PEO is the acronym for “professional employer organization.” These outsourcing firms provide business services for functions like payroll, HR tasks, administrative roles, and other crucial activities to running a company. PEO service providers are incredibly appealing for business owners because they reduce the workload of mundane but critical tasks. Outsourcing these roles are cost-effective as well. Instead of having a full-time HR staff on your payroll, it’s much cheaper to contract that work. Plus, PEO service providers have the ability to negotiate rates related to employee health insurance or workers’ compensation expenses. Whether you’re interested in hiring a PEO service for the first time, or looking to switch providers, this guide has you covered.
The 7 Best PEO Service ProvidersThere are countless PEO services available on the market today. From local providers to national names, and everything in between. Some PEO services are industry-specific, while others are intended for businesses of a certain size. Finding the best PEO provider for your business can be challenging if you don’t have any guidance. I narrowed down and reviewed the seven best PEO service providers below. I’ll cover the features, benefits, costs, and any drawbacks of each one as we continue. JustworksJustworks is a full-service PEO provider offering payroll, human resources, compliance, and employee benefits under a single umbrella package. The company launched in 2012 but has quickly grown in both size and popularity over the last few years. They went from 40 employees in 2015 to 300 in 2018. Today, Justworks has more than 600 employees and relationships with major companies like United Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, and ClassPass. In addition to employee benefits like health, vision, and dental insurance, Justworks also provides a wide range of compliance services. They handle W-2 and 1099 filings, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation. Justworks has an automated payroll system for direct deposit, paying vendors and contractors, and integration with your business accounting software like Quickbooks and Xero. Another benefit of Justworks is that they can accommodate the needs for businesses of all sizes. So if you start working with them now, they can scale with you as your company grows. Here’s an overview of their plans and pricing based company size: Basic — Payroll, HR Tools, Benefits, and Compliance
Plus — Access to Medical, Dental, and Vision
You can save 15% on all plans when you sign up for an annual contract. I like Justworks because they give you so many options. You’re not forced to take the health insurance package, but it’s available if you want it. If you’re just starting out and new to working with PEO service providers, you could always start with the Basic plan and upgrade to Plus when you’re ready. Justworks offers 24/7 customer support. The company is modern and still growing at a rapid rate, so I expect them to continue providing excellent service in the future. The only real downside of Justworks is their lack of experience. There are other PEO service providers who have been in business for decades. InsperitySpeaking of experience, Insperity has been around for 30+ years. They provide full HR solutions for small businesses as well as enterprises with up to 5,000 employees. In 1997, the company went public on the NYSE. They have a long list of awards, accreditations, achievements, and glowing reviews from their customers. Insperity’s full-service HR solution includes:
For those of you who don’t need a full-service solution, you can also use Insperity for individual services. While Insperity does accommodate the needs of businesses with 150-5,000 employees, I’d recommend their services to small and medium-sized business owners with less than 150 employees. With Insperity, you’ll have access to the iOS and Android mobile apps to monitor and manage your business on the go. It’s a great option for those of you who enjoy leveraging the latest technology to streamline your processes. For those of you who prefer working with large organizations, Insperity is definitely a top choice to consider. They did $3.8 billion in revenue back in 2018. Although the company is big, they still provide excellent customer service and know how to work with small business owners. Another top feature of Insperity is its flexibility. Unlike other PEO providers on the market, Insperity won’t lock you into a long term contract. You can cancel at any time, as long as you give them 30 day’s notice. Insperity does not list prices for their services online. You’ll need to speak with their customer service sales team to get a custom quote. A potential drawback of using Insperity for PEO services is that their health plan options are limited. Unlike other providers, Insperity only offers health plans from a single health insurance provider. So if your company wants to give your employees multiple options for healthcare, you should look elsewhere on our list. But this usually isn’t a problem for small business owners. ADP TotalSourceADP is an industry leader in technology. Since 2011 they have been providing software for human resources to businesses of all shapes and sizes. But in addition to their robust technology, ADP TotalSource is a full-service PEO solution. ADP is another top option for small to medium-sized business owners. Whether you have 1-49 employees, 50-999 employees, or 1,000+ members on your team, ADP has a plan for you. ADP TotalSource is used for human resources, talent management, payroll, employee benefits, and risk assessment. As a small business owner, you can use ADP to provide enterprise-grade medical, dental, and vision care to your employees. Furthermore, ADP also offers 401(k) plans. The technology used by ADP is the biggest standout of this PEO provider. Everything from HR to payroll, benefits, and recruiting can be accessed and managed through a mobile app or easy to use web dashboard. But arguably the best feature of ADP is the customer service. Naturally, your employees will have questions. Whether it be about their pay, benefits, or something else that would fall into the HR category. Rather than bothering you with those questions, your staff can simply contact an ADP representative directly. ADP’s knowledgeable and friendly staff will guide your employees in the right direction to answer any questions or help them pick a plan that fits their needs. I like ADP because they also have industry-specific solutions for businesses in the following categories:
ADP provides PEO services and technology in over 140 countries worldwide. The only potential downside of using ADP TotalSource is the company’s size. Since ADP is so large, it’s possible that your small business could feel like it’s getting lost in the shuffle. PaychexMore than 670,000 businesses trust Paychex. While the company is best known for its online payroll services, they are also a full-service PEO provider. One of the biggest standouts of Paychex is the way that they provide PEO services. Your business will get a dedicated HR professional. In some cases, this dedicated HR manager can even be on-site at your office. By working directly with your employees, Paychex takes HR outsourcing to the next level. Since Paychex works so closely with your company, it makes it easier for them to assess workplace risks and address key areas of liability. These are some of the top features and benefits of using Paychex as your PEO provider:
Like other PEO providers, Paychex also offers individual services if you don’t need a full-service plan. You can search for solutions by task, business size, or role. Paychex even offers outsourced office management services. From paperless hiring and onboarding to issuing payroll, Paychex does it all. The only negative thing I can find about Paychex is that the interface is a bit outdated and not as user-friendly compared to options like ADP TotalSource. The price for Paychex PEO services is based on the number of employees you have. Contact their sales team for a free consultation and quote. Oasis OutsourcingOasis Outsourcing was originally founded in 1996. The company was recently acquired by Paychex in 2018, although Oasis still operates under its own name. PEO services provided by Oasis Outsourcing include:
Oasis can help your small business get great deals on healthcare by bundling your plan with other clients. They’ll help you set up employee retirement plans as well. Like other providers on our list, Oasis has some industry-specific solutions.
I’d recommend Oasis to startup companies because they are versatile, but smaller than some of the other choices out there. Oasis can give startups the special attention that they need, even with just a handful of employees. While some PEO providers allow for month-to-month commitments, Oasis will force you into a one-year contract. So for those of you who don’t want to get locked in, this won’t be the best option for you. With that said, Oasis does offer a 90-day money-back guarantee window. So you’ll have some time to change your mind if you’re not satisfied in the first few months. Contact Oasis Outsourcing to get a custom quote for your company’s needs. TriNetTriNet is one of the oldest and most experienced PEO service providers in the industry. After launching in 1988, the company has been serving businesses for more than 30 years. As of today, they are currently working with over 16,000 clients and roughly 332,000 employees. The PEO services provided by TriNet are similar to some of the others in the industry. They offer niche-specific solutions for:
TriNet stands out as one of the best PEO providers because of their service and attention to detail. Their team will be on standby for your employees. Whether it’s during the hiring process, onboarding, or just day-to-day questions about their benefits or employee status, TriNet is there for all of those needs. TriNet does not try to appeal to larger organizations. In fact, services are segmented by employee size into these three categories:
I’d recommend TriNet to those of you who fall on the lower end of this scale. A company with 500 or 1,000+ employees should look elsewhere. TriNet offers a wide range of employee health benefit options through insurance companies like United Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, Aflac, Aetna, and MetLife. TriNet also has partnerships with big brands to offer small businesses and employees marketplace discounts. Some of those brands include Verizon, AT&T, Hyatt, and Avis. To get a custom quote for your small business, simply fill out a short form field on the TriNet website. Infiniti HRWhile some providers force you to bundle all PEO services in one package, Infiniti HR allows you to pick and choose which ones you need. Do you only need an outsourced human resources department, but not payroll? No problem. Infiniti HR can set you up with that. In addition to the traditional PEO services that we’ve seen so far (HR, payroll, risk management, employee benefits, etc.), Infiniti HR also specializes in recruitment. This PEO provider will help get top-level talent to your team. Another standout for Infiniti HR is the type of businesses that they serve. They work with lots of franchise organizations like Supercuts, Best Western, and Massage Envy. Whether you own one franchise location or multiple franchises across the country, Infiniti HR will be a top choice for you to consider. Infiniti HR has been in business for just over ten years. They are still growing and improving their services on what seems like a daily basis. The Infiniti HR mobile app is expected to be released by the end of 2020. This technology improvement will definitely make their services more appealing. How to Find the Best PEO Service ProvidersThere is quite a bit of information that must be taken into consideration when you’re evaluating a PEO service provider. Since so many companies seem to offer similar services, choosing the best fit for your business can be a challenge. I’ll take you through the methodology that we used to come up with this guide. You can use these features as well during your search process. PricingThe first thing you should look at is the price of the PEO solutions. This will make it easier for you to eliminate options that might be out of your price range. Unfortunately, not every PEO provider includes prices on their website. Since so much about this industry is customized, you’ll need to speak with a sales representative to get a quote. But if you’re looking for a provider with transparent prices, Justworks will be a top option for you to consider. Employee BenefitsWhile a PEO provider is supposed to reduce costs make your life easier as a business owner, it should also have a positive impact on your employees. Things like retirement plans, health insurance, dental, and vision offered by a PEO will be appealing to your staff. Not only will this keep your employees happy, but it will also help you hire top-level talent. Some PEO providers work with just one health insurance company, while others provide a wide range of options. So if diverse plans from varying providers is important to you, then make sure you find a PEO solution that can accommodate those needs. Employee Self-ServiceThe best PEO providers offer technology for employee self-service. Whether it’s an app or web portal, your staff can access crucial information related to their pay, employee status, or benefits. If the self-service options are not sufficient, you want to make sure that your PEO provider will be available to answer any questions via phone, email, or live chat for your employees. Your staff should be able to do this without having to go directly through you to speak to an outsourced HR representative. Business Size and IndustryA startup with five employees and a franchise with 2,000 employees across 50 locations will not be in the market for the same PEO service provider. Look for you providers that work with companies similar to the size of your business. Furthermore, some PEO providers specialize in certain industries. Ideally, you want to work with a provider who understands your industry, whenever possible. ConclusionWhat’s the best PEO service provider? The answer depends on a wide range of factors. Not every business is looking for the same thing in a PEO solution. Some businesses want a full-service PEO package, while others just want an outsourced HR representative. Here’s a recap of the best PEO providers that we reviewed in this guide:
I’m confident that you can find exactly what you’re looking for from one of the providers on this list. I made sure to include something for everyone. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-peo-service-providers/
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Document management software has become a crucial component of running a business in 2020. So many organizations are either going paperless, have remote employees, or both. These new trends make it unrealistic to keep documents and paperwork in physical filing cabinets or boxes in an office. Document management software allows you to declutter your office, improve security, and access files or data from anywhere. This software also enhances efficiency when sharing documents or collaborating with team members. Are you ready to digitally upload, track, and securely archive your documents? You need document management software to achieve this. Whether your company is going paperless, or you just want to digitize your records for improved organization, this guide has everything you need to know about DM software (DMS).
