Managing payroll for a growing global workforce introduces complexities that can challenge even seasoned payroll teams.

Beyond the repetitive, time-intensive tasks of single-country payroll, global payroll requires navigating multiple jurisdictions with unique tax rules, local laws, and payment systems. Enterprise payroll solutions address these challenges by streamlining operations, improving compliance, enhancing employee satisfaction, and reducing administrative strain without increasing overhead costs.

Below, we outline seven leading enterprise payroll software options, including their key features, advantages, limitations, and evaluation criteria to help you select the best fit for your organization.

Key features to look for in enterprise payroll software

The payroll software you choose can either drive positive payroll performance and team productivity or complicate your processes even further. To avoid the latter outcome, keep the following features in mind when evaluating sustainable enterprise payroll solutions:

Global payroll capabilities

A robust enterprise payroll platform enables centralized payroll processing across multiple countries, allowing you to pay full-time employees, contractors, and freelancers in local currencies. Features like automated tax compliance, multi-currency payment processing, and jurisdiction-specific payroll configurations ensure smooth operations and adherence to local laws.

These platforms often provide pre-processing audits and compliance dashboards to minimize risks and enhance payroll accuracy, giving you greater control over workforce management and operational costs.

Integration with enterprise systems

Modern payroll platforms offer built-in integrations with HRIS, ERP, finance, and benefits administration systems, streamlining workflows across departments.

Features like real-time data synchronization, API support, and flexible customization options allow you to layer payroll seamlessly into your existing enterprise architecture. This eliminates the need for manual data entry, reduces errors, and ensures consistent updates across all systems, enabling efficient end-to-end payroll management.

Advanced reporting and analytics

Payroll platforms with advanced reporting capabilities offer detailed insights into payroll expenses, workforce trends, tax liabilities, and employee compensation practices. Features like customizable dashboards, AI-powered analytics, and downloadable reports allow you to track metrics in real time and identify inefficiencies or discrepancies. Visual data tools can present complex payroll information in an easy-to-understand format, empowering you to make informed decisions, strengthen compliance, and optimize costs.

Compliance and regulatory support

Enterprise payroll platforms are equipped with features to navigate complex compliance requirements, such as automated tax calculations, withholding, and payments.

Many platforms include tools like compliance alerts, localized tax and labor law support, and year-end filing automation. These features help you meet obligations like new hire reporting, internal audits, and tax form submissions while proactively adjusting to regulatory changes to avoid penalties or legal complications.

Employee self-service features

Employee self-service portals are standard in enterprise payroll platforms, enabling workers to access and update their payroll details, request time off, download pay slips, and view tax documents without involving HR teams. These platforms often integrate with mobile apps and cloud systems, ensuring employees can manage their information securely and conveniently from any device. By streamlining these processes, self-service features reduce administrative burdens, improve employee satisfaction, and foster engagement.

Robust security and data protection

Using payroll software with strong security measures including encryption, multi-factor authentication, secure access controls, and regular updates is critical when handling sensitive payroll information. This helps protect data integrity, prevent payroll fraud, and ensure your processes are compliant with global data protection standards like HIPAA, ISO27001, and GDPR.

Best enterprise payroll software

Get a closer look at seven of the best payroll options for large, global teams. For each solution, we'll look at key features, pros, cons, reviews, and pricing.

1. Deel

Deel is an all-in-one payroll and HR platform for global teams that simplifies and consolidates processes for enterprise businesses.

With Deel Global Payroll available in 100+ countries, you can manage international payroll effortlessly for your own entities. Deel handles everything—from tax payments to compliance—streamlining global payroll administration.

With Deel US Payroll, you can run payroll across the states with precision using instant tax calculations and seamless integrations. Alternatively, use Deel PEO​​ to simplify HR, payroll, and benefits for US-based employees with a single platform.

For contractor payments, use Deel Contractor to offland compliance, payments, and more in 150 countries.

