Namely vs Paychex: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Namely and Paychex. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Namely starts at $9/mo, making it $11/mo cheaper than Paychex ($20/mo). Paychex offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Namely vs Paychex: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Namely | Paychex |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $9/mo | $20/mo |
| Number of Plans | 4 | 4 |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Pricing Model | per-seat | per-seat |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Namely is the more affordable option, starting at $9/mo compared to Paychex's $20/mo. Both are HR & People tools with 8 combined pricing plans and 27 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 |  Namely Try it free |  Paychex Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | ||
| Tier 2 | Namely Plus Custom pricing Includes
| Small Business Payroll $20/monthCheapest $240 / year Includes
|
| Tier 3 | Namely Plus People Custom pricing Includes
| Midsize to Enterprise PayrollPopular $50/monthCheapest $600 / year Includes
|
| Tier 4 | Namely Complete Custom pricing Includes
| One Employee Payroll Custom pricing Includes
|
Swipe to compare plans →
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Namely if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Namely starts at $9/mo, saving $11/mo compared to Paychex at $20/mo
- •You want more features built-in—Namely offers 7 additional features across its plans
- •Namely's per-seat pricing lets you match exact team size without tier gaps
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 predictable billing — Paychex's per-seat model avoids surprise overages
- •You value Paychex's specific feature progression from free to advanced tier levels
Paychex offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while Namely 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 Namely's tiering starting at $9/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Paychex's 4 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while Namely's 4 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: Namely vs Paychex
Which is cheaper, Namely or Paychex?
How many pricing plans does Namely have vs Paychex?
Does Namely or Paychex offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Namely or Paychex?
What is the most popular Paychex plan?
Does Namely or Paychex offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do Namely and Paychex compare for HR & People?
Sources
- Namely Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Paychex Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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