Rippling PEO Review: Pros & Cons, Ratings, Features, and Pricing

Rippling Review: Pros & Cons, Ratings, Features, and Pricing

Rippling is a comprehensive workforce management platform founded in 2016 by Parker Conrad, who previously co-founded Zenefits. The company's mission is to simplify and streamline the complex tasks associated with managing employees and business operations.

Rippling offers an all-in-one solution that combines HR, professional employer organization, IT, and Finance operations. This integration allows businesses to manage various aspects of their workforce from a single dashboard.

This article reviews Rippling's services, highlighting its main offerings and distinctive features. We'll assess the advantages and drawbacks of using Rippling, and share actual client feedback to assist small and medium-sized businesses in determining whether Rippling is right for their business.

Summary of Rippling Services

Pros

1. Ease of use: The platform is user-friendly, with an intuitive interface dashboard design. Users can easily navigate between different modules.

2. Customizable options: Flexible system that can be tailored to specific business needs. You can customize reports and analytics, and create custom workflows and approval processes that match how your company works.

3. Comprehensive integration: Seamlessly combines HR, IT, and Finance functions in one platform. This eliminates the need for multiple software solutions, reducing complexity and potential data discrepancies.

4. Scalability: Suitable for growing businesses, easily accommodating increased workforce and complexity. The pricing model scales with the number of employees

5. Automation: Automates many repetitive tasks across HR, IT, and Finance. This cuts down on manual data entry, saves time, and reduces mistakes. It also automates employee onboarding and offboarding.

Cons

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Features: What Makes Rippling Ideal for SMBs?

Rippling offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline business operations for small and medium-sized companies. Here are some of the key features of Rippling:

1. Unified Employee System

Rippling's core strength is its unified employee database which serves as the foundation for all other features. This system creates a single source of truth for employee data, eliminating redundancies and ensuring consistency across all departments. The unified employee system allows for seamless data flow between different modules.

When an employee is hired, their information is automatically populated across payroll, benefits, IT systems, and more. This integration significantly reduces manual data entry and the potential for errors. It also enables more accurate reporting and analytics, as all data is centralized and up-to-date.

2. Benefits Administration

Rippling streamlines the complex process of managing employee benefits. The benefits administration feature supports a wide range of benefits including health insurance, 401(k) plans, FSA/HSA accounts, and more. It simplifies the open enrollment process by providing employees with an intuitive interface to select their benefits.

For employers, it automates premium calculations, manages carrier relationships, and ensures compliance with regulations like the Affordable Care Act. The system also integrates benefits information with payroll to ensure accurate deductions.

3. HR Management

Rippling's HR management tools include applicant tracking, automated onboarding workflows, performance management, and offboarding processes. It allows for the creation and management of custom HR workflows, e-signature collection for important documents, and maintenance of the employee directory and organizational chart. The system also supports HR compliance by tracking required employee training, managing company policies, and generating necessary compliance reports.

4. IT Systems and Device Management

Rippling uniquely combines HR and IT management, offering robust tools for managing employee devices and software. This feature allows IT departments to automate the provisioning and de-provisioning of employee devices and software accounts. When a new employee is hired, Rippling can automatically order necessary equipment, set up company email accounts, and grant access to relevant software tools.

Similarly, when an employee leaves, the system can automatically revoke access and initiate hardware return processes. It also provides ongoing management of software licenses and ensures compliance with company IT policies.

5. Payroll Processing

Rippling’s payroll software automates payroll tax calculations, deductions, and filings across local, state, and federal levels. It supports multiple pay schedules and types, including salary, hourly, and project-based payments. The system can also manage wage garnishments, and contractor payments, and generate detailed payroll reports. Its global capabilities allow businesses to pay employees in multiple countries while ensuring compliance with local regulations.

6. Time and Attendance Tracking

Rippling's time tracking system includes a user-friendly interface for clock-ins and clock-outs, which can be done via computer, mobile app, or physical time clocks. It supports various work schedules, including shifts and flexible hours. The system automatically calculates overtime based on configurable rules and integrates seamlessly with payroll. It also includes robust paid time off (PTO) management, allowing employees to request time off and managers to approve requests, all while automatically updating PTO balances.

