Paylocity vs Sesame HR

Deel

Rippling

RUN Powered by ADP

Deel is the only global-first people platform that enables companies to hire, pay, manage, and develop talent in 150+ countries without compliance headaches or third-party dependencies. Deel supports 40,000 customers and 1.5 million workers through a single, scalable global system.

Rippling is a cloud-based workforce management system that helps businesses manage operations across HR, finance, and IT.

RUN Powered by ADP® helps small businesses automate payroll, file taxes and manage HR with ease. From AI-driven efficiency to expert support, businesses can take care of their teams anytime and anywhere. 

Director Of Membership

The customer support was underwhelming. When we encountered issues or needed clarification, responses were slow and often didn't fully resolve our concerns.

HR and Payroll Manager

As a small business we don't have a dedicated customer support point of contact when we make calls, which is quite frustrating (we have to talk to a general support person every time who is not familiar with our quite complex company).

Human Resources

It met all of our business needs and when we did need help their support was aways able to find a solution that worked well for us.

General Accountant

The customer service is top notch. When our company was transitioning from Paycom to Paylocity their customer support team went above and beyond to make sure our team had everything we needed every step of the way during the transition. And since we've been using Paylocity whenever we have a question the customer support team is excellent about answering our questions and assisting our employees get the help they need to do their jobs.

Paylocity's all-in-one HR software helps you shift from admin tasks to strategic growth. Centralize employee data and automate onboarding with customizable workflows. Get AI-driven insights to make informed decisions. Employees get 24/7 mobile access to pay stubs, schedules, and tax forms. 

1099 Preparation

360 Degree Feedback

401(k) Tracking

Academic/Education

ACA Reporting

Access Controls/Permissions

Accounting

Accounting Integration

Action Management

Activity Dashboard

Activity Tracking

Ad hoc Reporting

Alerts/Notifications

Applicant Tracking

Application Management

Approval Process Control

Assessment Management

Asynchronous Learning

Attendance Management

Attendance Tracking

Audit Management

Audit Trail

Automated Scheduling

Auto Update

Availability Management

Background Screening

Batch Processing

Benchmarking

Benefits Administration Outsourcing

Benefits Dashboard

Benefits Management

Billable Items Tracking

Billable & Non-Billable Hours

Blended Learning

Boolean Search

Budgeting/Forecasting

Built-in Course Authoring

Calendar Management

Candidate Management

Categorization/Grouping

Certification & Licensing

Certification Management

Chat/Messaging

Check Printing

Clock In/Out

COBRA Administration

Collaboration Tools

Commenting/Notes

Commission Management

Communication Management

Compensation Management

Competency Management

Compliance Management

Configurable Workflow

Content Library

Content Management

Corporate/Business

Corporate Card

Course Management

Course Tracking

Credit Card Management

Customizable Branding

Customizable Fields

Customizable Questions

Customizable Reports

Customizable Templates

Dashboard

Data Connectors

Data Import/Export

Data Security

Data Visualization

Deduction Management

Direct Deposit

Disability Insurance Administration

Document Management

Document Storage

Electronic Forms

Electronic Signature

Email Management

Employee Benefits Administration

Employee Database

Employee Engagement

Employee Handbook

Employee Management

Employee Onboarding

Employee Portal

Employee Profiles

Employee Recognition

Employee Scheduling

Employee Self Service

Engagement Tracking

Expense Management

Expense Tracking

Feedback Management

FMLA Administration

For Accountants

Forecasting

For Mobile

For Small Businesses

Reviews for Paylocity come from a wide variety of industries, including Hospital & Health Care (6% of reviewers), Non-Profit Organization Management (5%), and Computer Software (4%). The most frequent use case for Paylocity cited by reviewers is payroll (67% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Most users consider Paylocity to deliver strong value for money, with competitive pricing and useful features. Some reviewers find the pricing structure unclear, and they report that add-ons can increase costs or make the overall price feel high.

