re handling lots of data could prove rather sluggish. In its preferred environment though, OnPay zips along nicely.

OnPay: Ease of use

Working with payroll is invariably complicated and time-consuming, which means that the wizard option in the latest version of OnPay will prove useful if you’re configuring for the first time. Not only that, OnPay has had plenty of tweaks that makes it even easier to use in other areas, with the employee records aspect proving invaluable if you have issues to log outside of regular hours, salary and so on. 

Considering that, even the smallest of businesses will find it has lots of data to process OnPay has been designed so nicely that this is generally presented in a crisp and clear fashion. That doesn't quite extend to the mobile variant as we’ve already mentioned, but generally OnPay is easier to grasp than others of its ilk. 

OnPay’s recent facelift also means that there are now plenty of options when it comes to custom reporting, which is easier than ever to use. Similarly, its creators have also done a great job with the latest integration features, with plenty of accounting and time-tracking options at your disposal. 

If you’re looking for an easier way to integrate your other applications with OnPay then the latest edition makes that pretty straightforward. It can be used in conjunction with the likes of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, TSheets, Deputy, WhenIWork, Humanity, ThinkHR and PosterElite too.

OnPay: Support

The online support aspect of OnPay is particularly impressive with lots of practical information available. The tax information is of definite value if you're a small business owner who wants to be sure everything is being done to the letter. In terms of getting in touch with support staff then OnPay offers all of the usual options including phone, chat and email routes into the support team. 

While phone support is available during business hours Monday to Friday, the OnPay email support is on hand at weekends too should you need to chase up something urgently.

OnPay: Final verdict

OnPay is maturing all the time and its latest incarnation has plenty to offer the small business owner who has to contend with running payroll and other tasks. The new edition has been fine-tuned to take into account all of the issues surrounding COVID-19 too, with plenty of assistance on that front. 

This cloud-based software delivers an enjoyable user experience, with a dashboard and supporting layout that makes even those tedious data-heavy tasks that little more bearable. The lack of an app makes using OnPay via a mobile browser less appealing, which is slightly disappointing but it’s a doddle when you’re working within a desktop environment thanks to the revised dashboard. 

Cost-wise, OnPay also seems pretty good value considering what you get as part of the package. All told, it’s an interesting proposition for small businesses and easily stands up for itself when put alongside the opposition.

Other business software options worth looking at include Sage Business Cloud Accounting, QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, Freeagent, GoSimpleTax, TaxCalc, Nomisma, ABC Self-Assessment or Crunch.

• We've also highlighted the best accounting software

Confirmed VPN claims to be the world's first no-log, fully audited, and openly operated VPN that can safeguard your data against hackers, snoopers, and your ISP. Their mission is simple: "increase user trust in the apps and services they use every day". 

They also have the "openly operated" certification, which is given to apps that operate completely transparently. This review will provide you with all the information you need to be able to make an informed decision about whether or not it’s the best VPN for you.

This VPN is based in the United States, a country that falls under the Five Eyes  intelligence-sharing nations. The issue of jurisdiction is critical to your online privacy, as the US authorities have the right to obtain your information and share it with nations which are members of the 5 eyes.

Confirmed VPN has 12+ servers in the United States, Ireland, India, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and South Korea. This means their VPN server selection is quite small, especially when compared with Express VPN and other top-tier products.

Confirmed VPN platform has been audited frequently by third parties, who have inspected their source code and open infrastructure. This sits well with us as VPN audits are necessary for customers to verify the security of the service. 

Pricing & plans 

Confirmed VPN offers a 7-day free trial, but there's a catch: the trial period only begins after you enter your credit card details. So if you try out this option make sure you cancel immediately, otherwise you'll be charged for a full subscription.

If you are interested in using the service after the trial, there are three subscription plans. The first plan is for iOS and Android users only and costs $4.99 monthly. The Pro plan is for Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android and costs $9.99 monthly. Alternatively, you can choose the Pro yearly plan which costs $8.33 per month and is billed at $99.96 yearly. 

The iOS and Android plans allow you to connect to three devices simultaneously, while the Pro plans give five simultaneous connections. Unfortunately, confirmed VPN does not have a money-back guarantee, so you are most likely stuck if you run into any issues while using the software and want a refund. Currently, credit card is the only payment method available.

If you are looking for the best free VPN, you would be better off exploring other options, as a seven day free trial is a very limited option.   

Privacy & encryption 

Confirmed VPN’s Privacy Policy states that it does not store or log your IP address, or use a cookie to track you. They claim to only keep the most basic client account information, such as your email address, and to record this in an encrypted format that cannot be cracked. The company will also track the account's creation date, active subscription plan, and overall bandwidth usage over the previous 30 days. 

It’s important to understand that ConfirmedVPN may be legally obligated to divulge information to law enforcement in response to a legitimate subpoena, court order, warrant, or similar government order. However, they claim they would notify their clients of any such disclosure unless they are forbidden from doing so by law or court order, or in extremely rare, urgent situations. Their privacy policy is one of the most transparent we have seen, and they have also undergone a security audit to back up their claims.

