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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Heartland Payroll Solutions

    Score5.3 out of 10
    N/AHeartland Payroll is an HR management solution offering online access to payroll data and employee information. In 2025, the solution was acquired from Global Payment Solutions by Acrisure. It will be part of Acrisure's portfolio of business solutions going forward.N/A

    QuickBooks Online

    Score8.2 out of 10
    N/AQuickBooks Online is a SaaS version of the QuickBooks product. It contains all of the features found in the local version. Higher-priced plans include greater automation, payment management, inventory and time tracking, and analytics features.

    $38

    per month

    Pricing
    Heartland Payroll SolutionsQuickBooks Online
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Simple Start
    $38
    per month
    Essentials
    $75
    per month
    Plus
    $115
    per month
    Advanced
    $275
    per month
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Heartland Payroll SolutionsQuickBooks Online
    Free Trial
    NoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Heartland Payroll SolutionsQuickBooks Online
    Considered Both Products
    Acrisure
    Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
    I've considered moving payroll over to QuickBooks Online so that everything is in one place, but it would probably take too much work considering that our current system works really well. I think QuickBooks would confuse me, honestly. There are other systems that offer …
    Incentivized
    Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
    Heartland payroll is an abysmal failure since it was never set up properly in the first place. I would go back to Paycom if I could.
    Incentivized
    Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
    We have used both Paychex and ADP and find them to be annoying. They both share your information so we get constant sales calls and emails for all their products and we can never get rid of them because they do not have an unsubscribe option. They do have better online …
    Incentivized
    Intuit
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    81%
    Would buy again
    89 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    84%
    Delivers good value for the price
    85 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    80%
    Happy with the feature set
    88 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    80%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    70 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    85%
    Implementation went as expected
    83 Answers
    Features
    Heartland Payroll SolutionsQuickBooks Online
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of Heartland Payroll Solutions and QuickBooks Online
    Feature
    Heartland Payroll Solutions
    5.6
    9 Ratings
    38% below category average
    QuickBooks Online
    8.5
    81 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Pay calculation1.05 Ratings7.872 Ratings
    Support for external payroll vendors10.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Off-cycle/On-Demand payment1.03 Ratings00 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration9.72 Ratings7.033 Ratings
    Direct deposit files1.17 Ratings9.067 Ratings
    Salary revision and increment management9.35 Ratings9.046 Ratings
    Reimbursement management7.01 Ratings9.548 Ratings
    Customization
    Comparison of Customization features of Heartland Payroll Solutions and QuickBooks Online
    Feature
    Heartland Payroll Solutions
    -
    Ratings
    QuickBooks Online
    8.3
    71 Ratings
    8% above category average
    API for custom integration00 Ratings8.757 Ratings
    Plug-ins00 Ratings8.058 Ratings
    Security
    Comparison of Security features of Heartland Payroll Solutions and QuickBooks Online
    Feature
    Heartland Payroll Solutions
    -
    Ratings
    QuickBooks Online
    9.7
    112 Ratings
    15% above category average
    Single sign-on capability00 Ratings9.684 Ratings
    Role-based user permissions00 Ratings9.7106 Ratings
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Heartland Payroll Solutions and QuickBooks Online
    Feature
    Heartland Payroll Solutions
    -
    Ratings
    QuickBooks Online
    8.1
    136 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Dashboards00 Ratings8.6128 Ratings
    Standard reports00 Ratings8.1132 Ratings
    Custom reports00 Ratings7.5120 Ratings
    General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
    Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Heartland Payroll Solutions and QuickBooks Online
    Feature
    Heartland Payroll Solutions
    -
    Ratings
    QuickBooks Online
    8.5
    147 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Accounts payable00 Ratings9.1125 Ratings
    Accounts receivable00 Ratings9.4135 Ratings
    Cash management00 Ratings8.7123 Ratings
    Bank reconciliation00 Ratings9.1141 Ratings
    Expense management00 Ratings8.7125 Ratings
    Time tracking00 Ratings7.057 Ratings
    Fixed asset management00 Ratings8.055 Ratings
    Multi-currency support00 Ratings7.024 Ratings
    Multi-division support00 Ratings9.145 Ratings
    Regulations compliance00 Ratings9.241 Ratings
    Electronic tax filing00 Ratings9.368 Ratings
    Self-service portal00 Ratings8.869 Ratings
    Global Financial Support00 Ratings8.018 Ratings
    Primary and Secondary Ledgers00 Ratings8.737 Ratings
    Intercompany Accounting00 Ratings8.731 Ratings
    Localizations00 Ratings8.023 Ratings
    Journals and Reconciliations00 Ratings9.376 Ratings
