Best HR and Payroll Software Systems in 2025
This guide reviews top cloud-based HR and payroll software, including pros, cons, pricing, ROI, implementation tips, and more.

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Whether it's small businesses or large corporations, one thing that's a must for every company is ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time. Good payroll software takes care of this. But what's even better is that some can even handle several HR tasks, from onboarding to time tracking, benefits, and workforce planning.
We put together this guide in 2022 and have been updating it ever since to help HR leaders find the best HR and payroll software for their needs. If you need help narrowing down your options to 2-3 of the best choices, simply request personalized help from our HR experts here (it's free).
To bring you the best HR and payroll systems, we conducted extensive research and leveraged our expertise in the industry. We've been following and demoing numerous software solutions over the years. Combined 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 used to evaluate these tools are workflow automation, payroll processing, and core HR features.
- 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 software 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 HRMS 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.
- 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.
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.

Paylocity

Paylocity streamlines payroll and HR processes with user-friendly tools, automation, compliance support, and more. Its comprehensive features, accessible platform, and expert resources make it a standout choice for managing your workforce efficiently and effectively.
PROS
- Paylocity offers a feature-rich platform that simplifies the management of payroll, HR, benefits, and other related tasks.
- It features a user-friendly interface and offers extensive online documentation to guide users through the various features and functionalities.
- There’s a mobile app that both employees and managers can access to perform several processes on-the-go.
- Paylocity’s customer support is highly rated for always being available to answer questions.
- Global payroll support for 100+ countries.
- Provides free and unlimited training modules on the website.
- Paylocity’s mobile app has a good UI and functionality
- The tool is easy to use for both employees and employers.
- Has 350+ pre-built integrations.
CONS
- Pricing information is not publicly available, and there isn’t a free trial or a free plan at this time.
- Paylocity's comprehensive feature set can create a learning curve for users.
- The report customization options in Paylocity could be enhanced.
- Undisclosed pricing.
- It doesn’t have a free trial or free plan.
- Support is available in English only.
- It isn’t the best solution for remote teams looking for a tool to manage payroll and benefits for their contractors.

Paylocity offers a comprehensive and user-friendly platform with features for payroll, people, benefits, time off, and compliance management. We love how easy and quick it is to process payroll, thanks to Paylocity’s intuitive three-step navigation flow: you enter the necessary payroll info, review and hit Submit. Paylocity also minimizes manual data entry by automatically transferring information from Time & Labor, flagging employees who need prorated or retro pay, and showing the calculations for your review.
To ensure payroll accuracy, you can make use of Paylocity’s Payroll Readiness Dashboard, which gives you a comprehensive overview of your critical payroll tasks well ahead of your processing day. The system also features over 40 configurable pre-submit audits that flag irregular occurrences, such as an employee receiving double their typical pay.
Beyond payroll management, Paylocity provides a solid HRIS that helps you stay on top of several employee-related processes. For starters, it excels at data management and task automation across multiple users and workspaces. Whether it's confirming employee addresses, collecting certification proofs, or managing employee onboarding, Paylocity simplifies these processes through automation and centralization.
Accessibility is another strong point of Paylocity. Employees can securely access their payroll and HR data from anywhere, on any device. They can retrieve important information such as offer letters, paystubs, tax forms, benefits info, and make changes to their personal information. Managers and HR professionals have full visibility into employee data, enabling them to manage positions, assign skills and certifications, predict vacancies, and manage budget changes effectively.
Paylocity also prioritizes compliance, offering a user-friendly dashboard with swift access to work authorizations, EEO, and FLSA compliance data, as well as industry news. For additional support, Paylocity's HR Edge service provides expert resources, including an account manager, to assist in minimizing risk and implementing optimal practices. Furthermore, Paylocity's reporting and analytics capabilities provide deeper insights into the workforce through real-time, visually presented data. This data enables the monitoring of key metrics, recognition of patterns, enhancement of HR strategies, and the advancement of business goals.
Paylocity’s solutions are used by over 40k organizations including CRP Industries, Wagstaff, and Powerhouse.
Paylocity’s pricing isn’t disclosed upfront. We recommend scheduling a demo with their Sales team to get a breakdown of all associated costs.
Best For
Paylocity's solutions are designed for businesses of all sizes across diverse industries, with a primary emphasis on medium and large enterprises. These companies possess the necessary resources and infrastructure to fully utilize the platform's functionalities, allowing them to effectively maximize its benefits.
As a Recruiter I was mainly using it as an ATS. I used to create job postings and it would integrate to different career sites and job boards. The interested candidates filled the application form in paylocity itself which made things easier for me to get more details (phone number, email address) about them.
I used to schedule phone screens, video interviews with the candidate texting feature in paylocity. I could upload interview notes on paylocity in realtime to get feedback from other colleagues on the candidate.
There are several workflow features- Creating and sending the Offer letter, conducting reference checks and background checks. The last feature was onboarding the candidate and changing them to an employee in the system. The best feature was that the payroll team could take things further from my part by tracking their time worked, in and out punches and then depositing money in their account.
Its employee onboarding workflow is really smooth and user friendly for the recruiter. It helps in automating, creation and distribution of onboarding tasks and training materials.
I could regularly track completion of new hire paperwork, such as tax forms, I9 etc before their start date and coordinate with them if they haven't completed.
Another major advantage of paylocity is its payroll processing workflow. It calculates employee wages, deductions, and taxes based on pay rules and regulations and generates pay stubs. If an organization has a more hourly/contract based employees then this tool is apt for them.
Employees clock in and out through that system and then it integrates time and attendance data with payroll for accurate wage calculations.
When I joined, the organization was already using Paylocity as their HRIS system. I have used Paylocity for the entire tenure when I was working at Stars, around 5 months. Paylocity not only has ATS features but it also is a comprehensive HR and payroll management software. This was the main reason that the CEO of the company shifted from another tool to Paylocity as he wanted one tool which can manage Recruiting as well as Payroll.
In the organization, 90% of the employees are hourly employees. Paylocity helps manage employee attendance, track hours worked, and handle time-off requests. It offers various methods for clocking in/out, tracks leave balances, and integrates with payroll for accurate and efficient time tracking. This was the major key benefit of this tool.
Paylocity isn't quite user friendly, it has a lot of complex features. It makes it harder for people who are new to HRIS systems to adapt to Paylocity.
Its mobile app is also not at all user friendly, freezes when I want to clock in and out for the day. For a better experience it is always better to be on the desktop.
Its integration with different job boards and career sites isn't quite wide. It has limited reach and if you want to reach out to a wider pool of candidates by posting a job it charges extra money which is not cost effective.
Paylocity offers a comprehensive suite of HR and payroll management tools in a single platform. It combines various functionalities, including payroll processing, benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, performance management, and more. This integrated approach allows organizations to streamline their HR and payroll processes and reduce the need for multiple software solutions. As a recruiter, I would prefer another tool over Paylocity but from an organization's point of view, this is a good investment where HR and payroll management tool is in a single platform.
The organization's needs and priorities and ensure if it aligns with their HR and payroll requirements. Also, the cost is a major factor, if the organization isn't in need of payroll software then it's better to consider other options as Paylocity sometimes can be a little expensive. Paylocity offers Payroll Processing Workflow, Employee Onboarding Workflow, and Time and Attendance Workflow.
If the organization is specifically looking for these then Paylocity is a great investment. Also if the organization has more hourly/contract workers rather than full-time employees then Paylocity is a great tool.
No significant changes since I started using the tool.
Paylocity is a great tool for hourly/contract-based employees who has to daily punch in and punch out for their work hours. So it is mainly ideal for an organization that has nonexempt employees rather than exempt employees.
For smaller organizations, it probably won't be a good fit because Paylocity is a little complex with a lot of advanced features. It doesn't make sense to invest that much for a smaller organization.

