Paylocity is a popular HR, payroll, and operations management platform, but it’s not for everyone. We cover 6 of the best Paylocity alternatives to help your business run as efficiently as possible.
Modern HR teams need to handle everything from recruiting talent to creating training programs and maintaining regulatory compliance. But trying to juggle these responsibilities can be tough and tiresome. Thankfully, with quality HR management software, you can reduce your HR department’s workload and ensure your team can keep on top of their responsibilities.
Paylocity is a widely used HR and payroll management platform, but it’s not perfect and there are better options on the market. Below, we look at 6 of the best Paylocity competitors so you can choose the right one for your business.
What is Paylocity
Paylocity is a cloud-based software solution that includes a range of payroll, HR, and employee management tools. It’s designed as an all-in-one suite, and there are integrations with 300+ third-party platforms.
On the HR front, managers get access to a suite of hiring tools. There’s also an online course builder, document management, and flexible HR reporting.
When it comes to payroll, there’s expense management, on-demand payment functionality, flexible benefits, and more. Users also have access to extra features like a time clock and employee scheduling.
Paylocity provides pricing information on request, but reports suggest that it’s one of the more expensive HR platforms on the market. It’s possible to request a full demo to see how it works before committing to a subscription.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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The best Paylocity alternative
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Good for syncing HR data
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Good for project management
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Why are People Moving Away From Paylocity?
Paylocity has received some positive reviews from users, but like all software, it isn’t perfect.
Some users have commented on the quality of Paylocity’s customer service. One customer claimed that the support team often directs users to the Paylocity knowledge base, which they didn’t find very useful. Another reviewer expressed that they wished the customer service team would “respond more quickly” to requests.
Another regular complaint in reviews has to do with Paylocity’s usability. “It’s clunky and not as user-friendly as the other systems that are out there,” one reviewer wrote. Another noted that the “implementation process could be cumbersome.”
Other users seem to have had issues with Paylocity’s mobile version, too. For example, one reviewer stated that the mobile version “doesn’t work well on phone so it pretty much locks you into using a tablet.”
While some of these issues might not be deal breakers, they have led many to look for an alternative to Paylocity.
The Best Paylocity Competitors for Business Management
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Connecteam — The best Paylocity alternative
Key Features
Pros
Very easy to use
Excellent free-forever version
Robust, versatile features
All-in-one solution for HR, communications, and operations
Cons
Needs internet or wifi access to work
Connecteam is the best Paylocity alternative. It’s an all-in-one business management platform with a user-friendly mobile app, a powerful admin dashboard, and a suite of HR, operations, and communications management tools.
Below, we dive into Connecteam’s standout features and explain how you can use them to benefit your business.
Streamlined time tracking with the built-in time clock
With Connecteam’s time clock, employees can track their time with just a touch of their device. Employees can clock in and out via Connecteam’s mobile app, desktop app, or the web interface. Alternatively, you can use Connecteam as a time kiosk that enables workers to punch in and out via the same device in a centralized location.
The time clock is also backed by GPS location tracking and geofencing features. GPS functionality enables you to check where workers are while they’re on the clock, as well as where they punch in and out from. With geofencing, you can create a digital border around work sites and restrict clock-in and clock-out to those locations. Note that Connecteam never tracks employees when they are clocked out.
Connecteam has overtime, break, and time-off management tools as well. You can add automatic overtime and break rules, approve time-off requests, and ensure you’re maintaining regulatory compliance.
What’s more, the time clock includes real-time monitoring. In addition to seeing where employees are working, you can see who’s currently on the clock, whether anyone has missed their shift, and more. Automatic time clock and productivity reporting is also available.
Automatic timesheet generation and payroll integrations
Using your employees’ time entries, Connecteam will automatically generate digital timesheets. You can set custom pay rates and use tracked hours to create accurate timesheets.
Timesheets are automatically pushed to employees via the Connecteam app, and they can review them instantly. Your workers can also request timesheet changes if there’s anything worrying them, and you can review these requests immediately.
Connecteam has direct integrations with Gusto, QuickBooks Online, Paychex and Xero for payroll processing, or you can quickly download timesheets to use with your payroll software of choice.
Save time with drag-and-drop shift scheduling
There’s also a shift scheduling tool that features a drag-and-drop interface and shift templates to help you save time. You can create custom schedules and use automated scheduling to assign shifts according to employee qualifications and preferences. You’re also able to create open shifts, which any team member can sign up for with your approval.
Connecteam will send push notifications to employees about schedule changes and upcoming shifts so employees don’t miss work. The scheduling tool also allows for hassle-free shift swapping. Right from within the Connecteam app, employees can request to change shifts with one of their coworkers, and you can approve or reject requests immediately.
