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Payroll · head to head

Namely vs Rippling

Namely logo

Namely

Payroll

The HR platform that employees love

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

Rippling

Recruitment

Manage HR, IT, and Finance in one place

From
$8/month
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; Rippling the Internet Archive's capture of Rippling's homepage on 10 January 2021 named distinct product modules, Employee Platform, Payroll, Benefits, Talent Management, App Management, Device Management, and a PEO offering, all sold via 'Request Demo' with no price figure published.
  • They diverge on capability: Namely covers HR Management, Rippling covers Device Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Namely and Rippling actually diverge.

Attributes where Namely and Rippling differ
AttributeNamelyRippling
Starting price$18/employee/month$8/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryPayrollRecruitment
Founded20122016

Identical on both: 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 Namely

  • HR Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Performance Management
  • Onboarding
  • Greenhouse
  • LinkedIn

Only in Rippling

  • Device Management
  • App Management
  • Time Tracking
  • Learning Management
  • Salesforce
  • NetSuite

Both cover

  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

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 Rippling
  • Collecting 360-degree feedback and managing performance reviewsnot Rippling
  • Automating onboarding workflows and document e-signature collectionnot Rippling
  • Managing benefits enrollment and annual open enrollment periodsnot Rippling

Rippling

No use cases recorded yet. See the Rippling review.

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

Rippling

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Rippling's homepage on 10 January 2021 named distinct product modules, Employee Platform, Payroll, Benefits, Talent Management, App Management, Device Management, and a PEO offering, all sold via 'Request Demo' with no price figure published.

Pricing, plan by plan

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

Rippling

$8/month
  • Core$8/month
    • Employee Management
    • Onboarding
    • Offboarding
  • Pro$12/month
    • All Core features
    • Advanced Analytics
    • Custom Reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Namely if

  • You need hr management.
  • You also want time off management.
Namely review

Choose Rippling if

  • You need device management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want app management.
Rippling review

Questions people ask

Is Namely or Rippling better?
Neither clearly leads. Namely starts at $18/employee/month and Rippling at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Namely or Rippling?
Namely starts at $18/employee/month and Rippling at $8/month.
Does Namely or Rippling run on more platforms?
Namely runs on Web. Rippling 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 Rippling is typically brought in for.
What can Namely do that Rippling cannot?
Namely covers HR Management, Time Off Management, Performance Management, Onboarding. Rippling covers Device Management, App Management, Time Tracking, Learning Management. Both handle Payroll, Benefits Administration, Slack, Google Workspace.

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
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
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
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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