    Enterprise Accounting00 Ratings8.027 Ratings
    Configurable Accounting00 Ratings7.740 Ratings
    Centralized Rules Framework00 Ratings8.326 Ratings
    Standardized Processes00 Ratings8.452 Ratings
    Inventory Management
    Comparison of Inventory Management features of Heartland Payroll Solutions and QuickBooks Online
    Feature
    Heartland Payroll Solutions
    -
    Ratings
    QuickBooks Online
    7.5
    49 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Inventory tracking00 Ratings8.046 Ratings
    Automatic reordering00 Ratings7.023 Ratings
    Location management00 Ratings8.023 Ratings
    Manufacturing module00 Ratings7.018 Ratings
    Order Management
    Comparison of Order Management features of Heartland Payroll Solutions and QuickBooks Online
    Feature
    Heartland Payroll Solutions
    -
    Ratings
    QuickBooks Online
    8.4
    90 Ratings
    8% above category average
    Pricing00 Ratings8.056 Ratings
    Order entry00 Ratings8.054 Ratings
    Credit card processing00 Ratings8.566 Ratings
    Cost of goods sold00 Ratings9.370 Ratings
    Order Orchestration00 Ratings8.022 Ratings
    End-to-end order visibility00 Ratings9.021 Ratings
    Order exception Resolution00 Ratings8.019 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Heartland Payroll SolutionsQuickBooks Online
    Small Businesses
    OnPay
    Score9.9 out of 10
    Sage Accounting
    Score9.1 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    APS
    Score1.4 out of 10
    MYOB
    Score7.7 out of 10
    Enterprises
    ADP Streamline Payroll
    Score6.4 out of 10
    Microsoft Dynamics GP
    Score6.8 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Heartland Payroll SolutionsQuickBooks Online
    Likelihood to Recommend
    1.0
    (9 ratings)
    8.7
    (165 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.8
    (24 ratings)
    Usability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.7
    (80 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    2.0
    (5 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.0
    (4 ratings)
    Support Rating
    1.0
    (4 ratings)
    1.1
    (68 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    3.0
    (6 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    CPA Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.4
    (18 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.3
    (2 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.0
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.0
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.0
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Heartland Payroll SolutionsQuickBooks Online
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Acrisure
    We changed payroll companies from Paycom to Heartland this year at the recommendation of our insurance agent who insisted they would integrate with the EASE system, which tracks employee benefits and deductions. However, 8 weeks into it, I regret my decision, since the setup hasn't been completed yet. The lack of responsiveness in some cases is astounding and often we have to ask 3, 4, and 5 times for something to be done. I hate to think what will happen after we are "handed off" from the payroll implementation team to the regular schmucks. We still are not able to track PTO and time off and we have been begging for the self-service feature to be turned on for employees so they can change addresses, bank account info, etc. Their training is NONEXISTENT and their manual is abysmal. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!! I wish I could go back to Paycom!
    Read full review
    Intuit
    I appreciate the ability to auto-generate invoices for recurring transactions, which saves time, as well as the option to set up auto-generated transactions. The report option is super helpful when reviewing information, as you can click to view the details in the report without having to go back and forth.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Acrisure
    • White-glove customer support. All employees are in the United States and they must pay them well, because they don't seem to have turnover there.
    • Technology is awesome. We have Payroll, HR, T&A, ATS, and onboarding with them.
    • Their Tax Credit tech is amazing. I received more money in tax credits last year than payroll cost me. That's a net positive!
    • Compliance with their HR team is great, and they don't hit you over the head on the price for it.
    • Pricing is fantastic with a 3-year price lock. No BS discounting that jumps back up a year later.
    Read full review
    Intuit
    • Workflows for accounts payable invoice review are terrific.
    • Bill payment allows you to pay vendors online via ACH or check without having to write a physical check, which reduces admin time.
    • The cloud based login lends well to a remote or hybrid work environment for staff.
    • QuickBooks Online allows you to pre-configure vendors' general ledger expense accounts. This helps with general ledger coding accuracy and consistency.
    • QuickBooks Online integrates with Rippling HRIS, Coast, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, etc., which lends well to an efficient month-end closing and reduced administrative time.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Acrisure
    • Sometimes the system (geocode) will not allow me to process address changes by asking for help from our specialist.
    • Response for assistance is usually a lot slower when our dedicated specialist is not available.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Intuit
