Softwr

Payroll · head to head

Justworks vs TriNet

Justworks logo

Justworks

Payroll

Professional employer organisation with published per-employee pricing and a separate payroll-only tier

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TriNet logo

TriNet

Payroll

Big company benefits and a team deeply involved in running your HR

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Justworks the published per-employee fee is the platform charge, not your cost; health insurance premiums and workers' compensation are billed on top and are usually several times larger, so the transparent price is transparent about the smaller number.; TriNet pricing is fully customized with no published rates
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Justworks and TriNet actually diverge.

Attributes where Justworks and TriNet differ
AttributeJustworksTriNet
Starting price$8/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer employee per monthquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Payroll).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Justworks

  • Co-employment PEO
  • Large-group benefits
  • Payroll and filings
  • Workers' compensation
  • Compliance support
  • Standalone payroll
  • International contractors
  • HR consulting

Only in TriNet

Nothing recorded that Justworks does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Justworks

  • A twenty-person US startup that wants health insurance comparable to a large employer without an insurance broker relationshipnot TriNet
  • A company hiring across several US states that does not want to register as an employer and file taxes in each of themnot TriNet
  • A founder replacing a bookkeeper-run payroll with something that will not produce a state tax penalty noticenot TriNet
  • A team that wants payroll and benefits administration only, without co-employment, at the $8 per employee tiernot TriNet

TriNet

  • HR and payroll services for mid-sized companiesnot Justworks
  • Talent managementnot Justworks
  • Benefits administrationnot Justworks

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Justworks

  • The published per-employee fee is the platform charge, not your cost; health insurance premiums and workers' compensation are billed on top and are usually several times larger, so the transparent price is transparent about the smaller number.
  • Leaving a PEO is a project, not a cancellation: you must source your own health plan, obtain your own state employer registrations and unemployment accounts, and time the switch to a plan year, which typically takes months.
  • Coverage is United States only, so the moment you hire your first employee in another country you are running a second system and Justworks handles them only as a contractor.
  • PEO Basic looks like a cheaper way in but excludes the Justworks health plans, which is the main reason companies choose a PEO at all, so most buyers end up on Plus.
  • Benefit plan choice is constrained to what Justworks has negotiated, and a company with strong preferences about carriers or network coverage in a specific region may find the options do not fit.

TriNet

  • Pricing is fully customized with no published rates
  • Assessment required before pricing is provided
  • No self-serve pricing options

Pricing, plan by plan

Justworks

$8/month
  • Payroll$8/month
    • Plus a $50 monthly base fee
    • Payroll, tax filing and benefits administration
    • No co-employment, so no access to Justworks health plans at PEO rates
  • PEO Basic$79/month
    • Full co-employment PEO
    • Payroll, tax filing and compliance
    • Does not include access to Justworks-sponsored health plans
  • PEO Plus$109/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Access to Justworks health, dental and vision plans
    • Premiums are billed separately and are the larger cost
  • Dedicated HR consulting$30/month
    • Add-on to PEO plans
    • Named HR adviser support

TriNet

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the TriNet review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Justworks if

  • You need co-employment peo.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want large-group benefits.
Justworks review

Choose TriNet if

Nothing in the data separates TriNet from Justworks on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

TriNet review

Questions people ask

Is Justworks or TriNet better?
Neither clearly leads. Justworks starts at $8/month and TriNet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Justworks or TriNet?
Justworks starts at $8/month and TriNet at On request.
Does Justworks or TriNet run on more platforms?
Justworks runs on Web, iOS, Android. TriNet runs on Web.
What is Justworks best used for?
Justworks is most often used for a twenty-person us startup that wants health insurance comparable to a large employer without an insurance broker relationship, a company hiring across several us states that does not want to register as an employer and file taxes in each of them, a founder replacing a bookkeeper-run payroll with something that will not produce a state tax penalty notice, a team that wants payroll and benefits administration only, without co-employment, at the $8 per employee tier. Of those, a twenty-person us startup that wants health insurance comparable to a large employer without an insurance broker relationship and a company hiring across several us states that does not want to register as an employer and file taxes in each of them are not what TriNet is typically brought in for.
What can Justworks do that TriNet cannot?
Justworks covers Co-employment PEO, Large-group benefits, Payroll and filings, Workers' compensation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Justworks: What does co-employment actually mean?

Justworks becomes the employer of record for payroll tax and benefits purposes while you retain full control over hiring, management and day-to-day work. It is a legal arrangement, not an outsourcing of your team.

TriNet: How does TriNet determine its pricing?

TriNet states: 'Many factors go into our pricing structure, including the state of your business and the size of your company.' Pricing is customized per client based on business size, location, and specific needs.

Source
Justworks: Is the $79 figure my total monthly cost per employee?

No. It is the platform fee. Health insurance premiums, dental, vision and workers' compensation are additional and typically dwarf it.

TriNet: Can you get a TriNet quote without an assessment?

No. TriNet requires customers to complete an HR Solution Assessment or consult with a TriNet consultant before receiving a personalized quote. No pricing is available without this step.

Source
Justworks: Can Justworks employ people outside the US?

No. It can pay international contractors, but it is not an employer of record abroad.

Justworks: What is the difference between the Payroll plan and the PEO?

The Payroll plan handles payroll and benefits administration under your own EIN at $8 per employee per month plus a base fee. The PEO adds co-employment and pooled large-group insurance at $79 or $109.

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