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
- Native, all-in-one technology suite for recruitment, payroll, and compliance.
- 17 RPO service centers in 14 countries and provide services in 42 different languages.
- Dedicated team of AIRS-certified recruiting professionals.
CONS
- Technology options outside ADP’s dedicated HR tools are limited.

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.
Best For
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Deel
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With its ability to process payroll in over 100 countries, Deel positions itself as an all-in-one system for managing global workforces. What’s more, their HRIS is entirely available to all existing customers.
PROS
- Global payroll supporting 100+ countries, 200+ currencies and 15 payment methods.
- Deel Card allows contractors to receive payments in USD and use funds directly.
- 200+ legal and tax experts ensure compliance with local labor laws and tax regulations.
- Automated payroll and invoicing significantly reduce manual effort.
- Deel HR is a free employee database for payroll users.
- Integrates with 100+ HR solutions.
- Excellent 24/7 customer service with fast onboarding (2-3 days) and local payroll experts in each jurisdiction.
- Deel HR is free for companies of all sizes.
- Seamless integration with platforms like QuickBooks, BambooHR, and Greenhouse, plus custom integration options.
- User-friendly, self-service features enable quick setup; identity verification often takes under 24 hours.
- Automated invoices simplify payments, provided they're in English.
CONS
- HR tool can be quite basic for some.
- Lacks built-in time tracking features.
- Invoice generation only available in English.
- Key features like onboarding automation are add-ons, which may increase costs.
- Limited flexibility in modifying contracts or service agreements; changes often require an addendum.
- Invoices cannot be generated in languages other than English.
One of Deel’s most impressive capabilities is its ability to run payroll in over 100 countries with just a few clicks. The platform supports payments in over 200 currencies, and with 15 different payment methods, including bank transfers, Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, and even cryptocurrency, it felt like Deel had thought of every possible way to pay employees and contractors.

