11 Best Benefits Administration Systems (2024)

The first thing that we love is Deel HR is free! Not only is it free, it still offers all the bells and whistles of your typical paid platforms. I like that you can use Deel as the employer of record for international employees. Deel ensures we are compliant with local labor laws. Deel HR has replaced our need to purchase an HRIS system to serve as our employee management system.

We purchased Deel because we were seeking an affordable HR tool for our startup company. We were experiencing pain in the areas of documentation management, managing employee files on multiple databases, and wanted to streamline our operations. We were also seeking an onboarding solution that could integrate with our recruitment process. Deel has helped us centralize our HR functions and improve our efficiency in managing employee data and onboarding new hires.

The cost for the employer of record is very high for a startup company. This is an amazing solution to offer for a growing company, but I wish the price was lower or split into two payments across the month. Although it is easy to navigate, the UI could be nicer.

Deel is a one-stop shop for domestic and international hires. They have a built-in background check and visa and EOR in one platform. Other platforms require the use of multiple tools to accomplish these tasks.

First, they need to consider their hiring needs. Determine how many international hires annually to be able to do a cost-benefit analysis. They also need to have a defined hiring workflow to determine if Deel has everything they need to enhance their existing workflow.

Deel has done a great job with API and adding new integrations as the market evolves.

Global and domestic organizations of all sizes.

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.

Gusto offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy to navigate various tasks. Their system consolidates our processes and reduces the need for multiple platforms. Additionally, they provide excellent customer support, offering timely assistance whenever needed.

We chose Gusto due to its comprehensive payroll, benefits, and HR solutions, streamlining our administrative processes. The user-friendly interface and automation features enhance efficiency. Overall, Gusto has been a valuable asset to our HR team.

• While Gusto is comprehensive, we have encountered some challenges with integrating it with other existing HR tools. Also, there are instances where we wished for more customization options within Gusto.
• Periodic updates to the platform have previously disrupted our workflow.

Gusto is a bit more user-friendly. Also, their comprehensive approach distinguishes them from competitors that may offer specialized services but not the same breadth of integrated solutions.

Ensure it aligns with your organization's specific needs and growth objectives. Also, look for a platform that is intuitive and requires minimal training for your team to navigate and operate effectively.

Given the dynamic nature of tax regulations and HR compliance, Gusto has demonstrated platform update agility. Over time, they have refined the platform's interface, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.

It seems to be best fit for smaller organizations.

The process of adding a new employee to the payroll system is straightforward and efficient. The system alerts are manageable and provide proactive notifications of any potential issues before payroll is finalized. Additionally, tax documents and year-end statements are mailed automatically without any extra fees, making it a hassle-free service.

We decided to switch to Onpay because it had a strong reputation. During our research, many recommendations pointed toward this system. Once we began learning it, we found it very easy to use. We appreciated that it offered a comprehensive package for all our payroll needs. A bonus was that it’s a cloud-based program with lifetime access, which is crucial for HR as we often need to access past records. Onpay is affordable and overall very user-friendly.

The manual check process can be time-consuming for companies that issue a lot of manual checks. Setting up 401(k) deductions can be confusing if there are unusual requests. Payroll education and support for new employees could be improved with better FAQs or online tutorials.

Onpay is very easy to navigate, and the cloud-based functionality adds extra convenience and security. I prefer cloud-based services as they offer better protection, especially in case of risks to your HRIS systems or databases.

Consider how many paychecks are processed each month and the total number of employees. Are your current processes streamlined, and how complex are your payroll deductions? It's also important to review how many errors typically occur during payroll runs and whether the tool can minimize those.

Onpay listens to user suggestions and continuously adapts to improve over time.

Onpay is ideal for medium-sized organizations with fewer than 1,000 employees.

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.

Ease of use. Subject matter expert for international payroll. Takes away the liability of mishandling payroll due to lack of knowledge.

We started working with Papaya Global because we needed a way to pay our employees located in Peru. We are currently with a PEO and they do not cover international payroll. We have been using them for a year now.

I cannot think of anything the company could use to improve at this time.

Their pricing is more competitive than the competition.

Ease of use, knowledge base, global reach in case you need to expand to other areas, pricing.

Any organization could use their services if they have a need to handle payroll internationally and do not have internal resources that can facilitate the process.

The HR system was easy to use and set up, making the transition from our previous, more disorganized HR processes smooth. The employee self-service feature was excellent, reducing the amount of data entry and admin work for our HR team. The continuous feedback appraisal system allowed us to appraise staff more regularly with minimal increases in administrative tasks.

There wasn’t a significant problem driving the decision. The organization had been managing HR through payroll software, Excel files, and Word documents. As the company grew, it wanted to consolidate and centralize HR into a single system that could be accessed online. Namely provided an all-in-one HR solution that handled payroll, HR records, and talent management. We used Namely for about a year or two.

Customer support wasn’t as responsive as it could have been. The reporting features are somewhat limited and don’t fully meet our needs, requiring us to do a fair amount of manual reporting. The portal is not as intuitive as other HR tools I’ve used.

