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Best Payroll and HR Software

Best Payroll And HR Software

The best payroll and HR software, hand-picked for enterprises and SMBs, along with benefits, pitfalls, FAQs, and more.

Huda Idris
Written by
Huda Idris
Technical writer, B2B software advisor, and marketing strategist
Contributing Experts
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Last Updated: Jul 24, 2023
TOP
Modern Payroll and HR Tool
Gusto
4.0
Popularity Score
4.0
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Modern Payroll and HR Tool
Gusto
4.0
Popularity Score
4.0
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
HR & Payroll Solutions for US-Based SMBs
Paycor
4.1
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.0
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
HR & Payroll Solutions for US-Based SMBs
Paycor
4.1
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.0
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
AI-Powered HR and Payroll Software
UKG
3.5
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
3.9
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
AI-Powered HR and Payroll Software
UKG
3.5
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
3.9
Product  Score
Learn More
Over 3 million HR leaders trust our advice

Introduction to Payroll and HR Software

The field of human resources is among the fastest-growing fields in the United States. This has consequently added complexity and nuance to the work of human resource management professionals. As more emphasis is placed on enriching the employee experience, niche areas have emerged SaaS for Human Capital Management. 

You might have seen HR software that’s solely built for specific HR processes like benefits administration or performance reviews. But what if you need an all-in-one human resources management system that caters to your company’s needs? How do you sift through the barrage of information that’s out there on the internet and choose the best management software for your team? You use a guide like this one, since we did the hard part of researching for you. 

Be it small businesses or large corporations, the one thing that’s a must for every company is that its employees are getting compensated accurately and on time. A good payroll software takes care of this. But what’s even better is a management solution that not only helps a company with payroll processing but also acts as an all-in-one HR system that lets you streamline core HCM tasks such as onboarding, time tracking, talent management, performance management, among others. 

We’ve put in hours of research to come up with a list of the best payroll processing and HRMS vendors to help you choose an HR software that’s best suited for your company. This list has been arrived at by judging these HR solutions on various metrics including but not limited to their user interface, functionality, pricing, and customers. To help you make a calculated decision, we’ve also included the pitfalls, benefits, ROI, implementation, and more.

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Best Payroll and HR Software

Gusto

: Modern Payroll and HR Tool

Paycor

: HR & Payroll Solutions for US-Based SMBs

UKG

: AI-Powered HR and Payroll Software

ADP

: Longstanding Payroll & HR Software Company

Zenefits

: HR and Payroll Software Known for Good UI

Namely

: HR & Payroll Software with Talent Management Features

WorkDay

: HR, Payroll, Finance, and Planning for Enterprises

BambooHR

: Popular HR and Payroll Tool for SMBs

OnPay

: Core HR Solutions & Payroll and Taxes

Rippling

: All-in-One HR Management Platform

Our Criteria: Here's How We Chose The Best Payroll and HR Software

To bring you the best payroll and HR software options, we conducted extensive research and leveraged our expertise in the industry. We've been following and demoing numerous software solutions over the years, so we’ve seen hundreds of payroll and HR tools. This guide showcases several that combine the two categories, HR and Payroll.

With the help of our community of HR experts, who often share their experiences with each tool in various organizational settings, we were able to select the very best. Three of the most important criteria we evaluated these tools on are: workflow automation, payroll processing, and core HR features.

  • Workflow Automation: We prioritized solutions that offer robust automation capabilities, enabling HR professionals to save time on repetitive tasks. The selected software options provide intuitive workflows and can automate key tasks such as onboarding, employee data management, PTO calculations, leave requests, and more.
  • Payroll Processing: We filtered for payroll and HR software that excels in this area, ensuring robust yet user-friendly payroll processing for businesses of all sizes. The chosen solutions offer comprehensive payroll management features, including tax calculations, direct deposit capabilities, payroll reporting, and integration with accounting systems.
  • Core HR Features: These tools are great for payroll, but do they get HR right? We handpicked those offering the greatest range of core HR features to support your organization's needs. Most of these tools are fully-fledged HCM systems, enabling you to efficiently handle all aspects of employee management in one centralized platform.

To learn more about our comprehensive evaluation process and discover additional insights on selecting the best HR tech, we invite you to read our piece on how we select the best HR tech.

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Compare the Best Payroll and HR Software

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score

Gusto

Most Popular
4.0
Starts at $40/month
Yes
200,000 customers
4.0
4.1

Paycor

Most Popular
4.1
Custom Pricing
Yes
40,000 + companies
4.2
4.0

UKG

Most Popular
3.5
Custom Pricing
No
80,000+ companies
4.2
3.9

ADP

Most Popular
4.0
Custom Pricing
Yes
35,000+ companies
3.0
3.6

Zenefits

Most Popular
3.7
Starts at $8/employee/month
Yes
10,000+ customers
3.9
4.0

Namely

Most Popular
4.7
Mid-sized US companies looking for a self-service tool
Modern payroll solution with streamlined UX
Custom Pricing
No
12,000+ customers
4.1
4.6

WorkDay

Most Popular
3.8
Custom Pricing
No
10,000+ companies
3.9
4.0

BambooHR

Most Popular
4.6
Custom Pricing
Yes
30,000+ customers
4.5
4.4

OnPay

Most Popular
4.3
Starts at $40/month
Yes
100+ customers
4.8
4.7

Rippling

Most Popular
4.0
Starts at $8/employee/month
No
2,000+ customers
4.2
4.0
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

Need Help? Get Custom Recommendations for Best Payroll and HR Software

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Detailed Reviews of the Best Payroll and HR Software

Gusto

Visit Website
Gusto
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Gusto

Gusto offers an affordable basic plan that is suitable for budget-conscious startups. At the same time, their premium plan is a good bet for companies that want to invest more in their employees’ skills. This is especially true in companies whose HR departments are very small.

