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A church office in Carlisle handling payroll for a handful of staff and a part-time nursery worker. A retail chain in the Harrisburg suburbs opening its fifth location. Both fit the kind of client PaySmart Payroll Services, a small Mechanicsburg bureau, has built its business around since 2002. Plenty of its clients are happy there. Others start looking at PaySmart Payroll alternatives once they add locations, outgrow a small bureau’s bandwidth, or want the software and the support to come from one company.
PaySmart runs its payroll on Execupay’s PlatinumPay Xpress and layers in HR services, guided new-hire paperwork and a named concierge for new and current clients. Here are five alternatives worth a look, and where each one actually fits.
5 Best PaySmart Payroll Alternatives for Pennsylvania Businesses
- Netchex – Best overall for hourly, multi-location businesses that want one company behind the platform and the support.
- ADP Workforce Now – Enterprise-grade scale and global payroll, with more complexity than a small office needs.
- Paychex Flex – A national name with local reps, though service quality varies by rep.
- Paylocity – A deep integration library and engagement tools, with a longer ramp-up.
- Gusto – Simple and friendly for a very small single-state team, limited as headcount and locations grow.
How We Evaluated These PaySmart Payroll Alternatives
We looked at who actually builds the software, how support works once a problem is more than a quick question, fit for hourly and multi-location teams, and what implementation looks like in practice. PaySmart’s own details come from its website and public business listings. Details on the other providers come from their own sites and independent review platforms, as of September 2026.
#1 Netchex – Best Overall PaySmart Payroll Alternative
Netchex was founded in Louisiana more than 20 years ago for the businesses that keep America running, like restaurants, hotels, dealerships and healthcare clinics. Instead of licensing someone else’s payroll engine, it builds its own payroll, time, HR and benefits platform and staffs its own support team.
That matters most on a bad week. Time and attendance, Scheduler and payroll share one system, multi-location and multi-EIN businesses work from a single login, and OneScreen Payroll gets most teams through a run in under 15 minutes. A US-based, FPC-certified team answers 90% of calls in under a minute, every customer gets a dedicated Account Manager, and Netchex works directly with a client’s existing CPA and benefits broker.
The entire staff, from sales to implementation to service, has been stellar in their delivery. The culture of Netchex is one of a company that demonstrates the importance of relationships with clients.
– David Faunce, Partner, KM Consulting
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ One company builds the platform and answers the phone | ✗ No global payroll for teams outside the US |
| ✓ 4.8/5 customer satisfaction and 8.9/10 G2 Quality of Support | ✗ Built for operating businesses, not municipalities or specialized nonprofit fund accounting |
| ✓ Free, project-managed implementation in about six weeks, 96% satisfaction |
#2 ADP Workforce Now – Scale for a Growing Multi-State Business
ADP Workforce Now brings a large third-party marketplace and global payroll, which matters if a Pennsylvania business is opening locations outside the US or needs deep enterprise compliance reporting. For a company outgrowing a small bureau fast, that reach is real.
For a retail chain with a handful of Central PA locations, it can be more system than the team needs day to day. Reviewers regularly describe menus that bury simple tasks and support that’s hard to reach.
The worst thing about ADP Workforce Now is its customer service. It is terribly hard to reach someone, and when you do reach someone, they can’t always answer your question.
– Verified G2 Reviewer
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ Global payroll | ✗ G2 Quality of Support score of 7.9/10 |
| ✓ Large third-party integration marketplace | ✗ Shift differentials require configuration |
| ✓ Broad compliance and reporting | ✗ “Not User-Friendly” is a common G2 complaint tag |
More detail: Netchex vs. ADP.
#3 Paychex Flex – Familiar Brand, Service That Depends on Your Rep
Paychex has local reps across Pennsylvania, a broad HR and benefits suite, and a PEO option for owners who’d rather outsource more of HR entirely. It also now owns Paycor, which runs as a standalone Paychex business unit. For a business that wants a bigger, more recognizable name than a small local bureau, it’s an easy first look.
The recurring complaint is consistency. Service quality tends to track whoever you’re assigned, and some reviewers describe cycling through several reps to fix one issue.
I went through 6 reps… and signed 5 power of attorneys and it still isn’t corrected.
– Verified Reviewer, G2
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ Local reps in most US markets | ✗ Trustpilot score of 1.7/5 across 826 reviews |
| ✓ Retirement services and a PEO option | ✗ G2 Quality of Support score of 8.3/10 |
| ✓ Well-known brand | ✗ Shift differentials are limited |
More detail: Netchex vs. Paychex.
