What is Paylocity?
Paylocity is an HR and payroll software provider founded in 1997 that unifies HR, payroll, finance, and IT on a single, innovative platform. Originally started solely as a payroll service, it has expanded to include global payroll, human resources, workforce management, talent management, benefits administration, and employee experience organization.
With Paylocity, you can automate payroll processes, manage tax & HR compliance, simplify everyday payroll tasks, streamline expenses, and more. Thus, you can spend less time on fixing the payroll and more time on growing your business.
The employees can access their payroll and benefits, update their personal information, and request time off.
You can also collaborate with your team members and manage everything from onboarding to performance management, ensuring everyone stays on the same page with HR operations.
Quick Overview of Paylocity
Overview | Paylocity |
---|---|
Starting price | Custom pricing (contact for quote) |
Free Trial | No free trial available |
Key Features | – Payroll Processing – HR Management – Time & Attendance – Benefits Administration |
Best for | Mid-sized businesses (50-500 employees) |
Customer support | – Phone – 24/7 online chat – Knowledge base |
Automation | Payroll automation, Tax filing, Direct deposits |
Integration | 350+ integrations, including QuickBooks, Xero, Sage Intacct, Oracle NetSuite, SAP Concur, Salesforce, BambooHR |
Pros and Cons of Paylocity
Pros
- User-friendly with modern interface: Paylocity is user-friendly with a modern interface, simplifying daily payroll tasks and users consistently praise it for being easy to navigate and use.
- Comprehensive integration capabilities: It integrates with major software and offers an API for custom integrations. The Paylocity Marketplace has pre-built connectors to hundreds of third-party apps for HR, finance, and benefits.
- Strong payroll and compliance support: Paylocity is a Registered Reporting Agent with the IRS in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Guam, ensuring robust tax compliance and payroll accuracy.
- Global payroll capabilities: Paylocity provides integrated global payroll with real-time access to aggregated payroll data across 100+ countries through seamlessly integrated solutions.
Cons
- No free trial available: As Paylocity doesn’t offer a free trial, it limits the ability to test the platform before committing.
- Implementation complexity: For some users, implementation takes longer than expected and requires significant time and resources, with setup processes being more complicated than necessary.
Paylocity Pricing
Paylocity does not publish its pricing publicly and uses a custom quote model based on your specific business needs. Like many competitors in the HR space, Paylocity asks companies to request tailored quotes rather than offering transparent pricing online.
The pricing structure is based on a per-employee-per-month (PEPM) model, which means costs scale with your workforce size. The exact cost depends on:
- Number of employees in the organization,
- Specific modules and features selected,
- Implementation and customization requirements, and
- Level of support needed.
To get accurate pricing for your business, you’ll need to:
- Contact Paylocity’s sales team,
- Schedule a demo to discuss your requirements, and
- Get a customized quote based on your needs.
Paylocity Main Features
Payroll Processing
Paylocity’s payroll module handles everything from gross-to-net calculations to direct deposits and year-end tax filings. The software provides employees with a mobile-friendly portal to view pay stubs, update personal information, and access previous tax documents. Thus, it reduces HR inquiries and administrative friction.
You can automate wage calculations, manage deductions, handle garnishments with expert support, and ensure compliance across all states. The platform streamlines the entire payroll process from start to finish.
HR Management
The human resources module serves as a single point of record for all employee information, allowing HR teams to manage employee data, compliance, and workflows from a centralized location.
You can handle onboarding, offboarding, document management, compliance tracking, and employee lifecycle management. It provides customizable workflows for common HR tasks and templates for streamlined processes.
Paylocity has announced the launch of Paylocity for Finance, a new product that integrates financial management capabilities within its Human Capital Management (HCM) platform. This initiative aims to unify HR and finance teams.
Time & Attendance
Accurate timekeeping is necessary for payroll, labor cost control, and compliance, and Paylocity offers comprehensive time tracking solutions including mobile, web, kiosk, and time clock collection methods.
You can track employee hours, manage schedules, handle time-off requests, and ensure labor law compliance. The system integrates seamlessly with payroll processing for accurate wage calculations.
Benefits Administration
Managing benefits is one of the most demanding HR activities. Paylocity simplifies the process by providing enrollment tools, carrier connections, ACA compliance reporting, and life event tracking.
Employees can enroll in benefits, view their information, and make changes through the self-service portal. The platform handles complex benefits administration while ensuring compliance with regulations.
Employee Engagement Tools
Paylocity emphasizes employee engagement through social collaboration hubs, recognition programs, surveys, and culture-building tools.
You can foster better workplace communication, track employee satisfaction, and build a stronger company culture through integrated engagement features.
Reporting & Analytics
The platform provides detailed reporting capabilities with customizable dashboards, standard reports, and analytics tools. You can track key HR metrics, monitor compliance, and generate insights for strategic decision-making.
Reports cover payroll, benefits, time tracking, employee data, and performance metrics, giving you comprehensive visibility into your workforce operations.
Paylocity Support Quality
Paylocity provides phone, email, and 24/7 online chat support, along with extensive knowledge base resources and training materials.
Customer service receives high marks with “fast response times whenever support is needed,” though some users have noted occasional delays during peak periods.
The platform offers implementation consultants, self-paced training courses, live virtual training, and customized onboarding to help organizations get started effectively.
Response times are generally quick across all support channels, with dedicated account management available for larger organizations.
Paylocity Alternatives
ADP Workforce Now | BambooHR | Workday HCM | |
---|---|---|---|
Starting Price | $59-159/employee/month | $6.19/employee/month | Custom pricing |
Free Plan | No | No | No |
Best For | Large enterprises | Small-mid businesses | Large enterprises |
Global Payroll | Yes | Limited | Yes |
Implementation Fee | Custom | Included | Custom |
Mobile App | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Integration Count | 300+ | 125+ | 500+ |
Summary
Overall, Paylocity is one of the better HRIS systems available, particularly well-suited for mid-sized businesses with around 50-500 employees. It provides a comprehensive, user-friendly platform that streamlines HR and payroll operations while offering strong integration capabilities and compliance support.
With its modern interface, strategic technology acquisitions, and global payroll services, Paylocity excels in payroll management, user experience, and integration capabilities. The platform successfully bridges the gap between simple payroll providers and complex enterprise solutions.
While it lacks a free trial and can have complex implementation requirements, its extensive feature set, scalability, and strong customer support make it an excellent choice for growing organizations seeking to modernize their HR operations.

Try Paylocity Now
Streamline your HR and payroll operations with Paylocity’s comprehensive platform. Contact them for a personalized demo and pricing quote today.