Other functionalities and features that Rippling offers include Expense Management

• Expense tracking

• Workflow Automation

• Access to mobile apps

• Reporting and analytics

• Third-Party Integrations

• 100% error-free guarantee

• Customer support provided by certified HR and PEO experts

Pricing

Rippling offers a flexible pricing model that scales with your business needs. Their pricing structure is designed to accommodate businesses of various sizes and with different requirements.

Rippling typically charges a base platform fee, which is a per-employee, per-month (PEPM) cost. This fee covers access to the core Rippling platform and includes basic functionalities. The base PEPM fee usually starts around $8-$10 per employee per month. This fee may vary based on the total number of employees, with potential discounts for larger organizations.

Rippling doesn't publicly list detailed pricing on its website. Instead, they typically provide custom quotes based on each business's specific needs and size. This approach allows for more tailored pricing but may require potential customers to contact Rippling directly for a quote.

Ratings

Rippling generally receives positive ratings across various review platforms. Here's a breakdown of their ratings on some of the most popular business software review sites:

• G2:  4.8/5 stars (based on 2,400+ reviews)

• Capterra: 4.9/5 stars (based on 3,000+ reviews)

• TrustRadius: 8.6/10 (based on 1,500+ reviews)

• Software Advice: 4.9/5 stars (based on 3,000+ reviews)

• GetApp: 4.9/5 stars (based on 3,000+ reviews)

Customers' Reviews

Across all major review platforms, Rippling maintains high ratings, typically above 4.5 out of 5 stars. Many reviewers praise Rippling's user-friendly interface and intuitive design. Many users appreciate Rippling's ability to integrate various HR, IT, and Finance functions. Despite being perceived as a premium solution, many users feel Rippling offers good value for its cost.

On the flip side, some reviews mention that the initial setup and implementation can be complex, especially for larger organizations. The main criticisms tend to revolve around the learning curve for new users and the potentially high cost for smaller businesses. There are also some complaints about poor customer support.

While these ratings are generally very positive, individual experiences can vary. If you’re considering working with Rippling, you should read through detailed reviews, especially those from businesses similar to yours. However, speaking with an HR expert like The Mission allows you to get a comprehensive understanding of Rippling's strengths and potential limitations in specific use cases. You may also get other recommendations that are more suitable for your business. 

Is Rippling Right for Your Business?

Rippling's suitability depends on your business's specific needs and resources. It's an excellent choice for growing, tech-savvy companies looking to streamline their HR, IT, and Finance operations. If you're expanding rapidly, value cutting-edge technology, or need to manage a remote workforce, Rippling could be ideal for you. Its all-in-one platform is particularly useful for businesses seeking to consolidate their operations and prioritize compliance.

However, Rippling might not be the best fit for every organization. Very small businesses or those on a tight budget might find some features unnecessary and the cost potentially high. It's important to carefully assess your specific needs, budget, and technical capabilities before making a decision. You might want to request a demo or trial period to get a hands-on feel for the platform and how it might fit into your operations.

Rippling Alternatives and How They Compare

While Rippling offers a comprehensive workforce management solution, it's not the only player in the market. Here are some notable alternatives and how they compare to Rippling:

1. Resourcing Edge

Resourcing Edge has multiple partners that provide a more comprehensive range of coverage solutions, excellent and personalized customer service, strong orientation on HR services, training, and safety options, including on-site safety review, online safety training, and OSHA compliance assistance. It also offers a large selection of benefits and options

2.  TriNet

TriNet is a full-service PEO that offers comprehensive HR solutions, such as extensive HR expertise, strong benefits offerings, and industry-specific solutions. It may be more expensive, with less focus on IT management. But, it is best for small to mid-sized businesses looking for a full-service HR solution with strong compliance support

3. Insperity

Insperity is another well-known PEO offering a wide range of HR services, strong employee benefits, and personalized support. Compared to Rippling, It may offer less flexibility for customization. Insperity is best for small to mid-sized businesses seeking hands-on HR support and robust benefits packages.

How The Mission Can Help

Picking the right PEO for your business can be tough. This is where we come in with years of experience in dealing with HR and PEO services providers and getting the best deals for small and mid-sized companies. The Mission maintains a strong business relationship with many HR support services providers, which can make it easier for small businesses to afford. 

We know a lot about HR management, understand the PEO co-employment system, and have helped many companies choose the best PEO and HR tools for their needs. We understand Rippling and other similar systems well.

Get in touch with us, and we'll help you find the best system to make your business run smoother.