PenSoft
Compare PenSoft to Gusto, Zenefits, and QuickBooks Payroll. Includes a detailed review of PenSoft, pricing information, and answers to common questions.
Updated on November 23rd, 2021
The SMB Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Updates:
Updated 19th of November 2021
We updated the review format and added comparisons to Gusto, Zenefits, and QuickBooks Payroll.
PenSoft develops, produces, supports, and distributes payroll software for small to midsized businesses. Even though PenSoft's payroll software is sophisticated and packed with features, it is easy enough for novices to use.
Also Consider
Gusto Payroll Software
Get 1 month of Gusto FREE!
Start Free TrialNo extra fees.
Made for mobile.
Auto tax filing and digital paystubs.
Pricing:
Plan* | Annual Pricing |
|---|---|
Lite Edition (1-25 Employees) | $269.00 (2021 New); $249.00 (2022 renewal). |
Standard Edition (1-50 Employees) | $429.00 (2021 New); $389.00 (2022 renewal). |
Standard Edition (51-100 Employees) | $499.00 (2021 New); $499.00 (2022 renewal). |
Professional Edition (1-50 Employees) | $609.00 (2021 New); $549.00 (2022 renewal). |
Professional Edition (51-100 Employees) | $699.00 (2021 New); $639.00 (2022 renewal). |
Enterprise Edition (1-50 Employees) | $849.00 (2021 New); $779.00 (2022 renewal). |
Enterprise Edition (51-100 Employees) | $959.00 (2021 New); $869.00 (2022 renewal). |
Platinum Edition (1-50 Employees) | $1,389.00 (2021 New); $1,229.00 (2022 renewal). |
Platinum Edition (51-100 Employees) | $1,539.00 (2021 New); $1,339.00 (2022 renewal). |
Premier Edition (1-50 Employees) | $1,939.00 (2021 New); $1,629.00 (2022 renewal). |
Premier Edition (51-100 Employees) | $2,069.00 (2021 New); $1,729.00 (2022 renewal). |
*Pricing for 100+ employees can be found on the PenSoft website.
Review:
While PenSoft's payroll software offers a decent selection of features for processing payroll, it lacks some of the more convenient ones, such as expense integration and automatic payments. However, clients will enjoy other useful features, such as the ability to export payroll data as a spreadsheet or plain text, chat support, and data migration.
While PenSoft offers a very affordable solution for small businesses in comparison to leading competitors Gusto and Zenefits, it also offers fewer features in a direct comparison. Another advantage Gusto and Zenefits offer in contrast to PenSoft is a broader suite of solutions to manage the entire employee lifecycle.
Pros:
- PenSoft offers a range of plans to suit businesses of different sizes.
- The software is easy to use.
- All software packages include free and unlimited program support.
- PenSoft offers payroll software as a download as well as hosted solutions.
- The software handles fringe benefits, records and applies deductions, and automatically calculates taxes.
Cons:
- Only higher-tiered plans include direct deposit file generation capabilities, W2 and 1099 form preparation, and job costing.
- The software has limited third-party integration capabilities.
Reputation:
PenSoft is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating on the platform. on G2, the service provider has two reviews and a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Both users described the software as easy to use. One thought some automation features could be better, while the other found the reports to be too general.
At-a-Glance:
Feature | PenSoft |
|---|---|
Automated taxes | ✓ |
Time tracking | ✓ |
Direct deposits | ✓ |
Expense management | x |
Employee portal | ✓ |
Mobile access | ✓ |
Lifetime accounts | x |
PenSoft vs. Gusto:
Unlike PenSoft, Gusto does not offer a downloadable version of its software. While PenSoft is also more affordable than Gusto, its feature profile isn't as comprehensive. Gusto trumps PenSoft in terms of third-party integration capabilities as well as the selection of basic and advanced features.
PenSoft vs. Gusto Comparison:
Feature | PenSoft | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
Starting price | $269.00 /yr. | $39.00 /mo. + $6.00 /mo. /employee. |
Automated taxes | ✓ | ✓ |
Expense integration | x | ✓ |
Direct deposits | ✓ | ✓ |
Employee self-service portal | ✓ | ✓ |
Mobile access | ✓ | ✓ |
PenSoft vs. Zenefits:
While PenSoft may be more affordable than Zenefits, it offers fewer features. Zenefits stands out with a strong HR software offering, which PenSoft does not have. Zenefits's payroll features also include several that PenSoft does not offer, such as expense integration, new hire reporting, lifetime accounts, and automatic payments.
PenSoft vs. Zenefits Comparison:
Feature | PenSoft | Zenefits |
|---|---|---|
Starting price | $269.00 /yr. | $10.00 /employee /mo. + $6.00 /employee /mo. |
Automated taxes | ✓ | ✓ |
Expense integration | x | ✓ |
Direct deposits | ✓ | ✓ |
Employee self-service portal | ✓ | ✓ |
Mobile access | ✓ | ✓ |
PenSoft vs. QuickBooks Payroll:
Both PenSoft and QuickBooks Payroll are available as web-based and desktop software solutions. While PenSoft offers a decent feature profile at a lower cost than QuickBooks Payroll, the latter offers a few better features, including better integration capabilities.
PenSoft vs. QuickBooks Payroll Comparison:
Feature | PenSoft | QuickBooks Payroll |
|---|---|---|
Starting price | $269.00 /yr. | $45.00 (base fee) + $4.00 /employee. |
Automated taxes | ✓ | ✓ |
Expense integration | x | ✓ |
Direct deposits | ✓ | ✓ |
Employee self-service portal | ✓ | ✓ |
Mobile access | ✓ | ✓ |
Key Information:
Legal Name | Peninsula Software of Virginia, Inc. |
Founder | |
Founding Date | Jan 01, 1983 |
Address | 151 Enterprise Dr., Newport News, VA 23603 |
Number of Employees | 50 |
Number of Customers | 2000 |
Telephone | |
Website |
FAQs:
What is PenSoft?
PenSoft is a payroll solutions provider that offers software downloads as well as cloud-based payroll solutions.
What does PenSoft cost?
PenSoft's pricing starts at $269.00 per year for the Lite Edition payroll software suitable for a business with up to 25 employees.