Payroll Specialists
Payroll Freedom is a privately held local payroll and HR services provider that delivers subscription-based payroll processing, time and attendance, benefits administration, and tax filing via the iSolved platform to small businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin from offices in Mundelein, IL and Grafton, WI.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersMundelein, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Payroll Specialists does
Payroll Specialists, operating as Payroll Freedom, Inc., is a privately held local payroll and HR services provider founded in 2004 that serves small businesses primarily in Illinois and Wisconsin from offices in Mundelein, IL and Grafton, WI. The company delivers payroll processing, time and attendance, HR management, benefits administration, tax filing, retirement plans, talent acquisition, and accounting services through a single integrated HCM platform (iSolved People Cloud), positioning itself explicitly against national call-center-based providers by emphasizing dedicated named representatives, transparent upfront pricing, and local expertise in IL/WI payroll tax law and industry-specific compliance (prevailing wage, tip reporting, healthcare overtime, commission classification).
The business model is subscription-based recurring revenue, with pricing determined by custom quotes based on employee count, payroll frequency, and selected add-on services; billing is monthly. Go-to-market is consultative sales-led via 30-minute discovery meetings, custom plan building, and white-glove onboarding, with most clients live within 2-3 weeks of initial contact. The company targets SMB customers across multiple verticals — restaurants, contractors, medical practices, insurance agencies, and family-owned businesses — with vertical-specific landing pages and pain-point messaging.
With reported headcount of 1-10 employees, no disclosed funding, no acquisitions, and no management team information in the source material, Payroll Freedom operates as a bootstrapped, founder-owned lifestyle business rather than a venture-backed growth company. Its strategic positioning hinges on service quality, local presence, and accumulated compliance expertise rather than technology differentiation, and it relies entirely on the iSolved platform for its underlying technology stack.
Payroll Specialists firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Payroll Specialists
- Legal name
- Payroll Freedom, Inc.
- Website
- https://payrollsp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Payroll Freedom is a privately held local payroll and HR services provider that delivers subscription-based payroll processing, time and attendance, benefits administration, and tax filing via the iSolved platform to small businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin from offices in Mundelein, IL and Grafton, WI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Payroll Specialists industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payroll Services
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121)
- SIC
- Services-Help Supply Services (7363)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Payroll Processing (BPACAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Managed Payroll Services (Full-Service Payroll Outsourcing) (BPAAAHAA), Payroll & Employment Tax Services (BPAHABAD)
Keywords
Where Payroll Specialists is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mundelein
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Payroll Specialists business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Payroll Processing Services: Recurring payroll processing fees charged per payroll cycle or employee. Additional revenue from HR management, time & attendance, benefits administration, retirement plans, talent acquisition, and accounting & tax services bundled or add-on.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom pricing based on business needs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Payroll Specialists product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Payroll Specialists (doing business as Payroll Freedom) is a local payroll and HR services provider that delivers payroll processing, time and attendance, HR management, benefits administration, tax filing, retirement plans, talent acquisition, and accounting services to small businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin. The firm operates as a service provider on top of the iSolved People Cloud platform, supported by dedicated local representatives in Mundelein, IL and Grafton, WI, with onboarding typically completed in two to three weeks.
Product overview
Payroll Freedom is a local payroll and HR services company serving small businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin. The company operates as a service provider using the iSolved People Cloud platform as its core technology, offering a unified system that connects payroll processing, time and attendance tracking, HR management, benefits administration, tax filing, retirement plans, talent acquisition, and accounting services. Their product architecture centers on the iSolved platform, which serves as the single integrated system for all client services, with additional integrations for background checks (National Crime Search). The company differentiates itself through local, personalized service with dedicated representatives rather than call center support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Payroll Processing Accurate, on-time payroll processing for every payroll cycle, handling federal, state, and local tax filing, direct deposit, and compliance for small businesses across Illinois and Wisconsin.
- Time & Attendance Employee time tracking and schedule management integrated into the iSolved platform, allowing businesses to monitor hours worked and manage scheduling.
- HR Management Comprehensive human resources management including employee onboarding, document management, and compliance support for small business clients.
- Benefits Administration Benefits enrollment and ongoing management for employees, integrated within the unified iSolved platform.
- Tax Filing Federal, state, and local tax filing services handled on behalf of clients, reducing quarterly tax filing anxiety for small business owners.
