11 Best Benefits Administration Systems (2024)

• I appreciated Deel for its user-friendly interface and straightforward usability.
• It was easy to navigate and intuitive, which made managing tasks efficient.
• The sales representative I interacted with was highly competent and responsive, which enhanced the overall experience of using the platform.

Replit bought Deel because of its global capacities, and I have used it for six months. It helped with the global side of payroll and compliance. It assisted in managing expenses when people onboarded, traveled, and took paid time off or leaves of absence. Other considerations included hiring contractors on their platform, which made it easier to hire people from different countries. This greatly diversified the workforce.

• I found Deel somewhat costly, and accessing the backend could be challenging if you weren't familiar with its setup.
• It takes time to get familiar with different systems.
• Keeping up with international laws was occasionally problematic and required multiple communications to align everyone. I appreciate that Deel is actively expanding its platform to address these issues.

Deel stands out due to its strong innovation and proactive market presence. Compared to Rippling, they were more responsive, which led me to believe that we should have onboarded everyone onto their platform. Deel's proactive approach to innovation kept them ahead in the market, offering solutions that were more responsive and tailored to our needs compared to Rippling. Their platform's capabilities and customer service exceeded expectations, making the transition smooth and efficient. Deel proved to be a valuable partner in streamlining operations and enhancing our business processes.

When considering Deel as an HR person, think about the specific needs of your organization, such as managing remote workers across different countries and ensuring compliance with international labor laws. Evaluate Deel's platform for its user-friendliness, scalability, and ability to handle payroll and contractor management efficiently. Consider the responsiveness and support provided by their customer service team, especially in resolving issues related to backend access and legal compliance. Assess Deel's pricing structure to ensure it aligns with your budget and provides value for the services offered.

Deel has continually adapted to meet users' evolving needs by enhancing its platform's functionality and user interface, making it more intuitive and user-friendly. They have expanded their global capabilities, allowing businesses to manage remote teams across diverse jurisdictions seamlessly. Deel's responsiveness to customer feedback has led to improvements in customer support and backend accessibility, ensuring smoother operations for HR professionals managing payroll and compliance tasks internationally. These advancements highlight Deel's commitment to evolving alongside the needs of modern businesses, facilitating efficient and compliant workforce management worldwide.

Deel is well-suited for small and medium-sized companies, offering capabilities that cater to their needs effectively. One standout feature is the ability to update people's compensation promptly, which proves beneficial for companies planning growth and scalability. This feature ensures that organizations can adapt quickly to changing circumstances and reward their workforce dynamically, fostering a supportive environment for ongoing expansion.

The platform was easy to onboard new employees, and select and edit all personal and employment details. Employees and Contractors were paid timely and we never ran into any payroll issues of people not being paid on time. We had monthly calls with our Account Rep who was always willing to step in to escalate or help answer any questions we had or anything that came up that was employee specific.

Our org purchased the platform so we could pay and offer benefits to our international employees. I used Remote for just under 2 years. We had over 50 employees in 5-10 different states and using this platform allowed us to offer benefits in those local countries, along with any other country-specific benefits that in some cases we were required to offer. Remote also served as our EOR, employer of record, and provided legal protections related to employee terminations. All international employees and contractors were onboarded into the platform at hire and could access their portal at any time.

There was no reporting function. There would be payroll reconciliations each month, sometimes there was a payment due to us and other times we underfunded accounts, this posed problems with forecasting and budgeting for our finance team. It was unclear and not detailed on employee pay stubs to see what the benefits breakdown was for employees and employers. Meaning who was covering what percentage or what amount was being paid by each party on a biweekly or monthly basis.

I know Remote is an EOR and not all international platforms are. Over the last year I used a different international platform and did prefer that over Remote. The functionality was built out more, support was more responsive and as the HR admin I had more control over the contracts and editing.

How many employees or contractors you are planning to hire internationally. Does Remote support those countries and in what way? What is your annual budget for an International HRIS tool? How do you want federal taxes to be withheld from international employees or contractors? Do you want to offer benefits to international employees? If so, what benefit tiers are you looking to offer, can Remote support your company goals.

Remote increased the number of countries they offered onboarding and hiring during the time I used the platform.

Companies looking to hire internationally and ones' where they do not want to be the Employer of Record and would prefer the HRIS have an entity in the countries you are looking to hire in and be the EOR.

The interface is user-friendly. Benefits deductions are seamlessly integrated with payroll processing. I appreciate how support tickets are efficiently tracked within Gusto.

