Paychex Flex vs. QuickBooks Time

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Paychex Flex
Score 6.6 out of 10
N/A
Paychex Flex, of Paychex' Online Payroll Services, is a cloud-based human resource management and payroll platform. Paychex offers core and specialized services, and scales to meet the needs of small businesses, SMBs, and large enterprises.
$59
per month/+$4 per employee
QuickBooks Time
Score 6.8 out of 10
N/A
QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is a cloud-based time tracking and scheduling app that allows employees to clock in and out from the job site with the devices they’ve already got in their pockets. The vendor aims to help companies replace paper timesheets with accurate, electronic time data as well as make payroll and invoicing faster and less costly. QuickBooks Time also accurately tracks time and GPS points (even without cell or internet service) then automatically syncs when back…
$0
1 user, unlimited projects
Pricing
Paychex FlexQuickBooks Time
Editions & Modules
Paychex Go
$59
per month/+$4 per employee
Paychex Flex Service
Contact sales team
Paychex Flex Enterprise
Contact sales team
Free
$0
1 user, unlimited projects
Premium
$8
per user/month + $20 base fee/month (paid annually)
Elite
$10
per user/month + $40 base fee/month (paid annually)
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Paychex FlexQuickBooks Time
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Paychex FlexQuickBooks Time
Considered Both Products
Paychex Flex
Chose Paychex Flex
Most of the reporting is a little easier to find and create in Paychex Flex. Most of the web interfaces for submitting payroll are fairly easy just like Paychex Flex.
Chose Paychex Flex
We evaluated an early time clock offering but the integration to flex was poor and it did not work well when employees worked in multiple tax jurisdictions in the same pay period. Paychex over sold and under delivered, so after the initial set up and test, we elected not to …
QuickBooks Time
Chose QuickBooks Time
I have used T Sheets and Paychex software to track time. The ease of use by employees and managers are the key component that puts T Sheets ahead.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Paychex FlexQuickBooks Time
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
6.7
247 Ratings
16% below category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
Employee demographic data8.0197 Ratings00 Ratings
Employment history8.1220 Ratings00 Ratings
Job profiles and administration6.8155 Ratings00 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.7.3154 Ratings00 Ratings
Organizational charting1.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Organization and location management7.9138 Ratings00 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)7.5132 Ratings00 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.5
288 Ratings
6% above category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
Pay calculation9.0271 Ratings00 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment9.1136 Ratings00 Ratings
Benefit plan administration7.2156 Ratings00 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.2270 Ratings00 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management8.5193 Ratings00 Ratings
Reimbursement management7.9105 Ratings00 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
7.0
144 Ratings
14% below category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
Approval workflow6.3102 Ratings00 Ratings
Balance details7.5136 Ratings00 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment7.3110 Ratings00 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.5
249 Ratings
5% above category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
View and generate pay and benefit information8.6228 Ratings00 Ratings
Update personal information9.0239 Ratings00 Ratings
View company policy documentation7.7111 Ratings00 Ratings
View job history8.7168 Ratings00 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
7.8
40 Ratings
1% above category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
Tracking of all physical assets7.840 Ratings00 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
6.1
164 Ratings
22% below category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
Report builder5.7134 Ratings00 Ratings
Pre-built reports6.8154 Ratings00 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data5.683 Ratings00 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.0
158 Ratings
0% below category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
New hire portal8.0151 Ratings00 Ratings
Manager tracking tools7.9100 Ratings00 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.5
59 Ratings
9% above category average
QuickBooks Time
-
Ratings
Job Requisition Management9.732 Ratings00 Ratings
Company Website Posting9.730 Ratings00 Ratings
Publish to Social Media6.823 Ratings00 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting6.730 Ratings00 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention6.828 Ratings00 Ratings
Applicant Tracking9.633 Ratings00 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts9.853 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Paychex FlexQuickBooks Time
Small Businesses
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
FunctionFox
FunctionFox
Score 8.3 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
TimeCamp
TimeCamp
Score 8.7 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Paychex FlexQuickBooks Time
Likelihood to Recommend
7.7
(298 ratings)
1.4
(193 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.9
(42 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(240 ratings)
10.0
(4 ratings)
Availability
9.3
(10 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
9.1
(10 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
7.7
(245 ratings)
2.1
(31 ratings)
In-Person Training
4.5
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
7.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.4
(11 ratings)
6.0
(1 ratings)
Configurability
7.6
(8 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.1
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.3
(10 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
8.9
(31 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
9.2
(32 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Paychex FlexQuickBooks Time
Likelihood to Recommend
Paychex, Inc.
