Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
TriNet
Score 7.1 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
TriNet HR Platform
Score 7.1 out of 10
N/A
Zenefits is a free, cloud-based core-HR platform. It primarily services small to mid-sized businesses and provides time management and benefits administration capabilities.
$10
per month
Pricing
TriNetTriNet HR Platform
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Essentials
$10
per month per employee
Growth
$20
per month per employee
Zen
$33
per month per employee
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
TriNetTriNet HR Platform
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
TriNetTriNet HR Platform
Considered Both Products
TriNet
Chose TriNet
Very bottom of the list - I did not select TriNet, as I joined the company after it had already been implemented and in use for some time. If I had been involved, Rippling and/or Zenefits would have been my top choices due to their wide breadth of HR/Payroll/People support …
Chose TriNet
Cheaper and far more comprehensive than Zenefits. We switched two years ago and haven't looked back.
Chose TriNet
TriNet had a more comprehensive approach and their online platform was very intuitive!
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 …
Chose TriNet
We didn't look anywhere else, as we used TriNet at a previous company. Since forming our new company, we have been approached by Insperity and Zenefits. However, until we have reason to believe TriNet is not competitive or become unhappy with the level of service, we will not …
Chose TriNet
We were interested to look at alternatives and ensure we were getting the best deal for our staff and the company. Only one came close to the cost of the benefits and we were loath to switch the employee experience without a solid reason. As we grow our system needs and the …
Chose TriNet
TriNet's benefits offerings leave all others in the dust.
Chose TriNet
We have used Zenefits and Gusto in the past. They were ok but didn't have the complete suite of features that we were looking for. The only advantage Gusto has over TriNet is that contractor payments and 1099 generation is built in and handled by their service on regular …
Chose TriNet
TriNet offers benefits and HR support. We did not have this before. We need that live voice to help us.
Chose TriNet
We were already using TriNet and there would have been a switching cost (i.e., my time) that we didn't have the bandwidth for at the time. Zenefits still required internal HR (i.e., me) to do too much. The most important benefit from using TriNet for us is that TriNet does …
Chose TriNet
I've only used Zenefits in the past and Trinet is far better. I came to this company when Trinet was already implemented. I had not heard of Trinet prior to arriving here. I heard both positive and negative reviews of Trinet from others and my experience fits right into what I …
Chose TriNet
I used a boutique firm in the past and it was a catastrophe. I'm super happy to be with TriNet and recommend them to lots of companies.
Chose TriNet
We started with TriNet before the other services were offered. We considered swapping to Zenefits, however there were many reports of payroll errors and benefits administration errors on their platform, and they ran into substantial compliance issues which made them …
Chose TriNet
TriNet provided many more tools for HR and payroll than other competitors. TriNet's system is much easier to use. TriNet's pricing is also competitive compared to others.
Chose TriNet
Trinet is more comprehensive.
Chose TriNet
Since that last time our organization evaluated the market, Trinet appeared to be more comprehensive in their product and services offering than other competitors, including Namely and Zenefits. However, Namely in particular has a better interface for "Time Off" management and …
Chose TriNet
Looked at ADP PEO back in 2013 but benefit quotes were much higher than Trinet - primarily because ADP acted more as a broker rather than a PEO, i.e we weren't pooled with the many other employees under ADP, rather we were given the "street" rate that any small business would …
TriNet HR Platform
Chose TriNet HR Platform
Zenefits is easy to use and scales incredibly well. ADP was garbage [from] day one. We got our money back. Too bleak and hard to understand.
