Tag: Services

Best HR Outsourcing Services

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HR is confusing. And the legal ramifications of doing something wrong… are huge. 

There’s a reason people spend their entire lives learning the ins and outs of human resources—there’s a lot to it. But the good news is that nobody expects you to know it all and you don’t have to navigate it alone. 

The best HR outsourcing services exist to make your life easier.

However, there are a ton of service providers on the market. How do you decide which one’s right for you when they all appear to be exactly the same?

To help answer that question, I looked at countless options and narrowed it down to my top six recommendations. And by the end of this guide, you’ll know everything you need to know to make the right choice for your business. 

The top 6 options for HR outsourcing services:

  1. G&A Partners – best for customization and flexibility
  2. Bambee – best for policies and administrative tasks
  3. Paychex – best HR outsourcing services for SMBs
  4. Insperity – best PEO outsourcing for enterprises
  5. ADP – best full-service non-PEO outsourcing option
  6. CPEhr – best for individual HR outsourcing and consultations

How to choose the best HR outsourcing service for you

There are countless different HR outsourcing services to choose from. 

And distinguishing between all of them can feel like an impossible task. 

So, before we dive into my top recommendations, let’s talk about what makes my recommendations stand out, and how to decide on the best HR outsourcing services for you. 

The size of your business

Handling HR for large companies is vastly different than doing the same at a startup or small business. As such, different HR outsourcing companies specialize in different things and offer services targeted to a specific type of customer. 

On the other hand, some offer solutions for businesses of all sizes. 

However, it’s essential to consider your business’s size and budget when making your final choice. You should also think about how fast you plan to grow and expand your team. 

Always make sure to talk with a sales representative and be as detailed as possible about your current and future situation to make sure they can handle everything you need. 

Types of services

Some HR outsourcing companies (like Bambee) only provide a specific type of service. On the other hand, some offer everything you could ever possibly need… but at a higher price point. 

It may be helpful to outline your processes for each HR activity you currently manage in-house. 

This can help you identify problem areas or bottlenecks with room for improvement. Then, you can pinpoint exactly which tasks and services you should outsource. 

If you already know, or you want to outsource everything, consider the associated costs to ensure it’s within your budget. And keep in mind that most providers don’t offer pricing online. 

So, you’ll get a chance to speak with their team before making your final decision. 

Just remember to ask about the specific services you need to make sure they can help you with everything on your list. It’s also smart to compare your initial consultation experience and pricing of various companies before choosing one. 

Short-term vs. long-term

Do you need help for the foreseeable future or just for a one-off event like a round of recruitment? Some providers (like CPEhr) offer a la carte options so you can pick and choose what you need. 

On the other hand, some only offer all-in-one solutions. So, it’s important to understand your needs before you make any decisions. 

If you need short-term help, make sure you communicate that during your consultation. 

Level of support

Do you want your HR systems to run completely hands-off? If so, you need more support than a team that needs one-off tasks or particular areas of their HR handled for them. 

Here in a second, we’ll talk about the different types of HR outsourcing services. 

But keep the level of support you think you need in the back of your mind, as this plays a large role in which company you should choose. 

Flexibility

If you already have a benefits package or an internal HR team, you need more flexibility from your HR outsourcing provider. Especially if you want to keep the same benefits package you already have. 

Some providers don’t let you do this as they have their own preferences and partnerships. 

And you also need to draw a clear line between what your in-house team does vs. what your outsourcing company provides. That way, nobody wastes time doing the same tasks twice. 

However, if you’re a brand new company or don’t have any HR systems in place, you won’t need the same flexibility level. So, you have fewer restrictions to worry about. 

Customer and employee support

HR matters, benefits in particular, are confusing and hard to navigate. 

Because of that, your employees must have easy access to someone in your HR department. 

When you outsource this, your employees should be able to directly talk with the company, whether it be to ask a quick question or get help choosing the right benefits package. 

Some providers offer a dedicated manager that handles this, making it much easier for you and your team to get the answers they need. Furthermore, they should also provide an employee self-service dashboard for paystubs, W-2s, time off, and more. 

Regardless of who you choose, make sure they plan on taking great care of your team. 

The different types of HR outsourcing services

HR outsourcing is technically separate from PEO and HR software, but they’re very similar in nature. So, let’s take a second to walk through the differences before we get started.

HR software

This is something companies provide to make in-house HR management easier. 

With HR software, you pay a monthly fee to use it every month. Alternatively, you could buy a license and install it on your computer. 

It’s mostly for automating processes or providing a network of benefits providers. 

You can use it as a tiny business without HR or if you have a dedicated HR team. Either way, it’s a software that requires you (or someone on your team) to run it. 

With that said, it’s very flexible and affordable.

However, don’t confuse it with HR outsourcing because they aren’t the same, although a few of the providers on this list also offer HR software. 

Human resources outsourcing (HRO)

HR outsourcing means hiring a third-party to take on all or part of your HR management tasks. This can include things like payroll administration, benefits management, recruitment, and employee training programs. 

The benefit of outsourcing in this manner vs. hiring or expanding your in-house team is lower associated costs. When you outsource, you don’t need to pay a salary or provide benefits. 

So, the overall cost is typically much lower than adding new people to your team. 

All of the options on this list offer HR outsourcing in some form or another. Some only cover specific tasks like policy creation, while others offer services covering every aspect of human resources. 

With HR outsourcing, you can decide if you want to outsource all HR activities or just a few. 

Professional employer organization (PEO)

PEO services are a specific type of HR outsourcing in which the company is your co-employer. Furthermore, the service provider becomes the employer of your employees. 

And since the PEO company is the employer, they’re responsible for payroll taxes. 

This type of agreement typically requires a lengthy contract. However, you’re in charge of what your team does on a day-to-day basis. So, everything stays the same on your end, except you’re no longer responsible for specific HR tasks or payroll taxes.

Furthermore, the two parties decide how much responsibility each party handles. 

So, this type of agreement can be extremely flexible if that’s something you need. This is especially beneficial if you already have an HR department.

One of the most significant values of this type of partnership is access to better benefits packages for your team. Plus, you can get those pesky HR tasks off your plate. 

However, you sacrifice a certain degree of control by inviting someone else into your business. 

#1 – G&A Partners Review — The best HR outsourcing service for customization and flexibility

If you’re looking for a customizable and flexible all-around HR outsourcing solution, G&A Partners is my #1 recommendation. 

They combine intuitive technology encompassing everything you need with world-class customer service to empower your business and employees. From payroll services to health insurance, retirement plans, and recruitment, G&A Partners covers it all. 

Furthermore, each plan is custom-fit to your business and specific needs. 

So, you don’t have to worry about cookie-cutter plans that don’t quite fit the bill. Plus, you also get a dedicated client service team to manage everything and help you out when you need it. 

As a G&A Partners client, you can choose from countless services, including:

  • Payroll administration and processing
  • Self-service employee dashboard
  • Time clock, scheduling, and PTO
  • On-demand data access
  • Benefits from the top providers
  • Benefits administration
  • Ancillary benefits
  • Wellness and financial health
  • Sourcing, recruiting, and hiring

And since each plan is custom to match your needs, you’re not stuck paying for services you don’t actually need. Plus, you can rest easy knowing you comply with local, state, and federal legal regulations. 

From recruitment and onboarding to payroll and benefits administration, you’re in good hands.

With that said, G&A Partners doesn’t share pricing online. So, schedule a free consultation to build a service package tailormade for you, your business, and your #1 asset—your employees. 

#2 – Bambee Review — The best HR outsourcing services for HR policies and administrative tasks

If you’re a small business with fewer than 99 employees, Bambee is an affordable way to hire a dedicated account manager to handle HR policies and employee training.

Hiring an in-house HR manager can easily cost $4,000+ every month, plus benefits. So, it gets quite expensive and unattainable for really small businesses. 

But with Bambee, you can outsource starting at $79/month (or $99/month if you pay monthly). 

From the start, you get a dedicated HR manager to help build your HR policies and walk you through your state’s compliance regulations. 

They can also help you onboard employees, terminate them, and handle corrective action while staying in compliance. 

Furthermore, Bambee can also help evaluate your risk for wrongful termination. 

So, you don’t have to worry about expensive lawsuits or continually wondering what you’re responsible for after employee termination. 

Plus, you get complete remote access to your manager via phone, email, and chat to answer questions and help you with anything you need. And the best part? Your employees can chat with them as well. 

With Bambee, you get access to powerful and helpful features, including:

  • Creating and implementing company policies
  • Staff training, so they understand your new policies
  • E-signatures and an online document viewer
  • Staff folders for organization and compliance
  • A smart cabinet for record-keeping
  • HR forms and agreements (i.e., HIPAA notices or offer letters)

You get everything you need to create, implement, and manage internal HR policies. However, you are sacrificing several crucial features, like payroll administration and benefits management for affordable pricing.

So, keep in mind that you will have to manage those things on your own. Bambee can answer questions and look into those things for you, but they’re not included as part of the package. 

#3 – Paychex Review — The best HR outsourcing services for small to midsize businesses

Paychex is one of the most popular and trusted HR solutions on the market. 

They’ve been around for more than 45 years, and over 680,000+ businesses trust them with their HR software and service needs. 

From benefits and attendance to payroll, HR, and onboarding, they offer everything you need to run and streamline your small or midsize business without hiring in-house. 

And the best part is that you can choose which services you need, rather than paying for everything and using a handful of features. 

Plus, you can outsource everything… or a few things, depending on what you need. 

They offer software and service packages for small, medium, and large companies. So, it’s an excellent option for everyone. But their small and medium sizes packages are where they truly shine. 

In fact, more than half a million of their customers are small businesses. 

With their small and midsize packages, you get access to Paychex Flex, their all-in-one HR automation software. 

But you can also choose between 24/7/365 customer support or a dedicated specialist for help when you need it. So, whether you have a dedicated HR team or not, you can rest easy knowing you have an expert manager behind you. 

Paychex Flex comes with a wide range of powerful features, including:

  • Recruiting and applicant tracking
  • Time and attendance
  • Hiring and onboarding
  • Retirement and termination
  • Health insurance administration
  • Payroll management
  • PTO, 401(k)s, and other benefits

You won’t find their pricing online, so get a free quote to learn more about Paychex today!

#4 – Insperity Review — The best PEO services for enterprises

Insperity is an all-in-one HR service provider for small businesses and enterprise organizations alike. They offer individual solutions and a full-service PEO option, making it perfect for small to medium enterprises. 

It’s an excellent choice if you have the budget for their PEO choice as an alternative to hiring or expanding an in-house HR team. 

They also offer a wide range of HR software if you’re a smaller business interested in managing HR activities on your own. However, that gets old very quickly, especially if you have a ton of other things on your plate. 

Insperity’s PEO all-in-one solution covers every HR service imaginable, including:

  • Medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • FSA and HSA accounts
  • Disability, employee assistance, and retirement
  • Payroll processing and administration
  • Time and attendance tracking
  • HR administration and wage garnishments
  • An employee self-service portal
  • Risk mitigation and legal compliance
  • Recruiting and performance management
  • Training and development programs
  • Company culture development
  • Advanced analytics and reporting
  • Personalized customer support for your employees

As if that isn’t enough, they have a team of specialists dedicated to managing different HR tasks. So, you know you’re getting the best of the best. 

It’s essentially an extension of your business (or HR department if you already have one). 

Insperity’s services are a practical way to reduce risk, improve productivity, automate your HR processes, and get a bird’s eye view of your most valuable asset—your employees. 

They offer two-year pricing guarantees, billing transparency, and fixed service fees, so you never have to guess how much you’re going to pay every month. 

However, their prices aren’t available online, so get in touch with their sales team to learn more. 

#5 – ADP Review — The best for full-service non-PEO outsourcing

If you’re interested in full-service HR outsourcing but don’t want to go the PEO route, ADP is an excellent choice. They provide complete outsourcing for everything from administrative tasks to payroll processing and more. 

With that said, they do offer a PEO option. But they’re one of the few providers that offer complete packages without the complexity of an enterprise-grade PEO partnership. 

On top of that, they also offer one of the most popular HR software packages on the market. 

So, you can create an entire HR department using their services and software without having to hire in-house or expand your existing team. 

ADP’s team of experts is ready to help reduce your risk and everyday burden, regardless if you’re just looking for a helping hand with administrative tasks or facing an acquisition, merger, or an at-risk termination.

