6 Best Paylocity Competitors for 2022

Paylocity is a highly rated payroll and HR service to help your HR staff automate some of its employee management duties, with tools to streamline payroll, benefits administration, hiring, and performance management. However, it’s better suited for medium and larger businesses.

If Paylocity is too expensive for you or does not quite meet your needs, there are many high-quality alternatives to choose from. These are our top six Paylocity competitors:

• ADP: Best overall Paylocity competitor
• Paychex: Best for expanding businesses that need a system that scales with them
• TriNet Zenefits: Best for budget-conscious businesses and those in highly regulated industries
• Rippling: Best for tech-dependent businesses and those wanting a simple, modular solution
• Papaya: Best for multinational businesses and employer of record (EoR)
• Gusto: Best for small businesses needing inexpensive and simple payroll with some HR services

Paylocity & Its Top Competitors Compared

	Starting monthly pricing*	Contract	Company sizes served	Unlimited and automatic pay runs	Health plans available in all states	HR experts	PEO	International
Visit Paylocity	$200 plus $9 per employee**	Annual	Small to large (medium optimal)	✓	✓	✓	✕	✓***
Visit ADP	$35 + $3 per employee (Payroll Essentials Plan)	Annual	Small to large (medium/large optimal)	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Visit Paychex	$39 + $5 per employee	Annual	Solo to large (small/medium optimal)	Automatic pay runs only	✓	✓	✓	Through FMP Global
Visit TriNet Zenefits	$8 per employee	✕	Small to large (medium optimal)	Unlimited pay runs only	Not in Hawaii	✓	✓ (Through TriNet)	✓
Visit Rippling	$16 per employee (Core + Payroll)**	✕	Small to large	✓	✓	✓	✓	Contractor only
Visit Papaya	$20 per employee	✕	Small to large (small optimal)	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Visit Gusto	$39 + $6 per	✕	Small	✓	38 states + D.C.	✓	✕	Contractor only

*The least expensive plans are usually small business payroll with a few HR tools.

**Pricing is based on a quote we received.

***Through its recent acquisition, Blue Marble Global Payroll

When Paylocity Is Best

ADP: Best Overall Paylocity Competitor

ADP

What We Like

• Offers pay card as well as direct deposit and check options for payroll
• Excellent range of integrations
• Easy to set up and use
• Excellent compliance support

What's Missing

• Setup fees
• Need custom quotes; many things cost extra
• Long hold times when calling support

Plans for

• Small Businesses (1-49)
• Medium Businesses (50-999)
• Large Businesses (1,000+)

ADP Pricing

ADP has custom pricing, depending on the services you need and the plans you choose.

Here are some quotes we’ve received in the past:

• ADP Roll (mobile payroll): $17 + $5 per employee, per month
  • Simple payroll run via a mobile app
• ADP Run (Payroll Essentials): $35 + $3 per employee, per month
  • Payroll, taxes, Wisely pay card, onboarding
• ADP Run (Payroll Enhanced): $88 + $3.60 per employee, per month
  • Essentials + ZipRecruiter, background checks, SUI management
• ADP Run (HR Plus): $144 + $3.50 per employee, per month
  • Enhanced + HR helpdesk, forms, handbook wizard

ADP Run (HR Pro): $219 + $4.50 per employee, per month

• Plus + marketing tools, legal assistance, enhanced helpdesk support, employer and employee training, sexual harassment prevention training

PEO: $85 per person, per month

• ADP Add-ons (custom pricing – included in the Complete and HR Pro plans):
• Time and Attendance
• Retirement
• Workers’ compensation
• Health insurance management

ADP is probably the priciest Paylocity competitor on our list, but we also consider it the best because of the wide range of features it offers, its decades of experience, its overall user-friendliness, and the fact that it can work with both small companies and huge international corporations.

ADP Run for small businesses offers four plans, from simple payroll to payroll + HR tools. For midsize businesses, ADP Workforce Now offers plans from basic payroll to complete HR management with performance and learning tools. Meanwhile, ADP TotalSource is a complete Human Capital Management (HCM) program designed for businesses with over 1,000 workers. Finally, if you need a PEO that offers competitive benefit plans, ADP can cover that too.

