The short answer
Paylocity quotes every client: a base fee plus per-employee fees that depend on headcount and the products used. Paychex Flex publishes one entry plan, Flex Essentials at $39 a month plus $5 per employee for businesses under 20 workers, and quotes its larger packages.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Paylocity wins 2Paychex Flex wins 2
| Dimension | Paylocity | Paychex Flex |
|---|---|---|
| PricingPaychex Flex lists Flex Essentials at $39 a month plus $5 per employee and quotes Basic to Complete. Paylocity quotes every client and charges implementation fees, W-2 preparation and time clocks separately. | Quote only | $39/mo + $5/employee/mo |
| IntegrationsPaylocity lists 435 integrations with an OAuth2 API and webhooks. Paychex Flex offers a REST API with webhooks and lists QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Xero, NetSuite, BambooHR and When I Work among its integrations. 435 | 435 native | 15 documented |
| Fit and supportPaychex lists 24/7 payroll support by phone, chat and email. Paylocity supports from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central, Monday to Friday. 24/7 payroll support | Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises | Small businesses, mid-market companies |
| SecurityPaylocity states SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001. Paychex names no certification on the Flex pages we reviewed. Yes | SOC 2, ISO 27001 | None verified |
| Attribute | Paylocity | Paychex Flex |
|---|---|---|
| Price transparency | Quote only | Partly published |
| Best for | Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises | Small businesses, mid-market companies |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud, mobile |
| Mobile apps | iOS, Android, Apple Watch | Paychex Flex app (iOS), Paychex Flex app (Android), Paychex Flex Time Kiosk app |
| Support channels | Phone, Email, PEAK Knowledge Base (in-product) | Phone, chat, email, in-platform help center |
| Founded | 1997 | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Schaumburg, Illinois, US | Rochester, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, US (dual headquarters) |
| Attribute | Paylocity | Paychex Flex |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base fee + per employee | Base fee + per employee |
| Open API | ||
| Webhooks | ||
| Automatic tax filing | ||
| Ownership | Publicly traded | Publicly traded |
Pricing. Paychex Flex lists Flex Essentials at $39 a month plus $5 per employee and quotes Basic to Complete. Paylocity quotes every client and charges implementation fees, W-2 preparation and time clocks separately.
Capabilities. Both cover payroll, time, HR and benefits. Paylocity adds talent management with 600+ learning classes, expense management, corporate cards, procurement and headcount planning.
Integrations. Paylocity lists 435 integrations with an OAuth2 API and webhooks. Paychex Flex offers a REST API with webhooks and lists QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Xero, NetSuite, BambooHR and When I Work among its integrations.
Fit and support. Paychex lists 24/7 payroll support by phone, chat and email. Paylocity supports from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central, Monday to Friday.
Security. Paylocity states SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001. Paychex names no certification on the Flex pages we reviewed.
Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (9.3/10).
From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo
Paychex publishes the only price of the two: Flex Essentials costs $39 a month plus $5 per employee, $89 a month for 10 employees, for businesses under 20 workers. Paylocity quotes a base fee plus per-employee fees that grow with the products you add.
Our payroll category lists Paychex Flex with ADP RUN, Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll and Paylocity, among others. Paylocity is the broader suite of the two, with finance tools and global payroll; Paychex Flex is the one with a published entry price.
Paylocity runs 30+ payroll audits with automatic alerts, explains payroll variances in plain language before submission and assumes the liability for penalties caused by its errors. It is less suited to buyers who want a published price.
Paychex Flex includes unlimited payroll processing with no additional fees. Paylocity’s per-employee fees depend on headcount and products; it publishes no per-run fee.
Paylocity collects time by mobile, web, kiosk or time clock, with geofenced clock-ins; time clocks are bought or rented separately. Paychex sells Time & Attendance as a quoted add-on and offers a Time Kiosk app.
Yes. Paylocity’s Ignite AI runs agents for pay, time and recruiting; Paychex’s Intelligent Pay Cycle flags payroll issues and suggests fixes for missing punches.
Only Paylocity states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.
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What the LeadChange Score means
A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.