As a team with global contractors, the Deel Card was a particularly useful feature. It allowed our contractors to receive payments in USD and use the funds directly for purchases, eliminating the hassle of currency conversions.
What also gave us peace of mind was Deel’s in-house compliance expertise. The payroll platform has an in-house team of over 200 legal and tax experts who ensure companies meet local labor laws and tax regulations. Plus, payroll can be fully automated: Once contracts were set up, payroll and invoices ran themselves, which significantly reduced the manual workload.
For companies already using Deel for payroll, the fact that Deel HR is completely free makes it a compelling choice for managing a global workforce. The platform provides a single system of record with basic HR tools like employee profiles, performance management (1:1s and pulse surveys), and integrations with over 100 HR software solutions. So if you’re a smaller business or startup that needs a lightweight, cost-effective HR solution, this is a solid option.
But that also means Deel’s HR suite lacks the depth of more established HRIS systems like BambooHR or Bob—particularly in areas like workforce analytics and benefits administration. Companies needing a more full-fledged HR solution may find Deel’s HRIS too limited and might need to supplement it with additional software.
Pricing is another area where Deel may not be the best fit for every company. While Deel U.S. Payroll starts at $19 per employee per month, global contractor management costs $49 per month, and its EOR service is priced at $499 per employee per month—higher than alternatives like Papaya Global or Oyster. Additionally, the platform lacks built-in time tracking, which could be an issue for businesses needing to monitor working hours.
35,000+ organizations, including Andela, Makerpad, and Brex.
Deel's global payroll starts at $19 monthly, and its HRIS is free for existing customers.
Best For
Companies with a remote-first workforce are well-suited for Deel HR and payroll offerings.
We use it to track our contractors, pay their invoices, collect W9s. As our EOR, it allowed us to bypass the financial and time costs with establishing a subsidiary overseas. It keeps us in compliance with international labor laws, includes global payroll, offers benefits/participates in local social welfare programs and ultimately retains key employees we would have lost as 1099 contractors.

I like that the process and layout is very similar regardless of which product and service you use from them - quite intuitive. It supports employers ability to maintain compliance by listing out requirements and flagging missing items or expired items. Lastly, being able to file 1099s digitally is a luxury I hadn't had previously. A total time saver.
We implemented Deel initially as a way to pay our onshore 1099 contractors, track their contracts and contact information outside of our HRIS. After two years, we had a new problem to address and changed our Deel platform to include an EOR. We had offshore contractors that we wanted to bring on as full-time employees to retain them and ensure compliance with the IRS. The change was seamless and the EOR is intuitive, informative and our offshore employees have been satisfied with the service from their end.
I think there is room to improve the connection between employer and the EOR service representatives in that a dedicated point-of-contact that is in house with Deel and not an international partner. Another consideration for EOR is having to pay a month's salary deposit up front for payroll is not ideal for cash flow. Lastly, I would love to see more employee and contractor features that you might find on a traditional HRIS because I believe it would be a better and more enriched experience for them.
For 1099 contractor management, oftentimes you use an ERP or accounting SaaS which has limitations. Deel bridges the gap between accounting SaaS/ERPs and an HRIS. For EOR, Deel is middle of the road in value. It is a great option for smaller OPEX budgets, but there are other EOR companies who offer more desirable features and better in-house service partners.
Consider the number of contractors or employees you would need for the upfront and annual costs to be justified. Whether or not you are familiar with global payroll, consider how much compliance support you need or is desirable for you. Lastly, consider whether you are up to converting your local currency to the international currency. Deel does not currently offer this in the employee profile, they only show the employee's local currency.
There is better customer service and help tutorials. Further, I have found there is an increase in the amount of educational materials available through Deel in order to stay current on contractor and global payroll trends and compliance.
I have known it to be used by HR and Finance professionals alike. Payroll administrators, regardless of where they fall organizationally, will find this tool beneficial. I believe organizations where these contracts or payrolls are relatively straightforward can benefit. Running payroll and paying invoices takes 10 mins or less per pay period.
I believe complex and large organizations may not find Deel to be scalable to their needs. At volume, Deel is not the best for tracking or reporting. For smaller teams, these features are acceptable and function appropriately.

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 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.
Vox, Maximum Games, Superhuman, Compass Coffee, Highnoon.
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.
I use Rippling every day for payroll processing, which occurs twice a month. We also use it for performance management, which we implemented this year through a three-step review process during the school year.
Rippling has helped automate our internal processes, particularly for time-off requests. Additionally, we use it for time and attendance tracking, among other HR functions.
- Rippling allows for organizational growth while providing flexible options to manage various HR and payroll functions.
- The chat support feature provides quick responses for most inquiries without requiring a phone call or ticket submission.
- The payroll and benefits modules are robust, allowing organizations to automate much of the process.
We purchased Rippling to streamline our processes. As a small organization, we primarily relied on physical copies of employee documents. We transitioned to Rippling about seven months ago.
Previously, we used ADP for payroll processing, but due to the size and needs of our organization, ADP was not a good fit. Rippling provided a more flexible solution that aligned better with our operational requirements.
- When issues require escalation to a specialist, response times can be very slow, often taking 5–7 days or longer.
- The documents module needs improvement, particularly in allowing multiple employees to access the same file and enabling employees to upload their own documents, such as course certificates or TB risk assessment results.
- The platform can become expensive, as additional modules, such as talent acquisition management and extra workflows, come at an added cost.
Rippling has a robust system with strong integrations, and its modules are built within the platform rather than being a collection of separate acquired tools, like ADP. I prefer its benefits and time-off modules because they are easy to update and manage.
However, the performance management, documents, and payroll sections can be challenging, requiring either manual work or additional paid features to achieve desired results.
Company size is a key factor to consider. After using Rippling for several months, I believe it is better suited for larger organizations. Cost is another consideration, as it is more expensive than options like BambooHR but still slightly more affordable than ADP.
The system offers numerous features, which can be overwhelming, so organizations should focus on their specific needs and choose a solution that simplifies their processes.
Since I started using it, Rippling has introduced a few new features in the documents section. However, I have not observed any major improvements.
Larger organizations with complex needs will find Rippling useful.
Smaller organizations or those with simpler HR and payroll needs will be overwhelmed with all the different functions that Rippling provides.

