PayHr vs QuickBooks Payroll: accounting workflow and cost

Which option fits your business?

Start with PayHr Manual when a $0 payroll service fee and control over payment tasks suit your Ontario business. Include QuickBooks Core on your shortlist when you want paid payroll and already work in its accounting environment. QuickBooks payroll is also available standalone, so an accounting subscription should only enter the comparison when your chosen purchase includes one.

Pricing and assumptions

QuickBooks Canada publishes the following rates on its accountant payroll page. These examples use the amounts before the displayed ProAdvisor discounts: Core $25/month plus $5 per employee, Premium $55 plus $8, and Elite $80 plus $15. Confirm your purchase-channel price before subscribing. Standalone payroll is available; an accounting subscription is not always required.

PayHr Manual — Free ($0 service fee). Unlimited employees, contractors and manual pay runs, with manual T4/T4A and ROE workflows. Your team arranges and verifies wage payments, tax remittances and manual submissions; bank or adviser charges may still apply. Paid automation is optional.

Examples compare service fees before tax, wages, employer contributions and remittances. They exclude promotions, optional filings and extras unless stated. All employees are paid on every run; there are no contractors. These are budgeting examples, not equivalent service packages or provider quotes.

What PayHr includes

PayHr has free manual payroll and optional automated payments at $6 per person per automated run, plus a one-time $25 automation setup fee. Optional automated ROEs cost $5 each and T4/T4A filings $15 each. Manual document workflows remain free. Review the full PayHr pricing before choosing automation.

PayHr’s employee workflow is Ontario-first; Quebec payroll is not supported. A payment method is saved during workspace setup. Payroll approval records the run and does not itself transfer wages or remit taxes. Compare the work you retain as well as the fee.

Compare the incremental accounting cost

Figures exclude tax and any separate accounting subscription. At five employees paid twice monthly, the illustrated Core fee is $10 below PayHr automation before setup and optional filings. Compare the included services as well as the fee.

If you already pay for accounting software, record that as an existing expense. Compare the extra payroll charge and any required upgrade. If you are also changing accounting systems, include migration and the full new subscription in a separate scenario. Combining the two cases can distort the decision.

Ask your bookkeeper to review a sample payroll journal, liability balance and correction. Record where manual entries remain and how duplicates are prevented. Do not assume an accounting connection is present in PayHr; verify the available export workflow against your requirements.

What to check before choosing

Capture the regular renewal price, employee fee and promotional end date. Check whether the employee fee is discounted too. Compare the first year and the next twelve months separately, and confirm you are reviewing Canadian payroll rather than a US product page.

For a broader shortlist, see our Canadian payroll pricing comparison and pay-frequency cost guide.

Compare the first year without hiding the setup fee

For five employees paid twice monthly, PayHr automation is $60 a month, or $720 over twelve months. Add its $25 setup fee if newly activated to get $745 before optional filings and tax. QuickBooks Core’s cited pre-discount rate gives $50 a month, or $600 over the same year, before tax and any separate purchases.

This $145 difference compares only the stated charges; confirm your actual QuickBooks offer and inclusions. PayHr Manual remains free, but it does not turn the employer’s payment and filing responsibilities into an automated service.

Illustrative scenario, not a customer case study. Costs use the assumptions and source rates stated in this guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need QuickBooks Online accounting to buy payroll?

No. Intuit describes a standalone payroll option. If you already use its accounting software, compare the incremental payroll charge instead of counting an existing subscription twice.

Why are the figures different from an introductory offer?

The examples use the rates before displayed accountant discounts on Intuit’s Canadian page. Promotions and purchase channels can change the amount charged. Check both the initial price and the renewal terms.

Put your next payday in order

Explore PayHr’s payroll software and free manual payroll plan, or follow the workspace setup guide.