ADP Is Featured In

• Best PEO Companies
• Best Payroll Software
• Best International Payroll Services
• Best Payroll Services for Small Businesses
• Best Payroll Software for Nonprofits
• Best HR Software for Small Businesses
• Best HRIS Systems
• Best Construction Payroll Software

When ADP Would Not Be a Good Fit

• You are on a tight budget. ADP is one of the most expensive solutions on our list. If you are a small business that needs payroll and simple HR, Gusto or Rippling may provide a better alternative.
• You don’t need payroll. If you are only interested in HR tools, then consider TriNet Zenefits. All of ADP’s plans (like most of the services on our list) include payroll with HR.
• You want unlimited payroll options. ADP prices its plans depending on how many pay runs you do in a month (although it does allow you to print checks such as for termination, without incurring extra fees). If you pay different employees on different schedules, this can get pricey. Consider Gusto, TriNet Zenefits, Papaya, or Rippling for unlimited pay runs.

ADP Features

• Payroll: ADP offers quick-turnaround pay runs. You can approve payroll as late as 4:30 p.m. Eastern time the night before and have employees paid the next day. (Paychex’s recent changes make it equally fast now, but most services take two to four days to post.) It also has automated pay runs. It calculates and files taxes with a liability guarantee. You have the option of checks, direct deposit, or a Wisely pay card.
• Hiring tools: ADP’s plans offer excellent HR tools. Just a few of the features are two revolving postings on ZipRecruiter, onboarding tools such as electronic forms and signatures, online courses, performance management, and more. Some of the other services on our list offer some applicant tracking tools. (Rippling, for example, charges extra for this.) Gusto has job posting, but only on Google.
• HR support: ADP has ready-made documents, a handbook wizard, and access to HR experts in each state where you have employees, so you are sure to get advice that applies to the local area. As with others on this list, the more tools you need, the higher the plan and the price. Like TriNet, it also offers compensation management tools as an add-on. Its learning management tool includes courses for getting and retaining certifications and instructor-led classroom courses, something we did not see in other HR systems on our list.
• PEO: ADP offers a PEO option, where it acts as the employer in terms of HR, benefits, and payroll processing. You only need to be concerned about tasking your employees and paying for their salaries. ADP has over 30 years of experience as a PEO and is one of the biggest in the industry.

Read our ADP Run review

Paychex: Best for Growing Businesses

Paychex

What We Like

• Suite of integrated HR solutions that you can add on as your business grows
• Excellent benefits selection, especially for financial wellness tools
• Dedicated payroll specialist
• US-based, 24/7 customer support

What's Missing

• Pricing isn’t all transparent
• Payroll tax administration and W2/1099 year-end reporting cost extra
• Doesn’t offer unlimited pay runs

Plans for

• Solopreneurs and Household Employers
• Small Businesses (1-49)
• Medium Businesses (50-999)
• Large Businesses (1,000+)

Paychex Pricing

• Paychex Flex Essentials: $39 + $5 per employee monthly
  • Full-service payroll, tax filing services, direct deposits, new hire reporting, garnishment payments, and a financial wellness program
• Paychex Flex Select: Custom-priced
  • Essentials + check logo and signing services, learning management, and access to a dedicated payroll specialist
• Paychex Flex Pro: Custom-priced
  • Select + onboarding, background checks, state unemployment insurance (SUI) services, and an employee handbook builder
• Paychex Solo: Custom-priced
  • For Solopreneurs and self-employed, includes incorporation services, payroll, and access to 401(k) plans

Paychex is a well-known and versatile payroll service with a multitude of HR tools. While it offers basic plans, it lets you add items, meaning that as your needs change, you can add or subtract tools accordingly.

Paychex works with all sizes of businesses. It recently even added a solopreneur plan—something you won’t find with any of the other services on our list. While its basic plans for small businesses are great, more than 10% of its customers are businesses with over 1,000 employees, which is a sign that it’s a good service to grow with.

Paychex Is Featured In

• Best PEO Companies
• Best Payroll Software
• Best Payroll for Small Businesses
• Best HR Software for Small Businesses
• Best HRIS Systems

When Paychex Would Not Be a Good Fit

• You’re looking for transparent pricing. Aside from the most basic Flex Plan, you need to call for a quote. Also, there are many tools and add-ons that can cost extra, from 1099 filing to learning management. If you prefer transparent pricing, check Gusto or TriNet Zenefits.
• You need international payroll. While it has some international customers, Paychex recommends its partner FMP Global. On our list, ADP and Papaya are the best choices.
• You need unlimited pay runs. Like ADP, Paychex charges by pay run, which can be limiting if you want to pay differently for different segments of your team.

Paychex Features

• Paying employees: In 2021, Paychex implemented a real-time payments option that lets employers approve payroll and fund direct deposits in less than 15 seconds with near-instant access to pay for employees. No other payroll system does this. Normal direct deposit takes two to four days, which is industry standard. Paychex also allows employees to request advances of up to $500; only Gusto offers a similar service. Paychex also offers pay cards and check stuffing services like ADP.
• Easy-to-use system: Paychex runs its programs through Paychex Flex, which has a highly regarded, easy-to-use interface. It offers 30 self-service functions to employers and employees, tying together native and outsourced programs. Further, its mobile app is tied to the online system. That means you can start payroll on your phone and finish it at the office, or vice versa.
• Benefits: In addition to the usual employee benefits you find with most payroll systems—health, dental, HSA, 401(k), and the like—Paychex offers free financial wellness programs. This includes some tools like you’ll find in Gusto, plus educational courses to help employees meet their financial goals. It also offers an employee assistance program to help your employees find solutions to personal problems affecting their work life. This includes limited access to counseling for psychological and financial issues.
• HR functions: Paychex has over 300 functions for payroll and HR management that you can choose from to create a custom solution. These include everything, from time tracking to a learning module that lets you build your own courses for specialized training. No other HR system on our list (aside from Paylocity) had course creation, although ADP, Rippling, and TriNet Zenefits offer extensive course libraries. It has an applicant tracking system and onboarding as well. According to its 2021 annual report, 80% of Indeed’s mobile onboarding transactions happened through Paychex Flex.

Read our Paychex review

TriNet Zenefits: Best for Businesses on a Tight Budget & in Highly Regulated Industries

TriNet Zenefits

What We Like

• Unlimited pay runs
• Tailors your plan to your industry
• Fees decrease when Social Security or unemployment rate maximums are reached
• Has inexpensive Essentials plan

What's Missing

• Payroll and HR/payroll expert advising cost extra
• No health insurance available in Hawaii
• Dedicated reps for larger businesses only

Plans for:

• Small Businesses (1-49)
• Medium Businesses (50-999)

TriNet Zenefits Pricing

• Essentials: $8/employee/month
  • Onboarding, employee management, time-off tracking, scheduling, integrations
• Growth: $14/employee/month
  • Essentials + compensation management and performance management
• Zen: $21/employee/month
  • Growth + wellness, employee engagement, people hub
• Add-ons (per employee/month): Payroll ($6), HR advice ($8), benefits administration with your own broker ($5)

TriNet Zenefits offers inexpensive, HR-first solutions, costing you as little as $8 per employee—making it best for businesses on a tight budget. This easy-to-use platform handles onboarding, PTO tracking, performance reviews, and more. Its robust compliance solutions and compliance status tracking tool also make it great for companies in highly regulated industries. TriNet has a PEO we also recommend for highly regulated industries because it can adapt its services to your industry, meeting your needs for insurance, compliance, and benefits, as well as for safety regulations.

TriNet Zenefits Is Featured In

• Best HR software for small businesses
• ​​Best ADP competitors
• Best Gusto competitors
• Best Paychex competitors

When TriNet Zenefits Would Not Be a Good Fit

• You hire only or mostly contractors. TriNet does not have a contractor-only plan like Gusto or Rippling does.
• You need international payroll. If you have a multinational business, we recommend Papaya or ADP. Meanwhile, you can go for Rippling or Gusto if you only have international contractors.
• You have employees in Hawaii. TriNet does not offer health benefits in Hawaii. The others on our list do, except for Gusto.

