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Payroll4Free is an online payroll platform that I’ve personally used and found to be highly valuable for usage by small businesses with up to 25 employees. It’s free to use. This service provides a payroll solution that is free, simple to use, and packed with a variety of helpful features. Some of these features include the recording of vacation time, thorough reporting, and access to payroll tax computations and forms. The employee portal, which gives your staff quick and easy access to their pay stubs, W-2s, and allows them to check their accumulated vacation time credits online, is what sets it apart from the competition.
Taking your payroll administration to the next level is simple and affordable with Payroll4Free, which just requires a minimal monthly charge of just $30. They will handle the payments and filings for payroll taxes, and they will even provide direct deposit services, which will make your payroll process more streamlined and efficient.
It has been my go-to choice for managing payroll for my little business, and I cannot suggest it highly enough to other businesses that are seeking for a solution that is both reasonable and requires little to no effort on their part. Despite the fact that it is not among the most highly recommended payroll providers, it is a hidden gem that should be taken into consideration due to its user-friendly and cost-effective approach to payroll management.
Payroll4Free Specifications
The free plan offered by Payroll4Free is an excellent choice for companies of any size with a maximum of 25 workers or contractors. It includes all of the necessary payroll capabilities, such as calculating and filing taxes, monitoring vacation time, and reporting on employees.
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Payroll processing | Pay employees and 1099 contractors by direct deposit or paper check. |
Tax calculations and forms | Calculate and file all federal, state, and local taxes, including W-2s, 940s, and 1099s. |
Vacation time tracking | Track employee vacation, sick, and PTO time. |
Employee portal | Employees can view their paystubs, W-2s, and other payroll information online. |
Detailed reporting | Generate a variety of reports, including payroll summaries, tax reports, and employee time reports. |
Integrations | Integrate with popular accounting and HR software. |
Customer service | Get live customer support by phone or chat. |
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What Is Payroll4Free?

Small businesses can take use of Payroll4Free’s cost-free online payroll processing solution. Basic payroll services, such as paying employees and contractors, calculating taxes and creating tax forms, recording vacation time, providing thorough reporting, and offering direct deposit or paper checks, as well as an employee portal, are among the services that are provided by this platform.
The company asserts that it will provide all of these services at no cost to the client so long as the company possesses 25 workers or fewer. Payroll4Free produces revenue by embedding miniature advertisements within their software, which customers are exposed to when they log in to handle their payroll, and by charging users a price for two additional services that are completely optional.
Payroll4Free review: Ease of Use
Payroll4Free is less user-friendly than QuickBooks Payroll and ADP Run. It has an obsolete platform and requires extra steps to perform what other payroll systems can do with one click. In-app advertising are also available on Payroll4Free. Besides purchased add-ons, the supplier makes money from adverts since its program is free. The initial setup of Payroll4Free is complicated, even with a step-by-step wizard.
Numerous processes, internet forms, and IRS Form SS-4 copies are required. The provider needs these documents to set up your company account before you can use the system. Contact its payroll and tax experts with queries. You can call and email them as often as you like for free. Payroll4Free can configure payroll data exports to accounting and benefits software. If the gadget supports file transfers, it can import employee attendance data from time clocks.
Payroll4Free review: Analytics and Reporting

I’ve had the opportunity to utilize Payroll4Free, and I can speak to the fact that it offers customers a wide number of reporting tools to assist them in maintaining an accurate record of their payroll information. You will have access to a plethora of reporting choices, including, but not limited to, earnings summaries, tax breakdowns, benefits utilization, accumulated time monitoring, and detailed payroll journal reports. Keeping up with the latest information on your payroll is made quite simple by the reporting tools that are provided.
Payroll4Free review: Paper Checks and Direct Deposits
Due to its check printing capacity, it is able to use paper checks to pay workers as well as independent contractors. You can also get assistance from Payroll4Free in configuring its software to include the information that you wish to see on the check stub. In addition, you have the option of making direct transfers of wage payments into the accounts of your employees. Payroll4Free will even supply you with an automated clearing house (ACH) file, which you can then send to the bank of your choice.
If you want to utilize the company’s direct deposit service, which costs $25 per month, the provider will transfer the amount of your staff’s net pay that is impound from your bank to its bank account. On the pay dates, the provider will then distribute the salary payments to the accounts of your employees. You should be aware, however, that you are required to submit a security deposit with an amount that is equal to or greater than your highest expected total payroll for a pay period of seven days.
Payroll4Free review: Pricing
Payroll4Free scored well for pricing because it’s reasonable for small enterprises. Businesses with up to 25 employees can use it for free, and submitting payroll taxes costs a nominal amount. Other useful features of its free plan include bank account direct deposit and an employee portal. Payroll4Free lacks multiple scalable plans.
Tax payments and filings are not included in its free payroll solution. It costs $25 per month to add that service. It costs $25 a month to utilize its bank account for direct deposit transfers. If you use both services, Payroll4Free charges $30 each month.
Final Words
Based on my experience, Payroll4Free is an excellent option for small teams of up to 25 people who want a simple, affordable payroll solution. Small businesses can easily use Payroll4Free’s online payroll software. It simplifies setup and provides all the capabilities to manage employee and contractor payments. It’s affordable, but there are some drawbacks. In-app ads might be annoying. Limited customization choices may be a problem if you need a lot of personalisation.
Consider the tax payment and filing service. This function costs $25 per month, unlike core payroll services. I think this is a fair price considering the convenience. It saves time and ensures compliance by eliminating payroll tax contributions and tax form submissions to federal agencies.
Payroll4Free review: The Good and Bad
Payroll4Free is payroll software for small businesses that is both free and simple to use. It assists with the management of employees by assisting with time tracking, reporting, and payouts. The program relies on advertising revenue to fund itself yet provides extensive functionality for companies with up to 25 employees.
The Good
- Free and low-cost subscriptions
- Easy to use
- Provides all basic payroll services
- Active customer support
The Bad
- No available mobile application
- Only available on Windows
Questions and Answers
It is true that the payroll software is offered at no cost. The application itself contains advertisements, which are used to help pay for the software. You will be required to pay a modest fee, however, if you want to use Payroll4Free’s bank for direct deposit or have it process and pay payroll taxes on your behalf. Both of these options are available.
The company asserts that it will provide all of these services at no cost to the client so long as the company possesses 25 workers or fewer. Payroll4Free produces revenue by embedding miniature advertisements within their software, which customers are exposed to when they log in to handle their payroll, and by charging users a price for two additional services that are completely optional.