Our small business needed a cost-effective payroll solution, and Gusto provided an affordable option. We've been using it for just under a year to manage payroll for our two employees. We also needed a solution for direct 401k deductions from our payroll, which has allowed us to save on taxes with pre-tax deductions.

I am not pleased that the support team seems to be outsourced outside of the USA, which occasionally makes me question the accuracy of the information provided. Also, I wish I didn't have to use one of their partners to integrate our 401k plan.

Gusto's interface is superior to many competitors with its ease of use and straightforward setup. It intuitively understands my needs without requiring setup in multiple areas to achieve the desired functionality.

Gusto might not be ideal for larger companies. It can be challenging to manage frequent payroll changes due to the platform's complexity in this area.

Since I am relatively new to using Gusto, I am not familiar with its historical changes or updates.

Gusto is very well-suited for small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.

We are a small non-profit, and they provide us with a non-profit discount. It has all the functionality we need without being overly complicated. Processing payroll is quick and easy.

We bought OnPay because it seemed to be the best fit for our organization. It has all the functionality we need to handle HR and payroll for our small group of employees. It is robust enough to meet our needs but not overly complicated like some of the larger systems. It is easy to use, yet it allows us to process multi-state payroll and manage our employees' time off. It also includes all the basic reporting that we require.

It doesn't offer much in terms of custom reporting. Much of the HR information requires navigating to individual employee records to view. You can't edit a benefit plan once it's created; you have to make a new one to implement any changes.

OnPay is really the only system of its type and size that I've used, so I can't say how it compares to competitors. It is much simpler than ADP or UKG, which I have used, but we are getting it for a fraction of the cost. The simplicity of the system actually works well for our team.

Consider the needs of your business and team. OnPay is a fairly basic HR and payroll system. It covers all the essentials, but if you need extensive reporting or numerous integrations with other systems, you might want to explore a higher-tier HR/payroll solution. Additionally, consider cost. Even without the non-profit discount, it's a very economical solution compared to some of the larger providers.

I haven't noticed any significant changes since we started using OnPay, but as I mentioned, it already meets our needs.

I believe OnPay is great for smaller companies that don't need extensive features in their HR and payroll system.

Working with Bennie's team is one of the best aspects of Bennie. They make benefits easy to understand for HR professionals and employees. Bennie prioritizes helpfulness over sales. Their app saves the HR team time and simplifies benefits navigation for employees.

Our company chose Bennie because our previous insurance broker was not very helpful. Bennie's team was supportive from the beginning, breaking down benefits concepts and information clearly. They also secured better pricing for our benefits. Their tech-focused and innovative approach was a significant factor in our decision. We used Bennie for at least two years while I was with the company.

I can't find much to dislike about Bennie. More clarity about timing for adding new employees to the system would be helpful. It would also help if customer success managers set specific dates for renewals. However, these issues are minor.

Bennie leads with helpfulness and acts as an extension of the HR team. They have been customer-focused from the start, with an amazing support team. While competitors may be catching up, Bennie was built on this helpful approach.

Consider the cost savings from a benefits perspective, as this is where most savings will come from. Time savings are also crucial; directing benefits questions to Bennie saved me a lot of time. Assess how they present information and whether they offer options and suggestions to improve your benefits strategy. Evaluate if they help you benchmark your current position.

They have increased their services and partnerships. As the benefits landscape changes, Bennie keeps up with these shifts.

Bennie is suitable for anyone looking to improve their benefits and benefits strategy.

Customer service is exceptional; you really feel that they are part of your team. I also loved the guarantees of local compliance, which created great trust with our in-house auditors. The ability to see the big picture of our workforce globally was also crucial, as it provided a great understanding of the workforce map and enabled strategic moves on the people side of things.

I was setting up PapayaGlobal for one of my previous clients. The reason we needed a tool like this was that we wanted to hire talent from different countries. Previously, we bypassed this by hiring on a "contractor agreement," but we really wanted employees, not contractors. While managing paperwork for EU candidates was somewhat easier, when it came to hires from outside the EU, it was a bit of a nightmare. Our HR team had to learn local employment laws, and we even contacted local lawyers to send us an empty contract so we could be fully compliant. These were the pains that the service greatly alleviated. We saved a lot of time, and audits were less stressful. We used it for about two years, but then the business took another direction.

