Paychex Flex vs. Rippling

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Paychex Flex
Score 6.6 out of 10
N/A
Paychex Flex, of Paychex' Online Payroll Services, is a cloud-based human resource management and payroll platform. Paychex offers core and specialized services, and scales to meet the needs of small businesses, SMBs, and large enterprises.
$59
per month/+$4 per employee
Rippling
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
Rippling gives businesses one place to run HR, IT, and Finance. It brings together all of the workforce systems that are normally scattered across a company, like payroll, expenses, benefits, and computers. This enables users to manage and automate every part of the employee lifecycle in a single system. For example, when onboarding a new employee, Rippling can take a new hire from anywhere in the world and set up their payroll, corporate card, computer, benefits, and even third-party…
$8
starting price per user, per month
Pricing
Paychex FlexRippling
Editions & Modules
Paychex Go
$59
per month/+$4 per employee
Paychex Flex Service
Contact sales team
Paychex Flex Enterprise
Contact sales team
Recommended
$8.00
starting price per user, per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Paychex FlexRippling
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredNo setup fee
Additional DetailsFor additional pricing details visit the Rippling pricing page.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Paychex FlexRippling
Considered Both Products
Paychex Flex

No answer on this topic

Rippling
Chose Rippling
In comparison to Paychex Flex, ADP and Zenefits, I think Rippling is designed with an edge of modernity. Rippling's features are more relevant and up-to-date. The platform is designed in a way that is straightforward and easy to use. So far I haven't been confused as to where …
Chose Rippling
The ease of use and admin and employee interface of Rippling blows Paychex Flex out of the water. For a young and tech-oriented startup, Rippling is by far a better fit for our team!

Paylocity has some more nitty-gritty payroll editing and adjustment capabilities, which I hope …
Chose Rippling
Rippling is an user-friendly application system and has powerful automation tools. Also is visibly more integrative.
Chose Rippling
I am a user - I didn't select Rippling for my company. However, as a user, Rippling was far easier to navigate, manage, and view my employment and benefits info.
Chose Rippling
Rippling's HRIS is similar in quality to BambooHR and Workday. However, where Rippling outshines those platforms is in its added functionality and connection to other portions of the platform as well as other applications. Being able to have our HRIS and Payroll Software on the …
Chose Rippling
Rippling was by far the better option. ADPs offerings were terrible and I would not recommend anyone to go with them. Aside from the poor support/service and inability to be fully customizable, there were glaring issues regarding compliance. When we were in a PEO Model …
Chose Rippling
Ultimately we selected Rippling because it felt like the most comprehensive, tech forward solution on the market. The system is fully integrated and unlike Paychex, it doesn't feel like a bunch of separate systems that were poorly pulled together. The user experience on the web …
Chose Rippling
Paychex is not as comprehensive, doesn't have as many tools or plugins, and is more clunky. There are a lot of things that have to be done manually, like benefit contributions, that result in higher human error. Rippling doesn't feel like a big company, and the customer …
Chose Rippling
The HR department made that decision. I'm not sure why. Rippling seems like a very helpful service, but I'm a new enployee, so I'm not sure why it was considered superior.
Chose Rippling
Traditional payroll software has a clunky user experience. They get the job done, but it's at the expense of more time spent by my HR team in supporting employees in using the software to find what they need. Rippling's self-service features work because it's intuitive and easy …
Chose Rippling
Customer support is much improved over the former company, questions and requests for information are handled rapidly
Chose Rippling
Easier to use and less expensive
Chose Rippling
Rippling has been one of the easiest platforms I've ever used. It gives me the context I need for important decisions like what benefits to select and provides quick, clear insights into my payroll details when I need it.
