401(k) Providers
Best 401(k) Providers for Mid-Sized Companies
Mid-market employers have larger plans and more complex payroll, so testing, fee scrutiny and a documented fiduciary process matter more. Plans of this size often run several payroll entities or locations, may need an independent audit with the Form 5500 once they file as a large plan, and usually have a committee that reviews funds, fees and provider service on a schedule.
- products that fit
- 7
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Top 3 by LeadChange Scoreof 7 that fit · 4 not scored yet · scored for mid-sized companies (reweighted)
Human Interest9.2 out of 10, High confidence
Fidelity Workplace Investing8.3 out of 10, Medium confidence
Betterment at Work7.9 out of 10, High confidence
Paychex Retirement ServicesNot scored yet
Principal Financial GroupNot scored yet
EmpowerNot scored yet- Vanguard Workplace SolutionsNot scored yet
See the full rankingHighMedium confidence
Our top picks
- Best overall
Human Interest
by Human Interest Inc.
Highest LeadChange Score here (9.2/10), with 8 of 10 core 401(k) capabilities verified.
From $80/mo + $5/employee/mo1
- Best value
Fidelity Workplace Investing
by FMR LLC
Lowest published list cost at 25 employees ($100/mo) among products scoring at or above the median.
From $100/mo2
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
401(k) providers for mid-sized companies, ranked
Ranked by LeadChange Score from verified facts; products with too few verified facts are not scored yet and come last. Prices are list prices as published by each vendor.
Filter by verified facts
Human Interest
Human Interest is a 401(k) and 403(b) provider for small and medium-sized businesses, based in San Francisco, with three plans priced as a monthly base fee plus a fee per eligible employee.
Fidelity Workplace Investing
Fidelity Workplace Investing sells Fidelity Advantage 401(k), a Safe Harbor plan for businesses with 2 to 1,000 employees starting their first 401(k), from privately held Fidelity, founded in 1946 in Boston.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee2
Betterment at Work
Betterment at Work is the 401(k) for small and mid-market businesses from Betterment, based in New York, with 3(16) and 3(38) fiduciary services, compliance testing and 350+ payroll integrations. Essential costs $100 a month billed annually plus $5 per participant and a 0.25% advisory fee; Flagship is quoted.
Paychex Retirement Services
Paychex Retirement Services is the 401(k) business of Paychex, a public company founded in 1971 with headquarters in Rochester, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio; it offers pooled employer, traditional, solo and SIMPLE/SEP plans. Pricing is quoted; Paychex states SOC 2 Type 2 reports and ISO 27001 certification.
Not scored yetPaychex Retirement Services pricingPrincipal Financial Group
Principal offers 401(k), 403(b), 401(a) and pooled employer plans from start-up to large institutions, plus Simply Retirement by Principal for businesses with fewer than 100 employees; the company was founded in 1879 and is based in Des Moines, Iowa.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee8
Show all 7 products
- EmpowerNot scored yet (9 of 24 facts verified)What Empower costs
- Vanguard Workplace SolutionsNot scored yet (9 of 24 facts verified)Vanguard Workplace Solutions pricing
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
What matters for mid-sized companies
Fiduciary support in writing
Plan committees need clear roles for investment selection and administration.
Itemized fee disclosure
Fees must be compared across providers and reviewed over time.
Multi-entity payroll feeds
Several entities or payroll systems need to feed one plan accurately.
Correction support
Operational errors grow with headcount and need prompt, documented fixes.
Audit-ready records
Large plans attach an independent accountant's audit report to the Form 5500. Ask whether the provider prepares the audit package and works with the auditor directly.
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Find your fit
More on 401(k) providers
- All 401(k) providers, ranked
The full ranking, top picks and how to choose.
- 401(k) Providers comparison table
Every product side by side: score, price and verified features.
- 401(k) Providers pricing guide
Published list prices, cost by headcount and fees to ask about.
- 401(k) providers for small business
The ranking reweighted for small business.
- 401(k) providers for enterprises
The ranking reweighted for enterprises.
- 401(k) providers for government
The ranking reweighted for government.
- 401(k) providers for nonprofits
The ranking reweighted for nonprofits.
Frequently asked questions
What should a mid-market company look for in a 401(k) provider?