You can even use Connecteam’s task management tools to link specific jobs to specific shifts. You’re able to add tasks, forms, notes, and other information to shifts so your employees are properly informed as soon as they clock in.
Smoother hiring with customizable onboarding and training tools
Connecteam has employee training tools that are perfect for onboarding and ongoing worker development. For starters, it enables you to create custom onboarding programs to help new hires find their feet. You can add quizzes, checklists, and surveys to training materials, and use existing materials like PDFs and images.
All training materials are available through Connecteam’s mobile app, so new employees can access them from anywhere. You can also use real-time monitoring to keep an eye on each employee’s training progress.
The same tools can be used to create additional training courses for employee upskilling. You can even create notification and reminder rules and set deadlines to keep your workers on track.
Securely store and manage employee documents and company information
With Connecteam, you’ll also have access to a full document management tool that lets you securely store employee and business-related documents. Employees can upload documents directly via the mobile app, which is particularly useful during onboarding.
You’re able to set expiration dates on documents or document types, helping you remain compliant by ensuring that you’re aware when new documentation is needed.
Connecteam also enables you to create a knowledge base where you can store training materials and documentation such as employee handbooks, workplace procedures, and more. You can set access permissions so that only certain employees can access specific documents.
Full employee roadmaps with customizable timelines
Connecteam has a employee timeline that enables you to track important events in each employee’s history with your company. These include things like annual reviews, salary raises, bonuses, and work anniversaries.
You can also include information about training, onboarding, and more on the employee’s timeline. Plus, documents—including things like training certificates and work contracts—can be attached to each timeline event so you can access important information instantly.
Built-in communication tools, rewards and recognition features, and much more
Connecteam makes it easy for you to keep your team in the loop. Internal communications start with the secure in-app chat, which supports one-on-one and group messaging.
There’s also a social media-style company update feed where you can post important information with your entire organization at the same time. In addition, Connecteam offers an employee directory and customizable surveys and polls to streamline team communication even further.
You also have access to rewards and recognition features. You and your HR staff can send employees digital recognition badges with customizable messages and graphics, shout out workers in the company newsfeed, and reward team members with tokens they can exchange for gift cards.
What’s more, all Connecteam tools are available via the mobile app. You can access all features on the go, and the mobile interface is user-friendly even for those with little tech experience.
Connecteam is also one of the most affordable options on the market. Prices start from $29 per month for up to 30 users, plus $0.50 per additional user. There’s a free-forever Small Business Plan for teams of up to 10 and a free trial, too.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Get Started Now!
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Rippling — Good for syncing HR data
Key Features
- HR management
- Payroll
- Learning management
- Third-party integrations
Pros
- Simple user interface
- Workplace automations
Cons
- Expensive compared to competitors
- No free trial or free version
Rippling is among the popular Paylocity alternatives and offers HR, payroll, and IT management tools. It’s available on mobile and desktop, and there are customization tools so users can personalize the app for their business.
Employers can streamline hiring processes with Rippling’s applicant tracking system. New hires can be trained with the onboarding tools, and the learning management system has ongoing training tools.
On the payroll front, Rippling has benefits management, automatic tax filing, and automatic timesheet generation. Employers can use automations to maintain regulatory compliance with things like overtime management, minimum wage enforcement, and time-off management. There are various integrations available, including Slack, Zoom, and Google Workspace.
The main downside to Rippling is its price. It starts at $8 per user, per month, which makes it one of the pricier HR programs on the market. There’s a demo and a free tour video, but there’s no free trial or free version to test the platform.
Learn more about RipplingPricing
Starts at $8/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Timely — Good for project management
Key Features
- Automatic time tracking
- Project tracking
- Real-time monitoring
- Optional tasks add-on
Pros
- Easy to use
- Free trial available
Cons
- Limited features
- Limited mobile functionality
Timely is a Paylocity competitor that can be used for time and attendance tracking. It has automated time tracking features that automatically track time spent on the web. There’s also project tracking, and employers can use the real-time monitoring tools to track budgets, hours, and job progress.
Timely is also available on mobile devices, but many of its features are missing in this version. This may reduce Timely’s functionality for some teams.
There are integrations with some third-party platforms like Gmail, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and GitHub. The open API (application programming interface) lets developers create their own integrations. A task management add-on is also available for an extra fee.
On the downside, Timely doesn’t offer more than time management tools, unlike other Paylocity competitors. This means that you’ll have to use a separate HR management program to support other processes.
