Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Paychex
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
TriNet
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
TriNet provides small and medium size businesses (SMBs) with full-service HR and payroll solutions tailored by industry. TriNet also offers specialized services through client access to HR representatives for advice and notifications on impactful regulatory changes.N/A
Pricing
PaychexTriNet
Editions & Modules
Paychex Go
$59
per month/+$4 per employee
Paychex Flex Service
Contact sales team
Paychex Flex Enterprise
Contact sales team
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
PaychexTriNet
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
PaychexTriNet
Considered Both Products
Paychex
Chose Paychex
Payroll entry is easier on Paychex Flex. It is easier to see each employee's earnings and deductions to review before submitting. TriNet has better customizable reporting with their Workforce Analytics tool. TriNet has a lot more offerings and better customer service, but it …
Chose Paychex
Paychex flex was selected prior to my client contracting me. However, I have had the opportunity with other clients to evaluate, implement and administrate other payroll providers. Out of the products I've used, Paychex flex is most like Justworks. Paychex Flex is …
TriNet
Chose TriNet
TriNet outperforms ADP, Paycom, and paychex is support and compliance for sure. The only other system I've tried that has anything on TriNet's capabilites and interface is BambooHR... If I could mash the 2 systems together, I would!
Chose TriNet
Trinet was selected because they have a robust platform and many services that they provide. In addition, the first year discount provides piece of mind when changing providers.
Chose TriNet
We use Justworks quite a bit, but the difference is the designated support specialist. They only offer a general # to call into or a chat box. Also, they don't offer an audit prior to payroll processing, which I find helpful to keep accuracy and detect any errors. The JW …
Chose TriNet
TriNet offers a broader offering, more automated, easier to use, better support.
Chose TriNet
I didn't select TriNet, it was at my organization when I got here. No one at TriNet gave my company information on how hard it is to move companies in the middle of the quarter. Even UKG did that. I think that every other system works better.
Chose TriNet
Better pricing negotiation through pooling of TriNet.
Chose TriNet
It's been too long ago to be able to compare.
Chose TriNet
They were not very good at responding to emails and connecting with us
Chose TriNet
Paychex did not handle state tax, was not user friendly, and missed payroll more than once (they simply didn't process it for no reason).
Chose TriNet
They were about the same. We went with TriNet because of a bad experience I had with Paychex. However, TriNet started off strong and then the service went downhill. Finally, as I wrote, the state setup/final tax filings not being done makes me say I will not go back to Trinet.
Chose TriNet
We had to use five products to equal 1 TriNet. It's so nice to have all our HR needs covered by one company we trust.
Chose TriNet
Out of all of the platforms, I still think that Gusto is the most user friendly for employers and employees. However, they did not provide the support that I get with TriNet. In just a year, I feel that TriNet is listening to it clients and have already made changes to improve …
Chose TriNet
I found cheaper options but was confident in TriNet as a company. Your core business seemed like an "add-on" for others.

Ardelle Stoute did a great sales job as did Hope Webber as our customer service interface.
Chose TriNet
We felt a better rapport with the TriNet people and the portal and ease of use seem superior. Pricing was good too!
Chose TriNet
TriNet is site and payroll submission is more intuitive as well as their reporting system. Paychex seemed archaic. Required an app and was not web based. App difficult to use and get information out was only in PDF with no Excel option.
Chose TriNet
Before we signed on with TriNet, we were using Paychex for payroll and a separate small business broker for benefits. We evaluated Paychex PEO. TriNet had higher administration fees, but the benefits savings more than made up for it. TriNet also allowed us to keep the carrier …
Chose TriNet
We evaluated a few products for payroll and for benefits and at the time TriNet was the only one we found which offered a wide range of health care plans. We are considering evaluating other options again to see if there are cost savings or if down the line a product emerges …
Chose TriNet
TriNet is a much stronger product with very good customer service. Ability to rely on information and payroll is essential to success. There are a lot of features in TriNet we are not utilizing but could choose from to support our business. These other products do not have …
Features
PaychexTriNet
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
6.5
268 Ratings
22% below category average
TriNet
7.4
713 Ratings
9% below category average
Employee demographic data7.6215 Ratings7.8506 Ratings
Employment history8.0239 Ratings7.2539 Ratings
Job profiles and administration7.5173 Ratings7.5512 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.7.4168 Ratings7.4601 Ratings
Organizational charting1.01 Ratings6.8420 Ratings
Organization and location management7.4155 Ratings7.1449 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)6.5144 Ratings7.8567 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