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
- Free tax form handling for W-2 employees and 1099 contractors.
- Some HR services included within the plan at no additional cost.
- 30-day free trial available (starts after OnPay verification).
- Well-developed online help resources.
CONS
- Poor functioned employee mobile app.
- Requires payment four days before payday for direct deposit.
- Doesn’t support automatic payroll.
- Customer support sometimes hard to reach.

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.
Best For
We use OnPay on a monthly basis to deliver payroll. We also use integration features to connect directly with payroll and accounting software. It enables us to automate or streamline data collection related to working hours and personal details. We do weekly, bi-monthly, and monthly pay runs, and OnPay allows us to establish separate and automated pay schedules for each. We also use OnPay to manage and approve PTO via the employee self-service dashboard.

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.
OnPay is not great for US businesses with international offices. Choose a tool that can service staff overseas as well.
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Netchex
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Netchex is a standout in the payroll category thanks to their stellar customer support, described often as prompt, courteous, and knowledgeable. It’s the rightful complement to their comprehensive, single-source solution which integrates HR, time and attendance, benefits management, and payroll processing.
PROS
- Grows with your team: With Netchex, it’s very easy to opt for a new plan and keep all your data in the same place even if you outgrow your current pricing plan. Other vendors require a switch to a new service in that kind of event.
- Dedicated support team: Netchex are note-worthy for their award-winning and often lauded customer service. It’s all US-based and provided in real-time through email, live chat, and phone calls.
- Pre-payroll reports: Allows for critical error checks before submission.
- Flexible payroll grid: Easy to make changes or correct errors on the fly.
- Versatile payment options: Includes paper checks, direct deposit, and pay cards.
- Grows with your team: With Netchex, it’s very easy to opt for a new plan and keep all your data in the same place even if you outgrow your current pricing plan. Other vendors require a switch to a new service in that kind of event.
- Dedicated support team: Netchex are note-worthy for their award-winning and often lauded customer service. It’s all US-based and provided in real-time through email, live chat, and phone calls.
- Pre-payroll reports: Allows for critical error checks before submission.
- Flexible payroll grid: Easy to make changes or correct errors on the fly.
- Versatile payment options: Includes paper checks, direct deposit, and pay cards.
CONS
- Requirement of payroll: Users must use the payroll module to access other functionalities, so it wouldn’t work as stand-alone HR software.
- No free trial: Potential users can't test the software without committing to a purchase. The demo with a sales rep is the closest thing.
- Requirement of payroll: Users must use the payroll module to access other functionalities, so it wouldn’t work as stand-alone HR software.
- No free trial: Potential users can't test the software without committing to a purchase. The demo with a sales rep is the closest thing.

Netchex is a comprehensive HR and payroll management platform tailored for small and mid-sized businesses (50-500 employees). The platform stands out with its single-source solution that combines payroll, time and attendance, benefits, HR information, and more into a single tool, thereby reducing the need for multiple spreadsheets and manual data entries. One of our favorite things about Netchex is their flexibility. For example, payroll administrators can effortlessly make adjustments and correct errors directly from the payroll grid.
We also love and hear great things about their detailed pre-payroll reports. As stated above, these can be reviewed before payroll is processed, allowing managers to spot any abnormalities, such as terminated employees receiving paychecks or overpayments. The system comes with full garnishment integration, multiple pay rate solutions, and complete federal, state, and local tax filings, making it a robust and versatile tool for any business.
Additionally, Netchex recently introduced several innovative features, such as AskHR for immediate answers to employee questions, Netchex AI for data analysis, and Community for fostering employee engagement. In our view, these enhancements demonstrate Netchex's commitment to evolving its platform based on user feedback and emerging industry needs.
Netchex is used by companies like Xpressdocs, BK Corrosion, Regal Hospitality, and The Colony ER Hospital.
Netchex follows a per-Employee-per-Month pricing model. Pricing varies according to the company's size and the specific products used. Detailed pricing information can be found on their website.
Best For
Netchex is best suited for small and mid-sized businesses in various industries, such as restaurants, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, and auto. As of 2024, their sweet spot is organizations with less than 500 employees, but they are perfectly capable of working with larger teams.

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 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.
Best For
I use UKG at least once a week. I use it for my annual goals, time management, and business intelligence reports. This system has been extremely helpful in tracking and updating strategic goals. There are many reports I run from this system that supports my week to week workload. This system has been instrumental in creating reports for EEO compliance.
UKG is user friendly. It enables my team to self-manage the tools within the system. It also helps hiring managers with bias awareness.
My company has used UKG for over 2 years. We wanted a system that would enhance the recruitment process experience. I have used the system for almost 2 years and the key benefits I enjoy is that it has been a repository for my diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy that all managers can share with their teams.
Sometimes there are small glitches in the system that need technical support. I wish the pricing was cheaper. I have not been able to launch directly into timesheet mode.
I have not used many other tools as this, however, I do like the tools that uses inclusive language to review job descriptions. It recommends specific adjectives in job postings.
People should think about what they really want to accomplish with this tool (i.e., talent management, payroll, ease of integration, etc.). Ask yourself about the level of self-service you want this product to deliver. Does it deliver what you need?
I have only used the product for less than two years and currently cannot compare if it has changed or evolved over time.
Technology industry
Not good fit for large companies