Written fiduciary roles, payroll feeds that handle several entities or pay groups, testing with clear correction options, audit support for the Form 5500, and fee disclosures you can benchmark. Ask each provider for references from plans of a similar size and payroll setup.
Do mid-market 401(k) plans need an audit?
Many do. A plan that files the Form 5500 as a large plan generally must attach a report from an independent qualified public accountant. Whether a plan counts as large depends on the number of participants with account balances at the start of the plan year, so confirm it with your provider or TPA each year.
How do mid-market companies compare 401(k) providers?
Send the same request to several providers: headcount, payroll system, plan design and current fees. Then compare the written fee disclosures line by line, the fiduciary roles each provider accepts, how testing and corrections work, and what a conversion from your current plan involves.
When should a mid-market company switch 401(k) providers?
When fees run higher than similar plans pay, testing or contribution errors keep recurring, the provider cannot handle your payroll setup or service has slipped. Selecting and monitoring providers is a fiduciary duty, so document the review and the reasons for the decision.
Which fiduciary services matter for a mid-market 401(k)?
A 3(38) investment manager takes on fund selection and monitoring, a 3(21) adviser shares investment advice with the plan's fiduciaries, and a 3(16) administrator takes on named administrative duties. The employer still selects and monitors these providers, so get each role in the service agreement.
Should a mid-market 401(k) plan have a committee?
It is common practice. A committee meets on a schedule to review funds, fees and provider service, keeps minutes and records why decisions were made. That record helps show the plan's fiduciaries acted prudently if a decision is questioned later.
Can a mid-market company join a pooled employer plan?
Yes. A pooled employer plan lets unrelated employers join one plan run by a pooled plan provider, which takes on many administrative and fiduciary duties. Compare its fees, investment choices and exit terms with a single-employer plan before joining.
What are the best 401(k) providers for mid-sized companies?
On the LeadChange Score weighted for mid-sized companies, the highest-scoring of the 3 products with a published score are Human Interest (9.2/10), Fidelity Workplace Investing (8.3), and Betterment at Work (7.9).
How much does 401(k) providers cost for mid-sized companies?
At 100 employees, the lowest published list prices among the products ranked here are Fidelity Workplace Investing ($100/mo), Human Interest ($580/mo), and Betterment at Work ($600/mo); the median of 4 products is $590/mo. List prices, before discounts and add-ons.
Which 401(k) providers for mid-sized companies have SOC 2 Type II?
Betterment at Work, Empower, Human Interest, and Paychex Retirement Services state SOC 2 Type II compliance; Paychex Retirement Services also holds ISO 27001. That is 4 of the 7 products for mid-sized companies.
How we research
This ranking of 401(k) providers for mid-sized companies reweights the LeadChange Score: capability coverage 25%, pricing transparency & value 30%, integrations & API 10%, security & compliance 10%, fit & support 15%, and data confidence 10%. Only products with a verified fact showing they serve this segment are listed.
How this page was made
What it is built from
24 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Oct 25, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.3. Read the methodology
Independent review
Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested these products hands-on: this page uses public information only.
Who made it
The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us
Independence and errors
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Sources
The 8 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
- Human Interest humaninterest.com/pricing“Per eligible employee $5 / mo” “$80 /mo base +$5/mo per eligible employee”
- Fidelity Investments fidelity.com/retirement-ira/small-business/401k-plans“$100 monthly fee”
- Human Interest security.humaninterest.com“SOC 1 SOC 2 Type 1 SOC 2 Type 2”
- Betterment betterment.com/work/pricing“monthly record-keeping fee per participant”
- Betterment betterment.com/hubfs/PDFs/b4b/employer-dashboard/Betterment%20at%20Work%20Security%20Brochure.pdf“Audit reports are made available to clients, including a SOC 2 Type II with coverage for the security program, as well as a SOC 1 Type II report with coverage for internal controls specifically relevant to us.”
- Paychex paychex.com/retirement-services“The cost of a Paychex 401(k) plan depends on factors like your business size and the services you require.”
- Paychex paychex.com/corporate/security“Paychex maintains SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 reports over various products and services.”
- Principal simplyretirement.com/business-owners/why-simply-retirement“There’s a one-time startup fee of $500 for bundled plans, a monthly recordkeeping fee as low as $145 ($435 billed quarterly), and a $6 monthly fee per participating employee.”