Best HR and payroll software in 2026, ranked by score and price

By the HRPricing editorial teamReviewed October 17, 2026How we research and score

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HR and payroll software costs $200 a month for 10 employees on Gusto Plus, $400 on Gusto Premium and $790 on Justworks PEO Basic, according to their pricing pages checked October 16, 2026; Rippling, Paylocity, Paycor, Paycom and isolved quote only, and Paylocity is estimated at $18 to $22 per employee per month for core payroll and HR (OutSail, July 2026).

We rank eight all-in-one platforms by our published HR score, show the separate payroll score beside it, and show what each costs for a real team.

HR and payroll software is a single system that stores employee records, onboarding, time off and benefits and uses the same data to run payroll and file payroll taxes.

Our picks at a glance ranked by published score out of 100

  1. 1
    GustoSmall businesses that want payroll first with HR tools in higher plans
    $49 + $6/person61See pricing
  2. 2
    JustworksSmall companies that want HR tools and benefits through a PEO at a published price
    $50 + $8/person59See pricing
  3. 3
    BambooHRSmall and midsize companies that want an easy HR system first and payroll second
    From $10/person54See pricing
  4. 4
    RipplingCompanies that want HR, IT and devices managed in one system
    Quote only30See pricing
  5. 5
    PaycorSmall and midsize employers that want a sales-led HR suite with implementation help
    Quote only23See pricing
  6. 6
    PaylocityMidsize companies that want a full HR suite with an employee self-service app
    Quote only23See pricing
  7. 7
    PaycomMidsize and larger employers that want employees to check their own payroll (payroll score; not in our HR scores)
    Quote only12See pricing
  8. 8
    isolvedEmployers buying payroll through a local payroll bureau or reseller (payroll score; not in our HR scores)
    Quote only10See pricing
On this page
  1. Quick picks
  2. Scores
  3. What HR and payroll software costs
  4. The providers
  5. All-in-one software vs. a PEO
  6. What buyers complain about
  7. Contracts and leaving
  8. Who should skip all-in-one software

Quick picks

Published HR + payroll prices
Gusto, Justworksplus BambooHR HR software
Lowest at 10 people
$144/moOnPay with HR add-on
Quote only
Rippling, Paylocity, Paycor, Paycom, isolved
Prices checked
Oct 16, 2026vendor pricing pages
  • Gusto: published prices and self-serve setup.
  • Justworks: HR and benefits through a PEO with a posted price.
  • BambooHR: HR software first, payroll second.
  • Rippling: HR, payroll and IT in one system.
  • Paycor: a guided, sales-led setup.
  • Paylocity: employee self-service at mid-size companies.
  • Paycom: employees checking their own payroll.
  • isolved: buying through a local payroll bureau.

HR and payroll software keeps employee records, onboarding, time off and benefits in the same system that pays people, so a change entered once flows to the paycheck. If you would rather hand the work to someone else, compare HR outsourcing options instead.

Scores

We show two separate scores and do not average them. The HR score (out of 100) measures price transparency (30 points), core HR features (30), whether payroll is included or integrated (20) and documented complaints (20). It is the score this page ranks by. The payroll score (out of 100) measures payroll price, tax filing, features, exit terms, support and complaints, and is shown for reference. Paycom and isolved have only a payroll score, so they come after the HR-scored providers.

HR and payroll software ranked by HRPricing HR score
ProviderHR scorePayroll scoreBest for
Gusto6169small businesses that want payroll first with HR tools in higher plans
Justworks5942small companies that want HR tools and benefits through a PEO at a published price
BambooHR54Not scoredsmall and midsize companies that want an easy HR system first and payroll second
Rippling3021companies that want HR, IT and devices managed in one system
Paycor2310small and midsize employers that want a sales-led HR suite with implementation help
Paylocity2312midsize companies that want a full HR suite with an employee self-service app
PaycomNot scored12midsize and larger employers that want employees to check their own payroll
isolvedNot scored10employers buying payroll through a local payroll bureau or reseller

Scores: HRPricing scores, last updated Oct 17, 2026. Ordered by HR score. Paycor and Paylocity tie at 23 with equal price and complaint points, so our tie rule lists them alphabetically. Paycom and isolved are ordered by payroll score. Prices checked Oct 16, 2026.

Scores follow our scoring method and come from published prices, terms and documented complaints. We did not test these products.

