Workflow automation

Rippling is the only product on my shortlist with a workflow builder tool for creating custom automation from scratch. This is unlike SAP SuccessFactors, which requires IT knowledge to develop cross-module workflows, or BambooHR, which comes with pre-defined workflows for onboarding, offboarding, and approvals.

Instead, with Rippling’sWorkflow Studio, you can create a trigger in one module to set off an action in another. You can drag and drop actions, collaborate with others, and even add true/false conditional logic and wait times. 

For example, I used Workflow Studio to assign tasks to appropriate stakeholders in the event of a workplace accident. This reduces the need for me to follow up on critical paperwork that could impact the injured employee’s workers’ compensation benefit coverage.

Compliance assistance

Rippling comes standard withCompliance 360, which monitors and notifies you of potential federal, state, or local labor law infractions. Although this doesn’t replace training your HR teams on employment laws and taking proactive steps to stay compliant, it is a great backstop as your team grows.

For example, if you’re starting to hire employees in a new state, you might be unfamiliar with state labor laws like minimum wage or paid sick leave. Compliance 360 can notify you of these regulations during employee onboarding to ensure compliance. Or, if a law changes during the employee’s tenure with you, Rippling will alert you to the change.

New hire assessment

Rippling’s AI-powered tool,Talent Signal, analyzes the first 90 days of a new hire’s work and provides early performance indicators based on actual outputs. It offers real-time, data-driven insights for people managers to act early and deliver critical feedback to help new hires succeed. 

Rippling’s package for small businesses starts at$40 per month, plus an $8 per employee, per month (PEPM) fee. It comes with access to the system’s base product, Rippling Platform, which includes reporting, custom workflows, role-based permissions, and manager approvals. While Rippling’ssmall business page hints that it also features benefits administration and payroll (as of this writing), I recommend contacting the provider to request a quote.

What’s great about Rippling is that it works with you to create a plan that fits your business needs. It has a comprehensive suite of modules to streamline HR processes, track staff expenses, and manage business applications and computer devices. It can even help you with your PEO, EOR, and global payroll requirements. 

“It’s not cheap, but if you’re running a lean team and need to stay compliant across time zones, it more than earns its keep.“

Santiago Nestares atDualentry notes that Rippling has become one of the few systems their remote, global team relies on daily, simplifying the complexities of international hiring, payroll, and compliance.

However, he adds that the platform isn’t cheap, and some countries require extra setup. Still, it’s a trade-off they find worthwhile for a remote-first company that needs dependable global coverage.

Meanwhile, many reviews on G2 and Capterra highlighted Rippling’s easy-to-use all-in-one platform. Users like that it automates HR and IT processes, has solid reporting tools, and an extensive integration ecosystem. 

However, some reviewers said that learning to use its features takes time, especially if you get several modules. A few others mentioned that while its support team is generally helpful, the response time can be slow when dealing with technical issues.

At the time of publication, Rippling reviews earned the following scores on these websites:

• G2: 4.8 out of 5
• Capterra: 4.9 out of 5

Digital record-keeping

BambooHR lets you upload, share, and store company and personnel documents directly within the platform. You can even create legally recognized online forms that support electronic signatures, which is great if you want to move from paper processes to an entirely digital filing system.

Creating these documents can be time-consuming, but it’s worth it. After you upload your PDF or .docx document to BambooHR, you can drag and drop the fields you want employees to complete into the appropriate areas. You can then send your electronic documents to the necessary employees for signatures and store the completed forms in their electronic personnel files.

Employee self-service

Like most modern HRIS, BambooHR has employee self-service features likepreboarding checklists,benefits enrollment, and paystub access. What sets BambooHR apart is that employees can also update their information, request time off, clock in and out of shifts, update professional goals, and track training assignments from the same place.

Plus, if you’re a small business with frontline workers, BambooHR allows employees to access all this information from their mobile device instead of a desktop computer. It even made it into my list of thebest HR apps for mobile as a result.

Employee engagement analytics

BambooHR’s AI-driven employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) topic summaries analyze worker feedback to identify key themes and sentiments. This feature enables HR teams to identify key drivers of staff satisfaction and address concerns proactively. 

BambooHR pricing starts at$10.25 per employee monthly, but fees are based on the number of employees you have. If you have 25 or fewer workers, you get a flat monthly rate. If you have more than 25 employees, BambooHR will charge a PEPM fee.

