Workday vs Paylocity
Best for
Large and enterprise organizations consolidating HR and, often, finance onto a single cloud system of record.
Small and mid-market U.S. organizations that want a unified payroll and HR/HCM platform with strong employee self-service.
Strong when
Global multi-country workforces need unified core HR, payroll/compliance, talent, planning and analytics with deep configurability.
Employee experience, mobile adoption and a single system of record spanning HR and, increasingly, finance are priorities.
Validate before buying
G2 reviewers cite complex navigation and a steeper learning curve; deployments are integration-heavy and better suited to larger organizations than small teams.
Reviewers cite support consistency during peak times; implementation/setup fees apply and global payroll is integration-based rather than native.
Pricing
Subscription-based and sold through Workday's direct sales organization; public list pricing is not disclosed.
Per-employee-per-month and quote-based; a demo request is required for a customized quote.
Implementation
Typically an enterprise-scale, integration-heavy program; scope, modules and connected systems drive timelines.
Setup and implementation fees apply and vary by company size and configuration.
Employees
10000+
5001-10000
Headquarters
Pleasanton, California
Schaumburg, Illinois
Founded
2005
1997
Categories
HCMTalent ManagementEmployee Experience
PayrollHCM
Core capabilities
Core HR / HRISPayroll and complianceTime and absenceTalent acquisition and managementLearning and developmentCompensation managementSkills intelligenceWorkforce planning
Payroll and tax filingHRISBenefits administrationTime and attendanceTalent managementOnboarding and performanceEmployee self-service and mobileEmployee engagement / community
Decision snapshots reflect verified profiles where available. Workday · Paylocity