Paylocity vs Sterling Comparison: Reviews, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2026

Detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right solution for your team

Updated Apr 2026 8 min read

Paylocity

0.0 (0 reviews)

Paylocity is a comprehensive human capital management platform that simplifies payroll, benefits, and talent management while providing modern engagement tools to help you build a stronger workplace culture.

Starting at --
Free Trial NO FREE TRIAL
VS

Sterling

0.0 (0 reviews)

Sterling provides comprehensive background screening and identity verification services to help you build a foundation of trust and safety for your global workforce and customers.

Starting at --
Free Trial NO FREE TRIAL

Quick Comparison

Feature Paylocity Sterling
Website paylocity.com sterlingcheck.com
Pricing Model Custom Custom
Starting Price Custom Pricing Custom Pricing
FREE Trial ✘ No free trial ✘ No free trial
Free Plan ✘ No free plan ✘ No free plan
Product Demo ✓ Request demo here ✓ Request demo here
Deployment saas mobile saas mobile
Integrations Microsoft Teams Slack Blue Cross Blue Shield 401k providers Indeed LinkedIn Glassdoor NetSuite QuickBooks ClearCompany Workday Oracle SAP SuccessFactors iCIMS Greenhouse Lever SmartRecruiters Jobvite Bullhorn UKG
Target Users small-business mid-market enterprise small-business mid-market enterprise
Target Industries healthcare retail financial-services
Customer Count 0 0
Founded Year 1997 1975
Headquarters Schaumburg, USA New York, USA

Overview

P

Paylocity

Paylocity is an all-in-one human capital management platform designed to help you manage your entire employee lifecycle from a single interface. You can automate complex payroll runs, streamline open enrollment for benefits, and track time and attendance without manual data entry. The platform focuses heavily on the modern employee experience, offering social collaboration tools and mobile-first features that make it easier for your team to stay connected and productive.

Beyond basic administrative tasks, you can use the software to recruit top talent, conduct performance reviews, and provide on-demand training through a built-in learning management system. It is specifically designed for mid-market organizations that need to move away from disconnected spreadsheets and manual processes. By centralizing your data, you gain real-time insights into labor costs and employee engagement to make better business decisions.

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Sterling

Sterling helps you hire with confidence by providing fast and reliable background screening and identity verification. You can streamline your entire hiring process, from criminal record checks and employment verification to drug and health screening. The platform is designed to integrate directly into your existing HR tech stack, allowing you to manage candidates globally while maintaining compliance with local regulations.

You can reduce manual paperwork and speed up your time-to-hire using their mobile-first candidate experience. Whether you are a small business making your first hire or a global enterprise managing thousands of employees, the software provides the tools you need to verify identities and maintain a safe workplace. By automating the collection of candidate data, you can focus on making better hiring decisions rather than chasing documentation.

Overview

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Paylocity Features

  • On-Demand Pay Give your employees early access to their earned wages so they can manage unexpected expenses without financial stress.
  • Community Social Hub Create a central space where you can share company news, recognize achievements, and foster collaboration across your entire organization.
  • Automated Payroll Run your payroll accurately and quickly with automated tax filings, direct deposits, and compliance updates that sync with your time data.
  • Mobile App Empower your team to clock in, view pay stubs, and request time off directly from their smartphones at any time.
  • Learning Management Assign and track mandatory compliance training or professional development courses to keep your workforce skilled and compliant.
  • Recruiting & Onboarding Post jobs to multiple boards and transition new hires into your system automatically with digital paperwork and welcome tasks.
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Sterling Features

  • Criminal Background Checks. Access automated searches of national and local criminal databases to identify potential risks before you extend a job offer.
  • Identity Verification. Verify candidate identities in real-time using biometric technology and government-issued ID scanning to prevent sophisticated identity fraud.
  • Employment Verification. Confirm your candidate's professional history and education credentials automatically to ensure they have the experience they claim.
  • Drug and Health Screening. Manage employee drug testing and occupational health screenings through a massive network of collection sites with digital results.
  • Mobile Candidate Hub. Give your candidates a mobile-friendly way to submit information and track their screening status from any device.
  • Global Compliance Tools. Stay compliant with built-in tools that adapt to local privacy laws and industry-specific regulations across different countries.

Pricing Comparison

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Paylocity Pricing

S

Sterling Pricing

Pros & Cons

M

Paylocity

Pros

  • Highly customizable reporting for complex data needs
  • Excellent mobile app experience for remote employees
  • Strong social engagement features improve company culture
  • Unified database eliminates redundant data entry tasks
  • Regular updates based on user feature requests

Cons

  • Initial implementation process can be time-consuming
  • Customer support response times vary during peak seasons
  • Learning curve for advanced reporting modules
A

Sterling

Pros

  • Extensive global reach for international background checks
  • Seamless integration with popular applicant tracking systems
  • User-friendly interface for both recruiters and candidates
  • Comprehensive reporting that simplifies compliance audits

Cons

  • Turnaround times can vary by jurisdiction
  • Customer support response times can be slow
  • Pricing structure is complex for smaller organizations
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