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Our Verdict
Our Verdict
Read our Workday review to assess this popular payroll solution’s pricing, features and support. We’ll also highlight how it compares to the competition.
Summary:
Workday is a cloud-based human capital management solution that integrates with various business applications. It allows companies to manage all aspects of their workforce, from recruitment and onboarding processes to performance management and compensation programs, all in one place.
Based in Pleasanton, California, Workday has been around since 2005 and commonly is used by medium- to large-sized companies. If you’re looking for a platform that incorporates simple solutions, such as time tracking and payroll management to robust capabilities, such as advanced analytics, human resources (HR) management or data visualization reports, then Workday will be a great fit for you.
Pros
- Known for its ease of use and intuitive user interface
- Customizable options
- Offers adequate integration to other third-party apps
- Customer support via phone and online
Cons
- Lacks transparent pricing
- No free version
- Users have to request free trials (for the Workday Adaptive Planning platform)
3.6
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Requires a custom quote
Talent management
Yes
Key features
Big data analytics integration, mobile-friendly and custom reports
Table of Contents
- Workday At a Glance
- Other Benefits
- How Workday Stacks Up
- Is Workday Right for You or Your Business?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Show more
Workday At a Glance
Workday HCM is a cloud-based HR software that provides a comprehensive suite of HR services to help you manage your workforce. It offers many features, such as employee self-service, payroll processing and talent management.
Workday Pricing and Costs
Workday does not present any pricing information on its website and prefers to deal with the involved companies directly to be able to give a tailored quote for the company’s needs. However, some users report that pricing usually starts at $99 per user, per month.
Featured Partners
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1
Rippling
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor Payments
Yes
Base Price
$35/month plus $8 PEPM
2
OnPay
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor payments
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month + $6 per user
3
Paychex Flex
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor payments
Yes
Base monthly price
$39-plus per month, depending on company size and needs (6 month free offer)
4
Gusto
Benefits administration
Yes
Contractor payments
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month plus $6 per user
Other Benefits
Recruiting
Workday Recruiting is a powerful tool for sourcing, screening and hiring the right talent. It helps you find top-flight candidates who meet your needs and expectations.
It also offers recruiters a rich set of features that streamline their recruiting workflow by providing them with access to a single platform where they can manage all aspects of their job search process—from sourcing candidates to evaluating applications and conducting interviews.
Reporting and Analytics
Reporting and analytics are the most important features of Workday. They’re also among the most comprehensive, advanced and user-friendly. The reporting component offers a wide range of tools for tracking employees’ performance data, analyzing competitors and helping with informed business decisions.
How Workday Stacks Up
| Workday | QuickBooks | ADP Run | |
|---|---|---|---|
Forbes Advisor Star Rating |  |  | |
Free Trial | Yes (for the Workday Adaptive Planning platform) | 30 days | No |
Free Version | No | Yes | No |
Starting Price | Usually requires a custom quote. Some users report that pricing starts at $99 per user, per month | Starts at $37.50 per month (for first three months, then $75 per month) plus $4 per person, per month | $59 per month + per person rate + fees for add-on features |
Benefits Administration | Yes | Yes | |
Automatic Tax Filing | No | No | Yes |
Customizable | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Time Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Third-party Integrations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ideal for | Medium to large-sized companies | Smaller teams and freelancers | Startups and small businesses with less than 50 employees |
Customer Support | Customer support via phone and online | Live chat, knowledge base and blog but no phone support | 24/7 support from certified payroll experts |
Learn More | — | — | |
Read Reviews | — | Read QuickBooks Review | Read ADP Run Review |
Workday HCM is an intuitive, user-friendly and easy-to-navigate software recommended for medium to large-sized companies but one of its major cons is the unavailability of a free version or lack of transparent pricing on the website. QuickBooks, which is higher rated offers a 30-day trial instead and has a free version for anyone interested in trying out the program. ADP Run on the other hand is suitable for businesses with less than 50 employees as it helps facilitate payroll for U.S.-based employees, offers automatic tax filing and reporting, and includes optional benefits administration in a self-service platform for employees.
Is Workday Right for You or Your Business?
Workday HCM is mainly designed for medium-to-large-sized companies with multiple locations. Large companies often have multiple applications and teams working on different projects at once while Mid-sized businesses tend to have fewer employees but their needs might still require advanced features.
If you own a company of 250-1000+ employees and need to incorporate workforce management tools (onboarding and training, scheduling, leave management) and human resources analytics tools ( compensation management, performance evaluation/management), then Workday is a good fit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Workday the best HR system?
Workday is touted as one of the best HR systems in the world as it helps in raising HR and payroll compliance and boosting efficiency all over different organizations. To help you find the right software for your business, we researched and tested the best HR systems based on features, pricing, support, integrations, user reviews and more.
Why is Workday so popular?
Founded in 2005, Workday has been a leader in the human capital management field. Its client base includes big brands like Walmart having about 2300000 employees, Alphabet Inc. and Apple Inc.
What is the best recruiting software?
The best recruiting platform for your organization depends on your specific needs. For example, Forbes Advisor considers ZipRecruiter the best solution for medium to large businesses, HiringThing best for small businesses, LinkedIn best for professional roles, Zoho Recruit best for staffing agencies, and Breezy HR best for fast-growing companies. Read our piece on the best recruiting software for more details.
What features should a payroll service for small businesses have?
The features you want in a payroll service for your small business include one that is simple to set up, provides payroll processing and management, makes it possible to do tax filing, creates detailed payroll reports, offers direct deposit to your employees, allows employees to make certain changes as needed, and offers quality customer support.
Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circ*mstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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