BambooHR has built up a solid reputation in the relatively short space of time the company has been going. The HR business was first launched back in 2008 by Ben Peterson and Ryan Sanders and continues today from its base in Utah.

BambooHR offers a cloud-based HR software solution, rather than outsourcing, that combines a great user interface with lots of practical tools for managing your workforce.

The company set out to build a simplified platform that works for HR teams and employees alike, and we think it’s nailed that brief.

The BambooHR package does a little bit of everything, which includes helping to onboard new employees, analyze people data and manage benefits all while helping to get the job done in a fresh and fun kind of way.

That’s not to detract from the potential of this package though as BambooHR has more than enough capability to help business of all shapes and sizes manage their HR workflow.

The only area we feel it fails to deliver on its promise of simplicity is in its pricing, because you’ll need to set aside a fair chunk of time to walk through the platform with a sales agent instead of being able to compare plan prices.

BambooHR: Plans and pricing

The amount of money you pay to enjoy using BambooHR basically depends on the number of employees you have working in your company.

You’ll therefore need to get in touch with the sales team to get a precise tailored quote to match your requirements as there is no obvious pricing that we could find.

This seems to be the way that many other rival companies are going, and it’s a shame to see this becoming the standard because it’s hard to compare them on surface-level without going deep down the customer acquisition route, which is timely.

At the time of writing, Core, Pro and Elite plans exist, and there are also some add-ons: Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Tracking and Employer of Record (which is actually provided by Remote, another player in this space).

However, in the meantime it’s possible to try a live demo of the software, which expands to a seven-day trial if you think you want to spend time getting used to the features and functionality. The trial is a full working version and comes complete with sample data, so you don't need to spend time populating the package to see exactly how it works. This is a quick and easy way to see the potential of BambooHR.

BambooHR: Features

Bamboo offers a wide set of HRIS and HR features, including all the core essentials like employee records, document storage, custom reports and dashbords.

Once you’ve created an account and logged in to BambooHR all of the main features are clearly set out in the central dashboard area.

There are options that let you control the vital aspects of your workforce data, with the top menu offering instant access to My Info, People, Hiring, Reports and Files, all of which are pretty self-explanatory.

The main work area contains widgets with all of the main feature content, plus there’s direct access to crucial records such as vacation and time off for sickness.

In fact, BambooHR has a whole area for paid time off requests with a dedicated time-off calendar and accrual details.

BambooHR continues to have improvements made to its set of features, with an open API option allowing you to combine the package with other HR software services where needed.

There is also a BambooHR app marketplace too, that lets users explore other BambooHR-friendly software solutions that help compliment its capabilities. More than 150 partner integrations exist, according to the website.

Furthermore, the HR platform extends right to a worker’s first interaction with a company, with job posting, candidate tracking and offer letters all handled through the system, so you won’t need to setup them up later.

BambooHR: Ease of use

During our trial time using BambooHR we found that the SaaS solution performed impeccably, particularly considering it was quite well packed with plenty of sample data.

Logging in and getting started was fault free, and even the sign up was a doddle. Once into the main work area we found BambooHR to be everything it promised, with great functionality and no issues with managing records and adding, or deleting data either.

Overall, BambooHR really hits the spot with its solid performance.

There’s a really relaxed learning curve involved with picking up BambooHR, with a user interface based around its central dashboard that makes progress both quick and easy.

Despite its laid-back layout and menu options, BambooHR actually bristles with plenty of power tools, all designed to let you tackle human resources tools without the stress normally associated with this aspect of business admin.

BambooHR is very customizable too, with a settings area that lets you tweak all of the content tools.

Access levels, employee fields, approvals, apps, benefits, company directory, email alerts, employee satisfaction, hiring and holidays can all be tailored to suit your needs. It's even possible to drop in your own logo and set a colour scheme as needed.

Where the platform is widely recognized as being pretty intuitive, some note it can be harder to uncover some hidden features.

The mobile app is also less feature-rich, but this is a fair expectation from any similar software.

BambooHR: Support

Once you’re logged into the BambooHR system there’s always help at hand thanks to support options over on the top of the program interface. In this region there’s a searchable knowledge base, which can point you towards topics that solve many queries.

Resources and learning materials include webinars, guides, tutorials and other self-service help.

It’s also possible to chat with the support team from here. In the same area is the option to submit a support request.

General support includes chat, email and telephone during business hours, and customer feedback is mostly positive on this front. Responsive and helpful agents walk them through solutions instead of just directing them to articles, so top marks there.

BambooHR: Final verdict

BambooHR is a great option for small to medium-sized business that have to tackle human resources chores and more besides. The way it’s been designed and laid out means that those humdrum everyday tasks associated with HR duties are made rather more palatable than normal.

It’s got oodles of cool tools nestling in amongst the vibrant user interface, with everything from benefits administration through to performance reviews covered and a whole lot more besides.

That appealing user experience is backed up with strong core features, good integrations and a helpful resource base.

The fact that you can test drive the package before committing makes it perfect for business owners who want to make doubly sure it’s going to be right for them before signing up.

You’ll need to contact the BambooHR sales team in order to get pricing, although this is based around the number of workers your business employs. BambooHR is certainly one of the easiest solutions of its type out there, with plenty of capacity to accommodate your business as it grows too.

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TaxAct, like all of the other tax filing software packages, has been updated over the years and is now better than ever. The online tax solution packs in several enhancements for this year with improved tools for speeding up the time it takes to complete tax returns. There are several options for individuals and professional business users too.

Another bonus with this package is that TaxAct aims to remain competitively priced for anyone filing a federal return, which is always going to be welcome news. There has also been the implementation of a live Tax Advice feature, which is offered as an optional add-on for all packages.

Being an online software solution it follows a similar path to others in the field including TaxSlayer, Jackson Hewitt Online, Credit Karma Tax and FreeTaxUSA, with a step-by-step series of screens that walk you through the hurdles for filing your taxes. 

• Want to try TaxAct? Check out the website here

TaxAct has done a sterling job of late too, with plenty of refinements that make the whole process as painless as is realistically possible. If you’re a novice user you’ll still be able to make solid progress in not much time, which is clearly a boon for those of us who procrastinate when it comes to tax return time. 

TaxAct: Pricing

As is the case with any tax filing software package, price is everything. Little wonder then that TaxAct has moved to make its pricing look more appealing in light of the competition, although package prices have actually increased. On top of that, the Premier and Self-Employed options don’t include live agent support from CPAs or other tax experts, although this will be tempered by the rollout of TaxAct’s Xpert Help service in due course. 

The TaxAct website gets you off to a great start in that it lets you select various scenarios such as if you have children, have retirement income and investments too. There are the more obvious considerations too, with the free W-2 jobholders edition (State included) proving ideal if you’ve got fairly basic requirements. The free version also covers filers with dependents and if you have college expenses or retirement income to declare. 

