TriNet HR Platform (formerly TriNet Zenefits) is a human resources (HR) software that helps small to midsized businesses (SMBs) hire, onboard, pay, and manage employees. Its platform is designed to simplify HR processes and comes with built-in guardrails to keep you compliant with payroll, tax, and labor regulations.
In our evaluation of the best HR payroll software for small businesses, TriNet HR Platform earned an overall score of 4.06 out of 5. Monthly fees range from $10 to $33 per employee, with add-on fees for recruiting tools (via JazzHR), HR advisory services, benefits administration via your broker, and payroll processing (if you don’t get the highest plan).
Did You Know? TriNet, a leading provider of HR and professional employer organization (PEO) services, rebranded its small business HR solution, TriNet Zenefits, into TriNet HR Platform when it launched its redesigned website in December 2023. Before the rebranding, TriNet Zenefits was known as Zenefits, an HR software company that was acquired by TriNet in 2022.
TriNet HR Platform Overview
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Pros
- Reasonably priced HR plans
- Unlimited pay runs with robust compliance tools
- Time tracking and employee scheduling included in all plans
- Offers basic to advanced HR tools, such as performance reviews, surveys, and compensation management
Cons
- HR plans and add-ons require a minimum of five employees
- Payroll, compensation, and performance management features are reserved for higher subscription tiers
- Benefits administration, recruiting, and HR advisory services are paid add-ons; payroll costs extra if you don’t get the Zen plan
Deciding Factors
Supported Business Types | SMBs looking for an all-in-one HR platform to manage the employee lifecycle |
Pricing |
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Add-ons |
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Discounts | Discounted pricing available for those who select annual billing (fees paid in a lump sum) |
Standout Features |
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Ease of Use | Its platform is intuitive and generally easy to learn and use, although you need to know the basics of running payroll and managing employees. |
Customer Support |
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Why You Can Trust Us
TriNet HR Platform Is Best For
- Growing businesses with a small HR department: Rated as one of our top HR information system (HRIS) software for small businesses, TriNet HR Platform offers a comprehensive HR solution for managing the workforce. Onboarding is completely electronic, so your HR team doesn’t have to collect documents manually and manage checklists on paper. An online portal allows employees to view their personal information and submit requests, such as for paid time off (PTO). This reduces the administrative tasks your HR staff handles, making employees more self-sufficient.
- Companies with hourly workers: Time tracking and scheduling are included in all of TriNet HR Platform’s plans. Aside from creating staff work schedules and monitoring PTO requests, its clock-in location and identity verification features can help prevent buddy punching while tracking employee attendance.
TriNet HR Platform Is Not Ideal For
- Small companies that only need help with payroll: If your small company simply needs payroll, this product can be costly. TriNet HR Platform’s starter plan with a payroll add-on costs $16 per employee monthly. If you only have 10 employees, you can find other solutions that let you run payroll without signing up for the extras. Check out our article on the best free payroll services to learn more about the top payroll options.
- Employers looking for an all-in-one HR and information technology (IT) platform: While TriNet HR Platform may have a wide range of HR solutions, it lacks IT tools to manage business software access and the issuance of company computers to employees. We recommend Rippling if you want robust solutions for handling HR, payroll, and IT. Learn more in our Rippling vs TriNet HR Platform review.
- Businesses that need global payroll tools: While TriNet can help you onboard international workers, it lacks the capability to pay their salaries. This is where the services of a global payroll provider can come in handy. For a list of suitable options, check out our best international payroll software guide.
TriNet HR Platform Alternatives
Best For | Starter Monthly Fees | Learn More | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Businesses needing full-service payroll and solid HR support | An additional 20% off the annual base price if you pay all fees upfront | $10 per employee | |
 | Companies looking for an all-in-one HR, payroll, and IT solution | First month free | ||
 | Small businesses looking for payroll and solid HR support | $49 base fee plus $6 per employee | ||
 | Startups that need dedicated payroll support | Three months free payroll | $39 base fee plus $5 per employee | |
Are you looking for something different? Read our guide to the best payroll services and top payroll systems for small businesses to find a service or software that’s right for your business.
