Danh mục: Tin tức

Although curved monitors are commonplace today, this wasn’t always the case. There used to be a time when non-CRT desktop monitors were all flat, which remains the case today with most laptop displays. However, as people spent more time in front of a monitor during the day, engineers looked for ways to help alleviate eye strain, which became more apparent as display sizes increased.

Curved monitors are designed to more closely match the field of view humans see with their eyes. With larger and wider displays, images further out towards the right or left edges tend to look distorted in your peripheral vision. However, a curved monitor that gently wraps around your periphery allows the image to more closely align with your field of view, which should, in theory, reduce eye strain.

Some common curvature ratings include 1,000R, 1800R, and 2500R. So, what do these numbers mean? The lower the number, the tighter the display curvature appears to the user. For example, 1800R refers to a radius of 1,800 millimeters. So, if you line up enough monitors from end-to-end, the circle they create would have a diameter of 3,600 mm.

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While most monitors come with a fixed curvature, some products on the market allow you to adjust this setting. For example, the Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 allows the user to manually adjust the curvature from completely flat to a very tight 800R, which translates to a radius of 800 mm. At 800R, the 45-inch Flex provides an optimal viewing experience at just three to four feet. 

Quick List

Best Curved Gaming Monitors You Can Buy Today

Best Overall Curved Gaming Monitor

It’s hard to be all things to all people, but the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 tries its best. It uses a 32-inch VA panel that combines Mini LED lighting (1,196 dimming zones) and a Quantum Dot film to deliver greater contrast than what’s available on traditional VA monitors (25,000:1 in our testing compared to 3,000:1 typically found in VA panels).

Samsung also infused the Odyssey Neo G8 with a tight 1000R curve and a fast 240Hz refresh, which is a rarity at this 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution. Whether looking at SDR or HDR content, the Odyssey Neo G8 impresses with accurate color, and overall gaming performance is excellent.

While we would have liked a bit more color volume from the Odyssey Neo G8, it provides a lot of bang for the buck at its $1,499 MSRP. However, the monitor is often on sale, taking its price below $1,200.

Read: Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 Review 

Best Bendable Curved Gaming Monitor

Corsair’s 45-inch Xeneon Flex is a premium monitor at a premium price. But its price tag is justified by its unique, bendable OLED panel that allows you to choose between a flat panel or an 800R (maximum) curve. You manually bend the screen using two handles extending from the chassis sides.

The Xeneon Flex exhibits good contrast and color accuracy. You also get a fast, 240 Hz refresh rate and low input lag. Adaptive Sync is standard, with support for AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync. The wide-screen format with a 3440 x 1440 resolution should appeal to gamers and productivity workers alike.

There’s no such thing as a perfect product, and the Xeneon Flex suffers a couple of dings due to its relatively low pixel density courtesy of the 45-inch panel and slight misses with HDR color. However, the $1,999 MSRP will likely be the biggest hurdle for many gamers (although we’ve seen its street price dip below $1,700 recently).

 Read: Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 Bendable OLED Review

Best Large-Format Curved Gaming Monitor

The Samsung 49-Inch Odyssey G9 is one of the most extreme monitors on this page (or any page). Not only is it a massive 49 inches diagonally, but it also carries a 1000R curve. From a 2 to 3-foot distance, this panel fills your view. It’s like having two 27-inch, 1440p monitors in one. You’ll need nearly four feet of desk width and 17 inches of depth to accommodate it, but if you do, you’ll enjoy a wraparound gaming environment without image distortion. 

Testing of the 49-Inch Odyssey G9 revealed excellent contrast (2,152.9:1 after calibration), which climbed to 58,881.7:1 when it came to HDR testing. This is a bright monitor with a sharp picture and accurate DCI-P3 and sRGB color. 

Read: Samsung 49-Inch Odyssey G9 Review

Best 34-inch Curved Gaming Monitor

Desktop-class OLEDs used to be a rarity in the gaming monitor segment. But over the years, prices have come down, and more entries have entered the fray, including Alienware’s jaw-dropping AW3423DFW.

This is a 34-inch ultra-wide monitor with a 1800R curve and a resolution of 3440 x 1440. However, the most important spec is its use of a Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) panel, which offers an extremely wide color gamut and the blackest blacks you’ll find in a gaming monitor.

The QD-OLED panel of the AW3423DFW gives it unmatched contrast and excellent color saturation with no need for calibration out of the box. Throw in premium build quality – as we expect from Alienware – plus top-notch video processing and the AW3423DFW hits all the high notes without any demerits worth mentioning for enthusiast gamers.

If you can get past the $1,100 price of entry, the AW3423DFW would make a perfect companion for Nvidia’s newest high-end graphics cards, like the GeForce RTX 4090. 

Read: Alienware AW3423DW Gaming Monitor Review

Best Budget Curved Gaming Monitor

The Dell S2422HG might be small in stature at just 23.6 inches across, but it packs quite a punch at a very attractive, sub-$200 price.

The S2422HG has a 1920 x 1080 resolution and a relatively fast refresh rate at 165 MHz. Dell uses a 1500R VA panel, so you get excellent contrast at 3,000:1 (we measured better at 3,261.8:1) and a factory-rated brightness of 350 nits (although we only measured 324 nits). AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility is also included with this budget-oriented monitor.

Video processing for the S2422HG was good in our testing, and the low input lag was appreciated. However, we did have to knock the monitor for a few things it lacks, like an sRGB mode, integrated speakers, or any kind of USB hub functionality.

But with an MSRP of $199, the Dell S2422HG represents an excellent value in the curved gaming monitor space. In addition, we’ve seen the S2422HG fall to as low as $170 in recent months, which makes it an easy-to-recommend curved gaming monitor for those on a budget.

Read: Dell S2422HG Review 

Most Immersive Curved Gaming Monitor

The Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 aims to impress, starting with its gorgeous QD-OLED panel. This is a significant upgrade from the VA panel found on its “lesser” 34M2C7600 sibling. The basics don’t stray too far from many 34-inch widescreen monitors we’ve tested, with its 1800R curvature, WQHD (3440 x 1440) resolution and 175Hz refresh rate. Still, the QD-OLED panel delivers accurate colors (without the need for calibration out of the box), a wide color gamut and excellent overall image quality.

However, the ace up the 34M2C8600’s sleeve is the inclusion of Philips’ Ambiglow technology. Ambiglow provides bias lighting to project light on the wall behind the monitor. As we found in our testing, Ambiglow helps to increase the perception of improved contrast and sharpness of the image.

