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Payday HCM vs. UKG: How do These Payroll Providers Square Up?

May 10th, 2024 | 5 min. read

By Kristi Feist

payday-versus-ukg

Executive Summary

  • Payday HCM's Payroll Essentials pricing starts at $51.50 plus $3.37 per employee per processing run, while UKG Ready's pricing (per a February 2022 proposal for 135 employees) included Payroll at $8 PEPM with a $3,000 launch fee, Time at $7 PEPM with a $5,000 launch fee, and Performance and Compensation at $3 PEPM with a $2,000 launch fee.
  • Payday HCM emphasizes personalized, direct client relationships, while UKG offers 24/7 customer support and extensive online resources designed for large, diverse, multi-time-zone workforces.
  • Payday HCM is positioned as ideal for growing businesses in transitional phases, while UKG is built for large or rapidly expanding businesses, including multinational corporations managing payroll across multiple regulatory jurisdictions.
  • Both providers offer scalable, cloud-based solutions, but UKG's infrastructure is specifically built to handle significant increases in employee count and payroll complexity without requiring a system overhaul.

Let’s be honest: trying to find a payroll provider can be stressful. The stakes are high, from ensuring compliance with tax laws to managing your employees' pay. Errors can lead to frustrated employees, legal penalties, and wasted time, and no business wants that. 

At Payday HCM, we understand these challenges. With years of expertise in payroll solutions, we are well-equipped to help you learn about different payroll providers. In this article, we will be breaking down how we compare our competitor, UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group).

Below, we will focus on four comparisons: cost/price, service model, business fit, and flexibility/scalability. Whether you're a small business looking to grow without the headache of payroll complexities or a large enterprise seeking robust payroll management, this comparison will help you make an informed decision that best fits your company’s needs and goals. Here is what you’ll find below:

1: Payday HCM and UKG: Cost/Price

Payday HCM Pricing

Payday HCM offers a pricing model that is directly tied to the specific services each business needs, avoiding unnecessary expenses. This approach ensures that companies optimize their payroll expenditure without sacrificing service quality, making financial management more predictable and tailored to their unique operational scale. All businesses benefit from this model.

Pricing: Starting at Payroll Essentials: $51.50 + $3.37 per EE per processing

 

UKG Pricing

UKG’s pricing, which includes launch fees and per-employee charges, is designed to accommodate extensive payroll needs and complex organizational structures. The structured pricing model provided by UKG ensures that larger firms can allocate their resources efficiently, with expectations of service costs relative to their payroll size and complexity. This model offers the stability and predictability needed to maintain financial oversight and strategic planning for businesses anticipating rapid growth or already managing a large workforce.

Pricing: Per Feb 2022 UKG Ready Pricing Proposal for 135 Employees

  • UKG Ready Payroll - $8 PEPM; Launch fee $3,000
  • UKG Ready Time - $7 PEPM; Launch fee $5,000
  • UKG Ready Performance and Compensation - $3 PEPM; Launch fee $2,000

2: Payday HCM and UKG: Service Model

Personalized Service with Payday HCM

With Payday HCM, the focus on individual client relationships means businesses receive direct and immediate support, enhancing the effectiveness of payroll management. This level of service fosters a closer relationship and better understanding of each business’s unique payroll challenges, facilitating tailored solutions that large, more impersonal providers may not offer as effectively. The personal touch helps companies feel secure, knowing that their needs and concerns are being addressed promptly and carefully.

Comprehensive Support by UKG

UKG’s 24/7 customer support model and extensive online resources ensure that any issue can be addressed promptly. This support is crucial for minimizing downtime and resolving complex problems that can arise in large, diverse workforce environments, thereby maintaining operational continuity and employee satisfaction. Large enterprises benefit from this model as it supports their needs across various time zones and operational scales, ensuring that payroll operations are seamless and efficient regardless of the complexity involved.

3: Payday HCM and UKG: Which Businesses Fit Best

Ideal Clients for Payday HCM

Payday HCM specializes in growing with all enterprises. This partnership allows Payday HCM to address current payroll needs and anticipate future requirements, helping businesses navigate growth with less administrative burden. The service is especially beneficial for companies in transitional phases, whether they are experiencing growth or need to adjust their operations due to market changes or other external factors.

