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Payroll · head to head

Paycom vs Wagestream

Paycom logo

Paycom

Payroll

HR and payroll technology led by employees

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wagestream logo

Wagestream

Payroll

Financial wellbeing platform with flexible pay, savings and coaching for UK and US employers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Paycom no public API and no transparent integration capabilities; Wagestream employees pay a flat fee of around 1.95 pounds per transfer, so frequent users pay a meaningful annual sum to access wages they have already earned.
  • They diverge on capability: Paycom covers Payroll, Wagestream covers Stream pay.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paycom and Wagestream actually diverge.

Attributes where Paycom and Wagestream differ
AttributePaycomWagestream
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded1998Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Paycom

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

Only in Wagestream

  • Stream pay
  • Build savings
  • Track
  • Coaching
  • Employer subsidy
  • Rostering integration

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 Wagestream
  • Time and attendance tracking with schedulingnot Wagestream
  • Talent acquisition and onboardingnot Wagestream
  • Benefits and compliance administrationnot Wagestream
  • Automated time-off decisions through GONEnot Wagestream

Wagestream

  • A care provider with thousands of shift workers using flexible pay to fill unpopular shiftsnot Paycom
  • A retailer under ESG scrutiny that wants to subsidise the transfer fee and evidence a genuine benefitnot Paycom
  • An employer whose staff use payday lending and who wants a cheaper alternative inside payrollnot Paycom
  • A logistics operator wanting savings-from-pay alongside early access rather than advances alonenot 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

Wagestream

  • Employees pay a flat fee of around 1.95 pounds per transfer, so frequent users pay a meaningful annual sum to access wages they have already earned.
  • Employers who do not subsidise the fee are, in effect, offering a benefit funded by their lowest-paid staff, which is an awkward position when unions or ESG reporting examine it.
  • Transfers are capped at a share of earned wages, commonly around half a month, so it does not resolve a genuine income shortfall and can delay someone seeking real debt help.
  • It needs accurate payroll and rostering feeds; employers with legacy or multiple payroll systems face long integrations before launch.
  • Uptake concentrates in a minority of staff who use it repeatedly, so headline adoption figures overstate how broadly the benefit is felt across a workforce.

Pricing, plan by plan

Paycom

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

Wagestream

On request
  • Wagestream$undefined/year
    • Employer platform fee quoted, commonly per employee per month
    • Employee pays roughly 1.95 per wage transfer unless subsidised
    • Employer can part-subsidise or fully fund the transfer fee

Which should you pick?

Choose Paycom if

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

Choose Wagestream if

  • You need stream pay.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want build savings.
Wagestream review

Questions people ask

Is Paycom or Wagestream better?
Neither clearly leads. Paycom starts at On request and Wagestream at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paycom or Wagestream?
Paycom starts at On request and Wagestream at On request.
Does Paycom or Wagestream run on more platforms?
Paycom runs on Web. Wagestream runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Wagestream is typically brought in for.
What can Paycom do that Wagestream cannot?
Paycom covers Payroll, Time and Attendance, HR Management, Talent Acquisition. Wagestream covers Stream pay, Build savings, Track, Coaching.

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
Wagestream: What does an employee pay?

A flat fee of roughly 1.95 pounds per transfer, unless the employer subsidises part or all of it.

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
Wagestream: Is it a loan?

No. It is access to wages already earned, netted off at payroll, so there is no interest and no credit agreement.

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
Wagestream: Can employers cover the fee?

Yes. Employer subsidy is a standard option and is the difference between a genuine benefit and a cost passed to staff.

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