What HR and payroll software costs

Monthly HR and payroll cost for 10 and 25 employees
OptionPrice10 people25 peopleNote
OnPay payroll + HR add-on$49 + $6, plus $15 + $2 per worker$144$264Budget option, not ranked here
Gusto Plus$80 + $12 per person$200$380Multi-state, time tracking
Gusto Premium$180 + $22 per person$400$730HR and compliance tools, premium support
BambooHR Core + payroll$250 flat (25 or fewer) + payroll add-on$250 + payroll$250 + payrollPayroll $0 through Dec 31, 2026 on a 12-month agreement
Justworks PEO Basic$79 per employee$790$1,975Includes HR tools; premiums and workers' comp extra
Justworks PEO Plus$124 per employee$1,240$3,100Adds benefits administration
RipplingFrom $8 per employee + base fee$80 + base$200 + baseFloor only; modules add cost
Paylocity (estimate)$18 to $22 PEPM, core payroll and HR$180 to $220$450 to $550OutSail mid-market estimate, Jul 2026
Paycom (estimate)$4 to $6 per employee per pay run$40 to $60 per run$100 to $150 per runFit Small Business quote, Jul 2026
Paycor, isolvedQuote onlyn/an/aNo current estimate

Math: base + (per-person fee x headcount); add-ons summed. Example: Gusto Premium at 25 = $180 + (25 x $22) = $730. Sources: vendor pricing pages checked Oct 16, 2026; estimates labeled with source and date.

Only Gusto and Justworks publish full HR-plus-payroll prices among the eight providers ranked here. BambooHR publishes its HR prices but not its payroll add-on. The rest quote, and the estimates come from third parties. For payroll-only prices across more providers, see the payroll cost guide.

Fees that change the total

  • Implementation: Paycom states a one-time fee; OutSail estimates 10% to 20% of first-year spend for Paylocity.
  • Extra states: Gusto Simple is single-state; Gusto Business Compliance is $85 per state per month (included in Premium).
  • Year-end forms: Paycom is reported at $6.95 per W-2 plus a $75 transmittal fee.
  • Modules: Rippling and the HCM suites price time, benefits and talent separately.
  • Promotions with strings: BambooHR's $0 payroll needs a 12-month agreement; Paycor's 50% off has no stated base price.

The providers

61/100Best for small businesses that want payroll first with HR tools in higher plans

Gusto

Full-service payroll with HR tools layered by plan: Simple ($49 a month plus $6 per person, one state), Plus ($80 plus $12, multi-state and time tracking) and Premium ($180 plus $22, HR and compliance tools, premium support and Business Compliance). Gusto is the only payroll provider in our research that registers state tax accounts for you.

Watch for: the tax guarantee covers penalties from Gusto's own late remittance but does not name interest, and you must tell Gusto about a notice 30 days before the agency deadline. Trustpilot reviewers report tax errors left to the customer. G2: 4.6 from 13,492 reviews; Trustpilot: 1.9 from 2,535 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price transparency30/30
  • Core HR9/30
  • Payroll included20/20
  • Complaints record2/20
See Gusto pricing on Gusto’s site
59/100Best for small companies that want HR tools and benefits through a PEO at a published price

Justworks

Justworks sells payroll alone ($50 a month plus $8 per employee) and a PEO with HR tools and benefits: PEO Basic at $79 per employee a month and PEO Plus at $124, with a Dedicated HR Consulting add-on at $30 per employee. No setup fee. Justworks entities are on the IRS active CPEO list (report date August 7, 2026).

Watch for: health premiums are not in the PEO price, workers' comp is required for PEO, and support that does not resolve issues is its most documented complaint; one reviewer called it "responsive, but not helpful" (Trustpilot, March 2025, more than a year old). G2: 4.6 from 1,127 reviews; Trustpilot: 2.1 from 37 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price transparency30/30
  • Core HR9/30
  • Payroll included20/20
  • Complaints record0/20
Get Justworks pricing on Justworks’s site
54/100Best for small and midsize companies that want an easy HR system first and payroll second

BambooHR

An HRIS with onboarding, performance and 150+ integrations, with payroll as an add-on for US employees only. Core is $10 per employee a month (its FAQ says $10.25), Pro $17 and Elite $25, or flat $250, $425 and $650 a month for 25 or fewer employees.

The payroll add-on price is not published. Through December 31, 2026, payroll is $0 with a 12-month agreement, excluding implementation and multi-state fees. G2: 4.4 from 7,705 reviews; Trustpilot: 3.3 from 154 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price transparency20/30
  • Core HR18/30
  • Payroll included10/20
  • Complaints record6/20
See BambooHR pricing on BambooHR’s site
30/100Best for companies that want HR, IT and devices managed in one system

Rippling

Payroll sits inside a platform that also runs HR, devices, apps and global teams, so one employee record drives payroll, benefits, laptops and logins. It is the clearest answer for buyers who want HR, payroll and IT in one place.