Next up, the Deluxe package costs $29.99 (+ state additional) delivers everything in the free edition plus more besides. It’s ideally suited to homeowners plus those with deductions, credits and adjustments to file. The Premier model comes in at $39.99 (+ state additional), which includes everything in Deluxe with added features for investments, rental property and prioritized support. Top of the tree is the Self-Employed package, which for $69.99 (+ state additional) adds on Deduction Maximizer and year-round tax resources. All options offer the ability to add a live Tax Advice feature.

TaxAct: Features

Changes have been implemented on the TaxAct feature front for 2021, with improved integration, better workflow and the capacity for importing data directly into the application. This is particularly useful in the case of 1099 forms, but the same goes for W-2’s and 1099-NEC’s too. As before, TaxAct still allows you to enter business income, rental/royalty income and, basically any other income that is relevant to completing your return in a timely and accurate fashion. 

However, while the basic edition is free and offers support for 1040 and retirement income with state returns being gratis, you’ll need to pay for the more powerful feature set editions. Getting the paid for version of TaxAct will arm you with more options, but it can be a little tricky to squeeze the best out of the system, particularly if your tax situation is less than pedestrian.

TaxAct: Ease of use

One of the criticisms of earlier incarnations of TaxAct was that the filing software was a little too hard to get your head around. However, the TaxAct developers have taken this on board and the latest edition has had some improvements made in terms of usability. Navigation is snappier, with less faff involved than with previous editions and users can pick through stages much more swiftly than the clunkier way things worked before. 

Boosting the user-friendly appeal is the way it is now easy to import forms, such as W-2, 1099 and 1099-NEC’s. Indeed, you can also add in tax returns from earlier years, which makes much lighter work of the overall filing process. Granted, TaxAct still can't be described as a doddle to navigate, and there are still some clunky aspects to the experience. Nevertheless, TaxAct is on the up in terms of ease of use.

While some of the questioning might prove a little more trying for the less confident, there is also a decent level of help along the way that allows you to master the nuances of TaxAct. Given that the design setup is basically screen after screen, TaxAct has done quite a nice job of making the process workmanlike but, dare we say it, quite good on the eyes too. 

Mention should also be made of the app version, which can work hand-in-hand with the desktop edition so you can switch between the two as and when time allows it. 

TaxAct: Support

Along with numerous other improvements, TaxAct has been spruced up in the support department too. Users should lookout for handy videos that offer pointers into getting the best from key areas of the tax filing software. In fact, TaxAct’s knowledge base area has definitely improved and its pro-level tips come in mighty handy as you work your way through the various stages.

Due to some of the clunkier areas of TaxAct we think that it’s entirely likely you’ll need to call upon the help that’s available within this package. That’s not to sell TaxAct short of course as it’s a potent performer but you might need assistance to get to the final return stage. 

Enter then the TaxAct Answer Center, which is a very comprehensive area of the site that has multiple topics that will answer many of your questions and queries. The other benefit with TaxAct is that it has a constant Help and Tools area over on the right side of the page while you work. 

Quick and easy access is therefore just a click away. Email support is available across the different editions, while phone support is also on hand towards the filing deadline, details of which can be found on the TaxAct website.

TaxAct: Final Verdict

TaxAct has had a much needed dust down and the designers have clearly been hard at work making improvements where needed for 2021. While we’re yet to see first hand what the Xpert Help option brings to the table, or indeed how much it’ll cost, the rest of the modifications to TaxAct have beefed up its appeal. 

While there’s clearly a ways to go in terms of the tax filing package as a whole, the overall feeling generated from the newest edition of TaxAct is a positive one. That said, it’s up against the low budget FreeTaxUSA and H&R Block at the other end of the spectrum, plus a host of other tax filing software inbetween.

Nevertheless, the interface and usability have both been tweaked to work better for a variety of different subscribers using it in 2021, so the benefits are clear to see. Plus, TaxAct has also been given a once over to bring it bang up to date in light of coronavirus and the resulting changes to legislation. Tax reforms can be difficult to keep up with, so it’s reassuring to know that the TaxAct team have that base covered.

• We've also highlighted the best tax software

Google is best known for its search engine and suite of digital tools covering emails, document editing, presentations, spreadsheets, and many more. Popular among both individual and business users, Google provides alternatives to dominant platforms in various software niches. For example, Google Sheets is an alternative to Microsoft Excel, and Google Docs is an alternative to Microsoft Word.

For a long time, Google has bundled its digital tools into various tiers for enterprises. This bundle was initially known as Google Apps, then rebranded to G Suite in 2016 and Google Workspace in 2020. Over the years, Google has added many more features to its software suite, and its user base has increased significantly.

What does Google Workspace offer that the competition doesn’t? Is it worthwhile for my business, and what benefits do I get from it? These are essential questions business owners and managers ask when considering adopting Google Workspace. You’ve arrived at the right place if you have these questions.

Having extensively reviewed each tool within Google Workspace, I’ve put together this broad review covering its pros, cons, and unique features. Read on to learn what Google Workspace offers and whether it’s the best choice for your business.

Google Workspace: Plans and pricing

Google Workspace has distinct pricing plans: Starter, Standard, Plus, and Enterprise Plus, with each having its benefits. The higher the plan, the more functionalities and storage space your enterprise can access.

The Starter plan costs $7 per user per month. Under this plan, each account has access to 30 GB of cloud storage, double the 15 GB limit for free Google accounts. The Starter plan lets your company's employees create email addresses tied to your company's domain name. Other benefits include the ability to use Google's Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) assistant and hold video meetings with up to 100 participants.

The Standard plan costs $14 per user per month. Under this pricing tier, each user has access to 2 TB of cloud storage, which is dramatically higher than that of the Starter plan. All features of the Starter plan are included, plus more benefits like access to NotebookLM, Google's AI-based research tool; video meetings with up to 150 participants; and the ability for employees to append digital signatures to documents.

The Plus plan costs $22 per user per month. Cloud storage for each user increases to 5 TB on this plan, and other benefits include video meetings with up to 500 participants, a digital vault to retain data for a long period, and advanced endpoint management and security features.

The Enterprise Plus plan isn’t like the others. It doesn’t have a standard price. Instead, you’ll need to contact Google’s sales team to negotiate a custom deal. This plan has the most advanced security features, endpoint security and the ability to choose the geographical storage location for your company’s data. Storage can be 5 TB or more, depending on the deal negotiated with Google’s sales team.

The Enterprise Plus plan is best suited for large companies with hundreds or thousands of employees that need Google Workspace tools. Pricing varies, but large companies may negotiate discounts compared to the unit price of the Plus plan.

Google Workspace: Features

Think of Google Workspace as a one-stop shop that provides the tools a company needs to communicate, collaborate, and manage documents seamlessly. A Google Workspace subscription unlocks access to many valuable tools, including Google Meet for videoconferencing, Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Google Docs for document editing, Google Slides for presentations, Google Chat for real-time chat, Gmail for emails, etc.

If you’ve used Gmail individually, the corporate version offered via Google Workspace is easy to understand. It has the same interface and similar features, but the corporate version lets you create emails attached to your company’s domain name instead of the generic “@gmail.com.”

