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Payroll & Benefits · head to head

Paychex Flex vs Workable

Paychex Flex logo

Paychex Flex

Payroll & Benefits

Payroll and HR solutions that grow with you

From
$39/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workable logo

Workable

Recruitment & ATS

Recruitment and employee engagement platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Workable has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Paychex Flex paychex publishes no rate card for Paychex Flex: the payroll page names the Select, Pro and Enterprise packages but gives no per employee fee, no base monthly fee and no setup fee; Workable the Standard plan is $299 a month and still charges separately for texting at $89, video interviews at $109 and assessments at $59 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Paychex Flex covers Payroll Processing, Workable covers Job posting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paychex Flex and Workable actually diverge.

Attributes where Paychex Flex and Workable differ
AttributePaychex FlexWorkable
Starting price$39/monthFree
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryPayroll & BenefitsRecruitment & ATS
Founded19712012

Identical on both: 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 Paychex Flex

  • Payroll Processing
  • Tax Administration
  • HR Services
  • Benefits Administration
  • Time and Attendance
  • Retirement Services
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero

Only in Workable

  • Job posting
  • Applicant tracking
  • Candidate management
  • Onboarding
  • Employee engagement
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • Integrations

What people use each for

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

Paychex Flex

  • Running payroll and filing payroll taxes for small and mid sized US businessesnot Workable
  • Combining payroll with benefits administration and HR services from one vendornot Workable
  • Handling multi state payroll compliance and year end tax formsnot Workable

Workable

  • Posting jobs and tracking candidates through an applicant tracking systemnot Paychex Flex
  • Running structured interviews, assessments and offers in one placenot Paychex Flex

Where each one falls short

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

Paychex Flex

  • Paychex publishes no rate card for Paychex Flex: the payroll page names the Select, Pro and Enterprise packages but gives no per employee fee, no base monthly fee and no setup fee
  • Pricing is obtained only by requesting a quote or calling sales
  • Product capability is split across three packages, so features are tied to a tier whose price is not disclosed

Workable

  • The Standard plan is $299 a month and still charges separately for texting at $89, video interviews at $109 and assessments at $59 a month
  • Reaching a plan where those three are included means Premier at $599 a month
  • Unlimited active jobs is qualified by a fair usage limit rather than being an actual cap
  • AI features run on credits, and credits expire one year from purchase
  • Published plan prices cover 1 to 20 employees, so larger headcounts are quoted separately

Pricing, plan by plan

Paychex Flex

$39/month
  • Essentials$39/month
    • Payroll Processing
    • Tax Services
    • Direct Deposit
  • Select$undefined/month
    • All Essentials features
    • HR Administration
    • Onboarding

Workable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic recruitment
    • Limited hires
    • Basic tracking
  • Plus$undefined/month
    • Advanced recruitment
    • Engagement tools
    • Analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Paychex Flex if

  • You need payroll processing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want tax administration.
Paychex Flex review

Choose Workable if

  • You need job posting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want applicant tracking.
Workable review

Questions people ask

Is Paychex Flex or Workable better?
Neither clearly leads. Paychex Flex starts at $39/month and Workable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paychex Flex or Workable?
Workable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $39/month for Paychex Flex and Free for Workable.
Does Paychex Flex or Workable run on more platforms?
Paychex Flex runs on Web, Ios, Android. Workable runs on Web.
Can I use Workable for free?
Yes. Workable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paychex Flex starts at $39/month.
What is Paychex Flex best used for?
Paychex Flex is most often used for running payroll and filing payroll taxes for small and mid sized us businesses, combining payroll with benefits administration and hr services from one vendor, handling multi state payroll compliance and year end tax forms. Of those, running payroll and filing payroll taxes for small and mid sized us businesses and combining payroll with benefits administration and hr services from one vendor are not what Workable is typically brought in for.
What can Paychex Flex do that Workable cannot?
Paychex Flex covers Payroll Processing, Tax Administration, HR Services, Benefits Administration. Workable covers Job posting, Applicant tracking, Candidate management, Onboarding.
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