---
description: Compare QuickBooks Payroll vs Microsoft Excel. Learn more about each of the software’s price, features, and helpful software reviews for Canadian business users.
image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/capterra/og_logo-e5a8c001ed0bd1bb922639230fcea71a.png?auto=format%2Cenhance%2Ccompress
title: QuickBooks Payroll vs Microsoft Excel Comparison - Capterra Canada 2026
---

Breadcrumb: [Home](/) > [Payroll Software](/directory/30202/payroll/software) > [QuickBooks Payroll \<span\>vs\</span\> Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel)

# Compare QuickBooks Payroll vs Microsoft Excel

Canonical: https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel

> Detailed comparison between QuickBooks Payroll and Microsoft Excel. Check ratings, reviews, pricing, and features to make the best decision for your business.

-----

## At a Glance

| Metric | QuickBooks Payroll | Microsoft Excel |
| **Overall rating** | 4.5/5 | 4.8/5 |
| **Total Reviews** | 985 | 19459 |
| **Starting Price** | US$3.50 | US$6.00 |
| **Free Trial** | Yes | No |
| **Free Version** | No | Yes |
| **Deployment** | Cloud, SaaS, Web-based, Android (Mobile), iPhone (Mobile), iPad (Mobile) | Cloud, SaaS, Web-based, Mac (Desktop), Windows (Desktop), Android (Mobile), iPhone (Mobile), iPad (Mobile) |
| **Support** | Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base Software, Phone Support, Chat | Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base Software, Phone Support |
| **Training Software** | In Person, Documentation, Videos | Videos |

## Best for

### QuickBooks Payroll

QuickBooks Payroll is a payroll provider for small businesses, accountants, financial experts, hospitality, and more that offers access to health benefits, workers compensation, and more.

### Microsoft Excel

Designed for businesses of all sizes, it is a spreadsheet solution that helps manage and organize data using templates, perform calculations, create analytical charts, and more.

## Key features

### QuickBooks Payroll

- Attendance Tracking Software
- Audit Trail
- Benefits Management
- Check Printing
- Compensation Management Software
- Employee Portal
- Employee Scheduling Software
- Multi-Currency
- Onboarding Software
- Performance Management
- Real-Time Data
- Real-Time Updates
- Receipt Management
- Recruitment Management
- Reminders
- Timesheet Management
- W-2 Preparation

### Microsoft Excel

- API
- File Sharing Software
- Real-Time Data
- Real-Time Updates
- Team Collaboration

## Links

- [View QuickBooks Payroll Profile](https://www.capterra.ca/software/174981/quickbooks)
- [View Microsoft Excel Profile](https://www.capterra.ca/software/176574/excel)
- [View Original Comparison](https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel)

-----

## Structured Data

<script type="application/ld+json">
  {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"name":"QuickBooks Payroll vs Microsoft Excel Comparison - Capterra Canada 2026","description":"Compare QuickBooks Payroll vs Microsoft Excel. Learn more about each of the software’s price, features, and helpful software reviews for Canadian business users.","url":"https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel","about":[{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/software/174981/quickbooks#software"},{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/software/176574/excel#software"}],"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel#breadcrumblist"},"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel#webpage","@type":["WebPage","CollectionPage"],"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/#website"},"inLanguage":"en-CA","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/#organization"}},{"name":"QuickBooks Payroll","description":"QuickBooks Payroll is a cloud-based payroll provider for small businesses that helps file taxes, manage tax forms and payments, resolve filing errors, and pay any penalty fees. It also helps resolve payroll tax issues with the IRS.","image":"https://gdm-catalog-fmapi-prod.imgix.net/ProductScreenshot/6347fd81-7360-4626-b7a2-135498c13acc.png","url":"https://www.capterra.ca/software/174981/quickbooks","@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/software/174981/quickbooks#software","@type":"SoftwareApplication","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/#organization"},"applicationCategory":"BusinessApplication","aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":4.5,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":985},"offers":{"price":"3.5","@type":"Offer","priceCurrency":"USD"},"operatingSystem":"Cloud, Android, Platform ios, Platform ipad"},{"name":"Microsoft Excel","description":"Microsoft Excel is a productivity tool for creating spreadsheets, and for performing statistics and analysis. It features over 100 functions and more than 235 built-in formulas, 1D and 2D charting, pivot tables for cross-tabulation analysis, multiple worksheets, mail merge capabilities and macros. Use Excel to analyze data and reports in order to discover patterns, trends and gain new insights. With a robust set of tools, you'll be able to create, format and share spreadsheets without difficulty. This application comes with a multitude of slots for storage and types of storage, including audio files and word processors. It also has many different functions, which allow the user to do a large range of tasks.","image":"https://gdm-catalog-fmapi-prod.imgix.net/ProductScreenshot/e8f739ab-9b35-49c6-b495-edaa22fa632d.webp","url":"https://www.capterra.ca/software/176574/excel","@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/software/176574/excel#software","@type":"SoftwareApplication","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/#organization"},"applicationCategory":"BusinessApplication","aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":4.8,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":19459},"offers":{"price":"6","@type":"Offer","priceCurrency":"USD"},"operatingSystem":"Cloud, Apple, Windows, Android, Platform ios, Platform ipad"},{"@id":"https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel#breadcrumblist","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"name":"Home","position":1,"item":"/","@type":"ListItem"},{"name":"Payroll Software","position":2,"item":"/directory/30202/payroll/software","@type":"ListItem"},{"name":"QuickBooks Payroll vs Microsoft Excel","position":3,"item":"https://www.capterra.ca/compare/174981/176574/quickbooks/vs/excel","@type":"ListItem"}]}]}
</script>