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HR & People

15Five vs Paychex: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of 15Five and Paychex. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: 15Five starts at $4/mo, making it $16/mo cheaper than Paychex ($20/mo). Paychex offers a free plan.

Last updated: July 6, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated July 6, 2026
Try 15Five freeTry Paychex freePrice updated 12d agoUpdated this month

15Five vs Paychex: Quick Pricing Facts

Feature15FivePaychex
Starting Price$4/mo$20/mo
Number of Plans34
Free TierNoYes
Pricing Modelper-seatper-seat
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

15Five is the more affordable option, starting at $4/mo compared to Paychex's $20/mo. Both are HR & People tools with 7 combined pricing plans and 26 features compared.

Paychex stands out with a free plan for getting started.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your HR & People needs.

Pricing Plans
15Five
15Five
Try free
Paychex
Paychex
Try free
Tier 1
Engage
$4/month
Includes
  • Employee Engagement Surveys
  • Targeted Assessments
  • Action Planning
  • Heat Maps & Data Breakdowns
  • Benchmarking
Start with Engage
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Basic Payroll
  • Employee Self-Service
Start with Free
Tier 2
Perform
$11/monthCheapest
Includes
  • AMAYA
  • Insights Dashboard
  • AI-Assisted Performance Reviews
  • 15Five Agents
  • OKRs & Goals
  • 360° Feedback
  • Talent Matrix
  • Career Paths & Plans
Start with Perform
Small Business Payroll
$20/month
$240 / year
Includes
  • Full Payroll Processing
  • Tax Filing
  • Employee Management
Start with Small Business Payroll
Tier 3
Total Platform
$16/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Everything in Engage
  • Everything in Perform
  • Manager Training Microlearnings
Start with Total Platform
Midsize to Enterprise PayrollPopular
$50/month
$600 / year
Includes
  • Advanced Payroll Features
  • Custom Reporting
  • Dedicated Support
Start with Midsize to Enterprise Payroll
Tier 4
-
One Employee Payroll
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Payroll for Single Employee
  • Basic Tax Services
Start with One Employee Payroll

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15Five

Performance management and employee engagement software

View all 15Five plans

Paychex

Payroll and HR solutions for small to mid-sized businesses

View all Paychex plans

Which Should You Choose?

Choose 15Five if:

  • •You need dedicated performance management with OKRs, reviews, and feedback cycles
  • •Manager effectiveness programs and employee development are the core use case
  • •Payroll and HR compliance are already handled by another provider

Choose Paychex if:

  • •You need full-service payroll, benefits, and HR compliance from a single provider
  • •Paychex's breadth of payroll, time and attendance, and compliance services fits your needs
  • •A large HR services vendor with local support and established compliance tools is preferred

Paychex is a full-service payroll and HR services provider for businesses of all sizes, with pricing that varies widely based on services selected. 15Five is performance management software starting at $4/user/month. Paychex handles the operational infrastructure of HR - paying employees, managing benefits, and staying compliant. 15Five handles performance, engagement, and development. These tools address entirely different HR needs and are not direct alternatives to each other.

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Frequently Asked Questions: 15Five vs Paychex

Which is cheaper, 15Five or Paychex?
As of July 2026, 15Five starts at a lower price point. 15Five starts at $4/mo while Paychex starts at $20/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does 15Five have vs Paychex?
15Five offers 3 pricing plans, while Paychex offers 4 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does 15Five or Paychex offer a free plan?
Paychex offers a free plan, while 15Five does not. If budget is a concern, Paychex lets you get started at no cost.
Can I save money by paying annually for 15Five or Paychex?
Both 15Five and Paychex offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
What is the most popular Paychex plan?
The Midsize to Enterprise Payroll plan is Paychex's most popular tier, priced at $50/mo. Key features include Advanced Payroll Features, Custom Reporting, Dedicated Support.
Does 15Five or Paychex offer custom enterprise pricing?
Paychex offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. 15Five lists all its pricing publicly.
How do 15Five and Paychex compare for HR & People?
Both 15Five and Paychex are HR & People tools. 15Five offers 3 plans starting at $4/mo, while Paychex offers 4 plans starting at $20/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your HR & People needs.
AI Recommendations

Sources

  1. 15Five Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
  2. Paychex Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page

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