To secure your private information from prying eyes, Confirmed VPN deploys AES 256-bit encryption, as well as IPSec, HTTPS, SSH, and SSL/TLS VPN protocols. The service does not support torrenting, but even if it did, it would not be safe to torrent on it because of the VPN's jurisdiction. 

Streaming

The ability to give customers access to popular streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer in areas where these services are unavailable is a feature that’s highly valued in the VPN market. If finding a top streaming VPN is what you’re after, Confirmed VPN would not be of help. You would be better off looking at a service such as ExpressVPN, which can unblock geo-restricted content on streaming platforms with ease. 

Support 

Confirmed VPN has native apps for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. If you require assistance, you can only contact their customer service representatives via email or Twitter. That said, we sent an email to this provider but we have not heard back from them yet. During the course of this review, our attention was drawn to the fact that Confirmed VPN is no longer in operation and is currently under a VPN called LockdownPrivacy. 

Alternatives to Confirmed VPN 

While ConfirmedVPN is inactive, there are a lot of reputable VPNs out there that can provide you with high-quality service. For example, ExpressVPN would grant you access to thousands of servers and cutting-edge security features that would astound you and protect your privacy. If you do not want to pay much but still want an advanced service, you could also consider Surfshark, which will provide you with a reliable service at an affordable cost. 

Other options we suggest checking out include NordVPN or CyberGhost. These will provide you with thousands of servers, a native client for all major apps, and lightning-fast speeds. All the VPNs listed here would give you access to geo-restricted content on VOD platforms like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more. They would also give you a generous money-back guarantee, cutting-edge security features, 24/7 customer support, and lots more. 

Verdict 

Confirmed VPN might have been a good anonymity provider when it was still in operation, but since it’s no longer offering active services, we cannot compare it to the likes of ExpressVPN. There are many alternative services out there that would provide better value for money and offer all of the best privacy tools you might need.  

ClearVPN is another service vying to become the best VPN service on the market. The provider claims to be for anyone who wants to expand and protect their online experience, and was made for both VPN enthusiasts and casual users. It also claims to provide fast speeds and make your digital life safe, private, and comfortable. We tested this VPN provider's security capabilities, cost, jurisdiction, and other factors in this review to determine whether it is worthy of your attention.

The VPN is run by MacPaw, a software company specializing in developing popular software for Mac and iOS devices. MacPaw’s other creations include a PC optimizer, drive manager, duplicate file finder, photo organizer, RAR opener, file encryption, and more. 

For its privacy tool, you can access more than 70 servers in 40 countries, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, and Canada. Although the VPN server pool is quite small, the company says it’s concentrated on those areas where it can provide the best speed/security balance rather than having a large network of medium-speed servers. 

ClearVPN has user-friendly desktop programs for Mac and Windows, with mobile VPN apps for iOS and Android. All the apps were easy to download, use and were user-friendly, intuitive, and beautifully designed.

Pricing & plans 

ClearVPN offers a free VPN service, as well as monthly and annual subscriptions. 

The free version offers unlimited bandwidth but only a few servers and does not include the quick connect features for gaming or streaming; those and the rest of the shortcuts are only available with a paid subscription. Although whether it’s the best free VPN choice for you will depend on a number of factors.

The paid version costs $5 a month and $21 every six months. Subscribing to the paid plan gives you unlimited secure browsing, built-in shortcuts, IP masking, DDoS protection, and six devices per subscription. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Payments can be made via Mastercard, Visa, Paypal, Google Pay via the Google Play Store, and Apple Pay via the App Store. However, there’s no support for cryptocurrency. 

Privacy & encryption 

ClearVPN claims to have a strict no-log policy, claiming that they do not collect, store, or share any information about your online activities, nor do they collect and save your IP address. 

Looking into the privacy policy document, we saw that ClearVPN collects some information with your permission. This includes device information (operating system, device name, and language), your country (using IP), how much data you send or receive, connection type, and cellular network information. There’s also anonymous VPN connection diagnostics and crash reports, which include diagnostic information about if and how a VPN connection attempt failed; speed test data; and crash reports, all without any personally identifiable information. They assert that all of these details are utilized to select the best servers for VPN connections and to uphold the caliber of their service. 

For security, ClearVPN employs PFS (Perfect Forward Secrecy) to route your internet traffic simultaneously through several servers while encrypting it with AES-256 and hashing the exchange of data with SHA2-384 to ensure data integrity. The VPN also supports a range of VPN protocols, such as IPSec, IKEv2, and OpenVPN.

Behind the scenes, there’s an innovative VPN technology called DynamicFlow. This feature finds the fastest idle server that suits your needs based on your current location and connects you to it so you can take advantage of a seamless, low-ping, and secure VPN connection. You’ll also find an auto-connect feature, a VPN kill switch, ad blockers, malware blockers, and multihop servers, letting you route your internet traffic through multiple VPN servers at the same time. And yes, this is a VPN for torrenting and P2P.  

