7 Best Workday Alternatives in 2026 (Free & Paid)

BambooHR is the best Workday alternative for small and mid-sized businesses that want an HRIS without enterprise complexity. It focuses on core HR features like employee records, onboarding, PTO tracking, and performance reviews. Most teams can go live in weeks, not months.

The UI is modern and easy to navigate. HR teams can build workflows, store documents, and manage approvals without needing consultants. It also offers an ATS, org charts, and employee self-service tools that are easier to use than Workday’s enterprise interface.

Payroll is available as an add-on, but it’s not as deep as Workday. If payroll is a priority, you may need an additional provider. Still, for HRIS-first needs, BambooHR delivers the right amount of power without enterprise overhead.

If Workday is too big and too expensive, BambooHR is the most practical alternative.

Rippling is the modern alternative for companies that want a platform as powerful as Workday, but with faster implementation and more SMB-friendly UX. It combines HR, payroll, benefits, and IT management in a single system with strong automation.

Onboarding workflows can provision accounts, apps, and devices in one click. The payroll engine is robust, benefits administration is smooth, and reporting is more flexible than most SMB tools. Compared to Workday, Rippling is far easier to deploy and manage without consultants.

The tradeoff is cost and complexity. Rippling can get expensive as you add modules, and it still requires a more technical admin than BambooHR. But if you want enterprise-level power without enterprise timelines, Rippling is a strong choice.

For tech-forward teams scaling quickly, Rippling is the closest Workday replacement without the heavy baggage.

Namely is a Workday alternative designed for the mid-market. It provides HRIS, payroll, and benefits in one platform, but with a simpler user experience and less implementation overhead. For companies in the 50-500 range, it’s a strong balance between power and usability.

The platform supports customizable workflows, approval chains, and reporting. Benefits administration is robust, and payroll is built in rather than an add-on. It also includes performance management and employee engagement features that many mid-market teams want but don’t get from lighter HRIS platforms.

Implementation still takes time, but it’s shorter than Workday’s 6-12 months. Costs are higher than SMB tools but significantly lower than Workday. If you’ve outgrown BambooHR, Namely is a natural next step.

For mid-sized companies that want enterprise-lite HR without enterprise headaches, Namely is a good fit.

Bob (HiBob) is the modern, culture-focused alternative to Workday. It’s designed for mid-sized companies that care about engagement, remote collaboration, and a modern employee experience. Compared to Workday, it feels lighter, faster, and far more intuitive.

Bob includes core HRIS features plus engagement tools like employee shoutouts, surveys, and social-style profiles. Onboarding workflows are polished, and the UI encourages adoption by employees and managers. Performance management and goal tracking are built in, and reporting is visual and easy to use.

Payroll is not built in, so you’ll need integrations for that. But if your primary need is a modern HRIS with culture tools, Bob is excellent. It’s especially good for distributed teams that want connection without the enterprise weight of Workday.

For companies prioritizing employee experience, Bob is one of the best Workday alternatives.

Paylocity is a Workday alternative for mid-sized companies that want payroll and HR in one system without enterprise pricing. It includes payroll, benefits, time tracking, and performance management, making it a strong all-in-one suite for 100-1,000 employee companies.

The platform balances modern UI with deep payroll functionality. It supports complex pay rules, compliance reporting, and robust employee self-service. Paylocity also includes engagement tools like surveys and social feeds, which can improve adoption across teams.

Implementation is still a project, but it’s shorter and less expensive than Workday’s. If you want a mature platform with strong payroll features, Paylocity is a solid alternative that feels more accessible than Workday.

For mid-market organizations that want payroll-first strength plus modern HR tools, Paylocity is a smart choice.

Paycor is a Workday alternative built for SMBs that want payroll and HR in one platform without enterprise-level complexity. It provides payroll, time tracking, benefits, and onboarding, making it a good middle ground between Gusto and Workday.

The interface is straightforward, and setup is much faster than Workday. Paycor supports multi-state payroll and includes HR compliance tools, which are helpful for growing businesses. Reporting is solid for payroll and HR metrics but not as deep as enterprise platforms.

Paycor doesn’t have Workday’s advanced finance modules or enterprise customization, but most SMBs don’t need that anyway. If you want a reliable payroll + HR system at a reasonable cost, Paycor is a strong choice.

For companies that find Workday too heavy but want more than a basic payroll tool, Paycor fits well.

Zenefits is the most budget-friendly Workday alternative if you want HRIS and benefits at a lower price. It’s not as deep as Workday, but it covers the basics: onboarding, PTO tracking, benefits, and basic reporting.

The platform is simple to set up, and most SMBs can be live quickly. It’s a good fit for teams under 100 employees that want a low-cost HR system. Reporting and customization are limited compared to enterprise platforms, but that’s part of why it stays affordable.

Zenefits has had past compliance issues, and support quality can vary by tier. But for cost-conscious SMBs, the value is strong. If your main concern is budget, it’s hard to beat.

For SMBs that want HR basics without enterprise pricing, Zenefits is a reasonable alternative.