The 7 Best Document Management SoftwareThere are hundreds, if not thousands, of document management solutions on the market today. Cloud storage tools like Google Drive or Dropbox could technically fall into this category as well. But for the purpose of this guide, I focused on DMS for businesses. For this instance, there are really only seven solutions that I would recommend. The reviews below include a brief summary, features, benefits, prices, and any potential drawbacks of each software. Use this as a resource to find the best document management software for your unique situation. eFileCabineteFileCabinet is one of the best document management solutions on the market today. Since 2001, this company has helped individuals, small business owners, and enterprise-level companies organize data and files online. The software makes it easy for you to stay organized and find a document, regardless of how many you have on file. You can search for documents or locate them based on folder templates or pre-defined file names. eFileCabinet also keeps a portfolio of your most used documents for quick access. The eFileCabinet solution does all of the hard work for you. Simply upload a document, and the software will file it for you. The automated workflow streamlines your time-consuming tasks to improve efficiency in the office. All of your documents can be accessed from anywhere with a web browser or mobile app. You can upload documents directly from your phone using the camera on your device. eFileCabinet also allows you to sign contracts. One of the biggest standouts for this solution is the collaboration features. The system allows you to create different levels of security, so only certain people can access data. eFileCabinet has encrypted file sharing and requests, two-factor authentication, and role-based permissions. You can even set IP or location-based authentication. The software integrates with popular third-party services like DocuSign, Salesforce, and Microsoft Office. Here’s an overview of the plans and price points for eFileCabinet:
All prices are listed per user and billed on an annual basis. Once you upgrade from the Starter plan to Advantage, you’ll need to pay for a minimum of three users. I’d only recommend the Starter plan to individuals. Sole proprietors or very small businesses can probably get away with the Advantage plan, but the Business package will likely be the best for the majority of you. With eFileCabinet, you get to choose if you want your storage either on-site or on the cloud. Personally, I prefer the cloud storage. But there are advantages to on-premises as well. M-FilesM-Files represents the future of document management. The software leverages AI technology to automate your organizing process. When you upload content to M-Files, the platform automatically organizes the data based on what it is, as opposed to just where you want to store it. You even have the ability to connect M-Files to your existing network and systems to protect your information and categorize everything with AI, automatically and securely. Another top benefit of M-Files is that they offer industry-specific solutions. Some popular industries that they service include:
M-Files is great for larger teams that need to access documents at different times. If someone on your staff needs a file that was uploaded and saved by another colleague, they won’t need to search through different folders to see what the document was saved as. With AI technology, all you need to know is what type of document you’re looking for. Then you can organize the content based on criteria like project title, author, customer, or expiration date. M-Files will automatically detect duplicate content. Rather than having multiple versions of the same or slightly different documents on your storage system, it will automatically update the latest document to one singular file. This way you always know that you’re viewing or working with the latest version. With M-Files, you can store a wide range of document types, including emails. The software also allows you to collaborate with external users who don’t have M-Files. That content can be shared as a secure link. M-Files offers cloud storage, on-site storage, and hybrid storage solutions as well. You can try M-Files free for 30-days by filling out a form on their website. Pricing for M-Files is not listed on their website. You need to contact their sales team to inquire about a custom solution. TemplafyTemplafy is a relatively new DMS. After launching in 2014, they have been providing all-in-one document management solutions for enterprises all over the world. It’s designed specifically for large businesses and helps streamline tasks to save time when it comes to storing and accessing files. More than 300 enterprises across 80+ countries use Templafy for document management. This translates to more than one million users. Using intelligence software, Templafy will automatically show the most relevant content to each employee based on their usage and position. Your marketing team doesn’t need to see accounting documents, and vice versa. One of the biggest pain points with DMS, in general, is having to create new documents using another platform. Templafy eliminates this pain point by giving users the ability to create and edit new content directly within the system. Both new and uploaded content can all be managed in a simple and singular feed on your dashboard. Templafy’s cloud storage software means you can access documents from anywhere, including on your smartphones and tablets. You can integrate Templafy with Microsoft Office 365, G-Suite, and other platforms that you’re using to run your business on a daily basis. You can even integrate Templafy with CRM solutions like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics. Big brands like Pandora and IKEA trust Templafy to manage their documents with enterprise-grade software. In addition to managing documents and files, Templafy has solutions for maximizing employee productivity and creating an evergreen IT infrastructure. Security is another top benefit of using Templafy. You and your team can securely store and access content from anywhere, using any device, whether you’re online or not. Like most enterprise software, Templafy provides custom solutions for each unique company. So they don’t list any prices online. You can try Templafy for free before you commit to a contract by reaching out to their sales team. DocuWareFor those of you who are looking for a high-quality cloud-based solution for document management, look no further than DocuWare. This DMS is unique because it has specific solutions for tasks within your business processes:
DocuWare has everything you need for digital transformation and going paperless using cloud technology. This is another software that’s used by large businesses and enterprises. Sony, Toshiba, Levi’s, and Kellog’s are just a handful of their most well-recognized customers. But with that said, DocuWare stands out as a top option for small and medium-sized businesses as well. Small business owners can use DocuWare to automate their digital workflow, securely organize and store documents, and automate certain tedious tasks. DocuWare allows you and your staff to edit or annotate documents directly on the platform. Not every DMS on our list gives you this capability. I like DocuWare because it has features designed to connect remote employees and your deskless workforce. Anyone can easily access content at home or on the go from any device. More than 12,000 businesses in 90+ countries trust DocuWare for document management. So you know that the company is legitimate with a track record like that. It has specific use cases for things like contract proposals, finance processes, and HR tasks as well. The pricing for DocuWare follows a common theme in this guide. They offer a free trial, but you need to contact their customer support team directly for a custom quote. HightailHightail is a document management solution with a specific purpose—sharing and collaboration. Other DMS on the market have features for file sharing as well, but Hightail takes this to the next level. I recommend Hightail to businesses that need the ability to send large files securely. Sharing is simple. Just drag or upload a file from your device or cloud storage solution into your Hightail account. Enter the information for who you want to share it with, and automatically send an email notification to the recipient. With Hightail, you’ll be able to track the delivery and downloads of content you shared. So you know exactly who opened it and when. Hightail lets you send files of up to 500 GB. You can add password protection to files and set expiration dates as well. Here’s an overview of the plans and pricing for Hightail: Lite — Free
Pro — $12 per month per user
Teams — $24 per month per user
Business — $36 per user
As you can see, the pricing is largely based on the file sending limits. But the features get significantly better with each plan as well. The free option is actually pretty good if you don’t need to send huge files, and even the entry-level Pro plan is suitable for a number of individuals. If you’re interested in a paid plan, you can try Hightail free for 14 days. MasterControlMasterControl is a DMS made for businesses where security is a top priority and concern. Certain industries have strict regulations for companies to comply with. MasterControl understands those compliance concerns and created a document management solution that meets any security requirements. One of the top features of MasterControl is its ability to track changes and revisions. If a document needs to be reviewed by a particular person, you can schedule a time and send out reminders as well. MasterControl can also limit revisions based on access. You have complete control over who can make changes to a document. You can also create custom watermarks, sequential numbering, and location tracking to control copies of your files. MasterControl is 21 CFR Part 11 compliant. This means that documents have a time-stamped audit trail, as well as e-sign functionality that complies with federal regulations. Another unique standout of MasterControl is its learning center. You’ll have access to tons of free videos, documents, and other resources to educate you about the platform and security compliance in general. If you need enterprise-grade security for document management in a strict industry, MasterControl will be a top option for you to consider. Contact their sales team for a custom quote. PaperTracerPaperTracer has solutions for small, medium, and enterprise-level businesses. It’s a simple solution for document management. With PaperTracer, you’ll have the ability to automate your contracts and digitize all of your documents in a centralized database. PaperTracer has tracking and reporting capabilities and HIPPA compliant solutions as well. Your document management solution is completely customized. You can benefit from a cloud-based implementation with end-to-end workflow solutions. E-signature capability is also available with PaperTracer. PaperTracer is a top solution for businesses in healthcare and legal industries. Here’s a brief overview of the available plans, although all pricing is customized. Small
Mid Size
Enterprise
Demos and free trials are available for all three plans. I’d recommend PaperTracer for small and medium-sized businesses. While they do have an enterprise-grade solution, there are better options for that on our list. How to Find the Best Document Management SoftwareChoosing a document storage solution can be challenging if you don’t know what to look for. There are certain features and benefits that you need to keep an eye on when you’re evaluating a prospective software. I’ll show you the methodology that we used to come up with the choices in this guide. You can use the same system to help narrow your search. Storage LocationIn most cases, document management solutions are either cloud-based or on-site. Some companies offer just one, while others let you choose which one you prefer. For example, eFileCabinet offers both on-premises and cloud-based storage. M-Files has both as well, and also has a hybrid solution. Other solutions, like DocuWare are completely cloud-based. I personally prefer cloud solutions because you can access content from anywhere. But for security reasons, some companies want files stored locally on their network. File Sharing and CollaborationWhat can you do with your files once they are uploaded and stored? While organizing files is obviously important, it’s useless for some companies if the documents can’t be shared with teams or external users. Look for a DMS that accommodates your internal needs for editing or collaborating on files. Features like automated version updates and in-platform editing capabilities are crucial here. The size of your files will also depend on which solution is best for your business. If you need to share large files, Hightail is the best choice. SecurityMost business-related files and data are sensitive. So it’s important to have a document management solution that can securely store information. Some solutions offer access permissions based on individual clearance levels or even location. Other platforms specialize in compliance for unique industries, like healthcare, legal, or government businesses. PricePricing for DMS is usually based on storage limits and users. At each price tier, you can expect the plan to have additional features and benefits. The majority of the solutions on this list offer custom plans and pricing. So to get a better idea of how much your document management software will cost, you’ll need to consult with a sales representative. For those of you who are looking for a cost-effective solution and instant sign-ups, eFileCabinet will be a top choice for you to consider. IntegrationsIdeally, you want to find document management software that works with the platforms you’re already using. Whether it’s CRM like Salesforce, or document editing and creation software like Microsoft Office 365, certain platforms have a wide range of integrations for you to choose from. However, other solutions that are niche-specific are a bit more limited. So make sure you use software that will actually benefit your workflow process. ConclusionDocument management software is extremely diverse. Each solution offers unique benefits for businesses based on size, industry, or specific needs. What’s the best document management software? It’s impossible to say since every option is so different. Here’s a quick recap of the platforms reviewed above:
If you’re looking for a basic all-in-one document management solution, eFileCabinet will probably be your best bet. But for those of you with unique circumstances and needs, you can find custom software from one of the providers on our list. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-document-management-software/ Video conferencing plays a crucial role in the business world. Whether it be for communicating with remote employees, clients, prospects, or team members at other locations, nearly everyone needs video conferencing software at one point or another. In our personal lives, we use technology like Skype or Facetime to communicate with video. But that software isn’t sufficient enough for a large-scale video conference. If you’re ready to take your conference calls to the next level with video, you need to read this guide. I’ll explain everything you need to know about how to choose the best video conferencing service for your business. Regardless of your company size, industry, or conferencing needs, there’s definitely an option for you below.
The 8 Best Video Conferencing ServicesThere are hundreds of video conferencing choices on the market today. So finding the best one for your business can be overwhelming if you don’t know what to look for or where to start. Fortunately, I’ve already done all of the research and heavy-lifting for you. I narrowed down and reviewed the top eight choices for video conferences. We’ll cover the top benefits, prices, and potential drawbacks of each option as we continue. GoToMeetingGoToMeeting is a top choice for video conferencing and conference room capabilities. The platform makes it easy for you to turn any video conference into a highly collaborative workspace. This is one of the top video conferencing solutions for accommodating both remote workers and clients alike. Another top benefit of GoToMeeting is its ability to integrate with the systems your business is currently using. It’s used by sales managers, business owners, and IT teams as well. GoToMeeting also offers an all-in-one hardware and software kit for those of you who want to transform your physical conference room into a digital one. This hardware is more advanced than the built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers on your current devices. Some other top features and benefits of using GoToMeeting for video conferencing include:
Unlike the other platforms that we’ve reviewed so far, GoToMeeting has just two plans for you to choose from:
The plans are very similar. GoToMeeting offers unlimited meetings and unlimited meeting durations with both options. You’ll also benefit from things like Salesforce integration, Slack meeting launcher, and an admin center with each. The biggest difference between Professional and Business is that they can host up to 150 and 250 participants, respectively. In addition to more participants, the Business plan gives you access to transcripts, keyboard and mouse sharing, unlimited cloud storage, and mobile cloud recording. I think it’s a no-brainer to sign up for the Business option instead of Professional. The added benefits are worth the extra $5 per month. GoToMeeting does offer enterprise-grade plans for up to 3,000 participants. But those prices aren’t available online. You’ll need to speak to a sales rep for a custom quote. Save 16% on your GoToMeeting plan with an annual contract. You can try GoToMeeting for free with up to 250 participants for 14 days. Zoom MeetingsSince launching in 2011, Zoom has quickly become an industry leader in the video conferencing space. The software is trusted by large businesses like Ticketmaster, Uber, Pandora, and GoDaddy, to name a few. I like Zoom because of its simplicity and versatility. They have a plan for businesses of all shapes and sizes, including a free option. Zoom has video conferencing capabilities with up to 1,000 participants, and up to 49 videos on the screen simultaneously. The platform is secure, with role-based user security options, password protection, and waiting rooms. Zoom makes it easy for your team to collaborate with screen sharing, filing sharing, and other interactive features. Zoom is modern, so naturally, the service can be accessed from a mobile app as well. This is perfect for participants who are on the go and unable to reach a computer for a meeting. Here’s an overview of the different plans, features, and prices for Zoom Meetings: Basic — Free
Pro — $14.99 per month per host
Business — $19.99 per month per host
Enterprise — $19.99 per month per host
As you can see, there is a plan for everyone. The free option is an excellent choice for an entrepreneur or freelancer who only needs to video chat once in a while for brief meetings. Beyond personal use, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro or Business plans to get the most out of Zoom Meetings. Fortunately, Zoom makes it easy for you to scale to another plan as your company grows. Just be aware that your plan will impact the level of customer support you receive. To get premium support, you’ll need to upgrade. Cisco WebexCisco is a brand name that’s synonymous with superior technology. So it should be no surprise that Cisco Webex ranks so highly on our list for video conferencing software. With Webex, you can host massive virtual events with up to 100,000 participants and run an interactive webinar for 3,000-person audiences. Cisco Webex is perfect if you need to run on-demand training lessons for large groups as well. This is a great tool for onboarding employees at scale throughout multiple locations. The Webex mobile app is another standout feature of the platform. Hosting and joining meetings are both simple and accessible from anywhere. Cisco Webex is built for teams. Arguably the best part about this video conferencing software is the cloud collaboration features. It’s easy to share files and screens with other meeting participants to stay organized and make the conference more interactive. Cisco offers four different plans for you to choose from, including a basic free option. Free — $0 per month
Starter — $16.95 per month per host
Plus — $22.95 per month per host
Business — $32.95 per month per host
At first glance, the Cisco Webex prices appear to be higher than Zoom Meetings. However, you can save 20% per month with an annual contract. It’s also worth noting that the Webex Plus plan doesn’t have any host minimums, and the business plan has just a five license minimum. Zoom has a 10 and 50 host minimum for their plans at similar price points. So Cisco Webex will be a better option if you want those business or enterprise-level features for a smaller team. Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft Teams is business a messaging solution with video capability offered by Microsoft. The platform is designed specifically for internal communication in the workplace. With chat, audio, and video capabilities for group sizes of 10 or 10,000, Microsoft Teams is the ultimate in-house communication solution. Slack is a direct competitor of Microsoft Teams. But Microsoft Teams shines with its superior technology and video conferencing features. However, the setup, usage, and onboarding are a bit more complex. So just be aware of that ahead of time. Microsoft Teams is best when it’s accessed from a desktop device or web app. They do have a mobile application, but overall the web version is easier to navigate. Here’s a quick overview of the plans and pricing:
Both paid plans are only available with an annual contract. The Free plan and entry-level paid plan both have a limit of 300 users, while the Office 365 E3 option is unlimited. You’ll still have access to quite a bit of features with the free version, including video calls. But you’ll need Office 365 Business Premium to get the most out of this software. Paid plans have 140+ app integrations, 1 TB of storage, scheduled meetings, meeting recordings, and administrative support. The biggest downside of Microsoft Teams is that it’s limited. It’s not really a true video conferencing service. Instead, it’s better for one-on-one video meetings or smaller groups. If you want to host large-scale video conferences and make presentations to clients, you should look elsewhere for a more suitable solution. Zoho MeetingsZoho Meetings is arguably the most straightforward video conferencing solution on the market today. Instead of overwhelming you with different features and pricing options, there is just one plan for video meetings. Pricing is simple; it’s $10 per month per user, or $8 per month for an annual contract. The plan comes with everything you need in a video conferencing service. However, it’s limited to just 100 participants per meeting and storage of up to 10 recordings. This isn’t enterprise-grade software by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s an affordable and suitable choice for lots of small business owners. Some of ZohoMeetings’ top features include:
You’ll also have the ability to switch a presenter, give someone control, and remove users from a video conference. As expected, Zoho Meetings integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM. So if you’re already using a Zoho product, this will be a top option for you to consider. While Zoho Meetings isn’t the most extensive video conferencing service out there, it’s a high-quality solution for small business owners who just need basic features. ClickMeetingClickMeeting is a bit different compared to some of the other video conferencing services that we’ve reviewed so far. This platform has a specific standout—webinars. It’s a great option for those of you who want to hold large online events, market your products with video demonstrations, and host online courses or training sessions with live video. Of course, ClickMeeting does offer traditional video conferencing solutions for team meetings and business collaboration, but that’s all you need then I’d probably lean towards another option on our list. Pricing for ClickMeeting is complicated. There are two plans, but the prices are based on how many webinar attendees you want to have. Here’s an overview of those price points per month for each plan: Live
Automated
For video conferences with more than 1,000 attendees, contact the ClickMeeting sales team for a custom enterprise solution. You can try ClickMeeting free for 30 days and run webinars with up to 25 attendees to try it out. Save up to 20% off your with annual billing instead of a month-to-month contract. The Automated plan is your best option for broadcasting professional video webinars. This plan comes with advanced features like auto-streaming to Facebook or YouTube, automated follow-up emails to attendees, Google Analytics integration, and certificates of attendance. As you can see, ClickMeeting is definitely pricey compared to the other options on our list, which is why I wouldn’t recommend it for just basic video conferencing use. But the price is worth it if you’re planning to use the webinar features. Join.meMillions of people use Join.me for video conferencing. The platform offers solutions for individuals, teams, and businesses. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Join.me is a popular choice. The website boasts its best-known customers like like TOMS, Foursquare, OpenTable, and Pinterest. Join.me is easy. The signup process is as quick as it gets. There’s no need to consult with a sales representative or get a custom quote. Just visit their website, and you can start a call in minutes. To start a new video conference, simply invite others to “join” your meeting (hence the name). You can invite people via email or with a custom link. With Join.me, you can customize the video conferencing background, customize the URL, and share your screen with just one click. You can invite people to your meeting even if they aren’t already using the Join.me platform. Here’s an overview of the plans and pricing options: Lite — $10 per month per user
Pro — $20 per month per user
Business — $30 per month per user
Unfortunately, the Lite plan doesn’t include video conferencing, so you can skip over that one. It’s also worth noting that all plans are offered with an annual contract only. Month-to-month plans are unavailable. However, you can try Join.me free with a 14-day free trial. Compared to other options on the list, Join.me is a bit limited in terms of meeting participants and the number of video streams per meeting. But it’s a fine option for those of you who won’t need more than ten simultaneous video streams per conference. RingCentral MeetingsRingCentral is more than just a video conferencing platform. It’s also a VoIP business phone service. With RingCentral, you can ditch your traditional business phone plan for a more modern solution. If you have the phone plan, you’ll get video conferencing features as an added bonus. But you can always purchase RingCentral Meetings as a standalone product. For the purpose of this review, those are the plans that we’ll focus on. Free — $0 per month
Essentials — $14.99 per month per user
Advanced — $19.99 per month per user
The free plan is actually pretty decent if you compare it to others on the list. While you’re capped at 40 minutes per meeting, you can still have up to 100 participants. At the same time, the paid plans are also limited to just 100 participants, which is low compared to the competition. However, you can add-on larger meeting options to your plan for an upcharge. RingCentral also has great enterprise solutions. You’ll need to contact their sales team to get a custom quote. But you can save some money by bundling RingCentral Meetings with a VoIP business phone. How to Find the Best Video Conferencing ServicesNow that you’ve had a chance to review the top solutions on the market, how can you find the best option for your unique situation? This is the methodology that I used to come up with this guide. I’ve identified each feature set that matters the most and why you need to take it into consideration when you’re evaluating prospective platforms. Conference SizeEvery video conferencing plan has some limit on the number of participants who can join a meeting. This can be as 25 or as high as 100,000. Make sure you choose a service and plan that can accommodate the number of people you need for your video conferences. You don’t want to overpay for a plan that has participant limits that you’ll never reach. But more importantly, you don’t want to be in a situation where your participant list is too large for your platform and plan. Video StreamsYou might be able to have a large number of participants in a conference, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that every user will be able to broadcast a video stream. For example, RingCentral plans have up to 100 participants per meeting, but limit you to just ten simultaneous video streams. So don’t be swayed by the participant limits alone. Always check to see how many users can actually stream a video at the same time. Collaboration ToolsCollaboration tools are crucial for groups and teams. Features like screen sharing, built-in chat, file sharing, and cloud collaboration is very useful for presentations and group projects. It’s also helpful when a video conferencing service integrates with existing tools and platforms that you’re already using to run a business. You can look for features like Salesforce integration or Google Analytics integration. PriceObviously, the cost will play a roll in your decision-making process. For the most part, video conferencing services are billed on a monthly basis per user. Prices typically fall in the $10 to $40 range per month per user for traditional video conferencing. However, you can pay significantly more than that for advanced features like video conference webinars. Solutions like ClickMeeting has plans starting at over $300 per month. ConclusionTake your virtual meetings to the next level with video conferencing software. What’s the best video conference service on the market? The answer depends on who you ask and what you’re looking for. Here’s a quick recap of the platforms reviewed above.
Based on this guide, I’m confident that you can find the best choice for your business. No matter how unique your situation might be, these options can accommodate your needs. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-video-conferencing-services/ Running background checks is an essential part of the hiring process. The information revealed in a background check can give you crucial information about a prospective employee. According to a recent survey, 96% of employers run at least some type of background screening before they hire someone. So if you’re running a business, you need to be doing this as well. But where can you get a background check done? Are all background checks the same? If you run a quick Google search, you’ll learn that there are countless types of background checks offered by hundreds of different services. It’s tough to figure out which ones will actually give you the information that you’re looking for. That’s what inspired me to write this guide. I’ll show you the top background check services on the market today, and help you decide which one is the best for your business.
The 5 Best Background Check CompaniesIn a market flooded with background check services, there are really only five companies that I would consider using as an employer. I’ll explain the pros, cons, and pricing of each service below. GoodHireAs the name implies, GoodHire is clearly intended for employment background checks. It’s one of the most popular background check services for small business owners. But it’s also used by some larger and well-known companies like Tuft & Needle and Draft Kings. More than 75,000 businesses trust GoodHire to run background checks. 72% of GoodHire customers say that these background checks are faster than other services that they’ve used in the past. One of the reasons why GoodHire is such an excellent choice for small business owners is because of the flexibility in their pricing. Since a small business owner doesn’t hire as frequently as a larger organization, you won’t have to pay a monthly fee for background checks. If you plan to run less than 25 background checks per year, then GoodHire will only charge you for each report. Only need five checks? Just pay for the five; it’s that simple. The cost of a background check depends on how much information you want to find: Basic — $29.99 each
Standard — $54.99 each
Premium — $79.99 each
As price increases, the background checks become more extensive. GoodHire also gives you the option to add-on other screenings and services like:
GoodHire provides additional assistance for drug screenings and healthcare sanctions as well. At the end of the day, they have nearly every type of background check that a small business owner would need before hiring someone. One downside of using GoodHire is that they charge a one-time setup fee to verify your company. This $49.99 cost might be tough to justify if you’re only running a couple of checks per year. But if you plan to use the service at least a dozen times or so, it’s worth it. The add-ons can also drive up the cost of your checks. So if you need lots of add-ons for each background check, it might be worth requesting a custom quote from their sales team. B&B ReportingB&B Reporting has been in business for more than two decades. On average, they turnaround reports in less than 24 hours. B&B Reporting also has a 19% criminal hit ratio, which is above the industry average. I like B&B Reporting because they use superior technology. This cloud-based platform makes it easy for you to order and review background checks online. Each background check is completely customized. Choose exactly what types of records you want to search for or verify, and the price will vary based on those inquiries. Unlike other background check services on the market today, B&B reporting does not require a monthly minimum or charge you for an initial setup cost. The B&B Reporting technology allows you to send electronic consent forms to applicants to initiate the process. They also have a visual dashboard that shows you the status of candidates and reports at a quick glance. With B&B Reporting, you can run background checks for:
Again, B&B Reporting is another background check company that provides basically everything you could possibly ask for when screening an employee. The biggest downside of this service is that the pricing isn’t very transparent and getting started isn’t so simple. To start running background checks and get a quote, you need to fill out a form online to discuss your screening program with a sales agent. Prices for the services won’t be listed until you’ve been verified and set up an account with B&B reporting. AccurateNowIf you want a simple and straightforward way to run background checks for your small business, AccurateNow will be a top choice for you to consider. The platform is advertised for small and medium-sized companies. But I’d recommend it to microbusinesses and companies with very small teams. AccurateNow is affordable and does not require any monthly minimums for background checks. They are FCRA compliant, which will help you avoid lawsuits while screening employees. To get started with AccurateNow, you’ll need to register your account, e-sign their agreement, and get approved before you can start ordering reports. This company does charge a one-time setup fee of $25 to verify your business. Once you’ve been verified, you can order the following reports: Basic — $29.95
Standard — $59.95
Premium — $74.95
As you can see, these plans are very similar to the ones offered by GoodHire, which we reviewed earlier. The biggest difference between AccurateNow and GoodHire is the add-on options. AccurateNow doesn’t offer as many add-ons, but the add-ons they do offer are cheaper. GoodHire’s add-ons typically start at $14.99, whereas AccurateNow begins at $9.95. All of this makes AccurateNow a better choice for smaller businesses that don’t need features like international employment verification. But this does make AccurateNow a bit more limited than some of the other options on our list. InteliusIntelius is slightly different compared to other background check services that we’ve reviewed so far. It’s marketed toward the average person, as opposed to employers. However, an employer could still use this service to find information about a prospective hire. You can use Intelius for free to search for names, phone numbers, and addresses. But the results will be extremely limited. It will show you the person’s age and a few associated cities. To get the most out of Intelius, you’ll need a premier account. These reports include:
With Intelius, you’ll pay a fixed monthly fee to run unlimited reports. Memberships are month-to-month and cost $29.95. You can try your first month for a discounted rate of $14.95. The price of Intelius is definitely appealing, but the reports are limited compared to other companies. If you have a large business that runs tons of background checks, you could use Intelius as a way to pre-screen candidates before running a more thorough report. For example, the $29.95 per month fee could save you money in the long run if you avoid wasting upwards of $100 on extensive reports. A red flag on Intelius would be enough to narrow down your candidate pool. Then you could always run a full background check through another platform. VerifirstVerifirst has been running background checks for 15 years. They offer a wide range of services including:
While all of these options are viable, I’d prefer to use Verifirst for niche-specific solutions. Their tenant screening services stand out the most to me. Whether you own one investment property or run a larger property management business, Verifrist has what you need to find the most qualified tenants. If you’ve been managing properties for a while, you know that renting a unit to the wrong person can be a costly mistake. Not only are you putting your property at risk, but this decision can also result in thousands of lost rent, legal fees, and turnover costs. Verifirst offers specific background checks for tenant screening. These reports include:
In addition to the actual reports, Verifirst makes it easy for you to manage applicants and view everything online. You can access this web-based platform 24 hours per day and grant access to an unlimited number of users. This is perfect for those of you who run a property management business. Furthermore, Verifirst integrates with popular property management systems that you’re already using. You’ll also benefit from complimentary pre-screenings of an applicant’s income and analysis of their assets. Verifirst lets you run multiple screenings simultaneously, which is ideal for joint applications or leases with co-signers. All pricing on Verifirst is custom. So you need to contact their team to get started and learn more about the rates for running reports. Overall, Verifirst is the best background check company for tenant screening. But I’d look for other options if my business was in another industry. How to Find the Best Background Check ServicesWhen searching for the best background check company, there are certain feature sets that you need to keep an eye out for. This is the methodology that I used in this guide. I’ll explain why each one is important as you’re narrowing down your choices. Types of Background ChecksNot every background check service is the same. Some are intended for personal use, connecting with relatives, or finding information about your neighbors. None of these are really useful for employers. When running a check on potential hires, these are some of the most common types of searches you’ll want on the report:
Depending on the type of business you have, you might also want to run motor vehicle records, or various international screenings. Turnaround TimeBasic information like identity verification is usually instant. Other reports can take a few days, depending on what you’re searching for. It’s important to understand how long your reports will take. If it’s taking companies a week to get reports back to you, then it’s way too long. You don’t want that much time to pass, as it extends the hiring process longer than it needs to be. Company SizeThe size of your business is crucial when looking for a background screening service. Smaller companies obviously don’t run checks as frequently. So as a small business owner, you should find a service that doesn’t require monthly or annual minimums. Very small businesses don’t always need extensive reports either. A basic identity verification and criminal check is usually sufficient. Initial Setup and New Background ChecksIf you’re running a background check for the first time with a new service, you might need to get your business verified before you get started. This process is easier with some services compared to others. Sometimes you can just sign up online, but in other instances, you’ll need to request a quote and speak to an agent to get set up. In some cases, you’ll need to pay a one-time setup fee as well. Once approved, look for background check services that make it as easy as possible for you to run a new search. Companies like B&B Reporting let candidates e-sign consent forms, which speeds up the process. Report AccuracyAt the end of the day, accurate reporting is probably the most important part of the background check process. It would be terrible if a report came up clean, but the person actually had a criminal history. This is something you need to know about before hiring someone. All of the companies in this guide have been around for years, which should help you rest easy when you’re running reports. But it’s always a good idea to check and see what databases they are using for screenings. ConclusionBackground checks are common practice in the hiring process. As a business owner, this is something that needs to be taken seriously. If you’re looking for the best background check services, these are the companies that you need to consider:
You can’t go wrong with a service like GoodHire. It’s made for employers and has every possible report you’d need to screen for. But with that said, these other options are viable choices as well, especially if your company falls into a certain category with specific needs. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-background-check-companies/ If you want to accept credit card payments from your customers, you need to find a payment processing service. This holds true for both ecommerce and in-person retail sales. However, all credit card processors are not the same. So it’s tough to name one as the definitive best option. Finding the right credit card processing service for your business is crucial, since the fees, performance level, and customer experience will vary based on your choice. An ecommerce giant and small local coffee shop shouldn’t be using the same processing company. Whether you’re looking to switch processors or you’re accepting credit card payments for the first name, this guide will help steer you in the right direction. My methodology will make it much easier for you to find the perfect credit card processing service for your business.
