Justworks vs. TriNet: PEO and payroll comparison in 2025

Choosing the right HR solution can dramatically shape how your organization handles tasks from employee onboarding to benefits administration and payroll. A professional employer organization (PEO) can help—and options like Justworks and TriNet have likely come up if you’ve looked into solutions. But they’re far from the only PEOs available, and with so many competitors out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

This article compares the core offerings of Justworks and TriNet to help HR managers, department heads, and employers looking for comprehensive HR services make the best decision for their business needs.

We’ll delve into Justworks vs. TriNet from multiple angles: HR software and payroll features, integrations, customer support, and more. The below comparisons also shed light on how each platform simplifies employee management, compliance support, and access to employee perks like dental and vision benefits. Finally, we’ll talk about the ideal organization for each platform—and introduce another option if you’re looking for a more intuitive, all-in-one professional employer organization.

Justworks vs. TriNet: Feature overview

Below is a quick snapshot of how Justworks and TriNet align with features you might typically see in other popular HR software platforms (for example, Gusto, Paycom, or ADP). Each row highlights a major functionality that helps HR teams streamline employee processes and benefits management. Keep in mind, both Justworks and TriNet often appeal to employers aiming to handle HR administration, payroll, and employee benefits through a single platform with strong ease of use.

Justworks vs. TriNet: HR features 

Both Justworks and TriNet are professional employer organization (PEO) platforms built to offer comprehensive HR functionalities. Each platform helps employers handle HR tasks like onboarding, employee management, benefits administration, and compliance. However, their target users differ slightly, based on ease of use, intuitive design, and the depth of HR services they offer.

Justworks

Below are a few HR features that help Justworks stand out among its competitors:

1. Employee onboarding checklist and handbook creation 

Justworks offers an intuitive interface with a built-in onboarding checklist that helps new employees integrate smoothly. Plus, you can generate a tailored handbook to guide employees through your organization’s policies, dress codes, or details about their benefits package.

2. Justworks Hours for time tracking 

In 2020, Justworks acquired Boomr, a cloud-based time and attendance solution that’s now built into its own platform and known as Justworks Hours. That means time data integrates with payroll so your HR department can review everything in one intuitive dashboard.

3. Free online training about compensation compliance 

From paying employees correctly to following ACA guidelines, Justworks offers online classes discussing compliance essentials, aiming to give employers peace of mind that they won’t run afoul of the law and risk potentially costly fines and penalties.

TriNet

Here are HR features where TriNet stands out among other solutions:

1. Automated job posting and customized hiring workflows 

TriNet takes employee recruiting up a notch with automated job board posting and personalized workflows. This helps employers filter, interview, and hire employees without juggling multiple platforms.

2. Industry-specialized guidance for compliance 

If your organization operates in a specialized field (e.g., tech, retail, or non-profit), TriNet can help you connect with experts who understand your sector’s unique rules. This targeted approach to HR administration can save employers time and reduce compliance mishaps.

3. Benefits with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and Kaiser Permanente

TriNet partners with top insurance providers to offer access to robust employee benefits packages. Employers and employees can choose among Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser, and other popular providers for medical, dental, and vision insurance.

Justworks vs. TriNet: Payroll features 

As professional employer organization solutions, both Justworks and TriNet feature built-in payroll functionalities to help your HR department streamline and automate administrative tasks and reduce its manual load. While Justworks targets smaller employers looking for ease of use, TriNet tends to focus on more advanced payroll analytics and customizations.

Justworks

Below are some key payroll features that help Justworks stand out:

1. Automatic deductions for health insurance, benefits, and perks

Automatic deductions simplify employee pay runs and drastically reduce the chance of text or data errors. Employers can also rest easy knowing that benefits expenses are correctly factored into each payroll cycle.

2. Expense submissions through the self-service platform

Employees can manage expense reimbursement easily via Justworks’ employee self service portal. This helps your organization keep track of expenses without toggling between multiple platforms.

3. Simplified payroll processing through mobile app 

Justworks offers a mobile-friendly interface for both employees and contractors. The mobile platform also provides a quick way for your HR team to review hours and finalize pay runs on the go.

TriNet

Here are some payroll features where TriNet excels:

1. Digital W-2 delivery

TriNet can automatically generate digital W-2s for employees, which they can access in an intuitive digital interface whenever they need to.

2. Integrated payroll and HR ecosystem 

By incorporating payroll and other HR tools in the same platform, TriNet reduces administrative overhead for employers. Employees also benefit—they get a single system to manage their benefits, pay stubs, personal data, and more.