Chose Rippling
This is a comprehensive platform that makes it easy to take time off work, download and review your pay stubs, communicate with your team on a communal message board and view your health insurance status, and more relating to your benefits.The platform is also very intuitive to …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Paychex FlexRippling
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
6.7
247 Ratings
16% below category average
Rippling
8.0
546 Ratings
2% above category average
Employee demographic data8.0197 Ratings7.9362 Ratings
Employment history8.1220 Ratings8.0380 Ratings
Job profiles and administration6.8155 Ratings8.3439 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.7.3154 Ratings8.3371 Ratings
Organizational charting1.01 Ratings8.0461 Ratings
Organization and location management7.9138 Ratings8.3391 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)7.5132 Ratings7.3296 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.5
288 Ratings
6% above category average
Rippling
8.5
590 Ratings
6% above category average
Pay calculation9.0271 Ratings8.6511 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment9.1136 Ratings8.2315 Ratings
Benefit plan administration7.2156 Ratings8.8536 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.2270 Ratings9.0517 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management8.5193 Ratings8.5352 Ratings
Reimbursement management7.9105 Ratings8.0292 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
7.0
144 Ratings
14% below category average
Rippling
8.9
508 Ratings
10% above category average
Approval workflow6.3102 Ratings9.1485 Ratings
Balance details7.5136 Ratings9.0446 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment7.3110 Ratings8.7306 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.5
249 Ratings
5% above category average
Rippling
8.8
630 Ratings
8% above category average
View and generate pay and benefit information8.6228 Ratings9.2592 Ratings
Update personal information9.0239 Ratings9.3619 Ratings
View company policy documentation7.7111 Ratings8.8496 Ratings
View job history8.7168 Ratings8.8419 Ratings
Employee recognition00 Ratings8.1299 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
7.8
40 Ratings
1% above category average
Rippling
7.8
230 Ratings
1% above category average
Tracking of all physical assets7.840 Ratings7.8230 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
6.1
164 Ratings
22% below category average
Rippling
8.2
254 Ratings
8% above category average
Report builder5.7134 Ratings8.0247 Ratings
Pre-built reports6.8154 Ratings7.9232 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data5.683 Ratings8.6197 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.0
158 Ratings
0% below category average
Rippling
8.7
416 Ratings
8% above category average
New hire portal8.0151 Ratings8.8408 Ratings
Manager tracking tools7.9100 Ratings8.7290 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
8.5
59 Ratings
9% above category average
Rippling
8.7
168 Ratings
12% above category average
Job Requisition Management9.732 Ratings9.1128 Ratings
Company Website Posting9.730 Ratings8.4124 Ratings
Publish to Social Media6.823 Ratings8.7115 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting6.730 Ratings8.8117 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention6.828 Ratings8.2118 Ratings
Applicant Tracking9.633 Ratings8.6123 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts9.853 Ratings8.9152 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Rippling
8.6
161 Ratings
5% above category average
Corporate goal setting00 Ratings8.8136 Ratings
Individual goal setting00 Ratings8.6143 Ratings
Line-of sight-visibility00 Ratings8.2138 Ratings
Performance tracking00 Ratings8.7142 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Rippling
8.6
189 Ratings
8% above category average
Performance plans00 Ratings8.3164 Ratings
Performance improvement plans00 Ratings8.3154 Ratings
Review status tracking00 Ratings9.0163 Ratings
Review reminders00 Ratings9.1178 Ratings
Multiple review frequency00 Ratings8.5147 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Paychex Flex
-
Ratings
Rippling
9.1
148 Ratings
14% above category average
Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings8.9123 Ratings
Candidate ranking00 Ratings9.2130 Ratings
Candidate search00 Ratings9.2135 Ratings
Candidate development00 Ratings9.0127 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Paychex FlexRippling
Small Businesses
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Paychex FlexRippling
Likelihood to Recommend
7.7
(298 ratings)
8.1
(669 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.9
(42 ratings)
9.1
(6 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(240 ratings)
8.4
(666 ratings)
Availability
9.3
(10 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Performance
9.1
(10 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
7.7
(245 ratings)
8.1
(599 ratings)
In-Person Training
4.5
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
7.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.4
(11 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Configurability
7.6
(8 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.1
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.3
(10 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
8.9
(31 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
9.2
(32 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Paychex FlexRippling
Likelihood to Recommend
Paychex, Inc.