The 8 Best Credit Card Processing ServicesThe credit card processing industry has become extremely competitive over the years. With ecommerce on the rise, companies have adapted accordingly. New players are emerging in this space as well. But with so many options to choose from, there are really only eight different payment processors that I would recommend. You’ll likely be familiar with at least a couple of these names, but others are lesser-known. For each processor, I’ll breakdown the pricing, benefits, drawbacks, and explain which types of businesses should consider the processing service. StripeIf you’re accepting payments online, Stripe should be one of your top choices. In fact, Stripe ranked first on my list of the best payment methods for your ecommerce site. Stripe is built for developers, so you might be a little overwhelmed when you first land on their website. However, you’ll quickly realize that this payment processor is easy to use, regardless of your technical experience. For those of you who want to take advantage of the developer features, you’ll be impressed with the Stripe API and UI toolkit. Another top benefit of Stripe is its built-in fraud protection system. This will help you manage and avoid ecommerce chargebacks. It’s easy to integrate Stripe with your ecommerce store, regardless of the platform that you’re using. Stripe accepts a wide range of payment options, including digital wallets like Apple Pay, Microsoft Pay, Google Pay, and Visa Checkout. Stripe helps simplify your checkout process. According to a recent IDC report, businesses using this payment processing service were able to increase their revenue by 6.7%. The report also found that Stripe resulted in 59% higher productivity, 81% fewer unplanned outages, and 24% lower operating costs. Speaking of costs, Stripe is an affordable payment processor, even if you’re just starting out. The fixed pricing model is very straightforward:
If you use Stripe to set up recurring charges for subscription customers, your first $1 million is free. After that, you’ll pay $0.5% on all recurring charges. I like Stripe because you pay the same flat rate for all credit cards, including digital wallets and premium cards like American Express. For those of you with unique business models and large payouts, you may qualify for a customized pricing solution. Contact the Stripe sales team about volume discounts, interchange pricing, and multi-product discounts. Overall, Stripe is an ideal solution for any ecommerce business. It is highly technical, which can be a drawback for companies that don’t have a developer on staff. HelcimHelcim is an all-in-one payment processing service for retail locations and online stores. It’s a top choice for small business owners. Transparency is the reason why Helcim ranks so high on our list. Their interchange pricing structure shows you exactly how much you’ll pay above the interchange rate set by the credit card companies. Helcim has arguably the best rate guarantee in the industry. They will never increase your rates for the lifetime of your account. While the fees for certain cards might go up, the Helcim margins will always remain the same. When you sign up for Helcim, you’ll choose between two base plans:
While Helcim does have the online feature, I’d personally just consider them for in-person payments. Your rates will vary by industry, monthly processing volume, and average transaction amount. The industry options are:
Here’s a detailed look at the pricing rates for retail merchants based on monthly volume. If you compare these rates to other processing services out there, you’ll see that Helcim interchange pricing costs are below average. So it’s an excellent way for small businesses to save some money on credit card processing, even if they are in the lower pricing tiers. Helcim contracts are month-to-month, and they don’t charge any cancellation fees. You can integrate Helcim with QuickBooks to improve your small business accounting process as well. Helcim offers a POS system, with an app that’s free with your plan. However, the app does not integrate with the credit card terminals as of now, which isn’t ideal. Terminals purchased through Helcim range from $229 to $649 per unit. While Helcim prices are competitive and generally low, it’s not the best choice for those of you who are only processing less than $3,000 per month. You can probably find a more cost-effective alternative elsewhere. SquareMore than 2 million businesses use Square to process payments. Square offers POS systems with built-in payment processing. This company ranked first on my list of the best POS systems, so the fact that they double as a payment processor is an added bonus. Any business accepting in-person payments needs to take a closer look at Square. Square also processes payments online, on the go, through recurring invoices, and manually for orders taken over the phone. But with that said, the in-person POS processing is where Square really shines. Another standout of Square is the ability to get paid fast. While most processing companies usually take a couple of days for funds withdrawals, Square gets money in your bank account in the next business day. They also offer instant transfers for a fee. Square’s pricing is straightforward and transparent. You’ll pay the same rate for every card, including Discover and American Express. They don’t charge any startup fees, monthly fees, cancelation fees, authorization fees, statement fees, terminal fees, or other common industry-standard markups. Square pricing varies slightly by industry and POS hardware, but here are the most common rates offered:
Square provides you with everything you need for success when processing payments. They have active fraud prevention, account takeover protection, dispute management, other security measures like PCI compliance and end-to-end encryption. Signing up and getting started with Square is simple. The only major drawback of Square is that its customer service is not available 24/7. Most processing companies can be reached on weekends, nights, or other odd hours. If I were running a physical retail store and wanted a POS system and payment processor from the same company, I’d choose Square. PayPalPayPal has been a giant in the world of processing transactions for more than a decade. It’s a name that we’re all familiar with, and there’s a good chance that you’ve used PayPal in some form or another in your personal life. While PayPal has always been known for its P2P payments, it’s also a great choice for businesses to use as a payment processing service. You can use PayPal to accept payments both online or in-person. It’s the best option for low-volume businesses to get paid online. I recently wrote an article comparing PayPal vs. Stripe for ecommerce. While Stripe definitely has its fair share of advantages, the PayPal technology is much simpler. It’s also extremely easy to set up. You won’t need to worry about all of the developer features like you do with Stripe. Let’s take a closer look at PayPal’s processing fees:
As you can see, the pricing is nearly identical to Stripe. One of the best parts about using PayPal as your online payment processor is that you’ll be able to accept PayPal, Venmo, and PayPal credits in addition to all major credit and debit cards. This is a massive advantage over other payment processors, where you would need to integrate PayPal separately. While I personally like PayPal’s online features, the flat rate of 2.7% per transaction for mobile and in-store payments is appealing for low-volume merchants as well. The biggest downside of using PayPal is that customers will be taken to the PayPal website to finish processing all online transactions. You can eliminate this step and integrate PayPal directly into your site, but there is an added fee for that. Speaking of added fees, PayPal has a long list of add-ons and other incidentals that they charge for. They are transparent about these prices, but make sure you review all of them in your contract so you fully understand the terms. Overall, you know you’re getting a trusted and reputable brand if you use PayPal to process credit card transactions for your business. Flagship Merchant ServicesFlagship Merchant Services is a bit different compared to other credit card processors that we’ve reviewed so far. If you land on their website, you’ll quickly see that there aren’t prices listed anywhere. In fact, their website is just one page. There’s nowhere to really navigate and learn much more about their services. The benefit of Flagship Merchant Services for credit card processing is that everything is totally customizable. They offer flexible terms and month-to-month pricing for all businesses. Types of pricing plans are customizable as well. Flagship Merchant Services has tiered pricing and interchange plus options, whereas other payment processors typically just offer one or the other. More than 25,000 small business owners trust Flagship Merchant Services to process their credit card payments. While this payment processor might be a bit smaller or lesser-known than some of the other options on our list, working with a smaller company has its benefits. Flagship Merchant Services offers exceptional 24/7 customer service. You’ll get a free EMV terminal or Clover Mini POS system when you sign up. If they can’t lower your processing rates, they’ll send you a $50 AMEX gift card. The downside of this payment processor is the setup and getting started. No prices or contract details are available online. So you’ll need to speak to a sales rep to request a quote, which isn’t convenient for everyone. Payment DepotPayment Depot processes more than $4 billion in credit card sales with over 3 million transactions per month. Their system is simple; they charge a membership fee to give you access to wholesale processing rates. Think of Payment Depot as the Costco for credit card processing. The prices are lower than the competition, but you need to be a member. For this reason, Payment Depot is the best option for high-volume merchants. Payment Depot does not take a percentage of each transaction. They simply charge a fixed amount per transaction based on your membership tier on top of the interchange fee. Here’s an overview of the plans, features, and pricing: Basic — $49 per month + interchange
Most Popular — $79 per month + interchange
Best Value — $99 per month + interchange
Premier — $199 per month + interchange
All plans come with a 90-day free trial. Payment Depot is used by big brands like Dominos, Boost Mobile, Subway, Arco, and Sprint. I wouldn’t consider this payment processor unless you’re over the $25,000 monthly limit. As you can see from the rates, you can save lots of money on processing fees with a Payment Depot membership. Overall, this is an impressive payment processing service. The only downside is that it’s not realistic for most smaller businesses to consider. CDGcommerceCDGcommerce offers custom credit card processing services for different industries. Some popular categories include:
Clearly, all of these different business types will have varying needs. But overall, CDGcommerce is the best choice for nonprofit organizations. That’s because CDGcommerce doesn’t charge any monthly fees or require monthly minimums for nonprofits. You can get an integrated mobile card reader, set up recurring billing, and benefit from special nonprofit rates. The rates will vary based on volume and specific needs, but nonprofit processing typically starts 0.20% + $0.10 per transaction, plus interchange costs. If you fall into one of the other categories, CDGcommerce has flexible pricing options based on your monthly volume. One Rate Pricing: $1,000 – $10,000 monthly volume
Interchange Plus Pricing: $10,000 – $200,000 monthly volume
Wholesale Membership: $200,000+ monthly volume
Again, the specific rates will vary for each business based on a number of factors. You need to contact the CDGcommerce sales team to request a quote. I chatted with an online sales rep just to see how long this would take, and I got a quick answer in just a couple of minutes. This wasn’t an official quote, but it’s nice knowing that they are quick to respond. That’s where I got the starting rates for nonprofits, which isn’t listed anywhere on the website. PaylinePayline is another lesser-known payment processing service. But they have a wide range of solutions for mobile payments, ecommerce payments, and in-person payments. They can meet the needs of small business owners, enterprises, and everyone in between. However, Payline is the best option for a very specific type of business—high-risk merchants. For one reason or another, certain merchants are considered a high risk to credit card processing companies. It could have to do with the history of your company, or maybe it has to do with the types of products that you’re selling (CBD, firearms, vaping, etc). It’s tough for these merchants to find a credit card processing service that will work with them, and even harder to find one that will offer favorable rate terms. So if you fall into the high-risk merchant category, Payline will be your best option. Payline will even work with businesses in online gaming, casinos, multi-level marketing, and adult industries. Rates and plans are customized for each merchant. But if you’re struggling to find a payment processor that will accept your business, I’d schedule a call or apply online with Payline. How to Find the Best Credit Card Processing ServicesThere are certain features that you need to keep an eye on when you’re evaluating a credit card processing service. This is the methodology that we used here at Quick Sprout to filter results and come up with the list above. Pricing TypeThere are two main pricing structures for credit card processing.