So, no matter the situation, ADP has you covered. 

They offer a variety of individual services and more strategic offerings, including things like:

  • Payroll and benefits administration
  • Time and attendance tracking
  • Employee handbooks and internal policies
  • COBRA insurance administration
  • Dynamic analytics
  • Compliance training, tracking, and reporting
  • Recruitment and staffing

On top of that, they also offer a bundle of business processes and HR outsourcing if you need even more assistance with the ins and outs of your business. 

Because each package is tailored for your business, you won’t find ADP’s pricing online. 

As such, you’ll have to get with their sales team to learn more and start building out your HR outsourcing package. 

#6 – CPEhr Review — The best HR outsourcing services for individual tasks and HR consultations

If you’re interested in outsourcing individual HR tasks or receiving HR consultations, CPEhr is a smart choice. They offer a wide variety of different services designed to help make your life (or your HR department’s) life a bit easier. 

So, rather than spending time running payroll or finding the best benefits for your team, you can work on things that actually move the needle for your business. 

Plus, they also take pride in helping customers develop long-term and short-term HR strategies, so you’re never left to figure things out on your own. 

Whether your HR department needs some extra assistance or you need one-off services, like recruitment for an open position, CPEhr has you covered. Their services span basic administrative tasks to more complex strategy planning, including:

  • Payroll and tax administration
  • Recruiting, onboarding, and training
  • Benefits administration
  • COBRA insurance management
  • Disability and retirement
  • Employee benefit orientations
  • Employee and management training
  • Risk management consulting
  • Employee handbooks and policies
  • Unemployment and disability administration
  • Performance reviews
  • Legal compliance
  • Government audits

Essentially, CPEhr covers anything you need, whether you want to outsource everything or a short-term one-off situation. 

They also offer PEO and full HR outsourcing plans, if that’s something you’re interested in. However, their a la carte services and complete flexibility are what make them stand out from everyone else on this list. 

Like most providers, you won’t find pricing online. 

Get in touch with their team to talk more about your needs and learn more about how CPEhr can help your business today!

Wrapping things up

G&A Partners is my top recommendation for most users. It’s incredibly flexible with the ability to handle businesses of all shapes and sizes. Plus, they offer a wide range of services to help make your life easier. 

But that doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone. 

So, don’t forget to use the criteria we talked about as you go through the process of finding the best HR outsourcing services for you, your team, and your business. 

How do you handle human resources at your company?

The post Best HR Outsourcing Services appeared first on Neil Patel.

Best Merchant Services

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Merchant services exist to help businesses process credit card payments. You might know them by the name “credit card processors.” 

Regardless of what you call them, choosing the best merchant service isn’t easy. The “best” one is the one that is right for your specific business, and each of the following services offers particular features that may work for one company, but not for yours. 

That’s why, in this guide, I’m catering to each type of business and finding the right merchant service for your needs. 

The Top 6 Merchant Services:

  1. Square
  2. Flagship Merchant Services
  3. Helcim
  4. Payment Depot
  5. Fattmerchant
  6. Stripe 

How to Choose The Best Merchant Services For You 

Before we get into the best merchant services, we need to understand the criteria used to make these decisions. Keep all of the following factors in mind as you read through the reviews. 

Processing Rates/Monthly Fees

It’s all about the money, and credit card processing is not as simple as you think. You have to weigh the pros and cons with each gateway; otherwise, you can end up paying way more than you planned. 

We need to look at the processing rates first. To get a lower processing rate, you usually have to pay a higher monthly fee. If you’re processing payments at high volume, it’s worth it for you to pay the higher fee because your volume will make up for it. 

On the other side, if you’re not processing a lot of payments, having a higher transaction fee won’t hurt you as much as a high monthly fee would. 

Flat-rate processing is a simple solution for small businesses, but interchange pricing is generally more affordable. 

Services 

You want to look at what the payment processor offers in addition to credit card processing. Do they offer free POS systems, hardware, mobile payments, integrations, etc? Some merchant services even offer consulting, customer loyalty features, and invoicing tools. 

Sometimes the “extra benefits” you get from a merchant service provider can outweigh some of the negatives. 

The Type of Merchant Service Account 

There are two primary types of accounts, one is an aggregator (or middleman), and one is an ISO (or independent sales organization). Let’s compare the two and see why it’s important to understand the difference.

Aggregators 

These are middlemen working in between the business and the bank, offering an easy payment processing solution for businesses. Square is an example of this, and while they make it easier, they usually have higher fees and transaction costs. 

ISOs 

Payment Depot is an example of an ISO, and while they usually have a more strict acceptance policy, they offer lower rates and user-friendly software compared to a direct processor. 

Integration

One of the most important factors to consider is, “how will this integrate with my current systems”? 

Your payment processor should never get in the way or cause your conversion rates to decrease; it should complement your current process or even enhance it. Make sure you choose something that will easily integrate into your business without requiring too many changes or adjustments. 

The Different Types of Merchant Services

After much research and careful consideration, these are my top six merchant services for both in-person and online sales. 

#1. Square – The Best For Transparent Pricing/Fees

Pros:

  • No monthly fee
  • Transparent processing
  • Free card reader
  • Great added features

Cons:

  • No ACH payment processing
  • Higher fees than desired

Square is popular for its credit card processing and POS systems, but it offers much more. It hosts features such as the “Card on File” feature, allowing users to store customer card information that works great for repeat customers trying to accumulate loyalty points and rewards of that nature. 

The processor also doesn’t have a monthly fee, and while Square’s features might not be as advanced as some of the other payment processors we’re talking about, for a POS without a monthly fee, you can’t beat the value. 

The one thing that stands out most to me is the transaction costs and how they vary whether you’re doing business in person or online.

For in-person sales, expect to pay 2.6% and $0.10 per transaction. For online transactions, it’ll cost you 2.9% and $0.30 per transaction. There are other instances, such as:

  • Virtual terminal transactions
  • Card-on-file transactions
  • And card-not-present transactions

These will cost 3.5% and $0.15 per transaction. 

Based on these numbers, Square is not the most affordable flat-rate processor, but the transparency makes it easier for you to understand what the rates are and how they’ll impact your processing based on volume and price. 

#2. Flagship Merchant Services – The Best For Great Customer Service

Pros:

  • Dedicated account manager
  • Free account setup
  • Free card terminal (with fees)

Cons:

  • Confusing ownership
  • Little information regarding price

Flagship Merchant Services cut the tape in 2001 and was acquired by iPayment in 2012. Now, they primarily resell iPayment, so keep that in mind. 

This company was one of the first to offer free account setup without any application or fees and real month-to-month contracts. They operate tens of thousands of merchants, and they have a strong reputation. 

Since they’re not a direct processor, most of their merchant accounts are set up through iPayment. iPayment uses First Data as their processor, and it can get confusing trying to figure out who is processing what through what service.

For retailers, Flagship does offer a free credit card terminal, but you’re responsible for paying account fees and insurance on that terminal to keep it up and running. 

For ecommerce, they offer either Authorize.net for processing and integration of an online cart onto your site. 

One thing that was a little frustrating about Flagship is trying to find information on their rates. If you go to their website, you’ll see that you need to fill out a form to get any info about what they charge. 

I’d like to see more transparency, but you may end up with a more catered package deal with this strategy. 

My favorite feature is that you get a single line of contact with the company when you purchase a gateway; they act as account managers. If you ever have a problem, you contact that specific person, and this isn’t a feature I’ve ever seen with any other merchant service.

#3. Helcim – The Best For Small Business 

Pros:

  • Limited fees
  • Fees based on volume
  • Free online store software

Cons:

  • Limited integrations
  • $199 for the card reader

If you’re a small business owner, Helcim might appeal to you. With this service, you’re able to process credit and debit cards online and in person. You can also do some of the following: 

  • Set up recurring payments
  • Send invoices
  • Collect payments

With a Helcim card reader, you can accept all major cards, including Amex plus Google Pay, Apple Pay, and JCB. 

Helcim charges $20 per month with transaction fees based on volume. They don’t have any contracts or cancellation fees, and they’ll wave your monthly fee if you don’t process any payments. 

Overall, Helcim is affordable but much more for in-person payments than they are online. Here’s a quick breakdown of their pricing structure: 

  • Monthly Volume: $0 – $25,000
  • In-Person: 0.3% + 8 cents (+ interchange)
  • Online: 0.5% + 25 cents (+ interchange)
  • Monthly Volume: $25,001 – $50,000
  • In-Person: 0.25% + 7 cents (+ interchange)
  • Online: 0.45% + 20 cents (+ interchange)
  • Monthly Volume: $50,001 – $100,000
  • In-Person: 0.2% + 7 cents (+ interchange)
  • Online: 0.4% + 20 cents (+ interchange)
  • Monthly Volume: $100,001 – $250,000
  • In-Person: 0.18% + 6 cents (+ interchange)
  • Online: 0.35% + 15 cents (+ interchange) 

Helcim offers nice features for those of you looking to integrate this payment gateway into your online store. You can add a checkout to your site for invoicing and customer registration while also accepting recurring subscriptions. 

#4. Payment Depot – The Best For Established Businesses

Pros:

  • No contract processing
  • Competitive rates
  • Easy to integrate online

Cons:

  • Best for high-volume business
  • Application process

Payment Depot uses a membership pricing model, making it simpler to understand but can sometimes result in you paying higher fees. Thankfully, Payment Depot’s rates are pretty competitive, and they include interchange-plus pricing for both online, in-person, and mobile payments. 

This strategy actually makes Payment Depot one of the most affordable payment processors for established businesses that are doing a certain amount of volume. 

Payment Depot accepts all major cards and contactless Apple Pay and Google Pay as well. You get next-day funding and integration with POS systems as well as ecommerce platforms such as: 

  • Shopify
  • Revel
  • QuickBooks
  • PrestaShop
  • BigComemrce
  • WooCommerce

And more…

I don’t think this is one of the best merchant services for small businesses because of how they structure their pricing. The transaction fees go down as you pay a higher monthly fee, and they seemingly force you to increase your plan because of strict processing limits. 

Here’s a breakdown of their pricing: 

Basic Plan

  • Fee: $49
  • Transaction Fee: $0.15
  • Monthly Limit: $25,000

Popular Plan

  • Fee: $79
  • Transaction Fee: $0.10
  • Monthly Limit: $75,000

Premier

  • Fee: $99
  • Transaction Fee: $0.07
  • Monthly Limit: $150,000

Unlimited

  • Fee: $199
  • Transaction Fee: $0.05
  • Monthly Limit: Unlimited 

So, as you can see – if you’re doing high volume, it would make the most sense to upgrade to the most expensive plan for the lowest transaction fees. 

#5. Fattmerchant – Best For Subscription-Based Businesses

Pros:

  • Simple pricing
  • Omni software
  • A solid choice for subscription businesses

Cons:

  • Higher monthly fees
  • Transaction fees are relatively standard

Fattmerchant is set up a lot like many of the payment processors. As you increase your monthly fee, your transaction fees go down. They offer Omni, which is where you’ll do your invoicing, payments, and reporting. The service is incredibly user-friendly, great for beginners, and it comes included with your monthly fee. 

While Fattmerchant is a great choice for budget-conscious business owners, it’s also a great option for subscription-based businesses. If you’re selling monthly coaching packages, agency services, or counseling, you’ll benefit from Fattmerchant’s structure. 

The processor accepts all major cards, including ACH, invoicing, Text2Pay, and more. Same day funding is available, and you get a free iOS and Android POS app and Bluetooth card readers that you can use on the go. 

They have two pricing plans:

  • Fee: $99
  • Annual Limit: $500,000
  • Card-Present Fee: $0.08 + Interchange
  • Card-Not-Present: $0.15 + Interchange
  • ACH Transaction Fee: $0.25
  • Fee: $199
  • Annual Limit: $5,000,000
  • Card-Present Fee: $0.06 + Interchange
  • Card-Not-Present: $0.12 + Interchange
  • ACH Transaction Fee: $0.25

Fattmerchant has a higher monthly fee than some others, but the company says that is how they keep their transaction fees down. 

#6. Stripe – Best For Online Payment Processing 

Pros:

  • Allows you to grow
  • Reasonable pricing
  • Great solution for online businesses

Cons:

  • Complicated setup
  • May require developers

If your business runs entirely online, Stripe is your best choice. It’s made specifically for ecommerce and internet business, and tons of startups and Fortune 500 companies trust Stripe. 