Deel key features

• Time-saving payroll automation: Calculates workers’ wages and payroll taxes, withholds deductions, enables bulk payments, and distributes payslips
• Tax compliance management: Tax returns and document filings done for you at local, state, and federal levels wherever you and your employees reside, including year-end tax reporting and W-2 and 1099 form creation and filings
• Free built-in HRIS: Manage your entire employee lifecycle from hiring to exit and unlock efficiencies across your entire people and payroll management process
• Diverse payment methods: 15 payment options, 8 withdrawal options for contractors, and 120+ supported currencies
• Centralized reporting: Get a bird’s eye view of employee salaries, expenses, taxes, and other compensation-related insights across teams, worker types, and countries, so you can make strategic decisions to support business growth
• Reliable support: With dedicated account managers 24/7 multi-channel customer support, and an average response time of only 1.25 minutes, you can count on immediate assistance and speedy resolutions should the need arise
• Compliance alerts: Automated alerts for potential misclassification risks, expiring visas, and non-compliance with local labor laws such as minimum wages, benefits, and more
• Time and attendance tracking: Tie employee pay directly to the hours they work, increasing payroll accuracy and minimizing the risk of errors that accompany manual computations

Deel pros and cons

Pros

• Faster implementation and onboarding compared to traditional processes
• Employee self-service portal and mobile app for easy access to payslips, time off requests, and more
• API support and seamless connections with 68+ integrations including top accounting tools like Xero and Quickbooks to automatically sync payroll and expenses to your general ledger, meaning fewer manual reworks

Cons

• Due to the rich array of functionalities available, it may take new users some time to get to know all the features and take full advantage of the software
• Per-employee pricing model requires careful budget management, as costs can increase with workforce expansion

Customer reviews

• Deel is extremely easy to use and it gives businesses the flexibility to meet the unique needs of different workers and operating structures rather than restricting them to one way of doing things
• Using Deel means never having to worry about keeping up with local laws or racking up overhead costs when hiring, managing, and paying international workers because it's all taken care of efficiently no matter the size of your team
• Customer support is exceptional and quick to respond with a deep understanding of issues and eagerness to see cases through until a suitable resolution is reached

Pricing

• Deel Global Payroll - starts at $29 per employee per/month
• US Payroll - starts at $19 per employee/month
• Deel US PEO - starts at $89 per employee/month
• Deel Contractor - starts at $49 per month
• Deel EOR - starts at $599 per month
• Deel HR - included for free

See current pricing here.

Best for

Deel is best for enterprises and fast-growing startups with an international workforce who want an all-in-one solution to help them accurately and efficiently handle cross-border hiring, payroll, compliance, and HR.

2. ADP Workforce Now

ADP Workforce Now is a human capital management (HCM) platform offering diverse solutions for payroll processing, HR management, time and attendance tracking, and compliance concerns. It allows you to pay your workers and create engaging experiences without geographical constraints while staying on top of changing tax regulations and labor policies.

For enterprises that want optimized payroll and HR processes with none of the tedious back-office labor that goes into them, ADP Workforce Now offers managed services.

ADP Workforce Now key features

• Cross-country payroll: Pay workers in every US state and abroad with ease according to your business rules
• Automated tax calculations: Automatic payroll computations, garnishment deductions, tax payments, and filings to federal, state, and local agencies
• Timekeeping: Manage employee schedules, keep track of hours worked, time taken off, and overtime, and integrate it all with payroll data
• Multiple payment methods: Pay workers via direct deposits, debit cards, and checks
• Reporting: Make informed business decisions with predictive analytics and proactive insights into your payroll operations

ADP Workforce Now pros and cons

Pros

• Employee self-service options via desktop or mobile app
• Expert support during implementation
• Access to employee payroll, HR, and benefits data in one platform

Cons

• Limited self-customization options
• Features like benefits administration and automated time tracking are only available in the most expensive plan
• Most integrations are only available to organizations with over 500 workers in one country. Even then each integration can cost up to $120,000 and may take more than a year to implement
• Additional costs include steep implementation fees and extra charges for customization

Customer reviews

4.4/5 Capterra

• Good for organizing and accessing all employee documents, data, and requirements in one place
• Sometimes, the app glitches and restricts functions and access to certain features or fails to record hours worked when employees clock in or out, necessitating manual reconciliations or the need for technical support
• Cluttered interfaces, overabundance of links, and unclear copy can make navigating the platform a challenge

Pricing

Custom quote.

Best for

ADP Workforce Now may work well for large organizations interested in a payroll system with advanced, scalable features that can handle complex payroll and HR needs.

3. Papaya Global

Papaya Global’s payroll solution automates global payroll processes and regulatory compliance. The platform includes business insights and analytics features to help identify trends, monitor billings, and compare employment costs across locations and worker types.

