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Payroll & Benefits · head to head

Paylocity vs Ceridian Dayforce

Paylocity logo

Paylocity

Payroll & Benefits

HR and payroll solutions to drive employee engagement

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ceridian Dayforce logo

Ceridian Dayforce

Payroll & Benefits

Makes work life better

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Paylocity the Internet Archive's capture of Paylocity's homepage on 3 January 2021 named a wide suite of modules, including Payroll, On Demand Payment, HR Edge, Recruiting, Performance Management, Compensation Management and a Learning Management System, all sold via 'Request a Demo' with no price figures published.; Ceridian Dayforce outdated interface: the UI feels cluttered and dated, requiring excessive clicks to access basic information
  • They diverge on capability: Paylocity covers Benefits Administration, Ceridian Dayforce covers Benefits.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paylocity and Ceridian Dayforce actually diverge.

Attributes where Paylocity and Ceridian Dayforce differ
AttributePaylocityCeridian Dayforce
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile
Founded19971992

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Payroll & Benefits).

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 Paylocity

  • Benefits Administration
  • Time and Labor
  • Employee Engagement
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Google Workspace
  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite

Only in Ceridian Dayforce

  • Benefits
  • Workforce Management
  • Analytics
  • Compliance
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft 365
  • Workday
  • SAP

Both cover

  • Payroll
  • HR Management
  • Talent Management
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Where each one falls short

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

Paylocity

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Paylocity's homepage on 3 January 2021 named a wide suite of modules, including Payroll, On Demand Payment, HR Edge, Recruiting, Performance Management, Compensation Management and a Learning Management System, all sold via 'Request a Demo' with no price figures published.

Ceridian Dayforce

  • Outdated interface: the UI feels cluttered and dated, requiring excessive clicks to access basic information
  • Complex implementation: full deployments require several months and significant internal resources creating barriers for smaller organizations
  • Limited AI recruiting: built-in ATS lacks native AI candidate matching and automated screening compared to specialized tools
  • Variable support quality: payroll support is reliable but account issues receive inadequate help requiring escalation
  • Update disruptions: system updates occasionally cause instability and workflow disruptions requiring staff retraining

Pricing, plan by plan

Paylocity

On request
  • Core Payroll$undefined/month
    • Payroll Processing
    • Tax Services
    • Direct Deposit
  • Complete HCM$undefined/month
    • All Core features
    • HR
    • Benefits

Ceridian Dayforce

On request
  • Dayforce$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Payroll
    • Benefits

Which should you pick?

Choose Paylocity if

  • You need benefits administration.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time and labor.
Paylocity review

Choose Ceridian Dayforce if

  • You need benefits.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want workforce management.
Ceridian Dayforce review

Questions people ask

Is Paylocity or Ceridian Dayforce better?
Neither clearly leads. Paylocity starts at On request and Ceridian Dayforce at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paylocity or Ceridian Dayforce?
Paylocity starts at On request and Ceridian Dayforce at On request.
Does Paylocity or Ceridian Dayforce run on more platforms?
Paylocity runs on Web, Ios, Android. Ceridian Dayforce runs on Web, Mobile.
What can Paylocity do that Ceridian Dayforce cannot?
Paylocity covers Benefits Administration, Time and Labor, Employee Engagement, Slack. Ceridian Dayforce covers Benefits, Workforce Management, Analytics, Compliance. Both handle Payroll, HR Management, Talent Management, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ceridian Dayforce: Does Dayforce support global payroll processing?

Yes, Dayforce supports native and partner-led global payroll in over 200 countries with multi-currency processing and local tax compliance, making it valuable for multinational organizations.

Source
Ceridian Dayforce: What is Dayforce's continuous payroll calculation?

Dayforce processes payroll data in real-time as employees clock in and out, unlike platforms that batch-process payroll overnight. When a manager approves a timecard, the payroll impact is immediately visible.

Source
Ceridian Dayforce: Does Dayforce include workforce scheduling?

Yes, Dayforce offers advanced scheduling, time and attendance tracking, labor forecasting, and shift bidding with mobile clock-in/out using geofencing and AI-optimized schedules to reduce overtime and compliance risks.

Source
Ceridian Dayforce: How long does Dayforce implementation take?

Full Dayforce deployments typically require several months and dedicated internal resources. The complex, time-intensive implementation process creates significant barriers for resource-limited organizations.

Source
Ceridian Dayforce: Does Dayforce include built-in recruiting features?

Dayforce includes a built-in ATS, but the native AI candidate matching and automated screening are limited compared to specialized recruiting tools, requiring supplementary solutions for advanced talent acquisition.

Source
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Related pages

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