11 Best Benefits Administration Systems (2024)

• Deel is an excellent solution for organizations with international contractors, offering a smooth and simplified process.
• It provides EoR services in over 150 countries and includes additional features like onboarding and time-off tracking for international contractors.

I worked with a company expanding into two international markets as part of a tech stack selection project. My engagement lasted about six months and involved selection, implementation, and change management for onboarding.

Deel is a global payroll solution designed to streamline compensation operations for organizations. The company needed a system to manage international payroll efficiently while ensuring compliance across different regions.

• Deel is only worthwhile if you fit its niche. It can be expensive, and if you don’t have a high volume of international hires, the cost may not be justified.
• If you need a more streamlined international hiring process with lower volume, alternatives like Oyster, Remote, or Papaya may be better options.
• Customer support is lacking.

Deel is uniquely positioned to expedite international hiring, particularly for contractors, seasonal hires, or high-turnover roles. It outperforms most competitors in this area for the price. However, if your needs don’t align with this niche, Deel may not be the best choice.

• What does your international hiring strategy look like, and what types of employees are you hiring?
• What is your budget?
• What HRIS features do you need?

Deel’s primary strength is its extensive EoR services, which have expanded to meet user demand. The company has focused on increasing its EoR coverage in new countries to strengthen its niche. Additional onboarding and benefits features support this strategy, but overall, Deel has not evolved significantly beyond its core offering.

• Companies with high-volume international hiring can benefit from Deel, particularly for contractors or high-turnover roles.
• Organizations managing extensive international payroll and compliance requirements.
• Employers needing to sponsor immigration visas.

I love Remote because I can post job openings in different countries, which helps me attract more candidates and create a talent pool. I like that it is user-friendly, and the features are easy to use and understand; you do not need to watch YouTube videos to learn how the platform works. Finally, it helps me create job postings that are more attractive to candidates using AI.

Our Customer Service department requires bilingual and, in some cases, trilingual profiles. This skill can be challenging to find in the market if you focus your search on just one country. I have been using Remote for the past four years, and it has helped us find seasoned candidates on different continents, opening the possibility of hiring international employees and meeting our recruitment goals.

It can increase the number of ATS systems that they can integrate with the platform. Remote has amazing additional services, but they offer them as an enterprise plan (extra cost); I believe some of them, such as global payroll, could be included in the talent acquisition plan. Although customer support is available 24/7, sometimes it takes a few days to get back to you with a solution.

I have used different platforms to hire international employees. Remote.com allows me to contract directly with the employee for my organization, while other platforms only allow me to hire the candidates as freelancers or contractors, and we require full-time employees.

If you want to increase your talent pool and hire remote workers, Remote.com is a good option. In addition, if you need help processing payroll according to the employment laws in each country, Remote.com takes care of it with global payroll.

Remote.com has changed the way of remote work. Before, there was just one option: hiring someone as a freelancer or contractor. However, their platform is available in different countries and has opened the possibility of hiring full-time employees. Companies can now count on team members to be 100% focused on their needs.

Remote.com is for any type of organization, whether an international or multinational company or a business startup, because their platform adjusts to the organization's needs.

The top three reasons why we like this solution are: 1. We no longer have to jump from a spreadsheet, to a PowerPoint, to QuickBooks, and an ATS to accomplish daily tasks. 2. We are saving money by having one centralized system that integrates with our other software instead of paying for multiple systems. 3. Gusto has helped reduce our time to hire thanks to automated onboarding.

We are a startup organization, and we were seeking a cost-effective SaaS HR platform to assist with our onboarding and employee management. We started off utilizing spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and Google Docs. We wanted to streamline our process and have everything in one centralized location. We have used Gusto for two years, and it has been a tremendous help with our hiring workflow. The key benefit it provides is having everything in one place that is readily accessible to all responsible parties in the hiring workflow as well as our employees. We love the self-service functionality.