Papaya Global key features

• Multiple payment methods: Pay workers in their local currency through bank deposits, cards, or crypto-wallets
• Regional compliance: Access in-app compliance tools to stay updated on tax and labor regulations across regions
• AI validation engines: Detect errors in invoices, tax forms, employee data, and payroll calculations
• Flexible infrastructure: Automate recurring payments, schedule pay runs, split transactions into multiple currencies, and process mass payroll for thousands of employees
• Payment APIs: Manage payroll seamlessly within your existing tech environment through integrated APIs

Papaya Global pros and cons

Pros

• Mobile app for easy access from anywhere
• Employees can manage PTO, access payslips, time and attendance reports, and other data through a self-service desk

Cons

• Instead of owned entities, the platform relies on third-party local partners to manage payroll and compliance in many regions
• Setup, onboarding, and year-end tax filings incur additional charges
• Higher cost than other competitors

Customer reviews

4.5/5 Capterra

• You get specialists and account managers to help you sort out issues and train you on how to use new features
• Implementation can be difficult and sometimes ends up taking too long
• Customers have stated issues with employees not getting paid on time, late payments of taxes, and customer support

Pricing

• Workforce OS - starting from $5 per employee/month
• Enterprise EOR - from $599 per employee/month
• Agent of Record - from $200 per contractor/month
• Contractors Payroll - from $30 per contractor/month
• Payments - from $2.5 per transaction
• Payroll Plus - Grow Global (from $25 per employee/month), Scale Global (from $20 per employee/month, Enterprise Global (from $15 per employee/month)

Best for

Papaya Global may work well for large enterprises that want standalone services or full-service solutions for handling cross-country payroll and multi-currency payouts for domestic and international teams.

4. Paylocity

Paylocity is recognized for its user-friendly interface and wide range of features that cover the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment to retirement.

It is a cloud-based payroll management system designed for enterprises, offering HR capabilities to track work hours, manage benefits, schedule employees, and process compensation.

Paylocity key features

• Global payroll support: Automate payroll processing, tax calculations, time tracking, expense reimbursement, and workforce management in over 100 countries with pre-processing audits to identify irregularities
• Customizable payroll workflows: Enable one-time payments, schedule recurring pay runs, create custom pay rules, configure reports, and more
• Tax services: Access expert guidance for tax filings and registrations to reduce compliance risks
• AI-powered insights: Analyze payroll and workforce trends and track key organizational metrics
• Self-service options: Allow employees to access earnings, tax deductions, and direct deposit status
• Centralized data hub: Manage communications, documents, and other key information in one unified platform

Paylocity pros and cons

Pros

• Integrations with a wide variety of HR and business apps
• Broad range of integrated HR tools covering the employee lifecycle
• Employees can access their earned wages before payday

Cons

• Customer support is only available on weekdays and during certain hours
• The base reporting feature is not so comprehensive—you will have to pay more to unlock advanced insights
• Pricing isn’t transparent

Customer reviews

4.3/5 Capterra

• Paylocity integrates well with other technologies and the dashboards are simple for both employees and managers to navigate
• Customer service can sometimes be less supportive, relying on sending links rather than offering direct help to resolve complex issues.
• Customization options are limited so if your organization doesn't follow the usual rules for processing payroll, tracking time, and more, you will have a hard time making it work for you

Pricing

Custom quote.

Best for

Paylocity may be a good option for US-based enterprises that are in the market for a smart payroll system to help them tie their financial and people operations together for increased efficiency.

5. Cloudpay

Cloudpay offers payroll processing solutions designed to meet the needs of large organizations, addressing payroll complexities and enhancing accuracy while providing flexibility and control over financial operations.

The platform delivers fully managed, end-to-end payroll services, including payment processing, calculating and remitting mandatory deductions, and disbursing funds via bank payments or cards. It also handles payslips and tax document distribution for employees and generates reports to provide a comprehensive view of payroll performance.

Cloudpay key features

• Automated processes: Simplify tasks with automation for funding requests, data validation, payment recording, reconciliation reports, and more
• Seamless HCM integration: Connect HR and payroll workflows for a cohesive administrative experience
• Centralized payroll compliance: Track tax requirements, filing statuses, and regulations across all operational territories to support compliance
• Pay on-demand: Provide employees with access to their earned wages as needed
• One-to-one review: Evaluate pay data and identify potential improvements with expert support after each pay period

Cloudpay pros and cons

Pros

• Payroll can be funded in multiple currencies
• Extensive global payroll and compliance coverage

Cons

• The design isn’t intuitive or optimized for easy navigation
• Minimal wiggle room when it comes to customizing the software
• Lack of transparency on the pricing front
• International payroll and HR management services are routed through third-party partners rather than entities owned and operated by Cloudpay itself

Customer reviews

4.0/5 G2

• The ability to access it from any device makes managing payroll very convenient from the employee and admin end
• Navigating the software can be a bit confusing

Pricing

Custom quote.

