10 best Justworks alternatives and competitors for payroll and HR

When it comes to simplifying HR tasks, payroll, benefits, and compliance, Justworks has become a top choice for many employers. Justworks offers Justworks PEO—a professional employer organization that provides employee benefits administration and HR support to small businesses wanting to outsource tedious tasks. Justworks also helps with onboarding, offboarding, and overall HR management, providing tools for time tracking, payroll, and compliance across a growing workforce.

But even though Justworks is a popular and intuitive option, there are plenty of other payroll companies like Justworks. Depending on your business needs, you might want to explore additional payroll solutions, HR software, and other platforms that provide employer of record (EOR) or PEO services, benefits administration, and other HR functionality. Every platform comes with its own pros and cons, which is where this article comes in.

Below, we’ll cover why you might need an alternative to Justworks and compare the 10 best overall competitors for payroll, HR, and PEO services. We’ll look at Rippling, Paychex, ADP TotalSource, Papaya Global, Gusto, and more. Each of these payroll and HR platforms supports a variety of business needs, like hiring, expense management, and talent management—all while keeping compliance in check. By the end, you’ll have a solid overview of which payroll and HR platform could be the best overall match for your organization.

Why do you need an alternative to Justworks?

Sometimes organizations (from small businesses to larger employers) simply outgrow solutions like Justworks. Other times, they discover needed features are missing from its platform. Perhaps you need more advanced time tracking options, want broader global EOR coverage, or prefer more robust applicant tracking and talent analytics. It’s not that Justworks is inadequate, but different organizations have unique business needs that might be solved more effectively by another payroll or HR solution.

Justworks has some limitations that may lead certain employers to explore competitors:

• Limited customization: Justworks offers a user-friendly but somewhat rigid platform. For employers needing advanced custom fields, for example, Justworks might feel restrictive.
• Basic reporting features: While Justworks does offer reporting, it may lack advanced workforce analytics features needed to delve deep into your organization’s most important metrics and insights.
• Restricted benefits options by location: While Justworks offers access to employee benefits through its PEO and benefits administration features, plans can vary depending on state or regional availability, which can be limiting for distributed employees.
• Lack of global support: Justworks offers an EOR with global hiring features, but it’s new—until recently, most of its focus has been on the US market. If you’re hiring an international workforce with EOR needs, you might want a platform like Rippling that covers more countries and has an established track record of offering global workforce support.
• Limited time and attendance integration: Justworks only offers basic timesheets with most of its plans, and its advanced time tracking tools (which are available as a paid add-on) aren’t as comprehensive or customizable as other platforms. If you need advanced tracking tools for payroll calculations, Justworks’ offering may fall short.

If these pain points resonate, looking at other payroll or HR solutions might make sense. And whether you want a full employer of record setup, PEO services, or an HR platform, there’s a range of competitors to choose from.

Top 10 Justworks competitors and alternatives

Below are 10 competitors to Justworks that can handle payroll, employee benefits administration, onboarding, offboarding, applicant tracking, time tracking, compliance management, and more. Some also offer PEO and EOR services, and they all aim to streamline payroll for your employees.

1. Rippling

Rippling offers an intuitive, all-in-one platform that unifies HR, IT, and finance. It offers payroll, employee and benefits management, expense management, applicant tracking, onboarding, and more. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with more than 600 third-party apps, extending its capabilities far beyond basic HR functions.

Rippling vs Justworks

• Rippling offers robust, fully integrated time and attendance with broad customization, while Justworks’ time tracking features are simpler with fewer bells and whistles.
• Rippling has extensive automation features, whereas Justworks focuses more on PEO services for small businesses.
• For expanding global workforce operations, Rippling offers more established HR support around the world via EOR services, as well as PEO services for US-based employers.

2. Paychex

Paychex is a popular name in payroll and HR services, especially for small businesses. It offers payroll processing, PEO services, benefits administration, time tracking, compliance, expense management, and onboarding and offboarding support.