TriNet Zenefits Features

• Inexpensive HR: If you’ve got payroll handled and only need HR services, Zenefits offers three plans with excellent HR tools. These include onboarding, scheduling, PTO tracking, performance management, and employee well-being and engagement tools. (Rippling also offers an HR-only option.)
• Marketing opportunity: Like Paychex and ADP, TriNet Zenefits also offers an employee discount program. However, it invites its customers who have online businesses to offer other TriNet users discounts in exchange for being part of the program. It’s an easy way to expand your market base.
• Compensation management: One thing TriNet Zenefits offers with its Growth and Zen plans is compensation management, which analyzes salaries and provides benchmarks. You can get this with Paylocity and some of its competitors, but usually as an add-on.

Read our TriNet Zenefits review

Rippling: Best for Tech-Reliant Businesses & Those Needing Modular Solutions

Rippling

What We Like

• Modular HR, payroll, and IT solutions to build your own system
• Easy to switch PEO option on and off
• Over 500 third-party integrations
• IT tools make provisioning and deprovisioning computers and apps easy

What's Missing

• Must purchase Core Workforce Management solution first
• Limited employee payment options
• Gets pricey as you add features

Plans for

• Small Businesses (1-49)
• Medium Businesses (50-999)
• Large Businesses (1,000+)

Rippling Pricing

Rippling has quote-based pricing by module. These are some quotes we’ve received.

• Core Rippling Unity platform: $10 per employee monthly ($8 per employee if billed annually)
• Full-service payroll: $8 per employee monthly
• Employee benefits: $6 per employee monthly
• Flex HSA/FSA and commuter benefits: $6 per employee monthly
• HR help desk: $100 per month
• App management: $8 per employee monthly
• Device management: $8 per employee monthly
• PEO: Call for quote. We were quoted $35 + $8 per employee per month, including payroll

Rippling is a favorite provider for us and among real-world users. The interface is one of the most intuitive we’ve seen, especially when it comes to third-party integrations. The modular approach can take you from simple HR administration, through payroll, and up to a full-service PEO. Even more, the PEO option can be turned on and off at will. Modules are individually priced, but you need to call for a quote. Its IT modules allow you to easily onboard software and hardware or Rippling can handle it for you, making it the top choice for companies that depend heavily on software applications to run their business.

Rippling’s user base is interesting because, in terms of business size (based on employee number), it’s almost evenly distributed among small, medium, and large businesses. For revenue, the majority is large or small, with only a few midsize businesses.

Rippling Is Featured In

• Best PEO Companies
• Best Payroll Software
• Best International Payroll Services
• Best Payroll for Small Businesses
• Best HR Software for Small Businesses
• Best HRIS Systems
• Best Applicant Tracking Software

When Rippling Would Not Be a Good Fit

1. You want a provider with straightforward pricing. Rippling charges for each module, making prices add up quickly, although it sometimes offers discounts if you choose multiple modules. You need to call for a quote. This is similar to others on our list, but if you want completely transparent pricing, check Gusto or TriNet Zenefits.
2. You’re looking to do international payroll. Like Gusto, Rippling only handles international payroll for contractors. If you are looking for a competitor that handles it for global employees and not just contractors, then you are better off with ADP or Papaya.
3. You need HR assistance without breaking the bank. Unlike the others on our list, which include access to HR experts in many of their plans, Rippling charges an extra $100 per month for its HR help desk.

