Wave Payroll Review 2023

Wave Payroll is a middle-of-the-road payroll solution that works best for current Wave Accounting users. 

Its plans, prices, and features are fairly standard, comparable to competitors like SurePayroll and Square Payroll. But Wave Payroll's full-service payroll plan is only available in 14 states, so if you want fully automated tax filing in all 50 states, Wave might not be right for you.

Additionally, Wave Payroll integrates with fewer third-party accounting software than solutions like Gusto and OnPay. While employers who don't use Wave Accounting can certainly use Wave Payroll, it makes the most sense for employers already taking advantage of Wave's completely free accounting solution—which, naturally, integrates perfectly with Wave Payroll.

Were you hoping to run payroll on the go? Unfortunately, Wave Payroll doesn’t offer a mobile app. (Neither does Wave Accounting, which you can use via a browser only.) Honestly, few payroll companies have solid employer-facing payroll apps — it's just a shame Wave Payroll isn't one of them. 

Additionally, Wave Payroll doesn’t include automatic payroll runs. While Wave will send you payroll alerts and emails, it lacks the automatic payroll feature of competitors like SurePayroll.

Essentially, running payroll yourself just means reviewing the numbers and pressing a button on the software to pay out your employees. But nothing can match the convenience of scheduling automatic payroll runs, so if you're looking for more thorough automation, Paychex or ADP could be a better fit. 

Wave Payroll also lacks benefits add-ons beyond workers compensation packages. Gusto, for instance, offers not only workers compensation plans but also health benefits administration and other employee benefits add-ons. OnPay's benefits are comparable to Gusto's and cost a little bit less. 

Finally, if you use Wave Payroll, you can only access customer service via live chat on weekdays or via email. Wave doesn't have any over-the-phone support, so if you run into technical problems on a weekend, expect to deal with them on your own. 

We've said this a few times now, but Wave Payroll doesn't have much to set it apart beyond its straightforward integration with Wave Accounting. Still, it has a few unique perks that could appeal to business owners in niche industries: 

• Optional tax-filing advice and assistance from Wave Advisors (ideal for sole proprietors who want help filing separate business tax returns)
• Payroll expense reporting broken down by expense type, employee, etc. (ideal for business owners who want basic payroll reporting focused on expenses for taxes and profit management)
• A payroll education center with detailed explanations about IRS forms and employee handbooks.

Wave Payroll isn’t the most comprehensive payroll service in the business. It lacks features like automatic payroll runs, mobile apps, and nationwide full-service plans that competitors like Paychex and QuickBooks Payroll include as a matter of course. But if you’re looking for affordability, simplicity, and easy integration with Wave’s free accounting software, Wave Payroll is a solid option.

Not sold on Wave? No worries—just check out our list of the year’s best payroll companies for small businesses.

To evaluate Wave Payroll, calculate our rating, and compare Wave Payroll to other top competitors, we evaluated Wave Payroll's strengths and weaknesses in several key areas: 

• Payroll features, including automatic direct deposit, paycheck calculation, and alternative payroll methods like paper checks
• HR features, including workers compensation administration, health insurance administration, and employee benefit add-ons
• Full-service and self-service plans and availability
• Pricing, including monthly base prices and per-payee prices
• Scalability, including number of users and number of plans
• Overall software usability, including mobile app access and interface
• Customer service reputation, hours, and methods of contact

Disclaimer

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.