Another benefit is that the Gmail interface doesn’t include ads when subscribed to Google Workspace, unlike the free version, where ads are displayed at the top of your inbox. Notably, the Starter, Standard, and Plus plans are capped at 300 users, making this figure the maximum number of Gmail accounts a company can create.

Google Meet is a popular video conferencing tool used by both individuals and companies. With Google Workspace, your company unlocks access to advanced Google Meet tools, including the ability to host up to 500 participants on the Plus plan.

You may be confused that the Plus plan is capped at 300 users but allows up to 500 participants in a videoconference. The answer is that participants aren’t always employees with Google Workspace accounts. You can invite people outside your organization to meetings, and there’ll still be ample space to host them alongside employees. Besides that, the Enterprise Plus plan works for well over 300 users but requires direct negotiations with Google’s sales team.

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are powerful alternatives to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, the leading tools for creating and managing text documents, spreadsheets, and visual presentations, respectively. While Word, Excel, and PowerPoint remain capable tools, Google’s alternatives outshine them in collaborative features.

With a Google Workspace subscription, employees can collaboratively create and edit text files on Google Docs. Each person working on the same document is represented by a unique icon and cursor indicating their position on the document. Every collaborator can suggest changes, leave comments, or edit text directly, depending on the permission given by the document owner, and every change gets reflected in real-time.

In my case, I liked the idea of integrating Google Chat with Docs, which let me send instant messages to collaborators on the same page where we edited documents. The same applies to Google Sheets and Slides, where I could chat with collaborators on the same page.

On Google Sheets, employees can simultaneously edit the same spreadsheet, with each collaborator represented by their unique icon and cursor. Any changes, comments, or suggestions will be delivered in real-time. Google Slides is similar, but for collaboratively editing visual presentations.

The document owner, who can be any employee, decides who can access their document and what they can do with it. Three distinct permissions can be given to a collaborator: Viewer, Commenter, and Editor.

A Viewer has read-only access, i.e., they can read the document but can’t comment, suggest a change, or edit anything directly.

A Commenter can leave comments on specific parts of the document, for example, a highlighted paragraph on Google Docs or a highlighted cell on Google Sheets. They can suggest changes at particular parts, but the document owner decides whether to accept or reject the suggestions.

An Editor has complete access to a document just like the owner. They can edit the document extensively and undo or redo changes.

When editing documents on Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, the Version Control feature allows you to revert to previous versions of a document if needed. As employees edit a document, their changes are saved at different time instants. Then, the document owner can view previous versions and revert to any version if needed.

I liked the Version Control feature for two reasons. Firstly, it fosters accountability because the document owner can view different versions of a document and know who made specific changes, incentivizing collaborators to always stick to the agreed-upon rules. Secondly, it assures all collaborators that mistakes can be undone, so there’s no need to panic when they make errors.

Gemini is Google’s proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, released in 2023 in response to the rise of ChatGPT and other rival AI chatbots. Google Workspace users have complete access to Gemini, either via the standalone app or via direct integration with Docs, Slides, Sheets, and other Google tools.

I found Gemini very useful when working with documents on various Google tools. For example, I used it to generate text when writing on Google Docs and also to translate and edit text. The output wasn’t perfect – it often sounds too bland and robotic – but a few edits were enough to make it sound more human.

On Google Sheets, I used Gemini to analyze data, specifically to visualize the data I entered into my spreadsheet. You can do much more, for example, by asking it to calculate specific values based on the figures in your spreadsheet.

On Google Slides, I used Gemini to generate text and ideas for my presentations. The use cases are endless, making Gemini a valuable companion for any company’s employees.

Other useful tools you can access under Workspace include Google Calendar, a tool for employees to set and manage schedules, and Google Keep, a note-taking app with collaborative features. There’s also Google Forms, which your company can use to survey customers, collect data from leads, or conduct internal surveys.

Google Workspace offers such a broad set of features that it would be too much information to provide in this review. It provides a valuable software suite to run your business operations, but it’s not without its drawbacks. In my opinion, Google Workspace is best suited for companies with a few hundred employees, but it becomes more difficult to manage above this figure. The costs can also be high for small businesses, although Google Workspace’s pricing is generally competitive.

Google Workspace: Interface and in use

I’ve reviewed all Google Workspace tools, and a smooth, intuitive interface is a commonality among them. In my opinion, Google has zeroed in on simplicity and intuitiveness as a way to stand out amid intense competition, considering it was a latecomer to various software niches. From Google Docs to Sheets, Slides, Meet, and other tools, their interfaces are much more seamless to navigate compared to rival apps.

Google Workspace enables smooth communication and collaboration among your employees. From collaborating on text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations to holding videoconferences on Google Meet or group chats on Google Chat, Google Workspace excels in its user-friendliness and makes these functions work smoothly.

Google Workspace: Support

As paid subscribers, Google Workspace users have access to abundant support resources, both self-help and direct support from Google’s team. Each Google tool has a dedicated section on the company’s official Help Center. Every section covers all features related to the specific tool, making it the ideal first stop when troubleshooting issues.

For example, on the Google Meet Help Center section, you can find user guides, tutorials, and answers to common issues users face on Google Meet. The same applies to all other tools offered under Google Workspace.

If self-help resources on the Help Center aren’t sufficient to resolve issues, Google Workspace users can contact Google’s support team via email, live chat, and telephone. Throughout my experience with Google Workspace, the support team has been very responsive and knowledgeable. A good thing is that the intuitive interface of Google tools reduces the number of times you’ll need direct help in the first place.

Google Workspace: The competition

I’ve repeatedly mentioned Microsoft tools in this review, giving a hint that Microsoft is Google Workspace’s primary competitor. The Microsoft 365 bundle mirrors Google Workspace by offering businesses access to a broad suite of Microsoft’s software tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote, and more.

I’ve tested Microsoft’s software tools extensively, just like I’ve done with Google’s, and Microsoft’s tools generally have broader functionalities. For example, you’ll find more formatting options in Word and Excel than in Google Docs and Spreadsheets. PowerPoint has a broader collection of templates and insertable visual elements than Google Slides. Microsoft Teams is more capable of hosting large video conferences than Google Meet.

However, Google’s tools outshine Microsoft’s in ease of use and collaborative features. I found Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides much simpler to navigate than their Microsoft counterparts. Collaborating with colleagues was also much smoother when working with Google tools. Although Microsoft’s tools also support collaboration, Google’s tools felt more designed for collaborative use.

Google Workspace: Final verdict

Google Workspace is an all-in-one software suite that fosters collaboration and productivity. It unlocks access to broad software tools and lets employees share files, communicate, and collaborate on the same documents.

I think Google Workspace is best suited for mid-sized companies, given its features and price. It’s not the best for small businesses, given its pricing, nor large companies because of the 300-account limit on the regular plans, but the pricing and features are ideal for a mid-sized company with a sizable IT budget.

