MyCo vs Paychex
Looking for a Paychex alternative? Here's an honest side-by-side for US small and mid-sized businesses (50–500 employees). No marketing fluff — just the features, pricing, and use cases that actually matter when you're deciding.
Quick Verdict
Who wins?
Paychex is built for compliance-heavy businesses that want a dedicated rep and PEO-style handholding. MyCo is built for SMBs that want to run payroll themselves on mobile, in 5 minutes, for a fraction of the cost. If you need 1099 mass filing for 1,000+ contractors or full PEO benefits, Paychex still has its place. For most 50–500 person US businesses, MyCo wins on price and UX.
Choose MyCo if you...
- Want all-in-one payroll + HR + CRM + GPS tracking
- Have 50–500 employees
- Want transparent published pricing (no quote roulette)
- Want to run payroll in 5 minutes on your phone
- Run a deskless, field, or hourly team
- Are tired of being upsold every quarter
Choose Paychex if you...
- Need a full PEO (Paychex HR Solutions Co-Employer)
- Have very heavy compliance needs (gov contractors, healthcare)
- Want a dedicated phone account rep
- Need 1099 mass filing for 1,000+ contractors
- Prefer a 50-year-old established brand
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | MyCo | Paychex |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile-first attendance | Native face-scan + GPS | Paychex Flex mobile (limited) |
| Pricing transparency | Published | Quote-only |
| Built-in CRM | Yes | Not available |
| GPS field tracking | Yes | Not native |
| PEO / co-employer | No (we are not a PEO) | Yes (Paychex HR Solutions) |
| Multi-state payroll & tax | Payroll-ready data; filing via your provider | Filed in-house (full-service) |
| 401(k) and benefits | Integrations with major providers | Native + PEO benefits |
| Implementation time | 5–10 days | 3–6 weeks |
| 24/7 phone support | Business hours + chat | 24/7 |
| Best for size | 50–500 employees | Very small (1–10) OR 500+ |
Pricing Side-by-Side
| Plan / Tier | MyCo | Paychex |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Published | Flex Essentials ~$44/mo + ~$5/ee (estimated) |
| Mid-tier | Published | Flex Select / Pro: quote-only |
| Setup | $0 | Often $200+ setup fee |
| Contract | Month-to-month | Annual minimum typical |
| Tax filing | Via your payroll provider | Filed in-house |
How to Switch from Paychex to MyCo
Book a MyCo demo
We learn your team and your Paychex setup. 20 min, no pressure.
Export from Paychex Flex
Pull employee records, YTD wages, and tax info. We provide a checklist.
MyCo migrates + verifies
We reconcile YTD earnings, verify state tax IDs, and set up direct deposit.
Parallel test run
Run one pay period in both systems. Resolve any discrepancies.
Cutover & cancel Paychex
Switch over and cancel Paychex. Most teams complete in 10–14 days.
See MyCo with your data
Get a 20-minute walkthrough — no slides, no pressure
We'll show you exactly how MyCo handles your team size, your industry, and your current pain points. If Paychex is the better fit, we'll tell you that too.
Book Your Free Demo →Frequently Asked Questions
Is MyCo a good Paychex alternative?
For most 50–500 person US teams that want one mobile app for payroll prep, HR, scheduling, and GPS tracking, yes. MyCo is a strong Paychex alternative on price, pricing transparency, and field-team features. Paychex remains the better fit if you need a full PEO or in-house tax filing — MyCo prepares payroll-ready data and feeds your payroll provider rather than filing taxes itself. See more Paychex alternatives.
Is MyCo really cheaper than Paychex?
Yes for most 50–500 person teams. Paychex quotes typically run $80–$200/mo base + $4–$8/employee/mo + add-ons. MyCo's published pricing is straightforward.
Does MyCo replace Paychex HR Solutions (PEO)?
No. MyCo is not a PEO. If you currently use Paychex's PEO co-employer model for benefits pooling, MyCo is not a direct replacement.
How does MyCo handle multi-state taxes vs Paychex?
MyCo produces payroll-ready data for all 50 states — state withholding, SUI, reciprocity agreements, and quarterly-filing-ready totals. MyCo is not itself a tax filer: US payroll tax filing happens through your payroll provider and is configured during onboarding. Paychex, by contrast, files in-house as a full-service provider.
Can MyCo handle bi-weekly + monthly + semi-monthly pay periods?
Yes, all standard US pay frequencies including weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly.
What about year-end W-2s and 1099s?
MyCo prepares the year-end totals your payroll provider needs to issue W-2 and 1099-NEC forms, and we import YTD earnings from Paychex during migration so those totals are accurate. The filing itself is handled by your payroll provider.