The company offers sophisticated software and APIs that allow online store owners to customize their checkout experience. You can use the pre-built integrations to connect a Stripe checkout right away and then customize it as you go along. 

That’s one of the main reasons why I love Stripe; it’s a payment processor that grows with you and allows you to change it as your business needs change. 

With all of these features and moving parts comes complications. It’s not the easiest to set up, and if you plan on utilizing the many benefits of Stripe, you’ll likely need a developer to handle it for you. 

Stripe offers a “pay as you go” strategy without monthly fees and transparent transaction fees across the board. 

  • Online: 2.9% and $0.30
  • In-Person: 2.7% and $0.05
  • International: Add 1% per transaction
  • ACH Direct: 0.8% maxed at $5.00 per transaction
  • ACH Credit: $1.00 per transaction

You can use all major credit and debit cards plus ACH, WeChat Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and much more. Expect to wait two business days for deposits or pay a one percent fee to get instant deposits. 

Stripe integrates with WordPress, Magento, Squarespace, 3DCart, Zoho, Big Cartel, and more. 

So, by this point, you should know which of these merchant services is right for you. They all have their pros and cons, and you should choose according to the type of business you own.

Square is an overall solid solution for all businesses, but the transaction fees are a bit high, and scalability is lacking. 

I’m also a big fan of Helcim because they allow you to grow with your processor by increasing the monthly payment as your volume needs increase. 

Regardless of which choice you make, keep the important factors in mind and choose carefully, so you don’t regret your decision down the road. 

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Best Online Fax Services

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission. Think back to the last time you saw one of those giant, clunky fax machines sitting around.  It’s probably been a while, right? While that old-school hardware is undoubtedly outdated, faxing isn’t dead by …

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Best Online Fax Services

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Think back to the last time you saw one of those giant, clunky fax machines sitting around. 

It’s probably been a while, right? While that old-school hardware is undoubtedly outdated, faxing isn’t dead by any means. 

It’s actually very much alive. But thankfully, we have better technology. 

The best online fax services make sending secure communications via fax a breeze for individuals and businesses of all sizes with no ugly, expensive, or finicky hardware required. 

However, there are dozens of providers to choose from, which is why making the right choice is often more challenging than actually using the service. So to help make your decision easier, I narrowed it down to my top six recommendations—and reviewed them. 

The top 6 options for online fax services

  1. mFax – best online fax services for multiple users
  2. RingCentral Fax – best all-in-one online fax service
  3. HelloFax – best for cloud-storage integrations
  4. SRFax – most secure online faxing service
  5. FaxBurner – best mobile online faxing service
  6. Biscom 123 – most affordable online faxing service

How to choose the best online fax service for you 

There are dozens of online fax service providers to choose from. This makes it challenging to know which one’s perfect for your business, especially if you’re not quite sure what to look for. 

All of the options on this list are excellent. However, they may not work for everyone.

So, don’t forget to use the following factors as you go through the decision-making process to help you narrow things down and find the perfect fit.  

Number of users

As a business, you probably need multiple user accounts. Different services have different pricing plans, so it’s essential to consider the number of accounts you need. 

Some options may limit the number of users with no way around it. Others may offer extra user accounts with an additional monthly fee. So, this plays a massive role in how much you can expect to pay every month. 

With that said, most smaller businesses won’t have problems with account limitations. 

But large corporations with multiple departments who need faxing capabilities may run into problems with low-limit plans. 

Cloud-storage integrations

Most businesses rely on cloud storage tools. Whether you depend on Microsoft 365 or Google’s G Suite, your employees probably use these tools daily to create and archive documents. 

So, it’s important to consider these integrations if you and your team need to store documents you send or receive via online fax. 

This can help streamline your document management processes. 

Page limits

Most providers charge an extra fee if you go over the number of pages your plan includes. So, you need to consider your business’s needs when it comes to monthly fax volume. 

A lot of providers place low limits on this to encourage you to upgrade to a better plan. 

So it’s critical to choose a plan that offers enough pages per month along with a fair page overage fee (just in case). However, online fax services with unlimited plans are a better option for businesses that expect to send and receive high volumes every month.

Document archiving

If you’re using an online fax service to send and automatically digitize documents, it should come with document archiving as well. This can significantly streamline and automate your document management processes. 

Some online fax services provide online databases so users can easily store faxed documents. However, some don’t, and others don’t provide archiving features at all. Without this, you have to print, scan, and store everything by hand. 

Which… can be an incredibly time-consuming process. 

So, pay close attention to this as you decide, especially if it’s something you need now or may need in the future. 

Industry-specific use

There are lots of different all-purpose online fax services out there. However, sometimes particular providers are more suited to specific industries. 

Healthcare is an excellent example of this because you’re dealing with sensitive information and legal regulations regarding how you handle it. So, you need a service that’s secure and compliant with those requirements. 

However, healthcare isn’t the only industry like this. As such, it’s critical to consider your industry’s requirements and regulations before making your final decision. 

The different types of online fax services 

Not all online fax services are the same. 

So, before we dive into the reviews, let’s talk about the different types of online fax services so you know exactly what to look for as you go through the process. 

Web or cloud-based services

The most common online fax services are cloud or browser-based. All you have to do to get started is create an account, and you’re ready to go. 

Web-based fax services are known for high-quality faxes as well as ease of use. 

And they often offer a wide range of cloud-based integrations with platforms like G Suite and Dropbox, making life easier if you want to archive your communications on the cloud. 

Mobile fax services

Mobile fax services allow users to fax directly from their smartphones. Essentially, mobile faxing is as convenient and as easy as snapping a photo. 

Plus, you don’t have to wait until you’re at your computer or rely on team members sitting in front of a desktop to send and receive communications. 

Some providers may also support desktop or web-based use, while others are exclusively mobile. 

So, keep this in mind as you decide which provider is best for you and your team. 

#1 –  mFax Review – Best online fax services for multiple users

mFax is one of the most flexible and adaptable online fax services for businesses with numerous team members. Their flexible monthly plans allow up to 50 individuals to use the service. 

Operating as cloud software, there’s no need to install or download any programs. And you can easily access the mFax interface from any web browser on any device. 

With an easy-to-use interface and intuitive setup, it’s an excellent option for those looking to get started with their first online fax service.

mFax comes with various features and benefits, including:

  • Automatic cloud storage for sent and received faxes
  • Works from any device
  • Send and receive faxes from email
  • Multi-layered encryption for documents in transit and rest
  • Plans for small businesses and large enterprises
  • Easy to create and manage users and set account-level permissions
  • Print to Fax driver allows you to send a fax from a desktop to print

mFax also has a beta version of international outbound fax for 24 countries. So, you’re not limited to one particular country. 

Plans start at $7 per month for one user, making it super affordable for businesses of all sizes. Plus, you can try mFax for free or sign up for a product demo to learn more about it. 

#2 – RingCentral Fax Review – Best all-in-one online fax service

RingCentral Fax is another popular online fax service. With a solid feature list, flexible user numbers, and robust security suite, it’s my #1 all-in-one online fax service recommendation. 

Their unique fax scheduling feature makes it easy to send faxes for future delivery. This is particularly useful if you need to send international faxes to users in other timezones or have employees who don’t work standard operating hours. 

On top of that, you also get access to a ton of powerful features and benefits, including:

  • Groups of up to 50 email addresses to send faxes in one message
  • Choose from toll-free or local fax numbers
  • IOS and Android mobile applications
  • Up to 200 faxes in an online account
  • Create an electronic signature and add it to documents
  • View received and sent faxes online via a web browser
  • Securely transmit faxes over an encrypted internet connection
  • Send and receive faxes from any device
  • Block faxes without a caller ID

RingCentral Fax is a great all-around option for small and large businesses who won’t mind the slightly limited online fax storage (you can always store them elsewhere). 

Plans start at $17.99 a month, and there’s an unlimited plan for just $24.99 a month. 

#3 – HelloFax Review – Best online fax services for cloud-storage integration 

HelloFax is the best online fax service for integrated cloud storage. 

The service seamlessly syncs with G Suite, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box. Users can also access their faxes directly on the HelloFax’s service from any web browser on any device. 

Plus, it’s super easy to use. Faxes arrive directly to inboxes as a PDF where they are easily viewable, downloadable, and shareable. 

There’s also unlimited storage for businesses that prefer not to use other cloud storage providers for their faxes. 

With HelloFax, you can: 

  • Send up to five pages for free by signing up
  • Quickly fax to previously entered fax numbers 
  • Additional faxes that go over the monthly limit are just 5 cents per page
  • Send faxes by email
  • Add and remove users at no extra cost
  • Send faxes to multiple recipients
  • Receive faxes with a paid plan 
  • Sign in using your Google credentials

Despite having cloud integration with multiple platforms, HelloFax still offers unlimited storage, which is excellent for businesses planning on sending or receiving high-volume communications.

There’s a free plan for up to 5 faxes per month, so you can try it free before you invest. However, most businesses need more than that, and you’ll need to upgrade once you reach that limit. 

But their paid plans are affordable, starting at $9.99 per month.

#4 – SRFax Review – Most secure online fax services

SRFax is a great option for businesses that have high-security concerns. Transferring information over the internet always comes with the risk of interception. 

And for specific industries like healthcare, security is even more paramount. 

Healthcare providers rely on faxing to transfer sensitive patient data. So, the fax services they use must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). 

SRFax provides multiple layers of data encryption while maintaining a user-friendly interface, making it an excellent choice for high-security industries. 

In addition to HIPAA compliant fax services, SRFax has multiple tiers and plans suited to all security levels and sizes of businesses. 

They also offer a variety of features and benefits to make your life easier, including:

  • 2048-bit SSL Certification, 2048-bit RSA public keys, and PGP encryption
  • 24-hour customer support hotline 
  • Plans come with unlimited authorized email addresses
  • Automatically download incoming faxes
  • Send faxes through an email account 
  • Intuitive dashboard for viewing existing faxes, sending faxes, and changing settings
  • Send faxes through the online dashboard

For any company that prioritizes high-level security, SRFax is an excellent choice. 

Pricing is affordable, with monthly plans starting at $3.29 per month. Or you can sign up for a non-healthcare specific 60-day trial to test it out before you commit. 

#5 – FaxBurner Review – Best mobile online faxing service

FaxBurner stands out from other online fax services for its well-designed, user-friendly IOS and Android apps. With FaxBurner, sending faxes is as easy as taking a picture, and you can receive them straight into your inbox. 

Set up is quick and easy. Plus, the platform gives users a temporary fax number that expires after 24 hours without upgrading to a paid plan. 

On top of that, you also get various features and benefits, including:

  • No unprofessional looking ads or watermarks on free faxes
  • Digitally document signatures
  • Create cover letters within the app
  • Integration with cloud storage apps like DropBox
  • Email to fax option 
  • Phone scanning capabilities

For users who need the convenience and flexibility of a mobile-first fax application, FaxBurner is my number top recommendation. 

Free packages provide up to 25 inbound faxes and five outbound faxes a month. And their paid plans start at just $12.95 a month, making it incredibly affordable for most users. 

#6 – Biscom 123 Review — Most affordable online faxing services

If your business is just looking to send the occasional fax, Biscom 123 is an incredibly affordable option. As a leading telecommunications enterprise, Biscom makes online faxing simple for both businesses and individuals with a straightforward interface. 

You can also try it free for 30 days to see if it’s a good fit for your business, with no credit card required. However, it doesn’t maintain archival records of your communications. So, keep that in mind. 

Depending on your faxing needs, Biscom 123 offers various plans that allow you to send up to 300 pages with support for multiple team members. 

Plus, you can also:

  • Easily add up to four users in addition to the primary account holder
  • Send email faxes in just a few clicks
  • Fax from Android and IOS mobile applications
  • Integrate with Google Drive
  • Send multiple file formats and rich text formats for text faxes
  • Saves inbound PDF files in your email inbox
  • No limitation on file size or number of documents

Pricing starts at $7.99 per month. This entry-level plan includes 30 pages per month with a charge of 7 cents per additional page. So, it certainly won’t break the bank. 

Summary

mFax and RingCentral are my top choices for most users. They’re incredibly affordable and accessible for most businesses. Plus, they come with a ton of features to make your life easier. 

