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Software · head to head

Paycom vs Pilot

Paycom logo

Paycom

Software

HR and payroll technology led by employees

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pilot logo

Pilot

Software

Bookkeeping, CFO, and tax for startups

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Paycom no public API and no transparent integration capabilities; Pilot the Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • They diverge on capability: Paycom covers Payroll, Pilot covers Bookkeeping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paycom and Pilot actually diverge.

Attributes where Paycom and Pilot differ
AttributePaycomPilot
Starting priceOn request$29/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Founded19982017

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

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 Paycom

  • Payroll
  • Time and Attendance
  • HR Management
  • Talent Acquisition
  • Talent Management
  • Learning Management
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

Only in Pilot

  • Bookkeeping
  • CFO services
  • Tax preparation
  • R&D tax credits
  • Financial reporting
  • QuickBooks
  • Stripe
  • Brex

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Paycom

  • Payroll processing with employee self-verification through Betinot Pilot
  • Time and attendance tracking with schedulingnot Pilot
  • Talent acquisition and onboardingnot Pilot
  • Benefits and compliance administrationnot Pilot
  • Automated time-off decisions through GONEnot Pilot

Pilot

  • Outsourced monthly bookkeeping for startups and small businessesnot Paycom
  • Federal, state and Delaware franchise tax filing for US companiesnot Paycom
  • Fractional CFO support for financial planning and fundraisingnot Paycom

Where each one falls short

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

Paycom

  • No public API and no transparent integration capabilities
  • Limited integrations with third-party ATS, LMS, or performance tools
  • Custom pricing makes cost forecasting difficult
  • Proprietary system philosophy limits flexibility compared to more open platforms
  • Does not support global payroll and benefits

Pilot

  • The Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • A dedicated US-based bookkeeper, accrual-basis books and phone support require the Core plan, which is contact sales and billed annually
  • Core caps bill management at 10 vendor bills per month
  • Keeping an existing QuickBooks account with historical data requires the Custom plan
  • Accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll administration and CFO advisory are Custom plan only
  • Monthly reports arrive on the 10th business day on Core and the 6th business day only on Custom
  • Tax filing is sold separately, starting at $1,000 per year for single member LLCs and $2,000 per year for partnerships and S-Corps, billed annually
  • The tax service must be purchased together with Pilot Bookkeeping
  • Partnership and S-Corp tax filing includes up to 25 1099-NEC filings

Pricing, plan by plan

Paycom

On request
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Payroll
    • Time and Labor
    • HR Management

Pilot

$29/month
  • Core$599/month
    • Bookkeeping
    • Accrual basis
    • Monthly close
  • Plus$849/month
    • CFO support
    • Custom reporting
    • Board deck

Which should you pick?

Choose Paycom if

  • You need payroll.
  • You also want time and attendance.
Paycom review

Choose Pilot if

  • You need bookkeeping.
  • You also want cfo services.
Pilot review

Questions people ask

Is Paycom or Pilot better?
Neither clearly leads. Paycom starts at On request and Pilot at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paycom or Pilot?
Paycom starts at On request and Pilot at $29/month.
Does Paycom or Pilot run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Paycom best used for?
Paycom is most often used for payroll processing with employee self-verification through beti, time and attendance tracking with scheduling, talent acquisition and onboarding, benefits and compliance administration. Of those, payroll processing with employee self-verification through beti and time and attendance tracking with scheduling are not what Pilot is typically brought in for.
What can Paycom do that Pilot cannot?
Paycom covers Payroll, Time and Attendance, HR Management, Talent Acquisition. Pilot covers Bookkeeping, CFO services, Tax preparation, R&D tax credits. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Paycom: Does Paycom offer a free trial?

No. Paycom does not offer a free trial. Pricing depends on company size and modules and requires a custom quote.

Source
Paycom: Can Paycom integrate with third-party tools?

Paycom has no public API and fewer than 50 integrations. Paycom's philosophy is that you should use their built-in modules for everything. Custom integrations require commercial partnership approval.

Source
Paycom: What are Paycom's core features?

Paycom is a single-database payroll and HR platform featuring custom reporting tools, org chart visualization, employee self-service portal, and a tax center dashboard for compliance management.

Source
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Related pages

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