Quick Summary
Looking for Paychex alternatives that better fit your organization? This guide covers seven leading payroll and HR platforms with features to simplify your processes, support compliance decisions, and deliver a user-friendly experience for nonprofits, schools, and growing businesses.
Looking to Move Beyond Paychex?
If Paychex doesn’t seem to serve you well, you’re not alone. Many teams want tools that make HR and payroll seamless, not technical.
The right alternative should be simple, flexible, and help you manage your people and processes with confidence.
In this Checkwriters guide, we highlight top Paychex alternatives that help HR work smarter, stay on top of compliance, and create a workplace where your team can succeed.
Why Listen to Us?
At Checkwriters, we’ve spent over 30 years helping organizations handle hefty tasks, allowing them to focus on what matters.
Community Child Guidance Clinic, for instance, saved critical time and resources after switching to Checkwriters, allowing them to refocus on their mission. Our experience proves we can help your team work smarter, stay informed, and build a workplace where employees and your community thrive.
What is Paychex?
Paychex is a comprehensive payroll and HR platform serving over 740,000 businesses across the United States since 1971. The Rochester-based company provides end-to-end workforce management through its cloud-based system.
Beyond basic payroll processing, Paychex offers a full suite of HR services, including
- Benefits administration and enrollment
- Time and attendance tracking
- Applicant tracking and recruiting tools
- Performance management systems
- Workers’ compensation and insurance services
- Tax filing and compliance management
Paychex serves businesses ranging from small startups to mid-market companies, with dedicated support teams and mobile app access for employees and managers across all service levels.
Paychex Limitations
While Paychex is a well-known HR and payroll provider, it has some limitations that can frustrate growing teams and modern organizations. Some are:
- Complexities in Setting Up Rules: Although Paychex offers flexibility in setting up check limits, some users may find the process of setting up and managing company-wide rules for deductions and earnings to be complex.
- Limited Customization: Custom workflows and reports are often rigid, making it harder to adapt the system to unique business needs.
- Inconsistent Support: Users say it’s hard to reach knowledgeable representatives. With reports of being passed around or having reps who don’t respond or change often, this causes inconsistent support.
- Pushy Sales Tactics: Some clients report that Paychex uses aggressive sales strategies that push for additional services without transparent disclosure of the associated costs.
- Higher Costs for Add-Ons: Essential features like advanced analytics or employee self-service can add up quickly, increasing total costs.
Top 7 Paychex Alternatives For You to Consider
- Checkwriters
- Paylocity
- Gusto
- BambooHR
- Namely
- ADP Workforce Now
- Paycom
1. Checkwriters
Checkwriters stands out as the most client-focused payroll and HR solution platform, designed specifically for organizations that value personalized service over generic solutions.
What sets Checkwriters apart is our commitment to genuine partnership. You won’t get stuck in support ticket limbo or deal with scripted responses.
Instead, you’ll work directly with dedicated specialists who understand your organization and provide ongoing guidance to help your HR team succeed. Our three-tier system grows with you, ensuring you only pay for what you actually need.
Key Features
- Comprehensive HR Suite: Manages the entire employee lifecycle, from applicant tracking to onboarding to performance tracking, all within one platform.
- Automated Payroll Processing: Simplifies wage calculations, customizable pay types, direct deposit, and general ledger integrations to save time and reduce payroll errors.
- Direct Access Support: Skip the frustrating support tickets and long wait times.
- Attendance Tracking: Tracks worked hours, overtime, and leave through mobile clock-ins, biometric terminals, or web punch tools, all connected to payroll.
- Mobile-First Employee Self-Service: Employees can access features such as pay info, time-off, and more through an intuitive mobile app, reducing the administrative burden on your HR team.
- Customizable Reporting: Generates reports and analyzes HR data to support strategic planning.
Pricing
Checkwriters offers a custom pricing based on your organization’s size and needs. Schedule a meeting to get a demo and a custom quote.
Pros
- Exceptional customer service with real human support
- Customized training and onboarding for smooth transitions
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
- Fast job posting across multiple job boards with the click of a button
- Proven track record with non-profits and educational institutions
- Scales easily with growing teams
Cons
- Initial setup can take some time, but personalized support ensures a smooth start
2. Paylocity
Paylocity is a comprehensive HR and payroll platform designed to bring modern technology to your workforce management. It combines payroll, benefits, talent management, and employee engagement tools in one cloud-based system.
Key Features
- Payroll Automation: Streamlines pay runs with automated calculations and tax filing to save time.