With a price tag of $1,299, the 34M2C8600 definitely isn’t aimed at the budget crowd, but its image quality, features, and uniqueness of Ambiglow make it an attractive option for gaming enthusiasts.

Read: Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 Review 

Benefits of Using a Curved Monitor

As we mentioned before, a gentle curve can help reduce eye strain with a larger screen. While this is, of course, beneficial to gamers who spend hours hunting down opponents in online frag fests, it’s equally appealing to office workers who spend their 9-to-5 staring at a screen, working on everything from documents to spreadsheets to photo editing.

Beyond that, thoguh, curved displays also provide a more immersive experience by wrapping the picture around your field of vision. Just imagine a racing simulator, like F1 2023, with three curved monitors arranged around you. The monitor to your immediate front would give you a clear view of the road ahead. Monitors to the right and left would provide for glanceable views of your periphery, allowing you to see vehicles trying to overtake you or the ability to see around an upcoming corner. And since the monitors are curved, there’s a gentle transition from panel to panel that cannot be achieved with flat panels.

Quick Shopping Tips

Here’s what you should consider when looking for the best curved gaming monitor.

✅ What size do you need? The smaller the display, the less need for a curved panel. You don’t typically start seeing curved monitors until you get to 24 inches and higher. From there, the options are practically limitless, with 32- and 34-inch curved monitors being among the most popular on the market. For those that want to go big or go home, 49-inch behemoths with an 800R curve are ready and waiting.

✅ What curvature best suits your needs? 1900R, 1800R, 800R, oh my! The key thing to keep in mind is that the lower the number, the more exaggerated the curve. Larger widescreen monitors (think 45 inches and greater) tend to adopt 1000R to 800R curves. As you step down to smaller monitors, the curves tend to see 1500R and 1800R more frequently – this isn’t an exact science but more of a general trend. For example, the 34-inch Alienware AW3423DW features a 1800R curve, while the 24-inch Dell S2722DGM features a more aggressive 1500R curve.

✅ VA, IPS or OLED? VA displays are most prevalent in the curved monitor space, and typically have great response times. IPS panels offer better color, but slower response times (and generally less contrast). OLED displays offer the best of both worlds along with infinite contrast, but they are the most expensive, by far.

✅ What refresh rate should you choose? First off, bigger is better. This number explains the number of times your monitor updates with new information per second — stated in hertz (Hz) — and, therefore, how many frames per second (fps) the monitor can display. Bigger numbers mean smoother images. Refresh rate is especially important for competitive gamers, so you’ll want to shoot for a monitor with at least 120 Hz (most gaming monitors offer at least 144 Hz), combined with the lowest response time you can find.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test PC Monitors

MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor

MORE: How to Choose the Best HDR Monitor

Payroll software empowers business owners, HR departments and accounting teams to tackle employee pay in-house. The right software can streamline tedious tasks like tax filing, which in turn frees up time to spend on other aspects of business management.

Gusto is the best payroll software solution for many small businesses because of its thorough automation, comprehensive payroll tools and optional employee benefits with built-in administration. But if Gusto isn’t the best fit for you, we have seven other payroll solutions for you to consider. Below, we’ll weigh their features, strengths and weaknesses.

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Top payroll software: Comparison table

Every payroll software on our list can be used to determine paycheck amounts, automate employee payments, generate payroll reports and calculate payroll taxes. All of our top payroll services also include unlimited payroll runs, meaning users can run payroll an unlimited number of times per month without incurring an extra fee.

The top payroll management systems differ in terms of starting price, app availability, third-party integrations (especially accounting software integration), time tracking and employee benefits administration.

Data accurate and verified as of 6/15/2023.

The year’s best payroll software

The best payroll software for most businesses isn’t necessarily the best payroll software for your business. As you weigh your options, consider what level of customer support you need, whether you need a scalable product and how many employees you hope to eventually add to your company.

Perhaps most importantly, make sure the payroll software you choose can support your business’s size. Several of the payroll software we review below is geared toward small and midsize businesses, though some (like ADP and Rippling) can support large enterprises as well. To learn more about payroll software specific to your business’s size, see the following reviews:

Gusto: Best small-business payroll software

Gusto’s modern payroll and HR platform offers payroll processing, employee benefits administration and talent management solutions. As one of the most popular small-business payroll providers, Gusto integrates with dozens of popular third-party applications, including accounting solutions like QuickBooks Online and Xero.

Along with third-party integrations, Gusto’s payroll service also has built-in time tracking and project tracking features for higher-priced plans. These capabilities enable users to quickly track team hours and process time off requests and approvals. Workers can track their time by logging their hours on a computer or through Gusto’s employee mobile time-tracking app, which uses geolocation to verify hours.

Features

• Basic hiring and onboarding tools with all plans.
• Gusto-brokered health insurance options in 37 states.
• Additional employee benefit options include 401(k) retirement plans, commuter benefits, college savings accounts and free financial tools.

Pros

• Thorough employee self-service features with employee profiles, e-signature capabilities and easy access to documentation.
• HR features including performance reviews, employee surveys and access to certified HR experts (with pricier plans only).
• Automated payroll runs and automatic general ledger updates.

Cons

• Basic plan users don’t have access to customer support on weekends.
• Limited HR tools with cheapest plan, especially compared to all-in-one payroll systems like ADP and Paychex.
• High per-employee fee with pricier plans can make the solution too expensive for organizations with a greater number of employees.

Pricing

Gusto offers three pricing tiers:

• Simple plan: Starts at $40 per month, plus $6 per month per employee.
• Plus plan: Starts at $80 per month, plus $12 per month per employee.
• Premium plan: Pricing for this plan is available upon request.

If you pay contractors only, Gusto’s contractor plan costs $6 per contractor paid per month for six months, then $35 per month plus the per-contractor fee after that. Gusto also has an international contractor payment plan that lets businesses pay independent contractors in 95+ countries.

Learn more about Gusto by reading our in-depth Gusto payroll software review.

ADP: Best for midsize to large organizations

With ADP’s main payroll product for small and midsize businesses, RUN Powered by ADP, business owners can run payroll automatically and pay employees using multiple pay methods. Every plan comes with HR tools like new-hire reporting, onboarding assistance, background checks and built-in time and attendance.

ADP’s other payroll products include its PEO ADP TotalSource, ADP Workforce Now for midsize and larger businesses and ADP Global Payroll for multi-country companies and enterprises. If you’re interested in a cheaper product, Roll by ADP is an ADP-backed payroll app for the smallest of small businesses. It starts at $29 a month plus $5 per employee.

