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.
When we had Rippling as our HRIS, we primarily utilized the payroll services, reporting functions, and the on/offboarding module. Payroll processing time was reduced since many employee details, such as profiles and timesheets, could be accessed within the payroll function without having to navigate away from it. Rippling offered a vast number of reports as well as the option to create customized reports based on specific data needs. I particularly enjoyed the onboarding automation, which allowed me to schedule emails to new hires about outstanding paperwork or check-in meetings with their managers, all from creating a new hire workflow. At certain points in the workflow, the automation would trigger different emails to the new hire. The email templates were customizable to preference.
Ease of setting up and configuring automation during the onboarding process allowed for key touchpoints to be made during an integral stage of employment. Rippling also served as a single sign-on for the Google suite products our organization used. We received multiple compliments from employees on how easy the system was to use from their perspective.
My organization wanted to move away from an HRIS that was not cost-effective. After vetting multiple HRIS options, we decided to go with Rippling. The relationship with the sales and implementation team was seamless. Rippling offered a fully integrated payroll and HRIS system at an affordable cost. My organization used Rippling during the final year we were in business and should have made the switch sooner.
There were extra fees related to year-end tax filings, such as ACA and 1095 forms. The reporting function had some limitations; while several report templates were already built in, much of the data we needed required creating custom reports. Not all of the "fun" areas of the system were included in the core package. We could have done a lot more with Rippling but simply did not have the budget to add on the additional functions.
It felt very modern from both an Administrator standpoint and an employee perspective. It did not feel like an outdated system like some others, which was something that stood out to my organization, especially being in the SaaS space.
I suggest identifying which HRIS features are most important for your organization. Some may prioritize a robust reporting function, while others may need compliant payroll across multiple states. Once those key features are identified, avoid compromising if possible. Also, consider the Administrator who will be heavily involved in the system each day—what tools do they need to succeed, how can this system help streamline their current processes, and how can it improve overall efficiency?
Unfortunately, I do not have enough experience with this system to accurately answer this question, as my organization was only with Rippling for 12 months.
Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a modern approach to HRIS and payroll. An ideal user would be someone who wants to embrace technology and utilize it in standard processes.
Organizations that are not ready to modernize. Also, organizations without a dedicated resource to act as a system owner; any new HRIS or payroll system can be utilized to its fullest potential if the company has a resource dedicated to learning the ins and outs of the system.
Rippling acts as a central hub for all things HR, IT, and Finance for our company. I use Rippling for HR management, improving the employee experience, and streamlining management. Overall, Rippling allows me to work smarter, not harder. It simplifies HR processes, improves the employee experience, and frees up valuable time for more strategic work.
Recognizing the inefficiencies of siloed HR systems, we implemented Rippling to centralize payroll, benefits, onboarding, and even IT management. This user-friendly platform automates tasks, boosting departmental efficiency. Employees are empowered through a self-service portal, freeing up HR time for strategic initiatives. Rippling prioritizes security, giving us peace of mind. Overall, it streamlines processes and empowers our workforce.
Before implementing Rippling, we juggled multiple siloed systems for payroll, benefits administration, and onboarding. It was time-consuming and error-prone to manage everything separately. Rippling offered a single platform to manage everything in one place, allowing for a more efficient and centralized approach. This has not only saved my client a significant amount of time but also improved the employee experience by providing a user-friendly portal for them to access their benefits information, make changes, and complete onboarding tasks.
Rippling isn't without limitations. Extensive customization for unique needs might require extra development work. Some reviews suggest scalability limitations for massive enterprises. Thankfully, these haven't been dealbreakers for us, and the overall benefits outweigh the downsides.
Unlike competitors with clunky interfaces, Rippling prioritizes user-friendliness for both HR and employees. It goes beyond just payroll or benefits, offering a single platform for HR, IT, and some finance needs. This centralization eliminates juggling multiple systems and fosters smoother workflows. Rippling's focus on automation frees up HR from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on bigger picture initiatives. Ultimately, Rippling stands out for its user experience, comprehensive approach, and focus on streamlining HR processes.
Selecting HR software requires introspection. Identify your core needs - is it strong payroll, benefits, or something else? Prioritize user-friendly interfaces for both HR and employees. Finally, decide if a one-stop-shop like Rippling suits you, or if best-in-breed solutions for specific areas are preferable.
Rippling keeps evolving to meet user needs. They've expanded beyond core HR functions, offering features like bill pay. Automation is increasing, freeing up HR professionals. User experience remains a focus, with ongoing improvements based on feedback.
Rippling shines for SMBs - easy to use and centralizes HR for them. Fast-growing companies benefit from its scalability and automation for a growing workforce. It also excels for those seeking streamlined workflows and a user-friendly experience for both HR and employees.
Rippling isn't ideal for all. Highly customized needs of massive enterprises might exceed its current customization options. Additionally, organizations prioritizing best-in-breed point solutions for specific HR functions, like payroll, might prefer separate, specialized tools for maximum control.
We used Rippling as the source of truth for all HR reporting and documentation. The prior system we used did not have the storage and reporting capabilities to be our source of truth.
The key workflows we used were onboarding, offboarding, and document signature and retention. We were able to get most of the functionality we needed for these processes, but there were a few things that didn't work the way we needed them to without buying additional workflows.
There were some basic workflows, which were unlimited and free, but there were others that required upgrades and extra charges. The core plan included one workflow, so if you needed more than that, you had to purchase additional or upgrade your plan. The way that we set up our onboarding workflow (which was specific to location), we needed several workflows to accommodate our different locations, which was not a cost-feasible upgrade. Also, if you change the trigger on the free workflow, it changes to an upgraded workflow.
Rippling is user-friendly; you do not need to be a programmer to be able to program functions on this platform. You can contribute ideas for new features or functionality. Their customer service is better than most HRIS systems.
The organization had been using an HRIS system that did not have the robust reporting, automations, or customer service they were looking for. I used Rippling with the company for about a year and a half as a super admin. We found Rippling's customer service superior to the previous system we had been using.
Implementation was easy, but I strongly recommend that someone who has done implementations previously spearhead an implementation to help bridge where you were with a previous system to where you want to go with Rippling. Setting up workflows and automations is easy in Rippling, and their technical advisors are always willing to hop on a call to walk you through any issues that you may need additional help with.
We started using Rippling as the HRIS/payroll for our US team but quickly added the Canadian team. We used it largely for headcount and reporting for all other global teams.
Only one workflow in the core plan; everything else is an upgrade. Rippling often uses their customers for BETA testing without letting them know (Rippling told us they had functionality for payroll in another country when they did NOT). It feels like they are constantly trying to upsell you and get more money out of you.
The tool is one of my favorites so far. It is very easy to use, but when you get stuck on something, they will provide live support to walk you through. Most other HRIS systems are very helpful through implementation but are hard to reach once you have completed.
People need to think about the implementation process; the new tool is probably not going to look or act like the old tool. Definitely ask if there is a demo account and work through it to see how it works.
Think about where your company is now versus where you expect to be in five years. Will the tool grow with you? How much additional expenditure will be required to scale it with your business? If there are new functions you will need to purchase in the future, will the additional expense work with your scaling budget?
Rippling is very good at taking requests from customers for new functionality. For the most part, Rippling employees only know Rippling; they don't know other platforms. So they don't know how you used XYZ brand prior and how the change in process affected your business.
Rippling is good for organizations with a growing or evolving workforce. It can house all historical HR documents, send revised documents out with the click of a button, and update workflows easily.
Rippling would not be a good fit for a small, cost-conscious organization that doesn't need all the functionality it provides or would have to pay substantially more for the add-ons.
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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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