Streaming 

Some VPN providers can provide their users with access to popular streaming content that may not be available in all parts of the world. Fortunately, ClearVPN unblocks Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer. However, this might not be one of the best Netflix VPNs since, unlike ExpressVPN and other top-rated services, we struggled to access geo-restricted content on the platform. If that’s not a deal-breaker for you, this is a fine VPN for streaming. 

Support 

If you require assistance, it is available via the support page, where you can access an FAQ, about the service, apps, and connectivity. You can also manage your ClearVPN account and subscription and contact customer support directly via email or through a live chat. 

We tested the live chat feature and our message was responded to in less than a minute, first by a bot telling us that "ClearVPN typically replies in under 2 minutes," then by a customer care representative, whose response was courteous and clear.

Speed & experience 

After privacy and security, VPN speeds are one of the most important criteria for a top-notch VPN provider because it’s essential for using the VPN for its basic functions. 

That said, before testing the speed of the servers, we first tested our baseline speed, which gave us a speed of 100 Mbps. We tested a server in the United States, which gave us a speed of 30.22 Mbps. A server in Canada outperformed the others, with a speed of 50.23 Mbps. A server in the United Kingdom gave us a speed of 20.21. 

Finally, we also wanted to see how a server in a faraway location would fare, so we picked the Hong Kong server, which gave us a speed of 12.1 Mbps. All told, it might not be the fastest VPN in the world, but it’s no slouch either. 

Alternatives to ClearVPN 

While it has fast speeds and useful security and privacy features, Clear VPN does not provide anything that the market leaders do not. For instance, ExpressVPN would give you access to tens of thousands of servers and provide you with astonishingly advanced security features that would safeguard your privacy. 

If you want something well-known that would offer you advanced functionality, a wide range of protocol options, and support for different devices, especially major platforms as well as support for a few minor ones, we advise checking out NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost. Unlike ClearVPN, all four VPN services have been examined and verified by a third-party auditor in VPN audits. 

Verdict

It’s fair to say, in some areas, ClearVPN didn’t impress. The service didn’t unblock regional Netflix content during our tests, doesn’t have thousands of servers, and doesn’t have independent verification of its no-log claims. 

But it’s not all bad - in fact, there’s a lot worth recommending here, with many outstanding features, including lightning-fast speeds, reasonable costs, and user-friendly apps. However, if you value your privacy and want a VPN that is secure on all ends and has proven its no-log claims, other options, like ExpressVPN, are worth exploring.

Perhaps the most notable thing about PizzaVPN is its name, which was inspired by the fast-food favorite. The VPN called London its base, and was developed by the ABC Gamers company. 

For the privacy and security-conscious, London is among the worst places for a VPN to have its headquarters since the UK is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, a collection of nations that share a lot of surveillance information among themselves. Any VPN located in one of the 5/9/14 Eyes alliance nations, including this one, should be used with extreme caution. This is due to the likelihood that foreign intelligence agencies could request specific data from any VPN operating in these countries.

PizzaVPN offers access to over 200 VPN servers in more than 60 countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Nepal, Spain, Panama, Switzerland, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Mozambique, France, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, Bolivia, Italy, Angola, the United States, and others. 

These servers are separated into four categories based on their functions: regular VPN servers, SmartVPN servers, Torrent VPN servers, and Virtual VPN servers. Although 200 servers may seem like a lot, they are nothing compared to the top-tier VPN services on the market, such as ExpressVPN, which provides its users with more than 3000 servers across 94 countries. Pizza VPN has been providing services for over a decade. However, they never had their software subjected to a VPN audit - a crucial step to assure users that the network is secure and trustworthy and can protect user data from being stolen or misused.  

Pricing & plans 

Unlike other VPNs in the industry that give you a 30-day free trial, PizzaVPN does not offer a free VPN version to test their product. However, there is a 1-week non-recurring option for a one-time payment of $1.99, which is beneficial if you want to try out the service before committing to a lengthier plan. 

PizzaVPN offers a range of different-length subscription plans to pick from, each with the same features included. One month of the service costs you $3.99/month, six months of the VPN cost $3.17/month and is billed at $18.99 on a 6-month basis, and the 12-month subscription plan costs $2.50 per month and is billed at $29.99/year. The VPN provider offers a 14-day money-back guarantee on all its subscription plans and accepts payments using bitcoin, major credit cards, PayPal, and Amazon Pay. 

Privacy & encryption 

PizzaVPN is based in the UK, within the jurisdiction of the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance. The provider states clearly that they do not log browsing history, traffic destination, data content, IP addresses, or DNS queries. According to the firm, the only logs collected are user emails, payment information, and user session length data for troubleshooting purposes and deleted after one day. Additionally, it boldly claims that even if required to divulge user information, the firm would be unable to do so because the necessary data isn't available.

PizzaVPN uses the industry-standard OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, and IPSec protocols and also goes far to keep you anonymous by assigning randomly generated usernames and passwords to each VPN subscription. The service has plenty of valuable features to choose from, including an auto-reconnect feature that saves you from having to start the tool every time and a VPN kill switch that halts your internet traffic if you ever lose connection. This is a crucial feature because it stops traffic from going through your ISP by default, thereby hiding your location and online activity.  

