Why people look for a Workday alternative
- Pricing is quoted by sales, and implementation is reported at 100 to 150% of the first-year subscription (third-party reported).
- Partner implementation is reported at $150,000 to $500,000 or more, plus annual maintenance of 15 to 20% of license fees (third-party reported).
- Reviewers repeatedly describe the interface and reporting as complicated, and a Capterra theme flags a cumbersome authentication process (review platform).
The 4 best Workday alternatives ranked
1. BambooHR: 7.1/10, best for published prices
Compared with Workday, you gain an HR system of record with published plan prices of $10, $17 and $25 per employee per month and flat monthly rates for teams of 25 or fewer (vendor-sourced), and a Capterra rating of 4.6 from 3,343 reviews (review platform). You give up included payroll, because payroll, benefits administration and time and attendance are add-ons with unpublished prices, and payroll and benefits administration are US only.
2. Gusto: 6.7/10, best for payroll first
Compared with Workday, you gain payroll, tax filings and basic HR in one product, with unlimited payroll runs, tax filings and payments on every plan and no contract (third-party reported). You give up multi-country coverage, because Simple covers payroll in one state only and international hiring depends on a partner.
3. Paylocity: 6.5/10, most G2 reviews cited
Compared with Workday, you gain payroll, HR, onboarding, benefits and performance reviews on one platform, with 4.4/5 on G2 from 5,302 to 6,080 reviews and 4.3/5 on Capterra from about 1,830 (review platform). You give up Workday-style finance on the same data model, because Paylocity is described as a payroll and HR suite, and it publishes no list prices.
4. Rippling: 6.3/10, best for HR, payroll and IT together
Compared with Workday, you gain HR, payroll, IT and app access on one employee record, with the core platform and US payroll each starting at $8 per employee per month (vendor-sourced). You give up a predictable bill, because the Unity base is required for every module, modules are billed on top, and a reported median contract is $45,360 a year (third-party reported).
Workday and its alternatives at a glance
How these alternatives compare with Workday
Workday scores 6.8/10, so 1 of the 4 alternatives score higher and 3 score lower. The page orders alternatives by overall score, with equal scores ordered by name. The reviews quote prices in different currencies, billing terms and tiers, so compare the tier that carries the features you need, and read the pricing section of each review for the source type behind every figure.
Which Workday alternative to choose
- You want published plan prices for an HR system of record: BambooHR, for the $10, $17 and $25 per employee per month plans (vendor-sourced).
- Payroll comes first and you operate in the US: Gusto, for payroll, tax filings and basic HR in one product.
- You want payroll and HR on one platform with a large review base: Paylocity, for the G2 base of 5,302 to 6,080 reviews (review platform).
- You want HR, payroll and IT on one employee record: Rippling, for the single record across HR, payroll and IT.
Frequently asked questions
Which Workday alternatives publish prices?
BambooHR publishes Core, Pro and Elite prices of $10, $17 and $25 per employee per month (vendor-sourced). Gusto lists Solo at $49 a month plus $6 per person (third-party reported). Paylocity publishes no list prices (review platform and third-party reported). Rippling lists its core platform from $8 per employee per month (vendor-sourced).
Which Workday alternative scores highest?
BambooHR scores 7.1/10, followed by Gusto at 6.7/10. Workday scores 6.8/10.
Do the Workday alternatives score higher than Workday?
1 of the 4 alternatives score higher than Workday's 6.8/10 and 3 score lower. The scores combine six weighted criteria, so a lower overall score can still lead on one criterion that matters to you, which the reviews show in their score breakdowns.
Read the Workday review for its full score breakdown, or the best HR software roundup for all 5 tools.