Price: quote only. The FAQ says "plans start at $8 per employee per month, with a monthly base fee," with no base fee or product named. VC-backed startups may get six months free. Capterra reviewers (September 2025 to August 2026) say modular pricing is hard to budget and that only admins can reach live support. G2: 4.7 from 14,535 reviews; Trustpilot: 4.5 from 2,548 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price transparency5/30
  • Core HR3/30
  • Payroll included10/20
  • Complaints record12/20
Get a Rippling quote on Rippling’s site
23/100Best for small and midsize employers that want a sales-led HR suite with implementation help

Paycor

Payroll, HR, time, recruiting and benefits administration, sold with implementation help. Paycor also powers Deputy Payroll. Quote only, with a promotion of 50% off for the first six months (base price not stated).

Estimate: Fit Small Business (updated May 29, 2026) says Paycor formerly published "starting at $99 plus $5 per employee monthly" and is now custom-priced. G2: 4.0 from 2,018 reviews; Trustpilot: 1.6 from 166 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price transparency0/30
  • Core HR9/30
  • Payroll included10/20
  • Complaints record4/20
Request a Paycor quote on Paycor’s site
23/100Best for midsize companies that want a full HR suite with an employee self-service app

Paylocity

Paylocity HR and payroll covers payroll, HR, time, benefits and recruiting, with an employee community app and global payroll in 100+ countries. The site segments buyers at 1 to 99, 100 to 499 and 500+ employees. Pricing is form only: "Get the solution that matches your needs and is priced for your budget."

Estimate: OutSail (July 24, 2026, mid-market advisory data) cites $18 to $22 per employee per month for core payroll and HR, $26 to $33 for full HCM, and implementation at 10% to 20% of first-year spend. G2: 4.4 from 6,311 reviews; Trustpilot: 1.3 from 129 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price transparency0/30
  • Core HR9/30
  • Payroll included10/20
  • Complaints record4/20
Request a Paylocity quote on Paylocity’s site
12/100Best for midsize and larger employers that want employees to check their own payroll (payroll score; not in our HR scores)

Paycom

Single-database HCM where employees review and approve their own paycheck before it runs (Beti), with a dedicated specialist "at no cost." Custom pricing plus a one-time implementation fee.

Estimate: Fit Small Business (July 7, 2026, from a quote) cites $4 to $6 per employee per pay run, $6.95 per W-2, a $75 annual transmittal fee, $4 per employee for time and attendance, and implementation of $500 for 15 employees and $1,200 for 40. G2: 4.7 from 11,663 reviews; Trustpilot: 3.9 from 718 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price0/25
  • Tax filing3/20
  • Features2/20
  • Contract and exit2/15
  • Support1/10
  • Complaints record4/10
Request a Paycom quote on Paycom’s site
10/100Best for employers buying payroll through a local payroll bureau or reseller (payroll score; not in our HR scores)

isolved

Payroll, HR, time and benefits in one HCM platform, sold direct and through reseller "Network Partners." Your price, contract and support may come from the reseller. No prices on the site and no third-party estimate in our research.

G2: 4.3 from 1,328 reviews; Trustpilot: 3.0 from 54 (Oct 16, 2026).

How the score adds up

  • Price0/25
  • Tax filing0/20
  • Features4/20
  • Contract and exit0/15
  • Support3/10
  • Complaints record3/10
Visit isolved on isolved’s site

All-in-one software vs. a PEO

Software keeps you as the only employer. A PEO such as Justworks becomes a co-employer and brings its own health plans and workers' comp. The PEO fee looks higher ($790 a month at 10 people on Justworks PEO Basic against $200 on Gusto Plus), but it can replace a benefits broker and a separate workers' comp policy. Run both with your real premiums before deciding. See PEO vs. payroll service and best PEO companies.

What buyers complain about

  • Budget creep. Rippling reviewers say modular pricing is hard to budget (Capterra, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026).
  • Tax errors. Gusto reviewers report penalties the company would not cover (Trustpilot, Oct 2 and Sep 22, 2026).
  • Duplicate benefit deductions after changes show up for Gusto, Justworks and Rippling (Trustpilot and Capterra, 2025 to 2026).
  • Support. A Justworks reviewer called support "responsive, but not helpful" (Trustpilot, March 2025, more than a year old); Rippling reviewers say only admins can reach live support.
  • Ratings gaps. Paylocity scores 4.4 on G2 but 1.3 on Trustpilot; Paycor 4.0 vs. 1.6 (Oct 16, 2026). Trustpilot skews toward billing and support disputes.

Contracts and leaving

Gusto is month to month and cancels immediately in the app, billing the full month if you cancel after the 5th; admins keep limited read-only access to forms and reports afterward. Justworks shows monthly prices and no setup fee. BambooHR offers "flexible month-to-month terms or an extended term." Rippling, Paylocity, Paycor, Paycom and isolved publish no cancellation terms in our research, so ask for the notice period, early termination fee and record access window in writing before you sign.