Speed & experience 

While it’s advertised as one of the fastest VPNs, as of this review, the VPN is no longer in operation, so we could not test this claim. It is somewhat unfortunate that it ended this way because this VPN seemed to have had a lot to offer. Is this a temporary closure, and will they soon be open for business? 

Ultimately, this is unimportant, since there are much better options available, with features like the ability to access any geo-restricted content on any video streaming platform around the world at lightning fast speeds. 

Customer support 

According to customer reviews from the period PizzaVPN was still in operation, it had user-friendly native mobile VPN apps for Android and iOS, and desktop apps for Windows and Mac. It was also possible to contact the provider through a contact form, an email address, and by visiting the provider's Facebook and Twitter pages. But all of these channels were unavailable at the time of this review, as well as inactive social media pages.  

Alternatives to PizzaVPN 

PizzaVPN may have been a great VPN when it was operational, but since it is currently inactive, you can check out practically any of the services that are still available. 

The best of these include the top VPN providers in the market, such as ExpressVPN with its extensive server network, NordVPN with its quick connection and ability to unblock geo-restricted content on popular VOD platforms, and Surfshark with its affordable pricing and unlimited bandwidth. We also like the 45-day money-back guarantee offered by CyberGhost. These VPNs may cost more than PizzaVPN’s previous rates, but they offer everything you require in a stand-alone VPN service without any compromises in quality or service.  

Verdict 

After reading some excellent reviews about PizzaVPN, we had high expectations for the service, particularly after checking out a few of the customer's written reviews about the product. However, our expectations were dashed since the company is currently out of business. 

If you want to use one of the best VPNs available right now, pay attention to the major players in the market, like ExpressVPN. Even though it may cost a little more than PizzaVPN, what you get is worth the extra money. You get access to thousands of servers, robust security, the ability to use the VPN for Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services, as well as the ability to operate in regions where other providers can’t.  

Paychex is one of the best payroll software platforms available for small and medium-sized businesses. With this platform, you can easily manage payroll for dozens of employees and integrate benefits like healthcare and retirement into your payroll process. Plus, all Paychex plans include tax documentation and accounting software integration. The biggest downside is that the software is surprisingly expensive.

In our Paychex review, we’ll help you decide whether this payroll software is right for your business.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Paychex: Plans and pricing

Paychex offers three plan tiers: Go, Flex Select, and Flex Enterprise.

Paychex Go costs $59 plus $4 per employee per month and is designed to get your payroll system up and running within 24 hours. It includes time tracking, accounting integration, and automatic tax form generation. However, you cannot integrate benefits into your payroll and Go doesn’t include access to the Paychex mobile app.

Flex Select pricing is by quote only. This plan offers a wide array of add-ons compared to the Go tier, including the ability to integrate your healthcare and retirement benefits into payroll. It also offers access to the Paychex mobile app and gets you a dedicated account manager at Paychex. The Flex Enterprise plan is also priced by quote only. This plan offers features for larger businesses, such as custom analytics, a workers’ compensation dashboard and employee screening during onboarding.

Paychex: Features

Paychex is loaded with handy features for managing your payroll. To start, the software makes it easy to keep track of employees’ hours. Employees get access to individualized dashboards with a built-in time tracker. The tracker enables commenting, making it easy to see what your employees were spending time on throughout the pay period.

To pay your employees, Paychex enables you to make direct deposits or print your own paper checks. You have some flexibility, as you can set up multiple payment accounts for each employee. You can also request prepaid debit cards for each employee and set up Paychex so that payments are automatically transferred onto these cards.

The software also does a nice job of handling taxes, which is critical for any payroll software. Paychex automatically issues W-2 and 1099 forms ahead of tax season. Importantly, Paychex can also integrate with most popular accounting software, including Quickbooks and Xero, to make calculating quarterly and annual tax payments much simpler.

One of our favorite things about Paychex is that the software also enables you to keep track of healthcare, retirement, along with other key benefits right alongside payroll. You can set up a 401(k) for your business through Paychex Retirement Services or enroll employees in an HSA or FSA. When you enter payroll, Paychex will automatically calculate your employer contributions to these accounts and transfer the funds at the same time that checks go out to employees.

Paychex: Interface and in-use

Paychex offers a simple online dashboard that’s fairly easy to navigate. You can see at a glance how much cash you need to have on hand to cover your last payroll period, as well as on what date the current period’s payroll needs to be approved. To enter employee hours, Paychex uses a simple grid layout that saves a significant amount of time compared to the series of drop-down menus that some other payroll platforms use.

Another nice thing about Paychex is that it includes detailed analytics about your payroll. You can generate reports sorted by employee, office location, position, or any number of custom filters. In all, Paychex has more than 160 built-in standard reports for Go and Flex Select customers - and Flex Enterprise customers can set up even more.

We were happy to see that Paychex offers a mobile app, although we wish it were available to subscribers on the Go plan. The mobile app is particularly nice for employees, since they can use it to check their pay stubs, change their payment account details, or manage their 401(k) plan and health benefits.