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 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.
Best For
We currently utilize Namely for managing payroll, which has been essential in ensuring timely and accurate compensation for our employees. Namely is used daily for onboarding new employees, streamlining the process and making it more efficient. It has also been valuable in tracking new employee benefits and was particularly useful during our company-wide open enrollment period in July. Supervisors use Namely for conducting yearly performance reviews for all employees, which has significantly reduced the need for paper-based evaluations. Additionally, Namely helps us with quarterly and annual data tracking for State and Federal reporting purposes, ensuring compliance and accuracy.
- Namely offers excellent benefits brokerage and administration, making it easy to manage employee benefits.
- The customer service provided by Namely is outstanding, with quick and helpful responses to our needs.
- The onboarding process for new employees is streamlined and efficient, reducing the time and effort required to bring new hires on board.
My organization plans to expand in the next two years, and we were looking for an HRIS software that is manageable for both supervisors and employees. We needed a system that could effectively track new employees throughout their tenure with the organization, and management agreed that we required software capable of scaling as we grow. After going through a thorough selection process with various HRIS companies, we found it challenging to choose the best fit for our organization. However, we were impressed that the team at Namely answered all of our questions and provided excellent guidance during the implementation process. We have been using Namely for about one year, and we are very satisfied with it so far.
- Uploading form templates into Namely can be challenging, requiring additional time and effort.
- The ability to add e-signatures to documents is limited, which could be improved for better functionality.
- Making edits within the platform can sometimes be difficult, causing frustration when changes are needed.
I like that Namely is good for small and mid-size companies just starting their HR Department. They don't oversell products like some other HRIS software - they give you what is needed.
When purchasing Namely, it's important to consider its functionality and whether it meets the specific needs of your organization. It is also essential to evaluate whether the pricing fits within your budget, especially if you are a new or smaller company. Namely’s capacity to grow with a company is a key advantage, making it a good option if your organization is planning on expanding in the near future.
Namely has evolved to be very user-friendly for both employees and administrators, making it easier to navigate and use on a daily basis.
Namely is particularly well-suited for small to mid-sized companies looking for a comprehensive HRIS solution that can grow with their needs.
Namely may not be the best fit for large companies with more complex HR needs, as its features are tailored more towards smaller and mid-sized organizations.

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.

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.
Best For
My organization uses Workday for everything within Talent Management. More specifically, we use Workday for compensation, advanced compensation, recruiting, onboarding, compliance, training, analytics, etc.
We also have custom processes built into the system for progressive discipline that we've created from scratch. Workday is used daily by most of our staff and our HR team is in Workday to support almost everything we do during the day. It truly is a one-stop shop for everything.
1. Ability to have all of our offerings under one system.
2. The user experience is easy to navigate and has a modern feel and approach.
3. The system allows for a ton of customization by the customer meaning a lot of configuration can be done without the support of Workday directly to meet your needs.
Our organization purchased Workday to bring all of our previous systems under one offering. We had four different vendors supporting our HR needs at the time and we were able to bring everything under Workday.
Our previous HRIS was lacking updates that supported our team's needs and we wanted to offer an experience to employees internally that was easy to navigate and understand. Workday is easy to use, understand, and looks and feels very modern.
Also, they allow us to have payroll, recruiting, onboarding, performance, training/compliance, etc. all under one offering. Personally, I have used Workday since the fall of 2019.
1. Everything is tied to one system meaning you are glued to the ecosystem making it hard to make a switch in the future, if needed.
2. The amount of customization available is a ton making it at times hard to understand for more complex business processes.
3. The cost. It's an amazing system, but the cost is steep if that is a concern.
Overall, it's different in that everything is able to be under one offering. It's amazing to have the ability to customize your Workday for what the organization needs and it's great that they only release two updates a year for system updates.
The updates are also pushed out to all Workday customers at the same time so everything is working off the same version, unlike other offerings we've used. The ease of use and modern feel is also much different from many of its competitors. It's a great offering!
Overall, when looking at an HRIS like Workday, it's important to consider whether you are looking for a system that can house all your offerings under one system - truly, that's the benefit of getting Workday.
If your organization does not want/need that, you could find alternative options that likely could offer a great experience at a more reasonable cost.
However, for our organization, this was something we needed, and have found great value in offering to create a better experience with more efficient processes.
Workday releases two system updates a year and they are pushed out to every customer at the same time. We have seen so many good updates since we implemented Workday and many of their updates come directly from Workday Community where Workday customers give feedback and ideas for recommended system changes.
For example, there have been significant improvements to the recruiting offerings in managing requisitions, which has really helped our team more efficiently manage requisitions. Another example is when Workday added COVID vaccine tracking very quickly to meet the needs of customers when the government was requiring employers to track vaccinations.
This was outside of the normal twice-a-year releases, which was really appreciated so we were in compliance. They care, listen, and make updates when needed to support their customers.
From my experience, Workday is great for larger organizations because it's such a robust offering. If you are a smaller organization, it may be a bit overwhelming and the expense may be hard to justify.
However, if you are looking for an offering that can be a one-stop shop for everything, offer an easy to navigate experience for staff, and the ability to customize the system for your needs, Workday is great!
If you are a smaller organization, concerned about budget, or if you are not concerned about bringing everything under one offering, Workday may not be a great choice.