I dislike Gusto’s applicant tracking system. It isn’t user-friendly and doesn’t have the best UI. They can improve the ATS by making it user-friendly and creating a better dashboard.

Gusto fares well with its competitors in benefits administration and onboarding services. From a cost perspective and the number of features included in their lower-tiered plan, Gusto outperforms its competition. They offer flexible monthly plans that scale with your business without being locked into a contract. This is a very enticing feature for startups that are still getting familiar with tools on the market and determining their software needs.

People should consider how many users require access and whether Gusto integrates with their existing software. They should also look at the number of existing employees and their projected hiring goals to determine if Gusto is a long-term solution.

Over time, Gusto has added new features such as the ATS. It appears it is attempting to be an HRIS. They have also added additional third-party integrations.

Gusto is an excellent tool for startups. It provides cost-effective solutions to help you get started with a small workforce.

The interface is slick and easy to use. It offers flexible and expandable HR and benefits tools, meaning it can grow with the business. The streamlined and partially automated PTO with self-service is also good.

We bought OnPay to streamline our payroll process. Our HR and finance teams were too small and preoccupied with rapid growth activities to manage payroll, and as a result, mistakes were being made. The monthly payroll process was analog, without much automation, and quite inefficient and laborious. We wanted to have a more automated and online process, which OnPay provided.

OnPay is genuinely focused on small businesses. The interface is clean and simple, not overloaded with features like those found in big company payroll tools. It connects directly with our timesheets, allows staff to update their personal data, and has streamlined and mostly automated our payroll process. We have used this tool for a couple of years.

The design is a little boring and old-fashioned. The reporting section is a bit awkward to use. It doesn't have great support for international customers.

The design is a little boring and old-fashioned. The reporting section is a bit awkward to use. It doesn't have great support for international customers.

Can you also pay contractors through the system? Can you pay staff according to different pay schedules?

We haven’t used it long enough to answer this.

US-based SMEs without international offices can benefit from OnPay.

The platform makes it simple for employees to navigate benefits options and access important information without confusion. Bennie provides fast and reliable customer service, helping employees and HR teams resolve benefits-related questions efficiently. The clean and well-organized dashboard ensures a smooth user experience, making it easy to find what you need quickly.

Our organization purchased Bennie to address inefficiencies in managing employee benefits and improve accessibility for our workforce. Before Bennie, navigating benefits enrollment and handling HR inquiries was very time-consuming.

We needed a user-friendly platform that could simplify benefits selection, provide guidance to our employees, and integrate with our existing HR systems. Bennie has significantly streamlined our processes by offering personalized benefits recommendations, cost transparency, and real-time support for employees.

While Bennie offers great features, the pricing can be steep for smaller teams looking to manage costs effectively. Expanding the range of benefits, such as additional wellness perks or financial planning tools, would make the platform even more valuable. Some features could offer more flexibility to tailor the experience to our company’s specific needs.

I prefer all-in-one solutions such as Rippling and Justworks. However, Bennie provides a strong option for benefits management, especially for smaller organizations that do not want to invest in the higher cost of platforms like Rippling.

Buyers should consider the size of their company—Bennie is well-suited for smaller organizations. It's important to evaluate how the platform integrates with existing systems and whether it offers the flexibility to scale up or down as the company grows.

Bennie has remained fairly consistent over time, without significant changes or updates to adapt to evolving user needs. While the platform continues to provide a simple and intuitive interface, there haven't been many enhancements or expanded features beyond its core offerings. Users who have been on the platform for a while may notice that benefit options and integrations have stayed largely the same.

Bennie is best for smaller organizations.

1. Comprehensive Global Management: PapayaGlobal excels in managing multinational payroll and compliance, which is critical for our global operations.
2. User-Friendly Interface: The platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, making complex tasks more manageable.
3. Efficient Automation: It automates many tedious processes involved in international HR management, significantly reducing the administrative burden.