Best for

Cloudpay may work well for enterprises that want to keep their involvement in managing payroll and HR for their local and international workforce to a minimum.

6. SAP SuccessFactors

SAP SuccessFactors is designed to support compliance and streamline payroll, HR, and service delivery processes by reducing manual workflows, minimizing errors, and controlling operational costs. Its core HR and payroll solutions facilitate payments and workforce management across more than 100 countries.

The platform offers flexible payroll options, including in-house management, outsourced services, or a hybrid approach. It also supports time and attendance tracking and benefits administration tailored to country-specific requirements for global workforces.

SAP SuccessFactors key features

• Automated payroll processing: Handles payroll calculations, deductions, exceptions, and distribution, including support for scheduled and off-cycle pay runs
• Data-driven reports: Provides detailed insights into payroll payments and timelines, along with recommendations for potential improvements
• Single source of truth: Centralizes payroll processes and consolidates employee data to streamline administration across entities
• Automated compliance: Monitors and adjusts to labor and tax regulation updates in over 100 countries
• Self-service portal: Enables employees to access and update their information, request time off, and complete basic HR tasks independently

SAP SuccessFactors pros and cons

Pros

• Flexible solutions that can be customized to your specific needs
• Simplified international payroll processing

Cons

• Pricing isn't transparent
• Complex set-up process
• Localized HR and payroll services are only available in 48 countries
• Time tracking, employee self-service, and HR service delivery features are each priced separately

Customer reviews

4.0/5 Capterra

• Reporting capabilities are very thorough, providing both broad and granular insights
• The interface is disorganized, unfriendly, and needlessly complicated, doubling the admin workload
• Implementation and feature upgrades can take years to complete, so the system tends to feel outdated and out of touch with modern HCM and payroll requirements

Pricing

Custom quote.

Best for

SAP SuccessFactors may be a good option for enterprises with 500+ employees and contractors who want a comprehensive system that marries payroll with other critical functions such as HR, recruitment, enterprise resource planning, and financial management.

7. Workday

Workday is an enterprise human capital management platform with a built-in payroll management module to help you pay any number of workers timely, accurately, and compliantly in the US, UK, Canada, France, and Australia.

If your payroll operations extend beyond these territories, Workday allows you to connect to third-party payroll partners to handle compensation for workers in other parts of the world.

It also primes you to achieve operational efficiency by automating manual and repetitive admin tasks across departments—from HR and finance to payroll—and offering time tracking and scheduling capabilities for improved workforce management.

Workday key features

• Integrated HR solutions: Unify payroll and HR processes to improve workforce management, standardize data formats, and enhance service delivery
• Global reporting and analytics: Combine Workday and third-party payroll data for a comprehensive view of labor costs and workforce trends across regions
• Mobile-friendly platform: Allow managers and employees to access the system from any device to complete tasks remotely
• Compliance dashboard: Track tax and regulatory updates in real-time for the regions where your business operates
• Smart reconciliations: Automate payroll data entry, validate information, and upload transactions to the general ledger efficiently

Workday pros and cons

Pros

• Wide range of functionalities beyond payroll including spend management, financial planning, and IT operations management
• Options for customization

Cons

• Integrating the system with third-party apps can be difficult and time-consuming
• Accessing certain advanced features like onboarding automation requires additional fees

Customer reviews

4.4/5 Capterra

• Sometimes, the system lags when too many users are logged on at once or glitches when using certain features and it occasionally fails to record information correctly, warranting a call to customer support
• The layout is simple and easy enough for most people to understand even if they're technologically inept
• The process of implementing the software is complex and often takes too long, sometimes up to nine months before it's ready to go

Pricing

Custom quote.

Best for

Workday may be a good option for large organizations with workers distributed across Canada, France, the UK, Australia, and the US who want payroll software that integrates smoothly with the other Workday products they already use.

Learn more about how to choose a US payroll service.

Manage payroll globally with Deel

Your organization is unique and so are your payroll processes and requirements. The right enterprise payroll technology emphasizes flexibility, scalability, and workflow continuity. Deel Global Payroll offers a full range of services to support your business payroll needs at every stage of your journey.

With Deel, you can permanently resolve the daily roadblocks that get in the way of effectively managing an international workforce and unlock effortless payroll for administrators and employees alike.

Book a 30-minute demo with an expert to learn more about Deel's services, pricing, and international payroll options.