- Retirement Plans & Wealth Management Retirement plan administration and wealth management services for employee benefit packages at small businesses.
- Talent Acquisition Recruitment and hiring services to help small businesses find and onboard qualified employees.
- Accounting & Tax Accounting and bookkeeping services complementing payroll operations for small business clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Most clients operational within 2-3 weeks of initial meeting
Companies that use Payroll Specialists
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Payroll Specialists technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
Payroll Specialists partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- iSolvedcorePayroll Freedom uses iSolved People Cloud as their core technology platform for delivering payroll, time & attendance, HR management, and benefits administration services. iSolved is the underlying HCM platform that powers the company's unified service offering.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Payroll Specialists competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gusto: Gusto is a leading cloud-based payroll, benefits, and HR platform purpose-built for small businesses. While Payroll Freedom differentiates on local service, both target the same primary segment (small businesses needing bundled payroll + HR).
- Patriot Software: Patriot Software offers payroll and accounting software for small U.S. businesses at low monthly price points. It competes with Payroll Freedom for price-sensitive SMB customers who prefer self-serve over full-service.
- Wave Payroll: Wave Payroll (by H&R Block) targets very small businesses with low-cost payroll services. It represents the lower-cost, self-serve end of the SMB payroll segment Payroll Freedom competes in.
- Heartland Payroll: Heartland (Global Payments) provides payroll, HR, and payment processing services for small and mid-sized businesses. It is a comparable SMB payroll services provider with similar bundled offerings.
- OnPay: OnPay is a payroll, HR, and benefits service targeted at small businesses and accountants. It competes with Payroll Freedom on the same SMB payroll+HR bundle via a self-serve cloud model.
- SurePayroll: SurePayroll (a Paychex company) provides online payroll specifically designed for small businesses. It is a near-direct competitor in the SMB payroll services category where Payroll Freedom operates.
Broad incumbents
- Paychex: Paychex is a major SMB-focused payroll and HR services provider with national reach. It competes directly with Payroll Freedom for small business payroll customers and is frequently cited as the alternative Payroll Freedom's prospects leave.
- ADP: ADP is the dominant incumbent payroll and HCM provider serving SMBs through ADP Run and larger employers through ADP Workforce Now. Payroll Freedom's website explicitly positions itself as the local alternative to ADP's call-center experience.
- Deluxe Payroll: Deluxe (formerly Deluxe Payroll) provides payroll, HR, and merchant services to small businesses. As an established multi-product SMB services provider, it competes with Payroll Freedom for similar customers.
Others
- iSolved: iSolved is the HCM platform Payroll Freedom deploys as its core technology. iSolved also sells directly to employers and via its own partner network, making it both an enabler and a partial competitor in the SMB payroll space.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Payroll Specialists social profiles
Digital presencePayroll Specialists financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Payroll Specialists leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Payroll Specialists funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Payroll Specialists M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Payroll Specialists
What does Payroll Specialists do?
Payroll Specialists (doing business as Payroll Freedom) is a local payroll and HR services provider that delivers payroll processing, time and attendance, HR management, benefits administration, tax filing, retirement plans, talent acquisition, and accounting services to small businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin. The firm operates as a service provider on top of the iSolved People Cloud platform, supported by dedicated local representatives in Mundelein, IL and Grafton, WI, with onboarding typically completed in two to three weeks.
Is Payroll Specialists a public or private company?
Payroll Specialists is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Payroll Specialists founded?
Payroll Specialists was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Payroll Specialists based?
Payroll Specialists is headquartered in Mundelein, United States, in the North America region.
How does Payroll Specialists make money?
One revenue line is on record: payroll Processing Services.
Who are Payroll Specialists's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gusto, Patriot Software, Wave Payroll, Heartland Payroll, OnPay and SurePayroll. Broad incumbents are Paychex, ADP and Deluxe Payroll. iSolved is listed as an others.
Does Payroll Specialists have an API?
No public API is recorded for Payroll Specialists.
What industry is Payroll Specialists in?
Payroll Specialists's product category is Payroll Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAIAA, Full-Service Payroll Processing, with a secondary code of BPAAAHAA, Managed Payroll Services (Full-Service Payroll Outsourcing). Its NAICS code is 541214 and its SIC code is 7363.