Paychex: Support

Paychex offers 24/7 phone support for employers and 24/7 chat support for employees. Employees can also get in touch with Paychex by phone from 8 am to 8 pm Eastern, Monday to Friday. The company has over 100 offices throughout the US where clients are welcome to visit and ask questions in person. 

Paychex: The competition

Paychex has a lot of features, but this platform can be prohibitively expensive for some small businesses. For a cheaper option, consider SurePayroll. 

SurePayroll offers a Self Service plan, which doesn’t include tax filing, for just $19.99 plus $4 per employee per month. The company’s Full Service plan, which includes payroll tax forms, costs $29.99 plus $5 per employee per month. However, SurePayroll doesn’t offer nearly the same breadth of integrations as Paychex and its reporting features are limited.

However, another competitor, Gusto, matches Paychex when it comes to reporting and accounting integration. The company’s Core plan costs $39 plus $6 per employee per month, so it may be a more affordable option if you don’t need retirement and health benefits alongside payroll.

Paychex: Final verdict

Paychex is a feature-rich payroll software with a lot to like. If you want to integrate healthcare, retirement, or other benefits into your payroll, there are few better options for your business. However, if you don’t need these integrations, it can be hard to justify Paychex’s price tag. The platform is very capable, but its main features are matched by Gusto at a fraction of the price.

• Read our guide to the best payroll software

Gusto is payroll software that covers everything a business needs to maintain a happy workforce. This includes organizing payments, insurance, support and initial onboarding.

It’s a comprehensive approach that sees Gusto rank among the best payroll software providers on the market. And, in this Gusto review, we help you decide whether it would be right for your business as we examine its pricing, features, support and overall ease of use.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Gusto: Plans and pricing

Gusto comes in four separate plans, which range in price from $19/month base price plus $6/month per person to $149/month plus $12/month per person.

The cheapest plan, Basic, is aimed at teams of one or two people and is still in development. It has fewer features than the other plans and can only be used in a single state, whereas the others offer full-service payroll across all 50 states. Direct deposits take four days on Basic, compared to two days for the Core plan and next day for Complete and Concierge.

Other than the timing of direct deposits, the three upper-level plans are differentiated by the addition of features at each level. 

Gusto: Features

More than just payroll software, Gusto gives you a full set of tools for effectively managing your workforce. These include full-service payroll, employee benefits, time tracking as well as HR tools for hiring and onboarding.

With Gusto, you can set up your payroll to run with just a few clicks; it can even be set to run automatically on the schedule you choose. The software can handle employees and contractors, multiple rates of pay along with payments in multiple states. And, it will automatically take care of the paying and filing of local, state and federal taxes too.

Gusto has a number of benefits features, including the Gusto Wallet app, which employees can use to manage their paychecks and access emergency cash. Employees can split paychecks between multiple accounts. There are also cash accounts with the Gusto debit card.

Then there is workers’ compensation, health reimbursement (QSEHRA) - an alternative to traditional health insurance - and commuter benefits.

There are also low-cost 401(k) plans, and access to small group health insurance, with a choice of more than 3500 plans from 100 carriers that also cover dental and vision.

With Gusto, employees track their time for you to review and approve. You can also customize paid time off (PTO) policies with all liabilities automatically calculated. And accounting integrations exist for Quickbooks Online and Xero. 

These tools from Gusto are designed to help you save time when introducing new team members. You’ll be able to send offer letters, work through an onboarding checklist, have all your documents signed and stored online, and set up your new hires with online tools like G Suite and Microsoft 365 with a single click.

Gusto: Interface and in-use

When you first log in to Gusto, you’ll begin the process of setting up all your company information, including your accountant, benefits, state and federal taxes, employees, pay schedule and workers’ compensation. When you add an employee, they’ll be sent a welcome email, which will enable them to create their own account.

Once setup is complete, you’ll be able to view all of your company’s employees, including ones who have been dismissed, and invite new hires to join the system. You’ll be able to run payroll and reports and pay contractors. And you’ll be able to set up time tracking, time off, and benefits.

Gusto’s design is nice and clean and everything is laid out so that it’s easy to move through the process of setup and executing tasks. True to their promises, important tasks like running payroll and reports really can be accomplished with just a few clicks.

Gusto: Support

If you want to speak to Gusto sales, their website lists a number. But to get access to Gusto support, you need to be signed in to your account. Once logged in, you’ll see a different phone number to call for support; or you can visit your account dashboard’s support page, where there is a multi-stage form that eventually provides a recommended resource. If that doesn’t help, you can fill in another form to send Gusto an email.

Gusto: Security

Gusto has several measures in place to protect its customers’ data. It has its own on-site security team, actively tests its software, and all data is AES-256 encrypted between your browser and AWS servers.

Gusto enables varying levels of account permissions so that admins and managers can only access features and functions specific to their level. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO) options are also available.

The Gusto application is kept secure with internal and third-party penetration testing, vulnerability scanning and a bug bounty program. Better still, all Gusto employees have specific security training.

Gusto: The competition

While Gusto is great for small businesses, it may not be as cost-effective for larger ones. 