We've featured the best Microsoft Office alternatives.

Rippling is a one-stop software solution that lets businesses manage their HR needs along with providing a series of add-ons that can help improve efficiency.

This particular piece of software, Rippling HCM, is Rippling’s HR software. It does everything it says on the tin, from keeping tabs on worker stats to handling time off and timesheets.

Alongside HR, there are several benefits administration features within this all-in-one platform augmented by payroll and talent management tools.

Adding wider appeal is the way that Rippling lets you expand the feature set to include IT products, with the option for managing employee apps such as Slack and Gmail.

• Want to try Rippling? Check out the website here

The IT aspect of Rippling gets an extra boost from the ability of the software to handle device management. Employee computers, software and security can all be administered using this innovative software package.

On a practical level, Rippling offers lots of flexibility as you can scale it up to include as many add-ons as you think your business needs, with pricing that adjusts accordingly.

Rippling: Pricing

Rippling is a bit cagey about pricing, which can often be perceived as a red flag.

You can take one of many approaches, beginning with the Rippling Platform. This is an all-in-one solution to workforce, payment and compliance management.

There are Core and Pro tiers, but most functionality is generally covered in the Core option unless you need advanced reporting and custom workflows.

Unlimited workflows, custom apps and Rippling’s API platform to connect with over 600 third-party apps and integrations are three separate add-ons, but like the subscriptions, the company won’t actually disclose how much they are.

Other than that, you can pick different modules within Rippling HCM, IT and Spend, so if your business may be on the smaller side and you need to piece together the important bits that you can afford, this is the way to go.

Of course, once you get to the point that you’ve included most features, you’ll be better off bundling them together into the Rippling Platform subscription.

Rippling: Features

Rippling’s software suite is mostly targeted at larger companies with bigger turnovers – it has a whole range of finance and people-related tools, and as such, costs can climb.

In terms of its HR software, it handles all the core elements that you’d expect from good HR software, like employee onboarding and offboarding, document management, leave and time off tracking, scheduling with support for clocking in and out, and time sheets.\

Its automation tools are particularly strong compared with other similar software, promising to speed up repetitive processes like onboarding.

Rather handily, Rippling HR also has an employee self-service portal, which helps ease the burden on HR teams who can make workers responsible for their own tracking.

The Employee Management Platform sits at the heart of Rippling and comes armed with a variety of tools, while also providing a unified employee database structure. Admins can carry out task management from here, keep tabs on workflow and approvals, perform reporting chores and customize other areas such as fields and alerts along with position management.

Move on through the HR management aspect of Rippling and you’ll find the capacity for carrying out full service payroll too.

In the US, this means federal, state and local tax filing, W2, W4, 1099 and new hire filing are all covered.

In addition, benefits administration chores are covered, with management of medical, dental, vision and 401K areas all capable of being handled. Employees can also be given the option of utilizing online self-service features.

Where Rippling’s software stands out against many others in this space is just how much it has to offer across the whole board. For example, HR and IT can work together on device management for better inventory, access permissions and general device management.

It also works with Rippling’s payroll software for expense management, corporate card issuance, bill paying and more.

Rippling: Ease of use

Everyday employee management tasks are easy to handle thanks to the lean, almost minimalistic interface, which offers speedy performance even when you’re navigating more complex data heavy areas such as running payroll and collating detailed reports.

Rippling also benefits from its easy integration with over 400 different apps, allowing you to add in extra functionality and speed up workflow with very little effort.

Full marks should go to the team who developed the Rippling interface as it’s got a great look and feel – customers often praise its intuitive design.

The overall design is slick, easy to use and feels bang up to date. This makes working with the feature set very easy indeed, with a central dashboard area that lets you dip into core features instantly.

The main menu offers quickfire access to key areas of Rippling, such as people, apps, tasks and reporting, while the central work area offers up a reassuringly straightforward overview of the task in hand.

We also love the single sign on option, which lets users pick from their list of apps in one location. Add it all together and the Rippling user experience proves to be wonderfully fuss free.

Once you’re in, setting up automations take a bit of thinking, but they’ll save you plenty of time in the long run.

The mobile experience seems pretty solid for everyday tasks carried out by workers, but admins will definitely want to access the full desktop version.

Rippling: Support

There are all of the usual support options available to customers of Rippling, with subscribed users being able to log into a dedicated help center.

The support pages also include useful guides, webinars and documentation, so if you’re happy with self-service then you should be able to find the answer in Rippling’s comprehensive library.

You’ll find that the support is basically divided down the middle, with an option for administrators who handle all things Rippling for a company able to get help via the center mentioned above.

Meanwhile, employees who make use of Rippling’s features and functions and who need support are encouraged to contact the designated Rippling administrator at their place of employment.

Getting hold of support could be a bit easier, in our opinion. Th4ere’s an online chat pop-up and a form, but no email address or phone number.

Rippling: Final verdict

Rippling is a great proposition if you’re a business that’s looking to streamline your HR workflow along with other administration tasks. With its slick interface, flexible package options and keen pricing there’s plenty to like about Rippling.

In recent years, we’ve seen plenty of investment into the platform, with genuinely useful improvements like automation and even new tools altogether.

While the costs might start to add up as you add on features, including the likes of the payroll and app management aspects of the software, the resulting increase in productivity looks like it could produce a decent return on your investment.

We think it’s a strong choice for medium to large organizations, or smaller ones that expect to scale. It offers the most value to those who want to centralize administrative tools and have them work with each other without barriers.

The best bit about this arrangement is that you’ll only end up paying for the features that you need, with the provision for adding more easily if you find your business needs them further down the line.

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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 used to operate on a three-tier system: Go, Flex Select and Flex Enterprise. As a guide, Paychex Go started at $59 per month plus $4 per employee, with higher plans coming at an undisclosed cost via a customized quote.

Unfortunately, Paychex has decided to apply this method across the whole platform now, so exact pricing is illusive.

On the website, it describes four different sizes of business: self-employed (1), 1-19, 20-49 and 50-100+, suggesting four tiers of membership may be available.

Paychex: Features

Because Paychex comes with a couple of different subscription levels, what you get depends on how much you pay, but as a guide you can expect full payroll processing with W-2 and 1099 support, tax calculations and filing, and new hire reporting.

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.

Onboarding tools are also available to help reduce the burden on HR teams, with workers gaining access via their own portal.

Employee dashboards have a built-in time tracker, which enables commenting, making it easy to see what your employees were spending time on throughout the pay period. They can also check their scheduling from here, too.

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.

Beyond basic payroll and human capital management tools, Paychex also helps HR teams monitor performance and job costing/labor distribution, supporting growth strategies and summarizing figures to help predict the impact of growth.

Paychex: Ease of 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.

On the whole, the interface is fairly intuitive for core tasks, but there does appear to be somewhat of a learning curve for some features and modules, which users occasionally report to be overwhelming.

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 provides multiple support channels including phone, email and online help, with employers getting 24/7 phone support and employees also able to access 24/7 support (but chat, not phone).