With fixed pricing, it’s the same rate for each transaction, regardless of the credit card that the customer uses. Stripe, Square, and PayPal are examples of processors with fixed prices. For interchange pricing, you pay the amount charged by the credit card company, plus the markup fees of the processor. Helcim has interchange pricing. Flagship Merchant Services offers both fixed-rate plans as well as interchange pricing, since they provide custom solutions for different businesses. Some credit card processors, like Payment Depot, will charge you a monthly rate to access wholesale prices. It’s crucial to figure out which pricing structure works best for your business because the structure will ultimately affect how much you pay. Monthly VolumeIn most cases, high-volume merchants can get lower processing rates per transaction. You can request a custom quote from nearly every credit card processor, even if they have fixed rates advertised on their website. With that said, there are certain services that are best for high-volume merchants, and others that are better for low-volume merchants. I’d recommend PayPal for low-volume processing and Payment Depot for high-volume credit card transactions. IndustryThe type of business you have will affect your credit card processing terms. Rates vary if you’re processing cards online, in-person, or over the phone for “card not present” transactions. Stripe is the best provider for online transactions, while Square is better for brick-and-mortar retail locations. Other payment processing services specialize in nonprofit organizations or high-risk merchant industries. So if you fall into one of those categories, you’ll need to find a processor that can meet those needs. Funds WithdrawalsHow soon can you get your money? In most cases, funds are available in your bank account after two business days. Sometimes this period can be a bit longer when you’re just starting out. Other credit card processors offer next-day delivery for funds. Some providers will let you do an instant funds withdrawal for an added fee. So if you need your money immediately, this is definitely something that you need to keep in mind. Extra CostsIn addition to the transactional fees or monthly plan rates, there are other costs that you need to keep in mind when you’re evaluating a credit card payment processor. I’m referring to things like hardware, POS systems, and payment terminals. Some providers charge extra for international transactions, setup fees, or cancellations. So make sure you review all of this before you decide on service based on the transactional rates alone. ConclusionEvery business needs a processing service to accept credit card payments, whether you’re selling in-store, online, or both. What’s the best credit card processing company? It depends. All credit card processors are not created equally. Here’s a recap of the best processing services for specific instances and business types:
No matter what type of business you have, I’m sure you fall into one of the categories above. I made sure to include something for everyone on my list. Use this guide to find the best credit card processor for your company. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-credit-card-processing-services/ For decades, the fax machine was the most popular way to communicate in the business world. But there’s no denying its decline since digital communication has become the new norm. With that said, there are still times when you need to send a fax. Or maybe someone needs to send you a fax. Believe it or not, faxing is not dead. 82% of companies with 500+ employees are continuing to send the same number of faxes, if not more, year-over-year. Certain documents, especially those requiring signatures, are sent still via fax. While it may not always be your preferred method of communication, this is something that you can’t ignore. That’s why online faxing is growing in popularity. With an online fax service, you can send and receive faxes without owning a fax machine. Switching to an online fax service has so many benefits. In addition to the convenience, it’s cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Traditional fax machines consume roughly 200 billion pages of paper per year in the US alone. If just 5% of those faxes were sent online, it would save 10 billion pieces of paper or roughly one million trees per year. This reduces your carbon footprint and saves costs related to paper, ink, and energy. If you want to ditch your old fax machine and start sending faxes online, this guide has you covered. I’ve identified the top online faxing options for you to consider. The 9 Best Online Fax ServicesThere are dozens, if not hundreds, of online faxing services. It can be pretty overwhelming to find the best one for your unique situation. Not all online faxing services are the same. I’ve reviewed the top nine options on the market today. While all of them will allow you to send and receive faxes online, some will be more appealing to you than others. Each review covers the price, benefits, and any potential drawbacks of the faxing service. Use this information to find the best online fax for your business or personal use. eFaxWith over 10 million users across the globe, eFax is one of the most popular online fax services on the market today. The concept is simple; send an online fax from anywhere using your smartphone, computer, or tablet. You do not need a fax machine to use eFax. Getting started with eFax is simple. Select an area code based on your location, or choose a toll-free number based in the US. One of the major standouts of eFax is the ability to send international faxes, which isn’t offered by every online fax company. If you already have a fax number for your business, you can convert it to eFax. It’s worth noting that novelty and custom fax numbers are not available with eFax. As I mentioned earlier, faxing is commonly used for scenarios when signing documents is required. eFax has an integrated electronic signature feature, which allows you to sign documents without having to print anything. eFax offers unlimited online storage to safely keep your faxes on file for the lifetime of your account. It’s easy to locate documents by searching for keywords. Speaking of security, eFax won’t deliver fax content directly to your email inbox. Instead, all inbound faxes are encrypted and hosted securely. So you can download any confidential faxes from there. If you’re using online cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud, eFax lets you fetch files from there and send them out via your virtual fax. Here’s an overview of the eFax pricing structure: eFax Plus — $16.95 per month
eFax Pro — $19.95 per month
They also offer eFax Corporate solutions with custom pricing based on volume. You’ll need to request a quote from their sales team. These prices are actually a bit high compared to the competition. You can save some money and get two free months if you sign up for an annual plan instead of month-to-month. If you go over your monthly page allowance, you’ll be charged an additional $0.10 per page with each plan. Overall, eFax is simple, straightforward, and popular. The mobile app is modern, and you’ll benefit from high-quality faxes. eFax does fall short in terms of value. There are more affordable options out there, and it’s not great for high-volume users. HelloFaxIf you’re looking for an online fax service with a smooth and modern interface, HelloFax should be at the top of your list. HelloFax stands out from the competition with its cloud storage integration features and team options, which is great for small business owners. Another reason why we love HelloFax is because it has a built-in editor. This makes it extremely easy for you to deal with any attachments. Unlike eFax, which counts sent and received faxes separately toward your monthly allowance, HelloFax groups them together. In my opinion, this is a much better pricing structure. Here’s an overview of the plans and pricing for HelloFax. Free — $0
Home Office — $9.99 per month
Professional — $19.99 per month
Small Business — $39.99 per month
The free send-only plan is extremely limited. It’s really only intended for someone who needs to send a one-time fax that’s less than five pages. Otherwise, there’s not much else you can do with it. For just $10 per month, you can send an receive 100 more pages than eFax, for half of the price. Plus, HelloFax won’t hit you with any setup fees. All paid plans come with a 30-day free trial and discounted rates for annual contracts. While HelloFax is great, it does have one significant pitfall that’s tough to overlook. There isn’t a dedicated mobile app, which is a bit disappointing. But if you can look past that, HelloFax is still a great option to consider. FaxZeroThe name FaxZero is inspired by its price—zero dollars to use. That’s right; FaxZero is a free online fax service. More than 20,060,000 faxes have been sent using the platform. Using FaxZero is simple. Just navigate to the website and fill out the fax form. You don’t even need to create an account. Simply enter your name, company (optional), email address, and phone number. Then enter the name and fax number of the recipient. Once that information has been filled out, you can send up to three pages by attaching a file. The cover page does not count toward this limit. You can send up to five free faxes per day, for a total of 15 free pages daily. That’s pretty good considering you don’t have to pay for anything. The downside of FaxZero is that you can’t receive any faxes. But it’s the perfect choice for an occasional user who just needs to send a quick fax. FaxZero also offers an “Almost Free Fax” plan, which costs $1.99 per fax. This allows you to send up to 25 pages and removes the FaxZero branding from the cover page. I probably wouldn’t consider the paid plan unless it was just a one-time occurrence. There are other affordable plans out there that provide much better value and benefits with monthly plan options. The bottom line is simple. If you don’t have a fax machine and want to send a short fax for free online, FaxZero will be your best option. Beyond that, it’s extremely limited. SfaxThe “S” in Sfax stands for secure. This online fax service is different compared to other options on our list. It’s an industry-specific online fax option for individuals in the healthcare space. Any time medical records are being sent, through any medium, privacy and security is a top concern. Sfax is a HIPAA-compliant fax service that allows people to send, receive, manage, annotate, and digitally sign documents without a fax machine or a printer. In addition to the enhanced security, Sfax will also improve your healthcare workflow process. Printing and manually signing documents is not an effective use of time. Sfax makes it possible for your remote staff, or anyone who is traveling, to send and receive essential health documents from anywhere. Since Sfax is designed for the health industry, it offers flexible options for total control. You can manage your users to set access, permissions, and security options for each person. It’s also easy for groups and teams to collaborate, view, manage, and export documents. You can use Sfax with multiple locations, multiple numbers, and multiple sub-organizations all on the same plan. You don’t need a separate account for each location, and the number of users for each account won’t be restricted either. Let’s take a look at the plans and pricing options for Sfax: Standard — $29 per month
Plus — $49 per month
Contender — $99 per month
Sfax also has custom Enterprise plans for high-volume users needing 2,500+ pages per month. You’ll be charged $0.10 per page for each page over your monthly limit. As you can see, Sfax is pricey. But it’s worth it for medical practices or any company in the healthcare field. Another drawback of Sfax is that it only supports faxes being sent in the US and Canada. Biscom 123Biscom 123 is another top consideration for online faxing. It’s one of the best options for email-to-fax on the market today. You can send a fax directly from your email app using the following format: The subject line of the email you send will also be the subject of the fax cover page. The body of the email will be the memo of your cover page. But you can’t customize anything else on the cover beyond that. Simply attach files you want to fax directly to the email. Attachments get converted into fax image files and transmitted to the recipient. You’ll receive a confirmation email once all pages have been successfully transmitted and sent. While Biscom 123 integrates with email, it does have a strange drawback compared to other online fax services. You can’t send a fax from the web interface. The Biscom 123 mobile app has its flaws as well. But you must use it to link with your existing email platforms. You might experience some glitches and crashes using the app. Biscom 123 offers two simple plans: Individual — $7.99 per month
Small Group — $14.99 per month
You can try Biscom 123 free for 30 days without entering your credit card information. It’s a good options for occasional users, but definitely has its fair share of limitations. RingCentral FaxIf you’re a regular Quick Sprout reader, you’re probably familiar with the RingCentral name. They recently made my list of the best phone services for small business. RingCentral Fax is another popular feature that should be taken into consideration if you’re a small business owner or sole proprietor. I like RingCentral Fax because it has a modern interface, offers fax scheduling, and supports attachments for large files. Another benefit of this provider is that you won’t be charged for a toll-free fax number. Getting started with RingCentral is simple. Just choose your number and log in online or through the mobile app. Then you can start sending and receiving faxes from any device. You’ll have the option to send online faxes to groups, receive notifications for all fax activity, and block any incoming faxes without caller ID. RingCentral Fax keeps an online file log of all faxes sent and received, so it’s easy to go back to access those as a reference. Here’s the plan and pricing breakdown for RingCentral Fax: Fax 750 — $12.99 per month
Fax 1500 — $17.99 per month
Fax 2500 — $49.99 per month
As you can see, the rate for additional pages is lower with each pricing tier, which is different compared to some of the other services we’ve reviewed so far. You can save up to 33% off with an annual plan and try RingCentral Fax free for 30 days with a trial. RingCentral Fax isn’t perfect. The quality of the faxes could be a bit better, and you won’t be able to send any international faxes. But overall, the plans offer a decent value. MetroFaxMetroFax offers online faxing at an excellent value. With plans starting as low as $10 per month, it’s a top option for small business owners as well as personal usage. Every MetroFax plan comes with the following features and benefits:
MetroFax probably has the best mobile app for faxing online. The web interface is a bit outdated, but it’s a great option if you’re planning to send and receive faxes from your smartphone. In addition to the great value, MetroFax has exceptional fax quality. Unlike other platforms we’ve seen, you won’t pay any activation fee to get started. MetroFax has three plans for you to choose from.
Each plan is designed to meet the needs of low, moderate, and heavy fax users. The platform is designed to accommodate large files as well. One customer raves that they were able to send a 500+ page fax using MetroFax with ease, while other online fax services couldn’t get the job done. Overall, MetroFax is a solid choice for all of your online faxing needs. I wish with the web version was a bit more user-friendly, but stick to the mobile app and you’ll be fine. MyFaxMyFax is another excellent option if you’re planning to send faxes from your mobile devices. But the overall standout of this online faxing service is its simplicity. The MyFax setup process is about as easy as it gets. Like Biscom 123, MyFax is a fax-by-email service. You can deliver MyFax messages to recipients with traditional fax machines as well as those with an online fax service. Although MyFax is simple, it does fall a bit short in terms of security. They also don’t have an option for digital signatures. So I’d recommend MyFax for personal use as opposed to anything business-related or faxing sensitive information. Plans and pricing are as follows: Home Office User — $10 per month
Small Business User — $20 per month
Power User — $40 per month
Each additional page costs $0.10 when you exceed your limits for all plans. Again, I’d really only recommend MyFax for personal use. Even the Small Business plan and Power User plan are pretty limited in terms of how many faxes you can send per month. For comparison purposes, you can send and receive a total of 2,500 pages from MetroFax for less than the cost of the MyFax Power User plan. So if you are a high-volume fax user, you can get a better value elsewhere. A free trial of MyFax is only available for the Home Office plan. It’s worth trying out for a month to see if you like the platform. Fax.PlusFax.Plus is a budget-friendly online fax service. They have a straightforward free plan as well as annual rates starting at $5 per month. The web interface is modern and the mobile app performs well too. This is definitely a bonus, since so many services on our list seem to excel at just one or the other. For a cheap online fax service, Fax.Plus offers quite a bit of extra features and benefits at each plan level. Let’s take a closer look at what you get with each plan. Free — $0
Basic — $5.99 per month ($4.99 with annual plan)
Premium — $11.99 per month ($9.99 with annual plan)
Business — $19.99 per month ($14.99 with annual plan)
Enterprise — $59.99 per month ($49.99 with annual plan)
The options are flexible and extensive, to say the least. Fax.Plus has a plan for everyone. But overall, I’d lean toward the Basic or Premium plans for something budget-friendly. The Business plan is good too in terms of the price, but you’re limited to just 800 pages per month, which won’t accommodate high-volume users. You can add a vanity fax number to your plan for $19.99. It’s free to sign up for Fax.Plus. There’s no time limit to the length of the free plan. You’ll just start paying per page when you go over the 10-page limit. How to Find the Best Online Fax CompaniesWith so many options to choose from, how can you find the best online fax company for your specific needs? There are certain features and benefits that you need to look for when evaluating online fax services. This is the methodology that we used here at Quick Sprout to come up with our guide. Document ArchivesThe best online fax services make it easy for you to access both sent and received faxes after you originally access them. So look for a service that lets you go back and view old messages. Sometimes these archives will be limited to just a year. So it’s important to know your options before you sign up. Cloud Storage IntegrationIn addition to archives within the faxing platform, you can always keep your documents forever by moving them to cloud storage systems like Google Drive or Dropbox. Another benefit of cloud storage integration is the ability to send faxes from those platforms. This is much easier than the alternative of scanning, uploading, and attaching. Multi-Platform AccessTo get the most out of an online fax service, you’ll want the option to send a fax from anywhere. Computers, smartphones, tablets, iOS, and Android devices. While most online fax companies offer a mobile app, that’s not always the case. Plus, some mobile apps are better than others. Some companies have an excellent mobile app, but outdated web interface. So you can make your decision based on what platform you plan to use the most for faxing. Page LimitsNone of the online fax services on our list have the ability to send or receive an unlimited number of faxes. Each platform and plan comes with limits on a monthly basis. If you exceed those limits, you’ll be hit with a per-page overage charge. You’ll want to find a plan that meets your needs without going over those monthly restrictions. Whether you’re an occasional user or high-volume fax user, there are plans and page limits at varying price points for you to consider. ConclusionFaxing has changed. People are getting rid of bulky fax machines in their homes and offices alike. Online faxing services have changed the way we can communicate via fax. So what’s the best online fax service? It depends on what you’re looking for. There are some platforms for small businesses, others for personal use, and even plans for high-volume fax users. Here’s a quick recap of the services on our list:
No matter what type of faxing needs you have, I’m confident that you can find a plan using a service in this guide. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-online-fax-services/ Historically, payroll has been one of the most complex elements of running a business. Business owners need to make sure that everyone is paid with 100% accuracy, including calculations related to taxes, benefits, and more. How hard can it be? Well, about one-third of small businesses are fined by the IRS each year because of payroll mistakes. But modern payroll solutions are changing. The days of faxing wage information to a payroll company and then manually passing out live checks to your employees are fading away. Everyone wants direct deposit. More businesses are working with remote staff, freelancers, and independent contractors. That’s why so many companies are switching to online payroll services.
