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Software · head to head

Workday vs Zenefits

Workday logo

Workday

Software

Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zenefits logo

Zenefits

Software

All-in-one HR platform for growing companies

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees; Zenefits product discontinued by parent company TriNet
  • They diverge on capability: Workday covers Human capital management, Zenefits covers HR Administration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Workday and Zenefits actually diverge.

Attributes where Workday and Zenefits differ
AttributeWorkdayZenefits
Starting priceOn request$8/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsCloud/WebWeb
Founded20052013

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Workday

  • Human capital management
  • Financial management
  • Planning
  • Analytics
  • Time tracking
  • Talent management
  • Procurement
  • Salesforce

Only in Zenefits

  • HR Administration
  • Benefits Management
  • Time and Scheduling
  • Compliance
  • Performance Management
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365
  • QuickBooks

Both cover

  • Payroll
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Workday

  • HR managementnot Zenefits
  • Financial planningnot Zenefits
  • Workforce planningnot Zenefits
  • Compliancenot Zenefits
  • Analyticsnot Zenefits

Zenefits

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zenefits review.

Where each one falls short

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

Workday

  • High implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Long deployment timelines (12-18 months standard) before ROI
  • Steep per-employee pricing at enterprise scale ($408-504 PEPM)
  • Limited pre-built templates and customization; often requires extensive configuration
  • Requires significant IT and change management resources during implementation

Zenefits

  • Product discontinued by parent company TriNet
  • Remaining customers forced to migrate to more expensive TriNet products

Pricing, plan by plan

Workday

On request
  • Small Business$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Payroll
    • Time tracking
  • Medium Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full HCM suite
    • Financial management
    • Advanced analytics
  • Large Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Complete platform
    • Custom configurations
    • Dedicated support

Zenefits

$8/month
  • Essentials$8/month
    • HR Administration
    • Time Off Tracking
    • Scheduling
  • Growth$16/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Compensation Management
    • Performance Management

Which should you pick?

Choose Workday if

  • You need human capital management.
  • You work on Cloud/Web.
  • You also want financial management.
Workday review

Choose Zenefits if

  • You need hr administration.
  • You also want benefits management.
Zenefits review

Questions people ask

Is Workday or Zenefits better?
Neither clearly leads. Workday starts at On request and Zenefits at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Workday or Zenefits?
Workday starts at On request and Zenefits at $8/month.
Does Workday or Zenefits run on more platforms?
Workday runs on Cloud/Web. Zenefits runs on Web.
What is Workday best used for?
Workday is most often used for hr management, financial planning, workforce planning, compliance. Of those, hr management and financial planning are not what Zenefits is typically brought in for.
What can Workday do that Zenefits cannot?
Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics. Zenefits covers HR Administration, Benefits Management, Time and Scheduling, Compliance. Both handle Payroll, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Workday: What is Workday GO and what market is it designed for?

Workday GO is a product designed for small and midsize organizations, bringing together HR and finance solutions with transparent pricing and fast activation in 30 to 60 days. It includes HCM, benefits, payroll, talent, and more at a lower price point than standard Workday.

Source
Zenefits: Is Zenefits still available as a standalone product?

No. Zenefits was discontinued as a standalone product after TriNet's acquisition in 2022. Existing customers are being migrated to TriNet HR Plus (ASO) or TriNet PEO at higher costs.

Source
Workday: What is Workday Skills Cloud and how does it fit into HCM?

Workday Skills Cloud is an intelligent skills foundation built into Workday HCM. It is described as the world's most open intelligent skills foundation and fuels data-driven talent strategies across recruiting, learning, and workforce planning.

Source
Zenefits: What were Zenefits' main features before discontinuation?

Zenefits provided HR, benefits management, payroll as optional add-on, time and attendance tracking, and compliance tools for small to mid-sized businesses with 10-200 employees.

Source
Workday: Does Workday include payroll and benefits management?

Yes. Workday HCM includes benefits administration and payroll capabilities as part of its core suite. Global payroll processing is available across multiple countries and tax jurisdictions.

Source
Workday: What is the typical pricing model for Workday HCM?

Workday HCM uses per-employee (PEPM) annual subscription pricing. Companies at scale typically pay $34-42 PEPM. Enterprise organizations with 5,000+ employees typically pay $408-504 per employee annually. Pricing decreases with larger commitments and longer contract terms.

Source
Workday: How long does Workday implementation typically take?

Standard implementations are lengthy, often taking 12-18 months. Workday GO promises faster activation in 30-60 days. Implementation costs typically equal 100-150% of the first year's software subscription fees.

Source
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