LMC chose PapayaGlobal to address the challenges of managing a diverse, international workforce, including payroll complexities, compliance issues, and employee administration across multiple countries. We have been using PapayaGlobal for over a year, appreciating its seamless integration of payroll services with clear compliance tracking and benefits management. The platform’s robust reporting features and user-friendly interface have significantly improved our HR operations, making it easier to manage global employees effectively and ensure compliance with various international laws.

1. Occasional Delays in Updates: Sometimes, updates to regulations aren't as prompt as they could be, which can be a compliance concern.
2. Customization Limitations: While PapayaGlobal offers robust features, some aspects of the platform lack deep customization options that could better fit specific organizational needs.
3. Cost Considerations: For smaller operations within our company, the cost can be somewhat prohibitive, making it less ideal for less complex needs.

PapayaGlobal stands out from its competitors primarily through its exceptional focus on automating and integrating payroll processes across multiple countries. It is exceptionally well-suited for companies with a global workforce. Unlike some competitors that may only offer essential international payroll services, PapayaGlobal provides comprehensive compliance management, real-time reporting, and detailed analytics that help organizations navigate the complexities of global employment laws and regulations. This integration and focus on compliance are what many users, including myself, find most beneficial compared to other platforms that may be broader in scope.

1. Global Compliance Capabilities: Ensure the tool efficiently manages global compliance requirements, essential for multinational operations.
2. Integration with Existing Systems: Check that the tool integrates seamlessly with your current HR systems to streamline processes without redundancies.
3. Scalability: Assess whether the tool can scale according to your business growth, especially if you plan to expand into new markets.
4. User Experience: Consider the ease of use and learning curve associated with the tool, as this will affect adoption rates across your organization.

PapayaGlobal has evolved significantly to meet users' needs by enhancing its technology for better automation and accuracy in global payroll processes. They have improved their platform's user interface to make it more intuitive and accessible, facilitating easier navigation and data management. Additionally, PapayaGlobal has expanded its compliance features to cover more countries comprehensively, ensuring businesses comply with local regulations as they scale globally. These updates reflect their commitment to addressing the challenges faced by their users in managing international workforces.

PapayaGlobal is particularly well-suited for medium to large organizations that operate on a global scale and require robust solutions for managing international payroll, compliance, and employee management across multiple jurisdictions. It excels for companies that need efficient, scalable solutions to handle diverse workforce needs across different countries, particularly where compliance with local employment laws is a critical concern.

Namely has an extremely user-friendly interface that helps manage HR tasks efficiently. It integrates payroll, benefits, and performance management into one platform, simplifying key processes. The tool offers customizable reporting capabilities that provide insightful personnel data while maintaining compliance with regulations.

Namely, an automated HR solution preferred by our management after a long history of inefficient HR processes, has proven its relevance as all operations have been streamlined. Switching and gathering information from different platforms was difficult, especially when accustomed to one system's workflow.

Before introducing Namely, completing payroll, personnel records, and other internal processes was time-consuming and prone to errors. We aimed to implement automation to allow a focus on tasks like performance management rather than correcting discrepancies. Namely’s user-friendly interface, creative report design, and working tools played a crucial role in its successful implementation.

I have been using Namely for [insert your time of use], and it has made our human resource processes more efficient, improving workforce management. It has also eliminated the problem of waiting for reports, a common issue in many companies that wastes valuable time.

Customer support at Namely is slow, especially when handling urgent issues. Some customization options, like those for reports, are limited and should be more flexible. Occasional system glitches or downtimes can disrupt important HR workflows and reduce productivity.

Namely's key differentiator is its all-in-one platform, featuring an intuitive user interface that combines payroll, benefits, and performance management in one system. This reduces the need for multiple tools. Compared to platforms like ADP or Workday, Namely is much easier for non-technical users. While competitors may offer more in-depth functionality in specific areas, Namely strikes the best balance between features and simplicity, making it ideal for midsize companies seeking a full-service solution.