However, that doesn’t mean they’re suitable for everyone in every situation. 

So, don’t forget to consider the factors we talked about and take advantage of free trials as you go through the process of picking the best online fax services for you and your team. 

What company do you use to send online faxes?

The post Best Online Fax Services appeared first on Neil Patel.

Online Marketing Services

Online Marketing Services Several of these web advertising solutions make assurances they can not and also will certainly not supply on. Lots of individuals have actually shed a heap of cash on these web advertising solutions. Numerous great and also dedicated individuals are attempting to make a living online as well as these sham web …

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The Best Conference Call Services (In-Depth Review)

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Just a decade ago, conference calls were challenging to set up and manage.  

But today, I can click a few buttons and hop on a call with my entire team in a matter of seconds from the comfort of my home while my teammates stay safely in theirs. 

However, the best conference call services go beyond basic phone calls. 

They also offer a suite of collaboration and connectivity tools that make our current situation easier to navigate… together. 

As the demand for remote connectivity rises, new services are popping up left and right. 

Plus, there are already hundreds of options to choose from, making it feel impossible to choose the right conference call services for your team. 

So to help make your life a bit easier, I looked at dozens of options and narrowed it down to my top eight recommendations.

The 8 top options for conference call services

  1. GoToMeeting – Easiest conference call software
  2. RingCentral – Best all-inclusive communication software
  3. ClickMeeting – Best for hosting webinars
  4. Grasshopper – Best virtual business phone system
  5. Zoom – Best for video conference calls
  6. Google Meet – Best for G Suite users
  7. Vast Conference – Best for instant conference calling
  8. Bluejeans Meetings – Best for video and sound quality

How to choose the best conference call service for you

The best conference call service for you and your team depends on various factors, including the size of your business, the level of security you need, and extra features you’re interested in. 

It may help to start with a comprehensive list of everything you need. Then, you can use that as you go through the decision-making process. 

And as you create your list, don’t forget to include the following considerations. 

Number of participants

A conference call with ten people is vastly different than a conference call with hundreds of participants. 

So, it’s essential to consider your team’s size and the number of participants you expect for any given meeting. Some service providers include low limits, while others allow thousands of participants depending on the plan you choose. 

Security

Whether your meetings are confidential or not, security is an important feature to consider. Furthermore, it should be a priority rather than an afterthought. 

So, make sure you consider:

  • The level of control over who can join the call
  • 256-bit TLS encryption to make sure the line is secure
  • Security policies of the service provider

Furthermore, pay attention to how the provider stores your data and what they’re allowed to do with it if you use their services. 

Mobile access

The world is more mobile and more distant than ever before. That said, mobile access is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a conference call service. 

Giving employees and other meeting attendees the ability to join using their mobile device is convenient for everyone involved. And it may mean fewer cancellations plus more of the right participants joining in, even if they’re not at their desk. 

So, ensure the service provider you choose includes mobile access. 

Audio and video quality

A conference call with low audio and video can be incredibly frustrating. So, it’s crucial to choose a service provider with top-notch video and audio quality. 

Of course, your internet connection plays a role. But you should carefully consider choosing a conference call service with HD video and audio capabilities for a smoother experience all around. 

Additional features

If you need other features, like a virtual phone system or the ability to host webinars, you can bundle conference calling services with software specializing in something else. 

You may also want to consider other features, like:

  • Call recording
  • Hold music
  • Auto-assistant
  • Internal communication
  • Call forwarding
  • Extension numbers
  • Custom greetings
  • Text messaging
  • Internet faxing

Hardware requirements

It’s also important to consider if you need to buy new equipment to handle a conference call service you’re considering. Some software integrates directly with the hardware you already have, making setup and everyday use a breeze. 

However, others may require special equipment or something newer than what you currently use. And they may require professional installation, as well, depending on the number of users you need. 

Some may work with your employees’ personal phones, mitigating the need for separate business phones. 

The different types of conference call services 

There are two main types of conference call services: assisted and reservationless. 

The one you’re probably most familiar with is reservationless. It’s the most common and easiest to use because you can do everything on your own. All you have to do is create a bridge and then share the link with anyone you want to join. 

It’s perfect for small, informal meetings and regular conference calls. 

Assisted conference calls are much more formal. However, they require you to rely on someone else to organize. Assisted calls are most commonly used for large events with attendees all over the world. 

The operator organizes the call and may even help invite the right people. Plus, they usually greet attendees when they join and help manage the flow of your meetings. 

While an actual human being traditionally does this, today’s technology has helped automate the process. 

As such, many conference call services offer an auto-assistant to greet callers, create custom joining experiences, gather caller contact information, store it, highlight action items, and more.  

#1 – GoToMeeting Review — The easiest conference call software

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use online conference call software, go with GoToMeeting. It’s an excellent option for both small and large businesses alike. Plus, it’s incredibly simple to set up. 

In fact, you can host or join meetings in one click from your phone, your laptop, a conference room, or any remote location. 

Furthermore, you can easily host and join audio, video, and web meetings as well. So, whether you’re the administrator or an attendee, it’s a smooth and seamless process for everyone involved. 

With GoToMeeting, you get a ton of influential conference calling features, including:

  • Screen sharing of your desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet
  • VoIP conference calling 
  • Face-to-face HD video conferencing
  • Intuitive, yet powerful, mobile access
  • Meeting recording and transcription
  • Internal and external instant messaging
  • Smart meeting assistant
  • Toll-free conferencing
  • 25 video feeds per meeting
  • Drawing tools

Plus, meeting participants can join using commuter mode, which helps them save mobile data and provides a distraction-free experience on their mobile devices. 

Unlike most of the other options on this list, GoToMeeting doesn’t offer a free plan. 

But their paid plans are incredibly affordable and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Those premium plans include:

  1. Professional — $12 per organizer per month (up to 150 participants)
  2. Business — $16 per organizer per month (up to 250 participants)
  3. Enterprise — Custom pricing only (up to 3,000 participants)

Start your 14-day free trial to see if GoToMeeting is right for you!

#2 – RingCentral Review — The best all-inclusive communications tool

RingCentral is an all-in-one business communications platform encompassing instant messaging, video, and phone. So, it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for a comprehensive communication tool. 

Furthermore, it’s secure, easy to use, reliable, and accessible on any device. 

Plus, you’re in excellent company with more than 400,000 customers worldwide. 

And the best part? They offer an incredibly robust free plan for video conferencing. With it, you can meet with up to 100 participants (for up to 40 minutes) anytime from anywhere on any device.

The free plan also comes with incredible features, including:

  • Simultaneous screen sharing
  • Host controls and user management
  • Custom meeting IDs
  • HD voice and video
  • Whiteboarding and annotations
  • In-meeting chat capabilities
  • Unlimited file sharing 
  • Meeting recordings

And their premium plans include advanced features like phone support, reporting, single sign on, and advanced team messaging tools. 

RingCentral’s all-in-one office pricing is a bit expensive, with plans starting at $19.99 per user per month. However, those plans come with a ton of extra features, including everything you need to streamline business communications. 

So, it’s an excellent choice if you need everything from SMS messaging and video conferencing to business phones and internet faxing for your entire team. 

Alternatively, you can upgrade to a paid conferencing-only plan with RingCentral Meetings. Their Meetings plans include:

  1. Essentials — $14.99 per organizer per month (for small businesses)
  2. Advanced — $19.99 per organizer per month (for enterprise businesses)

Sign up for a free forever plan to get started with RingCentral today!

#3 – ClickMeeting Review — The best conference call service for hosting webinars

Webinars are an excellent way to demo products, deliver online training, and host online events. They’re useful for everything from marketing and sales to education and large meetings. 

So, if you’re looking for a tool that offers webinar capabilities and conference call features, ClickMeeting is your best option. 

However, it’s a bit expensive, so I only recommend it if you plan to use it for both purposes. 

The software comes with a ton of excellent features for both conference calls and webinars, including things like:

  • Paid and automated webinar sequences
  • Webinar timeline views
  • Independent subaccounts
  • Custom branding
  • Customized invitations
  • Registration pages
  • Waiting room with agenda
  • Whiteboarding and screen sharing
  • Chat translation
  • Advanced analytics

Furthermore, they offer an extensive knowledge base so you can learn everything to make the most of your new software without calling customer service. 

However, keep in mind that all plans cap conference calls to 25 participants. 

ClickMeeting offers a free 30-day trial, but there isn’t a free forever plan. There are three options to choose from, including:

  1. Live — $25 per month
  2. Automated — $40 per month
  3. Enterprise — Custom pricing only

Start your 30-day free trial to take ClickMeeting for a test drive today!

#4 – Grasshopper Review — The best virtual business phone system

Grasshopper is a bit different than the other options on this list. Their software is a simple way to turn your personal phone into a business phone without worrying about buying new hardware. 

So, if you’re a solopreneur or small team looking for an easy way to set up business phones for your team, Grasshopper is an excellent choice. 

However, I don’t recommend going this route unless you actually need a virtual business phone system. 

The software is incredibly easy to set up. All you have to do is select your phone number, choose a pricing plan, download the app, configure your settings, and you’re good to go. 

It seriously takes just a few minutes and is incredibly easy to use. Aside from conference calling, you also get access to powerful features, including:

  • Toll-free, local, and vanity numbers
  • Custom greetings
  • Personal extensions
  • Call routing
  • Multi-call handling
  • Instant response text messages
  • SMS messaging
  • Internet faxing
  • Voicemail transcription
  • Auto-receptionist

While most of the app features are incredibly easy to use, conference calling is a bit less traditional than the other options listed here. Rather than participants joining your call, you have to call them, making it more aligned with old-school conference calls. 

But you get unlimited conference calls with up to ten participants and the added business-phone functionality all for an extremely affordable price. 

Grasshopper’s paid plans include:

  • Solo — $26 per month for one phone number and three extensions
  • Partner — $44 per month for three phone numbers and six extensions
  • Small Business — $80 per month for five numbers and unlimited extensions

Sign up for a free 7-day trial to see if it’s right for you today!

#5 – Zoom Review — The best for free video conference calls

As more people shift to remote work, Zoom has become a household name. 

It’s one of the most popular video conferencing tools on the market—and for a good reason. 

Their robust free plan is more than enough for most users, making it an excellent and budget-friendly option for individuals and small businesses alike. 

Their free plan includes unlimited meetings with up to 100 participants for up to 40 minutes and unlimited 1:1 meetings with a 24-hour time cap. Furthermore, you also get free access to features like:

  • Automatic calendar syncing
  • Robust security encryption
  • Role-based user access
  • Waiting rooms and password protection
  • HD audio and video
  • Up to 49 videos on the screen
  • Screen sharing and recording
  • Hand raising and in-meeting chat
  • Video and audio settings
  • Dedicated dial-in numbers

All for free. So, if you’re looking for a robust and intuitive conference call service without paying a penny, Zoom is definitely one of the best options on the market today. 

However, if you outgrow the free plan and need something more advanced, you can upgrade to one of their paid plans, including:

  1. Pro — $14.99/month or $149.90/license per year (up to nine licenses)
  2. Business — $19.99/month or $199.90/license per year (minimum of 10 licenses)
  3. Enterprise — $19.99/month or $199.90/license per year (minimum of 100 licenses)

Sign up for a free forever plan to see if Zoom is right for you and your team today!

#6 – Google Meet Review — The best conference call service for G Suite users

Google Meet is the upgraded version (and replacement) of Google Hangouts. 

And if you’re an avid Google fan and already use G Suite, Google Meet is entirely free for you to use, making it an excellent and affordable option for businesses of all sizes. 

Furthermore, you don’t have to do anything to sign up if you already have a G Suite or Gmail account. All you have to do is head to the Google Meet page to open up a meeting room.

Doing so automatically pulls in your contacts and information, too. 

The best part is that all of Google’s tools and software integrate seamlessly. So, you can quickly and easily jump straight into a video chat from their Chat tool, your calendar, or even your mobile device. 

Plus, the free Google Meet tool includes intuitive features like:

  • US and international dial-in numbers
  • Secure Google global infrastructure
  • Encrypted video conferencing
  • No third-party plugins or software required
  • Live captioning
  • Low-light mode
  • Built-in noise cancellation

On the Basic G Suite plan, you can host calls with up to 100 participants. If you need more than that, you’ll need to upgrade to the Business or Enterprise plan, which supports 150 and 250 participants, respectively. 