Features

• Multi-jurisdiction payroll processing features.
• Employee self-service portal access.
• Employee discounts, which provide workers with discounts on brand-name products and with local retailers.
• Exceptional reporting features, including thorough and customizable payroll and HR reports.

Pros

• Payroll management services across 140 countries.
• Integrations with an extensive range of popular third-party software systems.
• Robust, customizable reporting capabilities.
• Comprehensive optional add-on features include retirement plans, workers’ compensation insurance and employee health benefits.

Cons

• No transparent pricing online.
• Reporting features may have a higher learning curve for new users.
• State Unemployment Insurance management features only available with higher-priced plans.

Pricing

ADP doesn’t list the base prices for any of its payroll solutions online, including RUN Powered by ADP. Interested parties must contact ADP directly for a quote.

Many of ADP’s plans and products can be completely customized, and you can also request a customized demo when deciding whether or not to purchase ADP.

Learn more about ADP in our thorough ADP Workforce Now review.

Rippling: Best for automation

Rippling’s full-service payroll solution has excellent built-in compliance support and HR tools, which makes it a solid alternative to software that focus more on payroll than they do on HR (for instance, Gusto). Its payroll plan includes workers’ compensation insurance administration, customizable reports and excellent compliance oversight. Most notably, Rippling lets businesses build custom automations, including custom policies for syncing payroll data with your general ledger.

Rippling’s other HR products include time and attendance software, benefits administration, applicant tracking and learning management. Companies can also add Rippling’s IT and finance software to its HR and payroll plan, creating a customizable package that grows with companies as they scale from startups to international enterprises.

Features

• Employee health insurance benefits in all 50 states.
• Pre-built workflow templates for easier workflow customization.
• Built-in wage garnishment.
• Integration with top accounting software including QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage, Oracle NetSuite and more.

Pros

• International payroll processing available.
• Easy-to-customize plans include only the modules you want.
• Thorough integration with every product in the Rippling suite.
• Comprehensive, customized automations for most business processes.

Cons

• Likely more expensive than many competitors, especially price-conscious payroll options like SurePayroll.
• Expensive plans are outside many small and midsize businesses’ budgets.
• Workflow automations can have a high learning curve for first-time users.

Pricing

Rippling charges $8 per employee per month on top of a standard monthly base fee. However, Rippling doesn’t list its base price online (though the site previously listed its starting price at $35 per month). Plus, each additional module costs an extra per-employee or per-month charge, which can cause package prices to add up quickly.

Dig deeper into Rippling’s features by reading our Rippling payroll review.

OnPay: Best for specialized payroll services

OnPay’s payroll software program helps businesses in all industries pay employees, offer benefits, deposit taxes and get solid HR assistance. Along with its general payroll services, OnPay also offers industry-specific payroll services tailor-made for more niche companies. For instance, OnPay’s bar and restaurant payroll solution includes features for processing tipped wages, employee onboarding and time-tracking software integrations.

All of OnPay’s payroll plans include an impressive amount of HR features (especially when compared to similar HR payroll solutions like Gusto). Features like compliance auditing and HR library access give small and midsize businesses access to HR tools they’d typically have to pay extra for. OnPay’s stellar payroll features include wage garnishment and free multi-state payroll — two services most of the other top payroll systems charge extra for.

Features

• Thorough, fee-free integration with third-party software like QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time, Xero and more.
• Ongoing COVID-19 compliance features, including a COVID-19 dashboard for managing tax credits and forgiveness.
• Free white-glove setup and data migration.
• Optional OnPay-brokered insurance benefits in all 50 states.

Pros

• Payroll features specific to businesses in specific sectors like restaurants, farms and agriculture, nonprofits, churches and clergy, and 500+ employee companies.
• Far fewer add-on fees than other payroll providers, especially pricy competitors like Paychex.
• Custom PTO policy creation with automatic PTO accrual, calendars, time-off requests and manager approvals.

Cons

• Phone, chat and email support limited to weekdays with only emergency email support available on weekends.
• One plan only, which may be less scalable for rapidly growing businesses (compared to multi-plan competitors like Gusto and Paychex).
• No international payroll options, including international contractor payments.

Pricing

OnPay payroll has just one plan that includes all of its payroll and HR features. It costs $40 per month as a base fee plus $6 per month per employee.

Learn more about OnPay’s payroll system by reading our comprehensive OnPay review.

Papaya Global: Best for international payroll

Papaya Global is one of the best payroll software programs for international businesses. Its global payroll services let employers pay workers in 12 local currency systems in more than 160 countries. Papaya can deposit paychecks directly into employees’ bank accounts, and it can also make third-party payments on your behalf to entities like the IRS or legally mandated pension accounts around the world.

Businesses that currently use a payroll provider other than Papaya and don’t want to switch can still take advantage of Papaya’s international payroll services by paying for its payroll platform license, which costs $3 a month per employee. Plus, Papaya has a global benefits package that helps businesses offer global health insurance and provide localized benefits.

Features

• AI-based compliance audits.
• Global finance, HR and payroll features rolled into one package.
• Local experts with knowledge on immigration, global compliance, equity, benefits and more.
• Third-party integrations with Oracle NetSuite, Workday and more.

Pros

• One of the most fully featured global payroll providers for U.S.-based companies.
• Access to payroll and benefits in more than 160 countries.
• Extensive international payroll library and compliance oversight.

Cons

• Starting price might be outside many businesses’ budgets.
• Fewer third-party integrations than some international payroll competitors.
• Comparatively slow software setup and implementation.

Pricing

In contrast to most global payroll system providers, Papaya Global lists its starting prices upfront:

• Full-service global payroll: Starts at $12 per month per employee.
• Payroll platform licensing: Starts at $3 per month per employee.
• Employer of record services: Start at $770 per month per employee.
• International contractor management: Starts at $25 per month per employee.

Learn more about whether Papaya Global will work for you by reading our in-depth Papaya review.

Paychex: Best for HR solutions

Paychex’s all-in-one payroll software solution includes HR and payroll tools with optional add-on employee benefits. Unlike single-plan solutions (such as Square Payroll or OnPay), Paychex has four payroll plans that are designed for startups, enterprises and everything in between.

While Paychex has more or less the same full-service payroll features as Gusto, it has a more robust set of HR features. In contrast to Paychex’s professional employer organization service, its payroll and HR software isn’t a total HR solution. However, each Paychex plan has far more HR tools and support than any of Gusto’s plans, including access to a comprehensive HR library, optional financial wellness benefits for employees and access to labor posters.