We never bought TriNet, but it felt like it would be hard to make it scale. [It was] a little bland, and Google Sheets seemed like a …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
TriNetTriNet HR Platform
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
7.0
629 Ratings
12% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
2.3
132 Ratings
109% below category average
Employee demographic data7.0428 Ratings2.5108 Ratings
Employment history7.0468 Ratings2.4103 Ratings
Job profiles and administration6.7438 Ratings2.5102 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.7.2526 Ratings2.5107 Ratings
Organizational charting6.5359 Ratings1.9117 Ratings
Organization and location management7.0378 Ratings1.8119 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)7.7489 Ratings2.2105 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
8.1
686 Ratings
1% above category average
TriNet HR Platform
2.2
117 Ratings
114% below category average
Pay calculation8.2660 Ratings2.3100 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors8.05 Ratings1.550 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment8.1184 Ratings2.363 Ratings
Benefit plan administration7.9671 Ratings2.5105 Ratings
Direct deposit files8.8623 Ratings2.2101 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management8.1545 Ratings2.093 Ratings
Reimbursement management7.4334 Ratings2.365 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
7.0
433 Ratings
14% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
1.8
115 Ratings
127% below category average
Approval workflow6.9351 Ratings2.0113 Ratings
Balance details7.1413 Ratings1.7111 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment7.0333 Ratings1.692 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
8.1
669 Ratings
0% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
1.8
131 Ratings
128% below category average
View and generate pay and benefit information9.1647 Ratings2.1125 Ratings
Update personal information8.3661 Ratings2.3131 Ratings
View company policy documentation8.5557 Ratings1.4118 Ratings
Employee recognition5.7190 Ratings1.363 Ratings
View job history8.7486 Ratings2.2101 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
1.0
1 Ratings
154% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
1.1
22 Ratings
150% below category average
Tracking of all physical assets1.01 Ratings1.122 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
7.4
554 Ratings
3% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
1.4
104 Ratings
138% below category average
Report builder7.2469 Ratings1.4100 Ratings
Pre-built reports7.5523 Ratings1.4102 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data7.5256 Ratings1.364 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
8.0
548 Ratings
0% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
4.6
111 Ratings
54% below category average
New hire portal8.3547 Ratings5.0110 Ratings
Manager tracking tools7.7333 Ratings4.290 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
6.5
84 Ratings
23% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
8.3
41 Ratings
2% above category average
Corporate goal setting6.574 Ratings8.337 Ratings
Individual goal setting6.382 Ratings8.440 Ratings
Line-of sight-visibility6.673 Ratings8.335 Ratings
Performance tracking6.581 Ratings8.437 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
7.3
153 Ratings
9% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
1.4
57 Ratings
140% below category average
Performance plans7.0130 Ratings1.354 Ratings
Performance improvement plans7.2127 Ratings1.351 Ratings
Review status tracking7.1122 Ratings2.152 Ratings
Review reminders8.0131 Ratings1.352 Ratings
Multiple review frequency7.23 Ratings1.348 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
7.2
60 Ratings
10% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
7.5
23 Ratings
6% below category average
Candidate ranking8.21 Ratings7.521 Ratings
Candidate search7.057 Ratings7.523 Ratings
Candidate development6.553 Ratings7.622 Ratings
Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings7.520 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
TriNet
6.5
95 Ratings
18% below category average
TriNet HR Platform
7.5
25 Ratings
4% below category average
Job Requisition Management6.472 Ratings7.420 Ratings
Company Website Posting5.51 Ratings7.415 Ratings
Publish to Social Media4.958 Ratings7.514 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting6.372 Ratings7.516 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention9.11 Ratings7.518 Ratings
Applicant Tracking6.676 Ratings7.417 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts6.685 Ratings7.622 Ratings
Best Alternatives
TriNetTriNet HR Platform
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
TriNetTriNet HR Platform
Likelihood to Recommend
7.2
(702 ratings)
1.7
(141 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
6.7
(49 ratings)
8.5
(11 ratings)
Usability
7.4
(597 ratings)
8.9
(32 ratings)
Availability
4.7
(13 ratings)
9.1
(4 ratings)
Performance
4.6
(13 ratings)
8.5
(4 ratings)
Support Rating
6.9
(683 ratings)
8.8
(42 ratings)
In-Person Training
8.5
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
3.3
(27 ratings)
9.1
(4 ratings)
Configurability
8.7
(10 ratings)
8.8
(4 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
7.7
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
8.2
(7 ratings)
9.1
(3 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.3
(12 ratings)
8.9
(4 ratings)
Professional Services
7.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
8.6
(12 ratings)
8.9
(4 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
7.8
(12 ratings)
8.9
(4 ratings)
User Testimonials
TriNetTriNet HR Platform
Likelihood to Recommend
TriNet
TriNet is perfect for a smaller business or nonprofits that can't get competitive rates for health care. I can't really speak to larger businesses as I don't have comparison data, but even when we used a PEO in the past, we still were paying high rates. The savings were almost enough to offset the cost of having a PEO vs just a Payroll service, but our employees appreciate the personal savings as well, as we were able to cover a larger portion of the cost due to the price difference. Specifically, our rates for most of our employees were cut in about half
Read full review
TriNet
I think as a small business owner, this system gives peace of mind. When I'm onboarding an employee I can automatically integrate the process with Gmail and Quickbooks. I feel like they are always doing work in the background and I don't have to keep checking up on them or verifying the work that's been done
Read full review
Pros
TriNet
  • Extensive variety of benefit program plan designs and partners. Something for everyone.
  • One stop shopping for all health and wellness benefits.
  • Continue to add new offerings, such as access to Salary.com at a discount and access to Carta at a discount to manage employee stock programs.
  • On top of compliance by state.