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 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.
Best For
We use BambooHR every day. I use it to process payroll, make changes to employee profiles (personal and employment information), and review timesheets and time-off requests. Our employees use it to clock their hours, check their pay stubs, and request time off. We also use BambooHR for hiring purposes, though not on a weekly basis.

- It has a modern, user-friendly interface that is very intuitive.
- Every section of BambooHR is customizable.
- It consolidates payroll, HR, benefits, and performance management in one place.
We were using Heartland Payroll Solutions when I joined the team, which was a terrible platform. BambooHR came highly recommended by our new CRO at the time, who had used it before. We wanted a more user-friendly system for both administrators and employees that would also allow us to pay contractors and process all company benefit packages. We also liked that BambooHR offers hiring and performance review options.
- It doesn't allow you to add a fixed semi-monthly amount for contractors who are not charging hourly rates, requiring you to create an hourly rate and manually adjust hours when running payroll.
- We've had minor issues with pay periods when a weekend and holiday fall together, causing the system to prompt us to run payroll before the pay period has ended. While there are workarounds, it's stressful and inconvenient.
- Employees have reported that the time-tracking feature on the BambooHR app doesn't always work correctly, requiring me to adjust their hours. I have brought this to BambooHR's attention, but since it doesn't seem to be a widespread issue, it may be user error on our employees' part.
I have some minimal experience with Gusto, which I liked well enough. However, compared to our previous payroll provider (Heartland Solutions), the difference is night and day. Heartland was slow, not user-friendly, and had very few integrations. Everyone in our company was happy when we switched to BambooHR. It has definitely made my job as an HR manager much easier.
Consider your main goals. I think BambooHR is reasonably priced for what it offers. The yearly cost is based on a variable monthly fee that depends on the number of employees, whether they use time tracking, etc. It usually amounts to $216 per month.
BambooHR also offers many add-ons that can increase the subscription cost, such as a Slack-style platform and a Community feature, which we do not use.
I recommend discussing pricing and features with the platform representatives to ensure it aligns with your budget. Also, consider the other services and benefits you offer and whether you want them integrated into your HR platform. BambooHR is designed to be an all-in-one HR solution.
We have only been using it for 1.5 years, but they are constantly adding new features. They also send out frequent newsletters with downloadable HR guides.
We are a relatively small startup (<50 employees), so I’m not sure how BambooHR would work for a very large organization. It is well-suited for dynamic, tech-forward companies, as it requires some customization on the user's end. It feels very much like a Millennial/Gen Z platform.
Perhaps a large corporate organization, though I can’t say for certain. BambooHR is not a very formal platform in its approach or language. Certain sectors of the corporate world may find it too informal, dynamic, or playful.

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.

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.
Best For
I used Paycor for payroll administration and benefit processing. I used it daily for payroll, starting with the migration of biometric data into Paycor to capture clock-in/out punches. Paycor allowed me to monitor missed punches through a dashboard, which helped identify and resolve issues before processing payroll.
From an HRIS operations perspective, applicants were tracked, new hires entered their own onboarding information before their start date, and Paycor generated benefit enrollment information when employees became eligible. This workflow minimized the manual process of tracking and ensuring employees completed time-sensitive forms for benefits enrollment.
- Billing: Paycor billed per employee at an agreed-upon rate.
- Onboarding: The user-friendly process made it easy for new hires.
- Reports: The system provided the ability to run reports or request custom reports from a Paycor representative.
- Support: A dedicated representative was available, along with a support team if the primary rep was unavailable.
My organization purchased Paycor because it provided solutions for payroll and HRIS, including applicant tracking, onboarding, benefits, open enrollment, and performance management. I used Paycor for three years.
As the payroll administrator, I worked with Kronos to migrate biometric data (clock-in/out punches) into Paycor to process payroll. Additionally, I entered bi-weekly bonus payouts.
With Paycor, I also established a paperless open enrollment process and transitioned to an online platform. Paycor representatives assisted in setting up benefit vendor accounts for direct feed when payroll was processed, ensuring vendors received payment for employee benefits.
- System Issues: There were challenges with direct feed processing to vendors for payments.
- Support: The frequent turnover of dedicated reps made it difficult to establish continuity. Once we became comfortable with a rep, they would leave, requiring us to repeatedly acclimate new representatives to our business operations.
- Reports: The system did not allow data to be frozen in time for reporting. For example, if I ran a job title or salary report for 2003, it would display current data rather than historical information from that year.
The company transitioned from Paycor to Paycom. I prefer Paycom because it provides accurate historical reporting and has more consistent support staff.
Gather clear input from the departments that will use the tool the most to ensure it meets their needs. Ask the sales representative detailed questions—if they frequently need to check with someone else, they may not be knowledgeable enough about the product. Request a demonstration in demo mode to confirm that the tool will meet expectations and solve your specific challenges.
I have not used Paycor since the company transitioned to Paycom. However, since they are still in business, I assume they have made updates and continue to serve satisfied customers.
Paycor is well-suited for small to medium-sized companies with up to 150 employees.
Organizations with 500 or more employees may find Paycor insufficient.

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 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 powers payroll and HR for over 400,000 businesses across the U.S.
Gusto’s HR and payroll software bundles several key workflows into a single platform. Pricing starts at:
- Simple: $49 per month, plus $6 per employee. Includes full-service single-state payroll, employee profiles, and basic self-service onboarding tools.
- Plus: $80 per month, plus $12 per employee. Adds multi-state payroll, advanced HR tools, time tracking, and employee surveys.
- Premium: $180 per month, plus $22 per employee. Offers a full-service HR suite with dedicated account support from the hand of certified HR experts, compliance alerts, and premium features.
- Contractor Only: $35 per month, designed for teams paying only independent contractors.
For companies looking to centralize HR and payroll functions, Gusto’s pricing reflects a balance of both services. As always, it’s worth checking their site or speaking to sales to learn about limited-time offers.
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.
Day-to-day I used Gusto to manage payroll, benefits, and tax forms.
Gusto's automated payroll is solid and I never had an issue with the main payroll functions, although we had a few issues due to confusing UI with the custom earnings and dismissal payroll workflows.
Gusto's quarterly tax filings and reminders about compliance checks/updates were incredibly useful to us. The Docs section and reporting features turned out to be a helpful resource for all kinds of administrative tasks. Around 2021 I started receiving notices that some of our state tax forms weren't being filed on time. Although Gusto did resolve them eventually without penalty, it was concerning that they didn't keep us in the loop.
Gusto's benefits department is its weakest link. I never participated in the initial setup, but I managed 4 or 5 open enrollments through Gusto, and each was an unmitigated disaster. During two separate years, I sent 4+ requests to discuss new providers and never received a response. Not a peep. I have also had to clean up multiple enrollments and COBRA errors.
I speak to Gusto's support team a few times a month. Their support used to be outstanding, but recently they seem to have shifted to a script model, and the agents' competence is hit or miss. There is often an unrealistically long response time when issues are escalated to a specialist, and it is frustrating to wait days or weeks for an answer only to receive an unhelpful form response. Since Gusto handles so many regulated processes, agents are quick to default to a "we cannot advise" answer, and they often provided bad information that caused more problems than they solved. To be fair, I have also worked with agents that helped me pull off miracles, but I wish the quality were as consistent as it used to be a few years ago.

The UI is clean, intuitive, and (mostly) easy to use. I very seldom had issues with automated processes. They make onboarding new employees incredibly simple. I also really like the friendly tone of the brand's "voice." The marching pig on the loading screen that changes with the seasons never gets old; it still sparks joy each time, even after all these years!
I have used Gusto since 2018 in 3 different early-stage tech startups. Gusto has a reputation as the go-to in Silicon Valley incubators and accelerators, although I've seen Rippling gradually gaining market share in the past few years. In all 3 cases, we selected Gusto because of their breadth of services. Gusto makes it easy to set up everything our organization needed to begin hiring and paying employees. What's nice about Gusto is that it makes processes that are intimidating to many founders into a "set it and forget it" task. Automating payroll, benefits, filing government forms, and quarterly taxes helped free up time for our founding team to focus on a growing set of other responsibilities.
Gusto's benefits department is unresponsive and it's nearly impossible to get answers from support about even simple benefits questions.
I have seen quite a few concerning errors across the platform (mostly with benefits), including employees not being enrolled in benefits programs, dismissed employees not being removed from benefits programs, incomplete COBRA enrollment, and late tax filings.
The information from Support is unreliable and often inaccurate.
The dismissal payroll workflow is misleading and we've had a few serious problems as a result.
When a Gusto admin is dismissed, their admin privileges are not removed automatically, which is a serious privacy concern.
I wish Gusto made it easier to set up a business entity in new states. They partner with a company called CorpNet, but I found the level of service wasn't worth the price and went back to handling state registration myself.
I love Gusto's friendly casual-but-professional tone compared to other providers in the space.
Gusto is best for small teams, the smaller the better. It is a great option for founders and single-person People teams who have less time to dedicate to payroll, benefits, and compliance. It makes many benefits available and affordable for small groups that would not have the numbers to access plans through traditional providers.
Gusto becomes less useful as a team grows and compensation & benefits become more complex. I would definitely recommend Gusto to founders, but I recommend moving off of their benefits platform as soon as you have a full-time person to manage benefits administration. Its payroll functionality is solid, but payroll administrators should be aware that they will get limited guidance from the Gusto support team.
Gusto's functionality has grown over the time I've used the platform as they've added additional features and integrations. However, the accuracy and quality of support have suffered over time. I used to be a Gusto evangelist, but these days I recommend that growing companies move off of Gusto as soon as is practical. New features have become less useful over time, and I wish they would focus on maintaining the quality of their core product rather than trying to expand into new services.
Company founders or admins inexperienced in payroll and benefits. Very small teams with a single person managing payroll and benefits administration among many other HR responsibilities.
Larger organizations with 50+ employees. HR teams with specialists in each area. Companies with complex and highly-regulated compensation structures.

APS

Throughout our test, APS impressed us with a reliable, unified approach to managing the entire employee lifecycle. From the moment we began using the platform, it became clear that it’s designed with a strong emphasis on customer support and personalization—qualities that make it stand out in a crowded marketplace.
PROS
- Personalized customer service with a dedicated account team for hands-on support.
- Payroll management covers all 50 U.S. states, with specialized knowledge of state-level compliance.
- Automated benefits administration with integration to hundreds of benefits carriers.
- ACA compliance tools simplify employee tracking and IRS reporting.
- User-friendly self-service portal for both employees and managers.
- Well-suited for service-based industries like healthcare, hospitality, and non-profits.
- APS is very cost-effective. Although the pricing is custom and depends on your business size, we’ve heard current users speak of its affordability. Jackie R, who is a HR Director for a small-sized company says, “I love that APS offers all aspects of an HRIS system at an affordable price. We are a small business and can't afford the big name payroll vendors, but get everything they offer at APS for a price we can afford as a small business.”
- Their customer service is remarkable. As testified by multiple users, the customer service team at APS is prompt and there for you every step of the way, right from implementation to anytime you get stuck using the software. They’ll likely resolve your issue within the same day.
- APS is very easy to navigate and everything is updated and saved in real-time. Despite its complex features, you would likely not find it confusing. They also have how-to guides that come in very handy.
CONS
- No free trial and lack of transparent pricing.
- Payroll services must be purchased to access other products (e.g., HR, workforce planning.)
- Exclusively designed for the U.S. market, with no international payroll capabilities.
- The reporting feature is limited in functionality. Sometimes, there will be missing information that you may require.
- Although their customer support is prompt, you can’t directly reach their team via phone. Customer service answers your queries via email and if you wish to talk to someone on the phone, you’ll have to mention it.
APS offers a comprehensive and unified solution for managing payroll, HR, benefits, and workforce planning.

One of the standout aspects of APS is the dedicated account team assigned to each client. Compared to solutions like Paycor whose support often requires self-service or involves some delay, APS was consistently responsive, with most issues resolved within the same day during our tech test.
Comparable to other major payroll solutions, APS’s payroll tool provides coverage of all 50 U.S. states. Yet, what truly sets APS apart is its specialized focus on service-based industries like healthcare, hospitality, and non-profits. We got in touch with some users from these industries, and heard lots of good words about the expertise of APS’s payroll specialists, describing them as “responsive” and noting that they “clearly understood the complexities of state-level payroll requirements.”
Benefits administration became one of our favorite features during testing. The platform automates everything—from eligibility tracking to benefits enrollment—and makes all of this easily accessible through an employee self-service portal.
ACA compliance is a critical feature of workforce management technologies, and we’re glad APS’s is implemented thoughtfully. The platform includes tools that automatically track eligible employees, pre-populate forms, and even file reports directly to the IRS.
And the self-service portal didn’t disappoint, either. It allowed us to delegate tasks while maintaining accountability across teams. In manager roles, we could easily track action items, approve time-off requests, and see who was on vacation, while accessing the platform as employees gave us full control over our pay stubs, available PTO, and benefits.
Unfortunately, pricing transparency is quite a concern, as APS does not disclose its pricing, and there is no free trial available. We also found that you cannot purchase APS's HR and workforce planning modules unless you have already purchased the payroll solution, which limits flexibility and may be a barrier for businesses looking for only specific HR functionalities.
Another limitation is that APS is designed exclusively for the U.S. market, unlike platforms like Rippling and Zenefits, which offer both domestic and international capabilities.
3,500+ companies, including Wahlburgers, Rainbow Sandals, Grayson College, and Hillside Christian Church.
APS's payroll software has a minimum monthly billing of $250, while the pricing for APS's HR and workforce planning tools is undisclosed.
Best For
U.S.-based service industries seeking a comprehensive HR and payroll solution with designated support.
Payroll and HR Software Benefits
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 software 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, but 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 and attendance, and applicant tracking.
- Avail expert advice: Dealing with the nuances of payroll processing can get complicated pretty quickly. Although integrated payroll and HR software would have a user-friendly interface, most such software comes 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 frequently. You could also avail of 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 is an effective employee retention strategy but also helps you save money and stay compliant.
- Transparency: Makers of HR and payroll 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 and attendance, request time off, avail of 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: 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 system 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 system to formulate new HR strategies and bring change.
ROI Of Payroll and HR Software
HR and payroll systems are often 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 system.
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
The cost of payroll and HR software varies based on the provider, company size, and features included. Most vendors use a pricing model that includes a monthly base fee plus a per-employee-per-month fee, with the per-employee cost typically around 25% of the base fee. Vendors also offer differently priced packages based on feature requirements and company size, and many require custom quotes instead of listing standard prices publicly.
Here’s what you can expect from some of the top payroll and HR software providers:
- APS: Minimum monthly billing of $250, additional HR tools cost extra.
- Paylocity: Pricing is not publicly disclosed; custom quotes are required.
- Rippling: Starts at $8 per user per month, but costs increase based on the selected modules.
- OnPay: Offers transparent pricing with free setup and data migration.
- Gusto: Base plan starts at $40 per month + $6 per employee.
- Deel: Payroll options start at $19 to $29 per employee per month.
- Patriot: "Basic" plan is $17 per month + $4 per employee; "Full Service" plan is $37 per month + $4 per employee.
- QuickBooks: "Core" plan is $45 per month + $4 per employee.
HR and Payroll 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 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?
HR and Payroll System 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 on board. 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 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 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 HR software, 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 HE and payroll 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 HR and payroll systems, their features, pricing, and how to go about implementing them.
Using a top payroll and HR solution 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 the Author
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.