PROS

  • Gusto has an eye-catching UI and multi-device compatibility.
  • Easy payroll for U.S.-based W-2 folks, domestic and international contractors.
  • Supports online signatures and automated tax filing.
  • Flexible payroll options for different schedules and unlimited pay runs.
  • Automatic deductions streamline benefits administration.
  • Streamlined hiring and onboarding process between HR and new hires.
  • Integration with CorpNet and Checkr for post-offer tasks.
  • Person-to-person phone support, email, and customer service resources. Licensed benefits advisors available for all plan users.
  • Transparent pricing and no long-term contracts. Free account setup.
  • Ability to create onboarding checklists send offer letters, and store documents online.
  • The dashboard feature keeps tabs on compliance tasks
  • The hiring and onboarding sequence is nicely streamlined between HR and the new hire
  • Post-offer, pre-start tasks are made easy with integrations like CorpNet (state tax set up) Checkr (background checks)
  • Easy payroll for U.S.-based W-2 folks, domestic, and international contractors
  • Person-to-person phone support, email, and other customer service resources
  • The business model is responsive to customer needs

CONS

  • Limited support for international employees.
  • No native accounting feature for tracking earnings and spending.
  • Simple plan lacks native time tracking and online signatures, requiring third-party integrations.
  • Simplistic analytics dashboard.
  • Premium plan or add-ons required for federal/state compliance alerts and existing broker/health insurance integration.
  • No free trial available.
  • Gusto can support payments for international contractors, but not employees
  • No native accounting feature to keep earning and spending under the same roof
  • Analytics dashboard is simplistic

Gusto Review

Gusto UI is both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly. The platform doesn’t offer mobile apps (except for its Wallet app), but being browser-based means it can “play nice” on all devices.

It supports online signatures and automated tax filing, streamlining essential administrative tasks. It also offers flexible payroll options, helping businesses accommodate varied pay schedules and perform unlimited pay runs.

Another notable advantage of Gusto is that it effectively syncs payroll with deductions. This feature saves time and ensures compliance with relevant regulations. Moreover, its integration with CorpNet and Checkr enhances post-offer tasks — a plus for those seeking better employee onboarding.

Gusto strongly emphasizes customer satisfaction through responsive phone and email support, live chat, and licensed benefits advisors for users of all plans. Plus, the setup is free!

Though it can manage payments for international contractors, full support for international employees is unavailable. Additionally, the software lacks a native accounting feature for tracking earnings and spending, so users must rely on external accounting solutions.

If you’re checking out  Gusto’s Simple plan, a heads up: it doesn’t have native time tracking or online signatures, so third-party integrations are needed. Advanced features like compliance alerts and integration of existing brokers are reserved for the Premium plan or offered as add-ons for the Plus plan. Simple plan users do not have the option to purchase these add-ons, which may limit their access to comprehensive compliance support and insurance integration.

Gusto Customers

American Canning, Matchless Builds, Citizen Pilates, Pain Clinic, Distant Moon.

Gusto Pricing

  • Simple plan: $40/month + $6/month/person
  • Plus plan (limited time sale): $60/month + $9/month/person
  • Premium plan: Customized options available; contact sales for pricing
  • Contractor-only plan (no W-2 employees): $6/month/person

Best For

Gusto offers an affordable basic plan that is suitable for budget-conscious startups. The top-tier Premium plan is highly recommended for companies willing to invest more in their human capital, particularly for those with a single-person HR department.

Gusto in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

With my current consulting client, we use Gusto for a few different workflows. We use it for payroll, sending offer letters, managing our 401K program as well as new employee onboarding. In previous companies I worked at, we used it for payroll. In my opinion, the greatest strength of this tool is running payroll. It’s super simple to use.

What do you like about this tool?

The ease of payroll and ability to have payroll run on auto-pilot is AWESOME. The customer service is friendly and for the most part quite efficient. The UI is pretty good compared to a lot of other platforms I've used.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We initially chose Gusto when the company was first established. We needed a simple payroll solution that would work for a company of our size, which at the time was just one W-2 employee on the payroll. We used the solution for about eight months before transitioning to a different solution that would allow us to manage payroll and offer benefits under one platform. Prior to that, I personally used the solution at another company for almost a year.

Since I also do freelance HR consulting, I am now working with a client who also uses Gusto. In this company, we use it for payroll, benefits management, and 401K.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Paying international contractors has been challenging in my experience. I'm not a huge fan of having the employees separated out by whether or not they are onboarded yet. I would rather see all employees with a status showing whether or not they have completed onboarding.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Payroll is a breeze! It's really one of the best tools I've used for payroll for a small company. The customer service is stellar.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Think about your long-term growth plans. I think Gusto is best for smaller companies. Think about whether or not you'll be paying contractors and especially international contractors because that can get complicated. And when you are first implementing the tool, do your best to have someone who understands the platform and how to best optimize it for your team do the set up.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

I'm not sure but I do often see that they are rolling out beta features, which leads me to believe that they are always evolving to meet customer needs.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

I think Gusto is best for small businesses, especially for small businesses that may not have a dedicated HR personnel. It's easy enough to use that the average business owner should be able to navigate it without too much trouble.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

I think it may not be the best platform for larger orgs, especially for orgs with complicated pay needs, i.e. international contractors.

Paycor

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Paycor
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked Paycor

Paycor not only takes care of your payroll management and HCM needs but goes over and beyond by providing predictive HR analytics to help you understand your employees’ trends and behaviors.

PROS

  • Paycor payroll solution and mobile app are both straightforward to use.
  • Intuitive self-service employee portal.
  • Offers multiple modules for small businesses and custom plans for teams with 50-1000 employees.
  • Unlimited payrolls.
  • Offers discounts frequently. Though not listed on their site, a free trial is available to those who contact the support team directly.
  • On-demand pay is available for all plans.
  • With the acquisition of the people development platform Verb, it has improved its employee learning experience.

CONS

  • Undisclosed pricing.
  • Customer support is reported to be slow at times.
  • It is not a good fit for teams with 1000+ employees or those requiring advanced customization to meet their unique requirements.

Paycor Review

Trusted by more than 29,000 businesses, Paycor’s HR + Payroll Software is made up of three HR management tools: A payroll system, an HR platform, and analytics. The payroll solution is laden with many incredibly useful features such as OnDemand Pay, AutoRun functionality, employee self-service, and tax compliance to name a few. 

There’s also a mobile app that helps you make real-time changes at the tip of your fingers.

Similar to its payroll processing counterpart, Paycor’s HRMS tool is driven by automation and also comes with features that let you view employee records, edit employee data, optimize performance reviews, and improve internal communication.

