Business owners are always on the lookout for better, more efficient ways to do things. When it comes to accounting, payroll and all of those other daily admin tasks, a solution like the high-profile QuickBooks makes a lot of sense. However, it’s now possible to supplement this with Intuit Online Payroll. The two can work in unison to make one of the best payroll software options currently on the market. The combination allows you to do a little bit of everything, which is exactly what business owners are looking for in these challenging times.

Intuit is a big corporation and its software is all-encompassing, meaning that business owners can carry out a lot of their workflow within one integrated package. Using QuickBooks and Intuit Online Payroll as one entity can therefore allow your company and its employees to enjoy much more simplified processes. This review aims to drill down into just how well the software integrates and discover if it provides all of the value that Intuit’s high-profile marketing suggests.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll: Plans and pricing

There’s no doubt that Intuit has got it right when it says ‘save time and stay one step ahead with tools that work better together’. You can do just that thanks to the flexibility that’s on offer here. The software publisher is always running money-off deals, with a current 50% off for 3 months being fairly typical. There’s a free trial too, which might help seal the deal. Meanwhile, plans are plentiful and varied, depending on your needs, with Payroll Core and QuickBooks Simple Start kicking things off at the cheap end of the spectrum.

The ‘Best value’ package is Payroll Core and QuickBooks Essentials, which currently runs at just $50 per month – half what it normally is – with a $5 per employee per month arrangement added on. Payroll Premium and QuickBooks Plus is the software bundle to go for if you need plenty of muscle. Equally, it is possible to have just Payroll or just QuickBooks thanks to the flexibility provided by Intuit.

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll: Features

What you get in terms of the pairing of QuickBooks and Payroll will obviously depend on which of the packages you head for. However, even in its most basic guise, Payroll Core and QuickBooks Simple Start packs in a full service payroll suite, which enables automatic tax processing along with all of the associated forms. The automated process can also take on 1099 E-File & Pay duties.

Both the other two bundles mentioned above carry the same features, but add in much more accounting functionality too. Whichever one you go for, the software can be tailored to suit low-volume, smaller businesses right on through to bigger more corporate operations.

In essence then, all plans come with unlimited payroll run capability, the power to calculate paychecks and all applicable taxes, as well as offering ease and convenience thanks to automated processing for taxes and their associated forms. Companies with employees to consider will find the workforce portal very practical, while the coverage of the software extends to all 50 US states.

Similarly, there is extensive reporting on offer while the ability to manage garnishments and any or all deductions offers the final icing on the cake.

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll: Interface and in-use

One of the most appealing things about Quickbooks and the Payroll packages Intuit offers is the ease of use that comes with it all. There’s no doubt that Intuit’s UX teams and engineers have worked long and hard to create products that just work. The interface experience is invariably a good one no matter where you happen to be inside the suite of software, with a clever use of fonts, colour and graphics.

Dealing with normally stressful matters such as payroll is nowhere near as complicated as it used to be, but Intuit makes the job even simpler. Expect lots of automated tasks, plenty of one-click solutions and a healthy supply of practical benefits such as the ability to carry out powerful reporting without become broken in the process.

What you also get with this software is the ability to use it anywhere, with cloud convenience and plenty of mobile or tablet-focused tools that mean you don't have to lug the office laptop everywhere.

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll: Support

As you’d expect from a company the size of Intuit, if you’re looking for support then there is plenty on offer. Customers can use the support hub as their first port of call for everyday questions. There’s a chunky selection of toolbar options to choose from, such as getting started and dedicated topic sections covering core tasks including banking, invoices, taxes and more, plus a healthy training area too.

Intuit also has a healthy community vibe going on, which is great for networking with likeminded business people who can often supply answers to any kind of question.

Naturally, you can also get directly in touch with support staff, but what is also of added value is the way the Intuit site can hook you up with a QuickBooks Certified Pro Advisor, which is a real boon if you’re ever feeling bogged down by the weight of office administration. There’s even a live chat function to do that immediately if matters are pressing.

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll: Security

So important is security to Intuit that it actually has an entire security center, dedicated to keeping the entire product suite and its customers safe and secure. Intuit invests lots of money in ensuring its systems have multiple layers of security. Using the software on a daily basis, you also soon realise just how well it has been engineered, with lots of potential obstacles in place that could foil the likes of scams and phishing attacks.

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll: The competition

If you’re not entirely smitten with Quickbooks Payroll, although there’s a trial that lets you see its potential before committing, there are also plenty of alternatives. Checkout something like Gusto, especially if you’re aiming for streamlined payroll without fuss and bother.

However, anyone needing a muscular HR and payroll solution will find it hard to miss the appeal of Sage Business Cloud Payroll, which comes with the same sort of features as those found in Intuit’s suite of products. Those with simpler needs will find Patriot useful and BambooHR is another very worth software solution when it comes to easy payroll processing.

Intuit Quickbooks Payroll: Final Verdict

It’s really easy to see why Intuit still manages to rule the roost with so many businesses opting to use its suite of products. If you’re looking for value then pairing Quickbooks with the Payroll package can solve a lot of headaches. This is a streamlined solution with plenty of potent features and functions that enable quick and easy management of office tasks.

• Read our guide to the best payroll software