Businesses with employees need a way to process payroll and human resources (HR)-related functions. There are plenty of HR information systems (HRIS) on the market to provide these services. Rippling is a user-friendly option that includes many popular services and features. Because it is a modular plan, users can choose to pay for those services and features that they need and forego the rest.
Featured Partners
1
OnPay
Yes
Yes
$40 per month + $6 per user
2
SurePayroll
Yes
Yes
$29.99/mo plus $5 per employee
3
Gusto
Yes
Yes
$40 per month plus $6 per user
4
Rippling
Yes
Yes
$35 per month + $8 per user
What Is Rippling?
Rippling is an HRIS that allows businesses to create customized, modular solutions to their HR needs. In addition to payroll management services, users can also opt to include features, such as benefits administration, an applicant tracking system (ATS) and learning management. Rippling can also function as a professional employer organization (PEO), which connects users with other small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to provide cost-effective options for perks including insurance benefits.
Rippling Pricing & Plans
Rippling is a customizable, modular HR software platform that allows businesses to choose which services and features they want in their plan. Rippling’s starting plan—Rippling Unity—includes payroll processing, direct deposit and onboarding tools. For other services, such as benefits administration and an applicant tracking system (ATS), Rippling charges on a per-feature basis. Because Rippling doesn’t include pricing on its website, businesses will need to request a quote to know how much their modular plan will cost.
Rippling is widely known as a solid HR option for businesses that are large (more than 75 employees), growing or have a unique need. Small businesses with a handful of employees might find the robust software overwhelming. If you only need payroll management, you may be able to find a cheaper option elsewhere.
Rippling Tiered Pricing and Plans
| Rippling Unity | Custom Modular Pricing | |
|---|---|---|
|
Price
|
$35 plus $8 per user, per month
|
Available quote
|
|
Payroll
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Direct Deposit
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Taxes
|
Payroll tax reporting
|
Yes
|
|
Benefits Administration
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) Administration
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Time Tracking
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Applicant Tracking System
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
New Hire Onboarding
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Customer support
|
Live chat and email support, online help center, how-to guides
|
Live chat and email support, online help center, how-to guides; access to HR professionals
|
Rippling Unity
Price: $35 per month plus $8 per month, per employee
Best for: Small businesses that need basic payroll management and have fewer than a handful of employees
| Key Features | What's Missing? |
|---|---|
|
Payroll services and direct deposit
|
Benefits administration
|
|
Payroll tax reporting
|
Applicant tracking system
|
|
User-friendly
|
Pricing transparency
|
Rippling Unity offers basic payroll management services, including direct deposit and payroll tax reporting. Rippling Unity is easy to use and intuitive so users should be up and running quickly.
Modular Plan
Price: By quote
Best for: Midsize or growing businesses that want a customized HR software option without paying for services and features they don’t need.
| Key Features | What's Missing? |
|---|---|
|
Customizable
|
Pricing transparency
|
|
Robust customer service
|
Simplicity
|
Beyond Rippling Unity, the additional features are modular. Pricing is available by quote, but the benefit is that you won’t pay for features or services that you don’t need.
Which Rippling Plan Should You Choose?
If you have a couple of employees and only need payroll management, Rippling Unity will meet your needs. If, however, you have many employees and need services, such as benefits administration or an ATS, you will want to request a quote for Rippling’s modular plan.
Featured Partners
1
OnPay
Yes
Yes
$40 per month + $6 per user
2
SurePayroll
Yes
Yes
$29.99/mo plus $5 per employee
3
Gusto
Yes
Yes
$40 per month plus $6 per user
4
Rippling
Yes
Yes
$35 per month + $8 per user
How Rippling Compares to Competitors
| Rippling | Gusto | Justworks | Paycor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Forbes Advisor Rating
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
Pricing
|
Unity Plan: $35 plus $8 per employee per month
Modular Plans: By quote |
Basic: $40 per month plus $6 per employee |
Basic: $59 per month, per employee ($49 for 50th employee and more) |
Basic: $99 per month (includes 10 employees)
Essential: $149 per month (includes 10 employees) Basic: $199 per month (includes 10 employees) |
|
Payroll
|
Includes international payments
|
Unlimited payroll |
Includes payroll of salaried and hourly employees; |
Full-service payroll services
|
|
Training and Support
|
24/7 customer support
|
Live chat and email support
|
Limited live support hours; chat and email also available
|
Customer support is challenging to access
|
Additional Rippling Costs
Rippling’s modular services and features are all charged at an additional price beyond the basic price.
Bottom Line
Rippling is a solid HR software platform. Its basic plan, Rippling Unity, is often preferred by small companies with a couple of employees. But if you have many employees or have unique HR needs, you will want to request a quote for Rippling’s modular options.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What payroll services are included in Rippling Unity?
Rippling Unity offers all payroll-related services, including payroll processing, direct deposit and payroll tax reporting. Services, such as paid time off (PTO) management, are not included in Rippling Unity.
Is Rippling a PEO?
Yes, Rippling can function similarly to a PEO to connect users with other businesses to provide cost-effective options for perks, such as insurance benefits. If you don’t want PEO features, you don’t need to include this module.
Are HRIS systems secure?
As with most online platforms, the best HRIS systems, such as Rippling, offer many levels of security. When choosing this type of software, you want to look for security features, including two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA), documentation, that shows frequent security updates and patches, intrusion detection, the monitoring of user activities, data encryption and privacy protection.
Is Rippling secure?
Rippling uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to secure all of its data. These facilities are based in the U.S. and include 24/7 on-site security, camera surveillance and top-notch maintenance. All data that goes back and forth from the AWS servers to the Rippling product is encrypted using transport layer security (TLS) encryption and customer data is encrypted using AES-256.
Which is better: Rippling or Gusto
They’re both good solutions for HR software; however, Gusto is likely better for small businesses that are looking for affordable payroll tools. Rippling is ideal for tech-heavy organizations that need help managing employee data, payroll, HR and IT requirements. Read our Rippling vs. Gusto review to learn more.