An alternative for larger businesses is OnPay, which has a very similar feature set, combining payroll and HR, but a simpler pricing structure. OnPay has a $36/month base fee plus $4/month/user, and you only pay for employees who are paid in any given month. It also has a 30-day free trial.

Gusto is primarily a payroll platform with HR add-ons. Another alternative is Zenefits, which is the opposite: a complete HR solution with features like org charts and performance reviews and a payroll add-on. Pricing goes from $8 to $21/month/employee, with payroll features adding an extra $6/month/employee. It also comes with a 14-day demo.

Gusto: Final verdict

If you’re a small business owner who’s new to payroll, you’ll love Gusto because it’s so easy to use; you can finish important tasks with just a few clicks. Its pricing is attractive for smaller workforces, but for larger businesses, some alternatives will be more cost-effective.

If your workforce is small enough that the pricing is not an issue, Gusto provides first-class solutions for most of the important administrative areas of running a business.

• Read our guide to the best payroll software

We are all aware by this point that the government, businesses, and cybercriminals are watching everything we do online. By encrypting your online data, a VPN can help you feel more secure and give you peace of mind, however, it can be difficult to find a trustworthy VPN. 

Due to the fact that many VPNs are only effective at talking and working, when we come across a VPN that claims to be able to unblock any website or server and protect you online, we test it out and give an unbiased review to determine its suitability. And that brings us to VPN Monster. 

The Russian VPN provider has 120 server locations spread across 40 nations. Comparing this to the best VPNs on the market, which offer thousands of servers, coverage is incredibly inadequate. 

VPN Monster: Pricing & plans 

VPN Monster offers three paid packages (all of which have the same features) as well as a three-day free trial that requires your email address. You can also net a 35-day free trial depending on whether or not you are willing to surrender your email and phone number; however, the free trial is limited to a small number of VPN servers. And there’s no true free VPN option here either. 

The premium plan, which includes three packages, comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service; however, this isn't impressive given that the industry standard is 30-days. The following are the packages:

Monthly: $9.73 

Tri-monthly: $32.10

Annually: $46.68 

VPN Monster accepts credit cards, PayPal, Qiwi Wallet, UMoney, WebMoney, and even Bitcoin for anonymity. 

VPN Monster: Privacy & encryption 

It should be noted that although VPN Monster claims to have a strict no-logs policy, you shouldn't just take its word for it because they haven't asked an independent auditor to check the servers for any logs. Without a VPN audit, this claim is difficult to accept at face-value. 

However, we reviewed VPN Monster's privacy statement and discovered that it does log some of your information, such as your email, order status, and cookies. VPN Monster claims that cookies are only stored in order to prevent re-registration for the free trial. If you are oblivious to the fact that browser cookies can be used to track you, this should worry you. 

Although VPN Monster is a Russian product, the company that created it is registered in Seychelles, so it is not subject to Russian legal restrictions. Seychelles' government has strict guidelines regarding online privacy. As it is not under the jurisdiction of the Five Eyes Alliance, you can use this VPN with confidence, knowing that no one can access your data.

Though we prefer having a wide range of protocol options, VPN Monster offers only the OpenVPN protocol (TCP/UDP) with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, a double VPN feature that navigates your online activity through two servers rather than one, encrypting your data twice. VPN Monster also has a VPN kill switch that disconnects your device from the internet in the event that your VPN connection drops unexpectedly. This helps prevent the disclosure of your information to uninvited parties like websites and hackers. 

When we checked for IP and DNS leaks, we were pleased to see that the VPN did not reveal our IP address or DNS requests. You can browse now without worrying about your privacy being invaded. 

VPN Monster: Streaming 

When we tried, the US server could connect and stream Netflix. But, regrettably, it didn't work for Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, or BBC iPlayer, which most often put locational restrictions on access to their content. 

This part is getting more and more crucial as more people learn about the benefits VPNs have for bypassing geo-restricted content - in other words, changing location and IP address with a VPN. Selecting the correct provider who can meet your needs is advisable if this is a top priority for you - and thankfully, there are plenty of Netflix VPNs and streaming VPNs that do provide this service.  

VPN Monster: Speed & experience 

Despite the fact that every VPN will, to some level, slow down your connection, the best ones have quite a negligible effect that restricts lags or buffering. The location, connection, and internet network you are using may also affect the speed. 

Running our speed test did not provide us with particularly impressive connection speeds. On a connection that can handle 70.02Mbps, we only received a comparatively small 12.05Mbp. Then after, we ended up choosing to use a server in Luxembourg, which delivered only 9.89Mbps and performed worse than we had anticipated. we used a 25 Mbps internet connection and connected to its Italian server; we got a download speed of less than average at 25 Mbps. 

VPN Monster: Customer support 

On its official site, VPN Monster doesn't provide live chat, email support, or even a ticketing system. While submitting a ticket was simple, the customer service team at VPN Monster occasionally takes a while to give a response. 

After having to wait for 10 hours, we eventually received a response, but it lacked both professionalism and technical assistance. Besides that, it has a FAQ section with answers to technical questions, primarily troubleshooting instructions. The FAQ section was helpful to me, so I found it to be useful.

