Rippling Payroll: Next-Gen Payroll and HR Software

Most business owners would agree that managing payroll and HR can be an overwhelming administrative burden.

But what if there was an all-in-one platform that could handle payroll, benefits, HR workflows, and more? Rippling Payroll promises to be exactly that - the next generation of payroll and HR software.

In this review, we'll take a deep dive into Rippling Payroll's core capabilities, integration with other Rippling modules, pricing plans, and how it compares to competitors like Gusto and Paychex. We'll also highlight potential drawbacks to consider before making the switch. By the end, you'll know whether Rippling is the right fit for your growing business's payroll and HR needs.

Introduction to Rippling Payroll

Rippling is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and IT platform designed to simplify operations for modern companies. Their payroll software aims to provide a seamless payroll experience alongside Rippling's other modules.

What is Rippling?

Rippling offers a unified system to manage HR, IT, and payroll in one place. Their platform helps companies streamline:

• Onboarding and offboarding
• Payroll and benefits
• Device management
• Access controls

By centralizing these critical functions, Rippling reduces administrative tasks so companies can focus on their core business.

Core Capabilities of Rippling Payroll

Key features of Rippling Payroll include:

• Direct deposit for fast, secure paycheck delivery
• Tax calculations automatically handled, including garnishments
• Payroll reporting for insights into labor costs
• Integration with general ledger for easy accounting
• Reminders to submit payroll on time

Integration with Other Rippling Modules

A major advantage of Rippling Payroll is its tight integration with Rippling's HR tools including:

• Employee profiles
• Time tracking
• Paid time off
• Benefits enrollment

This unified platform eliminates duplicate data entry and ensures all systems stay in sync.

Pricing and Implementation

Pricing Plans

Rippling Payroll offers competitive monthly per-employee pricing tiers based on the number of employees a business has:

• 1-10 employees: $8 per employee
• 11-100 employees: $7 per employee
• 101+ employees: Custom pricing

Bulk discounts are available for larger organizations to keep costs low as teams scale. Rippling also offers month-to-month contracts so you aren't locked in long-term. When comparing to traditional payroll services, Rippling Payroll tends to cost 20-50% less.

Implementation Process

Implementing Rippling Payroll takes just a few steps:

1. Sign up for a Rippling Payroll account
2. Sync your existing HR data or manually enter employee information
3. Configure payroll settings like pay schedules, tax forms, bank accounts
4. Approve a test payroll run
5. Go live by approving your first real payroll

Rippling's payroll specialists guide you through setup and configuration to ensure a smooth transition. Most customers are up and running with their first payroll within 2 weeks.

Data Migration

For businesses switching payroll systems, Rippling offers free data migration services to seamlessly transfer over employee, pay, tax, and other records to minimize disruptions during the transition. Bulk data uploads are available along with one-on-one support from implementation managers.

Key Benefits for Businesses

All-In-One HR Platform

Rippling provides an all-in-one HR platform that seamlessly integrates payroll, benefits, HR workflows, and more into one unified system. This eliminates the need to use separate platforms and manually transfer data between them. Key benefits of the integrated platform include:

• Streamlined workflows and processes since data flows automatically between modules
• Reduced manual work and chances for human error from duplicate data entry
• Single sign-on access instead of managing logins across multiple platforms
• Holistic view of employee information all in one place

By bringing everything together under one roof, Rippling makes it easier for businesses to manage the full employee lifecycle.

Modern and Intuitive Interface

Rippling has focused on creating a user-friendly and visually modern interface. Key features that enhance usability include:

• Clean and uncluttered screens with plenty of white space
• Logical information architecture with easy navigation
• Use of bold colors, icons, and graphics for visual appeal
• Responsive design that works seamlessly on mobile devices

This leads to a payroll and HR platform that has an intuitive look and feel. Users can quickly find what they need and complete tasks efficiently. The modern aesthetics also create a positive user experience.

Scalability

A key advantage of Rippling Payroll is the ability to smoothly scale up or down. As your business grows or shrinks, Rippling can flex to match your changing needs. This includes capabilities like:

• Adding and removing employees with just a few clicks
• Seamlessly upgrading to higher tier plans as headcount increases
• Downgrading plans if headcount decreases to optimize costs

Rippling ensures payroll and HR processes will continue running smoothly during periods of business fluctuation and transformation. This provides helpful flexibility and future-proofs investments in the platform.