Paycor Customers

Paycor Pricing

Best For

Paycor in action
Reviewer's Rating
6/10
  1. Payroll Processing: We leverage Paycor's comprehensive payroll processing system to automate the calculation and distribution of employee paychecks. This feature simplifies the payroll process, reduces errors, and ensures compliance with tax and labor laws.
  2. Time and Attendance Tracking: It lets us efficiently manage employee attendance, track hours worked, and monitor overtime. This provides me with accurate data for payroll calculations and streamlines the time-tracking process.
  3. Tax Management: Paycor's tax management system helps me automate tax calculations, withholding, and filing, ensuring compliance with tax regulations. This feature handles federal, state, and local taxes, reducing administrative burden and minimizing the risk of errors or penalties.
  4. Reporting and Analytics: I use Paycor's robust reporting and analytics capabilities daily and it allows me to gain insights into HR and payroll metrics. By customizing reports, I can track key performance indicators, analyze trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve my workforce management and operational efficiency.
What do you like about this tool?
  1. Paycor integrates with other business systems and software, such as accounting software, time and attendance systems, and applicant tracking systems. This seamless integration helps eliminate data entry duplication, enhances data accuracy, and improves overall workflow efficiency.
  2. It provides dedicated customer support to assist us with any questions or issues we may encounter. Whether it's technical support, training, or general inquiries, Paycor's support team is available to ensure to offer solutions.
  3. Its tax management system helps us stay compliant with tax regulations by automating tax calculations, withholding, and filing. It handles federal, state, and local taxes, reducing the administrative burden and minimizing the risk of errors or penalties. They still make errors sometimes but they will do extensive research and resolve the situation.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We used Paycor for 3 years. We used to outsource payroll to a third party vendor but wanted to bring it in-house and needed to ensure that it integrates with other tools that we use (401k, health insurance, expenses, etc). The key benefits it provides are: payroll administration, integration capabilities, time and attendance tracking, reporting and analytics tools, tax management, performance management, employee self-service, ATS, and onboarding. Paycor helps us streamline our processes and keep them all under one roof. They also handle compliance for us (garnishment setup, tax filings, etc). All we need to do is submit a case with a government notice we received and they will do the research and best efforts to resolve it.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • It can get very expensive. For each integration they charge a one-time fee of $1000, there are too many fees for conducting audits, edits and corrections.
  • If there is an error on their end they will not admit it until we fight against it and then Paycor may waive it.
  • Lately their support members have been all newbies and lack knowledge to help with complicated issues.
  • They make internal changes way too often and it's hard to keep up. At the beginning of this year they completely revamped the user interface without warning and it was very hard to find things. It took them a while to update all of their SOPs to reflect the new layout.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

It's not so different in what they can offer and how much they charge but I've used other HRISs that offer dedicated account manager support instead of a general 1-800 phone number.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • Think of what tools you actually need because they have a great sales team that will entice you to pay for additional tools you may not even need or use.
  • Each integration costs $1000 so think twice and ensure that the cost is worth it for your company.
  • You should have a dedicated person at your company to handle Paycor for you because it can be a full-time job to keep up with them and to babysit the support team.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

They change way too often and too much. Just when I learned it well, they change it without warning. They keep adding new integrations (which is good). They grow rapidly and are trying to get better and meet their customers’ expectations.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Medium to large companies. It’s good for big corporations too.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Start-ups and small businesses.

UKG

Visit Website
UKG
Learn More
Popularity Score
3.5 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
3.9 / 5

Why we picked UKG

Easy to navigate and customizable to your business needs, UKG’s Payroll and HR Software provides you with all the HR services under one roof. Their customer support team that’s available on a payroll hotline and chat are worth mentioning.

PROS

  • Super robust product, packing years of experience with HCM and Workforce Management technology 
  • Since they offer UKG Pro for HRMS and UKG Ready for workforce management, you could arrive at a combination of products that suits many of your HR needs from the same set of tools.

CONS

  • Compared to newer tools, UKG Pro and UKG Ready tend to miss a unique selling point or a specific focus on a certain type of business. While they work great for bigger companies in all sorts of industries, very niche operations might have a hard time adapting to the tool. 
  • Similarly, ​​UKG offers many solutions under one umbrella, so it's not the best fit if you're looking for only a handful of specific use cases.

UKG Review

UKG has a variety of HR product suites. If you’re looking for an HR software that combines transformative HR technology with robust payroll functionality, then UKG Pro is their HCM solution you should keep an eye on.

UKG Pro takes care of four key areas and those are payroll processing, talent acquisition, learning, and employee voice. One of its most coveted aspects is its intuitive navigation. You can get all your information on the very first page, with just a single click. 

It also has a mobile app that your employees can use to do a variety of things such as being able to request time off or pulling old pay stubs.

UKG Customers

UKG Pricing

Best For

UKG in action
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ADP

Visit Website
ADP
Learn More
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
3 / 5
Product Score
3.6 / 5

Why we picked ADP

Easy to use, 24/7 support from payroll experts, seamless integrations, – ADP is packed with interesting features that will elevate your business like nothing else.

PROS

CONS

ADP Review

Instead of obfuscating a first-time user with unnecessary details about their HR services, ADP asks you a few simple questions and fetches you a customized HR solution that would best suit your organizational needs.

ADP’s payroll and HR software known as RUN is easy to use, has a clean user interface, and yet contains so much depth in terms of features. From personalized payroll to AI-powered error detection features for tax compliance, ADP lets you seamlessly run payroll, track time & attendance, helps you with workforce management, and much more.

ADP Customers

ADP Pricing

Best For

ADP in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

We use ADP to manage payroll. It is also used to provide affordable benefits. The HRBP helps to ensure we remain compliant and provides resources as needed. In addition, the helpline is always available. The MyLearning tool has also provided hundreds of training sessions.

What do you like about this tool?

The pros of using ADP are having an HRBP and a Payroll Advisor who works directly with you. The HRBP has been great at ensuring that we are following the proper guidelines for our HR-related issues. Having a payroll advisor gives us direct 1:1 support while doing payroll. It has also been great for updating our employee handbook, I love the way they make sure our policies are up to date as new policies develop.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We have been using ADP since 2017. As a small nonprofit organization, it was important to find a PEO. This helped with lowering the cost of benefits for our staff as well as managing our payroll. It has also provided us with endless HR resources.