Learn more about TimelyPricing
Starts at $16/user/month, for 6-50 users Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Timecamp — Good for B2B companies
Key Features
- Time tracking
- Productivity tracking
- Automatic timesheet generation
- Attendance tracking
Pros
- Free plan
- Decent mobile functionality
Cons
- No HR or team management tools
- Premium plans are expensive
Another Paylocity competitor is TimeCamp, which offers time tracking and various other employee and performance management tools. The time tracking app is mobile-friendly so employees can track on the go.
Tracked time can be tagged and color-coded by project, client, job site, or other metrics. The time tracker has a calendar and list view, and managers can monitor tracked time in real time. Employers and managers can also generate custom reports.
Another feature is attendance tracking, which keeps track of sick days, vacations, and absences. There’s also automatic timesheet generation and integration with some third-party platforms, including payroll tools.
TimeCamp also has a time clock kiosk and productivity tracking tools. These include a productivity assistant, optional proof-of-work screenshots, idle time tracking, and website and app usage monitoring.
The main downside of TimeCamp as a Paylocity alternative is that it’s primarily focused on time tracking. There are no HR tools. It’s also rather expensive if you opt for a premium subscription.
Learn more about TimecampPricing
Starts at $2.99/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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ADP Workforce Now — Best for businesses looking for a scalable HR solution
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Key Features
- HR suite
- Time clock
- Payroll tools
- Biometric verification
Pros
- All-in-one solution
- Decent integrations
Cons
- Difficult to scale
- No GPS time tracking tools
ADP offers an all-in-one time clock, HR, and payroll software. It has packages for businesses of all sizes and offers prices on request.
On the payroll front, there are separate small-business and large-business programs. Each includes payroll automations, compliance support, and a self-service employee app. ADP’s payroll tools integrate with its time tracking and HR suites.
The HR suite includes tools for hiring and onboarding. ADP assists businesses in maintaining HR compliance across the board, and the outsourcing feature lets employers hire outside talent for one-time projects.
Employees can accurately track their working hours with ADP’s time clock via a computer, a mobile device, or the ADP kiosk. Time off management, break management, and employee scheduling are available. There’s also biometric verification, including fingerprint scanning and facial recognition.
ADP has integrations with third-party platforms including QuickBooks, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. One downside is that it can be difficult to scale due to its different software for small and large businesses. There’s also a lack of GPS functionality with the time clock.
Learn more about ADP Workforce NowPricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Gusto — Good for automating payroll processes
Key Features
- Payroll management
- Onboarding and training portal
- Time clock
- Geolocation services
Pros
- Lots of features
- GPS time clock functionality
Cons
- Very pricey
- Poor customer service
Like Paylocity, Gusto has payroll, HR, and time tracking tools. Its payroll tools enable employers to automatically file payroll taxes, set pay rates, and manage time off. Employers can add bonuses or extra payments to each timesheet. There are also tools for managing health insurance, workers’ compensation, and 401(k).
Employers can maintain compliance with Gusto’s document management systems. International payroll is supported. There are various HR and onboarding tools, including a training portal and features to assist with hiring and initiation. The talent management center houses performance reviews and other performance management tools.
Gusto’s time tracking system includes geolocation to verify employee working hours. Employees can clock in and out using their mobile devices, and the time clock syncs with Gusto’s payroll software.
Unfortunately, Gusto’s cost may be too high for many businesses. The cheapest plan costs $40 per month, plus $6 per month, per user. There’s also no free trial and no free plan. Furthermore, its customer service can be a little slow at times.
Learn more about GustoPricing
Starts at $40/month + $6/person/month Trial: No Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Paylocity Competitors for Business Managements
| Topic |
Start for free
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
  |
|
|
|
|
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $8/user/month
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Starts at $16/user/month, for 6-50 users
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Starts at $2.99/user/month
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Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $40/month + $6/person/month
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| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
no
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no
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| Use cases |
The best Paylocity alternative
|
Good for syncing HR data
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Good for project management
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Good for B2B companies
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Best for businesses looking for a scalable HR solution
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Good for automating payroll processes
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| Available on |
Web, iOS, Android
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Summary
Paylocity is a widely used HR, payroll management, and time tracking platform, but it has its downsides. Some users have had issues with its customer service and mobile app, while others have reported that Paylocity’s user interface is a little clunky and dysfunctional.
Connecteam stands out as the best Paylocity competitor on the market. It’s an all-in-one solution offering HR, operations management, time tracking, and communications tools. These include everything from a user-friendly onboarding and training portal to an accurate time clock and direct payroll integrations.
Moreover, Connecteam is easy to use, and its mobile app means you can handle business matters on the go. The free-for-life Small Business Plan supports teams of up to 10 people, and a 14-day free trial lets you test out Connecteam’s premium plans, which start at just $29 per month.
Get started for free today to see how Connecteam can improve your business.