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It's a split decision.
Employee Navigator is the closer fit for brokers managing benefits, ACA reporting, and onboarding; its site says the platform has more than 600 integrations. Paycom is the stronger match for employers prioritizing payroll automation, employee self-service, and HR data in one database. Neither publishes rates or lists a free plan, so there is no defensible price winner. Employee Navigator lists unlimited companies and employees on Enhanced Plus and Platinum, while Paycom says quotes depend on workforce size and selected modules. Get quotes before switching.
01Side by side
| Employee Navigator | Paycom | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Not published; contact sales for pricing | Not published; custom quote by workforce size and modules |
| Free plan | No free plan listed | No free plan listed |
| Best for | Broker-led benefits administration and compliance | Organizations wanting HR and payroll in one system |
| Core strength | Benefits administration, ACA reporting, onboarding, and PTO tracking | Automated payroll, employee self-service, and time-off decisions |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Integrations/data | 600+ integrations; benefits and payroll connections | Single database; HR and payroll changes flow across software |
| Team/seat costs | Unlimited companies and employees on Enhanced Plus and Platinum | Quote varies by workforce size; per-seat rate unpublished |
| Support | Priority phone support on Platinum; other support may cost extra | Dedicated implementation, payroll, and ongoing support team |
Employee Navigator Choose Employee Navigator if
- Choose Employee Navigator if benefits administration is your main need.
- Choose Employee Navigator if you need ACA reporting tools.
- Choose Employee Navigator if broker workflows and integrations matter.
Paycom Choose Paycom if
- Choose Paycom if payroll automation is a priority.
- Choose Paycom if employees should manage their own HR information.
- Choose Paycom if you want HR and payroll in one database.
02Pricing compared
Neither company publishes rates, so we can’t name a price winner. Employee Navigator says to contact sales; its Enhanced, Enhanced Plus, Elite, and Platinum plan prices are not published. The plan descriptions are broker-focused. Enhanced Plus and Platinum include unlimited companies and employees; Enhanced Plus and Elite charge $0.45 PEPM for 834 EDI feeds, while Platinum includes them at no charge. Enhanced does not offer 834 EDI. Additional fees apply for 1095 and 1094 reporting and email and phone support, but the amounts are not published.
Paycom also uses custom quotes, based on workforce size and selected modules. Its pricing page does not list rates, and the published information does not specify the Core baseline setup. Neither product lists a free plan. Get itemized quotes, including add-ons and support, before comparing switching costs.
03Features and depth
Employee Navigator is the closer match for broker-led benefits administration. Its listed tools cover online enrollment, carrier, payroll and TPA integrations, and ACA reporting. Higher plans add 834 EDI files, third-party apps, onboarding, PTO and vacation tracking, and enrollment assistance. The company says its platform has more than 600 integrations, though the published material does not say which are included with each plan. Its focus is benefits and related HR tasks, not a listed payroll engine.
Paycom centers on HR and payroll in one database, with employee information and changes flowing across the software. Beti builds payroll and lets employees find and fix errors before payroll runs; GONE automates time-off request decisions. Employees can manage their own HR and payroll information. IWant AI answers questions about employee profiles, applicant data, policies, and management dashboards. Paycom also lists payroll, talent, time and labor, and HR modules, but module prices and the exact Core setup are not published. Choose by workflow: benefits administration and ACA tools, or payroll automation and connected HR data.
04Ease of use and learning curve
The published information does not establish which product is easier to learn, and neither company publishes a learning-curve measure here. Employee Navigator lists online enrollment, integrations, and onboarding, with new-hire onboarding included in Elite and Platinum. Paycom puts employee self-service at the center of its HR and payroll description and says it provides a dedicated team for implementation, payroll processing, and ongoing support.
Those differences may shape rollout work, but they are not proof that either system is simpler. Ask each vendor to show the workflows your team will use, clarify what implementation and support cover, and confirm which tools are included in the quote. Employee Navigator’s plan tiers and Paycom’s custom module selection make that scope check important.
Questions people ask
Does Paycom offer health insurance?
The published Paycom information describes HR and payroll software, but it does not say whether Paycom offers health insurance or administers employee health benefits. Employee Navigator specifically lists benefits administration and online enrollment. Ask Paycom directly about health plan offerings or benefits administration before treating it as a substitute.
What are people saying about Employee Navigator?
The published review summary gives Employee Navigator an overall score of 6.5, with features at 7.5 and ease of use at 7. Its value score is 5.5, support is 6, and user sentiment is 5.5. The summary says it is worth considering for broker-led benefits administration, but recommends getting a full quote.
Is Paycom an HRIS system?
Paycom fits the broad HRIS description in the published material: it combines HR and payroll software in one database, with employee data and tools together. Its listed capabilities include employee self-service, payroll automation, time-off decisions, and HR management. The exact Core setup and module pricing are not published.
How secure is Paycom?
The published Paycom information does not describe security controls, certifications, encryption, or data-retention practices, so it is not enough to assess how secure the platform is. Ask Paycom for current security documentation and details on access controls, incident response, and data handling before making a purchase decision.