Value for money

Paylocity is a payroll solution with key features that include payroll management, direct deposit, reporting and analytics, employee database, self-service portal, time and attendance, and more.

Paylocity

Web-based

iPhone

iPad

Android

Windows

Paychex Flex

ADP Workforce Now

Paycor

Paycom

Workday HCM

UKG Pro

UKG Ready

BambooHR

isolved

ADP TotalSource

Gusto

SurePayroll

ADP Comprehensive Services

QuickBooks Online

Challenging implementation process

Controller

There were some frustrating times in the implementation process, trying to get answers and problem solving.

President

Unfortunately, our organization had an extremely poor implementation experience.

45% of reviewers feel negative about Implementation. Some users report that the implementation phase is often lengthy, confusing, and plagued by miscommunication or lack of support. Reviewers indicate that incorrect setup of features like PTO accruals and custom calculations required multiple corrections and follow-ups. They say frequent changes in implementation specialists and rushed onboarding contributed to ongoing issues post-launch. Users feel that expectations set during sales were not always met, leading to frustration and extended timelines to reach full functionality.

Inconsistent account management support

Director of HR

The account managers that we've been assigned cancel meetings on our team regularly and half the time they don't cancel prior, so we're just left there hanging and waiting to see if the account manager will join.

43% of reviewers feel negative about Account Management. Users report frequent turnover of account managers, leading to inconsistent support and delays in issue resolution. Some reviewers say it is difficult to reach their assigned manager, and responses can vary depending on who handles their request. They indicate that repeated changes require them to re-explain ongoing issues, which slows down problem-solving. Users feel that lack of continuity and knowledge among account managers adds frustration to their overall experience.

Unreliable and slow phone support

HR Manager

Customer service is hit or miss. When making phone calls, wait time is 45-60 minutes which is too long.

42% of reviewers feel negative about Phone Support. Reviewers say phone support often involves long wait times, frequent transfers, and inconsistent answers from different representatives. Some users report that there is no dedicated support contact, so each call is handled by a new person unfamiliar with their account. They indicate that issues are not always resolved on the first call, and follow-up can be slow or require multiple contacts. Users feel that lack of knowledgeable staff and poor communication make resolving problems more time-consuming.

Limited and complex reporting

SVP, Finance

Reporting and customization are limited, integrations can be clunky, and some workflows feel less intuitive compared to more modern HRIS platforms.

45% of reviewers feel negative about Reporting. Users say creating custom reports is difficult and often requires manual effort or additional support. Reviewers report that the reporting system lacks flexibility, with limitations on data customization and integration across modules. They find the interface for building reports unintuitive, and sometimes need to pull multiple reports and manipulate data externally. Some users mention extra charges for custom reports and challenges in locating or formatting the information they need for decision-making.

Frequent glitches and system errors

HR Coordinator and Recruiter

The system is not user friendly: Unnecessary separation of tabs and information, unhelpful AI bot, uneducated (and sometimes) unresponsive Support Team, constant unnecessary and unhelpful updates, numerous glitches in the system, etc.

74% of reviewers feel negative about Bugs and Issues. Users report experiencing frequent glitches, slow load times, and technical errors that disrupt their workflow. Some reviewers say that syncing problems between modules, confusing navigation, and unexpected system logouts create frustration and inefficiency. They indicate that issues like incorrect PTO accruals, error messages, and unreliable updates often require additional troubleshooting or support. Users feel these recurring problems can lead to costly mistakes, delays, and a lack of confidence in the system’s reliability.

Comprehensive time tracking features

Branch Manager

Paylocity is a phenomenal product for keeping track of employees' time cards, vacation, teams, and internal office team building.

Assistant Teacher

I think Paylocity is a great management tool for a company and it is very beneficial for employees to keep track of things like timesheets, PTO/Sick time, other benefits and more.

