The 17 Best Paylocity Alternatives in 2026

If you're looking for a payroll and HR platform that’s a better fit for your company than Paylocity, you have plenty of strong options to consider. Whether you need a simpler interface, more predictable pricing, or features tailored to your business size, the right solution is out there. This guide breaks down 17 of the best Paylocity alternatives to help you find the perfect match for your payroll, HR, and compliance needs in 2026.

1. Gusto

Gusto provides an intuitive and modern platform focused on making payroll, benefits, and HR administration straightforward for small to mid-sized businesses. Its primary advantage is transparency and ease of use, eliminating the complex implementation processes common with enterprise-level systems. The platform excels at automating payroll tax filings and provides exceptional onboarding tools that create a great first impression for new hires.

• Pros:
  • Transparent, flat-rate pricing makes budgeting predictable.
  • User-friendly interface simplifies daily tasks for administrators and employees.
  • Excellent integration with benefits administration, including health insurance.
  • Automated payroll tax filings in all 50 states.
• Cons:
  • Not designed to handle the complex HR needs of large enterprises.
  • Fewer options for advanced, custom reporting compared to Paylocity.
• Pricing:
  • Simple plan: $40 per month + $6 per person per month.
  • Plus plan: $80 per month + $12 per person per month.
  • Premium plan available with custom pricing.

Who it's best for: Small to mid-sized businesses that want a simple, all-in-one platform for payroll, benefits, and basic HR essentials.

2. BambooHR

BambooHR stands out by leading with human resources management rather than payroll. It’s an HR information system (HRIS) designed to manage the entire employee lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding to performance management and offboarding. While it doesn't have a native payroll solution, it integrates seamlessly with many top-tier payroll providers. This allows companies to build a best-in-class HR tech stack centered on employee experience.

• Pros:
  • Deep and comprehensive HR features, including applicant tracking and performance management.
  • Intuitive and engaging employee self-service portal.
  • Detailed reporting and analytics on workforce data.
• Cons:
  • Payroll is not included and requires a separate third-party integration.
  • The per-employee cost can become significant for very small businesses with tight budgets.
• Pricing:
  • Offered in two packages: Essentials and Advantage.
  • Both require a custom quote based on the number of employees.

Who it's best for: HR-focused SMBs that need a powerful system to manage employee data and lifecycle events and prefer to integrate their chosen payroll provider.

3. Rippling

Rippling moves beyond HR and payroll by integrating IT management into a single platform. It allows businesses to manage not only payroll and benefits but also employee apps and devices. This unified approach makes employee onboarding and offboarding remarkably efficient, as access to systems like Slack, Google Workspace, and company devices can be configured and revoked automatically. It creates a central source of truth for all employee information, spanning HR and IT.

• Pros:
  • Unifies HR, payroll, benefits, and IT management.
  • Powerful automation rules for onboarding, offboarding, and other HR workflows.
  • Extensive third-party application integrations.
• Cons:
  • Complex configurations may require technical support.
  • Pricing can be higher for companies with extensive IT management needs.
• Pricing:
  • Custom pricing based on selected modules and company size.

Who it's best for: Companies that require integrated HR and IT management solutions to streamline processes and efficiently manage employee lifecycles.

Choosing the right payroll platform isn’t just about making changes—it’s about empowering HR workflows and protecting your bottom line. Take a moment to evaluate each solution based on these criteria to ensure you find a reliable and efficient match.

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