Best of · HR and Payroll for Healthcare

The best HR and payroll software for healthcare

Healthcare employers juggle shift workers, certifications, and strict labor and ACA compliance, so time tracking and benefits matter as much as pay. We weighted scheduling and time tracking, compliance, benefits administration, ease of use, and scalability, then ranked the six that suit providers best.

Reviewed by M. HALLORAN·Updated FEBRUARY 2026·How we vet
Tools compared 6
Criteria weighted 5
Last reviewed June 2026
Paid placements 0
How we ranked the field

Scored on our five criteria, reweighted for providers: time tracking and scheduling for shift staff, ACA and labor compliance, benefits administration, day to day ease, and room to scale across locations. See the full rubric →

Time tracking and scheduling 30%
Compliance, ACA and labor 25%
Benefits administration 20%
Ease of use 15%
Scalability 10%
01
RANK
★ Editor’s Choice

Rippling

Best for multi location clinics

Rippling combines payroll, HR, time tracking, and scheduling on one record, which fits clinics with shift staff across sites. Rules based time and attendance flow straight into pay, and IT provisioning helps onboard clinical staff fast. The modular pricing and base fee suit growing groups more than a single practice.

  • Time tracking into payroll
  • Strong compliance tooling
  • Scales across locations
Read the Rippling verdict → From $8/user/mo · plus base platform fee
89
OUT OF 100
02
RANK

ADP

Best for hospitals and large providers

ADP scales from RUN for small practices to Workforce Now for hospitals, with deep tax, ACA, and labor compliance and a dedicated specialist. It is the safe choice at scale, though pricing is quote based and the platform is heavy for a small office.

Read the ADP verdict → RUN from $79/mo + $4/employee · quote
87
OUT OF 100
03
RANK

Paychex Flex

Best for practices wanting support

Paychex Flex gives independent practices payroll with a dedicated specialist and solid ACA reporting, useful when there is no in house HR. The interface is dated and add ons raise the price, so confirm the bundled quote.

Read the Paychex Flex verdict → Essentials $39/mo + $5/employee
84
OUT OF 100
04
RANK

Gusto

Best for small practices and dental offices

Gusto is the simplest fit for a small practice or dental office, with easy payroll, benefits, and onboarding and clear pricing. Time tracking is lighter than the shift focused tools, so larger clinics with complex scheduling may need more.

Read the Gusto verdict → Simple $49/mo + $6/employee · Plus $80/mo + $12
83
OUT OF 100
05
RANK

BambooHR

Best for HR records and credentials

BambooHR keeps clean employee records, documents, and onboarding, handy for tracking licenses and credentials with custom fields. Payroll and time tracking are paid add ons, so pair it with a payroll engine for clinical pay.

Read the BambooHR verdict → From $250/mo flat (to 25) · Pro ~$17/employee
82
OUT OF 100
06
RANK

Paylocity

Best for engagement at mid size providers

Paylocity offers full payroll, HR, and standout employee engagement and communication tools, which help with frontline healthcare retention. Pricing is quote based and onboarding takes work, so it suits mid size providers over tiny practices.

Read the Paylocity verdict → Quote based · roughly $39/mo + per employee
80
OUT OF 100

Pricing verified as of June 2026. Vendors change plans often · check the vendor for current pricing.

At a glance

✓ full  ·  ∼ partial  ·  — none
Capability RipplingADPPaychexGustoBambooHRPaylocity
Time tracking and scheduling
ACA and labor compliance
Built in benefits administration
Dedicated specialist support
Onboarding and records
Open REST API

Capabilities as of June 2026. Plans and add ons shift often · check the vendor for current features.