Head to head

Employee Navigator vs PlanSource

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Employee Navigator

Sales-quoted

Employee Navigator is broker-channel benefits enrollment and HR software. It acquired Ease in April 2023 and is sunsetting Ease in 2027. Pricing is quoted across Enhanced, Enhanced Plus, Elite, and Platinum.

Where Employee Navigator fits

  • US benefits brokers running enrollment, ACA reporting, and HR for many employer groups
  • Agencies moving off Ease before the 2027 sunset
  • Brokers that need carrier, TPA, and payroll integrations plus 834 EDI
  • Books of business that want AI Plan Builds on the base Enhanced tier

PlanSource

Sales-quoted

PlanSource is mid-market multi-carrier benefits administration for employers, consultants, and carriers. Pricing is quoted on a custom ordering document (Core, Core+, Premium). It is not a broker-channel SKU.

Where PlanSource fits

  • US mid-market employers (roughly 200 to 10,000 employees) running multi-carrier benefits
  • HR teams that want employee self-service enrollment, ACA, and COBRA on one platform
  • Orgs already on Workday, UKG, or SAP SuccessFactors that need a benefits layer
  • Employers that will buy direct rather than through a broker portal

At a glance

DetailEmployee NavigatorPlanSource
Starting priceSales-quotedSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underBenefits administrationBenefits administration
Capterra4.6 from 184 reviews3.9 from 15 reviews

Where they pull apart

Employee Navigator

Stands out: Unlimited companies and employees on every listed plan. AI Plan Builds sit on Enhanced. 834 EDI is $0.45 PEPM on Enhanced Plus and Elite, and $0 PEPM on Platinum.

Watch out: Sold through insurance brokers, not a self-serve employer checkout. Ease stays read-only from 1 July 2027, so Ease brokers need a migration plan. 834 EDI is not free until Platinum.

Not the right fit for

  • Employers buying benefits admin direct without a broker
  • Mid-market HR teams that want a multi-carrier employer platform (see PlanSource)

PlanSource

Stands out: DecisionIQ, DependentIQ, and InsightsIQ support enrollment decisions and document checks. DependentIQ is cited as verifying nearly 95% of required documents. Carrier connections run through the Boost program.

Watch out: Fees are PEPM-style and custom. A public city contract showed $3.25 per benefits-eligible employee per month plus $15,000 implementation, which is a sample order, not a rate card. Payroll stays in Workday, UKG, or Paylocity.

Not the right fit for

  • Insurance brokers who need an agency book-of-business platform (see Employee Navigator)
  • Very small employers that want Gusto-class payroll-plus-benefits in one SKU

Pros and cons

Employee Navigator

  • Broker-channel platform with unlimited companies and employees on listed plans
  • AI Plan Builds on Enhanced. 834 EDI free PEPM on Platinum
  • Ease acquisition with a dated 2027 sunset path for those groups
  • Quoted to brokers. Employers usually do not buy it direct
  • 834 EDI is $0.45 PEPM until Platinum
  • Ease sunset in 2027 is a migration project for leftover Ease books

PlanSource

  • Multi-carrier benefits admin aimed at mid-market employers, not a broker portal
  • DependentIQ and DecisionIQ for document checks and enrollment guidance
  • HCM companions for Workday, UKG, Paylocity, and SAP SuccessFactors
  • Quoted only. Custom ordering document, no public PEPM card
  • Capterra 3.9 from 15 reviews is mixed on ease and support
  • Not a payroll system. You still need an HCM or payroll host

What each one costs

Employee Navigator

Sales-quoted

Employee Navigator quotes Enhanced, Enhanced Plus, Elite, and Platinum. Contact sales on every tier. Unlimited companies and employees are listed on all four. 834 EDI is $0.45 PEPM on Enhanced Plus and Elite, and $0 PEPM on Platinum. AI Plan Builds are on Enhanced and up. Sold to insurance brokers. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

PlanSource

Sales-quoted

PlanSource quotes Core, Core+, and Premium on a custom ordering document. The vendor does not publish a public PEPM table. Benefits administration, open enrollment, ACA, and COBRA are in scope. Implementation is scoped separately. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Employee Navigator or PlanSource for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?