It has three plans: Core, Pro, and Elite. The starter plan includes basic HR features for hiring, onboarding, time off and benefits tracking, compliance, and employee information management. You are granted access to additional tools, such as compensation andperformance management, when you upgrade to higher tiers.

Add-on modules are also available if you want to add employee time tracking, payroll, and benefits administration to your plan. And if you decide to get both payroll and benefits, BambooHR offers a 15% discount for that bundle (as of this writing).

Since our last update, BambooHR has introduced an EOR module (powered by Remote) add-on for companies that need help hiring and paying international employees. Its features include a global employment cost calculator and automatic two-way data syncs between BambooHR and Remote’s HR systems.

BambooHR plans

“[I]t was one solution my CEO pointed out that was a game-changer for our company. It was a single point of truth for us and made life so much more transparent (which was badly needed) and personnel management easier.”

Amy Leger, CEO at1Eleven Group, notes that BambooHR was a “game-changer” during her tenure as COO of a small communications agency, where she previously managed hiring, offboarding, staff reviews, and time off manually.

She says it brought long-needed transparency to hiring, onboarding, goal setting, and performance reviews, all in one platform. But she adds that setup was “pretty clunky” and not very intuitive for administrators, even though employees found it simple once configured.

Amy also shared one wish for improvement: a more granular time-tracking feature for client work. Still, Amy says BambooHR’s automation and organization made it one of the best decisions she made for her team.

On popular review sites such as G2 and Capterra, reviewers said its user-friendly platform centralizes HR data and helps them stay compliant. However, some users complained about occasional software glitches when clocking in or filing leaves.

At the time of publication, BambooHR reviews earned the following scores on these websites:

• G2: 4.4 out of 5
• Capterra: 4.6 out of 5

Full-service payroll

Gusto’s payroll module is built for simplicity. It walks you through each step, from entering employee hours to confirming direct deposits, using clear prompts and helpful explanations. It even allows you to adjust and change pay columns so you only see the pay details that you need.

Gusto’s pay runs can also be completed in just a few clicks, and everything from federal to local tax filings and payments is handled automatically. If you don’t expect changes to your payroll, you can enable its AutoPilot feature, which allows Gusto to automatically process payroll before paydays. Aside from helping you save time, this feature reduces the likelihood of you missing pay processing deadlines.

Benefits administration

Gusto simplifies the benefits setup by acting as a licensed health insurance broker, offering access to a wide range of medical, dental, and vision plans. You don’t need to bring your own broker, although Gusto lets you do that for a fee. It can help you compare plans, enroll employees, and stay compliant with benefits-related regulations.

If you’re a new business owner or an HR team looking for a new benefits provider, this built-in brokerage support removes the guesswork. It also speeds up decision-making, all while keeping costs manageable and HR processes in one platform. 

And if you want to provide financial management tools to employees, it has a free Gusto Wallet app that your team members can use to manage their paychecks and build health spending habits. Employees can also use it to record their clock-ins and outs, as well as view payslips and W-2 forms. 

Gusto pricing starts at$49 monthly plus $6 PEPM. It offers three plans: Simple, Plus, and Premium. There’s also a contractor-only payroll package that costs $35 monthly plus $6 per contractor per month*. Like the other human resource management software on my list, Gusto has add-on tools and services if you want to enhance your selected plan’s features.

Gusto plans

Gusto contractor-only plan

• Monthly fee: $35 plus $6 per contractor*
• Includes unlimited US contractor payments, four-day direct deposits, and 1099-NECs at the end of the year 

Add-ons

For the Simple plan only(free with the Plus and Premium tiers)

• Next-day pay: $15/mo. + $3 PEPM
• Time tracking:$6 PEPM
• Performance reviews: $3 PEPM

For the Simple and Plus plans only(free with the Premium tier)

• Priority support: $30/mo. + $3 PEPM
• HR resources: $50/mo. + $5 PEPM; includes compliance alerts and access to HR experts and HR templates

For all plans

• Same-day pay:$90 per payroll
• Instant pay: $100 per payroll
• State tax registration: Prices vary by state
• R&D tax credits: Pay 15% of identified tax credits
• Health insurance broker integration: $6 per month per eligible employee
• 401(k) retirement savings: Price varies by 401(k) integration
• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs):$2.50 per month per participant**
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): $4 per month per participant, with a $20 per month minimum**
• Dependent care FSAs: $4 per month per participant, with a $20 per month minimum**
• Commuter benefits: $4 per month per participant, with a $20 per month minimum**
• Workers’ compensation: Price of premiums only
• Life and disability insurance: Price of premiums only
• International contractor payments: Price varies by foreign exchange rate, with a $5 per-payment fee to US-based bank accounts
• Gusto Global: $699 PEPM; EOR services available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Spain (as of this writing)

*For new clients, Gusto waives the $35 monthly base fee for the first six months. This could change anytime, so please explore its website for the latest deals.**Annual $200 service charge covers HSAs, FSAs, dependent care FSAs, and commuter benefits.