#4 Paylocity – Big Integration Library, Steeper Learning Curve
Paylocity offers 350+ native integrations, a compliance dashboard multi-state employers like, and employee engagement tools such as social feeds and peer recognition. Its mobile app gets solid marks from reviewers too.
For a smaller office moving off a bureau, the trade-off is complexity. Shift differentials take configuration, one analyst site estimates 8 to 12 weeks to implement core modules, and “Poor Customer Support” is the most common complaint tag on its G2 profile.
Our transition to Paylocity was nothing short of atrocious. Our internal team had to self-teach the software due to a convoluted implementation process.
– Reddit user
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ 350+ native integrations | ✗ “Poor Customer Support” is its most common G2 complaint tag |
| ✓ Strong mobile experience | ✗ Shift differentials require configuration |
| ✓ Engagement and recognition tools | ✗ Core implementation estimated at 8 to 12 weeks |
More detail: Netchex vs. Paylocity.
#5 Gusto – Easy to Start, Narrow as You Grow
Gusto is known for a clean interface, unlimited payroll runs on every plan, and month-to-month contracts. A five-person nonprofit office or a single-location retailer could be running payroll within a day or two.
It’s built for small, simple setups, not job-costed crews or multi-location retail. Reviewers say it struggles once a business operates in more than one state or needs multiple hourly pay rates.
Gusto is not well suited for companies operating in multiple states. It works for simple setups but does not scale well as payroll becomes more complex.
– HR Director, Mid-Market, G2 (2025)
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ Clean, easy interface | ✗ No native shift differentials or multiple hourly rates |
| ✓ Unlimited payroll runs on all plans | ✗ Not built for multi-state, multi-location operations |
| ✓ Month-to-month contracts | ✗ G2 Quality of Support score of 8.2/10 |
More detail: Netchex vs. Gusto.
How the PaySmart Payroll Alternatives Compare
| Capability | Netchex | ADP | Paychex Flex | Paylocity | Gusto |
| Best for | Hourly, multi-location businesses | Large, complex or global organizations | Small businesses wanting a local rep or a PEO | Mid-market teams with dedicated HR | Very small, single-state teams |
| Native shift differentials | ✅ | ⚠ Config required | ⚠ Limited | ⚠ Config required | ✗ |
| Multi-location support | ✅ Single login | ⚠ Varies by tier | ⚠ Limited | ⚠ Varies by tier | ✗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
For hourly or multi-location businesses, Netchex is the strongest overall fit. It builds its own platform, so time, scheduling and payroll share one system, and the same company answers the phone. It also works directly with your existing CPA and benefits broker, so switching payroll doesn’t force other changes.
PaySmart delivers its payroll on Execupay’s PlatinumPay Xpress, software another company builds and licenses. Businesses often compare alternatives when they add locations, outgrow a small local team’s bandwidth, or want the platform and the support to come from a single company rather than a bureau plus a separate software vendor.
No. This guide covers PaySmart Payroll Services of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, founded in 2002. There is a separate, unrelated company called Paysmart Payroll Services, LLC, based in Greenville, South Carolina, and the two share no ownership, staff or software connection despite the similar name and industry. Double-check the city and state before you call either one.
Ask who actually builds the software versus who services it, how a software-level issue gets escalated and how long that takes, whether pricing and implementation timelines are available in writing, and whether you’ll have a named point of contact. Compare those answers against independent reviews, not just the testimonials a company publishes about itself.
Ready to See Netchex Alongside Your Other PaySmart Payroll Alternatives?
See how Netchex handles payroll, time, HR and benefits for Pennsylvania businesses, all from one company.
Related: Netchex vs. PaySmart Payroll | Netchex vs. ADP | Netchex vs. Paychex
This guide reflects publicly available product information and independent reviewer data (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Reddit, Software Advice, GetApp) as of 2026. Feature availability may vary by plan. Contact each provider for current details.
Disclaimer: Any product roadmap or future plans provided herein are for informational purposes only. They do not represent a commitment to deliver any material, code, feature, or functionality. Plans may change without notification. The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described remain at the sole discretion of Netchex, its affiliates, and partners. Netchex does not give legal, tax, or accounting advice. You are responsible for ensuring your use of Netchex product meets your individual business and compliance requirements.
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