The SAP SuccessFactors Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about SAP SuccessFactors 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.
SAP SuccessFactors
The Insider’s Guide
Enterprise human capital management suite from SAP
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among HR software, read from SAP SuccessFactors’s own pages.
Made by SAP SE · 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 SAP SuccessFactors’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on SAP SuccessFactors’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
1.8
GPA, above 13 of the 63 other HR software we grade
SAP SuccessFactors is SAP's modular human capital management suite. It covers core HR and payroll, recruiting, learning and talent management, and includes the Joule AI assistant. SAP sells it through packages and a quote request; no prices are published.
To get you started, here are 7 things to know about SAP SuccessFactors, taken from its own pages and our grades.
SAP publishes no prices, its pricing page could not be read in full, and a suite this size means a long implementation.
- 1
Best for enterprise HR suites, quote only
SuccessFactors covers core HR, payroll, recruiting, learning, talent management and an AI assistant for large employers.
- 2
It runs on Web
Web.
- 3
Core HR and payroll
Employee records and payroll processing, listed on SAP's product pages as the foundation of the suite.
- 4
Recruiting and applicant tracking
SmartRecruiters for SAP SuccessFactors is described as SAP's AI-powered recruiting and applicant tracking system.
- 5
Learning
A learning module, with SAP's learning site offering material for human capital management products.
- 6
A 1.8 GPA, above 13 of 63
That is against the other HR software we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 7
Keep it
To replace SAP SuccessFactors 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.
SAP SuccessFactors at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- SAP SE
- Category
- HR Software
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for enterprise HR suites, quote only
SuccessFactors covers core HR, payroll, recruiting, learning, talent management and an AI assistant for large employers. SAP publishes no prices, its pricing page could not be read in full, and a suite this size means a long implementation.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price is published, only a quote, so value cannot be graded against the category and sits in the middle. |
| 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 | B | Core HR and payroll, recruiting, learning, talent management, an AI assistant and mobile apps. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core work, though what each package contains was not readable. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. An enterprise suite is built and configured with partners, so it is not something you start using on day one. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | The listing records web only. Its features mention mobile apps, but no integrations or platforms 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 SAP SuccessFactors is for
- Fits if you run HR for a large company and want one suite from SAP
- Works for organisations already on other SAP products
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a price before a sales call, as none is published
- Too light for a price comparison, since the package contents on its pricing page could not be read
- Skip it if you are a small team, because it is built for enterprise HR
- Watch out: SAP's site refused automated page views of the pricing page
Good to know
Good for
- Large organizations that already run SAP software
- Employers that want core HR, payroll, recruiting and learning from one vendor
Worth knowing
- No prices are published; SAP asks buyers to request a quote, so this listing has no price.
- SAP's pricing page lists Base and Premium HCM packages, but the pages read did not show their contents or costs.
- SAP's site refused automated page views of the pricing page, so package details could not be read in full.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
SAP SuccessFactors's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No price is published, only a quote, so value cannot be graded against the category and sits in the middle.
We could not confirm SAP SuccessFactors’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. sap.com has them.
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
Enterprise human capital management suite from SAP. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, payroll, applicant tracking, employee records.
Core HR and payroll, recruiting, learning, talent management, an AI assistant and mobile apps.
- Core HR and payroll
- Employee records and payroll processing, listed on SAP's product pages as the foundation of the suite.
- Recruiting and applicant tracking
- SmartRecruiters for SAP SuccessFactors is described as SAP's AI-powered recruiting and applicant tracking system.
- Learning
- A learning module, with SAP's learning site offering material for human capital management products.
- Talent management
- Talent management modules sit alongside core HR in the suite's product navigation.
- Joule AI assistant
- SAP says Joule Base is included with HCM Base or Premium plans at no additional cost.
- Mobile apps
- SAP lists mobile apps for the suite on its product pages.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
SAP SuccessFactors is made by SAP SE.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
13/63
Other HR software it is graded above
SAP SuccessFactors's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 13 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on features (B, above 41 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. SAP SuccessFactors’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 63
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 63
- BFeaturesAbove 41 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 SAP SuccessFactors 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: 34 of the 63 other HR software grade higher.
What you could make
- Employee records and applicant tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. SAP SuccessFactors’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
Ciphr, Cezanne HR, Personio and OrangeHRM
The 4 tools SAP SuccessFactors is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Ciphr
From £5/mo
UK HR and payroll suite for organisations of 200 to 2,000 staff.
- Ciphr also covers reports and time off.
- 2.0GPA
Cezanne HR
Paid
Modular HR system for mid-sized organisations, quoted by headcount.
- Only Cezanne HR lists iOS and Android apps.
- Cezanne HR also covers time tracking, surveys and time off.
- 1.8GPA
Personio
Paid
European HR platform for records, absences, time and recruiting.
- Only Personio lists iOS and Android apps.
- SAP SuccessFactors also covers payroll.
- Personio also covers time tracking and time off.
- 2.2GPA
OrangeHRM
Free plan
Open-source HR software with a paid Advanced edition.
- OrangeHRM has a free plan. SAP SuccessFactors does not.
- OrangeHRM is open source, according to its own site.
- SAP SuccessFactors also covers payroll.
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 SAP SuccessFactors free?
No. SAP SuccessFactors is a paid product.
What platforms does SAP SuccessFactors work on?
SAP SuccessFactors is available on Web.
Does SAP SuccessFactors have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. SAP SuccessFactors is listed for Web.
Does SAP SuccessFactors have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. SAP SuccessFactors is listed for Web.
Is SAP SuccessFactors open source?
SAP SuccessFactors is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes SAP SuccessFactors?
SAP SuccessFactors is made by SAP SE.
What are the alternatives to SAP SuccessFactors?
The closest alternatives to SAP SuccessFactors in our directory are Ciphr, Cezanne HR, Personio and OrangeHRM.
How does SAP SuccessFactors compare with other HR software?
SAP SuccessFactors's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 13 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 16.
Could I make my own version of SAP SuccessFactors?
To replace SAP SuccessFactors 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 SAP SuccessFactors’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 SAP'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 SAP SE. Prices change, so check sap.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
- SAP SuccessFactors, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/sap-successfactors
- 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, "SAP SuccessFactors: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/sap-successfactors
Know someone choosing between HR software?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/sap-successfactors/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded HR software after SAP SuccessFactors, 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 SAP SuccessFactors’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. SAP SuccessFactors is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by SAP SE. Prices and plans change: check sap.com before you buy.