VPN Monster: Apps 

Linux, Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, and routers are all supported by VPN Monster through its desktop and mobile VPN apps. You can configure VPN Monster on your router, but it must support TLS authorization, the OpenVPN protocol, and configuration files with the .ovpn extension. 

On your desktop Mac or Windows computer, VPN Monster is simple to install. You can just register for any of the trials if you want to try it out first. You can easily navigate the app because both the Mac and Windows versions of the user interface are identical.  

The installation of the applications on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and routers went without a hassle; but even so, since VPN Monster supports the OpenVPN protocol, we had to confirm that our routers also support TLS authorization and configuration files with the.ovpn extension.

VPN Monster: Alternatives 

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN services available. It has lightning-fast, live chat support 24 hours a day, servers in over 94 countries, and excellent security measures. It enables five concurrent connections on devices and unblocks everything. It also has a rigorous no-log and privacy policy, so you can be confident that your data will not be shared.

Read our full ExpressVPN review 

NordVPN

NordVPN is a VPN industry giant. The service has over 5,200 servers scattered across 60 countries, provides live chat help, 24/7 email support, military-grade encryption software, and supports up to six simultaneous device connections.

Read our full NordVPN review

Proton VPN

Proton VPN is an alternative that does not monitor your actions and does not utilize any of your personal information. Furthermore, Proton VPN offers a feature that prevents trackers from following you, as well as a built-in kill switch that automatically stops all network traffic if the VPN connection is lost.

Read our full Proton VPN review

PureVPN

This VPN provides the finest protection against ISP speed limiting, allows you to access prohibited websites, and protects you from third-party online snooping. With the availability of sophisticated features such as intrusion detection systems, anti-spam, IP protection, and web threat monitoring, you can expect the greatest degree of network threat security.

Read our full PureVPN review 

VPN Monster: Verdict 

Due to the lack of available servers in a few locations, VPN Monster does not stand out when compared to its competitors. It is slow, has poor unblocking capabilities, and there hasn't been any independent auditor to inspect the servers, so you cannot be certain that they do not log your data.  

• Best business VPNs: Keep employees secure online

When it comes to privacy tools and online security, ZoogVPN does a good job. It is one of the best options available in the market today. In this review, we will discuss the features that make ZoogVPN a great choice for those looking for online security and privacy. We will also look at how ZoogVPN compares to some of the best VPN providers on the market.

Zoog Services IKE was founded in 2013 by IT professionals with experience dating back to the 1990s. Zoog Services is the leading provider of ZoogVPN with headquarters in Patras, Greece, and offices in different continents like Asia, and North America. With ZoogVPN, you can have access to over 60 VPN servers. 

ZoogVPN: Price 

ZoogVPN's pricing structure is pretty straightforward. The free VPN plan allows you to use the program without spending a dime. With the free plan, you will have access to 10GB of bandwidth and you can connect up to 2 devices at the same time. 

The monthly plan starts at $9.99. This gets you access to all of ZoogVPN's servers in over 50 locations, over 1000s IPs, unlimited devices, P2P included, 256-bit encryption, full features, 20 Netflix regions, Hulu, Disney+, iPlayer as well as their strong encryption software and 24/7 customer support.

If you need more than that, they also offer a yearly plan for $2.99 per month (billed annually at $35.99). This plan comes with everything in the monthly plan, plus additional features like unlimited bandwidth and access to "stealth servers" in 10 additional countries. 

Finally, it offers a 2-year plan for $1.87 per month (billed annually at $44.99). This is the top-of-the-line offering and includes everything in the monthly plan, plus even more features like dedicated IP addresses and priority customer support. 

ZoogVPN offers a 7-day money-back guarantee. This allows you to test-run the service before making a long-term commitment. The VPN accepts payment methods from credit cards, PayPal, WebMoney, Qiwi, and Mint. There are other options such as cryptocurrency (BTC, ETH, LTC, DAI, USDC, and BCH).

In comparison to other top VPN providers, ZoogVPN's pricing is on the lower end of the spectrum. For example, ExpressVPN - one of the most popular VPNs on the market—starts at $12.95 per month for their annual plan (or $8.32 per month if you want to pay monthly). So, already you're looking at savings of over 50% with ZoogVPN's premium plan compared to ExpressVPN's monthly price. 

NordVPN is another popular option that starts at $11.95 per month for their annual plan (or $12.95 per month if you want to pay monthly). Again, that's a significant saving compared to ZoogVPN's premium plan—over 30%. Needless to say, when it comes to price, ZoogVPN is tough to beat.  

ZoogVPN: Privacy and encryption 

As far as ZoogVPN is concerned, it takes its customer's right to privacy seriously and provides full details on how they work to ensure your privacy. It uses AES-256 encryption with a 2048-bit key while transferring data over its VPN tunnel. In addition to this, they use other advanced technology including SHA1 and SHA256 authentication mechanisms which ensures no third-party can see what you are doing on the internet. The result? Your activities can never be traced back by third-parties or by government agencies, allowing you to use the internet freely.