In my experience, Paychex Flex is well suited for small to medium sized businesses. It has been helpful in streamlining the onboarding process and it is easy to update and maintain employee profiles and records. It has worked will in a non-profit environment where there is clergy pay and housing, which can get quite complicated. I cannot think of a scenario where it would be less appropriate.
Read full review
Rippling
Rippling shines in companies that prioritize streamlined HR operations and user-friendly experiences. It's ideal for: Growing companies: Easily manage HR as teams expand. Efficiency seekers: Automate tasks to save time and resources. Simple HR needs: Focus on core functionalities without overwhelm. Rippling might not be best for: Highly complex HR: Unique processes may require specialized solutions. Cloud-based hesitation: Some prefer traditional on-premises systems. Large international workforce: Current focus is on the US.
Read full review
Pros
Paychex, Inc.
  • I like I can enter payroll and if I need to leave the program, I can resume at a later time and my information is saved.
  • I like the analytics & reports features.
  • I like how all my employees have easy access to their portal.
Read full review
Rippling
  • Clean UI - there is no ambiguity about what function each button will perform.
  • Very easy to navigate. It is not difficult to find what is being looked for.
  • Single location for multiple functions. This is great for me as there is one central hub for all professional admin matters. Saving me valuable time that I can better spend on more pressing work matters.
Read full review
Cons
Paychex, Inc.
  • Reporting writing is difficult to figure out
  • Employee turnover inside Paychex was a problem, until we were assigned to Neil Williams - since that time it has settled down
  • Pressure to convert personal connection with payroll advisor to using automated service
Read full review
Rippling
  • The immediate learning curve of working with workflows and recipes
  • Building Reports from scratch can be fairly tedious and time consuming. Not streamlined because of having to drill down click by click.
  • I am still mystified by all of the formulas that can be used to make custom reports. Rippling is robust and it takes a lot to learn what it can really do.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Paychex, Inc.
Overall I like the features that Paychex Flex offers. I am sure that there are other features that I am unaware of, so I am excited to see if there is more that Flex is capable of to make my job easier. The basic features are really user friendly and easy to access. If there ever is an issue customer service is great
Read full review
Rippling
Rippling continues to innovate and amaze me with their new innovations and features. Product feedback is taken seriously so I always give it whenever I can and end up seeing results. Rippling is the new wave of HRIS that cannot compare against others in the industry just due to the fact they are super user friendly!
Read full review
Usability
Paychex, Inc.
Some things could be streamlined. For example, we could do custom options for the "add items" tab which has so many options that we never use. "Medical Pay" could be something that the system remembers for the applicable employees. Salaried employees' salaries should definitely be auto-filled. Overall the system works well but I think it could be improved to be easier to use and read.
Read full review
Rippling
Great product, easy to use. We've had great employee buy in at this point, and want to continue to partner with Rippling to make the live of our employees easier, more productive, and get them back to the professional roles they are good at, while offering the administrative support they need through an HRIS.
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Reliability and Availability
Paychex, Inc.
We have not experienced any difficulties with unplanned outages. Notifications are always made for outages, and they do not effect normal business operations.
Read full review
Rippling
I like that the availability in using Rippling at any given time is useful to me. Getting on the site freely when I need gives me security of knowing that I can be in control of viewing health insurance and hours information. I have yet to get any errors in using the Rippling app.
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Performance
Paychex, Inc.
Unless there is lag time within the internet, the Paychex Flex website loads exceptional fast, pages load quickly and reports that I need to print or download load quickly. If I need to create a specialized report, once I complete it I receive an e-mail telling me my report is ready to be downloaded. Changing between web pages is fast as well.