    • The upsells have gotten worse over time and are on every screen in the most awkward positions. I don't need a constant reminder to upgrade, especially on a very old account that's paid thousands over the years.
    • The interface has never been especially intuitive, but I was an old Quicken user and it was somewhat familiar. Over time, it's gotten worse, and in the last 2 years, the program seems to move things more often than I would expect.
    • The software constantly adds features that I don't want and want to turn off, but the interface is so difficult to use that I find myself skipping it. Imagine seeing a message that the system recognized invoices that hadn't been paid so it prepared reminder notices for you that can be sent at the click of a button. Who thinks using canned reminders that you've never seen is a good thing?
    • A lot of functionality seems to derive from connecting your bank accounts to QBO. I don't want Intuit to have an always-on connection to any bank accounts, even checking.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Acrisure
    No answers on this topic
    Intuit
    It like the product 'right out of the box' and I trust Intuit will continually improve it over the years based on my experience with their desktop products. The large providers of Apps makes customizing the entire package relatively easy and seamless for a wide variety of business types.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Acrisure
    No answers on this topic
    Intuit
    I had very little trouble setting up the program and migrating from our old accounting system. The daily usage is also very intuitive and easy. Anytime we run into minor trouble with the program, there are always tons of help available on YouTube, so we don't even look up the online manual anymore.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Acrisure
    No answers on this topic
    Intuit
    We have rarely had outages in the last 10 years. I can only recall 2 times in the last 10 years where we were not able to access our client files.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Acrisure
    No answers on this topic
    Intuit
    Everything process has its bugs lately with the new interface. Nothing has worked smoothly since this all began last month.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Acrisure
    I never have trouble reaching customer support. They always are able to assist with fixing any problems that arise. There honestly haven't been many issues at all. Only ones I've created :)
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Intuit
    In my experience, most representatives keep me on the phone for hours, literally, for a single issue and then usually cannot resolve it satisfactorily. I have 10 open cases that need resolution and, in my experience, there has been NO follow-up communication on any of them.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Acrisure
    The Heartland team could care less about how difficult your experience is. In fact, I think they delight in seeing you struggle!
    Read full review
    Intuit
    The person in charge of QB needs to be very accurate with record keeping and is recommended to stay on top of tasks. The biggest issue we have is reconciliation, and those issues occur only when too much time has occurred between reconciliations
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Acrisure
    I've considered moving payroll over to QuickBooks Online so that everything is in one place, but it would probably take too much work considering that our current system works really well. I think QuickBooks would confuse me, honestly. There are other systems that offer different user interfaces that are neat looking, but I haven't done too much research because Heartland Payroll offered me a really good deal for processing since we are a small company.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Intuit
    As a freelance bookkeeper, the Desktop version of QuickBooks Online doesn't allow for ease of access from any device. Having to be on a computer with the software downloaded creates additional work to gain access to all required filings etc. Also, I personally find the linking functionality on the Online version to be much more streamlined and user friendly.
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Acrisure
    No answers on this topic
    Intuit
    As we have grown along our professional path, we have also expanded our use of QB. The scalability is easy and features seem to be waiting for you until you need them. We have increased profits by over 10x from our first year in business to the current and have yet to find a reason to look elsewhere
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Acrisure
    • We have a net positive using Heartland. We actually bring more money in from their tax credits than the payroll service actually costs.
    • I used to have a part-time person handing our payroll/HR needs. Now this is done by me because it's so easy.
    Read full review
    Intuit
    • QuickBooks has given us a useful portal by which to get an overview of our financials.
    • QuickBooks has given us a relatively easy way to send out invoices quickly and efficiently.
    • Due to the customization limitations on QuickBooks, we've had to get creative in third-party implementations to better represent our brand and to track financials.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    QuickBooks Online Screenshots

    Screenshot of the accounting and bank transactions interfaceScreenshot of an overview of the accounting inventoryScreenshot of book marksScreenshot of the business tax overviewScreenshot of the customer hubScreenshot of the dashboard