3. Extensive payroll processing features 

For employers who need more customization, TriNet offers multi-state and global payroll tools. This is helpful if your organization has employees in multiple locations or if you hire contractors internationally.

TriNet vs. Justworks: Integrations

When comparing platforms, it’s important to look for seamless integrations, especially if your HR team uses external tools like Xero, Quickbooks, or CRMs. Below, learn more about how Justworks and TriNet integrate with external apps to create more seamless and intuitive workflows.

Justworks

1. Justworks Time Tracking 

Many PEOs integrate with third-party time and attendance platforms. Justworks doesn’t, because it acquired Boomr in 2020 and now has time tracking features built in as Justworks Time Tracking. Time track features automatically sync with the main Justworks platform to track employee hours and funnel them into payroll.

2. Quickbooks and NetSuite

Justworks provides direct integrations with Quickbooks and NetSuite, which helps employers streamline their accounting tasks without leaving the platform.

3. Merge

In total, Justworks offers 14 direct integrations with third-party apps, which is fewer than many of its competitors. So it can be useful to use a platform like Merge, an integration aggregator that helps organizations connect their Justworks data to a multitude of other services. This ensures a more flexible, easier to use approach for advanced workflow automation.

TriNet

1. Ramp

TriNet integrates with Ramp so employers can track employee expenses in real time, synergy that’s especially valuable for organizations that are scaling quickly.

2. Quickbooks and NetSuite

Similar to Justworks, TriNet links directly to Quickbooks or NetSuite, creating a smooth path for accounting data exchange and budget reports.

3. Trainual

Trainual helps employees follow standardized training modules. TriNet integrates with Trainual to help employers onboard new hires or contractors more effectively, training essential policies with intuitive steps.

Justworks vs. TriNet: Customer support

Both Justworks and TriNet offer multiple options to contact their customer support, so if employers or employees have HR or payroll questions, they can reach help as quickly as possible.

Justworks

Justworks offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, chat, or even Slack. This can be a major plus if your organization needs immediate help at unusual hours. Constant availability also suits contractors or remote workers in different time zones.

TriNet

TriNet provides customer support via web chat, email, or phone during standard business hours. But while TriNet’s customer support has less frequent availability than Justworks’ TriNet offers a major advantage: expert insights from industry-specific consultants, which can be a game-changer if your HR team encounters complicated compliance scenarios in your sector.

Who is Justworks for? 

Justworks is often recommended for startups and small organizations seeking an intuitive, easiest to use system. 

Justworks services focus on ease of use and core HR tasks like onboarding, employee management, and HR compliance. This platform is also an excellent choice if you want straightforward payroll services, and access to basic benefits like one medical, dental, and vision insurance plan for your entire workforce.

If you still aren’t sure if a Justworks competitor might be a better fit for your business needs, you might want to consult sites like Capterra or G2 to read Justworks reviews from current and past customers to see what their experiences were like—it can give you a sense of what it’s actually like to work with a PEO.

Who is TriNet for?

TriNet is well suited for organizations that need a more customizable solution. TriNet offers access to industry-specific expert teams, making it a top HR solution for businesses where compliance can be complicated. TriNet also offers more customizable reporting features than Justworks.

Similar to Justworks, though, it’s always a good idea to check out reviews on sites like Capterra and G2 to see what customers have experienced when using a solution like TriNet. That can give you a good idea of what your experience might be like and help you better compare the platform with TriNet competitors.

Rippling: The best alternative to Justworks and TriNet

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

Justworks vs TriNet FAQs

What kind of reporting capabilities do Justworks and TriNet offer?

Justworks provides basic but intuitive reporting for payroll and employee data, which can be exported to Xero or other third-party apps that integrate with the platform. TriNet, meanwhile, offers more sophisticated, customizable analytics with advanced reporting like segmented data by department or region. 

Does Justworks or TriNet offer better compliance support for businesses?

Both platforms offer compliance management features, but TriNet offers access to industry experts who can give more specialized compliance support, which can be especially valuable for employers in highly regulated fields.

Which platform offers better employee self-service tools?

Justworks and TriNet both offer employee self service tools. Justworks is well known for its ease of use—employees and HR staff can easily navigate an interface that feels sleek and intuitive. TriNet’s self-service module is more advanced but may come with more of a learning curve for new employees. Depending on your business needs, either platform may be the right fit.

This blog is based on information available to Rippling as of January 3, 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.