Rippling is an employee management platform for everything between onboarding and offboarding. They stand out for having a very appealing UI, with design that we find soothing to the eye. They also offer PEO services that you can keep track of through the platform.
Ratings
Ease of Use
Best For
Key Differentiator
Price
Free Trial
PROS
- 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
- 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
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Rippling is a relatively new player in the HR tools market, with a focus on helping SMBs manage HR and IT in one solution. They focus specifically on businesses with less than 2,000 employees.
An interesting thing about them is that they are very vocal about trying to make their software easy-to-use and intuitive not just for HR professionals and recruiters, but for the CEO, IT staff, and any team member that will interact with the product.
For example, recruiters are able to get into the tool and see all the necessary HR information related to their profile that they need to consult sometimes. For example, download their pay stubs, consult PTO, number of sick days, or even check out who’s off when.
Rippling started with offering core HR, payroll, and benefit management tools with a strong focus on automation. In 2022, however, they incorporated many new modules to their offering, like time and attendance, talent management, learning management, even licensed PEO services, and then a full global payroll suite by the end of the year.
Their global payroll offering, which includes many ways to manage an international payroll (including EOR), is one of the best products in the category. They handle all aspects of paying people overseas instead of aggregating outside services from third-party providers, which is new in the space, at least in 2023. Aside from a demo of this new part of the platform, we interviewed several users of the tool, and have found the experiences are overwhelmingly positive.
They now also have an IT cloud product, for app and device management. As with the HR side of it, it was always supposed to be a very self-service approach. Rippling’s products are meant to be something that you can sign up for and get cracking within a few minutes, with no long meetings or training sessions, at least after you’ve gotten a custom quote from their team.
As to the look and feel, it is exactly what you'd expect from a silicon valley-based startup, with a modern UI and eye-catching design that’s been interesting to watch evolve over the years since we first came across Rippling.
Notably, and finally, they also have over 500 integrations with everything from Slack to Github.
I use Rippling daily during my workday. I always have a browser tab open for Rippling, as the majority of my responsibilities require access to the platform.
One common workflow involves running reports, such as headcount reports, benefit status updates, or accessing employee information—most often for employment verifications.
Another key workflow involves using the Spend app within Rippling. This app is used to upload receipts for company credit card purchases, process reimbursements, and submit mileage for work-related travel.
- Rippling is easy to use and intuitive.
- The platform offers a wide range of tools—such as reporting, spending, travel, and performance reviews—providing a centralized, all-in-one solution.
- The Account Management and Support team is responsive and helpful whenever we encounter issues or need assistance.
Our organization purchased Rippling because it offered a variety of tools we were eager to implement. One of the main reasons was that, prior to Rippling, we were managing processes like creating offer letters, hiring, and terminations manually.
These manual processes were extremely time-consuming and inefficient. I have personally used Rippling to send documents in bulk, issue offer letters to new candidates, and run various reports.
The platform is highly user-friendly and provides significant value to any HR professional or administrator.
- Rippling can be expensive, with pricing dependent on the number of employees in the system.
- Occasional glitches can cause system downtime lasting several minutes or hours.
- It would be helpful to have access to a demo or sandbox environment before purchase to better understand the platform’s functionality and nuances.
Rippling stands out from its competitors by offering an all-in-one platform. This eliminates the need to switch between different systems to perform similar functions. It integrates HR, IT, and Finance in one place, which is especially valuable for larger organizations.
One key consideration is how the tool will benefit your organization. Evaluate whether Rippling can scale with your business as it grows. Also, consider how the platform can streamline your workflows and improve process efficiency.
I can’t fully speak to its long-term evolution, as we have only used Rippling since January 2023. However, over the past year, they added Performance Reviews, which allowed us to cancel our contract with Lattice. In that regard, it has already addressed an additional need for our organization.
Rippling is well-suited for busy professionals. It benefits data-driven users through robust reporting features. It is also helpful for users who struggle with organization, as the platform clearly separates and manages different functions.
Rippling may not be ideal for organizations with limited budgets, as it can be costly. It is better suited for fast-growing companies that can invest in comprehensive systems.
