Head to head

Paycor vs Paylocity

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

Paycor

Sales-quoted

US HCM suite for payroll, HR, time and talent, owned by Paychex. Pricing is quote-based.

Where Paycor fits

  • US SMBs that want HR and payroll in one suite
  • Mid-market firms that need time and scheduling too
  • Teams that will build on Paycor's APIs
  • Buyers comfortable with a scoped demo and quote

Paylocity

Sales-quoted

US HR, payroll and workforce platform that also covers finance and IT tools. Pricing is sales-quoted.

Where Paylocity fits

  • Midsize US employers that want HR and payroll together
  • Hourly-hiring teams that want Grayscale automation
  • Companies replacing several HR point tools
  • Teams that will build on documented APIs

At a glance

DetailPaycorPaylocity
Starting priceSales-quotedSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underATS, Benefits administration, HR compliance, HRIS, Payroll, Time & attendanceATS, Benefits administration, HRIS, Payroll, Time & attendance

Where they pull apart

Paycor

Stands out: Full US HCM with its own public developer portal, run as a Paychex business unit after the acquisition.

Watch out: No published per-employee rate. Small-business deals advertise 50% off for the first six months, so check the price after that period.

Not the right fit for

  • Buyers who need a published per-employee price
  • Global employers that need EOR coverage

Paylocity

Stands out: One platform covers HR, payroll, recruiting, finance and IT, and Paylocity added Grayscale's AI recruiting automation in 2026.

Watch out: There is no public per-employee price. You need a sales conversation, and implementation and module choice shape the total.

Not the right fit for

  • Buyers who need a published price
  • Companies that mainly need global EOR hiring

Pros and cons

Paycor

  • Payroll, HR, time and talent in one suite
  • Public developer portal with REST APIs
  • Backed by Paychex
  • No published per-employee price
  • Intro discount can hide the ongoing rate
  • Built for US employers only

Paylocity

  • HR, payroll, finance and IT in one
  • Grayscale recruiting automation added
  • Documented APIs for integrations
  • No public price
  • Sales process before any number
  • Aimed at US employers

What each one costs

Paycor

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. No public rate card on the vendor site. The small-business offer for 1 to 49 employees advertises 50% off for the first six months; price depends on headcount and modules. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Paylocity

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. No public rate card on the vendor site. The quote depends on headcount and the modules you choose. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Paycor or Paylocity for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

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