Features

• Multiple employee pay options, including direct deposit, paper checks and pay cards.
• Employee benefits options, including a financial wellness program, employee assistance programs and insurance benefits.
• Thorough human resource features with higher-tier plans, including an employee handbook builder and learning management system.

Pros

• Access to an impressive range of optional employee benefits offerings.
• Dedicated point of contact with 24/7 access to the customer support center.
• Impressive HR library resources available with every plan.

Cons

• Paychex is a pricier option compared to payroll services provided by other vendors, and pricing information for its higher-tier options is not available online.
• Additional fees to process year-end W-2s and 1099s.
• Additional fees for general ledger and accounting software integration.

Pricing

Paychex offers three different pricing tiers for its HR solutions:

• Paychex Flex Essentials: Costs $39 per month, plus $5 per employee.
• Paychex Flex Select: Custom quote.
• Paychex Flex Pro: Custom quote.

Learn more about Paychex by reading our in-depth Paychex software review.

SurePayroll: Most affordable payroll

SurePayroll is both the cheapest payroll provider on our list of best payroll software as well as one of the cheapest payroll providers overall. Its lower price point doesn’t prevent SurePayroll from offering extensive payroll features — in some cases, more features than its paid payroll competitors. For instance, both SurePayroll plans include new-hire reporting, free two-day direct deposit and access to HR features like labor law compliance posters.

Businesses can also use SurePayroll to find 401(k) retirement plans for employees as well as health insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. SurePayroll also offers optional hiring tools like pre-employment screening and background checks.

Features

• Optional health benefits backed by Paychex (SurePayroll’s parent company).
• Budget-friendly full-service or cheaper self-service plan options.

Pros

• Up to six months free for new customers.
• Extended customer service hours with better-than-average response time.
• Tax-calculation guarantee with self-service plan (plus industry-standard tax-filing guarantee with full-service plan).
• Optional employee benefits add-on with employee benefits administration.

Cons

• Two plans can limit scalability for growing businesses.
• Fewer HR features than HR-focused competitors like Paychex and ADP.

Pricing

SurePayroll has two plans, both with transparent pricing:

• Self-service payroll: Requires you to file payroll taxes on your own and costs $19.99 per month plus $4 per employee.
• Full-service payroll: Includes automatic payroll tax filing performed by SurePayroll and costs $29.99 per month plus $5 per employee.

SurePayroll also has a handful of optional add-on costs. For example, multi-state tax filing costs an extra $9.99 per state.

Find out if SurePayroll is a good fit for you by reading our SurePayroll review.

QuickBooks Payroll: Best user experience

QuickBooks Payroll integrates naturally with QuickBooks Online, Intuit’s leading cloud-based accounting software used by thousands of companies globally. Since Intuit’s cloud-based products were built specifically for non-accountant business owners, those who already manage their finances through QuickBooks Online should enjoy a relatively low learning curve if they add QuickBooks Payroll.

Although QuickBooks Payroll has a relatively high starting base price, its per-employee fee is notably low. As a result, regardless of its higher base price, QuickBooks Payroll is cheaper for small and midsize businesses with five or more employees compared to similar payroll programs like Gusto, ADP and OnPay.

Features

• Automatic payroll runs (available for businesses that pay salaried employees only).
• Optional 401(k) plans and healthcare benefits.
• Built-in time tracking through QuickBooks Time (additional fee).
• HR support center (with more expensive plans only).

Pros

• Transparent online pricing.
• Multiple plan options for growing businesses.
• 24/7 live support (with pricier plans only).
• Excellent integrations with Intuit QuickBooks suite of products and third-party software.

Cons

• No free workers’ compensation integration and administration with cheapest plan.
• Expensive add-ons, including time-tracking software.
• Key features limited to priciest plans only, such as expert review and expert support.

Pricing

Unlike some of its top competitors, QuickBooks Online Payroll lists its prices clearly and upfront:

• QuickBooks Payroll Core: Costs $45 per month plus $5 per employee.
• QuickBooks Payroll Premium: Costs $75 per month plus $8 per employee.
• QuickBooks Payroll Elite: Costs $125 per month plus $10 per employee.

New customers can choose between receiving 50% off QuickBooks’ base price for their first three months of service or signing up for a free trial of QuickBooks’ payroll software.

Learn more about QuickBooks Payroll by reading our QuickBooks Payroll review.

Key features of payroll software

Regardless of the software brand or type of payroll solution, all payroll software should calculate your employees’ paycheck amounts. Along with gross paycheck amounts, the software should also calculate deduction amounts for payroll taxes, healthcare premiums, retirement and other employee benefits, wage garnishments and optional deductions (like employee contributions to charitable funds).

From there, though, payroll software systems differ drastically in terms of their pricing and features. As you dive into the best payroll software companies listed above, consider which of the following features you need to effectively process payroll and how much you’re willing (and able) to pay for more expensive, comprehensive software.

Automatic payroll processing and tax remittance

Full-service payroll software, such as that offered by OnPay and QuickBooks Payroll, withholds payroll taxes on the employer’s behalf and remits those taxes to the IRS and other tax institutions on a regular basis. In contrast, self-service software will calculate tax amounts on your behalf but leaves the actual tax remittance up to you.

Self-service payroll software is cheaper than full-service software in terms of both per-payee pricing and monthly base costs. However, it saves businesses less time than full-service software, which often includes an autopilot feature for employers who want to run payroll without lifting a finger.

Payroll reporting

Most payroll software should include basic reporting features, starting with payroll reports that can be used to sync payroll expenses with your general ledger. Most should also include payroll tax withholding reports, employee paycheck reports, state unemployment tax reports and workers’ compensation insurance reporting.

More comprehensive software includes customizable reports with more in-depth analyses. For instance, payroll solutions like ADP and Paychex Flex include thorough human resource and benefits reports with impressive insights into payroll expenses and business growth.

Multiple pay methods

All payroll software should offer direct deposit as a primary employee pay option. However, the best payroll companies offer at least one other employee pay method, such as paper checks or app-based pay options like Gusto’s Wallet App or Square’s Cash App.

W-2 and 1099 form generation

At the end of each year, businesses must distribute tax form 1099 to contractors and W-2 to employees, plus file a copy of each tax form with the federal government. Nearly all payroll providers charge an additional fee to print and mail physical copies of each tax form, but most include electronic tax form access and distribution at no additional cost. (Paychex, which charges extra for W-2 and 1099 form preparation, is one notable exception.)