The Value of a Payroll CompanyThe main value of an online payroll company is simplifying your payroll process. Whether it’s for new hires, contractors, or just weekly payments for full-time employees, online payroll makes things easier. With online payroll software, you don’t need to hire someone to manage payroll for you. The software takes care of everything, from tax filings to withholding deductions and more. Another top benefit of online payroll is flexibility. Some companies offer on-demand payments, so your staff isn’t tied to specified pay cycles. You’ll also have access to your entire payroll system from anywhere. The 6 Best Online Payroll ServicesIf you run a quick search for online payroll software, you’ll be overwhelmed with the dozens, if not hundreds of options on the market. But most of these are pretty easy to eliminate. When it comes to something as important as payroll, you don’t want to take any chances with an inferior service. Depending on the size of your business, there only six online payroll services that I would recommend. I’ve reviewed all six of these in greater detail below. I’ll cover the essential features, pricing, pros, and cons of each to help you find the best one for your business. GustoGusto is a relatively new company. It launched back in 2012 as ZenPayroll and changed its name in 2015. Since that time, Gusto has grown fairly quickly and now serves more than 100,000 businesses across the country. The reason why so many companies are choosing Gusto for payroll is because of the platform’s simplicity. It’s easy for anyone to set up, manage, and pay workers. With Gusto, you can run payroll in minutes. You can even run it on autopilot, assuming things aren’t changing each pay cycle. Not only does Gusto calculate your taxes, but it files everything for you. Local, state, and federal taxes are automatically paid to the right government office each time you run payroll. This benefit is 100% free, while competitors charge extra for it. One of my favorite parts of Gusto is the onboarding process for each employee. Whether you have a new W-2 hire or 1099 contractor, they can onboard themselves. Your staff will have easy access to pay stubs, W-2s, and everything else they need online. Even former employees will still be able to view old payroll information. Gusto offers unlimited payroll cycles, meaning you can issue payments whenever you want. You’re not locked into weekly or bi-weekly cycles. Gusto helps you with compliance, time-tracking, PTO, employee benefits, and more, in addition to being a full-service online payroll company. Pricing for Gusto is as follows: Core — $39 per month
Complete — $39 per month
Concierge — $149 per month
The Core plan is perfect for small teams with basic payroll. As your team scales, you may want to upgrade to the Complete package. Gusto Concierge is designed for larger businesses as a full-service HR resource. Workers’ comp and health benefits are free to integrate with Gusto. They don’t charge any administrative fees, so you’ll only pay for the premiums. 401k plans, 529 college savings plans, HSAs, FSAs, and commuter benefits come with additional monthly base rates, as well as extra charges for each participating employee. Gusto has everything you need in an online payroll service. We use it here at Quick Sprout, and I think it’s exceptional. The only potential drawback is the price. It used to be one of the cheapest payroll options on the market, which is no longer the case. You can try Gusto free for one month. There is no charge for setting up an account, and you’ll only pay after you run your first payroll. QuickBooks PayrollQuickBooks is best known for its small business accounting solutions. But the company also has an outstanding online payroll service that ranks high on our list. QuickBooks Payroll is definitely something you should consider if you’re already using the company for bookkeeping software. You can easily add QuickBooks Payroll to your existing QuickBooks accounting plan. The result will be a seamless all-in-one solution for your accounting, payroll, and HR needs. All local, state, and federal taxes will be calculated and paid, automatically, each pay cycle. You can also run Auto Payroll after the initial set up to minimize the time spent running payroll each week. One of my favorite parts about QuickBooks Payroll is that the company stands behind their product. They are so confident that their calculations will be accurate, that they’ll pay penalty fees incurred from filing errors. As you would probably expect, the biggest benefit of using QuickBooks Payroll is its integration with QuickBooks accounting software. Your bookkeeping records and reports will be updated in real-time with each pay cycle. This also makes it easier for you to share payroll information with your accountant. More than 1.4 million businesses use QuickBooks for payroll, so you know it’s a company and solution that you can trust. Here’s a brief overview of the plans and pricing for QuickBooks Payroll: Core — $45 per month
Premium — $75 per month
Elite — $125 per month
Overall, QuickBooks Payroll is as solid as it gets. They offer exceptional customer support for such a large company. If you have any problems, questions, or need assistance, it’s easy to get things resolved. QuickBooks Payroll falls a bit short in terms of employee benefits and HR guidance with all plans. But it’s still a top choice to consider, especially if you’re already using QuickBooks Online for your accounting needs. PaychexPaychex has been in the payroll business for nearly 50 years. They currently service the payroll needs of about 650,000 companies. Over the years, Paychex has evolved to adapt with the growing trends in the payroll industry. That’s what makes them such an appealing option for online payroll services. While Paychex offers solutions for small business owners, I’d recommend this company to larger organizations seeking new payroll options. The reason why Paychex is better for large corporations is because of its flexibility. Paychex offers solutions that go far and beyond basic payroll processing. They also provide HR administration, employee onboarding, and background checks for new hires. Depending on the plan you choose, employees can be paid via direct deposit, paper checks, or prepaid debit cards. Paychex Go is the plan designed for small businesses. It starts at $59 per month plus $4 per employee. It’s easy to sign up and get started online by creating a free account. But overall the plan is pretty limited, and I’d look for other options as a small business owner. Paychex Flex is the complete payroll and HR solution designed for larger companies. Pricing is customized based on your needs. Added benefits of Paychex Flex include:
The Flex plan also comes with employee services like extra payment options, onboarding essentials, HR administration, employee screening, and a financial wellness program. I’d say the biggest downside of Paychex is that the sign up process isn’t as simple compared to some of the other options on our list. You’ll need to contact their sales team to request a quote, so it’s not something that you can do on your own without any assistance. OnPayOnPay was founded in 2007. The company scaled quickly over the years and now processes more than $50 billion in payroll each year. I like OnPay because it’s a simplified payroll process. There is just one plan to choose from, and it comes with everything you need all-inclusive. That’s why OnPay is my top recommendation for small business owners. The all-in-one payroll service has straightforward and transparent pricing. It’s $36 per month plus $4 per employee. This is a great value compared to some of the other options on our list, especially considering all of the features and benefits that you’ll get.
OnPay also has specialized payroll solutions for businesses in specific industries with unique needs. Examples include restaurants, farming, nonprofits, and churches. Another top benefit of OnPay is the employee self-service functions. Your staff can onboard themselves, access their accounts even after leaving the company, and change their personal information at any time. Employees can also manage voluntary deductions like their 401k plans directly online. OnPay integrates with other software that you might be using to run your business, like QuickBooks, Xero, or TSheets. Overall, OnPay is about as simple as it gets. You’ll get everything you need to run payroll for your small business, including HR benefits. It’s easy to add on things like employee health and dental, workers’ comp, and retirement plans. Your first month using OnPay is free. They’ll also cover any migration costs from your old payroll provider. The only major drawback of OnPay is that there they don’t have a mobile app. While the site is optimized for mobile devices, apps seem to be pretty standard in today’s day and age. OnPay will charge you extra for any year-end forms that are mailed to your office or employees. But you could always print them out yourself to avoid those costs. SurePayrollSurePayroll has been around for about 20 years. In 2011, the company was acquired by Paychex. But it’s still run and sold as a separate payroll service, and it’s different from the Paychex plans that we reviewed earlier in this guide. This payroll service is more equipped to meet the needs of small business owners, compared to its Paychex parent company. All you need to do is enter the hours or salary for each employee, review the tax deductions, and approve the payroll to start processing. This is extremely easy for any small business owner to do online. Run unlimited payrolls each month for no additional charge. You also have the option to run one-day and same-day payrolls. If your business runs the same payroll each cycle, you can use Auto Payroll as a hands-off service. SurePayroll helps you manage 401ks, HSAs, FSAs, commuter benefits, and garnishment deductions as well. They also have exceptional customer support via phone, email, and live chat. However, this is limited to six days per week during normal business hours. In addition to small business owners, SurePayroll carves out a unique niche. They offer specific payroll solutions for nannys, caregivers, and other household employees. This service helps homeowners avoid IRS fines and ensures compliance. Like Paychex, you’ll need to request a quote from the sales team to learn more about your specific pricing options. So getting started isn’t necessarily a breeze. SurePayroll does offer two months free, which is one of the best promotions that I’ve seen in my research. Square PayrollSquare is best known for its POS software and credit card processing services. But Square Payroll is an excellent all-in-one payroll solution for any business. The biggest draw of using Square Payroll is its compatibility with other Square solutions. So if you’re using Square POS, you can sync those timecards with your payroll system. This is one of the best ways to digitally track employee hours without having to manually enter information for each pay cycle. Square will also help you calculate and split any employee credit card tips. Another top benefit of Square Payroll is the setup. You can get up and running in just a few quick steps, all done online. Simply input your company info, add your workers’ information, and run your payroll. Alternatively, you can invite your employees to enter their own information for self-service onboarding. Square Payroll has a great mobile app for managing payroll from anywhere. Pricing for Square Payroll is affordable and straightforward. It costs $29 per month plus $5 per person paid. Furthermore, Square Payroll offers a unique option for businesses paying contractors. It’s just $5 per contractor per month, with no base subscription fee. This is one of the most affordable pricing plans you’ll find. Overall, Square Payroll is perfect for businesses already using the Square POS system. It’s got everything you need to process payroll. With all of that said, I wouldn’t recommend it to larger businesses in need of more HR resources. Square Payroll is pretty limited in that sense. How to Find the Best Online Payroll ServicesThere are lots of different factors that need to be taken into consideration when you’re evaluating an online payroll service. This is the methodology that we used during our research to create this guide. Business SizeLarge and small business have different needs; payroll is no exception. A business with just five employees won’t be using the same payroll system as a company with 50 or 500 employees. Recognize which payroll solutions are the best for your business size. If you’re planning on growing and hiring new people in the coming months or years, make sure you choose an online payroll solution that can scale with you. Types of EmployeesWho are you paying? Most payroll services will accommodate businesses with full-time W-2 employees. However, there are better options if you have part-time staff or issue payments to independent contractors. AutomationYour online payroll solution is supposed to make your life easier. So I always recommend systems with automated options. If your payroll doesn’t change between each cycle, look for an option with an autopilot mode that allows you to just set it and forget it. The best online payroll services will automatically calculate and file taxes as well as other withholdings. Employee Self-ServiceIf you choose an online payroll service that is employee-friendly, it’s going to make your life much easier too. The best payroll software allows employees to edit their personal information, manage their benefits and taxes, as well as view old pay stubs. You can even find payroll services that offer self-onboarding for employees. Just invite them to join so they can enter personal details and bank information. Your W-2 and 1099 workers can use the self-service features to access tax documents each year, instead of you having to print and mail them on your own. BenefitsNot every payroll system has built-in options for you to set up and manage employee benefits. I’m referring to things like:
So if you’re offering these types of benefits to your employees, you need to find a payroll system that’s accommodating. Pay CyclesHow often do you want to run payroll? Lots of online payroll systems won’t restrict you to just once per week or twice per month. There are plenty of options out there that offer unlimited payroll each month. This is great for those of you who don’t want to be tied into a specific schedule. In some instances, you can even let your employees decide when and how they get paid. Maybe you want employees on salary to get paid automatically each week. But you want to manually pay independent contractors for specific amounts only once per month. There are online payroll services that let you do both with ease. PriceThe cost of your payroll service will obviously be a factor in your decision. In many cases, payroll plans are structured by a fixed monthly rate and an additional fee per employee. The monthly rates can range anywhere from $30 to $150. We’ve seen employee fees start as low as $4 per month and get as high as $12. The price you pay will also have an impact on the features of your plan. If you’re looking for a full-service HR solution in addition to traditional payroll, you can expect to pay on the higher end of this spectrum. ConclusionEvery business needs a payroll solution. But not every online payroll service is created equally. There are definitely options on the market that are better than others. What’s the best online payroll service? The answer is different for each business owner. Here’s a quick recap of the best choices based on our methodology:
Whether you have a small business, large corporation, or have unique payroll needs, there is definitely a solution for you in this guide. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-online-payroll-services/ The days of traditional cash registers are long behind us. Modern POS solutions are flexible and offer a wide range of technical functionalities. This is the moment where you get paid for the exchange of goods or services. So you want the transaction to benefit the customer, while simultaneously making things as easy as possible for your business. The capabilities of POS systems today are seemingly limitless. They can track anything from your best-selling products to your most productive employees, and everything in between. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your existing POS software or buy a brand new point-of-sale system for your startup, this guide will help you find the best one.