When investing in an HR tool like Namely, key considerations include scalability—ensuring the platform can grow with your company—and integration capabilities with other systems such as payroll and benefits providers. Ease of use is critical, as a user-friendly interface leads to higher adoption and minimal training. Additionally, it's important to assess the level of customer support provided and how responsive the vendor is when issues arise. Customization options are another important factor, as the platform’s ability to adapt to your specific HR needs can significantly impact day-to-day operations.

Namely has evolved significantly over time, enhancing its platform to meet user demands with better integration features. Originally focused on core HR management, it has expanded to include payroll management, benefits administration, and compliance tools that help companies align with regulations.

The user experience has improved with a more intuitive interface, and customizable reporting has become more robust to extract meaningful data. Namely has also responded to customer feedback by improving its customer support and onboarding processes, addressing concerns about response times and implementation smoothness.

Namely is ideal for mid-sized organizations, typically with 50 to 500 employees, that want a user-friendly HR solution covering all key HR functions. It is especially suited for companies seeking an easy way to manage payroll, benefits, and performance management without the complexities of large enterprise systems.

Namely also works well for organizations that value employee engagement and want to use data-driven insights to improve HR practices continuously. Its intuitive design makes it accessible for HR teams with any level of technical expertise.

• The platform is user-friendly for both employers and employees.
• It provides a centralized system to manage all employee benefits.
• It simplifies and streamlines the open enrollment process.

Maxwell Health was provided to my company through our insurance provider. Prior to this, my company did not have a centralized platform for managing employee benefits. Maxwell streamlined our open enrollment process and overall benefits management. It provided a single platform for employees to access and manage their benefits easily.

Additionally, it simplified benefits administration for the HR team, making the process much more efficient.

• It can be challenging to get direct support within the system.
• There were occasional issues with employee records after they updated their personal information.
• From an employer’s perspective, it was difficult to make changes during open enrollment once the official deadline had passed.

Maxwell offers a simplified and user-friendly platform that employees can easily navigate and understand.

Pricing should be a key consideration when selecting a platform. Ensure the tool is user-friendly for both employers and employees to avoid unnecessary complications. Integration with your payroll platform is highly beneficial for seamless administration.

Confirm that it is compatible with your offered benefits and your insurance broker’s platform(s) to avoid technical issues.

he platform has undergone slight modifications to improve usability, making it more user-friendly for employees.

Maxwell is well-suited for organizations that provide multiple benefits to their employees.

• Rippling has a clean, visually appealing interface.
• It offers strong integrations and is user-friendly for beginner admins.
• Implementation is quick and straightforward for organizations.

I consulted with a tech startup on a tech stack selection project, where they chose to use Rippling. My engagement lasted about six months, covering implementation and organizational change management.

Rippling is a workforce management platform specializing in HR management, compliance, and expense management. The organization needed an HRIS as it began scaling aggressively and required a system to streamline HR operations.

• The system lacks flexibility for complex HR requirements compared to platforms like Oracle or Workday.
• Customer support is among the weakest in the HRIS market.
• While onboarding is fast, it can be confusing, as Rippling prioritizes speed over thorough implementation.

Rippling targets the middle market, catering to fast-growing startups and mid-sized enterprises. It offers more features than basic HRIS options but lacks the depth and complexity of Workday. While many companies find it appealing, I don’t think it’s worth the price.

• Budget vs. features—how much are you willing to spend for the functionality you need? HRIS options vary widely.
• Organization size and HR complexity—ensure the system can handle your operational demands.

Founded in 2016, Rippling has effectively targeted fast-growing startups and mid-sized enterprises. However, its development team focuses more on UI enhancements than adding meaningful features.

• Companies that prioritize an intuitive interface for admins and employees.
• Those looking for more features than basic HRIS options but not ready to invest in enterprise-level solutions.