Paychex vs Justworks

• Paychex has more extensive payroll tax filing and benefits administration programs, while Justworks offers a more streamlined user experience and ease of use.
• Paychex offers more advanced reporting and dedicated customer support, which some employees prefer over Justworks’ simpler approach.
• Justworks caters heavily to new or small businesses looking for straightforward PEO services, while Paychex positions itself as able to support larger and more established customers.

3. ADP TotalSource

ADP is a giant in the payroll and HR services world, and ADP TotalSource is its PEO services brand. This solution helps you manage payroll services, benefits administration, hiring, expense management, and more, with a focus on multi-state and multi-country workforce support.

ADP TotalSource vs Justworks

• ADP TotalSource provides PEO services with huge resource libraries and specialized compliance expertise, whereas Justworks offers a more streamlined interface.
• ADP has been in the payroll space for decades, so the company’s knowledge of payroll tax laws in different jurisdictions (including globally) can be advantageous.
• Some find ADP’s multiple platforms less intuitive to navigate compared to Justworks.

4. Paylocity

Paylocity is another robust platform that offers payroll and HR automation. Known for its talent management features, payroll processing, applicant tracking, and benefits administration, Paylocity is often favored by employers who want an integrated approach to HR tasks.

Paylocity vs Justworks

• Paylocity’s main draw is its focus on talent analytics and user-friendly HR dashboards.
• Paylocity offers multiple add-ons for onboarding and offboarding, but Justworks is more cost-effective for smaller teams since these features are included.
• For advanced talent management across a larger workforce, Paylocity might be more powerful than Justworks.

5. Bamboo HR

BambooHR has a reputation for ease of use and an intuitive interface, targeting small businesses and midsize organizations. It specializes in applicant tracking, onboarding, offboarding, benefits administration, time tracking, payroll, and talent data management.

Bamboo HR vs Justworks

• BambooHR stands out for applicant tracking and hiring workflows, while Justworks focuses on payroll and PEO services.
• BambooHR’s core strength is HR record-keeping, but it lacks the broader PEO services that Justworks offers.
• For small businesses looking for an HRIS approach first and payroll second, BambooHR might be more appealing; for full PEO services, Justworks or another PEO service provider is likely the simpler pick.

6. Papaya Global

For multinational employers needing an employer of record (EOR) solution, Papaya Global covers payroll, employee onboarding, benefits, compliance, and local law assistance across over 160 countries.

Papaya Global vs Justworks

• Papaya Global is an EOR specialist. Justworks offers an EOR, but it’s a new offering. If you plan to scale internationally and need to manage employees around the globe, Papaya Global or another EOR specialist like Rippling, Deel, or Remote outruns Justworks in global EOR capabilities.
• Papaya Global offers deeper global compliance tools, whereas Justworks has historically focused on American tax laws and benefits administration.

7. Gusto

Gusto is a straightforward payroll software that also includes benefits administration, time tracking, hiring support, expense management, and compliance features. It’s often chosen by small businesses for its transparent pricing and easy-to-use interface.

Gusto vs Justworks

• Gusto’s payroll software is extremely intuitive and cost-effective for small businesses.
• Gusto provides robust benefits administration in certain states, whereas Justworks offers broader PEO coverage and insurance bundling.
• Companies with a larger workforce needing a professional employer arrangement might pick Justworks, while smaller outfits wanting self-service payroll features often choose Gusto.

8. Deel

Deel is an HR platform that offers payroll, compliance management, and more, with a focus on EOR services and support for global businesses. Companies often choose Deel as it facilitates hiring remote talent or contractors abroad, and can help with contracts, local regulations, and tax filings.

Deel vs Justworks

• Deel, like other companies that offer EOR services, puts more of a focus on global services, while Justworks is better known for its US-based PEO offering.
• Justworks is simpler for domestic operations, but lacks the same international footprint as Deel.

9. Remote

Remote is a newer but growing EOR platform designed for employers looking to hire and manage international employees. It supports compliance, payroll, benefits management, and onboarding in 50+ countries.

Remote vs Justworks

• Remote’s pricing is competitive for organizations that need international hiring support. Justworks can be more cost-effective if you only operate in the US.
• If global expansion is on your roadmap, Remote  (like other companies that offer EOR services) offers more tools than Justworks for global workforce management.