Compliance management

Payroll — especially payroll taxes — are heavily regulated by the federal government. Violations, accidental or not, can result in fines and more. As a result, the best payroll software includes thorough compliance management features that help you meet your legal obligations and avoid penalties for mistakes relating to tax law updates, wage garnishment orders and allocation rules.

Third-party integrations

Most payroll software integrates with third-party business apps like accounting software, HR products and time-tracking options. If you use cloud-based software to perform most business tasks, prioritize payroll software that automatically syncs with your favorite apps to keep all of them up to date on payroll expenses and employee data. Otherwise, you’ll spend more time entering data by hand.

How do I choose the best payroll software for my business?

1. Ask yourself key questions

To choose the right payroll software for your business, we recommend asking yourself several key questions that can guide your ultimate decision:

• How much can you afford to spend on payroll software each month? Make sure to consider both the base fee and per-employee fee.
• Do you primarily employ contractors, W-2 workers or a combination of both? Which types of employees do you anticipate having in the future?
• Which payroll features do you consider essential to your business’s operations? For instance, if you have hourly employees, payroll that syncs with time-and-attendance software is a must.
• How much support do you want (or need) as you set up your payroll software for the first time? Are you interested in white-glove setup with expert support, or do you feel confident setting up payroll software on your own?
• How large is your organization now, and how large do you plan for it to become?
• Which other software products do you currently use to keep your business up and running? How important is it to you to find software that syncs seamlessly with your existing apps and business processes?
• Do you really want to run payroll in house, or are you interested in a completely hands-off solution like a professional employer organization or outsourced accounting company?

2. Try the software yourself

While in-depth comparative reviews like ours can help you make informed decisions about which payroll software is right for you, the best way to find your ideal payroll software is to test it for yourself. Many payroll software providers offer a free trial (or free account setup), and those that don’t will usually offer free, customized demos that walk you through every aspect of the software.

3. Talk to an expert

If you’re a new business owner processing payroll for the first time, we strongly recommend speaking with an accountant to better understand your payroll responsibilities, including and especially your payroll tax obligations. An accountant can also point you toward the best payroll software from an accounting point of view, which could also impact your final software decision.

Our methodology

To review the best payroll software for businesses, we set up free accounts with payroll providers whenever possible to test the software for ourselves. When creating a free account wasn’t an option, we viewed demos and watched product reviews from customers detailing their experience with the software.

In all cases, we read product spec sheets, thoroughly reviewed each company’s website and reviewed verified user reviews on trustworthy third-party sites.

After conducting this initial research, we used a proprietary in-house algorithm to calculate star ratings for each brand, determine their use cases and rank each brand according to its score.

Frequently asked questions

What is payroll software?

Payroll software is a (typically cloud-based) tool businesses use to pay their employees. Payroll software calculates paycheck amounts for both hourly and salaried employees, including gross paycheck amounts, payroll tax amounts and other paycheck deductions.

Most payroll software automatically deposits employees’ net pay via direct deposit and includes features like payroll reports, optional HR features (like employee benefits administration) and time-tracking solutions for hourly employees who clock in and out.

How does payroll software simplify payroll processing?

Payroll software removes the need for business owners to calculate paycheck amounts by hand. It also simplifies record-keeping processes and helps businesses stay legally compliant with tax and labor laws.

Is payroll software good for small businesses or only for larger enterprises?

Payroll software is good for any business owner who wants to save time on processing payroll and reduce the possibility of making a critical error with an employee’s paycheck amount or payroll taxes. Businesses in any industry and of any size can benefit from streamlining their payroll processes with payroll software.

How much does payroll software cost?

Most payroll products charge a monthly base fee along with a per-employee fee, though some payroll providers like Gusto and Square Payroll waive their base fees for business owners that pay only contractors. Most entry-level software plans charge around $20 a month as a self-service base fee and up to $45 a month as a full-service base fee. Per-employee fees for entry-level plans can range from $4 per employee to $10 per employee.

There are also free payroll software options, like Payroll4Free, which offers free payroll for businesses with up to 25 employees. Alternatively, businesses can use spreadsheet software like Excel (which costs a monthly fee) or Google Sheets (which is free) to calculate payroll by hand.

However, these more affordable payroll-processing methods aren’t feasible for businesses with dozens of employees. They’re also less ideal for businesses that want to save time on payroll while reducing the possibility of human error.

Which payroll software is best?

Gusto is generally considered the best payroll software for most small and midsize businesses. It syncs with dozens of third-party products, includes both HR and payroll features and offers thorough automation for businesses that want to minimize the time they spend on payroll each month.

At the same time, Gusto isn’t the best payroll product for all businesses. As you try to decide which payroll software is right for you, consider factors like pricing, scalability, features, customer support and third-party integrations.

Looking for an alternative to Xero? Here’s our comprehensive list covering the top competitors to help you find the best fit for your business.

Xero is an accounting software solution aimed at small and mid-sized businesses, as well as professional accountants and bookkeepers. Featuring double-entry accounting, it’s designed to maximize ledger accuracy, error prevention and fraud protection. The tool boasts over 3.5 million users, but that doesn’t mean it’s a perfect fit for every use case.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at several alternatives to Xero so you can choose the best software for your business.

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Top Xero competitors and alternatives: Comparison table

No business lasts long without an accurate financial record and an effective system for managing cashflow. But there is more to accounting than just managing a spreadsheet, and different industries have different financial concerns. We’ve highlighted four major areas of functionality and identified which solutions fulfill these areas.

Top Xero competitors

Bigger isn’t always better and less isn’t always more. Some businesses only need basic accounting support while others need comprehensive software suites to manage processes at scale. The list of competitors below reflects those varied use cases and are identified by their target market applications.

QuickBooks: Best for full-stack business resource management

The foremost name in business financial software, QuickBooks by Intuit is an industry powerhouse that has been around since the rise of digital systems. Designed to help organizations of any size track income and expenses, inventory, production costs and a great deal more, QuickBooks is among the most widely used solutions in the business landscape today.

Pricing

The core QuickBooks product has four pricing tiers:

• Simple Start: Starts at $30 per month.
• Essentials: Starts at $55 per month.
• Plus: Starts at $85 per month.
• Advanced: Starts at $200 per month.

The Simple Start and Essentials plans primarily include core accounting functions, with most advanced features like inventory and profitability projections available at only the higher tiers. In some cases, like payroll, these features are part of distinct add-on subscriptions that increase the monthly base cost when included.