UKG's Target Audience

UKG’s capabilities are designed to meet the demands of large or rapidly expanding businesses. Their system supports a global workforce with varied payroll regulations and needs, providing a consistent and reliable service across different jurisdictions and cultural landscapes. For multinational corporations or businesses with a significant number of employees, UKG offers an integrated approach that helps streamline payroll processes, enhance compliance, and support strategic HR initiatives at a global scale.

payday-payroll-services

4: Payday HCM and UKG: Flexibility and Scalability

Scaling with Payday HCM

Our services are highly flexible, allowing them to scale up or down based on your business's current needs and future growth, which is essential for long-term planning. This adaptability ensures that your payroll services can adjust seamlessly as your business evolves, avoiding disruptions and maintaining compliance with changing regulations. The scalability of Payday HCM’s services makes it an ideal choice for companies that foresee changes in size or operations, ensuring that their payroll needs are always met efficiently and effectively.

UKG’s Adaptability

UKG’s cloud-based solutions offer scalability that supports businesses as they expand and evolve. Their advanced technology infrastructure is designed to handle increases in employee numbers and payroll complexity without significant system overhauls, facilitating smooth transitions and expansions. For companies in dynamic sectors or those experiencing rapid growth, UKG provides a robust platform that can grow with the business, offering reliable support and integration capabilities that help easily manage complexity.

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Make a Hard Decision an Easy One

When selecting a payroll service provider, remember the importance of aligning your choice with your company’s needs and growth objectives. Both Payday HCM and UKG bring unique strengths, catering to different types of businesses based on size, complexity, and strategic direction.

Payday HCM is flexible, client-centered services are particularly suited for companies anticipating business size or operations changes and requiring a provider that can adapt quickly to their evolving needs. More giant corporations or those with complex, multinational needs might benefit more from UKG’s robust and scalable solutions, designed to handle extensive payroll operations efficiently across various regions and regulatory environments.

Determining the right payroll provider involves assessing immediate needs and long-term business strategies. Conduct a detailed assessment of your payroll needs and growth plans to understand better which provider’s service offerings align more closely with your operational requirements.

Choosing the exemplary payroll service is not just about managing employee payments; it’s about enhancing your overall business efficiency and ensuring compliance and employee satisfaction. Now read how Payday HCM can be a payroll solution to your company.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How does Payday HCM's pricing compare to UKG's?
Payday HCM's pricing scales to the specific services each business needs. UKG's structure includes per-employee-per-month fees plus separate launch fees—as of a Feb. 2022 sample proposal for 135 employees, UKG Ready Payroll ran $8 PEPM with a $3,000 launch fee, UKG Ready Time was $7 PEPM with a $5,000 launch fee, and UKG Ready Performance and Compensation was $3 PEPM with a $2,000 launch fee.

Q: Which type of business fits better with Payday HCM vs. UKG?
Payday HCM is best suited for growing or transitional businesses that want a provider able to adapt quickly as their size or operations change. UKG is built more for large or rapidly expanding companies—particularly those with a multinational workforce needing consistent payroll compliance across many jurisdictions.

Q: Should I choose a national provider like UKG or a local provider like Payday HCM?
Both have their advantages. National providers often offer sophisticated software platforms with broad feature sets. However, they can fall short when it comes to personalized customer service—you may find yourself navigating automated phone trees and waiting days for a response. Local providers like Payday HCM combine powerful HCM software with hands-on, dedicated support from people who understand your region's specific tax laws, labor regulations, and business environment. For many businesses, the combination of technology and a human touch provides the best of both worlds.

Kristi Feist

As a seasoned veteran in the industry and with Payday HCM, Kristi maintains a 1000+ client portfolio with a 98% retention rate. As Vice President of the DSO Division, Kristi works with hundreds of DSO-like companies to adopt best practices around the use of payroll technology, implementing processes and empowering employees of DSOs to use the technology.

Topics:

Payroll