10. Workday

Workday is a payroll and HR software solution geared toward larger enterprises that offers employee benefits management, time tracking, compliance tracking, workforce analytics, and other HR services and features.

Workday vs Justworks

• Workday offers enterprise-grade HR analytics and data reporting. Justworks has much more limited reporting capabilities.
• Workday can handle complex workforce needs, whereas Justworks is more approachable and user-friendly for teams with fewer employees.
• For more advanced and comprehensive workforce management needs, Workday might be more appealing; for cost-effective HR services, Justworks or another PEO may win out.

Justworks use cases

Justworks is often positioned as the go-to PEO and payroll option for small businesses looking for a streamlined approach to employee management. It can be good at helping small businesses in industries like retail, professional services, tech startups, and nonprofits. These employers often choose Justworks for its ease of use, straightforward payroll services, compliance support, and consolidated benefits administration with integrated PTO management.

That said, if you outgrow Justworks or require more robust reporting, global workforce support, time and attendance that’s integrated with payroll, or an all-in-one workforce management solution that unifies HR, IT, and finance, Rippling is often considered the best overall alternative because it’s a flexible, feature-rich platform that supports a wide range of business needs, which we’ll cover in more detail below.

Rippling: The best alternative to Justworks

If you need a flexible, all-in-one human capital management solution, you need Rippling.

A comprehensive, single-system solution for HR, payroll, spend, and IT, Rippling offers support to businesses of all sizes worldwide. Rippling’s integrated HCM removes barriers between key HR functions, including payroll, benefits management, headcount planning, and learning management, for a seamless experience.

Rippling PEO is the first to sync HR, IT, and finance into one platform, making all your busy work streamlined and straightforward. From 90-second onboarding to remote IT management, Rippling is fast and user-friendly; its modern, easy-to-use software is a big step up from most PEOs that run on software built in the 1980s (yes, really).

With Rippling, you get:

• HR, IT, and Finance in one platform
• Powerful and customizable reporting on any employee data
• Remote team management features, including state and local tax registration, digital onboarding, and app and device management
• Access to top-notch benefits plans with below-average, predictable renewal rates
• Automatic flagging for potential federal, state, and local compliance infractions, along with recommended action plans 
• Automated processes, including ACA and COBRA administration, anti-harassment training, and distributing digital labor law posters to your employees
• Access to hundreds of comprehensive HR resources, guides, and templates

Rippling makes it easy to switch if you ever decide to move off the PEO. Unlike other PEOs that make this process painfully difficult, all you have to do is switch off Rippling PEO and transition seamlessly to our all-in-one workforce management platform. All your HR, payroll, and employee data stays safely stored in your account, and your integrations with other tools stay intact. Your employees can even keep using Rippling with the same logins as before, so there’s no interruption to their work.

For global companies, Rippling also offers an EOR that provides expert global HR services, automated global compliance, fast employee onboarding, global payroll, unified data, and more.

Rippling is a modern, all-in-one, integrated solution—the easiest way to manage HR for startups & high-growth companies.

Justworks competitors FAQs

What kind of company is Justworks?

Justworks is mainly a professional employer organization, offering PEO services and payroll software that simplifies HR tasks for employees and employers. It includes benefits administration, compliance management, payroll filing, onboarding, offboarding, and more.

What is the market share of Justworks?

While the exact market share varies year to year, Justworks maintains a strong presence among small businesses that want to outsource payroll and PEO services. It’s often compared to heavyweights like Paychex, Deel, and ADP.

Is Justworks an HRIS system?

Justworks serves as a PEO platform rather than a traditional HRIS, though it does include certain HR functions. For a more specialized HRIS, many businesses look at competitors like Rippling, BambooHR, or Zenefits.

Is Justworks a PEO?

Yes, Justworks is a PEO (professional employer organization) that provides payroll services, employee benefits, compliance assistance, and other administrative HR services and HR outsourcing for employers of various sizes.

This blog is based on information available to Rippling as of January 7, 2025.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.