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: March 16, 2026
15Five vs Paychex: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | 15Five | Paychex |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $4/mo | $20/mo |
| Number of Plans | 3 | 4 |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Pricing Model | per-seat | per-seat |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/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 25 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 Try it free |  Paychex Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Engage $4/month Includes
| |
| Tier 2 | Perform $11/monthCheapest Includes
| Small Business Payroll $20/month $240 / year Includes
|
| Tier 3 | Total Platform $16/monthCheapest Includes
| Midsize to Enterprise PayrollPopular $50/month $600 / year Includes
|
| Tier 4 | — | One Employee Payroll Custom pricing Includes
|
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Paychex
Paychex offers a free plan, offers 4 tiers vs 3.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Paychex
Try Paychex freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose 15Five if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—15Five starts at $4/mo, saving $16/mo compared to Paychex at $20/mo
- •You want more features built-in—15Five offers 5 additional features across its plans
- •You prefer 15Five's per-seat model with its 3-tier structure
Choose Paychex if:
- •You need a free plan with Basic Payroll, Employee Self-Service—Paychex offers no-cost access with no credit card required
- •You need 4 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Paychex offers negotiated terms for large deployments
Paychex offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while 15Five requires paid subscription from the start. This gives Paychex a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow Paychex's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately $50/mo provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against 15Five's tiering starting at $4/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Paychex's 4 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while 15Five's 3 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, Paychex is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.
Frequently Asked Questions: 15Five vs Paychex
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Paychex?
How many pricing plans does 15Five have vs Paychex?
Does 15Five or Paychex offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for 15Five or Paychex?
What is the most popular Paychex plan?
Does 15Five or Paychex offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do 15Five and Paychex compare for HR & People?
Sources
- 15Five Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Paychex Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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