Softwr

HR · head to head

Motivosity vs Paylocity

Motivosity logo

Motivosity

HR

Recognition that actually matters

From
$3000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paylocity logo

Paylocity

Payroll

HR and payroll solutions to drive employee engagement

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Motivosity no published per-seat pricing; only broad ranges provided by company size; Paylocity the Internet Archive's capture of Paylocity's homepage on 3 January 2021 named a wide suite of modules, including Payroll, On Demand Payment, HR Edge, Recruiting, Performance Management, Compensation Management and a Learning Management System, all sold via 'Request a Demo' with no price figures published.
  • They diverge on capability: Motivosity covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Paylocity covers Payroll.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Motivosity and Paylocity actually diverge.

Attributes where Motivosity and Paylocity differ
AttributeMotivosityPaylocity
Starting price$3000/yearOn request
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryHRPayroll
Founded20131997

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Motivosity

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Spot bonuses
  • Social recognition feed
  • Manager insights
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • Pulse surveys
  • Rewards marketplace
  • Company values alignment

Only in Paylocity

  • Payroll
  • HR Management
  • Benefits Administration
  • Time and Labor
  • Talent Management
  • Employee Engagement
  • Google Workspace
  • QuickBooks

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

What people use each for

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

Motivosity

  • Peer-to-peer recognition and spot bonusesnot Paylocity
  • Service milestones and work anniversariesnot Paylocity
  • Pulse surveys on employee sentimentnot Paylocity
  • Rewards and lifestyle spending accountsnot Paylocity
  • Nominations and awards programmesnot Paylocity

Paylocity

No use cases recorded yet. See the Paylocity review.

Where each one falls short

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

Motivosity

  • No published per-seat pricing; only broad ranges provided by company size
  • Minimum annual spend of 3,000 USD for small business plans; no monthly options available
  • Custom module pricing starts around 1 USD PEPM with no published rate cards

Paylocity

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Paylocity's homepage on 3 January 2021 named a wide suite of modules, including Payroll, On Demand Payment, HR Edge, Recruiting, Performance Management, Compensation Management and a Learning Management System, all sold via 'Request a Demo' with no price figures published.

Pricing, plan by plan

Motivosity

$3000/year
  • Small Business$3000/year
    • 20-250 employees
    • Annual investment range 3,000-10,000 USD
    • Platform fee approximately 0-2 USD PEPM
  • Mid-Market$7500/year
    • 250-5,000 employees
    • Annual investment range 7,500-75,000 USD
  • Enterprise$40000/year
    • 5,000+ employees
    • Annual investment range 40,000-300,000+ USD

Paylocity

On request
  • Core Payroll$undefined/month
    • Payroll Processing
    • Tax Services
    • Direct Deposit
  • Complete HCM$undefined/month
    • All Core features
    • HR
    • Benefits

Which should you pick?

Choose Motivosity if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want spot bonuses.
Motivosity review

Choose Paylocity if

  • You need payroll.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want hr management.
Paylocity review

Questions people ask

Is Motivosity or Paylocity better?
Neither clearly leads. Motivosity starts at $3000/year and Paylocity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Motivosity or Paylocity?
Motivosity starts at $3000/year and Paylocity at On request.
Does Motivosity or Paylocity run on more platforms?
Motivosity runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Paylocity runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Motivosity best used for?
Motivosity is most often used for peer-to-peer recognition and spot bonuses, service milestones and work anniversaries, pulse surveys on employee sentiment, rewards and lifestyle spending accounts. Of those, peer-to-peer recognition and spot bonuses and service milestones and work anniversaries are not what Paylocity is typically brought in for.
What can Motivosity do that Paylocity cannot?
Motivosity covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Spot bonuses, Social recognition feed, Manager insights. Paylocity covers Payroll, HR Management, Benefits Administration, Time and Labor. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Motivosity: How much does Motivosity cost?

Motivosity uses custom per-employee pricing (PEPM) model. Small businesses (20-250 employees) invest 3,000-10,000 USD/year; mid-market (250-5,000) invests 7,500-75,000 USD/year; enterprise (5,000+) invests 40,000-300,000+ USD/year.

Source
Motivosity: What is the platform fee per employee?

Motivosity charges approximately 0-2 USD per employee per month (PEPM) as a platform fee, with additional module costs starting around 1 USD PEPM.

Source
Motivosity: Is there a minimum contract?

Yes, Motivosity requires a minimum annual investment of 3,000 USD for small business plans with annual contract terms.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Motivosity

More on Paylocity

Keep looking

Other head to heads