It took a long time to learn the navigation through the platform; you really need to invest time to learn everything—you cannot just jump in with no training. Sometimes the screen would not load properly; words were overlapping, and it took some reloads for it to work, which was disappointing for a service that charges so much. We also had some issues with invoices; it was not clear how to manage them, but customer service helped with that.

Compliance support and global presence are the main reasons we chose PapayaGlobal. Another key factor is the customer service, which was consistently excellent. I also enjoyed the real-time access to analytics, which was helpful in following trends and monitoring important metrics globally.

First, consider the cost and how the pricing is structured to determine how much value a company can derive from the service at the agreed price point. Another important factor is access to real people who can guide the onboarding and integration with existing tools, which was commendable. Additionally, global access to local labor laws is perhaps the biggest consideration.

PapayaGlobal has evolved, but I believe other platforms have caught up and may be more attractive in their pricing.

PapayaGlobal is great for rapidly scaling businesses that need support in managing a multinational workforce.

1. User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for both HR staff and teams.
2. Integrations: It integrates payroll, benefits administration, and performance management, streamlining processes and eliminating the need for scattered Google Sheets.
3. Employee Self-Service: The self-service portal allows employees to manage their personal information, view pay stubs, and access benefits details independently, saving us time from routine administrative tasks. This is the future of HR, as automation should be adopted across the board.

At Impactable, we chose Namely because we were overwhelmed by managing too many HR systems that didn’t integrate well. It was challenging to keep up with payroll and benefits manually, so we needed a solution that could consolidate everything and simplify our processes, allowing us to focus on developing the new platform.

Namely turned out to be a great choice. It has a user-friendly interface that even the least tech-savvy among us can navigate with minimal training. The employee self-service portal was something we didn’t realize we needed, but it has been incredibly helpful in allowing the team to manage their own holidays and benefits without constantly contacting HR.

The analytics and reporting tools, while not initially a priority, have also proven useful. I’ve been using Namely for two years now, and overall, it has greatly improved our organization’s efficiency.

1. Customer Service Issues: The customer service can be slow and sometimes unresponsive, which is disappointing given the quality of the product.
2. Integration Challenges: It took time to get the integrations working correctly, and we had to invest considerable effort in training everyone to manage them.
3. Reporting Features: The reporting features are difficult to use and have limited customization options, which was a letdown.

Namely is much easier to use compared to other HR tools, with everything from payroll to benefits consolidated in one place. It has a sleek interface, and the employee self-service portal allows staff to manage their own information. Unlike some competitors, Namely offers solid reporting tools and continuous updates, keeping the platform modern and efficient. Overall, it simplifies HR tasks better than many competitors, although I haven’t used many similar tools recently, so they might have improved as well.

1. Ease of Use: Ensure the platform is user-friendly for both HR staff and employees.
2. Integration Capabilities: Look for seamless integration with existing systems such as payroll, benefits, and other HR tools you already use.
3. Customer Support: Check the quality and responsiveness of customer support, as effective support is crucial for resolving issues quickly.
4. Feature Set: Evaluate the range of features offered, such as employee self-service, performance management, and reporting capabilities, to ensure the tool meets all your HR needs. Avoid tools that require additional services to cover all necessary functions, as there are comprehensive solutions available.

The interface has improved, and integrations are smoother. However, customer service hasn’t seen much improvement.

Namely is particularly well-suited for mid-sized organizations with 50 to 1,000 employees across various sectors such as media, technology, and eCommerce. It's ideal for companies looking for an all-in-one HR solution that integrates payroll, benefits, and performance management. Businesses that require comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to make informed HR decisions will also benefit significantly from Namely’s features.

• The platform is user-friendly for both employers and employees.
• It provides a centralized system to manage all employee benefits.
• It simplifies and streamlines the open enrollment process.

Maxwell Health was provided to my company through our insurance provider. Prior to this, my company did not have a centralized platform for managing employee benefits. Maxwell streamlined our open enrollment process and overall benefits management. It provided a single platform for employees to access and manage their benefits easily.

Additionally, it simplified benefits administration for the HR team, making the process much more efficient.

• It can be challenging to get direct support within the system.
• There were occasional issues with employee records after they updated their personal information.
• From an employer’s perspective, it was difficult to make changes during open enrollment once the official deadline had passed.

Maxwell offers a simplified and user-friendly platform that employees can easily navigate and understand.

