Paylocity vs Employee Navigator: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Paylocity and Employee Navigator comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: Employee Navigator wins this matchup. Our overall HRIS pick is BambooHR. Our free HRIS pick is Paycom. Pick Paylocity if you need its specific feature set.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Paylocity
Unify HR, Finance, & IT for simplified operations and empowered teams.
Best for you if:
- • You want good payroll platform
- • You want hR features
Employee Navigator
Benefits, HR, and compliance for brokers and employers
Best for you if:
- • You want comprehensive all-in-one platform for benefits, HR, and compliance, reducing the need for multiple tools
- • You want extensive integration ecosystem with numerous partners, enabling seamless data flow
| At a Glance | Paylocity | Employee Navigator |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | $5/moBase HR | Custom |
Best For | HRIS | HRIS |
Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
Free plan | No | No |
Choose Paylocity or Employee Navigator?
Choose Paylocity if
Unify HR, Finance, & IT for simplified operations and empowered teams.
- You want good payroll platform
- You want hR features
Choose Employee Navigator if
Benefits, HR, and compliance for brokers and employers
- You want comprehensive all-in-one platform for benefits, HR, and compliance, reducing the need for multiple tools
- You want extensive integration ecosystem with numerous partners, enabling seamless data flow
| Feature | Paylocity | Employee Navigator |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Paid |
| User Rating | ★4.4/5 8,205 reviews | ★4.6/5 349 reviews |
| Categories | HRISPayroll | HRISEmployee Onboarding |
In-Depth Analysis
Paylocity
Unify HR, Finance, & IT for simplified operations and empowered teams.
Paylocity's pricing, particularly for the "Full Suite" at $22-32/user/month plus significant implementation fees, appears expensive compared to many market alternatives.
Watch out
Implementation fees (10-20% of annual)
Strengths
- +Good payroll platform
- +HR features
- +Good UI
- +Fair pricing
- +Good support
Weaknesses
- -Per-employee pricing
- -Learning curve
- -Implementation time
- -Feature gaps
- -Contract commitment
Key features
Employee Navigator
Benefits, HR, and compliance for brokers and employers
Employee Navigator's pricing is opaque (all tiers require contacting sales) and likely expensive for small brokers, as the feature progression from Enhanced to Platinum suggests significant cost escalation for essentials like 834 EDI and priority support.
Strengths
- +Comprehensive all-in-one platform for benefits, HR, and compliance, reducing the need for multiple tools.
- +Extensive integration ecosystem with numerous partners, enabling seamless data flow.
- +Designed specifically for insurance brokers, with features like agency management integrations and broker analytics.
Weaknesses
- -Primarily targeted at brokers, not directly for employers without a broker relationship.
- -Pricing can add up for larger client bases.
Key features
Pricing: Paylocity vs Employee Navigator
| Plan | Paylocity | Employee Navigator |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $5 Base HR | Contact Sales Enhanced |
| Tier 2 | 22-32 Full Suite | Contact Sales Enhanced Plus |
| Tier 3 | N/A | Contact Sales Elite |
| Tier 4 | N/A | Contact Sales Platinum |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Paylocity pricing and Employee Navigator pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Both are paid. Compare plans on their websites.
Go with: Employee Navigator
Want the highest-rated option?
Paylocity: 4.4/5 (8,205 reviews). Employee Navigator: 4.6/5 (349 reviews).
Go with: Employee Navigator
Value user reviews?
Paylocity: 8,205 reviews (4.4/5). Employee Navigator: 349 reviews (4.6/5).
Go with: Paylocity
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Both are paid. Pricing won't help you decide here.
What's your use case?
Both are hris tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Employee Navigator is rated higher: 4.6/5 vs 4.4/5.
Key Takeaways
Employee Navigator
- Higher user rating: 4.6/5 vs 4.4/5
- More user reviews (1)
- Our pick for this comparison
Paylocity
- Larger review base (8,205 reviews)
The Bottom Line
Employee Navigator wins this matchup. Our overall HRIS pick is BambooHR. Our free HRIS pick is Paycom.
What Users Say
Employee Navigator Reviews
Employee Navigator
My insurance agent loves it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paylocity or Employee Navigator better?
Employee Navigator is rated 5.0/5 in our evaluation. Both are paid.
What are Paylocity and Employee Navigator used for?
Paylocity: Unify HR, Finance, & IT for simplified operations and empowered teams.. Employee Navigator: Benefits, HR, and compliance for brokers and employers.
What does Paylocity cost vs Employee Navigator?
Paylocity is a paid tool. Employee Navigator is a paid tool. Visit their websites for detailed pricing.