Moving HR and payroll at once is a bigger job than moving payroll alone. Our payroll outsourcing guide has a mid-year switch checklist, and our Rippling vs. BambooHR and Paycom vs. Paylocity comparisons go head to head.

Who should skip all-in-one software

  • Teams of a few people who only need payroll: payroll-only software from $35 a month plus $6 per person is cheaper. See best payroll software.
  • Companies that want someone else to do the HR work: look at a PEO or HR outsourcing.
  • Larger multi-entity employers that need RFP-level terms: see enterprise payroll.

Bottom line: If you want to see the price before you call sales, Gusto and Justworks are the HR-and-payroll options with posted prices, and BambooHR publishes its HR side. For HR, payroll and IT in one system, Rippling leads, but get a written quote with every module. For mid-size teams that want a full HCM, get Paylocity, Paycom and Paycor to quote against each other.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best HR and payroll software?
On HRPricing's HR scores (October 17, 2026), the order is Gusto (61), Justworks (59), BambooHR (54), Rippling (30), then Paycor and Paylocity (23 each). Paycom (12) and isolved (10) have payroll scores only. Gusto and Justworks are the only ones with published HR-plus-payroll prices (checked October 16, 2026); Rippling, Paylocity, Paycor, Paycom and isolved are quote only.
How much does HR and payroll software cost?
For 10 employees: $200 a month on Gusto Plus, $400 on Gusto Premium, $790 on Justworks PEO Basic, and $144 for OnPay payroll with its HR add-on, per pricing pages checked October 16, 2026. Quote-only suites such as Paylocity are estimated by OutSail (July 2026) at $18 to $22 per employee per month for core payroll and HR.
How much does Paylocity HR and payroll cost?
Paylocity does not publish prices. OutSail (July 24, 2026, from its mid-market advisory data) estimates $18 to $22 per employee per month for core payroll and HR, $26 to $33 for the full HCM, and implementation at 10% to 20% of first-year spend. At 25 employees, that core estimate is $450 to $550 a month.
Which company does HR, payroll and IT in one system?
Rippling. It runs payroll inside a platform that also handles HR, devices and app access. It is quote only; its FAQ says plans start at $8 per employee per month plus a monthly base fee it does not state (checked October 16, 2026).
Is BambooHR payroll free?
Only as a promotion. BambooHR lists payroll at $0 through December 31, 2026 with a 12-month agreement, excluding implementation and multi-state fees. The regular payroll add-on price is not published. BambooHR's HR software costs $10 to $25 per employee a month, or $250 to $650 a month flat for 25 or fewer employees.
Should I choose HR and payroll software or a PEO?
Choose software if you already have benefits or want to stay the only employer; choose a PEO if you need large-group health plans and HR help bundled in. At 10 employees, Gusto Plus costs $200 a month and Justworks PEO Basic $790 before premiums (checked October 16, 2026), but the PEO price may replace broker and workers' comp costs.
Sources (32)
  1. Rippling: Rippling pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  2. Gusto: Gusto pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  3. Gusto: Gusto payroll terms (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  4. Gusto: Cancel your company's Gusto account (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  5. Paylocity: Paylocity pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  6. Paycor: Paycor pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  7. Paycom: Paycom pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  8. isolved: isolved (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  9. Justworks: Justworks pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  10. BambooHR: BambooHR pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  11. OnPay: OnPay pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  12. OutSail: How much does Paylocity cost in 2026 (Jul 24, 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  13. Fit Small Business: Paycom review (updated Jul 7, 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  14. Fit Small Business: Paycor review (updated May 29, 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  15. IRS: Active CPEO list (report date Aug 7, 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  16. G2: Rippling reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  17. G2: Gusto reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  18. G2: Paylocity reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  19. G2: Paycor reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  20. G2: Paycom reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  21. G2: isolved reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  22. G2: Justworks reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  23. G2: BambooHR reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  24. Trustpilot: Rippling reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  25. Trustpilot: Gusto reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  26. Trustpilot: Paylocity reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  27. Trustpilot: Paycor reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  28. Trustpilot: Paycom reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  29. Trustpilot: isolved reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  30. Trustpilot: Justworks reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  31. Trustpilot: BambooHR reviews (checked Oct 16, 2026)
  32. Capterra: Rippling reviews, page 6 (checked Oct 16, 2026)

This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rules and rates change, so check the official source linked above before you file or sign a contract. Read our disclaimer.

Checked Oct 17See Gusto pricing on Gusto’s site