If you already use G Suite, head over to Google Meet to get started!

#7 – Vast Conference — The best for assisted conference calls

If you’re interested in hosting formal, assisted conference calls, Vast Conference is the way to go. While they also offer reservationless meetings, their assisted conference call features are where they shine. 

Operator-assisted calls require a bit more planning in advance. However, all you need to do is call their reservation desk to set up a time and date. 

From there, you can choose the level of assistance you need for your event. 

Operators can help with the planning of your event, show up live during your event for technical assistance and call quality, and deliver call recordings and participant lists afterward. 

It’s like hiring the assistant you never knew you needed. On top of that, operator-assisted calls may also include:

  • Welcoming and identifying callers
  • Continuous assistance from staff
  • Up to 6,000 participants
  • A pre-conference room meeting
  • Triple-checked event transcriptions

These types of conference calls start at $0.16 per minute per line for a standard event and $0.19 per minute per line for premium events. Plus, there are no contracts or obligations as these are managed separately from their reservationless meeting services. 

Vast’s reservationless plans are quite expensive compared to other options on this list. So, I don’t recommend it unless you’re using their operator-assisted services. 

Choose your plan to start planning your operator-assisted event today!

#8 – Bluejeans Meetings Review — The best conference call service for sound quality 

If you need meetings with crystal clear sound quality, Bluejeans Meetings is definitely the way to go. Every plan includes Dolby voice audio with built-in noise reduction, spatial audio, and dynamic leveling. 

Plus, you also get HD video, so you never have to worry about low quality.

Besides excellent sound and video quality, you also get access to a ton of influential conference calling features, even on the lowest-tier, including:

  • Unlimited 1:1 and group meetings
  • No time caps whatsoever
  • 5 hours of hosted meeting recordings
  • Meeting highlight reels and action item tagging
  • Outlook and Google calendar integrations
  • Video pinning and content slider
  • Desktop and application sharing
  • Remote desktop control
  • Whiteboarding and annotations
  • Advanced host controls
  • Safe driving mode

Bluejeans is one of the most feature-rich options on this list. However, that comes with a steeper price point and fewer meeting participants allowed on each plan. 

Plus, keep in mind you get excellent crystal-clear audio and video quality, making it feel like everyone’s in the same room. It also helps reduce dialog delays and ensures everyone speaks at the same level. 

So if that’s something you need, the extra price is well worth it. Their pricing plans include:

  1. Standard — $9.99 per month billed annually (for up to 50 participants)
  2. Pro — $13.99 per month billed annually (for up to 75 participants)
  3. Enterprise — Custom pricing only (for up to 100 participants)

Try it free for seven days to see if Bluejeans is right for you!

Wrapping things up

GoToMeeting and RingCentral are my top recommendations for most people because they’re simple, affordable, and effortless to use. 

Plus, they include a ton of intuitive and powerful features that make connecting with coworkers and colleagues more straightforward than ever. 

But that doesn’t mean they’re the perfect choice for you. 

So, don’t forget to consider the features and must-haves we talked about as you go about finding the best conference call services for you and your team. 

Which conference call software do you prefer?

The post The Best Conference Call Services (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

The Best VoIP Phone Services (In-Depth Review)

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The best VoIP phone services create exceptional customer experiences. And exceptional customer experiences work wonders for your bottom line. 

Imagine this: a potential customer calls the sales number listed on your website. Six states away, a personal cell phone rings. Your sales person picks it up, answers a few questions, and closes the sale. 

Within a matter of seconds, that potential customer turns into a paying customer rather than being transferred from employee to employee, wasting their time and testing their patience. 

With the right VoIP service, you can streamline and automate the customer journey, resulting in more money for less work. Furthermore, these services are easy to set up, easy to use, and most of the leg work happens behind the scenes. 

But choosing the right service feels like a daunting task. With countless options out there, how do you decide which one’s right for you? 

If you’re not sure how to answer that question, you’re in the right place. In this article, I cover how to choose the right service for your needs, the different types of VoIP services, and my top recommendations. 

Let’s dive in!

The top 6 options for VoIP phone service:

  1. Ooma – best for small businesses
  2. Nextiva – best for remote teams
  3. RingCentral – best for fast-growth
  4. Grasshopper – best for mobile teams
  5. Verizon – best for large businesses
  6. 8×8 – most affordable VoIP service

How to choose the best VoIP phone services for you

With countless VoIP service providers to choose from, finding the perfect solution for your business isn’t always easy. To make things easier, I want to share the criteria I considered when making this list and some must-haves regardless of the company you choose. 

You can use these to help narrow things down as you go through the process. 

Deployment options

Some VoIP phone services work with the hardware you already have, while others require proper installation. In some cases, you may need to buy an adapter or something else to enable the system. 

But others are as simple as a mobile app you download on your phone. 

So, carefully consider the amount of time and the level of support you have when making a decision. The simpler the system, the easier it is, and the less support you need to get things up and running. 

The size of your business

Most VoIP phone service providers charge per user per month. 

And while some offer discounts if you have a large team, those prices can quickly add up and get expensive. 

So it’s essential to understand how many users you have and how to get the best deal with the features you need at a reasonable price point. 

Phone call capabilities

It’s important to consider the phone call capabilities you need because each provider offers different capabilities at different price points. 

Do you need automatic call rejection, call forwarding, or caller ID? What about voicemail, voicemail transcription, and hold music? 

You may also want to consider other capabilities like:

  • Call forwarding and routing
  • Automatic attendants
  • Phone number types
  • Extensions
  • Blocking and auto rejections
  • Voicemail to text
  • Call recording
  • Call history
  • Instant responding
  • Custom greetings

Make a list of everything you need so you can choose the right provider and the right plan. 

Other forms of communication

Most VoIP providers also offer other forms of communication like SMS messaging, document sharing, online faxing, and video conferencing. 

However, they may not all be available on basic plans. 

With that said, you may not need all of them, either. So, carefully consider the additional forms of communication you need your team to have. 

Reliability

Your internet, VoIP provider’s uptime, and power source affect the quality of your phone calls.

With reliable, high-speed internet, you probably won’t have any issues. But what happens if the power goes out? 

If you use your mobile device, you’re probably fine. 

But desk phones aren’t. However, some come with battery backups that may last up to a few hours. So, make sure this is an option if you rent or buy hardware from your VoIP service provider. 

Furthermore, some VoIP providers offer network monitoring that lets them switch to wireless backups if wired data links fail. And you should also expect nothing less than 99.99% uptime, as well. 

The different types of VoIP phone service 

Device-based

For this type of service, you need to buy an adapter from the service provider and connect it to an existing phone (or a phone they provide). 

Software-based

These services are desktop programs. Skype and Google Talk are two good examples. You have to install the program and connect to the internet to use them.

However, most providers offer cloud-hosted and software-based systems.

Cloud-hosted

Cloud-hosted VoIP, or “virtual private-branch-exchange” (PBX), services are available as well. The only hardware you need is a networking router or switch and the provider handles the rest

This includes mobile VoIP services, too. These mobile apps run on Android and Apple devices through cellular internet or a local Wi-Fi network.

All of the options on this list are a combination of cloud-hosted and software-based, with most offering both types of systems. 

#1 – Ooma Review — The best VoIP phone service for small businesses

If you’re a small business looking for a reliable, no-contract VoIP phone service, Ooma is a great choice. They provide everything you need (i.e. hardware, software, and know-how) so you can start using their services in as little as 15 minutes.

Everything is ready to go straight out of the box. And you can keep your existing phone number or swap it out for a new one — for free. 

Ooma offers 35 powerful features, including:

  • A mobile app
  • Virtual receptionist
  • SMS messaging
  • Call blocking 
  • Voicemail and caller ID
  • Unlimited calls in North America
  • One complimentary toll-free number
  • One direct-dial number per user

Furthermore, Ooma has an excellent customer service team ready to help you get up and running, navigate snags, and create a seamless experience for your customers. 

However, the service is missing more advanced features. But it’s incredibly affordable and accessible for small businesses with a tight budget. 

Plus, you don’t have to worry about complicated contracts. Ooma’s pricing is simple and straightforward with two business plans, including:

  • Ooma Office — $19.95 per user per month
  • Ooma Office Pro — $24.95 per user per month

Ooma Office is suitable for most users. But you can upgrade to the Pro plan if you need a desktop application, call recording, or higher usage limits. 

#2 – Nextiva Review — The best VoIP phone service for remote teams

Remote teams face unique challenges. And they need a VoIP provider equipped with the tools and features required to conquer those challenges.

Nextiva is “made for business owners, not IT wizards” and built with remote teams of all sizes in mind. They offer solutions for small businesses, midsize businesses, and large enterprise companies alike. 

Plus, their in-house customer service team is ready to help every step of the way. 

Nextiva includes a wide variety of VoIP features, including:

  • Android and iOS applications
  • Unlimited text messaging
  • Customizable hold music
  • Multi-level auto attendant
  • Unlimited calls in the US and Canada
  • Free local OR toll-free number
  • Video and audio meetings
  • Internet faxing

Furthermore, you can make and receive business phone calls straight from your desktop, laptop, or mobile device. This service completely replaces an in-office phone system, empowering your remote team to stay connected. 

Alternatively, you can use it in conjunction with your current phone system. So, it’s also a great fit for call centers and non-remote teams, as well. 

Nextiva offers simple and affordable pricing. Their plans include:

  1. Essential — $19.95 per user per month
  2. Professional — $20.95 per user per month
  3. Enterprise — $27.95 per line per month

Nextiva boasts an “ultra-high uptime of 99.999%,” with around-the-clock network monitoring and zero outages in 2019. With relatively reliable service, various essential features, and reasonable prices, their service is among the best.

#3 – RingCentral Review — The best VoIP phone service for fast-growth businesses

RingCentral is an excellent option for fast-growth businesses. They’re the world’s #1 business communications platform with plans and features for business communications as well as customer support. 

Plus, RingCentral offers discounts depending on the size of your team. So, as your team grows (regardless of how fast), your phone service affordably scales to match your needs. 

They promise 99.99% uptime, and they maintain countless global data centers. This means you get excellent coverage and phone quality wherever you are on the globe. 

Furthermore, installation and setup are a breeze, thanks to RingCentral’s step-by-step installation and intuitive admin panel. 

You can set up new users from the admin panel, monitor service quality, and view your analytics all in one centralized place. Plus, you can even access it on the go. 

Their services include features like:

  • Unlimited calls in the US and Canada
  • Voicemail to text
  • Team messaging
  • Document sharing
  • Unlimited text messaging
  • Unlimited faxing and conferencing
  • Call recording
  • Developer platform
  • Custom integrations

RingCentral’s most affordable plan starts at $19.99 per user per month, making them a top contender for affordability. 

Their paid plans include:

  1. Essentials — $19.99 per user per month
  2. Standard — $24.99 per user per month
  3. Premium — $34.99 per user per month
  4. Ultimate — $49.99 per user per month

While their basic plans are suitable for smaller teams, their Premium and Ultimate plans allow teams to create custom-fit solutions, regardless of how fast they grow. 

#4 – Grasshopper Review — The best VoIP phone service for mobile teams

If your team works in the field, works from home, or works from anywhere in the world, Grasshopper is a smart choice. 

It’s a mobile (or desktop) app that adds a business line and an integrated phone system to your employee’s phones. So, they don’t need to carry around two phones or be present in the office to message customers and accept business calls. 

Plus, you can access and manage your entire phone system with mobile and desktop apps anywhere with an internet connection. 

The best part is that Grasshopper integrates seamlessly with the phones you already have. 

There’s no need to buy any fancy equipment or go through the hassle of messy and time-consuming installations. It’s as easy as picking a number and a plan, downloading the app, and configuring your settings. 

Plus, with Grasshopper, you get access to intuitive, yet powerful, features like:

  • Business text messaging
  • Call forwarding
  • Voicemail transcription
  • Phone extensions
  • Online faxing
  • Custom greetings
  • Instant responses
  • Ruby Receptionist

And while Grasshopper doesn’t automatically enable VoIP calling, you can quickly turn it on for free using the mobile app if you have poor cell service or prefer internet calling instead. 

