Namely Review

Pros

• Easy to use
• Advanced employee management
• HR support
• Generally well-liked

Cons

• Expensive for very small businesses
• Non-transparent pricing
• Limited integrations
• Complaints of glitching software

What Is Namely?

Namely is a cloud-based HCM platform for businesses that want HR, payroll, benefits administration, time, talent management, compliance, and managed services in one system. The platform is HR-first, with payroll included as part of a broader people operations suite rather than as a standalone payroll-only product.

Namely is best for growing and mid-sized businesses that want a more complete HR platform with payroll support. Very small businesses that only need simple payroll may find Namely too expensive or too complex.

Namely Pricing

Only the entry-level Namely Now plan has published starting pricing. Higher-tier plans require a custom quote, and businesses may also need to account for implementation fees.

Getting a quote from Namely was a confusing and disorganized experience. I spoke with a VensureHR sales rep who offered Namely solutions and a PrismHR solution — these are three distinct products. Although Namely is a Vensure company, it was surprising to be given the spiel about an entirely different product.

Namely’s lack of a free trial and ability to view a demo on your own is a letdown. Other payroll-first solutions, such as Gusto or QuickBooks Online Payroll, offer more transparent pricing and easier trial access for businesses that only need payroll basics.

That said, here’s a better breakdown of Namely’s pricing plans:

If you’re looking for payroll software with transparent pricing, the best cheap payroll services offer transparent pricing and a comparable feature set when compared to Namely.

Namely Now

Namely Now starts at $9/month per employee and includes the following features:

• Payroll
• HR

Onboarding is available as a paid add-on.

Namely Plus

Namely Plus’ costs vary, and it includes everything in the Namely Now plan, plus:

• Onboarding
• Recruiting
• Performance
• Compliance
• Benefits administration module
• Time

Namely Plus People

Namely Plus People’s costs vary, and it includes everything in the Namely Plus plan, plus:

• Managed payroll service
• Managed benefits service

Namely Complete

Namely Complete’s costs vary, and it includes everything in the Namely Plus plan, plus:

• Large group benefits
• Workers’ compensation plans
• Risk and safety management
• Shared liability compliance

Large group benefits are also available as a paid add-on for all other plans.

Namely Extra Costs & Fees

Namely’s pricing structure used to be more modular, but now Namely’s services and features are distributed across four pricing tiers. Currently, only onboarding and large group benefits are offered as add-on services for lower pricing plan tiers.

Additionally, Namely charges an implementation fee to help set the program up for your business.

Is Namely Easy To Use?

Namely is generally easy to use, with a modern interface and mobile access. However, limited integrations and user complaints about glitches may affect the overall experience.

As a cloud-based payroll solution, Namely is compatible with any device as long as you have an internet connection. Namely also offers a mobile app for both Apple and Android phones. Namely’s app enables employers to run HR on the go and employees to view and edit relevant information.

Namely Features

Namely offers a strong HR-first feature set with payroll, time, benefits, onboarding, compliance, reporting, and managed services, depending on the plan.

Here’s an overview of what you can expect with Namely:

Namely Customer Service

Namely offers several support options and dedicated support, though customer reviews about support quality are mixed.

Here’s a look at the customer support options Namely offers:

Customer feedback about Namely support is mixed. Some users praise the HR support experience, while others report slower responses for payroll, benefits, or integration issues.

Namely Integrations

Namely has a smaller integration library than some competitors, though it does offer an API.

User reviews state that some of these integrations are clunky and prone to slowness and bugginess or that fixes on integrations are difficult to receive help for.

Namely Reviews

Namely generally receives positive user reviews for its HR tools, interface, and combined payroll/HR functionality. However, recurring complaints mention glitches, integration issues, payroll support, pricing, and extra fees.

Negative Namely Reviews & Complaints

• Glitching
• Lack of customization options for reports
• Hard to find a payroll expert

Positive Namely Reviews

• Easy to use
• Combined payroll and HR
• Solid mobile app
• Employee-friendly

Is Namely Secure?

Namely says it uses security measures such as AES 256-bit encryption, two-factor authentication, employee security training, audits, and AWS hosting.

Final Verdict: Is Namely Worth It?

Namely is worth considering for growing and midsize businesses that want an HR-first HCM platform with payroll, benefits, time tracking, onboarding, compliance, and managed services available in one system.

However, Namely is likely too expensive and complex for very small businesses that only need basic payroll. Its quote-based pricing, implementation fee, limited integrations, and mixed support feedback are also worth considering before signing up.

If you primarily need simple payroll with transparent pricing, compare Namely with options such as Gusto, QuickBooks Workforce, or other affordable payroll software.