I used Rippling daily for payroll, benefits enrollment, compliance reporting, and new hire onboarding. One of the most valuable workflows was automating onboarding. Rippling allowed us to set up payroll, benefits, and IT access in just a few clicks.
I also relied on it for compliance tracking, reporting, and employee data management. The integration across HR and IT made it unique, since we could manage things like laptops and software access alongside employee records.
- Rippling combines HR, payroll, benefits, and IT management into one platform, reducing the need for multiple systems.
- The onboarding automation saves significant time by handling payroll, benefits, and device setup all at once.
- The user interface is clean and intuitive, which made adoption easier across teams.
- Integration with third-party apps is seamless, which helps keep everything connected.
My organization purchased Rippling to streamline multiple HR and IT functions in one system, instead of juggling several disconnected platforms. The main goal was to simplify payroll, benefits, onboarding, and device management in one place.
I used Rippling for over two years in an administrative capacity, mainly for payroll, compliance, and onboarding. It provided an all-in-one solution that saved time and reduced errors across processes.
- Reporting can feel complex—adding simpler, pre-built templates could provide quicker insights.
- Customer support response times were sometimes slow; faster live chat support would improve the experience.
- Pricing can add up quickly when using multiple modules, and a more bundled package option would be helpful.
- Some of the more advanced compliance features require add-ons, which would be better if included in the base product.
Rippling stands out because it connects HR and IT functions, allowing companies to manage payroll, benefits, and even devices and apps in one system. Other HR platforms I’ve used focus only on HR functions, but Rippling saves time and money by consolidating both sides of operations.
While competitors may offer stronger stand-alone reporting or payroll, I prefer Rippling for its automation and ability to integrate everything in one place.
Organizations should consider the number of modules they need and how Rippling's all-in-one model compares to specialized tools. Integration is key, so evaluating how well it connects with existing payroll, benefits, or IT systems is important.
Companies should also look at cost scalability. Since pricing is modular, it’s worth planning ahead for which features will be needed as the business grows.
Rippling has expanded rapidly beyond just HR functions, adding payroll, benefits, device management, and compliance features into one platform. Over time, it has improved automation and integration, making it easier to manage a distributed workforce.
The system continues to evolve with new features, helping it stay competitive with more established players in HR tech.
Rippling is best for small to mid-sized companies and fast-growing startups that want to consolidate HR and IT functions into one platform. It is especially helpful for distributed teams that need efficient onboarding and offboarding across multiple states or countries.
Rippling may not be the best fit for very large enterprises that already have dedicated HR, payroll, and IT systems in place. Companies with highly complex global compliance needs or advanced, specialized reporting requirements might find it limiting compared to larger enterprise systems.
I am a Super Admin in Rippling for my company. I use it almost every day, even though we only have five employees. I process payroll twice a month, set up new employees, and terminate exiting employees.
I also monitor the benefits plans. I’ve learned how to set up new policies within the system and have implemented two so far.
- Rippling is easy to reach when I have a question; if the chatbot can’t answer, they immediately connect me with a live representative.
- The apps/icons on the homepage make it easy to find what you need, and the interface is very user-friendly.
- I hired an hourly employee, needed to set up the timekeeping system, and the integrations were straightforward.
We bought Rippling because the CEO had used the system before. We began searching for a tool in Q1 2025 and started using Rippling in April 2025. We are a small startup with only a handful of employees, and we initially needed a solution to manage our benefits plan and employee payroll.
Their customer service was known to be great, and the integration and setup were easy. Rippling's chatbot is convenient and quick when we have questions. I’ve used it to set up new policies, such as the time-off policy, in the system.
- Rippling sends a lot of notifications, and there’s no way to reduce the number.
- The icons on the left aren’t customized to what we use—instead, everything they offer is listed.
- I don’t really have another con.
I like the large icons on the Rippling homepage. It simplifies navigation throughout the platform. I also really appreciate the chatbot feature, which can be used for any question. If it can’t provide an answer, it offers to connect you to a live agent. This is much faster than the service provided by the last two tools I used.