- Employee Self-Service: Allows staff to update personal information, access pay stubs, and manage benefits independently.
- Performance Management: Provides tools for goal setting, reviews, and feedback to support employee growth.
- Learning Management: Offers training modules and course tracking to upskill employees efficiently.
- Engagement Tools: Includes social feeds, surveys, and recognition features to enhance team collaboration.
Pricing
Paylocity doesn’t list pricing publicly; monthly costs depend on the size of your business and selected modules. Expect higher pricing for full-featured HR management; they require contacting sales for a customized quote
Pros
- Strong employee engagement features
- Robust reporting and analytics
- Flexible integrations with third-party tools
- User-friendly mobile app
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Occasional slow customer support response
- Pricing may be high for smaller organizations
3. Gusto
Gusto helps growing businesses onboard, pay, insure, and support their hardworking teams with payroll, benefits, and more.
Gusto simplifies payroll for small to medium-sized businesses through a clean interface and auto-tax calculations. The platform stands out for its intuitive design and comprehensive feature set that covers everything from basic payroll to advanced HR management.
Key Features
- Automated Payroll Processing Every Gusto plan comes with unlimited payroll runs with no extra charges for off-cycle payrolls.
- Time Tracking Integration Time tracking solution automatically syncs with payroll for hourly and salaried non-exempt employees and contractors.
- Benefits Administration Comprehensive benefits including health benefits, automatic savings, 401(k)s, and workers’ compensation protection.
- Hiring and Onboarding Tools Complete hiring suite with offer letters, checklists, and software setup for new employees.
- Time & Attendance: Clock‑in/out, PTO requests, and syncing hours to payroll keep attendance simple and accurate.
Pricing
- Simple Plan: $49/month + $6 per employee per month for single-state payroll and basic HR features.
- Plus Plan: $80/month + $12 per employee per month Includes built-in time tracking, job posting features, e-signature capabilities, and an applicant tracking system.
- Premium Plan: $180/month + $22 per person for businesses with complex payroll requirements.
Pros
- Intuitive interface and seamless integration with other systems make payroll processing quick and efficient
- Helpful customer service and time-tracking functionality for monitoring employee hours
- Unlimited payroll runs with no extra fees for off-cycle processing
- Strong benefits administration and compliance features
Cons
- Limited to single-state payroll on the basic Simple Plan
- Premium features may be unnecessary for businesses with simple needs
- Higher per-employee costs compared to some competitors
4. BambooHR
BambooHR has earned the trust of over 34,000 businesses with its user-friendly approach to HR management. The platform combines core HR functions, payroll, benefits, and performance management into one intuitive system that’s designed for simplicity without sacrificing functionality.
Key Features
- Centralized Employee Records: Securely store personal info, job history, benefits, and custom fields in one organized location.
- Applicant Tracking & Onboarding: Post jobs, track applicants, and auto-launch onboarding tasks like e-signatures and document completion.
- Time-Off & PTO Management: Employees submit leave requests via mobile, while accruals and approvals sync with calendars and reports.
- Performance Management Tools: Supports performance reviews with templates, feedback tools, and goal tracking.
- Reporting & Workflow Automation: Build standard HR reports, automate approvals, and integrate add-ons for deeper functionality.
Pricing
- Core (Essentials): Basic features such as data and reporting, onboarding, time-off, etc
- Pro (Advantage): Includes additional features like Employee Community and performance management.
- Elite: All Pro features and more.
Note that optional add-ons are available for Payroll, Time Tracking, and Benefits Administration, all priced separately.
Pros
- User-friendly interface that requires minimal training
- Strong customer support with in-house team
- Comprehensive reporting capabilities with customizable dashboards
- Onboarding tools that improve new hire experience
Cons
- Payroll and benefits features come at additional cost
- Limited customization options compared to enterprise solutions
5. Namely
Namely is a modern HR platform designed for growing organizations. It combines payroll, benefits, talent management, and compliance into a single, user-friendly interface that prioritizes the employee experience.
Key Features
- Core HR & Employee Records: A centralized system of record that houses employee profiles, custom fields, organizational charts, and documents.
- Payroll & Tax Processing: One-platform payroll with tax filings, direct deposit, and optional managed services for peace of mind.
- Time & Attendance: Simplified tracking including PTO requests, time logs, geofencing, and scheduling options.
- Recruiting & Onboarding: Post jobs, manage candidates, send offer letters, and onboard new hires with e-Signatures and E-Verify.
- Performance & Engagement Tools: News feed, peer recognition, reviews, goals, and feedback to boost culture and communication.