Pricing should be a key consideration when selecting a platform. Ensure the tool is user-friendly for both employers and employees to avoid unnecessary complications. Integration with your payroll platform is highly beneficial for seamless administration.

Confirm that it is compatible with your offered benefits and your insurance broker’s platform(s) to avoid technical issues.

he platform has undergone slight modifications to improve usability, making it more user-friendly for employees.

Maxwell is well-suited for organizations that provide multiple benefits to their employees.

Ease of setting up and configuring automation during the onboarding process allowed for key touchpoints to be made during an integral stage of employment. Rippling also served as a single sign-on for the Google suite products our organization used. We received multiple compliments from employees on how easy the system was to use from their perspective.

My organization wanted to move away from an HRIS that was not cost-effective. After vetting multiple HRIS options, we decided to go with Rippling. The relationship with the sales and implementation team was seamless. Rippling offered a fully integrated payroll and HRIS system at an affordable cost. My organization used Rippling during the final year we were in business and should have made the switch sooner.

There were extra fees related to year-end tax filings, such as ACA and 1095 forms. The reporting function had some limitations; while several report templates were already built in, much of the data we needed required creating custom reports. Not all of the "fun" areas of the system were included in the core package. We could have done a lot more with Rippling but simply did not have the budget to add on the additional functions.

It felt very modern from both an Administrator standpoint and an employee perspective. It did not feel like an outdated system like some others, which was something that stood out to my organization, especially being in the SaaS space.

I suggest identifying which HRIS features are most important for your organization. Some may prioritize a robust reporting function, while others may need compliant payroll across multiple states. Once those key features are identified, avoid compromising if possible. Also, consider the Administrator who will be heavily involved in the system each day—what tools do they need to succeed, how can this system help streamline their current processes, and how can it improve overall efficiency?

Unfortunately, I do not have enough experience with this system to accurately answer this question, as my organization was only with Rippling for 12 months.

Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a modern approach to HRIS and payroll. An ideal user would be someone who wants to embrace technology and utilize it in standard processes.

Benefits administration is the main strength of Zenefits. It provides a smooth and streamlined administrative experience that requires very little workload from the organization. It then provides a user-friendly and clean experience for employees to easily move through their benefits enrollment.

Documentation is another area I appreciated with Zenefits. To maintain employee communication and documentation of said communication, Zenefits immediately offered the ability to communicate with affected employees (which would then be documented within the system) when a change is made.

Reporting is also done well. While I have experienced HRISs that I favor over Zenefits' reporting tool, I have no complaints when it comes to the ability to pull the necessary data to perform my job.

My organization signed on with Zenefits before I started working here. The key need was to have an HRIS platform that can handle benefits administration and payroll. The organization used Zenefits for four years, and I personally used it for three to four years. Once I became the main user, the benefits exceeded just benefits administration and payroll; it became my main resource for reporting data, home to bi-annual performance reviews, and goal tracking for individuals, teams, and company goals. While there wasn’t necessarily a problem to solve because this was the company’s first HR/payroll system, it did exactly what it was needed to do.

Zenefits is not a culture-friendly HRIS. It does what you need it to do in terms of data management and reporting, but if you’re looking for something that employees feel comfortable going to for information and a platform to use for culture pieces like announcements and fun communication, there are better options.

The performance management tool did not provide enough customizable features to tailor to the needs of the company, nor did it provide settings that offered ease of use for the administrators.

Integration strength is low. While there is the ability to connect systems, they still link out to the connected system versus staying within Zenefits for a more user-friendly employee experience.

Zenefits is not an overall tool I would prefer over others I have experience with, with one exception. I would rank Zenefits higher than UKG. Zenefits has a more basic and cleaner interface than the much more clunky and outdated UKG.

If the company is just getting started and needs a clean and easy-to-use tool for employee data management that will do the heavy lifting for benefits administration and employee onboarding, Zenefits is a great option. However, if the company is looking to build out a fun employee culture that is built around performance management and goal setting, training, etc., and wants to use their HRIS as the platform for that, I do not recommend Zenefits. But if the company is okay with having a variety of platforms for their employees to focus on different areas of the HR facets, Zenefits will cover employee data management and benefits administration well.

This was one of my main complaints toward the end of my time with Zenefits. They were bought out by Trinet, and it felt that upgrades and new feature implementation became stagnant and halted growth. Zenefits was no longer growing with my organization; the little things we were able to manage manually and the system itself were no longer able to cover our needs.

Zenefits is great for a young company without a dedicated HR person.