Read full review
Rippling
Rippling's performance has been great, no errors or glitches yet so far. I am confident that Going from one page to the next and all its complexity usage does not lag or times out, it works effectively and efficiently. While using Rippling and other apps it does not tend to slow it down, works great. No complaints.
Read full review
Support Rating
Paychex, Inc.
Our dedicated representative is one of the main reasons we are sticking with Paychex Flex. If it were not for this person, other platforms could provide the same/similar functionality. It is the ability to speak with someone that understands our business and is willing to get questions answered in a timely fashion that keeps us with Paychex Flex.
Read full review
Rippling
Overall customer support for Rippling have been excellent anytime that I have emailed. Their team responds usually within the day and have a great explanation on the issue and the recommendation on how to proceed going forward. I feel that the person that responds actually have a vested interest and truly cares about the issue/problem that you have.
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In-Person Training
Paychex, Inc.
We did online training only
Read full review
Rippling
No answers on this topic
Online Training
Paychex, Inc.
It was easy to understand and follow along. I do like the informational videos that we can utilize before we opt to call in for customer service support. It has made a difference since sometimes that resolves the issue I may have had and saved myself a phone call to Paychex support.
Read full review
Rippling
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Paychex, Inc.
Implementation was very smooth. The most cumbersome task was entering the current employees into the system during initial set up, but Paychex staff handled most of that and verified against prior system reports as well as internal reports provided to ensure 100% accuracy.
Read full review
Rippling
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Paychex, Inc.
We still use QB Desktop Pro to maintain a Check Register / Overall Balance for the company, but once having tried QB Payroll Online for about 3 months prior to finding Paychex Flex I can tell you that there's just no comparison. QB online is VERY EXPENSIVE and not so user-friendly. I hated every minute of those 6 payrolls we ran through QB online.
Read full review
Rippling
Proof was much more convoluted and not easy to maneuver. Also all the platforms could not relate to each other and so nothing was streamlined in its approach. Also things seemed to lag and was not very up to date when it needed to be. I feel rippling has simplified their processes
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Scalability
Paychex, Inc.
Employees can log in at home and get up to date information on their FSA balance and any medical bill reimbursements they may have uploaded. At renewal time they have the ability to make changes to their FSA or for new employees star the enrollment.
Read full review
Rippling
I can go on here and see all my hours and pto plus health benefits. I like to have the work handbook handy to refer to legal things. How to work my role within it's limits. Being able to put in my hours and view when they are approved is a huge benefit for me.
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Return on Investment
Paychex, Inc.
  • I do not believe we have saved anything additionally. The time we've had to spend to get things to hopefully work is sad. This is the reason we've had to turn off all extra "products" of Paychex Flex. Time and Attendance is horrible. Benefits management is horrible. The user experience is horrible.
  • One thing I do not understand is why are updates for states, cities, counties, school districts, etc. not automatically updated? Should we not get a big red flag if we have an employee living/working, being paid in CA, but they aren't set up for CA sick time? If it is required to be on the paycheck stub to show the balance of the sick time, why would we not be notified that we are out of compliance?
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Rippling
  • The organization of information increased the business efficiency
  • Employee can search for themselves, leaving HR to do the things they need to be productive
  • Access 24/7 thru mobile app allows employee to function when they have the opportunity leaving the normal work hours for other business.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Paychex Flex Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of

Rippling Screenshots

Screenshot of Rippling Dashboard: Employees' home for their payroll, benefits, documents, devices, expenses, and apps.Screenshot of Rippling Payroll: Runs payroll in 90 seconds. Pays employees and contractors around the world. Automatic tax filing.Screenshot of Rippling Benefits Administration: Management of employees' Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits.Screenshot of Rippling Single Sign-On: Employees can access all of their SaaS apps in one click from their Rippling dashboard.Screenshot of Rippling’s Time & Attendance platform integrates with the rest of the product suite so that when employees clock in, their approved hours automatically synced with payroll and accounting systems.Screenshot of Rippling Mobile Device Management: To manage employees' computers and devices 100% remotely.