“[W]ith the increasing work from home landscape, it truly makes onboarding seamless, even when teams are remote or scaling quickly.”

Sara Celotto, Fractional COO atThe Vision Catalyst, LLC, shares that Gusto has been her go-to HR system for more than a decade, helping her manage payroll, benefits, compliance, onboarding, and performance reviews across multiple law firms and founder-led businesses. She says it keeps everything organized and easy to manage, even as teams grow or work remotely.

However, Sara acknowledges that a few of her clients have experienced occasional hiccups, such as delayed tax filings. Despite that, she continues to use and recommend Gusto for its intuitive design, affordability, and reliability across industries.

Many of the reviewers on G2 and Capterra also mentioned Gusto’s intuitive interface and simple-to-use tools as its best features. While several users appreciate its efficient payroll module, a few others said that it can get pricey depending on the number of employees and the add-on features purchased. 

At the time of publication, Gusto reviews earned the following scores on these websites:

• G2: 4.6 out of 5
• Capterra: 4.6 out of 5

Breadth of integrations

ADP Workforce Now clients have access toADP Marketplace. Here, you can find solutions to integrate with ADP Workforce Now and consolidate your data across your entire HR tech stack.

With integrations available for performance management,employee engagement,recruiting, learning management,time clock software, andfinancial wellness, you do not have to sacrifice the HR platforms you already use to start with ADP.

Advanced payroll functionality

You can easily create multiplepayroll schedules from ADP Workforce Now’s payroll dashboard to cover differentemployee classifications. After you finalize payroll, you can click a button and automatically prepare and download a general ledger file to upload into youraccounting system. 

It also accommodates more industry- or company-specific payroll needs. For example, if you’re a federal contractor, ADP can help you runcertified payroll. Or, if you’re in a service industry like food or hospitality, ADP can calculate tip credits for your service staff to reduce the likelihood ofpayroll errors.

Benchmarking

ADP Workforce Now is the only platform on my shortlist with benchmark information for understanding how your business compares to the competition. Using ADP’s U.S. client base of more than 42 million employees, you can see benchmark numbers in your industry and location for:

• Creating fair and competitive total compensation packages.
• Comparing turnover rates.
• Tracking average time to fill in various roles.

Because Workforce Now offers this natively in-app with data that updates in real time, you don’t have to rely on third-party sources for this information, whether through integration or from outdated compensation survey reports. This is also a huge advantage if you’re a small business since access to this information is typically reserved for larger HCM platforms. 

ADP Workforce Now offers three subscription tiers to choose from: Select, Plus, and Premium. However, it does not reveal starting prices for any of its plans; you must contact ADP’s sales team for a quote.

All Workforce Now plans include new hire onboarding, payroll, compliance reporting, a centralized employee database, a self-service portal, and access to the AI-powered ADP Assist tool. However, employee benefits and workforce management are reserved for higher tiers. You will also need to pay extra for additional HR functions, such as recruiting, talent development, compensation tracking, and advanced analytics. 

ADP Workforce Now plans

Add-on modules

Learning management

Talent acquisition

Performance management

Compensation management

HR assist (regulatory compliance assistance)

Analytics and enhanced insights

“It’s really more like the modules checking some very basic boxes for what you need a payroll system to be able to do.”

Susan Snipes, Head of People atRemote People, shares that ADP Workforce Now covers the payroll essentials her team needs, such as accurate tax calculations and standard HR modules for benefits and time tracking.

However, she says the platform is difficult to set up and maintain, often requiring help from customer support. Susan adds that onboarding feels clunky, reporting is hard to customize, and compliance issues have occasionally caused frustration. She hopes ADP will modernize its system rather than layering fixes onto an outdated framework.