ZoogVPN provides you with the most reliable and secure VPN protocols. By default, ZoogVPN comes with IKEv2 and OpenVPN connections as well as L2TP and IPSec protocols for maximum online security. One thing we love is its built-in VPN kill switch feature. This protects you from unexpected VPN connection drops by automatically locking your internet when they happen for extra peace of mind.

When you are connected to ZoogVPN, your IP address and DNS will be fully anonymous. There is no risk of identity theft or other unwanted activity when using this service because it comes equipped with leakproof enabled by default that ensures there are never any leaks. 

However, we are not impressed with ZoogVPN’s keeping a log of the email and activities of its users. We do not know the intention behind this, but if top-notch anonymity is your goal, then ZoogVPN is not the best choice. You may consider going for ExpressVPN and IPvanish VPN, which offer zero-log policies. 

ZoogVPN: China 

At the time of writing, this VPN does work in China. You may be met with a few speed issues, but other than that there are no major problems reported by users using this as a VPN for China. This tool is able to bypass the Great Firewall of China using its Shadowing feature. 

ZoogVPN: Ad blocker 

During our test, we found out that ZoogVPN includes an ad blocker in its service that can help to prevent ads from appearing on your browser while you are connected to the VPN. This is a great feature for those who want to stay distraction-free and focus on their online activities without having to deal with pesky advertisements at all times. 

You can simply enable the ad blocker within the ZoogVPN app and enjoy a seamless browsing experience free of ads. Additionally, this feature also helps to improve your browsing speed by blocking unnecessary trackers, cookies, and other resources that may cause unwanted popups. 

ZoogVPN: Torrenting and P2P 

ZoogVPN serves up a reliable VPN for torrenting and P2P file-sharing. Additionally, the strong security features of ZoogVPN also offer added protection and privacy when using torrenting and P2P networks, keeping your activities and personal information safe from prying eyes.  

ZoogVPN: Streaming 

During our test, ZoogVPN unblocked US Netflix and Disney+. Also, we were able to stream content from Hulu, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and RTE. ZoogVPN performed above our expectations in terms of bypassing geo-restricted content from the US, UK, and many other countries. Ideal if you’re on the hunt for a streaming VPN or a VPN for Netflix.  

ZoogVPN: Customer support 

The VPN is compatible with all of the popular operating systems which include Windows, macOS, and Linux, with mobile VPN apps for Android and iOS. It even supports certain TV and routers. You’ll also find secure access over OpenVPN protocols. Customer support was a big concern for us, so we reached out to see how it went. 

Using the live chat, we received an instant response that was genuinely helpful. Via email, we had an answer to our query within 10 minutes of sending. The company also lists its contact information on official websites which adds credibility when needed like during emergencies or crisis situations where having quick access can be crucial. 

ZoogVPN: Speed and experience 

While this VPN is pretty quick, make no mistake, this isn’t the fastest VPN in the world - and the servers are not as quick and reliable as the speeds they advertise. We connected to one of their VPN servers, but it dropped down unexpectedly after just a few seconds. We connected to one of its US servers and found that our internet speed without ZoogVPN was 51.41 Mbps, but when we hooked up with the service it decreased to 13.67Mbps. 

ZoogVPN: Alternatives 

NordVPN is a popular VPN service that offers unlimited bandwidth, multiple server locations across the globe, 2 simultaneous logins, and P2P support for downloads. It also provides additional features like a kill switch, dedicated IPs at an affordable price, and 24/7 customer support through live chat or email.

ExpressVPN is another excellent choice if you're looking for a fast and reliable VPN service. ExpressVPN has servers in 94 countries, which means that you can unblock nearly any website or online service in the world. ExpressVPN encrypts your traffic with strong encryption, making it impossible for anyone to snoop on your connection. ExpressVPN also offers live chat support 24/7 in case you ever need help with the service. 

PureVPN is yet another popular name in the VPN industry and offers many useful services like unlimited bandwidth, high-speed servers across the world, P2P file sharing, malware protection, DDoS protection, etc. This service comes with a good privacy policy as well and you can use it without any worries about your confidential data getting leaked or compromised in any way. 

Zoog VPN: Pros and Cons 

One of the biggest pros of using ZoogVPN is its excellent customer support. The live chat feature allows you to get in touch with a representative quickly and easily, and the helpful responses we received from the team really impressed us.

Another major benefit of this service is that it offers great security features like strong encryption and an effective kill switch, which help keep your data safe from hackers and other online threats.

However, some users may find that the limited number of server locations available can be a drawback when trying to access certain websites or content that may not be available in specific regions. Another con of ZoogVPN is that it keeps logs of users’ email and online activities. Additionally, ZoogVPN slows down the internet connection.

Verdict

Overall, ZoogVPN is a reliable and secure VPN service that offers great customer support and good security features. It does keep logs of its users’ activities, so if you want to remain completely anonymous online, you may consider a different VPN service. But, if you're looking for a decent VPN service with plenty of features at an affordable price, then ZoogVPN should meet your needs. 

• Best cheap VPNs: Online security for every budget