86% of reviewers feel positive about Time and Attendance Tracking. Users say Paylocity makes it easy to track work hours, PTO, and benefits, replacing manual or paper-based methods. Reviewers appreciate features like mobile access, geo-fencing, and compliance tracking, which simplify managing timecards and attendance for both employees and managers. They find it helpful that all time-related data is centralized, making it easier to audit, report, and manage schedules. Some users report that integration with HR data further streamlines daily operations and reduces administrative burden.

Competitive and transparent pricing

Chief People Officer

The functionality for its price point can't be beat and can be used as a true "all in one" system without the need for supplemental systems.

Owner

My fees are half the price with Paylocity, with offering the same services as ADP.

83% of reviewers feel positive about Pricing. Reviewers appreciate that Paylocity offers robust features at a price point they consider affordable compared to other payroll providers. Users say the platform’s value for money is high, especially given the range of included modules and the reduction in administrative time and costs. They find it beneficial that pricing is transparent, with clear communication about any additional fees. Some users note that the system is cost-effective for businesses of various sizes and offers flexibility in selecting only needed features.

Centralized team collaboration tools

Manager, Talent Acquisition

Paylocity is a modern tool and their Product team seems to really listen to customer feedback because they're regularly introducing new modules or updates that are a responsive to feedback we've shared in the past.

Sr People Business Partner

The community feature has been great to help increase collaboration with our field team members who don't spend their day-to-day on a computer.

87% of reviewers feel positive about Team Collaboration. Reviewers appreciate having a single login for employees to access paystubs, performance reviews, and e-learning, which streamlines HR operations. Some users say features like the community page and team management tools help keep everyone informed and connected, especially for remote or distributed teams. They find it valuable that supervisors can easily manage time-off requests and track milestones like start dates and anniversaries. Users indicate that responsive customer support and ongoing product updates further enhance their team’s ability to collaborate efficiently.

Intuitive and user-friendly interface

HR Generalist

The layout is intuitive and makes it easy to navigate, which helps employees quickly find the information or tools they need without confusion.

The user interface is clean and intuitive, which makes it easy for employees and administrators to navigate and complete tasks quickly.

86% of reviewers feel positive about Ease of Use. Reviewers indicate that Paylocity’s interface is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate for both employees and administrators. Some users say tasks like entering time, requesting PTO, and accessing pay information are straightforward and require minimal training. They find that even those new to the system can quickly adapt, and the platform is accessible both via web and mobile. Users appreciate that the system reduces confusion and helps them complete HR and payroll tasks efficiently without frustration.

After school and summer camp teacher

there are so many features that allow you to Remind employees or participants of trainings of activities of anniversaries or birthdays there are opportunities for you to give praise and you’re easily able to see your upcoming and past paychecks.

HR Talent and Recruiting Specialist

Ability for hourly team members to clock on and off on the mobile app and ability to limit this within a geofence to confirm they are on-site when they enter their hours.  

People Technology Partner

One of its greatest strengths is its ability to consolidate key processes such as payroll, benefits administration, time and attendance, and talent management into a single system.

HRIS Coordinator

More transparency on PDRs, we have a hard time tracking the status of the PDR submitted, we have to ask for updates every time, I wish there is a portal/dashboard we can track it by the PDR number.

Payroll Specialist

It has improved the payroll workflow at our company and has significantly reduced the amount of time it took us to create and audit a batch when compared with our previous service provider.

Human Resources Manager

I find Paylocity to be a one-stop shop, making it much easier to handle payroll, timekeeping, time off management, HR filing, onboarding, reviews, and community all in one place instead of having to use multiple separate systems.

HR Support

The platform provides a comprehensive solution for payroll and HR management, helping us centralize employee information and streamline administrative processes.

I love that I can manage payroll, run audits, configure cost centers, support benefits, run reporting, handle historical data migrations, and create workflows all in one system.

HR Director

One being with time tracking and having employees that move between locations and having their pay rate automatically change between locations cause of minimum wage differences in each city.

Paylocity vs Sesame HR Comparison (2026)

Paylocity

Sesame HR

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives