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Payroll · head to head

Namely vs Payhawk

Namely logo

Namely

Payroll

The HR platform that employees love

From
$18/employee/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Payhawk logo

Payhawk

Payroll

Modular spend management combining corporate cards, accounts payable, procurement and travel

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Namely limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions; Payhawk buying the full stack of Travel, Accounts Payable, Cards and Procurement separately costs more than a single suite price, since each module carries its own flat monthly fee.
  • They diverge on capability: Namely covers HR Management, Payhawk covers Corporate cards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Namely and Payhawk actually diverge.

Attributes where Namely and Payhawk differ
AttributeNamelyPayhawk
Starting price$18/employee/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownPer module per month
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2012Unknown

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 Namely

  • HR Management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Time Off Management
  • Performance Management
  • Onboarding
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace

Only in Payhawk

  • Corporate cards
  • Accounts payable automation
  • Procurement module
  • Travel booking
  • ERP integrations
  • Multi-entity consolidation

What people use each for

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

Namely

  • Processing payroll for employees across multiple states with different tax rulesnot Payhawk
  • Collecting 360-degree feedback and managing performance reviewsnot Payhawk
  • Automating onboarding workflows and document e-signature collectionnot Payhawk
  • Managing benefits enrollment and annual open enrollment periodsnot Payhawk

Payhawk

  • A multi-entity European business wanting one system for cards, expenses and payables across currenciesnot Namely
  • A finance team that wants to price spend management before a sales call rather than negotiating blindnot Namely
  • A company wanting only accounts payable automation without paying for card issuing it does not neednot Namely
  • A mid-market business standardising ERP-integrated expense reporting ahead of a fundraise or auditnot Namely

Where each one falls short

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

Namely

  • Limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • Payroll limitations: better served for less complex organizations and struggles with complex time-and-attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios
  • Missing ATS and surveys: lacks built-in applicant tracking system and pulse survey capabilities
  • Slow support response times: pod-based support model has led to slow response times for customers
  • Designed for specific market segment: best fit is mid-sized companies with 50-350 employees

Payhawk

  • Buying the full stack of Travel, Accounts Payable, Cards and Procurement separately costs more than a single suite price, since each module carries its own flat monthly fee.
  • The unlimited-seats model is a poor fit for a company issuing cards to only a handful of employees, since the fixed module price does not scale down.
  • Card issuing depends on Payhawk's own banking partners rather than a company's existing bank, so switching away later means reissuing cards and re-training staff on a new tool.
  • Procurement is a separate paid module rather than a built-in feature, so a company evaluating "Payhawk" from marketing material may be looking at capability it has not actually bought.
  • International card acceptance and FX handling vary by market, and companies with material spend outside Europe report gaps compared to global card issuers.

Pricing, plan by plan

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

Payhawk

On request
  • Travel$299/month
    • Integrated travel booking
    • Unlimited employee seats
  • Accounts Payable$349/month
    • Invoice capture and approval routing
    • Unlimited document processing
  • Cards and Expenses$449/month
    • Unlimited card transactions
    • Multi-entity expense management
  • Procurement$499/month
    • Purchase request and approval workflow
    • Vendor management

Which should you pick?

Choose Namely if

  • You need hr management.
  • You also want payroll.
Namely review

Choose Payhawk if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want accounts payable automation.
Payhawk review

Questions people ask

Is Namely or Payhawk better?
Neither clearly leads. Namely starts at $18/employee/month and Payhawk at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Namely or Payhawk?
Namely starts at $18/employee/month and Payhawk at On request.
Does Namely or Payhawk run on more platforms?
Namely runs on Web. Payhawk runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Namely best used for?
Namely is most often used for processing payroll for employees across multiple states with different tax rules, collecting 360-degree feedback and managing performance reviews, automating onboarding workflows and document e-signature collection, managing benefits enrollment and annual open enrollment periods. Of those, processing payroll for employees across multiple states with different tax rules and collecting 360-degree feedback and managing performance reviews are not what Payhawk is typically brought in for.
What can Namely do that Payhawk cannot?
Namely covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Off Management. Payhawk covers Corporate cards, Accounts payable automation, Procurement module, Travel booking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Namely: Does Namely support global payroll?

Namely primarily focuses on mid-sized US-based companies with 50-350 employees. While it can handle complex payroll scenarios, it is better served for less complex organizations and does not have extensive global payroll capabilities compared to enterprise platforms.

Source
Payhawk: Is Payhawk pricing really public?

Yes, module pricing (Travel, Accounts Payable, Cards and Expenses, Procurement) is published starting at 299 to 499 dollars a month per module, or bundled as Payhawk Complete.

Namely: What is included in Namely's Premium pricing?

Premium plans cost $18-24 per employee per month plus implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs. Plans include payroll, HR, benefits administration, time management, and talent management features.

Source
Payhawk: Does it charge per seat?

No, each module includes unlimited employee seats; the fixed monthly fee does not increase with headcount.

Namely: Does Namely include performance management features?

Yes, Namely offers customizable performance review modules enabling dynamic, ongoing feedback rather than traditional annual-only reviews. This is one of Namely's standout features.

Source
Payhawk: Can we buy just one module?

Yes, modules are sold separately, so a company can buy Accounts Payable without Cards or Procurement.

Namely: How long does Namely implementation typically take?

Namely is designed for mid-sized companies and implementation timelines vary based on complexity. The platform includes implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs in addition to monthly per-employee pricing.

Source
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