Being charged per user could be expensive for companies with a high number of employees, so pay attention to that detail. We are very small, so Rippling works well for us. Before buying this type of tool, make sure the interface is intuitive and user-friendly for both users and admins. Depending on your current systems, double-check the integration capabilities.
Rippling hasn’t changed since we started using it. We were told they’ve had some recent AI enhancements and tools.
Small to medium-sized companies. Rippling’s especially good for startups because it’s easy to get started and use.
In my opinion, Rippling wouldn’t be ideal for extremely large organizations. It could become costly.
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Rippling has always been about catering to the SMB market, who value having easy to use tools in a single place where the whole team can access them. Enterprises looking for a more robust platform might find it too simple. We would also argue that, since larger companies are not really their niche, the CS team might not be very used to dealing with larger teams.
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- Manage devices: Among other things, Rippling lets you manage and protect the computers, phones, and tablets that your employees use for their work.
- App management: Another feature that's particular to Rippling is their mission control for work apps. In brief, you can manage users and their access for tools like Slack, Office, Google Workplace, and Dropbox.
Rippling also offers:
- Payroll
- Benefits
- Talent Management
- Time & Attendance
- Automated Onboarding & Offboarding
- PEO
When it comes to integrations, Rippling is one of the leaders in the HR tech space, being able to integrate with over 500 tools. Some of them are Lever, Greenhouse, and Quickbooks, for example.
Rippling starts at $8 per month per user, but the final fee you pay will vary depending on which modules you'd like to use (or if you want the whole platform) and for how many people.
Rippling is a good bet for SMBs that prioritize user experience and would appreciate having most of the HR tools in one platform. They’ve designed the product to be friendly for all the company to use and they have tried to incorporate all the HR tools a regular department would need.
Although they have always been geared towards small and medium-sized businesses, Rippling has consistently been adding new features and modules year on year. For example, their HR offering was basic at first, and now, in 2023, it features everything you’d expect from an ‘all-in-one’ HR platform, such as Benefits, Talent Management, Time & Attendance, and Payroll, making it a fully-fledged HRMS. This continual improvement means that the product is steadily catching on with companies of all sizes, even on the enterprise level.
Typically, Rippling takes around 2 weeks to implement, but times will vary depending on the scope of each project.
Rippling has a Customer Success department, a CSM toolkit, and a help center.
Rippling has an interesting origin story, in big part because they were founded by the former Zenefits CEO and one of its Co-Founders, Parker Conrad, after a somewhat dramatic exit. Conrad co-founded Zenefits in 2012. Part of what inspired him to help create the product was the launch of Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act and his experience as a cancer patient.
Zenefits became one of the quickest-growing tech startups of its era, getting valued at $4.5 billion within two years of its inception. Since then, it has remained a constant household name in the world of HR software for American SMBs. Even after some controversy.
In 2015, it was reported by Buzzfeed News that the startup had allowed salespeople to sell health insurance that they were unlicensed to sell, since in the US the law requires insurance brokers to be licensed. The company came under heavy scrutiny for failing to enforce these legal requirements, to the point that Conrad had to step down from his role as CEO.
From the ashes, Parker Conrad teamed up with Zenefits’ former director of engineering and founded Rippling. The driving idea was to create a platform that could simplify HR in general through automated workflows. The focus was on going beyond benefits and payroll and touching upon everything that HR is traditionally supposed to do.
Founded in 2016, the product caught on somewhat slower than Conrad’s former project, but they solidly built a name for themselves by orienting their product towards companies with less than 2000 employees.
Rippling secured $1.2B in funding across five rounds, with their latest funding raised on Mar 17, 2023, through a Series E round. The company is backed by 33 investors, with Greenoaks and Empede Capital being the most recent contributors.
To this day, they continue to grow consistently and are considered one of the top players in the HRMS space for SMBs. Also, they now hold their own licenses for insurance services, PEO, and payments. You can consult the exact info on those via their website.
Company HQ
San Francisco, CA
Number of Employees
1290+
Year Founded
2016
Amount Raised
Last raised $250M via series D funding.
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