Payroll Relief is the most honest comparison in this list — both products are designed exclusively for accounting firms running multi-client payroll. AccountantsWorld (now part of IRIS Software Group) has been doing this for 25+ years; their per-check pricing model is well-loved by smaller, lower-frequency firms. The differences are model, modernity, and mobile. Payroll Relief uses a $350/year platform fee plus per-check inventory you buy in advance (~$1.50/check historically); Payrollix is flat $12/client/month with employees included. Plus we have native iOS and Android apps; Payroll Relief is browser-only.
$12/client/mo flat. 5 employees included; $2/mo each additional.
$350/yr platform fee + per-check inventory (~$1.50/check historically; rates vary by volume tier). Or 3-tier subscription starting at $1,495.
For a 50-client / 6-employee book on biweekly payroll: 50×6×26 = 7,800 checks/yr × $1.50 = $11,700 + $350 = $12,050/yr. Payrollix: $8,400/yr. Delta is real but modest (~$3,600/yr). Move to weekly payroll and the delta grows; stay on monthly and Payroll Relief gets close to break-even.
| Feature | Payrollix | AccountantsWorld Payroll Relief |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat $12/client | $350/yr + per-check inventory OR 3-tier sub |
| Built for accountants | Day-one design | Day-one design (25+ year track record) |
| Multi-client dashboard | Native | Native |
| IRS e-filing | Direct MeF (in-house, ETIN 12374) | Via Payroll Relief |
| W-2 / 1099 generation | Batch + 4-year S3 archive | Included |
| 50-state tax filing | ||
| Mobile app (iOS + Android) | Employee + client portals | Browser only |
| Dedicated client portal | ||
| Geofencing time tracking | Built-in | |
| Modern REST API | Agency+ | Limited |
| QuickBooks / Xero | Bidirectional | Basic export |
| Odoo / FreshBooks / Wave / Sage | Native | |
| Onboarding packet (8655 + state POAs in one e-sign) | ||
| Free trial | 14 days | No trial; demo only |
| Modern UI | Built 2025 | Functional, dated |
| Check inventory expiry | N/A (flat pricing) | Must be used within 12 months |
| Time serving accounting firms | Year one | 25+ years |
| Parent company scale | ReasonWorks AI Inc (startup) | IRIS Software Group ($1B+ HCM) |
| Bundled with accounting suite | Integrates with QBO/Xero/Sage | AccountantsWorld Accounting Power bundle |
| Reference customer base | Building | 7,000+ accounting firms |
Start your 14-day free trial. We'll help you migrate your data.