In my experience, Paychex Flex is well suited for small to medium sized businesses. It has been helpful in streamlining the onboarding process and it is easy to update and maintain employee profiles and records. It has worked will in a non-profit environment where there is clergy pay and housing, which can get quite complicated. I cannot think of a scenario where it would be less appropriate.
Read full review
Intuit
It would be very useful for certain remote jobs that require a high level of presence, as in the case of web development, or remote maintenance sessions, so that when reviewing the work data it is possible to ensure that there will be no failures. By being able to include files in the management, from the equipment tab, it is possible to fully control the hours in which each change in these files were made.
Read full review
Pros
Paychex, Inc.
  • I like I can enter payroll and if I need to leave the program, I can resume at a later time and my information is saved.
  • I like the analytics & reports features.
  • I like how all my employees have easy access to their portal.
Read full review
Intuit
  • Support (their help desk team is incredibly helpful and always quick to respond).
  • Ease of access and use (the app is user-friendly an intuitive, and the desktop version is equally as approachable).
  • Manager functionality (it's useful to be able to clock employees in and out at multiple events on the same day by sorting them into different groups by manager/event).
Read full review
Cons
Paychex, Inc.
  • Reporting writing is difficult to figure out
  • Employee turnover inside Paychex was a problem, until we were assigned to Neil Williams - since that time it has settled down
  • Pressure to convert personal connection with payroll advisor to using automated service
Read full review
Intuit
  • The desktop version of the TSheets schedule does not have a search feature. This makes it challenging to find things you are looking for without extra work
  • The app can be a bit buggy. Though it is a great app, there are many reasons that the app will stop syncing and can cause problems with staff scheduling
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Paychex, Inc.
Overall I like the features that Paychex Flex offers. I am sure that there are other features that I am unaware of, so I am excited to see if there is more that Flex is capable of to make my job easier. The basic features are really user friendly and easy to access. If there ever is an issue customer service is great
Read full review
Intuit
TSheets tech support people, like Shawn Sommer, from Tsheets. She has been instrumental, after terminating the person in charge of TSheets I was left with a learning curve too high to climb but after 10 mins of her instructions I was able to make payroll in no time. She cleared all errors that nobody had fixed before.
TSheets is not a vendor for me, TSheets is my partner in business. Thank you TSheets.
Read full review
Usability
Paychex, Inc.
Some things could be streamlined. For example, we could do custom options for the "add items" tab which has so many options that we never use. "Medical Pay" could be something that the system remembers for the applicable employees. Salaried employees' salaries should definitely be auto-filled. Overall the system works well but I think it could be improved to be easier to use and read.
Read full review
Intuit
Our employees find TSheets easy to use and spend minimal time at reporting hours using it. As an administrator and user of the TSheets "data and information" I am extremely positive on the functionality and reporting that it has provided me. From its ease of set-up to training to reporting, TSheets has made us so much more efficient from an administration standpoint
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Paychex, Inc.
We have not experienced any difficulties with unplanned outages. Notifications are always made for outages, and they do not effect normal business operations.
Read full review
Intuit
No answers on this topic
Performance
Paychex, Inc.
Unless there is lag time within the internet, the Paychex Flex website loads exceptional fast, pages load quickly and reports that I need to print or download load quickly. If I need to create a specialized report, once I complete it I receive an e-mail telling me my report is ready to be downloaded. Changing between web pages is fast as well.
Read full review
Intuit
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Paychex, Inc.