What do you dislike about this tool?
How is this tool different than their competitors?
What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When thinking about buying this tool, think about your company’s specific needs. Take into account the size of your company and what your expectations are. Be sure to have a budget that shows what your company will pay for benefits versus your employees. Think about what HR resources you are interested in (will you solely rely on ADP or will you also have in-house assistance)? Thinking about these things will help you when speaking with the representatives.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Over time we have been able to upgrade from Total Source to WorkForce Now. This has allowed us to have better reposting and made it easier on our accounts when submitting payroll. It has saved us a ton of time with spreadsheets. ADP is great at keeping you up to date on ungraded to their system. They have also evolved their MyLearning tool which provides a ton of training and now they have more live training and even in-person leadership training.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

I feel like ADP can be useful for any size organization, it all depends on the needs. Whether it’s for part of the platform or the entire platform they have something to suit everyone’s needs.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Zenefits

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Zenefits
Learn More
Popularity Score
3.7 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked Zenefits

Seamlessly integrated across all levels, what separates Zenefits from other HR systems is that it has built-in compliance, dozens of pre-built integrations, and a fully functional mobile app for both employees and HR managers.

PROS

  • It’s one of the top names in HR tech and payroll software for American small businesses. 
  • Their platform is one of the best-looking and easiest to figure out among the sector. 
  • Zenefits can grow with you. Its pricing plans allow you to pay and tweak as you go, add certain modules when you need them, or get rid of them if you don’t.

CONS

  • As oriented to small businesses as the tool is, it doesn’t give you the chance to create a custom bundle of the services and/or modules you’d like to have. For instance, Zenefits does not offer a standalone ACA module. Therefore, you will need to purchase an entire HRIS plan if you want to access that offering.
  • In addition, Zenefits focuses on small to mid sized companies. If you're an enterprise organization, you may want to consider another option. 
  • Zenefits is also rather focused on the US market at this point. So, if your team is mostly in another country and you need more of a local know-how, it might not be the best bet for certain modules like payroll and benefits.

Zenefits Review

With a slick user interface and tools that span across the entire employee lifecycle, Zenefits has everything you need to manage your people with ease. Its payroll is packed with advanced features and is built to serve every company’s unique needs.

Unlike most HR platforms, Zenefits’ payroll system automatically syncs with other HRMS tools, saving your bandwidth for more important tasks. From streamlined onboarding and easy PTO, Zenefits packs several essential HR tools into one place.

Zenefits Customers

Zenefits Pricing

Best For

Zenefits in action
No items found.

Namely

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Namely
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.7 / 5
User Score
4.1 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked Namely

What makes Namely stand out from its competitors is that it’s highly customizable, easy to implement, and has unmatched customer service. Namely is also very scalable and would smoothly grow with your team.

PROS

  • Navigating Namely poses minimal challenges for most users, with an intuitive and notably clean UI despite its extensive feature set.
  • Users commend Namely's employee onboarding module, which employs a user-friendly wizard to facilitate swift and clear onboarding for new hires.
  • In addition to its inbuilt data management, recruiting, onboarding, time off tracking, payroll, and benefits administration features, Namely offers managed payroll and benefits administration services, relieving internal teams of heavy burdens.
  • The majority of users are able to navigate Namely without any issues. They find the UI to be intuitive and clean, despite the fact that the platform has lots of features. 
  • Namely’s employee onboarding module gets a alot of praise from users. It features an easy-to-follow wizard, which helps new hires get on quickly and be clear on what they need to do. 
  • Besides the platform’s built in features for data management, recruiting, onboarding, time off tracking, payroll and benefits administration, there are also managed payroll and benefits administration services you can opt for to reduce the burden on your internal teams. 

CONS

  • Namely predominantly caters to the U.S. market, limiting its suitability for international businesses.
  • While users applaud its user-friendliness, implementing Namely can be time-consuming, with an average implementation period of 6-8 weeks, as reported by the platform.
  • Lacking features for employee development like skill training, career pathing, and succession planning, Namely falls short in this area given its scope.
  • Prior to adoption, verifying compatibility with your existing benefits provider is essential, as some users have reported instances of Namely encouraging them to switch providers, sometimes resulting in increased costs.
  • Namely primarily operates in the U.S., which means if you’re looking for a global payroll and benefits provider, this platform isn’t for you.
  • Though many praise the platform’s ease of use, it does take long to implement it. Namely’s own team says that an average implementation takes between 6-8 weeks.
  • For a platform of Namely’s size, there currently aren’t any features that focus on employee development such as skill training, career pathing, succession planning etc. 
  • You’ll need to check beforehand if Namely can work with your existing benefits provider, if you have one. There have been a few reports (but not few enough to ignore) about Namely’s team convincing customers to change their benefits provider to providers that charged them more. 

Namely Review

Namely aims to help you stay on top of your job and free up your time to focus on innovative people strategies. This cloud-based HR software consists of enhanced payroll services, compliance tools, benefits insurance expertise, and tools for employee engagement. 

Apart from handling your core HR needs, Namely also offers pre-built integrations with an ever-growing list of partners. But what’s even more compelling is that if you don’t find an integration you need, you could build your own integration through Namely’s secure API. 

Namely also has an amazing and active client community you could reach out to if you want an insight into the best practices.

Namely Customers

Namely Pricing

Best For

Namely in action
No items found.

WorkDay

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WorkDay
Learn More
Popularity Score
3.8 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked WorkDay

Trusted by the world’s leading companies, Workday runs on automation and innovation to help you save time and money. Its advanced analytics tools can benefit HR teams at even the largest companies.

PROS

  • Accessible customer support from the community, live chat, and telephone.
  • Compatible with 300 HR systems such as ERP/GL, CRM, HR, and PSA.
  • Configurable dashboard with AI and ML-driven insights.
  • Ability to maintain real-time alignment of budgets and workforce plans.
  • SOC 2 Type 2 compliance.

CONS

  • Undisclosed pricing.
  • No free trial for its talent management software.
  • Time-consuming implementation period (average 4.5 months).
  • Challenge navigating for first-time users may require training.
  • Issues with logging in were reported by users.

WorkDay Review

Designed to fuel your acceleration in a changing world, Workday aims to overcome the limitations of an Enterprise Resource Planning system, commonly referred to as an ERP. Workday has many products and solutions but if you’re on the lookout for a payroll and HR solution that would help you optimize the time, talent, and energy of your people, their Human Capital Management system is worth checking out. From creating customized compensation programs to augmented people analytics that give you insights from vast data sets – Workday’s HCM suite is packed with extremely powerful tools.

