Paylocity Review (2023): Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons (2024)

Paylocity is a comprehensive payroll and human resource information system (HRIS) known for its scalability and power. Like ADP or Paychex, the human resource software similarly addresses nearly every administrative need, from international payroll to performance management.

But Paylocity is a complicated title with a steep learning curve. There is also no public pricing structure.

Let’s learn more to see if Paylocity is right for you.

Paylocity’s pricing

Unfortunately, there is no cost transparency with Paylocity. The company does not reveal any pricing. Instead, you must work with a sales agent to create a custom subscription plan.

This hidden pricing makes it challenging to ensure you’re getting a great deal compared to other software titles. Plus, you may be surprised by how much additional software add-ons may cost as your business evolves.

It helps to get a ballpark idea of industry-wide software costs. So, let’s look at some competitors to get an idea.

Paylocity competitors’ pricing

Paylocity’s key features

Comprehensive human resources solutions

Paylocity shines with its all-in-one payroll and HR solutions. You can use comprehensive functions like employee onboarding, benefits management and time tracking. Nearly every administrative need can be solved with the platform.

The seamless integration of these services means you can manage your entire workforce from a single platform. In particular, this far-reaching value is beneficial for businesses that don’t have a dedicated HR department, as you can do more with less.

Over 350 third-party integrations

Paylocity distinguishes itself in the HR and payroll software market with over 350 third-party integrations. Some noteworthy connections are Square, Intuit QuickBooks and Microsoft Dynamics 365. This unusually high number of links is superb, as you can keep your daily routine while taking advantage of Paylocity’s solutions.

Payroll coverage in over 100 countries

Through its partnership with Blue Marble, Paylocity extends its payroll capabilities to over 100 countries. This wide-ranging support is a significant advantage for businesses with a global workforce — you won’t have to manually set up localized teams worldwide since the company handles it for you.

This benefit is a big deal because it can take a large, well-funded team to keep tabs on labor laws worldwide. Many payroll competitors don’t include international support, and for many small businesses, expansion beyond the U.S. and Canada can be unrealistic without Paylocity and Blue Marble.

Full-service tax filing

Paylocity automatically calculates, files and pays payroll taxes. This full-service approach covers federal, state and local taxes for your peace of mind. Plus, compliance is top of mind as the platform is updated regularly to reflect the latest tax laws and rates.

Paylocity pros

Adaptability to business growth

The platform is designed to scale with your business, as Paylocity offers nearly every solution you could need. Its array of add-ons includes performance management, recruiting, benefits management and more. You can even get international payroll support, as mentioned above. This generous scalability ensures you can stay with the software suite for the long run.

Early access to employee pay

Paylocity’s On Demand Payment perk lets employees access some of their earned wages before payday. For perspective, many competitor software titles don’t offer this benefit, and it’s a unique advantage that helps boost employee morale — which can lead to lower turnover.

Non-profit and religious organization support

If you run a non-profit or religious entity, you’re in luck. Paylocity can help file tax forms specifically for non-profits, such as Form 990. It also ensures compliance with regulations for unique entities, and it can keep track of volunteers and special situations, such as one-off paid gigs. This specialized support is critical in helping these organizations maintain a tax-exempt status.

Paylocity cons

Complexity

For smaller businesses or those with simple payroll and HR needs, Paylocity’s vast array of features can be overwhelming. The advanced platform caters to more challenging requirements and takes some time to learn — there is no quick and easy startup.

Lack of training resources

Other complex platforms, like ADP, provide elaborate training materials — folks can even get certifications to demonstrate their advanced knowledge. Not so with Paylocity, however. The platform gravitates around a 133-page catalog that covers basic instructions. If you want something more hands-on, limited virtual coaching sessions are available. However, there is no in-person support or certification, which can make teaching employees more difficult.

Limited macroeconomic data

One of the key benefits of a larger HRIS platform is the ability to compare your workforce’s data to that of other employers across the United States. Unfortunately, Paylocity falls short when it comes to nationwide analytics. Because of the title’s relatively smaller customer base, it only has data from around 25,000 clients. Compare this to ADP DataCloud, which pulls from over 100,000 employers. So, if you’re eager to analyze the country’s macroeconomic outlook, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Alternatives to Paylocity

Rippling

Rippling stands out with its exceptional ease of integration and user-friendly interface. It’s easy setup makes it an excellent option for small businesses looking for a quick and efficient solution. Plus, the title also delivers a la carte functionality, so you can secure a highly customized platform. And the title’s effortless third-party integrations ensure you can seamlessly connect your existing HR system to other apps.

ADP

ADP is renowned for its comprehensive suite of features and robust customer support and provides many services for businesses seeking solutions beyond basic payroll and HR tasks, including detailed analytics and employee performance tracking. However, ADP also focuses on custom pricing, much like Paylocity, and the extensive features may feel overwhelming for very small or straightforward operations.

Paychex

Paychex is another solid alternative, renowned for its flexibility and scalability. It’s an excellent choice for small businesses anticipating growth, as the platform can quickly scale up its services to match business needs. Compared to Paylocity, the competitor offers a more personalized service experience with dedicated support for each account. However, this can also mean a higher price point. Plus, its user interface is not as intuitive as Paylocity or Rippling.

Review methodology

We carefully researched Paylocity’s unique features that make it a more robust system compared to competitors. We considered customer feedback, competitor offerings, overall value, international payroll capabilities and other features. We also analyzed the platform’s customer service availability and support resources, among other factors.

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