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A dental practice in Lewiston hiring its second hygienist. A small manufacturer in Portland that just added a night shift. Both are the kind of client Payroll Management, Inc. built its business around, and plenty of Maine and New England owners are happy there. Others start looking at Payroll Management Inc alternatives once they grow past a single state, want time and pay in one native system, or want the software and the support to come from the same company.
Payroll Management Inc is a family-owned payroll firm in Auburn, Maine, founded in 1989 and running on Payentry, with time tracked separately on Swipeclock’s TimeWorks Plus. Here are five alternatives worth a look, and what each one does well.
5 Best Payroll Management, Inc. Alternatives for New England Businesses
- Netchex – Best overall for hourly, multi-location businesses that want one company behind the platform and the support.
- Payentry (direct) – The platform Payroll Management Inc already uses, bought straight from the source.
- Paychex Flex – A national name with local reps, though service varies by who you get.
- Paylocity – A deep integration library and a compliance dashboard, with a longer ramp-up.
- Gusto – Simple and friendly for a very small team, limited once you grow.
How We Evaluated These Payroll Management Inc Alternatives
We looked at who builds the software, how support actually works day to day, fit for hourly and growing teams, and what implementation looks like. Payroll Management Inc’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 Payroll Management Inc Alternative
Netchex started in Louisiana more than 20 years ago for the same kind of hands-on, hourly businesses Payroll Management Inc serves: dental offices, small manufacturers, restaurants, local shops. The difference is structure. Netchex builds its own payroll, time, HR and benefits platform and runs its own support team, instead of reselling someone else’s software and pairing it with a second time system.
That shows up on the busy days. Time and attendance, Scheduler and payroll all live in one system, so hours and shift rules flow straight through without crossing platforms. OneScreen Payroll gets most teams through a run in under 15 minutes, and 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 tech firms with in-house HR engineering |
| ✓ Free, project-managed implementation with a 96% satisfaction score |
#2 Payentry (Direct) – The Same Platform, Without the Bureau
Since Payroll Management Inc runs on Payentry, some businesses skip the reseller and buy straight from Payentry itself, which is owned and built by MPAY. Payentry sells payroll, HR services, time and attendance, and a benefits consulting division, and it promotes a dedicated Client Advocate for direct customers.
Going direct changes who you call, but not much else. Reviewer sentiment is mixed and thin. One Capterra reviewer wrote about the customer service team, but another flagged the product’s scope.
It is not geared toward people management, just a payroll company.
– Capterra reviewer, via Payentry
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ Familiar software for current Payroll Management Inc clients | ✗ G2 rating of 2.6/5 from a small sample of reviews |
| ✓ Dedicated Client Advocate for direct customers | ✗ Capterra sample is only 3 reviews, too thin to be a reliable signal |
| ✓ In-house benefits brokerage and retirement plan services | ✗ Reviewer feedback says it’s built for payroll, not broader people management |
#3 Paychex Flex – National Reach, Rep-Dependent Service
Paychex has local reps in most US markets and a broad suite that includes retirement services and a PEO option. For a business leaving a small regional bureau, the brand can feel like a safe step up. Paychex also acquired Paycor, which now runs as a standalone business unit.
The recurring complaint is consistency. Service tends to depend on which rep you’re assigned, and some reviewers describe cycling through several of them on a single 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 experience gets good marks from reviewers.
For a small or mid-sized New England employer, the trade-off is complexity. Shift differentials take configuration, and one analyst site estimates 8 to 12 weeks to implement core modules. Support is also 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 |
| ✓ Compliance dashboard for multi-state employers | ✗ Core implementation estimated at 8 to 12 weeks |
More detail: Netchex vs. Paylocity.
#5 Gusto – Easy Start, Limited Room to Grow
Gusto is known for a clean interface, unlimited payroll runs on every plan and month-to-month contracts. A five-person Auburn office could be up and running in days.
It’s built for simple, single-state setups. Reviewers say it struggles once a business adds multiple states, multiple pay rates or shift differentials, which matters for a growing New England employer with staff across state lines.
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 Payroll Management Inc Alternatives Compare
| Capability | Netchex | Payentry (direct) | Paychex Flex | Paylocity | Gusto |
| Best for | Hourly, multi-location businesses | Current Payroll Management Inc clients going direct | Businesses wanting a local rep or a PEO | Mid-market teams with dedicated HR | Very small, single-state teams |
| Native time and attendance | ✅ Built by Netchex | ✅ Available on Payentry | ✅ Available | ⚠ Config required for shift differentials | ✗ Limited |
| Support model | ✅ Dedicated Account Manager | ✅ Dedicated Client Advocate | ⚠ Varies by rep | ⚠ “Poor Customer Support” top complaint tag | ⚠ Support score 8.2/10 |
Frequently Asked Questions
For hourly or multi-location businesses, Netchex is the strongest overall fit. It builds its own platform, so time and attendance, Scheduler and payroll share one system instead of two, and the same company answers the phone. Netchex also works with a client’s existing CPA and benefits broker.
Payroll Management Inc delivers payroll on Payentry and tracks time on a separate Swipeclock system. Businesses often compare alternatives when they expand beyond Maine and New England, want time and pay in one native system, or want the software and the support to come from a single company.
It can be for businesses that want to keep the same underlying software while working directly with Payentry instead of through a bureau. Reviewer sentiment is thin and mixed, with one G2 rating well below industry norms, so it’s worth reading recent reviews closely before deciding.
Ask who builds the software, who you call when something breaks, and whether time tracking runs in the same system as payroll or a separate one. Ask how long implementation takes and who does the work, and check independent reviews rather than relying only on testimonials a company publishes about itself.
Ready to See Netchex Alongside Your Other Payroll Management Inc Alternatives?
See how Netchex handles payroll, time, HR and benefits for New England businesses, all from one company.
Related: Netchex vs. Payroll Management, Inc. | Netchex vs. Paychex | Netchex vs. Paylocity
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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