The Value of a Point-of-Sale SystemThe best POS software does more than just process payments. These systems make it possible for you to operate your entire business. Point-of-sale systems help you track inventory, analyze crucial sales metrics, and manage your employees. You can find a POS service that integrates with customer loyalty programs and email marketing tools. POS systems can sync with your accounting systems, payment processors, mobile devices, and ecommerce platforms as well. A great POS solution will not only improve your business, but it will also enhance the overall customer experience. The right POS software can speed up your in-store sales process, eliminate manual tasks, and improve the accuracy of your reporting. The 8 Best POS SystemsThere is definitely no shortage of POS solutions on the market today. This wide range of choices can make it overwhelming to narrow down your options. Fortunately, I’ve done all of the hard work and heavy-lifting for you. At the end of the day, there are really only eight POS solutions that I feel good about recommending. I’ll show you the best ones, their top features, pricing options, and point out any potential drawbacks as well. Some of these solutions are industry-specific or stand out for one feature over another. But regardless of your situation, I’m confident that you can find what you need on our list below. SquareSquare POS is sweeping the nation. This global brand seems to be the most common and well-recognized POS system in retail locations where I do the majority of my in-person shopping. That’s because the Square POS software is so flexible. You can turn your own devices into a POS system without having to buy any extra hardware. If you want to get hardware directly from Square, they have plenty of different options for you to choose from:
It all depends on the type of business you have. For coffee shops or boutique clothing stores, the register and standup terminal would be the best options. But for accepting payments on the go, you can turn your smartphone into a POS solution with the Square Reader for magstripe. The versatility makes Square a popular choice for small business owners. Square doubles as a credit card processor, so you won’t need to integrate a third-party solution to accept payments. Square is also known for its straightforward and transparent pricing. The software is 100% free to download and use. You won’t pay any hidden costs or monthly fees either. No matter how many sales you process, your only cost is the transaction rate. Square costs 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction. It’s worth noting that Square does offer volume discounts for larger businesses. If you process more than $250k per year with an average order size over $15, you can contact their sales team for a custom solution. Square provides real-time analytics and reporting. It’s also easy for you to view, manage, track, edit, and update your inventory with this POS solution. Square creates customer profiles so you can manage your customers better. One potential drawback of Square is scaling too quickly. Some users complain that their accounts were placed on hold for large transaction volumes, as the system has security protocols in place to protect against fraudulent charges. Square is the best overall POS system today. I’d recommend it for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and even medium to large-sized companies. ShopKeepShopKeep is another POS solution that’s perfect for small business owners. It’s great for those of you who fall into the quick-serve or retail categories, although they do offer solutions for restaurants as well. The best part about ShopKeep is its simplicity. If you have part-time staff or high employee turnover, you won’t have trouble training new hires to use this software. ShopKeep offers a customized onboarding process, including personalized POS setups. The software is designed to accelerate your checkout process, automate monotonous business tasks, and set up your company for long-term success. You’ll also have access to the ShopKeep mobile app, where you can view real-time sales information, inventory, and data from anywhere on the go. This makes it easy for you to keep an eye on your business even when you’re not physically present on location. ShopKeep has exceptional support, 24/7/365. The downside of ShopKeep is that the pricing isn’t so transparent. Everything is customized to your business based on the features, add-ons, and hardware that you need. So you’ll need to contact their sales team to request a quote. You’ll pay extra for each additional register, as well as other features like gift cards or third-party integrations. Like Square, ShopKeep is also a payment processor. Although just like the POS plans, this pricing isn’t very transparent either. Rates are based on volume and sales. A unique standout of ShopKeep is that the company provides capital to businesses seeking loans. This merchant cash advance program is a way for companies to secure a loan in exchange for a percentage of their credit card sales. ShopifyShopify is the best ecommerce platform on the market today. If you’re currently using Shopify to sell online, or plan to expand your retail stores into the ecommerce space, then I highly recommend the Shopify POS system. With Shopify POS, you can manage all of your in-store and online selling in one place. It’s much easier than using separate solutions. Your inventory is updated and managed in real-time across multiple locations for Internet and in-person sales. You can also manage transfers between locations and use Shopify for inventory forecasting. Shopify makes it easy for you to create loyalty with profiles and tools for building customer loyalty programs. Avoid long lines with Shopify POS by accepting payments from anywhere in the store. Since your ecommerce and in-store solution will be connected with Shopify POS, customers will have the ability to return or exchange an online purchase at a local retail location. Shopify POS is included for free in the monthly cost of your Shopify plan. You’ll only pay extra for the processing fees. Basic Shopify — $29 per month
Shopify — $79 per month
Advanced Shopify — $299 per month
For selling online with dozens of physical store locations, you’ll need to find something a bit more advanced than Shopify. But Shopify is perfect for easy setups and selling right away both online and in-person from a handful of brick-and-mortar stores. If you’re currently using Shopify to sell online, then using Shopify POS for in-store transactions is a no-brainer. I’d also recommend Shopify If you’re in the market for a new POS system, and you’re looking to launch a new ecommerce store. RevelRevel offers POS systems for retail, restaurants, bars, and quick-serve businesses. Revel is a hybrid POS, using a combination of the cloud and your local network to store information. This allows you to process transactions even if you lose a connection. If you’re a small business owner with multiple locations, Revel has a centralized management system that standardizes everything across each site. Revel has a wide range of hardware options for you to choose from, depending on the type of business you have and your in-store layout:
While other POS systems on the market encourage you to use your own devices, Revel strongly recommends that you buy hardware directly from them for everything to go smoothly. So this will be an added cost. Speaking of price, the Revel POS software starts at $99 per month per terminal. It’s a bit pricey compared to the competition, especially for a small business owner. Installation and onboarding starts at $649. Contact their sales team for a quote on processing fees. Revel POS software contracts are billed annually, with a minimum 3-year contract required. So you won’t have the flexibility to change or cancel in the short term. Revel’s high prices are justified if you plan to take advantage of their CRM features. They offer tools for customer insights, segmenting customers, connecting with marketing campaigns, managing appointments, and more. This system is one of the best on the market in terms of managing customer loyalty programs from your POS software. If you can afford the high monthly rates, installation fees, and hardware, Revel offers enterprise-grade POS systems for small businesses. But the price is something that can’t be overlooked, especially for a 3-year contract. VendUnlike other POS systems on the market today, Vend is an exclusively cloud-based POS solution. They don’t offer any on-site server deployment, which is great for small business owners, although larger companies will find this to be a bit limiting. The advantage here is the cross-platform consistency. The system looks the same on the front end, regardless of the hardware you’re using. Vend is a bit different compared to other POS solutions on our list. They don’t sell any hardware, and they don’t process payments. Instead, you’ll have to use Vend to integrate with third-party solutions for things like payment processing or other needs. But the benefit here is the software’s simplicity. Vend is intended for small retailers. It’s not made for bars, restaurants, or food trucks. Here’s an overview of the Vend POS plans and pricing:
The Lite plan has a $20,000 monthly turnover limit. If you exceed this limit three times in a 12 month period, you’ll be upgraded to the Pro plan. Both Lite and Pro come with just one register. Additional registers cost $59 per month or $49 per month with an annual plan. Vend Pro offers added features like advanced analytics and reporting, gift cards, promotions, ecommerce channels, multi-outlet retail management, and API access. Larger companies can request a custom solution with Vend Enterprise. This comes with a dedicated account manager and custom onboarding. But if you outgrow the Pro plan, I’d look elsewhere for POS software. Vend is perfect for small retail shops with just one register. You aren’t forced to buy expensive hardware, and the system is easy to use. Try Vend for free with a 14-day trial. TouchBistroAs the name implies, TouchBistro is an industry-specific POS solution. They offer tools for full-service restaurants, bars, clubs, food trucks, breweries, and quick service food or drink businesses. Some of the top features of TouchBistro include:
TouchBistro is an all-in-one solution that allows you to set up self-ordering kiosks, a kitchen display system, and customer-facing displays for takeout. It’s essentially everything you would need in a POS system if you are in the food service industry. You can even integrate your POS with online ordering. Take reservations, set up a customer loyalty program; TouchBistro does it all. With TouchBistro, you have the option to use your own hardware and just buy the software. Alternatively, you can bundle the software and hardware with your plan. Let’s take a look at each option. Solo — 1 License
Dual — 2 Licenses
Team — Up to 5 Licenses
Unlimited — 6+ Licenses
Note: All plans are billed annually. TouchBistro has outstanding 24/7 customer support via phone and email. They also offer training services for large operations. Their staff is comprised of actual food service managers, servers, and owners. So they know exactly how to address your needs and challenges. While TouchBistro is hands-down our top recommendation for restaurant POS software, there are a few things to keep in mind before you get started. The system is not entirely cloud-based, so you’ll need to run it on a local network as well. So it’s not the best fit for those of you who operate with an unstable or unreliable Internet connection. TouchBistro runs on an Apple-based infrastructure. If you want an Android or Windows POS system, this is not the best choice for your restaurant. LightspeedLightspeed is a lesser-known POS system compared to other options on our list. But with that said, it’s one of the best in the industry in terms of inventory management. The company offers POS solutions for retailers and restaurants. But for the purpose of this review, I’m going to focus on the retail POS system. If you have a restaurant, use TouchBistro. Lightspeed’s inventory system makes it easy for you to save time with centralized purchasing catalogs that are integrated into the POS software. You can sell in bundles and manage multiple product variations, as well. Track unit costs, get alerts for items that are low in stock, and even sell out-of-stock items that will be fulfilled upon arrival. Lightspeed is ideal if your retail location requires special requests, like custom items, work orders, layaways, and purchase orders. You can meet all of these demands directly from your POS. This makes it a popular choice for small business owners in the following categories:
You can use Lightspeed with your own hardware from any device, regardless of the operating system. Lightspeed POS allows you to set up customer profiles for purchase history and lifetime value. You can also segment your customers into different categories. There are five different price points for you to choose from, depending on the size of your operation:
Ecommerce integration begins at the Starter level, and the ability to connect your accounting software starts with the Standard plan. For customer loyalty programs, you’ll need to upgrade to the Advanced package. Analytics are only available for Lightspeed Pro. Additional registers can be added for $29 per month, each. You can also use Lightspeed as a payment processor. They charge 2.6% plus $0.10 per transaction. The biggest drawback of Lightspeed is that it doesn’t have as many payment processing integrations as some of the other options on our list. This might be intentional, so they can convince you to use their processing system. QuickBooksQuickBooks is an industry leader in small business accounting solutions. However, the company also offers a great POS system, which most people don’t know about. Some POS software offers third-party integrations for syncing with accounting software. But as you would expect, the compatibility between QuickBooks POS and QuickBooks accounting is better than any of those integrations. So if you’re currently using QuickBooks and in the market for a new POS system, this should definitely be on your radar. The benefit of using the same company for POS and accounting software is that your analytics and insights will be extremely accurate. Using QuickBooks POS can ultimately improve your bookkeeping process and accounting department. Pricing for QuickBooks POS is a bit unique compared to the other options on our list. Rather than a monthly or annual rate, it’s a one time purchase.
Note: All POS hardware is sold separately. There are pros and cons to this pricing structure. It’s a high up-front cost, but it can save you money long-term if you plan to use it for a while. The downside is that upgrading isn’t simple. If you started with the Basic software and wanted to purchase Multi-Store one year later, you’d have to buy the new package separately. Overall, the QuickBooks POS system is a decent standalone product. It has all of the basics you’d need to process transactions in person. But I’d only recommend it to those of you who want the best integration with QuickBooks accounting software. The POS system alone has its limitations. How to Find the Best POS SystemWhat makes a great POS system? As you’re evaluating potential options, there are certain factors that you should be looking for. This is the same methodology that I used when I wrote this guide. I’ll explain each feature and why it matters below. Payment ProcessingFirst and foremost, your POS system needs to process payments. Some options have built-in payment processors, while others have third-party integrations. So if you’re currently using a payment processor and you don’t want to switch, make sure to choose a POS system that can integrate with that company. Ecommerce CapabilitiesIf you’re selling online or plan to sell online, you should look for a POS system that integrates with your ecommerce store. Otherwise, you can run into problems with things like inventory management. For those of you just selling in-store now but plan to enter the ecommerce market, I’d recommend an all-in-one solution like Shopify. Shopify POS is free with any Shopify ecommerce plan. Setup and Ease of UseThe best POS systems have a simple set up process. Some don’t even require any hardware purchases. It’s as simple as installing software on your own device. Other solutions require you to purchase hardware directly through them. These setups are usually a bit more challenging, but not always complex. Once your POS is up and running, it’s critical that the solution is easy for your staff to use. If you’re in the restaurant or retail industry, there’s a good chance you have lots of part-time workers and have high employee turnover. So training and daily use with the POS software needs to be as simple as possible. Inventory ManagementMost POS solutions offer some form of inventory management. Some plans are better than others. You may need to upgrade your plan in order to get the full benefits of tracking inventory. If you just have one location and you’re not selling online, this feature may not be that important to your business. But for those of you with a more extensive operation, proper inventory management is a must-have. HardwareDo you want to use your own hardware or buy equipment when you purchase POS software? There are lots of factors that go into this decision. Price could be one of them, but that’s not always the case. Hardware can also impact the ease of use, which we already discussed. The type of hardware you use will also depend on the type of business you have. For example, if you run a coffee shop, you’ll probably want a customer-facing POS terminal behind the counter. But other retail locations may prefer a mobile POS for staff to use out on the floor. Industry and Type of BusinessSome POS solutions are industry-specific. For example, TouchBistro is the best choice for businesses in the food service industry. Lightspeed is the best for custom orders. The size of your business matters when choosing a POS system as well. If you have just one small retail location with one register, Vend would be a top choice for you to consider. But if you want to scale with multiple registers and several locations, you’d be better off with a solution like Square. ConclusionChoosing the right POS software is crucial to the success of your business. These modern solutions do so much more than just process payments. What’s the best POS system? It depends on what you’re looking for. Here’s a quick recap of the software reviewed above.
No matter what type of business you have, I’m confident that you can find the right POS system using this guide. I made sure to include something for everyone on my list. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-point-of-sales-systems-pos/ If you’re in the market for a new web hosting service, HostGator is certainly an option that will come on your radar. It’s a reputable company within the web hosting industry. Like most web hosts, HostGator has a wide range of plans, options, and hosting types to accommodate the needs of different websites. Today, I want to put more emphasis on the HostGator Cloud. Cloud hosting is new compared to other types of web hosting. Rather than your website being hosted on a local server, it’s hosted on multiple remote servers. One of the biggest benefits of cloud hosting is the ability to scale on-demand. So it’s a great option for fast-growing websites with high volatility in their site traffic. For those of you who are interested in using the cloud to host your website, I strongly recommend that you review my analysis of HostGator Cloud. I’ll cover their plans, pricing, benefits, and everything else that you need to know before finalizing your decision.
HostGator Cloud Web Hosting PlansThere are three cloud plans offered by HostGator. The cloud uses premium hardware, low-density servers, and multiple layers for caching. As a result, this speeds up your page loading times. As your traffic increases, HostGator Cloud plans make it possible for you to increase your resources with a click on-demand. All of this happens without any downtime, reboots, or data migrations. Regardless of the plan you choose, you’ll have access to HostGator’s intuitive dashboard. From here, you’ll be able to monitor all of the metrics related to your website’s performance. That’s what you’ll use to allocate any additional resources accordingly. Basically, you have complete control of your usage with the HostGator Cloud. Let’s take a closer look at each individual cloud hosting plan. Hatchling CloudThe Hatchling Cloud is the entry-level cloud hosting plan from HostGator. It’s made for hosting one domain and has 2 GB of RAM. Like all cloud plans, the Hatchling comes with a free SSL certificate. Pricing for this plan starts at $4.95 per month as an introductory offer. Your contract will renew at $8.95 per month. You can add on SiteLock monitoring, CodeGuard site backups, professional email, and HostGator SEO tools for additional annual fees. This plan is best for new websites that want to be hosted on the cloud. Even though you can allocate new resources on demand, you’ll likely want to upgrade as your total monthly traffic increases. Baby CloudHere’s a quick glance at what the Baby Cloud offers compared to the Hatchling. As you can see, the Baby Cloud can host unlimited domains, and has twice as much available CPU space, and double the memory. The rate for new cloud customers is $7.95 per month, before renewing at $11.95 per month. Right now they’re running a deal where you can actually get the introductory rate reduced down to $6.57 per month, which is a great value. All you need to do is sign up and the discount will automatically be applied at the checkout. This is the most popular cloud hosting plan offered by HostGator. I’d say it will likely be the option that’s the most suitable for the majority of you. Business CloudThe Business Cloud is HostGator’s top-tier cloud hosting plan. Like the Baby Cloud, it also hosts an unlimited number of domains on a single plan. However, the Business plan comes with access to 6 cores, as opposed to just 2 or 4 cores on the Hatchling and Baby plans. Your HostGator Business Cloud also has access to 6 GB of RAM. It’s the only cloud hosting plan that comes standard with a dedicated IP address. This feature is not available on the Hatchling plan and it costs an additional $4 per month on the Baby Cloud plan. Considering that the Business Cloud starts at $9.95 per month, that extra feature is a great value. However, it’s worth noting that renewals jump up to $17.95 per month once your initial contract expires. Alternative Hostgator hosting optionsWhile the primary focus of this review is on the HostGator Cloud, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention the other hosting options offered by this provider. Cloud hosting isn’t for everyone. So if you’re in the market for a more traditional type of web hosting plan, you may want to consider one of these options as an alternative. Dedicated server hostingWith a dedicated server, your website will be renting a physical server from HostGator. This server will only be used for your site. It’s a faster option than shared hosting or VPS hosting since you won’t be sharing any resources, storage, or bandwidth with other websites. Dedicated servers are ideal for those of you who are a bit more tech-savvy. If you want complete control over your server in terms of security and flexibility, this is your best bet. Pricing for HostGator dedicated servers starts at:
Compared to the cloud hosting plans, these dedicated servers are priced significantly higher. VPS hostingVirtual private servers from HostGator give you flexible software options. You’ll gain full root access, which gives you added control in your environment. The VPS plans are a step up from shared hosting, but not quite as in-depth or expensive as the dedicated servers. For comparison purposes, let’s take a look at how these VPS plans are priced, so you can weigh them as an option against cloud hosting.