Their paid plans include:

  1. Solo — $26/mo for one number and three extensions
  2. Partner — $44/mo for three numbers and six extensions
  3. Small Business — $80/mo for five numbers and unlimited extensions

Extensions can forward to any number you want. So, you can operate with three employees using Grasshopper’s solo plan. 

This is a breath of fresh air instead of per-user pricing with the other services on this list. 

#5 – Verizon Review — The best VoIP phone service for large businesses

Known for the stability of its network, Verizon provides VoIP business features for medium and large-scale businesses. However, it’s overkill for most small companies and very expensive compared to other options on this list. 

Furthermore, it’s most suitable for businesses that need to be available for customer calls, route calls to the right teams/people, or respond quickly to customer requests. 

Verizon’s VoIP phone service includes 45 features, including:

  • Customized hold announcements/music
  • A virtual receptionist
  • Complete call history
  • Administration web portal
  • Make and receive calls on your phone
  • Visual voicemail features
  • Call transfers
  • Do not disturb mode
  • Inbound caller ID
  • Selective call rejection
  • Instant messaging

You can purchase or rent desk phones through Verizon or purchase a converter to continue using your current equipment. 

Furthermore, you get free access to mobile and desktop apps to access or manage your phone system from anywhere in the world. However, Verizon’s services aren’t available everywhere, so you may not be able to use their services. 

Verizon business phone plans start at $35 per user per month plus any additional fees, taxes, or equipment charges. However, their pricing is confusing when you start reading the fine print. And you have to commit to a two-year contract, as well. 

So, keep that in mind as you’re making your final decisions. 

#6 – 8×8 Review — The most affordable VoIP phone service

If you’re looking for a basic, affordable VoIP phone service, 8×8 is a smart choice. 

Their 8×8 Express Business Phone System plan starts at $12 per user per month (with a free trial). This low pricing makes it the most affordable option on this list. 

However, with that low price point comes limited features. The Express plan includes:

  • Unlimited calling in the US and Canada
  • Global and direct toll-free numbers
  • Basic auto attendant
  • Ring groups
  • Call routing
  • Business SMS

And to access their more advanced features, you have to pay between $25 – $45 per user per month. Which… is more expensive than some of the other options listed here. 

So I don’t recommend it unless you go with the Express Plan. 

Summary

My #1 recommendation for most small businesses is Ooma. It’s affordable, reliable, and easy to set up in about 15 minutes. However, if you’re looking for a large-scale solution, Verizon is your best bet. 

Furthermore, Nextiva is perfect for remote teams, and Grasshopper is a simple, yet powerful, mobile app for small teams who are frequently out of the office. 

If you’re on a tight budget, 8×8 is the cheapest VoIP phone service, starting at $12 per user per month. However, it’s features are limited. 

Regardless of the route you go, don’t forget to consider your requirements, budget, and the criteria we talked about as you go through the process of choosing the best VoIP phone service for your business.  

Have you used a VoIP service provider in the past? What was your experience like?

The post The Best VoIP Phone Services (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

The Best Payroll Services (In-Depth Review)

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

What would you do with ten extra hours a month?

You’d probably work on growing your business, right? Maybe you’d spend it creating new marketing campaigns to generate more revenue. Perhaps you’d take half a day off to spend time with your family. 

Regardless, the average small business owner spends five hours every pay period running payroll. That adds up to 21 full work-days a year. 

But thankfully, that’s not what your payroll process has to look like. 

The best payroll services help you automate paying your employees and simplify the entire process, so you can gain more control over how you spend your time. 

Without sacrificing employee satisfaction. 

But with so many options to choose from, it’s easy to waste time trying to pick the right one. 

To help speed up the process, I reviewed six of the best systems on the market and put together a comprehensive list of what to look for as you make your final decision. 

The 6 best payroll service options for 2020 

  1. Gusto – Best payroll service for small businesses
  2. OnPay – Most flexible payroll service
  3. Paychex – Best for larger organizations
  4. ADP – Best payroll service with built-in HR
  5. QuickBooks Payroll – Best for QuickBooks integration
  6. Wave Payroll – Most affordable payroll service

How to choose the best payroll service for you

If you’ve spent some time searching for solutions from Google or asking for peers’ recommendations, you know there are hundreds of payroll companies to choose from. 

With so many options, it can feel like a difficult decision. 

To help you narrow things down, let’s walk through what to consider as you go through the process. 

Number of employees

Most services charge a set monthly fee plus a small fee per employee. So, it’s essential to consider the number of employees you need to pay. 

Some payroll services may limit the number of employees on certain plans while others may forego the per-employee fee altogether. Furthermore, some may also offer features that make it easier to pay many people at once. 

You also need to consider whether you’re paying employees or contractors. 

The process and fee structure may differ for different types of payments depending on which service you choose. 

Basic payroll features

The best payroll services exist to simplify the process of paying your employees. So, every payroll service you consider should have a set of critical features, including:

  • Automatic payroll options
  • Self-service portal for full-time and part-time employees
  • Mobile capability to manage payroll on the go
  • Direct deposit so your employees get paid quickly
  • Automatic tax calculations and withholdings
  • W-2 and 1099 employee management

There are other advanced features you may want to consider as well, depending on what you need. This includes things like HR tools, benefits management, wage garnishments, and more. 

So, carefully consider the essential features as well as the advanced features you need to simplify your payroll processes. 

Tax features

Filing tax is a complicated and time-consuming process. It can also result in unfortunate and expensive penalties if you don’t do it right. 

However, many payroll services offer tax features that simplify the process. From calculating payroll taxes to automatically withholding employee income taxes, there are countless things to consider. 

So, it’s important to choose a payroll service that offers essential tax features to make your accountant’s life easier. 

Or yours if you do your taxes yourself. 

Built-in HR tools

If you offer benefits to your employees, you need a payroll service that helps you effectively manage things like time off, vacation requests, workers’ compensation, insurance, and more. 

Furthermore, services with an employee self-service dashboard make this much more manageable. Employees can log in, update their accounts, request time off, and see an overview of their benefits package. 

The cheaper options on this list tend to ditch HR features. So, carefully consider what you need against your budget before making any decisions. 

Monthly payroll limits

If you have salaried employees or a set payroll schedule, most payroll services are adequate. However, if you pay freelancers or contractors on an irregular basis or run payroll more than twice a month, you need to be careful. 

Some services offer unlimited payroll processing, while others limit the number of times you can issue payments every month. 

So, carefully consider how often you need to send payments when making your final decision. 

Integrations

To further simplify your business processes, it’s crucial to consider the business tools you’re already using to run your business. 

It’s important to choose a payroll service provider that integrates seamlessly with those tools. Think about your accounting software, your employee scheduling software, and other essential tools related to payroll. 

The different types of payroll services

There are several different services to consider, depending on your business’s size and your specific payroll needs. 

So, before we dive into my top recommendations, I want to talk about the different types and how to decide between them. 

1. Hiring someone to do it for you

If you can afford it, hiring someone (either in-house or as a contractor) to run payroll for you is an excellent option. This ensures you find someone who knows how to do it and that they have the time to do it well. 

However, you still need payroll software. They may have their own preferences and expertise, which may help you decide which service is right for your business. 

With that said, many small businesses don’t necessarily need to hire someone. 

The best payroll services make running payroll easy, so anyone on your team can take care of it in a few clicks. 

2. Software as a service (SaaS)

The software as a service (SaaS) model means you pay to use the software. Most service providers charge monthly or annually for this, and as long as you keep paying, you get to keep using it. 

Most SaaS tools are cloud-based, meaning you can access it from a web browser anywhere. 

However, some also offer desktop applications and mobile apps you install on a specific device. 

This is the most common type of payroll service and the most convenient to use because you and your employees can access their accounts from any device, anywhere in the world with an internet connection. 

All of the recommendations on this list are SaaS payroll services. 

3. Enterprise-grade solutions

Most payroll services offer enterprise-grade and industry-specific solutions for large businesses. They come with specialized, custom pricing to match the unique needs of enterprise-grade companies. 

A software like this could be a SaaS tool or an on-premise deployment, depending on what you need and the company you choose. 

Most businesses don’t need this. But if you manage payroll for a large company or find your current solution limited, it may be a good idea to consider an enterprise solution. 

#1 – Gusto Review — The best for small businesses

If you’re a small business looking for a simple payroll service, Gusto is a smart choice. And you’ll be in good company with more than 100,000+ other small businesses around the world. 

Gusto makes onboarding, paying, insuring, and supporting employees as easy as possible. And they don’t call themselves a “people platform” for no reason. 

They offer the right set of tools and services to make your life (and your employees’ lives) easier. 

Running payroll takes just a few clicks, and you can enjoy unlimited payroll runs every month. Need to pay seven different contractors at different times? No problem. 

Need to pay the same employees the same wages every pay period? You can set it up to run automatically without you having to lift a finger. 

Plus, you get access to a wide variety of features, including:

  • Automatic tax calculations
  • Built-in time tracking capabilities
  • Health insurance, 401(k), PTO, workers’ comp, and more
  • Compliance with I-9’s, W-2s, and 1099s
  • Employee self-service onboarding and dashboards
  • Next-day direct deposits (on specific plans)

And the best part? It’s affordable. 

If you don’t have W-2 employees, Gusto starts at $6 per contractor per month. But if you do have full-time or part-time employees, expect to pay a bit more. Their other paid plans include:

  1. Basic — $19 per month + $6 per person per month
  2. Core — $39 per month + $6 per person per month
  3. Complete — $39 per month + $12 per person per month
  4. Concierge — $149 per month + $12 per person per month

Gusto is perfect for most startups and small businesses. But, large companies with complex benefits packages, and hundreds of employees may find it limiting. 

Get started with Gusto today!

#2 – OnPay Review — The most flexible payroll service

If you’re looking for an all-in-one payroll system with transparent pricing and virtually unlimited flexibility, OnPay is an excellent choice. 

Whether you’re a small company or a fast-growth startup, OnPay is versatile enough to suit your needs. Plus, you never have to guess how much you’re going to pay every month with their transparent pricing. 

And you can rest easy knowing you have access to every feature OnPay offers regardless of the number of employees you have because they only provide one pricing plan. 

Their software includes access to powerful features, including:

  • Unlimited monthly payroll runs
  • W-2 and 1099 capabilities
  • Automatic tax calculations and filings
  • Employee self-service onboarding and dashboards
  • Intuitive mobile app for management on the go
  • PTO, e-signing, org charts, and custom workflows
  • Integrated workers’ comp, health insurance, and retirement
  • Multi-state payroll

Plus, getting started is super easy. All you have to do is set up your account, add your employees, and start running payroll. Furthermore, OnPay automatically calculates and withholds taxes so you don’t have to worry about manual calculations or human error again. 

They also offer specialized solutions for different industries, including nonprofits, restaurants, and farming/agriculture. 

OnPay is $36 per month plus $4 per person per month. So, you can add new employees to the software for just a few dollars, making it excellent for fast-growing companies and small businesses alike. 

And while OnPay can handle large companies with hundreds of employees, there are better enterprise options available. It’s most suitable for small businesses and fast-growth companies that need simple pricing and flexibility. 

Try OnPay free for 30 days to see if it’s right for you!

#3 – Paychex Review — The best for larger organizations

Paychex is an excellent choice for businesses with more than 50 employees. They also offer low-tier plans for small businesses, but they’re quite limited compared to the other small business options on this list. 

However, their midsize to enterprise plans are perfect for large companies. 

The larger your business is, the worse small discrepancies and human errors affect your tax calculations. And wrong tax filings equal harsh penalties from the IRS, even if it was an accident. 

So as a large company, it’s imperative to have a payroll service that adapts to meet your needs. Paychex is more than a payroll service. It’s a human capital management (HCM) system designed to help you save time and reduce errors. 

Their enterprise plans include features like:

  • Recruiting and onboarding
  • Performance and learning management
  • Powerful real-time analytics
  • 100% employee self-service
  • Payroll automation features
  • Direct deposit, paper checks, and paycards
  • Salary, hourly, and contract workers
  • Paycheck garnishments
  • PTO and benefits management
  • Job costing and labor distribution

All of which are scalable for enterprises with thousands of employees (or as little as 50). Plus, Paychex services more than 650,000+ companies and has more than 50 years of experience in the industry. 

So, you can rest easy knowing you’re in good hands.