You can get QuickBooks for 50% off for the first three months to save a little money upfront, or you can take advantage of the 30-day free trial to see if it’s the right fit for you. However, you can’t do both — it’s either the discount or the trial.

Features

• Fully managed cashflow from accounts receivable to accounts payable.
• Invoices and estimates, measured financial performance over time and generated reports and forecasts.
• Easy handling of payroll, taxes, business bank accounts and more.

Pros

• An all-in-one solution, especially for businesses that need to track physical resources.
• Extensive tax support through add-ons and support from human experts.
• Widely used and integrated, making it easy to implement and troubleshoot.

Cons

• Many key features are part of add-ons that drive up costs.
• Base cost is higher than average.
• Robust platform options may be more than simpler use cases need.
• Strict user limits can make scaling difficult.

For more information, read the full QuickBooks review.

FreshBooks: Best for high clientele count

FreshBooks offers software solutions to freelancers, solopreneurs, small businesses and organizations that rely on contractors. With tools to support accounting, invoicing, time-tracking, payroll and client communication, it offers many of the core features QuickBooks does without the added costs or tier-based limitations.

Pricing

FreshBooks has three standard pricing tiers, plus an enterprise tier:

• Lite: Starts at $17 per month.
• Plus: Starts at $30 per month.
• Premium: Starts at $55 per month.
• Select: Call for custom pricing.

The Select tier also offers a dedicated account manager, specialized features and help migrating from other accounting software.

Like QuickBooks, you can choose to have FreshBooks at 50% off for the first three months or take it for a spin with a 30-day free trial, but you can’t have both.

Features

• Unlimited invoices and clients (but only for higher tiers).
• Tracking for time, expenses, projects, activities and invoice status.
• Payroll integration with Gusto.

Pros

• Lower costs that includes equivalent features to many enterprise solutions.
• Premium tier has unlimited invoices and unlimited client accounts.
• Mobile app for ease and mileage tracking.

Cons

• Does not include inventory tracking.
• Despite lower subscription costs, Lite and Plus subscribers are still limited to 5 and 50 max clients, respectively.
• Additional users cost extra.
• Payment processing fees can add up, with only the enterprise tier benefiting from reductions or caps on said fees.

For more information, read our FreshBooks review.

Sage Intacct: Best for AI-powered finance management

Sage is a finance platform that incorporates extensive business intelligence functionality. Its two core products, Sage Intacct and Sage X3, function as analytics-boosted versions of SMB finance and enterprise ERP, respectively. The suite also includes products for payroll, CRM, human asset management, time tracking and more.

Pricing

Sage doesn’t have transparent pricing on its site, so you’ll have to call for a quote.

Features

• Designed to meet the demands of specialized industries, including construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and more.
• Offers fixed asset management, Salesforce integration and both a desktop and cloud-native version of the app.
• Includes some of the most advanced financial and resource analytics in the market.

Pros

• Built from the ground up to support business intelligence, helping organizations make smarter, more effective financial decisions.
• Customizable feature packages include HR and payroll, inventory and resource management, CRM and more.

Cons

• Website doesn’t list pricing, but user reviews often cite high subscription costs.
• Software is less intuitive to use and implement.

Wave: Best low-cost payroll solution

Wave positions itself as a bridge between professionals just starting their business journey and growing businesses who now need a way to pay employees and contractors. Offering the use of most of its features for free, Wave only charges users for processing incoming payments and paying employees and contractors. For professionals looking to minimize costs, but needing the flexibility to include payroll functions, Wave is a solid bet.

Pricing

• Invoicing and finance management: Free
• Electronic payments: Costs 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction (3.4% + $0.60 for AMEX transactions) or a flat 1% fee for bank payments.
• Payroll subscriptions: Costs $20 per month + $6 per employee or contractor for self-service U.S. tax states and $40 per month + $6 per employee or contractor for tax service states.
• Advisor add-ons: Costs $149 per month for bookkeeping support and a one-time $379 fee for accounting and payroll coaching.

Features

• Boasts accounting functions designed around free users.
• Includes free finance tracking, invoicing and more.
• Ability to accept payments through the platform, and only pay per transaction.
• Enables payments for employees and contractors through payroll add-ons.

Pros

• Ample free features.
• Payment only for transaction processing and payroll.
• Optional add-ons for expert accounting support.

Cons

• Tax functionality limited to self-service in some U.S. states.
• Bookkeeping support and accounting coaching are valuable but expensive add-ons.

For more information, read our Wave Payroll review.

Zoho Books: Best for complex, distributed teams

Zoho Books is the accounting and financial portion of the full Zoho software suite. An expansive platform built to power inventory systems, CRM efforts, email automation, human resources, IT management and more, Zoho is one of the broadest software tool sets on the market. Businesses can use Zoho Books as a standalone product or combine it with any number of other products to customize the level of functionality brands need.

Pricing

• Free: Costs $0 (for businesses below $50k yearly minimum revenue threshold).
• Standard: Costs $15 per organization per month, billed annually.
• Professional: Costs $40 per organization per month, billed annually.
• Premium: Costs $60 per organization per month, billed annually.
• Elite: Costs $120 per organization per month, billed annually.
• Ultimate: Costs $240 per organization per month, billed annually.

Features

• Designed around organizations that need to manage multiple locations, departments, teams, facilities and so on, regardless of distance.
• Full integration with the extensive and expansive Zoho software suite.
• Robust features available for free for business users under $50k annual revenue.
• Multiple pricing tiers allow organizations to scale their subscription in step with increasing needs as the business grows.

Pros

• Free tier includes all common accounting features, plus many usually reserved for paid subscribers.
• All paid subscribers get access to payment gateway integrations that include nearly all major market leaders.
• Subscribers can manage multiple organizations or locations while still minimizing software costs.

Cons

• Limits to low user headcount, even at top tiers, with add-on users requiring a per-user fee increase.
• Additional modules (like IT, HR, CRM, etc.) add to monthly subscription costs, making the full suite much more expensive.
• Add-ons are not supported on the free plan.

ZipBooks: Best for solopreneurs

ZipBooks combines several of the advantages of the entries listed above and packages them into a free or low-cost option for the smallest of businesses. Offering unlimited invoices, vendors and customers even on the free plan, ZipBooks helps solopreneurs and small teams run their finances smarter, without having to pay hundreds a month in software fees.

Pricing

• Starter: Free.
• Smarter: Costs $15 per month.
• Sophisticated: Costs $35 per month.
• Accountant: Custom pricing.