There are no TriNet HR Platform reviews online, as of this writing. Third-party review sites, such as G2 and Capterra, are still using this software’s name prior to the rebranding. Given the minimal changes to its platform after the rebranding, I used TriNet Zenefits reviews to gather insights into what users think about this product.
Many reviewers left positive feedback on G2 and Capterra. The average TriNet Zenefits review rating for both sites is 4 out of 5. However, in our evaluation, Zenefits did not receive a perfect score in this criterion because its average number of user reviews is fewer than 1,000.
Users who left positive reviews appreciate how feature-rich and easy it is to use. In particular, they like how it helps them save time when processing payroll and HR tasks like onboarding. However, some said they wished its integration options were more robust while others complained about its support team’s slow response times and occasional software glitches.
At the time of publication, this software earned the following scores on popular user review sites:
- Capterra: 4.2 out of 5 based on 800-plus reviews
- G2: 3.9 out of 5 based on more than 450 reviews
In our TriNet HR Platform review, we gave the provider a 4 out of 5 score for pricing. Zero setup fees, multiple plan options, and transparent pricing contributed to its high rating. However, it lost points because it can get pricey for SMBs, especially those needing basic HR and payroll tools. For example, if you have 10 employees, its starter plan with a payroll add-on will cost you $160 per month.
That said, TriNet HR Platform pricing plans are still reasonably priced if you only need HR tools. Monthly fees range from $10 to $33 per employee, and you can choose from three options (Essentials, Growth, and Zen). Each plan comes with a variety of HR solutions, from onboarding to employee data management and compensation planning.
Features | Essentials | Growth | Zen |
|---|---|---|---|
$10 per employee *$8 with annual contract | $20 per employee *$16 with annual contract | $33 per employee $27 with annual contract | |
Time and Time Off Tracking | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Staff Scheduling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Onboarding and Employee Data Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Analytics | ✓ | Customizable | Customizable |
Compensation and Performance Management | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Employee Engagement Surveys* | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Collaboration Hub | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*Includes tools and prebuilt assessments to help measure and track employee engagement. | |||
Note that all plans and add-on products require a minimum of five employees. If you have fewer employees, you still have to pay the minimum five user seats for your chosen plan and each add-on you use.
TriNet HR Platform Add-ons:
- Payroll and payroll tax filings: $6 per employee monthly (free with the Zen plan)
- HR advisory services: $8 per employee monthly
- Recruiting: Starts at $35 monthly
- Benefits administration: $5 per employee monthly if you use your broker (free if you get a TriNet broker partner)
The wide range of HR solutions TriNet HR Platform offers is just one reason why it scored well for HR functionality. Its feature-rich platform has the essential tools to manage the employee life cycle. However, you have to pay extra for HR advisory services and benefits administration if you want to use your own broker.
Onboarding employees is also faster with TriNet HR Platform. Its system allows new hires to complete their requirements online. You or your HR teams can send offer letters and run background checks. Maintaining a staff database is also easy with its employee management tool, which comes with a secure online database, organizational charts, reports, and employee directories.
Compensation planning, well-being and productivity assessments, employee engagement surveys, and performance management tools are available in higher tiers. It even provides a “People Hub” where you can post company updates, communicate with employees, and track tasks. If you need assistance on how to handle HR and payroll issues, TriNet HR Platform has advisory services but this costs extra ($8 per employee monthly).
TriNet HR Platform has a document management tool that lets you store and track forms that employees are required to submit. (Source: TriNet HR Platform)
If you already have a preferred broker, you can continue using its services and integrate your existing plans into TriNet HR Platform. However, you have to pay $5 per employee monthly for the service.
If you’re looking for a new insurance partner, TriNet grants access to certified brokers and carriers, such as Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and Guardian. You can access TriNet’s partner brokers and request quotes via its health insurance marketplace. It also allows you to sort plan pricing from highest to lowest (and vice versa) and compare benefits to find the best health plan coverage that fits your employee demographics and budget.