If you’re already using cPanel for web hosting, SiteGround will migrate you to VPS hosting for free. Shared hostingIf you’re on a budget and don’t want to use the cloud, shared hosting is the bottom-tier plan offered by HostGator. Plans start at $2.75 per month, $3.95 per month, and $5.95 per month, respectively. The problem with this option is that you’re going to be sharing resources with other websites. So if those sites have traffic spikes or higher volumes of visitors, it will impact the metrics on your site as well. So if you want to save some money, but don’t want to sacrifice performance, cloud hosting will be a better option for you. Shared hosting doesn’t give you the flexibility to manage your resources the way that cloud hosting does. Benefits of HostGator Cloud for web hostingNow that you’ve had a chance to see some of the other types of web hosting offered by HostGator, let’s get back to focusing on the HostGator Cloud. The following benefits refer specifically to the cloud plans. So for those of you who are considering one of those alternative options, I can’t guarantee the same advantages. High uptimes and fast load timesWhen measuring the performance of a web hosting service, uptime and page loading speeds are two of the most important metrics to consider. Let’s take a look at how a HostGator Cloud test website performed so far this year. Over the past six months, HostGator Cloud had a 99.995% average uptime rate. That’s about as exceptional as it gets. As you can see from the table above, the page loading speed fluctuates quite a bit so far this year. The fastest average monthly response time was 280 ms, while the slowest was 736 ms. But on average, the response time in 2019 is 514 ms. Truthfully, it’s definitely not the fastest loading time we’ve seen. But with that said, it’s still very fast, and far from the slowest. Based on these numbers, I can’t say that you’ll be disappointed with your uptimes or loading speed if you decide to go with a cloud hosting plan from HostGator. User-friendlyHostGator Cloud is very easy to use. It’s a great option for beginners, as well as users who have more experience with web hosting. The cloud plans make it possible for you to allocate your resources as needed whenever you’re experiencing traffic spikes. That’s not the case with their other plans, which would require you to upgrade as you reached limitations on resources. Even if you’ve never done this before, the interface is very easy to manage. Another reason why HostGator Cloud is so user-friendly is because you won’t have to worry about outrageous pricing. These plans don’t surprise you with monthly overage fees when you exceed your plan limits. That’s a major downside of other web hosting plans. Lots of freebiesThe reason why cloud hosting from HostGator is so fast is because it doesn’t rely on typical servers. Instead, the servers from remote data centers work in unison with a person’s web browser to limit the number of resources required to host the website. Things like managed cloud resources, data mirroring, and integrated caching make this possible, which comes free with your cloud hosting plan. Furthermore, you’ll get free server monitoring to alert you if there are any hardware problems. When you sign up for HostGator cloud, you’ll have access to cPannel as well. As I said before, you’ll get a free migration if you’ve been using cPannel with your current web host. Easy access to customer supportHostGator Cloud comes with 24/7/365 customer support, which is crucial for web hosting. My favorite part about this is their support portal. Rather than having to pick up the phone or chat online, there’s a good chance you can find the answer to your question here. Here’s an example of a tutorial that explains the step-by-step process of how to add resources to your cloud hosting plan. HostGator has tons of these for nearly every aspect of cloud hosting. It’s a quick way to find a solution to your problem. With that said, phone support and live chat is always available as well. Personally, I prefer live chat as opposed to picking up the phone. But you’ll have both options depending on your personal preference. Other considerationsBased on the benefits that we just discussed, I think we’ve established that HostGator Cloud is a top choice to consider if you want to use cloud hosting. But with that said, there are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind before you make that decision. I briefly touched on this earlier when we discussed the cloud hosting plans, but the initial rates are just introductory offers. When your contract renews, you’ll be paying more. Depending on your plan, you can expect prices to increase by roughly 80%. While HostGator has its fair share of freebies, there are also some upsells along the way as well. Some of these are automatically checked off in your shopping cart, so make sure you review that page thoroughly before you commit to anything. ConclusionOverall, HostGator is a reputable name in the web hosting space. Their cloud hosting service is a great option for those of you who want to take advantage of cloud website hosting. If you compare those plans to their standard shared hosting options, the cloud is the superior choice in my opinion. However, if you don’t think cloud hosting is for you then you could always consider VPS or dedicated server hosting from HostGator as well. For those of you who still aren’t convinced on the HostGator Cloud, you can check out my list of the best web hosting services for some other viable options. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/hostgator-cloud-web-hosting-review/ Unlike some of the other web hosting providers on the market, iPage isn’t as well-known. But the company has been around for more than 20 years and hosts over one million websites with its two data centers. If you stumbled upon iPage for web hosting, it’s probably because you were looking for an inexpensive hosting plan. With hosting plans offered as low as $1.99 per month, that’s the major draw for this web host. But the cheapest web host on the market isn’t always the best—or is it? That’s what inspired me to write this guide. I’ve been getting lots of questions lately about my opinion on iPage. How does its low-cost factor into its performance? For those of you who are looking for a budget web host, iPage might be an option for you to consider. But before you make that decision, read through this review to make sure you have as much information as possible.
iPage Web Hosting PlansBefore we talk about the pros, cons, and performance of iPage, I want to give you a brief overview of the plans that they offer. For a low-cost web host, they actually have quite a few options for you to choose from. Shared hostingLike most web hosts, the shared hosting plan from iPage is the least expensive option. But what’s unique about this web host compared to other providers on the market is the lack of shared hosting plan options. Typically, web hosts offer at least two or three different pricing tiers for shared hosting, each with different features and benefits. iPage, on the other hand, just has this one plan. If you decide to use iPage’s shared hosting service, you’ll also get:
You can host an unlimited number of domains on the shared plan as well. Pricing starts at $1.99 per month if you sign up for a three-year contract. Rates for a two-year contract and one-year contract start at $2.49 per month and $2.99 per month, respectively. VPS hostingIf you’re interested in a virtual private server, iPage has what you’re looking for. Unlike the shared plan, VPS hosting with iPage does come with different pricing tiers and plan options.
Here’s a comparison of those three plans. As expected, the more you pay, the more features you’ll get. CPU, RAM, disk space, and bandwidth increases at each tier. While iPage has a reputation for being a low-cost web hosting provider, their VPS plans are not necessarily cheaper than other web hosts on the market. Their VPS services are priced about even to or higher than some other well-known hosting providers. All of the pricing you see from the image above is the introductory offer for a three-year plan. Rates will increase when your plan renews and if you commit to a shorter term contract length. With a VPS plan, you’ll have more customizable options. iPage will give you root access and the ability to customize your software and hosting environment. Dedicated serversThe dedicated servers from iPage are a step above the VPS plans. You can get up to 16GB of RAM, 1,000 GB of disk space, 15 TB, of bandwidth, and 5 IP addresses with a dedicated server Introductory rates for a three-year contract are as follows:
Those plans renew at $149.99, $194.99, and $239.99. Again, for a budget web host, I wouldn’t necessarily say that those price points are cheap. But the dedicated servers give you complete customization. There are no restrictions to your software and hosting environment, these plans were made for those of you with more technical skill levels. You won’t be sharing any resources with other websites if you use a dedicated server from iPage. WordPress hostingiPage offers web hosting solutions specifically for WordPress. If you want to start building a new WordPress website, there are two plans for you to consider.
These rates are definitely more aligned with iPage’s reputation of being a low-cost web hosting provider. Both plans come with unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, customized control panel, as well as some pre-installed themes and plugins. The WP Essential plan also has automatic malware removal, added security, and expert WordPress support. The rates renew at $7.49 and $10.49 per month. Benefits of iPage for web hostingNow that you’ve had a chance to review the hosting options offered by iPage, it’s time for us to look at the best parts of this web host. Low pricingBased on the plans we’ve covered, you can see that iPage has a wide range of options to choose from. There are some budget hosting solutions, as well as some higher-end offers with added features and functionality. But ultimately, iPage is best-known for its low pricing. With shared plans offered as low as $1.99 per month, it’s very appealing to new website owners who are on a budget. The only drawback of this low pricing is that you need to commit for three years and pay for it upfront to get that rate. Unlike other web hosts on the market, iPage does not offer month-to-month plans. Money-back guaranteeWhile iPage doesn’t offer free trials or month-to-month rates, the provider still stands behind their services. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s a “no questions asked” policy. If you’re unsatisfied for any reason, iPage will fully refund your hosting fees. However, there is a non-refundable $15 fee if you registered your domain with iPage. They set this up to ensure that you won’t lose your domain if you want to transfer it to another provider. I usually wouldn’t recommend a hosting provider that doesn’t offer some type of money-back promise. So the fact that iPage does this for their customers is definitely a positive. You can try them out knowing that you have a month to change your mind. High uptimeAt the end of the day, performance is really what matters the most. If your web host can’t keep your website up and running, then it’s essentially useless. So, how well do iPage’s low-cost plans perform? Let’s take a look. Hosting Facts conducted a study on the performance of 32 different web hosts. They calculated the average uptime rates for each host throughout the course of one year. As you can see from the chart, iPage cracked the top 10, ranking eighth out of the 32 web hosts in the study. The average uptime rate of 99.975% in 2018 was good enough to land this provider in the top 25% of web hosts. Overall, that’s a very strong uptime. I’d definitely be happy with that number, especially considering the fact that it’s achievable at such a low cost. With that said, the length of their downtime was nearly triple the amount of the top host on the list. But I truthfully wasn’t expecting iPage to compete with those figures. It’s also worth noting that unlike other web hosts, iPage doesn’t guarantee a certain uptime rate. So if they fail to meet a certain standard, you won’t be refunded or compensated in any way. However, they do offer uptime monitoring, so you’ll be notified if your site goes down. Third-party toolsiPage is compatible with lots of third party tools and platforms. Here’s a list to name a few. CMS tools:
Forum tools:
Blogging tools:
Photo gallery tools:
iPage is also compatible with ecommerce solutions like Zen Cart, OpenCart, PrestaShop, AgoraCart, TomatoCart, and OSCommerce. Helpful supportWe already talked about the money-back guarantee. But beyond that, iPage also offers 24/7 phone and live chat support. They also have an extensive knowledge base, with informative guides, tutorials, and lots of other helpful information about their platform, tools, and services. So no matter what type of question you have or problem you run into, I’m confident that you’ll be able to get that solution resolved quickly and efficiently with iPage support. Other considerationsAs expected with a low-cost web hosting provider, iPage has its fair share of flaws. I’ll let you know about some of the downsides of using their services. You can use this information to see if these drawbacks are worth the low price. Loading speed isn’t idealAgain, performance is key when it comes to web hosting. Aside from uptime, which we already discussed, loading speed usually the next metric that we look at. Check out the response times for an iPage test site over the past 12 months. The average response time from this sample is 755 ms. Honestly, it’s not terrible. But this number is a little too close to a full second page loading time for my liking. Plus, this is just a test website. If you’re going to be adding pictures, video, and other media files to your site, it will slow down even more. While iPage definitely doesn’t have the worst loading times we’ve seen, they certainly don’t have the best either. Not a “green” web hostThis may not be a big deal for some of you, but I figured it was still worth mentioning. iPage used to have environmentally-friendly web hosting. They had a landing page explaining that they ran on wind power and had a certified green certificate. However, as of late last year, this page has been removed from their website. I tried to Google it and got a 404 error instead. The web host no longer appears on the EPA Green Power Partner List either. Extra fees for add-onsiPage is a low-cost web hosting provider. I think it’s safe to say that we established that. However, their services end up costing more than you might think. Even if you choose the lowest plan of $1.99 per month for three years, you’ll still have to pay extra for things like:
These are things that usually come free with other hosting providers. So in your head, you might be thinking $2 per month for 36 months is just $72. Not a bad deal, right? But as you can see from this checkout page, you’ll end up paying significantly more than that amount for some pretty basic features. Paid site migrationsTo entice customers to switch providers, most web hosts will offer a free site migration. But iPage doesn’t do that for new customers. It will cost you $150 for their tech support to move your site to iPage servers. That cost only covers one website, which is expensive. To put that into perspective for you, Bluehost also charges $150 for site migratations, but they’ll move up to five sites for that same rate. Unless you’re a tech wizard, you probably don’t want to try and migrate your website on your own. So this is another cost that you’ll have to incur. ConclusionDo I recommend iPage for web hosting? In short, yes. They have low-cost shared hosting plans, as well as options for VPS, dedicated servers, and WordPress hosting. Just be aware that those advertised rates have some conditions attached to them. You’ll need to commit for three years to get the best price, and then your rates will go up when it’s time to renew. Plus, you’ll need to pay extra for all of your add-ons. With all of that in mind, iPage is still a reputable and reliable web host with high uptime rates and great customer support. For those of you who are on a budget but still aren’t sold on iPage, check out my list of the best cheap web hosting services for some alternative solutions. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/ipage-web-hosting-review/ |
Sean BrianWhile radishes deter certain insects naturally, they require similar growing conditions as carrots. Although the crops both have roots, radishes grow and germinate quicker, allowing carrots to continue growing in the soil space available when the radishes are harvested, Archives
April 2023
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