Employees can still phone Paychex, but they’ll only be granted support within office hours (from one of the 100+ US-based offices).

Support broadly feels better for higher-tier plans, which is often the case, but it would be nice to see companies offer strong support across all tiers.

There’s also a large library of HR and legal documentation as well as policy templates that can be useful for compliance, but some users note varying availability for other resources like tech support for integrations or less common modules.

For these, you’re probably better off getting in touch with a human, rather than using self-service options.

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 more accessible price.

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

Regardless, we think Paychex offers a strong comprehensive solution with support spanning payroll, HR, compliance and other benefits. It has good regulatory compliance, particularly for US customers, and isn’t as hard as some other systems to use.

• 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.

Gusto is best suited to medium-sized businesses in the US, with smaller companies priced out with recent price rises and larger organizations uncatered-for in terms of some features and more advanced support.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Gusto: Plans and pricing

Prices for Gusto have risen quite significantly in recent years. Back in 2023, we noted it had a $19/month base price, which has now climbed to $49.

That’s for the Simple package, which each person commanding a $6 monthly fee (something that hasn’t changed in those two years).

Plus ($80/month) and Premium ($180/month) unsurprisingly pack bigger punches, but unfortunately, you’ll be paying more per person as well as for the core functionalities.

Instead of $6/head, it’s $12 or $22 per person per month.

The Contractor Only packge, for companies who don’t have W-2 hires, is $35/month with a $6 monthly fee per person. At the time of writing in September 2025, this is free, so keep an eye out for discounts because Gusto clearly isn’t averse to them.

Solopreneurs can also use the platform for $49/month plus the $6 person fee, but that becomes a rather expensive way for filings returns.

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.

Think of it as an all-in-one solution for anything to do with people – be that time or money.

Gusto’s features include full-service payroll, like calculating taxes, filing federal/state/local returns and handling W-2s/1099s.

Really crucial to Gusto’s success is the fact that you can perform unlimited payroll runs (including off-cycle runs) without extra fees. Payment methods include direct debit, paper checks, payroll cards, the ability to split pay checks or deposit into multiple accounts, so most scenarios an HR team will ever encounter are covered.

Where its real strengths are, though, is in its combination of finance and human capital management solutions.

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.

Gusto has a number of benefits features, including the Gusto Wallet app, which employees can use to manage their pay checks and access emergency cash.

Then there is workers’ compensation, health reimbursement (QSEHRA) - an alternative to traditional health insurance - and commuter benefits. Health insurance administration is also built into the platform at no extra cost (apart from the actual insurance premiums).

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 mainstream platforms like 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 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.

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: Ease of 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.

The onboarding process is simple and workers can self-onboard to free up some valuable time for HR teams.

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.

Gusto’s platform has been praised for its intuitive and user-friendly interface, so it should be relatively easy to get your head around even if all of this comes new to you.

The dashboard design is clean, and things like tasks and to-do lists are highlighted easy to see, but there’s no real deep customization if you want to configure it to show precise metrics.

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.

Premium plans get more premium support, which includes a dedicated advisor, faster response time and more HR expert access – lower plans can add some of this at a cost.

While this might not be a huge problem for most companies, support is not around-the-clock – phone and email are only there during working hours.

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.

Once praised for its attractive pricing, costs have risen in recent years so it may be out of reach for more businesses. Its lack of some advanced features also means it may not be the perfect solution for the biggest businesses, so its appeal has tightened somewhat.

An alternative for larger businesses is OnPay, which has a very similar feature set, combining payroll and HR, but a simpler pricing structure.

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.

If your workforce is small enough and 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

QuickBooks has one of the most prominent profiles when it comes to accounting software and continues to have regular updates, which boosts its appeal. for example, users in the UK now benefit from an income tax estimator tool to help with self-assessment deadlines. There's a Live Assisted Bookkeeping option for people in the US too. 

Elsewhere, other updates include automated bookkeeping, banking, improved personalised cashflow insights plus an expanded QuickBooks Employee Portal. QuickBooks also has an edition that will suit just about any kind of user too, from individuals through to businesses and all points in-between. However, having so much choice can make deciding on the right edition a little bit of a challenge.

Adding to the decision-making process is if you want to use QuickBooks Online, which can be done from a web browser, or if you prefer you can download a Windows or Mac app to run QuickBooks Simple Start, Essentials or Plus editions, only rather quicker. For a full-on QuickBooks experience then Live Bookkeeping is a complete solution whereby you get the benefit of hands-on professional help from the QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping team. 

You can even bolster your arsenal of QuickBooks tools with its Payroll option too. In addition, QuickBooks offers mobile payment services with its GoPayment product and point of sale packages too, both of which are also useful for business users.

However, currently there are a few versions of QuickBooks that should be able to help with most accounting and financial management needs. So, depending on your requirements, you can choose from QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Self-Employed, QuickBooks Online Advanced, QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping, QuickBooks Desktop for Mac, QuickBooks Desktop Pro, QuickBooks Premier and QuickBooks Enterprise. However, it is possible to create a custom package using the help of the QuickBooks team if you need a more bespoke accounts option.

• You can sign up for QuickBooks Online here

• We've also highlighted the best accounting software

QuickBooks: Pricing

With such a wide variety of QuickBooks options you’ll find that pricing is similarly expansive and there are often deals to be had too. At the time of writing QuickBooks Online, for example, has money off and prices are tweaked all the time.

Currently then, QuickBooks Online Simple Start is $15.00 a month, Essentials is $30 a month, Plus is $45.00 a month and Advanced $100. If you’re a freelancer then the Self-Employed package costs $15. There are custom options too, so for example it is possible to purchase QuickBooks Online, Payroll and Setup together.

For the UK, QuickBooks has business accounting options that include Simple Start, Essentials and Plus. Deals are often available on these too however, usually with a free trial for good measure. Freelancers with self-assessment needs can plump for the self-employed package. Accountants and bookkeepers can also talk to QuickBooks about getting a package tailored to suit their needs.

QuickBooks: Features

Even in its simplest guise QuickBooks comes with lots of features and functions, which should meet all of your accountancy needs. Usefully, these have been tailored to suit different locations around the globe. QuickBooks users in the UK have been given new UK tax software tools that help them with the changing face of tax when dealing with HMRC, along with other UK-centric features. Meanwhile, in the US, the Simple Start package lets you tracks income and expenses, capture and organize receipts, maximize tax deductions, invoice and accept payments, run general reports, send estimates, track sales and sales tax along with manage 1099 contractors. 

QuickBooks has even added a neat new feature in Track Miles that lets you monitor and categorize business and personal trips that can then be used to produce shareable reports. It’s great for working out potential deductions.

Move on up the package options and you get more features. Essentials adds on the ability to manage bills, track time more efficiently and also lets three users have use of the service. The Plus bundle adds on a 5 user option, lets you track profitability and inventory too. 