Rippling Features

• Payroll: Rippling offers complete payroll management, including tax filing and benefits administration, plus contractor management that includes international contractors. However, it does not have a pay card option. If this is something you’re looking for, consider ADP, Paychex, or Gusto.
• HR tools: Rippling offers an applicant tracking system, 90-second employee onboarding, learning and talent management, and more. It has strong tools for compliance with payroll, safety, and labor laws.
• Tech and computer management: Rippling stands out from the rest on our list with its excellent management of computer technology. With the IT module, you can easily assign computers and applications. If you’d prefer to outsource this function, Rippling can handle the entire process for you by providing computers preloaded with the needed software and helping with getting the computers back when an employee leaves your company.
• PEO on/off: While many of the services on our list offer PEO, Rippling is the only one that lets you turn it off and on at will. This is a great tool for seasonal businesses, if you plan on building an HR department but aren’t there yet, or if you lose your HR director suddenly and need a fill-in until you hire a new one.
• Integrations: Rippling is the most integration-friendly HR payroll service we’ve seen. It works with over 500 apps for accounting, expense management, HR, sales, communication, and productivity. Apps are easy to identify and access right from Rippling’s dashboard as well.
• Users love it: Of all the software we’ve ever reviewed over the years, Rippling consistently has the highest user ratings on third-party sites like Capterra and G2, often 4.8 out of 5 or higher. Both employers and employees said it is super-easy to use and offers great features. Most of the complaints had to do with the mobile app.

Read our Rippling review

Papaya: Best for Multinational Businesses

Papaya

What We Like

• Transparent pricing
• Payroll, contractor management, and EoR services cover 160+ countries
• Compliance support includes worker classification checks for contractors

What's Missing

• Can get expensive; high starting price
• Lacks performance and learning management
• Support not 24/7

Plans for

• Small Businesses (1-49)
• Medium Businesses (50-999)
• Large Businesses (1,000+)

Papaya Pricing

• Payroll Only: $20–$100 per employee monthly
  • Payroll, local tax filing assistance, and benefits management
• Global EoR: $770–$1,000 per employee monthly
  • Payroll + workers classification and compliance checks
• Contractor Management and IC Compliance: Starts at $25 per employee, per pay cycle
  • Payroll + workers classification, compliance checks, and contractor management

Add-on solution

• Payroll Intelligence Suite: $250 per year, per location or $320 per quarter, per location
  • Access to real-time employer costs and workforce spending data

We suggest Papaya as an alternative to Paylocity for multinational companies seeking a payroll company to handle paying all its employees or wanting to jump to a complete global PEO service (called Employer of Record, or EoR). It has three plans with transparent pricing, and each of these includes payroll, local tax filing, full benefits management, and HR support. You can choose from payroll-only, complete Global EoR, or a contractor-only plan that includes HR support.

Papaya Is Featured In

• Best PEO Companies
• Best International Payroll Services
• Best Payroll Services for Small Businesses

When Papaya Would Not Be a Good Fit

• You don’t need international payroll services. Papaya has a lot to offer but is not meant for use for a single country. If you simply need payroll services, then any of the other providers on this list will suffice.
• You need a non-international PEO. The steep price of Papaya can be daunting for those that don’t need international services. It’s best to approach Rippling, Paychex, or ADP for this.

Papaya Features

• International payroll: Papaya works through in-country partners to provide payroll for your employees wherever they work. It supports payment in local currencies, local tax filing, and payroll compliance for over 160 countries.
• Employer of record: An EoR is like a PEO on an international scale. Papaya takes full HR and payroll responsibility for your employee; all you need to concentrate on is task management.
• Contractor management: If you only work with contractors, Papaya can handle the payroll and Independent Contractor Compliance administration for you. Gusto and Rippling also pay international contractors but will not include HR like Papaya does. ADP is a closer competitor to Papaya but does not have a contractor-only plan.
• Immigration services: Papaya sets itself apart not just from those on our list but also from other PEO services in that it offers immigration services. It helps you get work permits for expatriates and employees on short-term international assignments. It can also help you get permits for your employee’s immediate family.