7.5
310 Ratings
8% below category average
TriNet
8.0
769 Ratings
2% below category average
Pay calculation8.0292 Ratings8.2744 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment6.6150 Ratings7.8262 Ratings
Benefit plan administration6.8171 Ratings8.2753 Ratings
Direct deposit files8.2291 Ratings8.4701 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management7.7207 Ratings8.1621 Ratings
Reimbursement management7.6116 Ratings7.4383 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors00 Ratings8.05 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
7.1
158 Ratings
14% below category average
TriNet
7.0
501 Ratings
15% below category average
Approval workflow7.0112 Ratings7.4417 Ratings
Balance details7.3150 Ratings6.7480 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment7.0119 Ratings6.8391 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
7.7
267 Ratings
6% below category average
TriNet
7.4
751 Ratings
10% below category average
View and generate pay and benefit information7.7245 Ratings8.4728 Ratings
Update personal information7.8257 Ratings8.1743 Ratings
View company policy documentation7.5119 Ratings7.3636 Ratings
View job history7.7181 Ratings7.4562 Ratings
Employee recognition00 Ratings5.9230 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
5.2
43 Ratings
42% below category average
TriNet
1.0
1 Ratings
155% below category average
Tracking of all physical assets5.243 Ratings1.01 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
6.0
175 Ratings
23% below category average
TriNet
7.0
633 Ratings
7% below category average
Report builder6.4145 Ratings7.0546 Ratings
Pre-built reports6.3164 Ratings7.4600 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data5.291 Ratings6.6307 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
6.2
171 Ratings
25% below category average
TriNet
7.3
618 Ratings
9% below category average
New hire portal6.8164 Ratings7.4617 Ratings
Manager tracking tools5.6106 Ratings7.2385 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
5.2
68 Ratings
38% below category average
TriNet
7.0
129 Ratings
9% below category average
Job Requisition Management5.636 Ratings6.798 Ratings
Company Website Posting5.434 Ratings5.51 Ratings
Publish to Social Media4.928 Ratings6.682 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting5.335 Ratings6.9100 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention5.034 Ratings9.11 Ratings
Applicant Tracking5.039 Ratings7.1107 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts5.262 Ratings7.0115 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
-
Ratings
TriNet
6.8
114 Ratings
17% below category average
Corporate goal setting00 Ratings6.7100 Ratings
Individual goal setting00 Ratings6.7110 Ratings
Line-of sight-visibility00 Ratings6.798 Ratings
Performance tracking00 Ratings6.9109 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
-
Ratings
TriNet
6.8
192 Ratings
15% below category average
Performance plans00 Ratings6.7168 Ratings
Performance improvement plans00 Ratings6.7157 Ratings
Review status tracking00 Ratings6.7155 Ratings
Review reminders00 Ratings6.9164 Ratings
Multiple review frequency00 Ratings7.34 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Paychex
-
Ratings
TriNet
6.9
90 Ratings
12% below category average
Candidate ranking00 Ratings8.21 Ratings
Candidate search00 Ratings6.485 Ratings
Candidate development00 Ratings6.379 Ratings
Best Alternatives
PaychexTriNet
Small Businesses
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.4 out of 10
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.4 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.2 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.2 out of 10
Enterprises
PeopleStrong
PeopleStrong
Score 9.9 out of 10
PeopleStrong
PeopleStrong
Score 9.9 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
PaychexTriNet
Likelihood to Recommend
6.6
(323 ratings)
7.4
(779 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
1.4
(44 ratings)
8.4
(52 ratings)
Usability
6.9
(264 ratings)
7.6
(676 ratings)
Availability
5.9
(12 ratings)
8.1
(19 ratings)
Performance
7.1
(12 ratings)
7.0
(19 ratings)
Support Rating
6.5
(265 ratings)
7.3
(760 ratings)
In-Person Training
4.5
(1 ratings)
9.3
(6 ratings)
Online Training
8.3
(4 ratings)
9.0
(8 ratings)
Implementation Rating
5.6
(13 ratings)
8.4
(28 ratings)
Configurability
5.1
(9 ratings)
4.2
(12 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
-
(0 ratings)
4.2
(4 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.1
(3 ratings)
3.2
(8 ratings)
Product Scalability
6.5
(12 ratings)
8.7
(18 ratings)
Professional Services
-
(0 ratings)
8.7
(5 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
2.5
(33 ratings)
8.1
(16 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
3.5
(34 ratings)
7.5
(16 ratings)
User Testimonials
PaychexTriNet
Likelihood to Recommend
Paychex Inc.
For the most part, Paychex Flex is a very good payroll system and is well suited for a small business. Most basic features are simple and user friendly. For businesses that have hourly employees, its timeclock system is a good feature. For businesses that have a large number of employees and more complicated rules and policies, it might not be as appropriate because of the difficulty to set up for these rules and policies
Read full review
TriNet
TriNet is extremely knowledgeable and able to meet a wide variety of needs, such as handling K-1 employees and employees in Hawaii. It's challenging in the sense that pulling reports can result in blocks/barriers based on the number of employees one has.
Read full review
Pros
Paychex Inc.