Advanced, meanwhile, features lots of beefier features, such as offering business analytics and insights, the ability to customize access by role and sophisticated extras such as a new restore company data function and the option for automating workflows. You get a dedicated account manager plus on-demand online training. It’s comprehensive to say the least.

QuickBooks: Setup and interface

Once you start your free trial for a paid tier, QuickBooks walks you through the setup process. You can setup your own business or experiment with a demo company. If you choose to use your own company, you will be asked to fill in some details. These include the business name and how long you have been in business. You can also choose the features you’re most likely to use. These can be changed at any stage through the settings tab.

The dashboard displays any information you’ve entered. From here you can connect your bank to your QuickBooks account. At this stage you can upload your company logo and fill in more information about your business. If you’ve been using another online solution which supports CSV/Excel format export, you can import this data into QuickBooks. The main screen displays your company name, logo, invoices, expenses, bank accounts, sales, profit and loss.

You can choose to hide any financial information displayed. QuickBooks also has a handy tip feature which nudges you to start invoicing, pay employees, track time, connect with an accountant and view your profits. This can also be hidden. Setup can be resumed at a time of your choosing. You can select banking, sales, expenses, workers, reports, taxes, accounting and my accountant from the left-hand side of the dashboard. 

There are several language options available depending on your location. English is available for users in the UK, US, India, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, UAE and Ireland. English and traditional Chinese are available in Hong Kong. Other languages supported are Italian and Spanish.

QuickBooks: Performance

You’ll get good performance from any of the QuickBooks range of products and services, with the cloud-based online options being as good as anything out there on the market. QuickBooks has also done a fine job with its app-based products, so if you’re keen to keep your finances and accounting duties up to date then this is another route that performs well. 

Not everyone wants to reply on being connected all of the time, however, so the downloadable software option is always good for being able to work on a computer or laptop in an office, home or on-the-road environment. Again, QuickBooks has had a long time to get its performance characteristics honed nicely, and it is therefore a great all-round contender.

QuickBooks: Ease of use

Getting to grips with QuickBooks is not quite as daunting as it might seem. While making the initial choice on which package to use might seem something of an uphill struggle, once you’re inside the software then it’s all pretty intuitive. QuickBooks has been around for a long time, so it’s been nicely honed over the years. Meanwhile, new features are added in to the existing working area without too much in the way of fuss.

QuickBooks: Support

QuickBooks has all bases covered when it comes to support, with a dedicated website area to get started. This features a host of articles, video tutorials and much more besides, if your query is more obvious or if you’re learning the ropes. 

Of course, there is also the capacity for getting in touch with QuickBooks personnel too, most notably so if you have the high-end package that gives you the added benefit of a dedicated account manager. 

QuickBooks also has a very vibrant community, which is a great place to head for if you want to see what others are talking about, or ask a real time user how to do something. The QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping option is another angle worth looking at if you’re going to need more help as this will keep you connected with an accountancy expert. 

There’s QuickBooks Pro Advisor too, which can also hook you up with an independent accountant, bookkeeping expert or tax specialist if you need it. If anything, the supply of potential help can be a little bewildering if you’re only just getting acquainted with QuickBooks.

QuickBooks: Final verdict

There is certainly plenty to recommend when it comes to QuickBooks dazzling array of products and services, with the Online aspect of the range being the most obvious to pick from. 

However, Intuit is a big and powerful concern that now owns this and other accountancy and bookkeeping options including TurboTax and Mint, so it might have other products that take your fancy too. As it stands though, whichever QuickBooks product you choose, be it Online or Desktop Pro to name but two of the variants, you’ll be sure of a solid user experience that comes packed with features, even at the most basic level. 

If you’re prepared to spend some money then you get much more too, including comprehensive levels of support and lots of product updates as times and the economic landscape changes.

• Take a look at the best personal finance software

Norway-based Runbox is one of the leading lights for secure email, with over twenty years of experience in the industry.

And it’s not just about secure email with Runbox, either: this provider also commits to sustainability, with 100% renewable energy from hydroelectric sources powering the business.

• You can sign up for Runbox here.

Runbox: Plans and pricing

Runbox has one of the more complicated pricing structures you’ll find when you search for a secure email provider, with six pricing tiers and further customizations beyond that. Pleasingly, it’s possible to pay with Bitcoin and even cash sent via postal or courier services.

The Micro plan costs $19.95/£15.98 per year and comes with one email domain, 2GB of email storage and 200MB of secure file storage. The $34.95/£27.99 Mini plan upgrades to 10GB of email storage and 1GB of file storage – and five email domains.

The Medium plan costs $49.95/£40 and upgrades to ten domains, 25GB of email storage and 2GB of file storage, and the Max plan costs $79.95/£64.04 and boosts email and file storage to 50GB and 5GB respectively. It’s possible to upgrade the Max plan to versions with even more storage, too: 100GB for $119.95/£96.08 annually or 250GB for $179.95/£144.14.

These main accounts include encryption, 100 email aliases, the ability to send and receive 500 and 5000 messages daily, and 100MB email message sizes.

Once you’ve purchased that main account, you can add subaccounts with their own email and file storage space, with prices ranging between $7.95/£6.37 and $99.95/£80.06 per year.

You can add extra email or file storage to any plan for $9.95/£7.97 per gigabyte, extra email hosting for $4.95/£3.96 per domain per year, and additional email aliases for $4.75/£3.80 for five addresses annually.

It’s a complicated system, especially if you’re buying for an organization and want to add domains, users, and more storage. If you start doing that, it may get expensive, too. And there are no industry-specific products and no division between personal and business plans. Instead, if you want something specific, it’s best to contact Runbox and work with their specialists to create a bespoke plan.

If you’re sticking with those base plans and not going further than that, though, Runbox has reasonable pricing – it usually works out cheaper than many rivals, especially before you get to the Max tier. And if you’re unsure, there’s a thirty-day free trial and 60-day money-back guarantee.

Runbox: Features

Currently, Runbox doesn’t have end-to-end encryption, so you’ll need to use a third-party PGP-based extension like Mailvelope if this is something you’d like to deploy. Happily, though, Runbox plans to introduce native PGP in its Runbox 7 client in the future, and the organization currently recommends deploying PGP to deliver the strongest possible encryption for your entire email process.

At the moment it’s possible to use the beta version of Runbox 7, too – when you sign in, you can choose between the stable Runbox 6 release and the beta version of Runbox 7.

Right now, Runbox fully encrypts emails with TLS/SSL security, and removes IP addresses from outgoing emails. You have to provide your name and an alternative email address, but you can easily avoid your real name and use a burner email address. Phone number provision is optional, too.

When you use Runbox webmail, every email you send or receive is encrypted during its journey between your device and Runbox’s services, and emails are encrypted during transfer if you use third-party clients.

Emails sent using third-party clients are not encrypted while stored on Runbox’s servers. However, those servers are housed in a secure facility in Oslo and protected by some of Europe’s strictest privacy laws. Runbox is also GDPR compliant.

