Workday vs Paylocity
HR/HRIS pricing comparison · 2026
Workday uses custom pricing, while Paylocity ranges from $20–$40/user/month. These products use different pricing models ( vs Per-seat subscription), so a direct price comparison isn't meaningful — costs depend on usage volume and mix.
Workday
Workday does not publish public pricing — all contracts are custom-quoted by sales.
verified 5d ago
$42K
$48K
Paylocity
Paylocity is a cloud-based HCM and payroll software platform designed for mid-sized busine
verified 7w ago
$42K
$48K
Verdict · Vendr median · year 1
Paylocity
saves
$6.0K
vs
Workday
· 25 seats
Cheapest
$42K
Spread
12%
Estimated license cost
at 25 seats
List price × seats. Click a tier below to lock it.
Custom pricing
Custom
all tiers are quote-only
Professional
$9.0K/yr
year 1 license · $30/seat
What buyers actually pay
median, annual
Vendr deal-flow data. The real benchmark, not list price.
Median annual
$48K/yr
Vendr · n=314
avg 15% negotiated
↓ Lowest median
Median annual
$42K/yr
Vendr · n=13
REF · 01
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Where this data comes from
Vendr · TrustRadius · Reddit · BBB · official docs
Sources
7 sourced facts
4 contract · Vendr median · 2 review platforms
Last verified
5d ago
Confidence
Limited confidence
Sources
17 sourced facts
11 hidden-cost · 3 contract · Vendr median · 2 review platforms
Last verified
1mo ago
Confidence
High confidence
REF · 02
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Tier ladder
Click a tier to lock the cost row to it. Locking surfaces a tier-specific Visit CTA.
REF · 04
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
Workday
Paylocity
Auto-renewal
Yes
✓
No
Cancellation
9-12 months before renewal recommended for serious consideration of alternatives
No official renewal required
Commitment
3 years typical, with 5-6 year agreements available
Typically 1 year
Price escalation
5-7% annual uplift standard, typically structured as CPI + 1-5%. Uplift caps for future renewals can be negotiated (CPI + 2% achieved in some cases). Fiscal year ends January 31.
Standard annual increase around May, amount varies. Can be avoided with multi-year lock-in.
Can downgrade
No
✓
Yes
REF · 05
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
User reviews
TrustRadius · Trustpilot · G2
Decide
Get a quote from each vendor
Each link opens the vendor's pricing page in a new tab.
License cost is computed from publicly listed plans (real math, list price × seats).
Median annual cost is from Vendr's deal flow when available — see source badges.
Hidden costs and contract terms each cite their own sources. We do not invent composite scores.
VS
Workday and Paylocity both operate in the hr/hris category. This page compares their list pricing.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Workday | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| HCM (Core HR + Payroll) | Custom | $20 /user/month |
| HCM + Talent Suite | Custom | $30 /user/month |
| Full Suite (HCM + Financials + Planning) | Custom | $40 /user/month |
Market Intelligence
Workday
- Median annual cost
- $48,201
- Average negotiated discount
- 15%
- Based on
- 314 deals
Paylocity
- Median annual cost
- $42,240
- Based on
- 13 deals
Contract Terms
| Term | Workday | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | No |
| Cancellation | 9-12 months before renewal recommended for serious consideration of alternatives | No official renewal required |
| Minimum commitment | 3 years typical, with 5-6 year agreements available | Typically 1 year |
| Price escalation | 5-7% annual uplift standard, typically structured as CPI + 1-5%. Uplift caps for future renewals can be negotiated (CPI + 2% achieved in some cases). Fiscal year ends January 31. | Standard annual increase around May, amount varies. Can be avoided with multi-year lock-in. |
| Can downgrade | No | Yes |