Pricing
Namely offers tiered pricing plans tailored to different organizational needs and sizes:
- Namely Now: Base plan starts at $9 per employee per month for core HR features.
- Namely Plus: Builds on Namely Now by adding full onboarding, recruiting, performance management, etc. Pricing is custom, based on your company’s size and selected modules.
- Namely Plus People: Includes everything in Plus, plus managed payroll and managed benefits services for added support. Custom-priced.
- Namely Complete: All-inclusive: adds support for large-group benefits, workers’ comp, risk & safety, and shared liability compliance. Custom pricing applies.
Pros
- Scalable platform ideal for complex or multi-state operations
- Rich analytics and AI-driven insights for strategic decision-making
- Deep feature set across payroll, HR, talent, and compliance
- Strong integration options and robust mobile support
Cons
- Steeper learning curve can feel overwhelming for smaller or less tech-savvy teams
- Customer support quality varies; many report delays or turnover in reps
- Higher cost compared to leaner, more targeted platforms
6. ADP Workforce Now
ADP is a robust human capital management platform built for growing U.S. companies, especially mid-sized and enterprise teams.
It covers payroll, time tracking, benefits, talent management, analytics, and compliance in one unified system. With its scale, ADP delivers powerful tools and integration flexibility, but setup can be complex and customer service inconsistent for smaller teams.
Key Features
- Full-Service Payroll & Tax Filing: Handles federal, state, and local tax filings automatically for employees.
- Time, Attendance & Scheduling: Offers mobile or kiosk clock-in, absence tracking, and shift scheduling with analytics to avoid overtime.
- Talent & Performance Management: Supports recruitment pipelines, onboarding workflows, and succession planning.
- Compliance & Reporting Tools: Proactively alerts employers to regulatory changes and provides audit-ready reports and analytics.
- Self-Service & Mobile App: Employees can view pay stubs, request time off, and manage personal data on the go via myADP.
Pricing
Custom pricing is available only based on request.
Pros
- Scalable platform ideal for complex or multi-state operations
- Rich analytics and AI-driven insights for strategic decision-making
- Deep feature set across payroll, HR, talent, and compliance
- Strong integration options and robust mobile support
Cons
- Customer support quality varies; many report delays or turnover in reps
- Higher cost compared to leaner, more targeted platforms
7. Paycom
Paycom serves as a powerful one-stop HR and payroll engine for growing U.S. organizations ready to scale. It unifies payroll, talent acquisition, time and attendance, performance reviews, and benefits, all on one platform.
The Oklahoma City-based company serves mid-market businesses with comprehensive HR solutions that emphasize employee self-service and automation.
Key Features
- Automated Payroll: Employees enter and verify their payroll data, reducing HR workload by up to 90% while eliminating common payroll errors through built-in validation.
- Time-Off Management: Automatically approves or denies time-off requests based on predetermined business rules, ensuring proper coverage and reducing decision fatigue for managers.
- Single Database Architecture: All HR and payroll data lives in one system, eliminating the need for multiple integrations and ensuring data consistency across all functions.
- Direct Data Exchange: Real-time ROI tracking shows exactly how your investment in Paycom translates to measurable business outcomes with detailed usage analytics.
- Employee Self-Service & Reporting: Employees access pay stubs, hours, and benefits info; while HR gains real-time analytics and audit-ready reports.
Pricing
Paycom offers custom pricing based on company size and selected features. Setup fees apply, and pricing requires consultation with their sales team for specific quotes.
Pros
- Covers the full employee lifecycle in one platform
- Reduces admin time with employee self-service tools
- Offers detailed real-time reports and dashboards
- Provides onboarding support with dedicated specialists
Cons
- Can be difficult to navigate without technical support
- Limited flexibility for third-party integrations
Choose Checkwriters: The Smarter Alternative for Modern HR Teams
Choosing the right payroll platform shouldn’t feel like a gamble. While each Paychex alternative offers unique features, Checkwriters delivers what matters most: genuine customer partnership and personalized service.
Unlike support models built around ticketing systems and offshore support, you get direct access to dedicated specialists who know your business and respond when you need them.
Our three-tier system grows with your organization without forcing you into features you don’t need. From seamless onboarding with one-on-one training to compliance updates that keep you informed, we handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on your people.
Contact us today for a solution that fits your workflow and your values.Disclaimer: The information contained herein is not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. Employers should closely monitor the rules and regulations specific to their jurisdiction(s) and should seek advice from counsel relative to their rights and responsibilities.