IP address safelisting and two-factor authentication limit who can access your account, and Runbox has excellent spam and virus filters.

If you want to use Runbox with third-party email clients like Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird, it uses S/MIME encryption, which relies heavily on security certificates to provide its independent security verification. And if you want to set up a third-party client, Runbox works flawlessly with POP, IMAP and SMTP.

Elsewhere, it’s worth noting that some of your data will be held for up to five years if you pay for a Runbox subscription – this is to comply with Norweigan privacy laws. And much of Runbox is open source, too, with commitments from the organization to be even more open source in the future.

Beyond email, Runbox offers a secure calendar and cloud storage system, a complete contacts system, and easy ways to import contacts and emails to your account. But you don’t get any other extra features using Runbox – and if that’s something you need, then you can look at rivals like Proton or Mailbox.org, which offer VPNs, password managers and word processors.

And while it’s very easy to use Runbox using mobile browsers or in mobile email clients, there is no native Android or iOS app.

Runbox: Interface and in use

Indeed, the entire Runbox interface feels a little archaic, with underwhelming fonts and visuals. But that’s a surface-level criticism, and the interface layout is tidy and intuitive. It uses two- and three-pane layouts with customization available, and icons deliver easy access to your calendar, contacts and account settings.

Runbox: Support

Runbox’s support system is limited. Users can submit a ticket or email Runbox directly to receive technical support, and there’s an extensive knowledge base and a handy page that displays service status.

That’s it, though – there’s no sign of the live chat or phone support you’ll often find provided by larger organizations. That’s disappointing for businesses or anyone paying for one of the more expensive accounts.

The competition

That lack of support sees Runbox fall behind rivals like Mailbox.org or Hushmail, which offer varying phone and live chat support levels, especially at higher tiers. And if you want extra features, like a VPN and password management, check out Proton instead.

Runbox comes into its own when it comes to pure security, however. The service uses effective layers of protection, great security for its servers and an eco-friendly approach. Runbox is also refreshingly honest about its end-to-end encryption situation, providing straightforward advice if you want to deploy PGP, too.

Final verdict

That level-headed, eco-friendly approach to security is refreshing and trustworthy, and Runbox offers an excellent level of protection for virtually every user from its base in Norway. Thanks to its straightforward design, it’s easy to use and integrates with loads of third-party email clients.

The pricing can get confusing and expensive, though, and the support options are lacking. So while Runbox may be effective for individuals or smaller organizations, it’s tricky to recommend for any enterprise needing more robust support.

• You can sign up for Runbox here.

• We've featured the best email clients.

Mailfence is based in Belgium, which is a good start for any secure email provider – the country is famed for its strict data protection legislation.

And if you opt for Mailfence, you don’t just get secure email – there’s a messaging tool, cloud storage module and calendar, too.

That marks this product out as a great alternative to conventional email providers like Gmail and Outlook, and places Mailfence in competition with keen rivals like Proton and Mailbox.org, which also offer extra tools and abilities alongside their core email offering.

• You can sign up for Maifence here.

Mailfence: Plans and pricing

Mailfence immediately outpaces Mailbox.org and squares up to Proton by offering a free product – something that Mailbox.org does not provide.

The free tier on Mailfence delivers end-to-end encryption, access to Mailfence’s Android and iOS apps and web client, and one email address with 500MB of email space and 500MB of cloud document storage. That’s great, but with Proton your free account includes 1GB of email storage and 5GB of cloud storage capacity.

Mailfence’s base package costs €2.50/$2.75/£2.10 per month and provides 5GB of email space, 6GB of cloud storage and 10 aliases, and the entry-level product costs €3.50/$3.85/£2.95 and provides 10GB of email space and 30GB of storage.

At this level, you also unluck POP, IMAP, SMTP and ActiveSync compatibility, so you can use Mailfence with your favored email client, and you can get user management and custom email domains – ideal for smaller organizations.

Those prices are excellent: Proton’s Mail Plus and Proton Unlimited packages provide more storage but they’re more expensive, and Mailbox.org is a little more costly, too.

Mailfence’s business tiers are designated as Entry, Pro and Ultra. The Entry product is the same as the €3.50/$3.85/£2.95 product from the personal plans.

The Pro product costs €9.50/$10.45/£7.99 and upgrades the storage and allows 100 aliases. It also adds telephone support. And the Ultra plan, which costs €29/$31.90/£24.40 monthly, adds loads of additional storage and 200 aliases.

Custom business plans can be built on request, too, with personalized logos, domain names, tools, integrations and security requirements, and Mailfence supports cryptocurrency payments.

Mailfence: Features

Mailfence uses end-to-end encryption with OpenPGP, with keys stored on Mailfence servers protected by AES-256 encryption. The service includes an integrated keystore. All connections to Mailfence servers are encrypted with SSL/TLS for both web services and IMAP/POP/SMTP access, and different third-party clients can use different passwords. TLS is used for outgoing SMTP messages.

Elsewhere, there’s digital signature support, you can send password-encrypted messages and emails to non-Mailfence users with symmetric encryption – which means the unlocking key is never shared on Mailfence’s back-end systems

Reliance on PFS means no previous communications can be accessed if there’s a breach, and the MTA-STS and DANE encryption methods ensure that incoming mail is encrypted, too. The service supports two-factor authentication.

And, finally, Mailfence also deploys IP stripping to ensure that your IP address is never attached to your messages.

When it comes to security that’s a strong start, but Mailfence isn’t without its flaws in this area. The service may strip your IP address from outgoing messages, but Mailfence does collect and store IP addresses, sender and recipient addresses, timestamps, countries and some other small pieces of information.

This is done to ensure that Mailfence complies with Belgian law and Mailfence can inform users if its services are legally compromised. And while Mailfence maintains a “warrant canary” system and publishes transparency reports, this data storage could raise eyebrows for users who are particularly cautious about privacy.

Additionally, while Mailfence uses lots of open-source encryption and cryptographic methods in its systems, the system’s software and apps are not open-source. Mailfence has said they intend to open source their code in the future, but it’s not happened yet.

Elsewhere, Mailfence deploys a useful calendar that you can share securely with others, password-protected document storage with basic editing abilities, and the contact module allows you to build secure groups for sharing sensitive information between particular people. 

Mailfence: Interface and in use

Mailfence might have a reasonable set of features, but its interface is a little outdated and clunky – even if it is reasonably functional.

On the main screen you’ll find a calendar on the left, your account information on the right and access to your inbox, documents, contacts and other modules at the top. Head to the inbox, and you’ll find a conventional three-pane display. You can use light or dark modes, but that’s it for customization.

Thankfully there are straightforward Android and iOS apps, and a reasonable mobile interface, but no desktop client.

Mailfence: Support

Every Mailfence user gets access to email support, including those on the free plan, but people on pricier plans – like the Pro and Ultra plans – are prioritized. All paid plans get access to phone support, and the business is active on Reddit and has an extensive knowledge base on its website.