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Potential Drawbacks to Consider

Rippling Payroll offers many benefits, but there are a few potential drawbacks businesses should keep in mind:

Lack of Support for International Payroll

Rippling currently only supports US payroll. If your business has employees in other countries, Rippling would not meet your global payroll needs. You would need to use another payroll provider alongside Rippling to handle international payroll.

Steep Learning Curve

Rippling provides an extensive suite of HR tools beyond just payroll, which can make the platform feel overwhelming initially. The administrative interface and configuration options are complex. Be prepared to spend time upfront getting oriented and setting things up.

Dependence on Rippling Platform

Since Rippling combines payroll, benefits, HRIS, and other HR functionalities into a single unified system, relying solely on Rippling entails a certain degree of vendor risk. If Rippling's systems have an outage or the company folds, your core HR operations would be impacted. Using Rippling as the single source of truth for all employee data and payroll means no redundancies exist.

While Rippling has many strengths as an integrated HR platform with modern software, keep these potential limitations in mind before adopting Rippling across your whole organization. Understanding both the pros and cons will help determine if Rippling meets your business needs.

Competitor Comparison

Rippling Payroll offers modern payroll and HR software with an emphasis on automation and ease of use. Here's how it stacks up against some of the top competitors in the industry.

Gusto

Gusto is known for its simple, intuitive interface and strong focus on the employee experience.

Pros of Rippling Payroll over Gusto

• More HR functionality like onboarding, offboarding, and PTO tracking
• Additional integrations with tools like Slack and G Suite
• International payroll capabilities

Cons of Rippling Payroll vs Gusto

• Higher base pricing for smaller businesses under 10 employees
• Less focus on enhancing the employee self-service experience

Overall, Rippling Payroll beats Gusto on features while Gusto still wins on base pricing for very small teams and user experience.

Justworks

Justworks pitches itself as an all-in-one solution covering payroll, benefits, HR tools, and compliance.

Rippling Payroll advantages over Justworks

• Lower base pricing
• Stronger payroll accuracy and reliability
• More seamless integrations with commonly used software

Justworks advantages over Rippling

• Included health insurance and benefits brokerage
• Compliance guarantee on filings

For most small businesses, Rippling Payroll represents better value with more accurate payroll and cheaper base pricing. But Justworks has some extra perks for those needing benefits administration.

Paychex Flex

As an industry leader, Paychex Flex offers full-service payroll backed by strong legacy roots.

Rippling Payroll benefits vs Paychex Flex

• Modern, intuitive user interface
• API access and integrations
• Lower costs for smaller customer segments

Paychex edges out Rippling on

• Brand reputation and longevity
• Support for advanced use cases like unions
• Brick-and-mortar locations for in-person support

Rippling Payroll beats Paychex Flex on price and technology while Paychex is still the go-to for larger, complex organizations.

Conclusion and Recommendations

When Rippling Payroll Excels

Rippling Payroll is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses that need an all-in-one HR platform to manage payroll, benefits, compliance, and other tasks. Key strengths include:

• Streamlined payroll and HR in one seamless system
• Modern, user-friendly interface
• Robust employee self-service portal
• Integrations with popular accounting software
• Strong focus on automation and AI to simplify workflows

If reducing HR administration is a top priority, Rippling stands out with automation features like automated payroll runs, PTO tracking, and compliance document management.

Potential Issues to Watch For

Potential downsides to evaluate:

• Can be pricey for larger or complex organizations
• Limited customization compared to niche payroll platforms
• Compliance guarantees don't cover all edge cases
• Mobile app has basic functionality

If you have thousands of employees or complex payroll needs, Rippling may not offer the customization larger enterprises require. There are also some compliance nuances it doesn't address.

Final Take

For lean companies wanting unified HR tools, Rippling delivers exceptional value, convenience, and modern UX. Larger businesses may desire more customization. Overall, Rippling sets a new standard for integrated payroll and people management platforms.

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