Employee benefits options include:
- Medical, vision, and dental plans
- 401(k) plans
- Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
- Health savings accounts (HSAs)
- Life and disability insurance
- Commuter benefits
TriNet also helps streamline COBRA administration and tracks employee eligibility to meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. Its partnership with Abenity even allows your employees to enjoy discounts and special deals when purchasing things like concert and movie tickets, apparel, and electronics
With TriNet HR Platform, you can track your employees’ benefits enrollments easily and send reminders online. (Source: TriNet HR Platform)
TriNet HR Platform’s time tracking and scheduling tools are ideal for small businesses that need help monitoring work shifts, employee attendance, schedule changes, and project hours. It also includes a mobile app for clocking in/out, viewing time data, tracking geolocation, and requesting PTO, in addition to accessing benefits details and pay stubs.
TriNet HR Platform’s Time and Attendance dashboard lets you review employee timesheets and shows who is working and on a break in real time. (Source: TriNet HR Platform)
Payroll is available as an add-on to your base plan (free if you get the Zen plan) and can handle multiple pay rates, complex deductions, different payout schedules, and payments for employees and contract workers. It supports tip reporting and wage garnishments and can even send child-support payments to the applicable agencies.
In addition to direct deposit payouts, TriNet’s partnership with digital banking app, Clair, has a pay-on-demand feature that lets employees access earned wages between paydays. It also lets you run payroll as many times as you need in a month and reminds you of important federal reporting deadlines.
While TriNet HR Platform allows you to input bonus amounts directly into its system, you don’t need to add your employees’ pay rates manually, actual hours worked, and benefits deductions since it lifts the information from its other modules automatically.
With TriNet HR Platform, you can process payroll with a few clicks. (Source: TriNet HR Platform)
Despite having solid pay processing and tax filing solutions, HR Platform only scored 3.75 out of 5 for payroll functionalities. It would have earned a higher rating in this criterion if it offered automatic pay runs and a tax penalty guarantee that’s similar to QuickBooks Payroll, which covers all penalties regardless of who makes the mistake.
Tax Services
In addition to tax calculations and payments, TriNet files payroll tax forms for you automatically. Note that during system implementation, all new clients are tagged automatically under its “calculate only” tax services. This means that it will only compute the applicable tax deductions but won’t remit the payments and file the necessary forms to the tax agencies. To switch to its “full-service” taxes, which include automatic payments and filings, you have to complete a few documentary requirements, such as providing a copy of your tax ID and a signed power of attorney form authorizing TriNet to file and pay taxes on your behalf.
TriNet HR Platform earned a perfect rating in this criterion as it provides flexible reporting options for better business insights. Its general reports include employee attendance, labor distribution, and payroll summaries. You can also generate comprehensive reports that show meal break compliance, deductions and contributions, garnishment audits, and tax liabilities.
If you need more strategic reporting tools, HR Platform’s People Analytics module offers customizable visual analytics and uses artificial intelligence to help you gather workforce insights. However, you have to get at least TriNet HR Platform’s Growth plan to access this module.
TriNet Zenefits reporting options to download.
TriNet HR Platform didn’t get a perfect rating in this criterion―mainly because it lacks the dedicated support that similar HR payroll systems like Paychex offer―but it provides an online platform that’s simple to learn and use. Multiple support options are also available, such as live phone assistance, an in-app help tool, a library of how-to guides, and an active community forum.
- Onboarding support
- Intuitive admin dashboard
- Chat, email, and phone support
- HR and payroll advisers available
- Active user forum
- Self-service training portal
- Built-in compliance tools
TriNet HR Platform provides a wide range of do-it-yourself support options online, including an active forum where you can interact with other users. You can use its 24/7 chatbot to access help articles and how-to guides or contact customer service. Its support team is available via phone and email from Mondays to Fridays, 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific time. However, you need to have your support ID and case reference number, which you can get through the chat tool, as these will be asked of you.
One of the great things about TriNet HR Platform is that it offers a free demo account with populated sample data so that you can test its HR and payroll tools. This makes it easy to assess whether its online solutions fit your requirements.
Signing up for a plan online is also simple to do. Plus, with its intuitive platform, you shouldn’t run into issues setting up your company account and performing basic functions. Its features are designed to automate essential HR processes, from onboarding new hires to calculating salaries/deductions and filing payroll taxes. This can help improve workflow efficiency so you and your HR team focus less on day-to-day administrative tasks.
Navigating through its system is generally easy, and you can add new employees quickly or change staff details when needed. Plus, it’s also relatively easy to add payroll if you’re on TriNet HR Platform’s Essentials or Growth plan since connecting this module into its system is faster than integrating third-party payroll tools.
Aside from letting you run payroll, the TriNet HR Platform payroll dashboard contains important reminders and tasks, including a list of your previous pay runs. (Source: TriNet HR Platform)
Finally, TriNet HR Platform provides options to fill in some of your HR department’s functional gaps. If you need compliance help, you can get access to HR and payroll professionals through its optional paid advisory services. Its integration partners can also provide you tools to extend HR Platform’s features and workflows, like:
- Applicant tracking: Greenhouse, JazzHR, Lever, and Breezy HR
- Accounting: QuickBooks and Xero
- Time tracking: Deputy and QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets)
- Learning management: Lessonly, Spark by EdCast, and Zywave
- Employee engagement: Bonusly and Gifted
- Performance management: BetterWorks, Appraised, Lattice, and Zugata
- Health and wellness: Boon Health and Teladoc
- Collaboration and productivity tools: Box, Office 365, G Suite, Slack, Asana, Workato, Salesforce, Hive, and Zapier
Methodology: How We Evaluated TriNet HR Platform
For this TriNet HR Platform review article, we looked at the payroll and HR features on offer and whether these are sufficient to meet the needs of SMBs. We also considered ease of use and pricing, as well as customer support and user feedback.
Click through the tabs below for our full evaluation criteria.
35% of Overall Score
I looked for HR services and functions like online onboarding, state new hire reporting, self-service portals, and a staff of expert advisors. I also gave additional points to software providers offering health insurance available in all 50 states and advanced HR solutions like hiring, compensation, learning, and performance management.
20% of Overall Score
I gave the most credit to solutions that process direct deposits in two days or fewer, have multiple payment options, handle year-end tax reporting, manage tax payments and filings―federal, state, and local taxes―and offer a penalty-free guarantee.
20% of Overall Score
I looked for features that make the software easy to use, such as having an interface that’s intuitive and customizable. Extra points were given to providers that offer integration options, set-up assistance, live phone support, and a dedicated representative.
15% of Overall Score
I checked to see if the provider has transparent pricing, zero setup fees, and multiple plan options with unlimited pay runs. I also gave additional points to those with plans that cost $50 per employee.
5% of Overall Score
Preference was given to software with built-in basic payroll reports and customization options.
5% of Overall Score
I considered online user reviews on popular third-party sites like G2 and Capterra, based on a 5-star scale, wherein any option with an average of 4-plus stars is ideal. Also, software with 1,000 or more reviews on third-party sites is preferred.
TriNet HR Platform Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
TriNet Zenefits was rebranded to TriNet HR Platform in December 2023. The software’s functionalities are the same despite the name change.
Yes, it has an app for iOS and Android devices. The features aren’t as extensive as the main software, but the TriNet HR Platform app lets employees clock in/out, schedule and request time off, access payslips, and track benefits.
TriNet utilizes industry-standard technologies and privacy practices to protect your information. Its security controls are designed to prevent authorized data access and use, as well as comply with applicable privacy laws.
If you sign up for the basic implementation package, the estimated timeline is 30 to 45 days. For the advanced package, the implementation can take 30 to 90 days. Note, however, that these timelines can change depending on your business size and the HR plan and products selected.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for an HR solution for managing your workers throughout their employment, TriNet HR Platform may be a good fit. It offers robust HR tools with full-service payroll, automatic tax filings, and employee benefits options. While its payroll module is a paid add-on to its base HR plan, the cost is very reasonable. If you need assistance, TriNet has a library of how-to guides in addition to providing chat, email, and phone support.
Learn more about its functionalities—sign up for a TriNet HR Platform online demo today.