Meanwhile, many of the reviewers on G2 and Capterra said ADP Workforce Now makes it easier to run payroll and HR day-to-day. They also like having basic HR tools together in one platform, instead of toggling through different systems. 

Other reviewers mentioned that while it has a lot of HR features, the costs and learning curve were steeper than expected. Some also noted that the interface feels a bit dated and that its mobile app can be glitchy. 

At the time of publication, ADP Workforce Now reviews earned the following scores on these websites:

• G2: 4.2 out of 5
• Capterra: 4.4 out of 5

Predictive analytics

SAP SuccessFactors uses data from its various modules to inform big-picture business decisions. Besides collecting on lagging indicators, like employee retention and sentiment, it goes one step further by predicting data trends based on past performance.

It also uses machine learning algorithms to forecast trends so you can proactively address business changes in areas like recruitment and retention. For example, SAP can predict your future male-to-female recruitment ratio based on your historical hiring rates. From this data, you can quickly adjust strategies so you have the best chance of success for your recruitment equity goals.

AI capabilities

SAP SuccessFactors leveragesAI natural language processing to assist with workforce planning and streamline administrative HR tasks. One of my favorite use cases has been its AI writing assistant, which helps managers craft anddeliver constructive feedback to employees. If you have managers with several direct reports, this can ensure they complete theperformance review process on time.

I also appreciate its fully integrated generative AI assistant, Joule, that operates much in the same way as ChatGPT. It learns from the way you work and prior conversations you have to complete transactional, informational, and navigational tasks. For example, you can ask Joule to send requests for feedback, assign tasks, translate text, or confirm your PTO balance.

Considering SAP’s somewhat difficult-to-navigate user interface, Joule is also great for taking you directly to the pages to get you the information you need or complete a process. That way you don’t need to become an SAP expert.

Succession planning

SuccessFactors HCM’s succession planning tools take a skills-based approach to developing employees and filling talent pipelines for critical roles.

It utilizes the organizational chart to come up withsuccession planning strategies to nurture high performers, address skills gaps, and identify key positions that have a relatively high impact if they become vacant. 

The platform then uses data from employee profiles to surface high-potential, top-performing talent to start grooming for crucial roles. Besides preparing for future turnover, it keeps high performers invested in the company and their professional growth.

Like most enterprise HR software, ​​SAP does not disclose pricing for its full SuccessFactors HCM suite, so you must contact its sales team for a quote. The overall cost is based on the size of your company, the products you need, and the number of administrative users. 

However, SAP does reveal the starting price for its SAP Core HR module, which includes time tracking, automated global pay processing, AI-enabled self-services, and a centralized people data management tool. At the time of publication, it costs$18 per month and requires at least 1,000 users and a minimum contract of one year. 

Similar to most of the HR software on my list, you can enhance its core platform with add-on features, such as recruitment, workforce management, learning and career development, analytics, and access to its AI assistant, Joule. So if you decide to get SAP SuccessFactors HCM’s entire integrated suite, you may end up paying hundreds of dollars per year per employee.

If you want to negotiate for better rates, I suggest bringing quotes from similar providers. Be sure to ask about discounts when bundling any of its products and services.

Note: SAP SuccessFactors also offers several sales-specific modules, which I did not outline in the chart above. For more information, check out theSAP SuccessFactors HCM website.

“The SAP tool helps to keep rotas and contracts organised, which is vital when managing shift patterns for large workforces, especially when hourly rates are involved.”

Wendy Makinson, HR Manager atJoloda Hydraroll, shares that SAP SuccessFactors HCM works well for their shift-based manufacturing and logistics operations. She says the time and attendance and employee central modules have been especially valuable for keeping rotas and contracts organized.

However, Wendy mentions that initial integration took time—particularly when configuring complex structures like overtime and shift rotations. Now that it’s running smoothly, adding or updating employee data is straightforward, though she’d like to see a simplified interface for shop floor kiosks. Overall, she describes the platform as a positive and reliable HR solution.

Reviewers on G2 and Capterra also consistently praised its scalability and depth of features. Others said that its enterprise-grade suite is sufficient to support the complex HR needs of large, global workforces.  

The biggest drawbacks that users raised were about its steep learning curve, limited or overly technical customizations, and dated interface. Some reviewers also reported delays in getting support when resolving advanced issues. 

At the time of publication, SAP SuccessFactors HCM reviews earned the following scores on these websites:

• G2: 3.9 out of 5
• Capterra: 4 out of 5