WorkDay Customers

WorkDay Pricing

Best For

WorkDay in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I used Workday daily to manage various aspects of our organization's workforce. The key workflows I rely on include employee data management, performance management, and reporting. For employee data, I maintain up-to-date employee records, including personal information, job titles, and reporting structures. For performance management, as a manager, we used it to track employee performance by setting goals, conducting performance reviews, and managing feedback. Workday also has robust reporting functionality.

What do you like about this tool?

User-friendly interface: Workday's clean and intuitive design makes it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need.

Scalability: This makes it an ideal solution for growing businesses that require additional functionality over time. As a company expands or needs change, Workday can be customized to meet those evolving requirements.

Seamless integration: Workday offers robust integration capabilities with various third-party applications, ensuring a smooth flow of data across different systems. This compatibility with other software tools enables organizations to maintain a connected ecosystem, streamlining processes and reducing the need for manual data entry or reconciliation.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My organization was 10k plus employees and our old HRIS system was dated and clunky. I used it for approximately 2 years. We needed better self-service for not only employees but for managers as well with built-in approval processes. Additionally, we were looking for a tool that could handle the complex requirements of our global workforce, including compliance with local labor laws and regulations. Our previous system didn't have robust reporting capabilities, and it was challenging to extract useful data for analysis. Furthermore, it made it easier to manage employee data and processes across multiple systems. It also provided built-in compliance features, ensuring that we were meeting legal requirements in all countries where we had operations.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Cost: The investment in Workday is substantial, and not a good option for smaller companies.

Learning curve: While Workday's user interface is intuitive, the platform's extensive features may require some time to master. Adequate training and onboarding are essential for users to get the most out of the software.

Limited customization: Workday offers a wide range of built-in features and functionalities, but it may not be the best fit for organizations with highly specific or unique requirements.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

While Workday has a long list of impressive companies that utilize their system I find SAP SuccessFactors does just as much and for slightly cheaper.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Functionality: Determine the features and capabilities that are most important to your organization. Consider aspects such as human resources, payroll, talent acquisition, time and attendance, performance management, financial management, and analytics. Ensure the tool you choose covers the required functionalities or can be easily integrated with other systems to create a comprehensive solution.

Scalability: Assess whether the tool can grow and adapt to your organization's changing needs. A scalable solution will allow you to add or modify features as your business evolves, ensuring long-term viability.

Integration: Examine the tool's ability to integrate with existing systems and third-party applications. Seamless integration is essential for streamlining processes and reducing the need for manual data entry or reconciliation.

User experience: Evaluate the tool's user interface and overall usability. An intuitive and user-friendly design will encourage adoption and make it easier for employees to effectively use the platform.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

They have expanded product offerings and made some user experience enhancements.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Enterprise with large (1000k+) and global employees.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Small businesses with under 1k employees.

BambooHR

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BambooHR
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Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked BambooHR

BambooHR comes with an interface that’s remarkably calming to the senses for a workplace tool. They’re one of the top HR products of all time. Their payroll product, while acclaimed, is only available for paying US-based employees.

PROS

  • BambooHR offers flexible packaging and custom pricing, allowing you to select packages and additional modules as needed.
  • Renowned for its simplicity and user-friendliness, BambooHR stands out as an easy-to-use tool.
  • Flexible packaging and custom pricing is the way they roll. You can pick out one or two packages and pick other modules as add-ons based on your needs. 
  • Very simple and straightforward tool, easy to use.

CONS

  • Payroll functionality is limited to US-based employees, restricting its global reach.
  • Similarly, customer support is confined to US business hours, potentially inconveniencing international users.
  • Certain modules, including time tracking, performance management, and surveys, are only accessible as add-ons, which would mean an extra investment.
  • Payroll is only available for US-based employees 
  • Customer support is only offered during US business hours.
  • Some modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only available as add-ons.

BambooHR Review

BambooHR refers to itself as an “HR Software with heart” and rightly so. This all-in-one HR software takes care of the entire employee lifecycle by focusing on five key areas which are compensation, culture, people & analytics, hiring, and onboarding.

By keeping customer experience at the center of everything, BambooHR lets you access all your employee records in one place and dramatically reduces your paper usage.

From a robust payroll software that lets your employees quickly access their pay stubs or direct deposit to a highly accurate applicant tracking system that lets you find people who match your company culture, BambooHR has most that you could ask for in an HRIS and more.

BambooHR Customers

BambooHR Pricing

Best For

BambooHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

We typically use BambooHR to pull reports and analyze data. We also use it as a platform for employees to submit time off requests. Apart from that, we use the documents section to create fillable documents which are later on stored in employees' profiles. Additionally, BambooHR gives us an opportunity to have easy access to other employees' information, such as who someone's supervisor is, so anyone in the company can search for those details. Sending communication out has been a new feature for us and we use it by creating a banner on the main page which helps us send easy and quick reminders to employees. We also use it for easy access to other platforms as we store all the links for our training, benefits, etc. platforms so employees can have the information in one place.

What do you like about this tool?

It's user-friendly. It's capabilities to manage different HR processes. The fillable documents tool.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

BambooHR was bought in order to store employees' information in one place. The objective was to better organize information and create automated workflows. I started at the company about 14 months ago and it was already in use but I estimate that it has been used for the past 5 years or more. One of the main benefits it provides is that job information as well documents and time off can be in one place. This allows the HR team to easily pull reports and access the data. Another benefit is that it is very user friendly, for employers and employees.

What do you dislike about this tool?

It takes a long time to add additional features (sometimes suggested by customers). It has different restrictions when it comes to reporting, in terms of editing some reports to add/delete fields. The performance management tab is very basic and it doesn't allow customers to tailor it to our needs.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

I guess the main difference is the simplicity when it comes to managing different processes. Other systems are more complex and have too many additional steps or fields which make it harder to navigate the platforms. I really prefer it because it does not require a lot of training for anyone to learn how to use it and it has a lower price compared to other systems.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

The first one would be the number of employees. If you are a large company, BambooHR may not fit your needs as it has some limitations. Secondly, what they are really trying to get out of the system. If it's only being used for what we use it (storing information, submitting time off requests, pulling basic reports) then it would work great. If they are trying to have all the information in one place, such as benefits and performance management, the fact that it has limitations, mostly related to updates and customized fields, then it would probably not be the best option.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

They have evolved quite a bit. Their customer service has improved. Some fields have become customizable over time or they have been added by the BambooHR team. Reporting has also improved with the addition of a few different reports which provide further information and can be combined with others, such as turnover rate with reason for termination, etc.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Mid size companies that have payroll and performance management already in use. It is also good for organizations that do not want to spend a lot of money on an HRIS or that have a limited budget.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Companies with over 500 employees or big size ones. Users who would like to have all processes and information in one place.

OnPay

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OnPay
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Popularity Score
4.3 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.7 / 5

Why we picked OnPay

With best-in-class integrations and built-in HR, OnPay is extremely user-friendly and has top-notch customer support. Its USP is the way it combines simplicity with a wide range of features.

PROS

CONS

OnPay Review

Fast, precise, and backed by payroll experts, OnPay is a payroll software with all the HR tools embedded in it. OnPay’s goal is to enhance the productivity of individuals and teams. This is reflected both in their simple yet intuitive user interface and extensive features such as multi-state payroll, single sign-on, employee-self service, or automated onboarding flows.

One of the best things about OnPay is that when you buy it, you get the help of trained experts every step of the way. They also provide one month of a free trial.

OnPay Customers

OnPay Pricing

Best For

OnPay in action
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Rippling

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Rippling
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked Rippling

Rippling is geared toward SMBs with its intuitive UI, automation, and 500+ integrations. Besides features like US/global payroll and self-service, the benefits administration tool lets you work with your chosen broker and select the benefits packages for your team from over 4,000 plans.

PROS

  • Rippling payroll automatically updates work hours, deductions, and tax filings.
  • Ability to process payroll in multiple countries and currencies.
  • Can connect with 500+ apps.
  • Enables users to work with their chosen broker.
  • Ability to purchase modules separately or as a full suite.
  • All-in-one platform for employee management + PEO services offered, and even a suite of other IT products 
  • With 500 integrations, it’s very likely that they integrate with other key tools from your tech stack.
  • Operates globally with any currency
  • Workflow automation
  • Analytics opportunities
  • Provides a holistic view of company outflows—headcount costs included

CONS

  • Undisclosed pricing. No free trial.
  • Phone support costs extra.
  • Not the best option for teams with 2,000+ employees.
  • The mobile app has limited features compared to the web browser version.
  • Total buy-in to Rippling is essential 
  • Very SMB-oriented, in case you’re a larger company. 
  • New features tend to be buggy in ways that tech teams are not accustomed to fixing

Rippling Review

Rippling is a competent solution for growing teams looking to handle their HR and payroll more efficiently. Though the software is quite new in the space, we appreciate how fast the platform has evolved since it debuted.

One of the standout features of Rippling is its exceptional integration capabilities. With over 500 app connections available, it surpasses most tools in the market.

Rippling offers feature-rich capabilities that simplify payroll and HR management for global teams. With its integrated platform, users can pay employees and contractors worldwide within minutes. The built-in time tracking app automatically updates work hours, deductions, and tax filings, eliminating the need for manual tasks. This allows users to focus on reviewing numbers, approving payroll, and letting the system handle the rest.

We are impressed with Rippling's benefits management tool, allowing users to collaborate with preferred brokers, select from 4,000 plans, and offer the hires a self-service portal and mobile app. However, we hope for enhancements in the mobile app's performance and features, as it can be laggy at times and lacks certain functionalities compared to the web browser version.

Rippling's pricing starts at $8 per employee per month, but obtaining an accurate quote requires a demo with a sales representative. It's important to note that the actual cost may be higher due to the software's purchase model. The Unity module is mandatory for purchasing any other modules. Additionally, if you require phone support from HR specialists, additional fees apply.

Rippling Customers

Vox, Maximum Games, Superhuman, Compass Coffee, Highnoon.

Rippling Pricing

Rippling's Core HR platform starts at $8 per employee per month. Contact Sales for more details.

Best For

Rippling is most useful for SMBs, ideally with 50 to 2,000 employees. It doesn’t matter whether they are US-based, global, remote, office-based, or distributed teams.

Rippling in action
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Why Use a Payroll and HR Software?

If you have just started an organization or are managing a small team, you may wonder if there is any use of bringing payroll and HR software onboard. After all, you could simply keep a database of your employees’ essential information. 

While it may not seem like a necessity early on, contemporary payroll and HR solutions offer so much more value than meets the eye. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider investing in payroll and HR software: 

  • Streamline your workflows: Instead of buying two separate softwares for your core HR tasks and payroll, you would immensely benefit from buying an all-in-one payroll and HR software in a plethora of ways. Not only would a consistent user interface give you more clarity about your work, you would also be able to easily map out an employee’s compensation and PTO based on their attendance, performance, and other such metrics – all of which would be accessible in one single place, if you choose a unified HRIS.
  • Save time: The biggest advantage of using modern HR tools is that they focus on automating redundant tasks and freeing up your bandwidth for more creative and strategic thinking initiatives. A good HR and payroll system would help you save time on recurring tasks like payroll processing, time & attendance, and applicant tracking. Once you’ve got your HRMS fully implemented, it would also help you eliminate time on editing company policy and the like. 
  • Avail expert advice: Dealing with the nuances of payroll processing can get complicated pretty quick. Although a good payroll and HR software would have a user-friendly interface, most such softwares come with a robust support team that’s not only there with you for implementation and weekday support but also for intimating you with regulations that keep changing on a frequent basis. You could also avail the service of these payroll experts for understanding best practices and making important business decisions. 
  • Improve employee retention: Modern Payroll and HR solutions come with tools for employee benefits ranging from retirement benefits to health, vision, and dental insurance. This not only leads to employee retention but also helps you save money and stay compliant.  
  • Transparency: Makers of payroll and HR software know that they have many stakeholders. So, while HR managers have access to employee records, employees can access a portal that lets them see their own time & attendance, request time off, avail benefits, and stay up-to-date with any changes. This kind of transparency builds trust, saves time, and helps employees improve their performance. 
  • Stay Compliant: With the amount of research that risk mitigation requires, figuring out compliance measures by yourself can derail you from focusing on your core tasks. Payroll and HR software companies take compliance very seriously because they know that in today’s world of ever-changing regulations, no company wants the stress of lawsuits or fines looming over their heads. From unlimited access to expert HR advisors to law alerts and compliance resources, a good payroll and HR software would help you stay compliant and up-to-date with regulatory changes. 
  • Identify trends and patterns: Modern HR technology is equipped with analytics tools that give businesses a holistic overview of their company. From getting an insight into your diversity patterns to seeing your attrition trends in a visually digestible form, you can make use of a payroll and HR software’s analytics tool to formulate new strategies and bring change.

Pro Tips on Payroll and HR Software

Some pitfalls to avoid while buying a new payroll and HR software

  • Inability to integrate with other softwares: Most payroll and HR technologies pride themselves upon their ability to integrate with a plethora of third-party softwares. While the HRIS you’re interested in buying might have the ability to integrate with popular applications, it may not integrate with the system that your company uses regularly.

    If you fall prey to this common pitfall, you’ll be spending your days manually entering data from one software to another, causing an unnecessary roadblock for your core HR responsibilities.
  • No employee self-service: One of the biggest advantages of modern HR solutions is that they come with the employee self-service option, which basically means that your employees can access, edit, and update some of their information on their own – a task that was previously reserved for the HR team.

    If the payroll and HR software you’re interested in doesn’t provide this feature, you’ll have to take into consideration the amount of time and labor HR will be spending on these types of tasks.  
  • Inadequate data security: A payroll and HR software by its nature stores a lot of sensitive information including but not limited to your employees’ names, email IDs, phone numbers, and bank account details. You’d not only want to know how the data you’re providing is being used but also how safe it is in the hands of a company you’re ready to put your trust in. 
  • Moving forward without getting an internal buy-in: You have to keep in mind that it’s not only the human resources department that’s going to use the HR software you’re eyeing, but also your employees. Moreover, different departments have different workflows and needs.

    You wouldn’t want to end up in a situation where you bring a new technology on board, only to later hear a complaint about the lack of a desired integration or a feature imperative to a particular team’s work. 
  • A dearth of references from existing clients: HR tech makers flaunt testimonials and client reviews like gold medals. If you don’t find one on their website, it’s definitely ok to ask for references. You can contact their customers to get feedback, or even check among your existing contacts if anyone happens to be using the tool.

    Although you can give the benefit of the doubt to some companies, especially when their product is newly launched, it’s in your best interest to get references from multiple clients so you have a fairer picture of the product. 
  • Bad user interface: Information overload affects everyone differently. Payroll and HR solutions that are not intuitive and easy to navigate will frustrate your employees, disrupt their productivity, and unnecessarily increase your HR team’s workload. Make sure you pay as much attention to a vendor’s user interface as much as its cost and features.

    Of course, this can be very subjective, so be sure that a good sample of the other team mates that will be using the tool also get a say on how they find the UX / UI of the product.
  • Getting lured by fancy features: With the kind of interesting extra features modern HR systems come with, it’s easy to lose track of your priorities. Before contacting vendors, spend some time listing down all your essential requirements and features that you absolutely can’t do without. While it’s always nice to have additional features, make sure you’re not compromising on your must-haves.

ROI Of The Right Payroll And HR Software

You may find yourself wondering if a payroll and HR software product is worth buying, and rightly so. 

These tools are certainly not free and the cost only escalates as the organization scales up. In the early stages of a company, tasks like time tracking and running payroll can be managed with the help of spreadsheets, although you have to consider that the opportunity cost is your precious time and sometimes even your peace of mind. 

But when your organization grows, it’s clear as day that you’re better off outsourcing menial payroll and HR tasks to a software tool. 

Consider this simple stat: The average salary of a payroll administrator in the U.S. is $50,000 per year. The average annual salary of an HR administrator is approximately the same as a payroll administrator. If you compare the amount of money you’ll spend on payroll and HR software vs. what it costs to hire a couple of administrators for such jobs, you’ll see that it’s completely worth buying a good payroll and HR software. 

Besides, unquantifiable features such as accuracy, elimination of duplicate entries, or compliance risks, however easy to overlook, can make a substantial difference at the end of the day.

Payroll and HR Software Pricing

For most payroll and HR software, the pricing model is such that there is a monthly base fee plus a per employee per month fee. The latter fee is usually around a quarter of the base amount. Most HRMS vendors also provide differently priced packages that you can choose from, however. This depends on the features that you require and your organization’s size. Many vendors don’t disclose pricing upfront and require you to quote a custom price. 

Pricing contracts are renewable monthly or annually, with the latter being a cost-effective choice usually. Some vendors also ask for additional charges on top of the pricing plan you choose for various purposes such as for filing W-9s and 1099s, set up, customer support, or consulting. 

Make sure you’re aware of these hidden costs before you seal the deal with a vendor. That said, below is a chart of price ranges to keep in mind before you start looking for payroll and HR vendors. Do note that it’s only an average estimate and prices may vastly vary between vendors.

Number of employees Estimated annual cost
100 $12,000
500 $48,000
1,000 $72,000
10,000 $480,000
100,000 1,000,000+

Key Payroll and HR Software Features

After spending countless hours in the HRMS vendor universe, we’ve found that the highest-rated payroll and HR solutions are laden with features that surpass the basic requirements of HR teams. 

While some vendors go over and beyond in terms of the add-ons they provide, below is a list of features that you must look for while selecting a payroll and HR solution. 

  • Automated, unlimited payroll runs: It’s always good to go with a software that aims to eliminate repetitive work. You’d want to choose an HRMS that not only lets you schedule when to pay different employees but also lets you run payroll as often as you’d like, as opposed to solutions that only allow you to run payroll a limited number of times in a month. 
  • Tax filing and payments: Managing taxes on your own can add unnecessary risk and burden on your shoulders. Top-tier HRMS vendors withhold all your taxes each pay run and file all the necessary annual and quarterly forms on your behalf.
  • Multiple pay rates: Vendors are aware that a lot of companies have employees who perform multiple tasks, for which they’re remunerated differently. This adds another level of complexity to payroll processing. It’s in your best interest to go with a vendor who provides such a feature, otherwise, you’ll be wasting your time matching different pay rates to the different number of hours worked; a task that’s best left for automation.
  • Employee self-service: A feature that lets employees access their own information not only fosters a culture of transparency and trust but also frees up the HR department’s bandwidth to focus on more high-level, people-centric tasks. 
  • Benefits administration: Vendors who have a benefits administration platform can rid you of the hassles that come with the open enrollment process in addition to enhancing your employee experience. The biggest advantage of going with a vendor that comes with a benefits tool however is that the benefit deductions automatically flow into payroll for processing, saving you potential hours of manual work.
  • Attendance & time tracking: You’d want to choose an HRMS that has an attendance tool that’s fully integrated with the payroll. This would eliminate duplicate data entry and improve the overall accuracy of the payroll system.
  • Automated onboarding flows: The process of onboarding usually comes with a lot of paperwork, especially if it’s done manually. Automated onboarding flows let employees onboard themselves with features that allow them to enter their own details, e-sign documents, and self-check all the tasks.
  • Employee database: An HRIS with an employee database lets you view all your employee records and information in one single place, making it easy to find any employee’s performance history, salary, position, training records, and more.

Questions To Ask On Demos

Most HR tech vendors either provide a live demo or a recorded one to their potential customers. Think of this as a simulation of what it’s going to be like after you get this product onboard. Lest you get carried away by the number of features or a beautiful user interface, it’s imperative that you prepare a list of questions beforehand that will address your core HR needs. 

Although not exhaustive, below are such questions that we think HR professionals should definitely ask to get the most out of a demo:

  • How does this HR software integrate with other systems that we already use?
  • How do you go about transferring data from our current system to your solution? 
  • Do you provide training after implementing this software in our organization?
  • Can you tailor your software for our specific needs? 
  • How long does it typically take to resolve any issues we may face?
  • What are your security measures like? How do you protect our sensitive data?
  • Can you give a product walkthrough from the point of view of different kinds of users?
  • Will your solution help me manage contractors and other people who are not full-time employees?
  • How will our pricing change as we scale?
  • Is your solution cloud-based and mobile-friendly?
  • Do you have a team that would help me stay up-to-date with regulatory changes that are relevant to my organization?
  • Do you handle international payroll?
  • How do you go about handling benefits for employees in different states or remote workers in different countries? 
  • Is there an in-built tool that helps the HR team communicate with employees?
  • What kind of HR processes will be automated?
  • What are your key features? What differentiates this solution from its competitors?

Payroll And HR Software Implementation

Depending on whether you’re buying payroll and HR software for the first time or switching to a new one, your implementation process would slightly differ. 

There are also variables such as your organization size, training requirements, and the vendor you choose that would dictate your timeline and process. Thus, implementation of a new payroll and HR software could take as little as a day to a couple of weeks. 

Most vendors start with an installation, which is followed by data migration (if you’re switching from another vendor), configuration, testing, employee training, and finally officially bringing the software onboard. Later, the vendor may follow up for feedback. 

In most cases, the implementation team would ask you for the following information:

  • Basic company information such as your EIN (employee identification number)
  • Basic employee information such as their name, SSN, address, compensation, etc.
  • Payroll and information about already paid taxes, if you’re switching vendors mid-year

Do note that although this is the typical process, it’s best to ask the vendor you’re interested in about their implementation process and timeline before proceeding with them.

Payroll and HR Software FAQs

What is payroll software?

In 2022, when someone says payroll software they typically mean a SaaS solution that manages, records, organizes, and automates a company’s payments to its employees. That being said, payroll software could be cloud-based or on-premise. 

What is HR software?

HR software is a suite of tools that helps a company’s human resources department carry out everyday HR tasks in an efficient manner. 

What is an all-in-one HRMS software?

An all-in-one HRMS software enables a company’s HR department to carry out a wide range of core HR tasks such as payroll processing, onboarding, recruiting, benefits administration, applicant tracking, and more from one centralized location. 

Do companies provide both payroll and HR software together?

Yes, many vendors in the HR space provide a combined solution that takes care of payroll and core HR needs. 

What does HRIS stand for?

HRIS stands for Human Resource Information System. 

What does HCM stand for?

HCM stands for Human Capital Management.

What does HRMS stand for?

HRMS stands for Human Resource Management System. 

What’s the difference between HRIS, HCM, and HRMS?

These terms are often used interchangeably because on the surface, there isn’t a huge difference between HRIS, HCM, and HRMS. The definition varies from vendor to vendor and even among HR professionals. While all three are all people management tools, the differences lie in their features and use cases. An HRIS takes care of your core HR needs and is limited in that sense. An HRMS has the same use case as an HRIS but goes beyond the core HR needs in terms of features, especially if it adds performance management and payroll. Strategic planning is the epicenter of an HCM while having most of the HRMS features all the same. 

What are the benefits of using HR and payroll software?

There are many benefits of using an HR and payroll software, some of which are: 

  • Helps you save time by automating repetitive tasks
  • Improves the overall employee experience
  • Increases compliance
  • Better organization and everything in one place
  • Analytics, reporting, and key business insights
  • Workforce management

What is the best payroll and HR software?

While we’ve spent a lot of time researching and coming up with this list of best payroll and HR softwares, what is best for one company might not be for some other. Hopefully, our comprehensive yet brief vendor reviews help you shortlist what would be the best payroll and HR software for your particular case.

Last advice

To wrap things up, we hope that the information on this page helped you get an overview of the best payroll and HR vendors, their features, pricing, and how to go about implementing them. 

Partnering with a top payroll and HR vendor will help you save a lot of time and money, but what would truly elevate your experience is partnering with a vendor that specifically caters to your company’s needs. 

Our advice to you is that instead of looking for a one-size-fits-all solution, you should narrow down your specific HR requirements and base all your demos around that. Dive right into demos with 2-3 vendors and ask them to show specific functionality. If a vendor checks the majority of your boxes, you can then evaluate them on other factors like ease of use and overall user experience. 

Lastly, if you're an internationally distributed team, consider coupling this guide with our roundup of the best global payroll software.

About Us

  • Our goal at SSR is to help HR and recruiting teams to find and buy the right software for their needs.
  • Our site is free to use as some vendors will pay us for web traffic.
  • SSR lists all companies we feel are top vendors - not just those who pay us - in our comprehensive directories full of the advice needed to make the right purchase decision for your HR team.

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