HR Cloud vs Namely (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Namely grades higher than HR Cloud: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Namely grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Namely
US HR, payroll and benefits for mid-sized firms, with managed services
From $9/mo
Which one is for you
Pick HR Cloud if
- Fits if you run a frontline workforce and want onboarding and I-9 handled
- Works for HR teams that would rather quote a flat price than count seats
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price before a demo, as none is published
- Tight if you want recruiting, time off or performance, which need Growth, and engagement needs Full Suite
- Watch out: a separate SMB pricing page exists for companies under 250 employees, and we didn't read it
- Too light for anyone who wants listed integrations, as none are named
- Tight if you want to try before talking to sales, since no trial is listed
Pick Namely if
- Fits if you want HR, payroll and benefits from one US provider
- Works for businesses with hourly staff who clock in at kiosks or on phones
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to try it first, as there's only a guided tour
- Not for you if you employ people outside the US
- Pricey if you want onboarding on Namely Now, which costs extra, or workers' comp, which comes only with Complete
- Watch out: Plus, Plus People and Complete are quoted after a needs review, and contracts can run up to 3 years
- Watch out: the rated Namely app hasn't been updated since 2021, and NamelyONE has no ratings yet
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAHR CloudWeak | 2.0GPANamelyFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo prices are published: all three plans say to get a quote, so there's nothing to set against the category's middle of $5 a seat. | CNamely Now starts at $9 an employee a month, so a ten-person company pays $90 and up, with the final price quoted. That buys HR and payroll together, which most here don't include. It sits at this category's dearer quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial. You book a demo. | FNo free plan and no trial, only a guided tour. |
| Features | COnboarding, recruiting, time off, performance, engagement and I-9 and E-Verify. But recruiting, time off and performance need the Growth plan, and engagement needs Full Suite. | BPayroll with tax updates for every jurisdiction, time clocks and scheduling, records, time off and onboarding, then recruiting, reviews, compliance training and benefits administration on Plus. The whole job, payroll included. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. There's a rollout and set-up before a team uses it. | CNo App Store rating on record: the rated Namely app hasn't been updated since 2021, and its replacement, NamelyONE, has no ratings yet. Plans beyond Namely Now are set up through a sales process. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android. The listing names no integrations and no desktop app. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, plus kiosks and biometric clocks for clocking in, and a general ledger export. No integrations list or desktop app on record. |
| Best for | onboarding and HR for frontline teams | US mid-sized firms wanting HR and payroll |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: HR Cloud and Namely. How we grade
Where they differ
- Namely also covers reports, payroll and shift scheduling.
In commonWebiOSAndroidTime clockApplicant trackingEmployee recordsTime off
At a glance
| HR Cloud | Namely | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | $9 per employee / month and up, for Namely Now |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | HR Cloud | Namely, Inc. |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | namely.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
HR Cloud
- No prices are published: all three plans are Get a quote.
- A separate SMB pricing page exists for companies under 250 employees; it was not read.
- Recruiting, time off and performance need the Growth plan, and engagement needs Full Suite.
Namely
- Only Namely Now has a published starting price; the other packages are quoted after a needs review.
- Built for US employers: payroll updates tax calculations for every jurisdiction and issues W-2s; the pages read name no other countries.
- There is no free trial, only a guided tour; contracts run from month to month up to 3 years.
- Onboarding is an extra charge on Namely Now, and workers' comp and shared liability come only with Complete.
Key features
HR Cloud
- Onboarding
- New-hire onboarding and offboarding with forms, documents, e-signatures, checklists and branded portals, plus an AI guide called Maya.
- Recruiting
- The Growth plan adds an ATS with job boards, interviews and offer letters.
- Time off and performance
- Growth also includes leave requests, approvals and calendars, plus goals, reviews and feedback.
- Employee engagement
- The Full Suite plan adds Workmates for recognition and rewards, announcements, surveys and polls, and communities.
- I-9 and E-Verify
- The homepage lists I-9 and E-Verify handling as part of its hiring and onboarding flow.
Namely
- Payroll with tax compliance
- Runs any pay frequency and off-cycle pay runs, keeps tax calculations updated for each jurisdiction, and exports to the general ledger.
- Time, scheduling and clocks
- Staff enter time from a desktop, kiosk, mobile app or biometric clock with geofencing, and managers build schedules with shift swaps.
- HR, onboarding and reporting
- Employee records, file storage, time-off tracking, onboarding for new hires and custom reports with charts.
- Recruiting, performance and compliance
- From Namely Plus: AI-assisted applicant tracking, continuous feedback and goals, and state-mandated training with a living handbook.
- Managed services
- Higher packages hand payroll processing and benefits brokerage to Namely's team, and Complete adds workers' comp and shared liability.
- NamelyOne mobile app
- Employees see pay stubs, W-2s and benefits, request time off and clock in; managers approve leave and check timecards.
Plans
HR Cloud
Pricing could not be confirmed. See hrcloud.com.
Namely
Namely Now$9
per employee / month and up
HR and payroll. Onboarding and large-group benefits cost extra. Final price is quoted by sales.
Namely PlusCustom
Adds onboarding, recruiting, performance, compliance, the benefits administration module and time tracking.
Namely Plus PeopleCustom
Namely Plus with Namely's managed payroll and managed benefits services.
Namely CompleteCustom
Adds large-group medical, dental and vision plans, workers' comp, risk and safety management and shared-liability compliance.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, HR Cloud or Namely?
As of Nov 12, 2026, HR Cloud has no price we could confirm, and Namely starts at $9 per employee / month and up, for Namely Now.
Which has a free plan, HR Cloud or Namely?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither HR Cloud nor Namely has a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.