  • It provides a well account of Retirement Plan Account Information.
  • Alerts are sent to email when there is new information to access.
  • Employee access both online and thru app.
  • Paperless options.
  • Easy and quick access to paystubs and tax forms.
  • Easy employee retirement management.
Read full review
TriNet
  • Responds quickly and effectively to inquiries through both the chat or phone options.
  • Customizes the payroll approval process to meet our needs.
  • Offers a forum that allows us to connect with other small businesses in the TriNet network to crowdsource recommendations for a range of business issues.
Read full review
Cons
Paychex Inc.
  • When it comes to audit reports, Paychex Flex could improve on helping clients locate the correct reports for audit purposes more easily
  • When a client receives a discount, it would be helpful if the discount were automatically provided each year, or if the Paychex rep proactively reached out to the client first, versus the client having to call and request that the discount continue.
  • It would be helpful if the invoice was emailed to the client versus the client logging in to access invoices.
Read full review
TriNet
  • Time Clock More User Friendly
  • On Staff Admin ability to assist employees is slightly less than I'd like. I don't like being told to have the employee contact for platform issues. I'd like to advocate more for my employees.
  • Expense Reimbursement better integrated with the payroll functionality.
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
TriNet
This is one stop shopping perse. They provide tools for Benefits and 401k. There reports are easy to read and the support given from Trinet support is awesome. Having everything in one place is best then having multiple places for things. Why change if things are working well? All the information is all there when needed.
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
TriNet
The platform is highly intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy to navigate for both admins and employees when handling everyday tasks like payroll processing, benefits enrollment, and HR reporting. The flexibility in HR and payroll features does not require a need for extensive training. The mobile app stands out as amazing, with a great interface that enables quick access to employee related items
Read full review
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
TriNet
We had an issue with application errors - took TriNet 5 months to fix it, mean while we had someone manually tracking and keeping up with many requests and questions about the application error which affected time off. When we were all registering for Benefits during open enrollment there were lots of bugs that caused issues with registering for benefits or being able to see what benefits were available
Read full review
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
TriNet
For the most part pages load quickly. Working for a software company we understand performance is everything, even a few seconds delay can feel like a lifetime, that being said, we ran into a few times where pages didn't load, information didn't load correctly, and an influx in users (like open enrollment) cause things to slow down
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
TriNet
The support overall is very good. There seems to be a good number of customer support staff and they are knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with and it almost all cases are able to resolve the question or issue very quickly. My only complaint would be having to wait in some cases as I'm based in the UK and the correct department may not be open 24 hours.
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In-Person Training
Paychex Inc.
We did online training only
Read full review
TriNet
it's been awhile, but I recall them being helpful. I got through a lot of it and when I needed help, they can walk me through it over the phone. It's also pretty user friendly in general at a platform. I don't really know what else to type, but they came and helped me in person and also when there was something new, they came and talked to me. They have not done that since with the new model that I hate
Read full review
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.
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TriNet
Since this was already implemented. I have another employee briefly train me. Then Trinet rep gave me some training as needed for things that came up. For one payroll preview report I figured it could be done, but I had asked the rep to be sure. One important training was when there was an employee leaving the company.
Read full review
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.
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TriNet
not applicable as I implementation was done 5 years ago and have no recollection of the details of the process. Above it says to skip question if not involved in the process but it will not allow me to skip it as it states explanation requitred thus making this process extremely frustrating.
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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
TriNet
I liked Rippling's software better than TriNet. However, the pricing on employee benefits was through the roof, and they don't offer many selections/options. If it was a software only decision, I would go with Rippling (the 2.0 version of Zenefits which TriNet offers). However, the software isn't a major need, compared to smooth payroll and benefits that I get from TriNet (and great service). I'm happy at TriNet long term as long as the health insurance rates aren't exhorbinant.
Read full review
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Paychex Inc.
No answers on this topic
TriNet
I was not part of the process
Read full review
Scalability
Paychex Inc.
I generally do payroll at the office, however I have had to go remote due to internet issues and also had to take payroll on vacation with me. Very easy to log in wherever you are and manage your TAA and payroll
Read full review
TriNet
We are a small company, do we use it across departments and sites? Yes, we are all remote working, so there are as many sites as there are people. We also have our entire staff using TriNet, so every department from Accounting, Admin, HR, Development, QA, and Management are all using this. Can't say for sure how great the scalability is as we are only about 30 employees
Read full review
Professional Services
Paychex Inc.
No answers on this topic
TriNet
Not sure it was used or not as the implementation was completed before I started working for the company
Read full review
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?
Read full review
TriNet
  • We have saved money on benefits and been able to broaden benefit options
  • It has improved our expense tracking processes
  • It has made tracking time off so much easier for both employees and management
  • It has kept us in compliance
  • It has made employee reimbursement much easier
Read full review
ScreenShots

Paychex Screenshots

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