# Checkwriters ESS vs BalanceStaff

The clearest difference is update cadence: BalanceStaff at fortnightly against Checkwriters ESS's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Checkwriters ESS ships an update every 2 months, BalanceStaff fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Checkwriters ESS | BalanceStaff |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (410 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkwriters-ess/id1138072142/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **410** | — |
| Positive reviews | 44.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CheckWriters](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138072141) | [Serveture](https://appshunter.io/developer/1083075641) |

## What reviewers say

### Checkwriters ESS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkwriters-ess/id1138072142)

Empower employees to access and print their paychecks, view payroll and benefits information, and submit administrative requests. This app also facilitates document sharing, such as company handbooks and tax forms.

**Highlights:** View and print paychecks, Access payroll information, View benefit services, Submit administrative requests, Share company documents, Access tax forms

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Convenient features
- 🚀 Quick access to information
- 🔒 Secure login options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Overly strict password requirements
- ⚠️ Unreliable login and access issues
- 🕰️ Slow performance and freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Time off and leave request features crashing
- Unable to access banking and payroll information
- Constant password reset issues locking users out
- Compatibility problems with older devices

**Requested features**

- Bring back Face ID/fingerprint login
- Improve time off and leave request features
- Allow more flexibility in password changes
- Provide better visibility into payroll details


### BalanceStaff

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balancestaff/id6742862023)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Checkwriters ESS free?

Checkwriters ESS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BalanceStaff free?

BalanceStaff is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Checkwriters ESS or BalanceStaff have ads?

Neither Checkwriters ESS nor BalanceStaff shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Checkwriters ESS or BalanceStaff?

Checkwriters ESS ships an update every 2 months, and BalanceStaff fortnightly. Most recently, Checkwriters ESS was updated on November 2, 2026 and BalanceStaff on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*