With that said, getting started isn’t as easy as it is with some of the other options on this list. Because each deployment is tailored to your business, you can’t get going on your own. However, they do offer a team of specialists to help you get the ball rolling. 

Contact their sales team for a custom quote to get started!

#4 – ADP Review — The best for built-in HR features

ADP is the way to go if you’re looking for a payroll service with the most built-in HR features. It’s perfect for smaller companies without an HR department and growing/large companies looking to streamline the process. 

ADP works with more than 700,000 businesses in 140+ countries, making it one of the most popular payroll services for businesses of all shapes and sizes. 

They offer tailored solutions for small, midsize, and enterprise businesses, so you’re sure to find the perfect solution whether you have five employees or 1000+. 

Their lower-tiered plans include basic payroll features like automatic tax calculations, employee self-service tools, a mobile app, PTO management, and complete compliance support. 

However, ADP offers more than just basic payroll and HR. They also include time tracking, talent recruitment, HR consulting services, advanced employee benefits, and the option to outsource your entire payroll/HR department. 

You can also get unique benefits, like personalized training, legal assistance, background checks, and interview scheduling too. 

Furthermore, ADP offers industry-specific solutions for nine different industries, including:

  • Restaurants
  • Construction
  • Healthcare
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail
  • Nonprofits

Note: ADP pricing isn’t available online, so it may not be suitable for micro or small businesses interested in getting started quickly. If you need something fast and straightforward, my #1 recommendation is Gusto.

Request a free quote to see if ADP is right for you today. 

#5 – Quickbooks Payroll — The best for QuickBooks integration

Quickbooks Online is one of the most well-known accounting tools on the market. And if you’re already a user, QuickBooks Payroll is an excellent addition to your tech stack. 

The two tools integrate seamlessly, making account reconciliation and tax season a breeze. 

Furthermore, QuickBooks’ payroll system works in all 50 states. So, whether you have a remote team or work with contractors across the country, you don’t have to worry about making errors or mishandling taxes. 

You can also rest easy knowing your federal, state, and local taxes are automatically calculated plus paid for you every time you run payroll. Plus, the entire process is easily automated after your first round of payments. 

With QuickBooks, you get a full-service payroll system regardless of the plan you choose. 

And the user interface is aesthetically pleasing with direct deposit payments landing in your employees’ bank accounts within 24 – 48 hours. 

The Core Plan starts at $45 per month, plus $4 per employee per month. It includes:

  • Full-service payroll with unlimited runs
  • Automatic payments after the first run
  • Health benefits
  • Wage garnishments
  • Next-day direct deposit
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • All 50 states

So, even their most basic plan includes everything you need to simplify your HR and payroll processes. 

But if that isn’t enough, their advanced plans include:

  1. Premium — $75 per month + $8/employee per month
  2. Elite — $125 per month + $10/employee per month

Get 70% off your first three months to take QuickBooks Payroll for a test drive today!

Note: 1099 contractors and freelancers aren’t included. It comes as an add-on with additional monthly fees. So, this isn’t the most affordable choice if you frequently handle contractors or freelancers. 

#6 – Wave Payroll Review — The most affordable payroll service

If you’re on a tight budget, Wave Payroll is an affordable payroll option. Wave also offers numerous other small business tools for free, including invoicing, accounting, and receipt management. 

The different apps integrate seamlessly to create an affordable small business accounting and payroll solution. 

With Wave, getting started takes just a few minutes, and running payroll goes even faster. Plus, they offer a 100% accuracy guarantee. You can also pay hourly, salary, and contractors and automatically generate the right tax forms. 

In some states, Wave automatically files and pays your state/federal payroll taxes for you. However, in those states, Wave’s services are more expensive. 

You also get access to features, like:

  • Automatic journal entries (if you use Wave Accounting)
  • Self-service pay stubs and tax forms for your employees
  • Workers’ compensation management
  • Basic payroll reporting
  • Automatic year-end tax forms
  • Timesheets for PTO and accruals

While Wave is one of the most affordable payroll services, it doesn’t sacrifice functionality and essential features. Despite being cheaper than the other options on this list, you still get all the essentials you need to run payroll for your small business. 

In tax service states, Wave is $35 per month + $6 per contractor/employee per month. This service isn’t necessarily cheaper than the other options on this list. 

But, it’s still a great option if you’re a small business owner looking for a simple payroll solution. 

However, it’s $20 per month + $6 per contractor/employee per month in self-service states. At this price, it’s easily the cheapest option with the most features available. 

And don’t forget that Wave Payroll seamlessly integrates with Wave’s free accounting and invoicing software as well. 

So, if you don’t yet have accounting software, this is a smart choice. 

Try Wave Payroll free for 30 days to see if it’s right for you and your business!

Summary

For most users, Gusto, OnPay, and Wave are my top recommendations. 

They’re all excellent for small and fast-growth businesses with the ability to scale to match your needs. Plus, they’re affordable and easy to use. 

However, different businesses require different solutions. 

So, don’t forget to use the considerations we talked about as you go through the process of choosing the best payroll services for your business. 

What payroll services do you prefer?

The post The Best Payroll Services (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

Best VPN Services

The pandemic has changed work permanently. Before COVID-19, only 9.8 million (out of 140 civilian workers in the U.S.) worked remotely. Today, almost 70 million people are working remotely. 

Are you working remotely?

If you are, there’s a good chance that you’ll need a virtual private network (VPN). If you’re running a small business and your employees need to work remotely, you need a VPN as well. Today, we’re going to take a look at VPNs — what they are, why you need them, and how to find the VPN that’s right for you. 

What’s a VPN, and Why Do You Need One? 

A VPN is a private network that’s run through a public network — imagine that a remote worker sitting in Starbucks had an extra-long Ethernet cable. They plug one end into their computer, and the other end directly into their company’s servers at work. 

That’s basically what a VPN does; it creates a secure and encrypted tunnel from your computer to a server on the internet. This is great because it means no one can access the data you’re sharing with your computer and company server. You have privacy and data security. We’re going to look at seven of the top VPN Services, explaining the pros and cons of each service. 

Our 7 Picks For Best VPN Services:

  1. Perimeter 81 
  2. NordVPN Teams
  3. ExpressVPN 
  4. VyprVPN
  5. SurfShark
  6. Mullvad
  7. TunnelBear

How to Choose the Best VPN Service for You

When you’re looking for a VPN, the first thing you’ll want to do is identify your needs. What do you want your VPN to do for you? What kinds of things do you need from your VPN? In general, most people focus their attention on four specific criteria. 

Criteria #1: Speed and Reliability

If you’re planning on using your VPN for things that require a lot of data or activity, you’ll want to choose a service that’s optimized for speed and reliability. If you’re sharing large files routinely or you’re streaming video consistently, you’ll want to select a VPN that provides unlimited connections, unlimited bandwidth, and high download and upload speeds. 

When it comes to speed and reliability, there are factors you control and factors your service provider controls. 

  • Factors you control: Improving Wi-Fi stability, using a wired connection (which is always faster), upgrading your internet connection speeds, or upgrading your VPN. You can also choose a VPN service with more servers or servers closer to your desired location. 
  • Factors you don’t control: Number of servers, server load, or server location/distance – longer distance = slower speeds. International bandwidth restrictions (i.e., VPNs in Australia are slow due to underwater fiber optic cables carrying a set amount of data at any one time) and VPN protocols also impact speed. And another thing, complicated peering relationships between networks, also reduces speed.

You’ll want to test your VPN speed so you can verify the claims your provider is making. You’ll need two things to do that — an accurate testing method and a baseline for your tests. Here are some of the more reliable speed tests you can use to verify your VPN speeds. 

Next, run a speed test on the same connection, with and without your VPN. If you’re on Wi-Fi, stay on Wi-Fi for both tests. Run the tests twice to get an average speed. Run your tests using the same VPN server/location you plan on using with your service. 

Criteria #2: Security and Privacy

VPNs should be secure by default; the VPN service you choose should have the basics of security and privacy protection down. Here are the most important security and privacy requirements you’ll need to consider when choosing a VPN. 

Security

  • Handshake encryption: This takes place at the beginning of the VPN session where you and the server you’re communicating with exchange private keys that encrypt or decrypt data and messages to acknowledge each other.  
  • Authentication: Reputable VPN services will use a hash algorithm to automatically verify the packets they receive, making sure that data from a middleman hasn’t been injected into your packet. They’ll also verify that your data hasn’t been tampered with or changed in any way. 
  • Ciphers: This is an algorithm, like AES, that encrypts and decrypts your data in a series of clearly defined steps. Using a key to encrypt your data makes it impossible for unwanted eyes to spy on your data unless they have the specific key that was used to encrypt the message. So the unencrypted message “VPNs made easy” would become “FVWWOluB9rHb5KUtyJYqlA==” using the AES algorithm. 
  • Encryption strength: 128-bit AES encryption is faster but less secure; 256-bit encryption is slower but more secure. Stronger encryption is obviously harder to break, so this is more of a priority if you’re focused on security. 

Privacy

  • Activity logs: Many free VPN services track your activity — the websites and pages you visit, files downloaded, etc. These free VPNs sell or monetize your usage activity on their VPN without your permission or knowledge. 
  • Connection logs: Other VPN services track assigned IP addresses, connection start/end times, or bytes of data transferred. This typically doesn’t include your data, but it can be combined with other data (i.e., the IP address you used to log into your Slack account) to expose your identity. 

If privacy is important to you, you’ll want to stick with log-free VPN services that don’t track your activity or metadata. 

Criteria #3: Compatible Devices

If you have an iPhone, but you use Windows on your computer, you’ll want to verify that the VPN services are compatible with your devices. While most VPN services are compatible with the standard platforms — Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, and iOS, etc. some aren’t available on all platforms. The VPN that’s Windows ready may not be available on Android or iOS.

You’ll want to verify that your devices are all compatible before signing up. 

Criteria #4: Connections 

How many devices can connect to your VPN service simultaneously? The availability of connections tends to vary from service to service. Some providers allow just one; others allow up to three, while others are unlimited. You’ll need to identify what you need ahead of time. 

It’s not just connections that you have to worry about, though. You also have to take a look at the availability of countries and the availability of servers. If you have specific availability needs, you’ll want to verify this with your VPN service provider ahead of time, then confirm this during your free trial or guarantee period. 

Other important considerations include: 

  • Payment plans: The cost you’ll pay for VPN services varies considerably, and it depends on the features you choose and the length of your subscription. 
  • Customer service: If you need on-demand customer support (in case something goes wrong), you’ll want a VPN service that provides live chat or phone support (which will impact the price). If that’s not as much of a concern, then a provider who offers email support may be a better option. 
  • Free trial or money-back guarantee:  If you opt for a service that offers a free trial, you’ll want to choose a service that gives you enough time to try things out. Some VPN services’ free trial period is quite short, which may not be enough time to verify the service on your end. A money-back guarantee is ideal because you have a way out in case their service isn’t what you’ve expected. 
  • User friendly or tech-savvy: If you’re not comfortable with setting up and configuring your VPN, you’ll want to make sure you find a provider with a user-friendly interface. Some providers will configure your VPN for you virtually, so everything is done for you ahead of time. 

You must figure out what you’re looking for ahead of time. 

The Different Types of VPN Services 

It’s important to make a distinction between VPN technology and VPN services. As we’ve already discussed, a virtual private network boils down to a secure, private connection between your device and endpoint. That is VPN technology. The VPN service, on the other hand, uses VPN technology to provide you with a package of tools. Using VPN services, you can not only protect your internet connection and guard your privacy but gain access to extra customer service with configuration guides, automatic setup, and live chat support. 

Different types of VPNs:

  • Remote Access VPN – Provide a secure connection from a user to a remote server to gain entry to a private network.
  • Intranet-based Site-to-Site VPN – Provide a secure connection for various users in different, fixed locations to connect to each other’s resources. For example: With a site-to-site VPN, multiple local area networks (LAN) can connect to a single wide-area network (WAN). Think of one company with numerous locations sharing resources.
  • Extranet-based Site-to-Site VPN – Difficult to implement, these VPNs are common in large-scale business environments where you are looking for a secure connection between two separate intranets, but you do not want them having the ability to access each other directly. Think of two different companies working together. 
  • Cloud VPN – Also known as virtual private network-as-a-service (VPNaaS), is designed for organizations that rely on outsourced cloud data centers instead of in-house infrastructure. A traditional VPN doesn’t work if your organization stores all of your data in the cloud. A cloud VPN allows users to access a company’s resources — applications, data, and files through a website or via a native desktop or mobile app. 