Our dedicated representative is one of the main reasons we are sticking with Paychex Flex. If it were not for this person, other platforms could provide the same/similar functionality. It is the ability to speak with someone that understands our business and is willing to get questions answered in a timely fashion that keeps us with Paychex Flex.
Read full review
Intuit
I have never failed to have an issue resolved within minutes of contacting Support. Jen D recently assisted my with an export issue and I was back on track in less the 10 minutes. She was knowledgable and thought about the current and future contexts of the issue and assured there would be no recurrence next payroll.
Read full review
In-Person Training
Paychex, Inc.
We did online training only
Read full review
Intuit
No answers on this topic
Online Training
Paychex, Inc.
It was easy to understand and follow along. I do like the informational videos that we can utilize before we opt to call in for customer service support. It has made a difference since sometimes that resolves the issue I may have had and saved myself a phone call to Paychex support.
Read full review
Intuit
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Paychex, Inc.
Implementation was very smooth. The most cumbersome task was entering the current employees into the system during initial set up, but Paychex staff handled most of that and verified against prior system reports as well as internal reports provided to ensure 100% accuracy.
Read full review
Intuit
I wasn't originally helping with the implementation so not sure.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Paychex, Inc.
We still use QB Desktop Pro to maintain a Check Register / Overall Balance for the company, but once having tried QB Payroll Online for about 3 months prior to finding Paychex Flex I can tell you that there's just no comparison. QB online is VERY EXPENSIVE and not so user-friendly. I hated every minute of those 6 payrolls we ran through QB online.
Read full review
Intuit
Besides Intuit Payroll (Sage), the only program I've used is WorkBrain through Menards, and it's more as a scheduling guideline for management, employees don't use it to punch in or out or record hours. However, WorkBrain does show scheduling and it matches with a punch clock to record those hours. Every other place I've used has used either punch clocks or handwritten time cards. I think the TSheets is modern, user-friendly, convenient, accessible, and cost-effective for the owners. It also streamlines payroll for the Accountant instead of manually entering all hours for multiple employees by hand into a software program like Sage.
Read full review
Scalability
Paychex, Inc.
Employees can log in at home and get up to date information on their FSA balance and any medical bill reimbursements they may have uploaded. At renewal time they have the ability to make changes to their FSA or for new employees star the enrollment.
Read full review
Intuit
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Paychex, Inc.
  • I do not believe we have saved anything additionally. The time we've had to spend to get things to hopefully work is sad. This is the reason we've had to turn off all extra "products" of Paychex Flex. Time and Attendance is horrible. Benefits management is horrible. The user experience is horrible.
  • One thing I do not understand is why are updates for states, cities, counties, school districts, etc. not automatically updated? Should we not get a big red flag if we have an employee living/working, being paid in CA, but they aren't set up for CA sick time? If it is required to be on the paycheck stub to show the balance of the sick time, why would we not be notified that we are out of compliance?
Read full review
Intuit
  • As a Microsoft Access software development shop, Help4Access could have built ourselves a time tracking system, but why reinvent the wheel?
  • tSheets got us out of spreadsheets and into the cloud in days not months.
  • The ROI the first year is over $5,000.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Paychex Flex Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of

QuickBooks Time Screenshots

Screenshot of TSheets is the only time tracking app embedded inside QuickBooks. You can easily review and approve employee time cards to run payroll, do job costing, or create invoices--without ever leaving QuickBooks!Screenshot of With accurate employee hours from TSheets at your fingertips, you're always ready to run payroll--without the tedious manual entry!Screenshot of TSheets is more than just a time tracker. It keeps a timestamp for each clock in/out, job code change & GPS location. See who’s on the clock, where, and their assigned schedule—in real-time.Screenshot of Creating a schedule with Excel is costing you more than you think. TSheets employee scheduling software makes it faster & easier than ever to build & share schedules with employees, assign jobs & shifts, & keep your workforce in sync.Screenshot of Track time using devices your employees already use; any computer, mobile phone or landline, iPhone or Android app, smartphone browser, text message or Twitter.Screenshot of Really friendly free, unlimited support by phone, chat, or email. We guarantee you'll be impressed.