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Heartland Payroll logo
Reviewed · Updated 2026-06-19

Heartland Payroll

Manages payroll processing, tax compliance, and employee payments efficiently.

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team ·
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Pricing
Free Trial
Best for
Payroll administrators
Category
Finance, Billing & Accounting
The bottom line

Dependable payroll automation for Heartland ecosystem users; pricier and lighter on HR than most rivals.

5.5
Our score
5.5 / 10
Conversion Gems editorial verdict
From $89/mo (1–5 employees)
Features6/10
6 - solid payroll core with tax filing and garnishments; no native HR, benefits, or time tracking.
Value5/10
5 - $89/mo for 1–5 employees is above-average; Gusto starts at $49/mo with broader HR features.
Ease of use5/10
5 - dedicated rep onboarding helps but no self-serve setup; mobile apps underperform.
Ecosystem6/10
6 - tight Heartland POS/payments integration; limited native connectors outside the Heartland stack.
Support5/10
5 - direct phone line is a plus, but user reviews frequently cite long wait times and inconsistent quality.

Community ratings

4.5/ 5 aggregate · across 2 sources
G2
4.860+ reviews
Capterra
4.3100+ reviews

Third-party ratings shown verbatim; aggregate weighted by review volume.

What it really is

Heartland Payroll — full-service payroll and tax-filing software for SMBs.

Our take

Heartland Payroll+ automates wage calculations, tax filings, direct deposits, and new-hire reporting with a dedicated phone-support model. The DB lists 'free_trial' as the price tier, but the product is paid-only — entry starts at $89/mo for 1–5 employees with no public free tier. It's a safe, reliable choice for businesses already in the Heartland ecosystem (POS, payments), but it trails competitors on HR depth and value.

Why we rate it

Automated tax compliance, built-in new-hire reporting, and wage garnishment handling reduce manual admin burden for lean payroll teams.

The catch

No built-in HR administration or benefits management — time tracking requires a separate Heartland Time add-on. Mobile apps are weak (2.4/5 Android), and customer support has drawn complaints about long wait times.

Best for
Small businesses already using Heartland POS or payments
Payroll admins needing automated federal and state tax filing
Teams managing direct deposits and wage garnishments at moderate headcount
Not good for
Teams needing built-in HR, benefits, or time tracking in one platform
Budget-conscious buyers — Gusto and SurePayroll offer more for less
Mobile-first payroll management workflows
Friction report
Time to value
Moderate: no self-serve signup; requires a sales demo and onboarding call before going live.
Scale breakpoint
Advanced and Complete tiers carry opaque custom pricing, making cost unpredictable as headcount grows beyond 5 employees.
Walled garden
Moderate: QuickBooks integration exists, but core payroll workflows and data are tied to the Heartland platform.

A look inside

Heartland Payroll product screenshot

Frequently Asked Questions

Alternatives

Step up

Heartland HR suite for full HR and benefits management within the same ecosystem.

Lighter alternative

Gusto (from $49/mo) or SurePayroll (from $19.99/mo) for more features at lower entry cost.

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Tags

#Payroll#HR

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