Features

• Easy-to-use solution with straightforward billing and subscription tiers.
• Acceptance of digital payments through Square or PayPal.
• Custom “Accountant” tier for professionals that want to extend ZipBooks functionality to their clients.

Pros

• Unlimited invoices, vendors and customers for every plan.
• Acceptance of digital payments for every subscription tier.
• Unlimited users for top paid tiers.

Cons

• Includes a shorter feature lists than most other options.
• Free plan limits subscribers to a single user and a single connected bank account.

NetSuite: Best enterprise-level solution

Just as QuickBooks is the foremost name in financial software, NetSuite has been a pioneer of cloud-based business systems since the very beginning. The full platform encompasses ERP, global business management, human capital management, omnichannel commerce and much more. Unlike other options in this list, however, NetSuite is all-or-nothing. Using any of the products requires paying for the whole platform, meaning enterprises are the best suited to this accounting solution.

Pricing

Unfortunately, you have to contact NetSuite for a quote. To get started, simply fill out a form on the NetSuite site.

Features

• Complete, enterprise-wide visibility into finances, with real-time updates and robust reporting options.
• Mobile functionality, making critical financial functions accessible from nearly anywhere.
• Powerful tools to support large organizations in regulatory compliance.

Pros

• Full-service software suite.
• Customizable integration, automation and implementation.
• Designed with massive, complex organizations in mind.

Cons

• Includes higher cost thresholds than other available options.
• Requires extensive integration and deployment, both in the digital environment and in the organization.
• Setup and onboarding often takes a significant amount of time.

Is Xero worth it?

Xero represents a middle ground between complex, expensive solutions and simple, affordable ones. With plans ranging from $13 per month to $70 per month, there are options to fit most small and midsize budgets while also offering room to grow. And, as a double-entry solution, it prioritizes accuracy and compliance.

Xero pricing

• Early: Costs $13 per month.
• Growing: Costs $37 per month.
• Established: Costs $70 per month.

If you haven’t gotten Xero yet and are thinking about it, you can get 50% off your first three months.

Xero pros

• Simple, affordable functionality for new businesses.
• Optional payroll add-on through Gusto for every tier.
• 24/7 online support.
• Easy implementation.
• Contractless subscriptions you can cancel anytime (with one month’s notice).

Xero cons

• Basic subscriptions limit users to just 20 invoices or quotes.
• Only top tier subscribers benefit from multiple currency support, project tracking and claiming expenses.
• Payroll add-on is an additional $40 per month.

Do you need an alternative to Xero?

Xero is a solid option for businesses as they start to get organized with their finances, but some users may find it restrictive feature-wise, especially compared to other options with similar price points. Ultimately, though, you have to decide if its features and functionality will adequately support your particular business.

Methodology

While writing this comparison article, we researched vendor websites and customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot and Gartner to fully understand the offerings and target use cases of each solution.

Motorola clearly read reviews of Samsung’s Z Flip series and took notes. The Moto Razr+, a foldable phone that’s like a standard 6.9-inch handset when open, offers a large 3.6-inch screen when closed. That addresses one of the most common complaints about the Galaxy Z Flip 4 — the size of its Cover Display. It’s a cramped 1.9-inch window with a limited selection of widgets that you can use. The Razr+, meanwhile, pretty much runs full Android with some tweaks. There’s something about using the outer display that feels almost pager-like and sent me into nostalgic delight. The Moto Razr+, which goes on sale today for $999, might appeal to both old souls and early adopters alike.

Design

Currently in its fourth generation (if you count the 5G model released in 2020 as a second-gen), the Razr+ has two notable differences from its predecessors. The first is the larger display. The second is something only people over 30 might notice: The Razr+ doesn’t have a chin cupping the bottom like on the iconic original Razr. I don’t mind it, but it does cost it some nostalgia points.

When folded, there is no gap between the two halves of the main screen. It’s a squat square, and its matte back reminds me of the case that my dad’s pager sat in. Sadly, only the Viva Magenta model comes with a vegan leather back, while the blue and black models use Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and rear. Our review unit is black, and the matte finish lends a more premium feel and helps fight smudges.

The folded Razr+ is thinner than the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and fits comfortably in my palm, and it’s slightly larger than the Samsung phone when open. The Razr+ has a slightly less rigid hinge than the Flip 4, too. The Samsung phone can hold itself up at pretty much any position, but Moto’s hinge yields and opens all the way when you push it past 150 degrees.

Finally, at 188.5 grams (6.6 ounces), the Razr+ is lighter than the iPhone 14 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Plus, which both have slightly smaller screens. It’s just a tad heavier than the Z Flip 4, though. Both Motorola and Samsung’s devices are rated for water-resistance, with the Razr+ meeting IP52 standards while the Flip hit IPX8.

External display

Next to the Moto Razr+, using the Z Flip 4’s Cover Display feels unusable, especially when trying to frame a selfie. Not only is there barely enough space to contain everything, but it’s also hard to see. When shooting the video for this piece, our producer Joel Chokkattu struggled to get a usable shot of the camera preview on the Z Flip 4’s exterior display in sunlight.

Motorola’s larger pOLED panel also allows for a more full-fledged Android experience, while Samsung is a glorified notification widget. On the Moto, you can swipe down from top to see all your quick settings toggles and the brightness slider, swipe up slowly to show your open apps and switch between them, and swipe in from the side to go back. In comparison, the Z Flip 4 only lets you swipe sideways to rotate through widgets, and dragging down from top shows you just a single row of toggles.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Cunghoctin

The main difference between Moto’s external display and the complete Android experience is the home screen. Motorola has designed it so that you can only have the clock widget, date, weather info and a row of six shortcut buttons. Tapping each of the latter takes you to the respective panel. You can also swipe sideways to see them sequentially, and you can arrange them in the order you prefer.

The widgets themselves are very similar to Samsung’s offerings. You’ll find an app launcher, dialer, calendar, games, media controls, steps tracker and the day’s headlines. On the Moto, the latter two are supplied by Google services like Fit and News. Because the Razr+ has more real estate, it can display more information or use a larger font. Both of these are an obvious improvement over Samsung’s teeny tiny panel, especially for those with bigger fingers, less dexterity or vision-related challenges.

The widgets aren’t the scene stealers here. For the most part, they’re simple – a calculator, media controls, et cetera. The Spotify playback widget doesn’t do more than let you pause, skip tracks, rewind and change playlists, which is frustrating. But even the fact that it offers that last option is already better than the Z Flip 4.