Read our Papaya review

Gusto: Best for Small Businesses Needing Inexpensive & Simple Payroll

Gusto

What We Like

• Contractor-only plan works for international contractors, too
• Easy to use
• Unlimited pay runs
• Hiring, onboarding, performance tools

What's Missing

• Not good for larger businesses
• Health benefits unavailable in all 50 states
• International payroll for contractors only

Plans for

• Small Businesses (1-49)
• Small-Medium Businesses (50-100+)

Gusto Pricing

• Core: $39 per month + $6 per employee monthly
  • Payroll, tax filings, two- and four-day direct deposits, employee benefits, and expert support
• Complete: $39 per month + $12 per employee monthly
  • Core + next-day direct deposits, time and paid time off (PTO) tracking, hiring and onboarding tools, project tracking, and performance reviews
• Concierge: $149 per month + $12 per employee monthly
  • Complete + access to certified HR resources and pros, compliance alerts, dedicated support team
• Select: Custom-priced; requires a minimum of 25 employees
  • All of Gusto’s features (customized), full-service payroll migration, dedicated account manager
• Contractor-only plan: $6 per contractor monthly

Gusto makes our list because it’s consistently a top choice for us for small business payroll. If you have fewer than 100 employees and are in any of the 39 states where it offers health insurance, you’ll find Gusto offers excellent services at a great price. These include unlimited payroll; benefits like health, vision, dental, FSA/HSA, and 401(k); and limited HR services.

Gusto Is Featured In

• Best Payroll Services for Small Businesses
• Best Payroll Software for Nonprofits
• Best HRIS Systems
• Best HR Software for Small Businesses
• Best Construction Payroll Software

When Gusto Would Not Be a Good Fit

• You are not a small business. The others on our list are better choices, especially if you go past 100 employees.
• You are in a non-included state for its benefits. It does not offer health insurance in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, or Wyoming. You can use a third party for these states and integrate with Gusto, but if you prefer a service with health plans across the US, look at any of the Paylocity competitors in this guide (except TriNet Zenefits, whose health plans don’t cover Hawaii).
• You need a PEO. If this is something on your wishlist, consider ADP, Paychex, or Rippling.
• You need to run international payroll. For that, consider ADP or Papaya. Papaya, of course, specializes in international payroll and EoR.

Gusto Features

• Contractor plan: Gusto alone offers a reduced-price plan just for contractors. For $6 per contractor, per month, it handles payroll and 1099s. For an additional fee, it will take care of international contractors as well. This is the best deal for all the services on our list, but it is bare-bones and cannot include non-contract workers.
• Ease of use: Gusto is very easy to set up and use. You don’t need a specialized setup like with Paylocity or ADP, and if you’re familiar with running payroll, you can jump in right away. Gusto does lead you through your first payroll, and there are how-to guides and phone, chat, or email support.
• Payroll: Unlike Paychex, you get unlimited payroll runs, making it very cost-effective, and you can automate different pay schedules such as for hourly or salary workers. Gusto handles new hire reporting and tax filing, even for local taxes. It also files end-of-year forms, which some services like ADP may charge extra for.
• Payment options: You will have to print your own checks; consider ADP or Paychex if you want check stuffing and sending. It does offer a pay card through Gusto Wallet, which also gives your employees financial benefits, like the ability to get an advance on pay. Paylocity offers something similar, as does Paychex.
• HR tools: All of Gusto’s packages (except the Contractor Plan) include tools for hiring and onboarding such as offer letters, onboarding checklists, and document storage. You need the Complete Plan or higher for electronic signatures, org charts, and employee surveys. The highest plan also includes HR reps. All in all, Gusto’s offering is simpler than most of the providers on our list, but most charge more as you add some of these tools.

Read our Gusto review

How We Chose the Top Paylocity Competitors

When looking for the best Paylocity competitors, we naturally chose top-rated HRIS payroll software, many of which you can find in our other reviews. Therefore, the question is not which is best, but which is best for your needs. Since Paylocity primarily serves medium and larger businesses, most of the products on this list do so as well—Gusto being the exception, in case you’re a small business needing a smaller alternative. The rest cover the gamut and can grow as your business does.

Bottom Line

There are many worthy Paylocity alternatives out there. We looked at six of the best for different use cases. All of them have earned high marks from us in this and other reviews. However, we think ADP is the top competitor. While pricier, it offers a huge feature set, an abundance of payroll and HR tools, and plans to fit you no matter what your business size. Contact ADP for a demo and quote to get started.

Visit ADP