The Paycom Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Paycom in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Paycom
The Insider’s Guide
Payroll and HR software on a single database, sold by quote
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among payroll services, read from Paycom’s own pages.
Made by Paycom Payroll LLC · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Paycom’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Paycom’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 11 of the 40 other payroll services we grade
Paycom is a cloud HCM suite that covers payroll, talent acquisition, time and labor, benefits and HR on one database it built itself. Payroll starts on its own each pay period and flags errors for employees to fix before submission. Pricing is quoted per customer, with no published rates.
To get you started, here are 7 things to know about Paycom, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No prices are published, every quote is custom, and Core is a minimum every client takes with other tools on top.
- 1
Best for payroll and HR in one database for mid-size employers
Paycom is payroll and HR software with time tracking, hiring, benefits and a mobile app.
- 2
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 3
Self-starting payroll
Payroll begins automatically each pay period, checks live employee data for errors and guides employees to correct them before it is submitted.
- 4
Time and labor management
Time and attendance, time clocks and terminals, geofencing, time-off requests, scheduling and labor allocation, with approved time flowing into payroll.
- 5
Talent acquisition
Applicant tracking, onboarding, background checks and E-Verify, with candidate data carried into the employee record without re-entry.
- 6
A 2.0 GPA, above 11 of 40
That is against the other payroll services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 7
Keep it
To replace Paycom you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Paycom at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Paycom Payroll LLC, since 1998
- Category
- Payroll
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for payroll and HR in one database for mid-size employers
Paycom is payroll and HR software with time tracking, hiring, benefits and a mobile app. No prices are published, every quote is custom, and Core is a minimum every client takes with other tools on top.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price is published; every quote is customised and the pricing page is a contact form. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan and no trial are on record for this listing. |
| Features | B | Payroll, time and labor, talent acquisition, benefits and compliance, and employee self-service. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Each customer gets a dedicated specialist and a managed set-up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iOS and Android, with no integrations named. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Paycom is for
- Fits if you want payroll, time and hiring from one vendor
- Works for employers who want a dedicated specialist to set it up
Who it is not for
- Watch out: no prices are published, and every quote is custom
- Watch out: Core is the minimum every client uses, with other tools added on top
- Not for you if you want self-serve setup, as each customer is assigned a specialist
- Skip it if you want a free plan or a trial, as neither is listed
Good to know
Good for
- Mid-size and large employers that want payroll, time and HR in one system
- Companies with multistate payroll and a growing compliance load
Worth knowing
- No prices are published: every quote is customized, and the pricing page is a contact form.
- Paycom says its Core package is the minimum every client uses, with other tools added on top.
- Each customer is assigned a dedicated specialist rather than self-serve setup.
- Paycom lists Global HCM as covering over 190 countries; whether payroll runs there is not stated on the pages read.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Paycom's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No price is published; every quote is customised and the pricing page is a contact form.
We could not confirm Paycom’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. paycom.com has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Payroll and HR software on a single database, sold by quote. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: expense tracking, payroll, time clock, applicant tracking, employee records, time off.
Payroll, time and labor, talent acquisition, benefits and compliance, and employee self-service.
- Self-starting payroll
- Payroll begins automatically each pay period, checks live employee data for errors and guides employees to correct them before it is submitted.
- Time and labor management
- Time and attendance, time clocks and terminals, geofencing, time-off requests, scheduling and labor allocation, with approved time flowing into payroll.
- Talent acquisition
- Applicant tracking, onboarding, background checks and E-Verify, with candidate data carried into the employee record without re-entry.
- Benefits and compliance
- Benefits administration with carrier connections and COBRA, plus ACA reporting, garnishment administration and payroll tax management.
- Employee self-service and mobile app
- Employees see their own pay and HR data in the Paycom app, which has listings on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Paycom is made by Paycom Payroll LLC, and has been around since 1998.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
11/40
Other payroll services it is graded above
Paycom's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 11 of the 40 other payroll services we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on features (B, above 17 of 40) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 41 payroll services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Paycom’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 40
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 40
- BFeaturesAbove 17 of 40
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 40
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 11 of 40
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Paycom you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 24 of the 40 other payroll services grade higher.
What you could make
- Employee records, applicant tracking, time off and expense tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- Clocking in from a phone, checked against where and when.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Paycom’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Paylocity, Paycor, RUN Powered by ADP, Paychex Flex and Rippling
The 5 tools Paycom is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Paylocity
Paid
Payroll, HR, finance and IT platform for US employers, by quote.
- Paycom also covers time clock, applicant tracking, employee records and time off.
- Paylocity also covers time tracking and reports.
- 2.2GPA
Paycor
From $99/mo
US payroll and HR software, with published prices under 50 staff.
- Paycom also covers time clock, applicant tracking, employee records and time off.
- Paycor also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
RUN Powered by ADP
Paid
ADP's payroll and HR service for US businesses of 1 to 49 people.
- Paycom also covers expense tracking, time clock, applicant tracking, employee records and time off.
- RUN Powered by ADP also covers time tracking.
- 2.4GPA
Paychex Flex
Paid
Paychex's payroll, tax filing and HR platform, priced by quote.
- Paycom also covers expense tracking, time clock, applicant tracking, employee records and time off.
- Paychex Flex also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Rippling
Paid
HR, IT and finance platform with US and global payroll, by quote.
- Paycom also covers time clock, applicant tracking, employee records and time off.
- Rippling also covers workflow automation and time tracking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
9
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Paycom free?
No. Paycom is a paid product.
What platforms does Paycom work on?
Paycom is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Paycom have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Paycom is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Paycom have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Paycom is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Paycom open source?
Paycom is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes Paycom?
Paycom is made by Paycom Payroll LLC. It dates from 1998.
What are the alternatives to Paycom?
The closest alternatives to Paycom in our directory are Paylocity, Paycor, RUN Powered by ADP, Paychex Flex and Rippling.
How does Paycom compare with other payroll services?
Paycom's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 11 of the 40 other payroll services we grade, and level with 5.
Could I make my own version of Paycom?
To replace Paycom you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Paycom’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Paycom's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Paycom Payroll LLC. Prices change, so check paycom.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Paycom, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/paycom
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Paycom: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/paycom
Know someone choosing between payroll services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/paycom/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded payroll services after Paycom, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Payroll Insider's GuideEvery one of the 41 payroll services we grade, compared
- Roll by ADP Insider's GuideChat-based payroll app for very small US businesses2.8 GPA
- SimplePay Insider's GuideSouth African online payroll with leave and self-service2.8 GPA
- BrightPay Insider's GuideUK cloud payroll with HMRC submissions and auto-enrolment2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Paycom’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Paycom is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Paycom Payroll LLC. Prices and plans change: check paycom.com before you buy.