You can’t pick a specific song in a playlist, though. It’s a mild annoyance and not a dealbreaker, especially since there are two viable alternatives here. One: I can just open the phone and use the main Spotify app to go to a different playlist and pick a song. Two — and this is where the Razr+ truly shines — any Android app can run on the outside screen, as long as you’ve enabled it. This is a continuity feature so you can keep running whatever you’re doing on the main display on the outside panel after you close the phone.

To use Spotify (or any other app) on the small screen, I’d open it on the inside, shut the device, and continue outside. Even if I go on to do something else, I can find the app on the exterior display by swiping up from the bottom to see open apps.

You’d think that there would be issues with apps breaking and elements either not showing or being blocked by the two cameras on the bottom right of the screen. But Motorola has some workarounds. You can either have apps take up the whole screen and the sensors block parts of it. Or you can swipe up and select a layout that forces the content to sit within a rectangle above the cameras similar to how Android phones used to treat camera notches.

This should work with any app, but there are some scenarios where the experience is broken. When you’re navigating a drive with Google Maps and playing music at the same time, for example, you won’t be able to see the directions or your route. And, just because you can see your Instagram feed on the 3.6-inch panel, doesn’t mean you’ll want to.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Cunghoctin

Even better, because the screen is so small (basically the size of the original iPhone), it’s easy to use with one hand. You can pull up a full QWERTY keyboard to reply to messages, and I was able to reach the letter Q or A with my thumb stretching across from the right.

Cameras

One other advantage of a larger external screen is how much more useful it is as a viewfinder. Both Samsung and Motorola let you use the outside display to preview what you’re shooting with the rear cameras, as well as show your subject what they look like. On the Z Flip 4, you can only see a portion of the scene and will have to guess where it will get cut off. With the Razr+, no guesswork is necessary – WYSIWYG.

Both phones offer similar gestures like holding up your palm to trigger a countdown till the photo is shot, so you can step away and take your picture when you’re ready and posed. You can also have the foldables bent at 90 degrees and placed on a surface with the inside screen facing out, and the layout will change so the top half is your viewfinder and the bottom shows controls.

Unfortunately, on the Z Flip 4 you have to choose between a bigger viewfinder with an inferior 10-megapixel camera or a smaller window and better cameras. On the Razr+, you can use the roomy outside screen and the exterior cameras instead of having to sacrifice quality or visibility while shooting.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Cunghoctin

Moto opted for a 32 MP sensor inside, with a 12 MP main camera and 13 MP wide-angle system. Initially, I thought the Razr+ delivered decent shots. But after comparing them to samples from the Z Flip 4 and a Pixel 7 Pro, Motorola’s images are clearly washed out and less vivid. Samsung did a better job at exposure and retained the blue skies peeking through green leaves. In the same scene, the Razr+ blew out the sky. And when I snapped portraits of my friends’ adorable dogs, it struggled to get a clear shot due to slower focus and overall lag.

The Moto also struggled in low light and was susceptible to lens flares in my nighttime cityscapes and selfies. Though the Flip 4 fared slightly better, overall flip-style foldables lag flagship phones when it comes to camera performance.

As a regular phone: Main screen, performance and battery life

Unlike most high-end Android phones released this year, the Moto Razr+ uses a year-old Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, which is the same processor inside the Z Flip 4. It’s worth pointing out at this point that the Flip 4 is also nearly a year old and presumably about to be replaced by a newer model. So if having the absolute latest specs matters to you, you shouldn’t even be considering the Razr+.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Cunghoctin

If you’re not picky about the exact generation of processor in your phone, you’ll likely be satisfied with the Moto’s performance. I played endless rounds of Solitaire, messaged friends, set up custom gestures, changed wallpapers and it never flinched. The few hiccups I did encounter, like not being able to hit the X button at the outermost corners of an ad in a game, had more to do with specific apps and bad design than horsepower.

Thanks to its 165Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution, the Razr+’s main OLED display is a solid canvas for activities like scrolling through Instagram and Reddit. Pictures and Stories I looked at were vibrant, and yes, there is still a bit of a crease where the screen folds, but it’s negligible. It doesn’t get in the way of actually interacting with apps or websites, and I mostly forgot it was even there.

When I needed to unlock the Razr+, it was as easy as using the fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button. Motorola also continues to offer nifty features that have been in its phones since the Moto X, like twisting your wrist or doing a chopping action while holding the handset to launch the camera or flashlight. It was also surprisingly easy to install the company’s Ready For app to use the Razr+ on my PC. While I was initially put off by the amount of Moto-branded software, thankfully most of it was useful and didn’t feel like bloatware.

Though the company promises three years of OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security patch updates, historically it . And that’s less than the four years of OS updates and five years for security releases that Samsung offers. That, together with Samsung’s experience in foldables, gives me slightly more confidence in its devices’ longevity.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Cunghoctin

Moto managed to squeeze a 3,800mAh battery in the Razr+, which is slightly higher than the Flip 4’s 3,700 mAh setup. I haven’t had the time to run our video rundown battery test, which I want to do on both the 6.9-inch and 3.6-inch panels. But I’ve been able to play about five to eight hours of nonstop Solitaire on the internal screen so far before needing to plug the Razr+ in. It’s also worth noting that since the exterior display is so much more useful, you can do more on the phone without having to tap the larger, more energy-intensive screen during the day. That way, the Moto actually manages to last longer than most phones.

Wrap-up

I am in love with that front screen — how it works, how easy it is to use with one hand, and how much more power efficient it is. It’s almost like I want a small phone again. But the main thing preventing me from switching to the Moto Razr+ is camera performance. This isn’t a problem unique to Motorola — any flip-style foldable today suffers from this.

Anyone thinking of getting the Razr+ should also wait. Samsung has announced that its next Galaxy Unpacked will be taking place in Korea in late July, and it’s widely expected to launch new foldables then. If you can hold off, it’s worth seeing what the next Z Flip will offer before spending your money.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Cunghoctin

I also want to point out that long-term durability remains a concern for any device with a flexible screen. Two of my colleagues have used a Z Flip 4 for a year and they’ve reported seeing cracks and bubbles in their displays and/or screen protectors. While the Razr+ uses a different panel from Samsung, there is still a possibility it won’t stand up to the wear and tear of daily use.

I can’t tell you how well the Moto Razr+ will hold up over time. But I can say that, for the first time in the US, there is serious competition for Samsung’s Z Flip 4. It’s time to call it: Flip Boi Summer is here and I’m excited for it.