The user interface and workflow are not as intuitive as some competitors. However, I appreciate the integration with payroll and timesheets, which not many systems do well. I also like that it offers managed services add-ons, such as payroll and benefits, which become more relevant as the business grows and becomes more complex.

Ensure the tool has a comprehensive records system and both employee and manager self-service features. Efficient onboarding and offboarding functionality are essential, as these processes can be time-consuming. A continuous appraisal feedback system is also important, as this approach to performance management is becoming the norm.

There has been better integration between its modules.

Namely is suitable for all kinds of organizations but particularly good for smaller organizations due to its affordable entry-level pricing.

• 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.

Recognizing the inefficiencies of siloed HR systems, we implemented Rippling to centralize payroll, benefits, onboarding, and even IT management. This user-friendly platform automates tasks, boosting departmental efficiency. Employees are empowered through a self-service portal, freeing up HR time for strategic initiatives. Rippling prioritizes security, giving us peace of mind. Overall, it streamlines processes and empowers our workforce.

Before implementing Rippling, we juggled multiple siloed systems for payroll, benefits administration, and onboarding. It was time-consuming and error-prone to manage everything separately. Rippling offered a single platform to manage everything in one place, allowing for a more efficient and centralized approach. This has not only saved my client a significant amount of time but also improved the employee experience by providing a user-friendly portal for them to access their benefits information, make changes, and complete onboarding tasks.

Rippling isn't without limitations. Extensive customization for unique needs might require extra development work. Some reviews suggest scalability limitations for massive enterprises. Thankfully, these haven't been dealbreakers for us, and the overall benefits outweigh the downsides.

Unlike competitors with clunky interfaces, Rippling prioritizes user-friendliness for both HR and employees. It goes beyond just payroll or benefits, offering a single platform for HR, IT, and some finance needs. This centralization eliminates juggling multiple systems and fosters smoother workflows. Rippling's focus on automation frees up HR from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on bigger picture initiatives. Ultimately, Rippling stands out for its user experience, comprehensive approach, and focus on streamlining HR processes.

Selecting HR software requires introspection. Identify your core needs - is it strong payroll, benefits, or something else? Prioritize user-friendly interfaces for both HR and employees. Finally, decide if a one-stop-shop like Rippling suits you, or if best-in-breed solutions for specific areas are preferable.

Rippling keeps evolving to meet user needs. They've expanded beyond core HR functions, offering features like bill pay. Automation is increasing, freeing up HR professionals. User experience remains a focus, with ongoing improvements based on feedback.

Rippling shines for SMBs - easy to use and centralizes HR for them. Fast-growing companies benefit from its scalability and automation for a growing workforce. It also excels for those seeking streamlined workflows and a user-friendly experience for both HR and employees.

The initial setup was very simple. Onboarding new hires was streamlined. Benefits were offered in all 50 states via TriNet, making employee enrollment very streamlined. The shared company holiday schedule was useful for PTO scheduling.

The company was aggressively growing and sought to reduce the fees associated with a PEO. They were using a nationwide PEO that was unable/unwilling to break out their fees. We were seeking an ASO model when we found Zenefits.

I used Zenefits for two years. At the time, Zenefits was rapidly growing, and their struggles were being passed onto the clients, so it was best for us to move to another service.

When we were using Zenefits, adding a state to their system for payroll was not easy, and some states they didn't process at all. There is better software out there for payroll administration.

Zenefits enrollment did not include an eVerify connection, forcing HR to add the process of filing separately with eVerify.

If you're a very small business (under 5 employees), you pay for 5 employees regardless if your team is 2 or 3 people. Payroll is an add-on, and you have to pay a separate per-employee fee.

I prefer Gusto over Zenefits. Gusto is made for full-cycle HR included in one price. Zenefits also offers this, but you're charged for it.

HR Administration: Zenefits is user-friendly for employees. It is much more beneficial to the team if they have control over their data (bank accounts, split of accounts for deposit, tax forms, location, phone, etc.). Zenefits will also deploy notices to the team, handbooks, manage all PTO (custom or select from prewritten plans), and holidays.

Payroll: In Zenefits, this is an add-on. It is a good one and works seamlessly with their timekeeping systems. As with most payroll systems, it integrates into Xero or QuickBooks. They also take care of federal and state filings, 1099s, and W-2s.

Recruiting: This is a huge pro for me. Zenefits works with JazzHR for applicant tracking. Both are very easy to implement and utilize. It's built into the system.

Tech Support: The Zenefits team was on top of it. Nothing is that difficult in their system. However, tweaks you need can be easily talked through with their tech team.

Zenefits has changed substantially since I used it for a small business. They have been purchased by TriNet (Healthcare Benefits). TriNet needed what Zenefits had to offer (HRIS technology). Together, they create a very robust HR management solution.

Zenefits is a great system for a small company with a small HR department (under 100 total employees). Even an HR department of one can run HR for a business under 50 with Zenefits.