As a user looking to secure your privacy and access the internet, or secure business data for your remote workforce, you’re most likely looking for commercial VPN Services, let’s take a look at our picks for the top VPN providers.

1. Perimeter 81 – The Best for Small Business Teams

  • Pricing: $8/mo. (annual), $10/mo. (monthly
  • Number of servers: 700+
  • Money-back Guarantee: 30-day
  • Support: 24/7 live chat
  • Single sign-on: Yes
  • # of Users: Minimum of 5 team member

Perimeter 81 is an Israeli-based business VPN service that’s unique because of its Cloud VPN architecture. It’s great for users on multiple devices. You don’t need external legacy hardware or tools. It comes with the business features you’d need to run your remote organization safely in the cloud. 

Perimeter 81 is ideal for remote businesses because it protects your business from unexpected mistakes. Their automatic Wi-Fi Security and DNS Filtering features instantly shield your data by automatically activating VPN protection when employees connect to unknown, untrusted networks. According to their website, “All outbound and inbound traffic is encrypted and routed through your dedicated private servers – concealing your company’s actual IP address with an IP mask.”

This protection shields your company from man-in-the-middle attacks and unsecure Wi-Fi networks. Their service keeps your business safe from data breaches, lawsuits due to negligence, and other claims. Employee training is important, but Perimeter protects your employees and your business when they’re working. 

They also provide you with the data you need to monitor network activity. You can audit resource access, monitor bandwidth consumption, and detect network anomalies remotely and at any time. All of this is important because more organizations have a “bring your own device” (BYOD) policy in place.

The potential downside to Perimeter 81’s service is access points. As of today, they have 700 public servers in 36 countries. That might sound like a lot until you realize some of their competitors have double or triple that amount in twice as many countries. 

Pros

  • Single sign-on (SSO) functionality
  • User friendly and easy-to-use
  • Great for remote businesses
  • Auto-integrated with all cloud providers
  • Secure access to both managed and unmanaged devices

Cons

  • Higher price point
  • Fewer servers than their competitors

2. NordVPN Teams — New Service From Industry Leader

  • Pricing: $7 – $9 per mo. 
  • Number of servers: 5,000+
  • Money-back Guarantee: 30-day
  • Support: 24/7 response within 3 hrs.
  • Single sign-on: Yes
  • Multi-device support: Yes apps on all devices

NordVPN Teams is a new VPN service from an industry leader. NordVPN is known for its consistent performance, a strong stance on privacy, and aggressive security features. The company is based in Panama, where there are no mandatory data retention laws and no legal obligation to collect your data. It’s also important because Panama doesn’t participate in the five eyes or fourteen eyes alliances. 

They don’t track, collect, or share your private data — activity, usage, or metadata. They invited one of the big four auditing firms PriceWaterhouseCoopers AG, to run an industry-first audit of their no logging claims to verify that they’re telling the truth.

NordVPN is one of the few providers that offers double VPN, an advanced VPN security feature that routes your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one, encrypting your data twice. They provide two-factor authentication and single sign-on, which are standard features for top-tier VPN services. They also provide you with a kill switch, if your connection drops for even a second, the kill switch will cut off all the Internet traffic on your device, ensuring none of your information is exposed online.

For business customers, they provide you with a dedicated account manager that’s assigned to your account. Your Control Panel enables you to manage user accounts, control permissions, and create gateways. You can oversee user activity, monitor server load, add new users, and create custom teams from inside your control panel. 

Pros

  • A trusted brand name
  • Thousands of servers around the world
  • Single sign-on (SSO) functionality
  • Strong on security
  • Apps on all devices
  • Fast speeds
  • Cryptocurrencies and cash accepted

Cons

  • Slow app and server connections
  • Open VPN connection is not user-friendly
  • No split tunneling
  • Shared IP addresses

3. ExpressVPN – Consumer Favorite, Best-in-Class 

  • Pricing: $8.32 per mo. (annual), $12.95 (monthly)
  • Number of servers: 3,000+
  • Money back Guarantee: 30-day
  • Support: 24/7 live chat
  • Multi-device support: Yes

ExpressVPN doesn’t have a product strictly designed for businesses. They’re consumer-focused, which is great if you’re a sole proprietor or a remote, contract, or freelance worker on your own. Their apps are compatible with almost every device on the usual platforms; they also have apps for nontraditional platforms, including— Linux, Kindle Fire, Chromebook, and even Barnes and Noble’s Nook! 

Since they’re consumer-focused, their apps are user-friendly, easy to set up, and simple to maintain. They provide you with all of the standard encryption and security features you’d expect from a top-rated VPN provider. And, they also provide you with some unique features like split-tunneling or using their own DNS servers. 

Like NordVPN, they have a no-logging policy as their company is based in the British Virgin Islands. There’s no mandated government surveillance and no data retention laws. 

Pros

  • Consumer-focused
  • User-friendly and easy-to-use
  • Apps available on all devices and platforms
  • Strong reputation
  • Top-rated security and encryption

Cons

  • No VPN services for businesses
  • More expensive than their competitors

4.  VyprVPN – The Best VPN for Speed

  • Pricing: $2.50 per mo. (24 mo. plan), $3.75 per mo. (12 mo. plan), $12.95 per mo. (1 mo. plan).
  • Number of servers: 700+
  • Money-back Guarantee: 30-day
  • Support: 24/7 response within 3 hrs
  • Privacy: end-to-end
  • Multi-device support: desktop and mobile

Owned by Golden Frog GmbH and incorporated in Switzerland, VyprVPN focuses on a few areas — speed, anti-censorship, and privacy. They call their service the “most powerful VPN.” They offer more than 200,000 IP addresses and 700+ servers, across 70 locations internationally. 

Their platform resolves speed issues due to ISP bandwidth throttling. It’s common for users to state that their speeds are close to 100% of their original speeds. This is impressive when you realize that they rely on AES 256-bit encryption. They provide users with unlimited switching between servers and protocols without restrictions. 

VyprVPN provides some of the same features listed from other providers — kill switch, public Wi-Fi protection, and DNS protection. But they also offer a proprietary technology called Chameleon. In this protocol, VyprVPN scrambles your metadata, so it’s not recognizable via deep packet inspection, but it’s still fast and lightweight. As a result, VyperVPN can bypass restrictions from governments, corporations, and ISPs while fighting censorship and maintaining speed. 

VyprVPN also owns and operates their data centers to reduce any risk of a data breach. Other VPN providers route traffic to third-party servers, so they’re not as secure as a service that keeps things in-house. VyprDNS keeps your browsing history private. Their no-logs policy makes a breach unlikely. 

Pros

  • Unlimited high-speed bandwidth
  • 70+ server locations
  • Chameleon protocol
  • 5 Simultaneous connections
  • No activity or usage logs
  • Fast customer support
  • VyprDNS
  • Self-owned servers

Cons

  • Fewer servers than bigger competitors
  • Poor speeds in specific regions (EU)
  • Slower connection times in specific regions

5. Surfshark – The Best for the Price

  • Pricing: $1.99 per mo. (24 mo.), $5.99 per mo. (12 mo.), $11.95 per mo. 
  • Number of servers: 1,700+
  • Money-back Guarantee: 30-day
  • Support: 24/7 live chat, email tickets
  • Multi-device support: Desktop and mobile platforms

Surfshark is an award winning VPN service that offers incredible value for the price. According to VPNMentor.com, SurfShark is ranked 4th out of 357 VPN services. Their service provides users with 256-bit encryption, double VPN, an automatic kill switch, and a no-log policy. 

They’re headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, so like other VPNs in our list, they’re free from the five, nine, fourteen eyes alliances. While they don’t collect usage or connection data, they do collect your email address, password, and basic billing information. If you’d like to avoid sharing this info, you can use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. They also collect unique advertising identifiers from third parties for marketing purposes and user analytics.

One detail that stands out with Surfshark is unlimited connections. The number of devices that can connect simultaneously, per license is unlimited. This is great if you’re an individual, but it’s also great if you’re running a business. There are no additional licenses or requirements once you’ve signed up. Just set your VPN up, pay for the service, and you’re all set. 

Surfshark offers its Adblock VPN that blocks advertising and malware, counters phishing attempts, and boosts browsing speed. They offer premium features like private DNS on each server, camouflage mode to mask activity from your ISP, and Multihop – connecting via multiple countries at the same time to maximize footprint masking and ID protection. 

Pros

  • Best value for the price
  • Unlimited connections/devices
  • Built-in ad-blocker
  • Whitelister
  • Private DNS
  • Double VPN
  • No logging
  • Engaged customer support

Cons

  • Medium-sized network
  • Moderately reduced speeds in specific regions

6. Mullvad – The Best for Anonymity

  • Pricing: $5.50 per mo.
  • Number of servers: 315+
  • Money-back Guarantee: 30-day
  • Support: Email

Mullvad believes privacy is a universal right.

Privacy isn’t the same as security. If you’re looking for a VPN service that will go to extreme lengths to protect your privacy,  Sweden-based Mullvad is at the top of the list. They don’t require an email address or even a password from their customers. The company randomly generates a unique code for your username. You use this code to log in to the desktop apps or add credit to your account. They even allow customers to send cash in the mail to pay for your account!

They want to know as little about you as possible.

Mullvad will store your account number, your counts, paid time remaining, and the number of simultaneous connections that are used by your account. This data is kept in temporary memory, then purged once you log off. They log the total number of current connections for a given server, the bandwidth used per server, and the CPU load per core on each server. None of these items contain personally identifiable information.

Mullvad only offers connections in 38 countries, and they only have 315 servers. They don’t use virtual servers, so your VPN connections are running on physical hardware at the location specified. The speed varies based on your location. If you’re in Europe or North America, speeds are generally good. If you’re in Australia or Asia, the performance is generally much slower.

Pros

  • Privacy-focused
  • Simple and user-friendly
  • WireGuard support
  • More anonymity than most VPN services
  • No affiliates or resellers

Cons

  • Focused exclusively on privacy
  • Slower speeds in certain locations
  • No password protection

7. TunnelBear – The Best for Newbies

  • Pricing: Free, $3.33 per mo., $5.75 per user, per mo. for teams 
  • Number of servers: 20
  • Money-back Guarantee: 30-day
  • Support: 24/7 email support tickets
  • Multi-device support: Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android

TunnelBear’s service is designed to be incredibly simple for newbies.

They’re based out of Canada, which is a member of the five eyes, nine eyes, and fourteen eyes alliances. This means data that goes through or is stored in Canada is subject to intelligence agreements —they may be legally forced to share your data. TunnelBear states that they have a no-logging policy, so everything seems okay until you read this in their privacy policy. 

“TunnelBear makes good faith efforts to provide you with the ability to delete your Personal Data. However, there may be circumstances in which TunnelBear is unable to delete all your Personal Data. For example, we are unable to delete it where we are legally required to keep it, including where we need it to continue to offer you the service or if you are involved in litigation with us, we would be required to retain your personal data, which is limited to the fields we discuss above in 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4.”

This data includes your email address, twitter id, paid user designation, operational data, and personal and financial data. If this isn’t a concern for you or your organization, TunnelBear is a great option for individuals and businesses that want to get started with a VPN but aren’t as knowledgeable as they’d like. 

TunnelBear includes the standard features you need to get started with a VPN — AES 256-bit encryption, tunneling (Android only), hashing, and more. Their service is reasonably priced and designed to help inexperienced people get started with a VPN. 

TunnelBear is transparent about its service, sharing the results of its independent security audits each year on its website. 

Pros

  • Designed for inexperienced users
  • Generally open and transparent about their service
  • Low cost
  • Built for individuals and teams
  • Offers a free plan

Cons

  • May share your data with governments
  • No phone or customer support

Conclusion

Whether you’re a freelancer, an entrepreneur with a small team, or a growing business looking for options, a VPN will provide you with the security and peace of mind you need to keep your remote team connected and working safely. 

Your needs are unique, and they’ll dictate which VPN service will work best for you and your business. Weigh the options against your needs for speed, security, privacy, compatible devices and number of connects. Millions of people are working remotely, and that number continues to grow every day. If you’re not already using a VPN service, now’s a good time to start. 

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