Mailfence’s usual response time is within 24 hours, and there’s plenty of documentation online too. Aside from live chat, it’s a very comprehensive offering.

The competition

Proton and Mailbox.org are two of Mailfence’s biggest competitors. And while both are more expensive than Mailfence, the difference isn’t that big. They are arguably more reliable in terms of security due to Mailfence’s information retention and open-source situation.

Elsewhere, Proton goes further with its VPN and password manager feature, while Mailbox.org offers more office abilities.

Mailfence does fight back with its business options – get in touch with them, and they’ll build you a complete, customized solution.

Final verdict

That’s a boon, Mailfence is affordable, and despite our queries, it still offers good email security. So if you’re budget-conscious and you’re happy with the security compromises involved, then Mailfence is a good option.

That said, its rivals have more robust security and more features, so it’s worth investigating those if you’ve got some extra money to spend.

• You can sign up for Maifence here.

• We've featured the best email hosting.

Hushmail is a well-established secure email provider that’s been around for 25 years, and this Canadian business aims at particular industries, like healthcare, law, and smaller companies.

Those kinds of organizations often need to share sensitive information, so it makes sense that they’d try to find a secure email provider. But is Hushmail the right option?

• You can sign up for Hushmail here.

Hushmail: Plans and pricing

Hushmail’s healthcare plans start at $11.99 monthly for one basic email account, but it’s worth upgrading to the $24.99 plan for the full experience. When using that pricier plan you get five email addresses, secure web forms and electronic signatures. Upgrade to the $47.99 monthly service and you get ten accounts and web forms. Unsurprisingly, all of those healthcare plans are HIPAA compliant.

Hushmail’s legal and small business plans are a little cheaper than the healthcare versions but don’t include HIPAA compliance or Information Manager Agreements, which are both specific to the healthcare industry.

There are personal plans, too, with an encrypted account with 15GB of storage costing $59.99 annually with a 60-day money-back guarantee. That’s a good price – lower than many rivals, especially if you pay monthly – and the sixty-day refund period is generous, too. And if you pay for three years, it’s even cheaper.

Hushmail: Features

Hushmail’s service allows you to use their domain or your own domain to access secure email, and the service uses OpenPGP encryption for email content, with TLS/SSL deployed to protect emails when they’re in transit and ensure encryption of emails sent to and from non-Hushmail users. PFS and HSTS are also deployed as part of Hushmail’s systems, and Hushmail uses a zero-knowledge model.

That solid start should sate most people, although reliance on OpenPGP means that subject lines aren’t encrypted. And rather than using end-to-end encryption by default, Hushmail hands control back to the user, offering a toggle to activate or deactivate its encryption.

Hushmail can be accessed from your browser and through email apps on PCs, laptops, Android phones, and iOS devices thanks to its POP/IMAP support. There’s a dedicated iOS app, too, but no Android app.

In addition to its toggled encryption, Hushmail has some clever features that benefit its core healthcare and legal audiences.

It’s packed with preset forms that can be used by healthcare and legal professionals to gather data from patients and customers securely, and you can create your own, too – a genuinely valuable addition to the service. ESIGN and UETA-compliant electronic signatures can also be used with Hushmail’s forms and messages.

Medical professionals, in particular, will be pleased to see popular self-administered questionnaires like PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5 and DASS included, too.

To keep things manageable, clients and patients using these features can sign in with their own Google, Apple or Microsoft accounts, so they don’t have to register for another account to interact with your forms or documents.

There’s also an encrypted private messaging center where non-Hushmail users can receive a link to a secure web page to read encrypted messages sent using Hushmail.

That sounds reasonable, but Hushmail has some question marks about its security credentials. IP addresses of Hushmail website visitors are recorded, and your IP address, email, billing address and credit card details are logged – it’s not anonymous.

The organization keeps activity records for eighteen months. Because Hushmail is based in Canada and owned by a US company, it can receive enforceable legal orders to disclose data, including from the US government.

Hushmail isn’t open source, either, and Hushmail can also capture user passphrases for decryption.

The sign-up process could be better, too. There’s no free trial, and you need to hand over your phone number and a current email address when you register.

Elsewhere, there’s no calendar and no cloud storage, and the email storage could be more generous – some of the pricier accounts still only include 15GB of space, which looks miserly when compared to some other services.

Hushmail: Interface and in use

Unsurprisingly, Hushmail’s interface is businesslike and straightforward, with a basic two-pane design, and there doesn’t appear to be an option to switch to a three-pane layout in any of Hushmail’s settings menus.

The responsive mobile view works reasonably well, although some of the lists of forms in the secure form-building module do not display correctly on mobile devices.

Hushmail’s interface falls behind several rivals when it comes to both functionality and visuals, so we’re pleased that Hushmail can be used with third-party clients.

Hushmail: Support

Technical support is available over the phone from 9 am – 5 pm Pacific Time from Monday to Fridays – a solid option for anyone on those Healthcare, Legal or Small Business plans as long as you’re in the right time zone, but less useful for organizations in other countries. Weekend support would have been helpful, too.

Live chat is available, at least, and email support is reliable and relatively fast. One-on-one setup assistance is available on most plans, too, and there’s an extensive online knowledge base.

Hushmail: Security

Hushmail offers end-to-end encryption using open-source OpenPGP. While this is strong encryption for the body of your email, it means recipients and subject lines aren’t encrypted. In transit, emails are protected by an SSL/TLS tunnel and HSTS. Your password is also hashed, and Hushmail uses a zero-knowledge model, so they can’t decrypt your emails without your password. 

But Hushmail is far from a no-logging service. IP addresses of visitors to the website are recorded, and when you make a purchase, your IP address, email, billing address, and credit card details are logged and sent to third parties. Even reading or moving emails in the user interface creates a log. Records of activities are kept for 18 months. If the company received an enforceable order under the laws of British Columbia, Canada, they may disclose data in an unencrypted format to governments, including the US.

The competition

Hushmail’s HIPAA compliance and focus on emails and forms make it an ideal option for healthcare and legal organizations, but its security concerns do put some other rivals in the frame.

Products like Proton Mail are also HIPAA-compliant and offer various business pricing plans, and Proton includes a VPN, cloud storage and several other features that Hushmail can’t provide. That said, it’s more expensive than Hushmail.

And if you’re an organization or individual with some worries about Hushmail’s security and privacy features, Tuta is a better option, with more robust security that won’t be held to the whims of the American or Canadian governments.

Final verdict

Hushmail’s secure forms, reasonable security and HIPAA compliance make it a good choice for healthcare organizations that handle sensitive medical data, and it’s ideal for legal firms that need better security, too.

But because Hushmail is based in Canada and owned by a US company, your data can be accessed at the request of those governments, its privacy isn’t as robust as many other services. Hushmail’s awkward sign-up process and lack of additional features don’t help its cause elsewhere.

If you work in a healthcare organization and need Hushmail’s specific features and compliance, then it’s worth investigating. But for everyone else, we’d look elsewhere.

• You can sign up for Hushmail here.

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