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Justworks is a PEO offering payroll and HR, with global hiring also listed as a use case. If a renewal is pushing you to leave, don’t assume another provider will automatically lower medical costs: one r/humanresources poster reported a 36% increase after a 20–30% increase the prior year. Commenters suggested getting an open-market quote and benchmarking before deciding. Our closest listed alternatives are Paychex, Paylocity, Paycom and isolved; Gusto and QuickBooks Online Payroll are narrower options. Justworks starts at $8 in our listing, but several alternatives do not publish starting prices.
01Why people leave Justworks
Benefits renewal increases
One r/humanresources poster reported a 36% renewal increase after a 20–30% increase the prior year. That is one company’s report, not a typical rate.
Unclear renewal competitiveness
Commenters recommended comparing an open-market quote or full market benchmark before deciding whether to shift more premium cost to employees.
Want medical outside the PEO
Some commenters suggested shopping for medical separately or comparing other PEOs, rather than assuming the current bundle is the only route.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- PEO and HR bundle
PaychexPaychexIf you want to leave Justworks without narrowing the search to payroll software, Paychex is the closest fit in this list: it offers payroll and HR together and has PEO services to consider. The published pricing information does not publish a starting price. Request a quote that separates PEO fees, benefits and service scope before comparing it with a Justworks renewal.
Trade-off: Pricing is not published, so you’ll need a quote to compare costs.
6.2/10from
Custom - Broader HR workflows
PaylocityPaylocityPaylocity is worth considering if your reason for leaving is broader than medical renewals and you want to consolidate HR and payroll workflows. The listing also identifies finance and IT alongside HR. Its pricing is not published here, so ask for a detailed quote and written service commitments before treating it as a like-for-like replacement.
Trade-off: Custom pricing makes an upfront cost comparison difficult.
5.9/10from
Custom - Automated HR and payroll
PaycomPaycomPaycom fits organizations that want HR and payroll in one system, with employee self-service and automated payroll workflows listed among its strengths. It gives you another bundled option to price against Justworks, but the published information does not publish a starting price. Get a quote before weighing it against any expected benefits savings.
Trade-off: You need a quote to judge its value.
6.5/10from
Custom - Guided benefits enrollment
isolvedisolvedConsider isolved if guided benefits enrollment is important in the system you choose after Justworks. Its listing also covers HR and payroll, making it a relevant bundle to include in a comparison. Pricing is custom and not published here, so ask what is included and how benefits administration is handled before comparing total costs.
Trade-off: Custom pricing and limited user feedback leave questions open.
5.8/10from
Custom - Small, single-state teams
GustoGustoGusto is a more focused option for small teams running payroll in one state and wanting payroll and HR tools together. The listed starting price is $49, compared with Justworks at $8, and the listing flags per-person pricing. It may suit a team willing to trade the broader PEO use case for a small-business payroll and HR package.
Trade-off: Per-person pricing and reported support complaints temper the case.
6.3/10from
$49/mo - QuickBooks accounting users
QuickBooks Online PayrollQuickBooks Online PayrollIf your business already uses QuickBooks accounting, QuickBooks Online Payroll is a practical alternative to price, especially if payroll tax filing is a priority. The listing starts at $25 and includes contractor-only payroll for up to 20. It is a narrower payroll option than a PEO-style bundle, so check whether it covers the HR and benefits work you need.
Trade-off: Per-employee pricing and reported issues are worth checking.
5.8/10from
$25/mo
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Justworks Justworks (current) | 7.2 | $8/mo | No | Small US teams needing payroll and HR |
| Paychex Paychex | 6.2 | Custom | No | Businesses wanting payroll and HR together |
| Paylocity Paylocity | 5.9 | Custom | No | Employers consolidating HR and payroll workflows |
| Paycom Paycom | 6.5 | Custom | No | Organizations consolidating HR and payroll |
| isolved isolved | 5.8 | Custom | No | Buyers seeking HR and payroll together |
| Gusto Gusto | 6.3 | $49/mo | No | Small teams running payroll in one state |
| QuickBooks Online Payroll QuickBooks Online Payroll | 5.8 | $25/mo | No | Businesses already using QuickBooks accounting |
Questions people ask
Is Justworks a PEO or HRIS?
The published information identifies Justworks as a PEO and says it covers payroll and HR; it also lists international hiring as a use case. It does not provide a detailed breakdown of the product’s HRIS functions or the boundaries of each service. Check your plan details before comparing it with a software-only alternative.
How much does Justworks PEO cost?
Our listing gives a starting price of $8, but the published information does not specify the billing unit, plan or full price breakdown. Benefits costs may also affect what you pay: one Reddit poster reported a sharp renewal increase. Ask Justworks for a quote and compare it with an open-market benchmark.
Is Justworks better than ADP?
The published material does not establish that either provider is better. A commenter in one Reddit thread included ADP TotalSource in a list of PEOs to consider for an RFP, but gave no head-to-head comparison. Compare quotes, benefits renewal terms, included services and service commitments before choosing.