The Rise People Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Rise People 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.
Rise People
The Insider’s Guide
Canadian HR, payroll, time tracking and benefits in one system
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among HR software, read from Rise People’s own pages.
Made by Rise People, Inc. · 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 Rise People’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Rise People’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
1.6
GPA, above 1 of the 63 other HR software we grade
Rise is an HR and payroll platform made for Canadian employers. It combines employee records, time off, onboarding, recruiting and performance reviews with Canadian payroll, and sells time tracking, scheduling and employee benefits as add-ons.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Rise People, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for Canadian HR and payroll with a base fee
The base fee is not stated, only the entry tier is priced, and it is for Canadian payroll only.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at C$8 per employee / month, plus a base fee.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
People management
A people directory with HR documents, custom roles and permissions, on-demand pay stubs and people reports.
- 5
Canadian payroll
Automated payroll with direct deposit, automatic tax remittance and automatic T4 generation.
- 6
Onboarding and time off
Self-onboarding, offer letters and task lists, and custom time off policies with multi-step approvals.
- 7
A 1.6 GPA, above 1 of 63
That is against the other HR software we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Rise People 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.
Rise People at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from C$8 per employee / month, plus a base fee
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Rise People, Inc.
- Category
- HR Software
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for Canadian HR and payroll with a base fee
Rise People bundles HR records, Canadian payroll, time off and a mobile app, starting at C$8 per employee a month plus a base fee. The base fee is not stated, only the entry tier is priced, and it is for Canadian payroll only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | C$8 per employee a month for Start plus a base fee that the page does not state. Grow and Optimize are quoted, so the real cost is unknown. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan and no trial on record in the listing, and a money-back guarantee would not count as one. |
| Features | C | People management, Canadian payroll, onboarding, time off and a mobile app. Time tracking, scheduling, managed payroll and benefits are add-ons, so the whole job is not in one price. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Payroll with CRA remittances and T4s has setup work before the first pay run. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | The listing records web only, and no integrations are 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 Rise People is for
- Fits if you run a Canadian business and want HR and payroll in one system
- Works for a team that needs T4s and CRA remittances handled inside the product
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you pay staff outside Canada, because payroll is Canadian
- Watch out: every tier carries a base fee the page does not state
- Pricey if you want more than Start, as Grow and Optimize have no published price
- Watch out: time tracking, scheduling, managed payroll and benefits are add-ons
- Skip it if you want to try first, since no free plan or trial is listed
Good to know
Good for
- Canadian employers that want payroll and HR in one place
- Teams that want month-to-month terms with no cancellation fees
- Companies that also need scheduling and time clocks
Worth knowing
- Pricing is in Canadian dollars and every tier carries a base fee that the page does not state.
- Only the Start tier has a published price; Grow and Optimize are quoted on request.
- The page covers Canadian payroll (CRA remittances, T4s), so it is not a fit for payroll outside Canada.
- Time tracking, scheduling, managed payroll and benefits are add-ons; benefits give 30% off Rise platform fees.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8/mo
To start
Rise People is a paid product, starting at C$8 per employee / month, plus a base fee.
Grow and Optimize are quoted, so the real cost is unknown.
Start
C$8
per month, plus a base fee, per employee
People management, payroll, onboarding, time off and the mobile app. All tiers are subject to a base fee.
Grow
Custom
Described as solutions that work together. Quoted on request; no price is published.
Optimize
Custom
Marked most popular and described as a full employee experience. Quoted on request; no price shown.
Read from risepeople.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
30% off platform fees with benefits
The pricing page says adding Rise employee benefits takes 30% off the Rise platform fees.
Stated on risepeople.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Canadian HR, payroll, time tracking and benefits in one system. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: payroll, shift scheduling, time clock, applicant tracking, employee records, time off.
People management, Canadian payroll, onboarding, time off and a mobile app.
- People management
- A people directory with HR documents, custom roles and permissions, on-demand pay stubs and people reports.
- Canadian payroll
- Automated payroll with direct deposit, automatic tax remittance and automatic T4 generation.
- Onboarding and time off
- Self-onboarding, offer letters and task lists, and custom time off policies with multi-step approvals.
- Recruiting and performance
- An applicant tracking system with a careers page, plus performance reviews, 360-degree feedback and templates.
- Time tracking and scheduling
- Add-ons for timesheets, geofenced mobile punches, shift scheduling and one-click syncing to payroll.
- Benefits and managed payroll
- Digital health benefits enrollment and a managed payroll service, both sold as add-ons.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Rise People is made by Rise People, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/63
Other HR software it is graded above
Rise People's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 1 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on value for money (C, above 5 of 63) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 64 HR software we grade, cut by the letter each got. Rise People’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 63
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 63
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 63
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 63
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 63
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 Rise People 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: 51 of the 63 other HR software grade higher.
What you could make
- Employee records, time off and applicant 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 rota the whole staff sees on their phones, with swaps and alerts.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
What this rests on. Rise People’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
BambooHR, Breathe, HiBob, Zoho People and CharlieHR
The 5 tools Rise People is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
BambooHR
Free trial · from $250/mo
HR records, hiring, time off and reviews, with US payroll as an add-on.
- Only BambooHR lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rise People also covers shift scheduling and time clock.
- BambooHR also covers reports.
- 2.6GPA
Breathe
Free trial · from £24/mo
UK HR software for small firms, priced per business, not per person.
- Only Breathe lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rise People also covers payroll.
- Breathe also covers reports and expense tracking.
- 2.0GPA
HiBob
Paid
HR platform for mid-sized global firms, with US and UK payroll.
- Only HiBob lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rise People also covers shift scheduling and time clock.
- HiBob also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Zoho People
Free plan · from $3/mo
Low-cost HR records, attendance, shifts and reviews from Zoho.
- Zoho People has a free plan. Rise People does not.
- Only Zoho People lists iOS and Android apps.
- Rise People also covers payroll and applicant tracking.
- 2.4GPA
CharlieHR
Free trial · from £21/mo
HR software for UK small businesses, priced by team-size bracket.
- Rise People also covers payroll, shift scheduling and time clock.
- CharlieHR also covers surveys.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 Rise People free?
No. Rise People is a paid product, starting at C$8 per employee / month, plus a base fee.
How much does Rise People cost?
Rise People lists 3 plans. Start: C$8 per month, plus a base fee, per employee.
What platforms does Rise People work on?
Rise People is available on Web.
Does Rise People offer any discounts?
Rise People publicly lists the following: 30% off platform fees with benefits.
Does Rise People have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Rise People is listed for Web.
Does Rise People have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Rise People is listed for Web.
Is Rise People open source?
Rise People is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes Rise People?
Rise People is made by Rise People, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Rise People?
The closest alternatives to Rise People in our directory are BambooHR, Breathe, HiBob, Zoho People and CharlieHR.
How does Rise People compare with other HR software?
Rise People's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 1 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 11.
Could I make my own version of Rise People?
To replace Rise People 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 Rise People’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 Rise People'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 Rise People, Inc. Prices change, so check risepeople.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
- Rise People, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/rise-people
- 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, "Rise People: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/rise-people
Know someone choosing between HR software?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/rise-people/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded HR software after Rise People, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- HR Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 64 HR software we grade, compared
- Breathe Insider's GuideUK HR software for small firms, priced per business, not per person2.6 GPA
- Leave Dates Insider's GuideAnnual leave planner and absence tracker for small teams2.6 GPA
- TalentHR Insider's GuideHR records, time off, hiring and reviews for small teams2.6 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 Rise People’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. Rise People is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Rise People, Inc. Prices and plans change: check risepeople.com before you buy.