Read full review
TriNet
  • Payroll services in all 50 states, including payroll tax filings
  • Integrations with tools like QuickBooks, Google Workspace, Slack, and Human Interest (401(k))
  • Simple yet powerful mobile app for employees to access information including paystubs, benefits, and time off requests
  • Streamlined admin portal for People Ops professionals
Read full review
Cons
TriNet
  • a better ATS - the current functionality is very limited. For an organization our size we more "power". I like to be able to run custom reports from the ATS as an example
  • Reporting - there's a stack of standard reports but we need and want custom
  • stop changing the layout. We don't care about the layout its the content that matters. get rid of the turtles or hippos or whatever they are
  • Manager access. Let us give managers access to their employees info without having access to EVERYONE
  • Be honest. If you cant do something, you cant do it. Let us know so we can make other plans and move on
  • "I'll put a ticket in" = this is where your dreams go to fade away. See above
Read full review
TriNet
  • Support doesn't exist once you are a customer
  • Tax team has a 3-6 month response time
  • Poor Menu/Navigation structure
  • Fails to pay taxes on time, results in delinquency notices and fees
  • Glitchy UI, sometimes you need to wait a day or two for a section to work again
  • Feels like a perpetual beta product, nothing polished about it
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
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
TriNet
We've already renewed after our first year with Zenefits due to the cost savings, ease of administration, reduction in overhead required to perform HR functions, and the employees happily embracing and liking the software. I've found employees generally hate anything new, but we've had no complaints about Zenefits outside the first few weeks of getting used to it.
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Usability
TriNet
There is just so much information in the system and sometimes it is attached to other systems in a way that it's hard to know where to find things and a TriNet rep needs to walk you through finding it. Using chat they tend to copy and paste huge strings of instructions into the chat which is challenging to test while scrolling through all that text
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TriNet
It's extremely user friendly and customer service is super helpful. The app needed help a while back but it has greatly improved. There were issues with files being cut off, and when I was onboarded, it actually cut my offer letter off hiding important information. Since then, it's been fixed so they are continually improving.
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Reliability and Availability
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
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TriNet
We have not experienced any application errors or unplanned outages in the two years I have been using this app. Sometimes there is a lag in the time keeping/ confirming your location, however, it quickly resolves itself within seconds and more often than not is an internet connection error
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Performance
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
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TriNet
This app always loads extremely quickly and in a reasonable time frame. Like I said, when we do experience lags from this app, it is more often than not an internet connection error
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Support Rating
TriNet
I like TriNet's multi-layered support. We have dedicated support for payroll and platform, HR, and benefits. We also have an account manager we can contact when we need to escalate an issue or get additional help. The 24/7 chat support is also outstanding for smaller routine issues. All support at TriNet has been extremely responsive. We sometimes have complicated issues like restricted stock vesting, 83(b) elections and other matters and our dedicated support team always helps us do things correctly and on time.
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TriNet
Not good at all. Basically I typically feel like they can solve the issue at hand. However, they take forever and it never feels like they really care. It can be frustrating that the agent will never speak with you on the phone or just give you their direct contact info so that you can continue to follow up on the same issue. Once they "close" the issue - you have to go back to the main customer service email or line again, even though it may be related to something you've contacted them about in the past
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In-Person Training
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
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TriNet
Can't really say just because I would not know.
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Online Training
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.
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TriNet
It went through successfully.
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Implementation Rating
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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TriNet
Unfortunately I do not have any insights on the implementation of Zenefits as I was not employed with this company when Zenefits was introduced. Based on how effortless it is to use Zenefits, I wouldn't image there would be many issues with the implementation of Zenefits
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Alternatives Considered
TriNet
TriNet worked with our smaller employee headcount and offered coverage for both the US and Canada. And we switched from Insperity because of the cost savings which were significant. I liked Insperity but TriNet has been an excellent firm to work with as well.
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TriNet
Zenefits has been a better tool for our purposes than Paychex Flex. While Zenefits is a fairly rigid tool without a lot of options for customization, Paychex has even fewer options for customization and their customer services is even more difficult to deal with
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
TriNet
I was not part of the process
Read full review
TriNet
No answers on this topic
Scalability
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
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TriNet
It is very easy to use and does not require the end user to go to multiple sites to obtain many facets of HR/ Payroll information that the app offers
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Professional Services
TriNet
Not sure it was used or not as the implementation was completed before I started working for the company
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TriNet
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
TriNet
  • I mainly used the ATS and I had to do a lot of extra work than other ATS's I have used in the past.
  • When hiring a candidate, transferring the information from the ATS to the HRIS is nil, there is a lot you have to manually put in, which can be very frustrating.
  • I like the way how I can upload a candidates resume seamlessly.
Read full review
TriNet
  • California Meal Break Violations cost a full hour of each employees pay rate. If an employee clocks in 1 minute early it costs us at least 10.50 (minimum wage Ca, 15.00 in Los Angeles) which adds up quickly. We had 37 meal break violations when we first rolled it out. They need to add a feature that disallows them to clock in ahead of 30 minutes, or add a feature that shows them how long they've been on break.
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ScreenShots

TriNet HR Platform Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of HR ManagementScreenshot of HR ManagementScreenshot of HR Management