Namely HR Software: Comprehensive Reviews, Pricing, Pros & Cons

Read real experiences and insights into how Namely empowers businesses with its comprehensive HR solutions. Your go-to resource for unbiased Namely Reviews

Brett Ungashick
OutSail HRIS Advisor
July 4, 2023
user comparing HRIS systems

Namely

Overview

Namely was built with the employee experience in mind and designed their HRIS from the ground up to be mobile-first, employee-centric and on-par with other consumer apps that younger workforces use outside of work. Their solution covers a large portion of Core HR functionality and, where they can't offer certain functionality, they have integrations with leading 3rd parties.

Namely was acquired by PrismHR in 2022. Read more about the acquisition here!

Market Segment

Namely is considered an SMB HRIS, which means the system works best for companies with between 50 and 350 employees. SMB solutions are designed to cover some, but not all HR needs with some gaps to be filled in by 3rd party solutions. SMB solutions are typically more user-friendly and more modernly designed than other vendors. Additionally, they are typically built with integrations in mind and have open APIs. A solution like Namely usually takes 6-8 weeks to implement and requires a bit of configuration work from the administrator. SMB solutions tend to have limited rules engines and custom workflow tools, which can limit how scalable they can be.

How Much Does Namely Cost?

Namely charges companies on a quarterly or annual subscription basis. Depending on the modules included and the size of your company, Namely's software fees can cost between $18 and 24 PEPM.

Additionally, Namely does charge a nominal implementation fee to clients to get started. This fee is typically ~10-25% of the annual software fees.

Strengths
  • Namely is a young tech-forward company that offers a very clean and inviting user interface
  • The platform gets strong reviews for employee self-service, especially in benefits enrollment and time off
  • Namely has very strong integration capabilities with Lever, Papaya Global and other 3rd party point solutions
  • Namely offers a customizable performance review module that can facilitate more dynamic, ongoing performance conversations rather than the traditional annual review
Weaknesses
  • Namely has some functional gaps that preclude it from being an all-in-one solution including a lack of pulse surveys and no ATS offering either.
  • Namely's payroll tool is better served for less complex organizations and can struggle if complex time & attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios are required
  • Namely uses a pod-based support model for their clients which has lead to slow response times for customers in the past
Integration Capabilities

Namely has always prioritized integrations with 3rd party systems, giving their clients the choice between all-in-one and best-in-class. Namely has marketplace integrations with many leading HR point solutions. However, custom integrations are not always the easiest to build with Namely, due to their lack of professional services resources

Global Capabilities

Namely can serve as a global system-of-record allowing international employees to onboard, complete performance reviews and manage leave in the system. Namely works with a large number of global companies and has partnerships with global payroll solutions. Namely does not have global offices, however.

Modules Offered

Namely's HR software is a fairly comprehensive solution that helps businesses manage their human resources processes. With its intuitive HR technology, Namely's software is designed to meet the needs of mid-sized businesses and their HR professionals.

This section offers a deep dive into the various modules that are included with Namely's software and how they can help your business improve efficiency and employee engagement.

Payroll & Tax

The payroll processing and tax services that Namely offers are designed to be a one-stop-shop for managing employee pay and taxes. It includes features for calculating and issuing paychecks, tracking taxes and deductions, and providing expert assistance with benefits insurance.

With Namely's payroll processing and tax services module, businesses can ensure that employees are paid accurately and on time, and that all required taxes are withheld and reported.

In addition to the software that they offer, Namely has managed service offerings where they will run the payroll processing and benefits administration processes on your behalf. These enhanced payroll services are more expensive, but can save companies from adding headcount to their HR team.

Benefits Administration

The benefits administration module is designed to help businesses manage employee benefits. Namely's ben admin module provides a modern, user experience for employee benefits enrollment, benefits carrier integrations, and compliance tools and reports.

With Namely's benefits administration module, businesses can let their employees take control of their selections and life event updates. Additionally, if a company does not have a benefits broker of their own, Namely offers benefits insurance expertise and brokerage services.

HR Data & Employee Self-Service

The HR management, employee files, and self-service module is the core of Namely's HR software. This module gives companies a single database for managing employee records, tracking employee information, and providing employees with self-service tools.

With Namely's HR management module, businesses can ensure that all employee information is up to date and accessible, and that employees are able to manage their own information.

Namely is popular among modern workforces, specifically because of the user-friendliness of their system. In addition to managing the employee management features, Namely provides a company news feed that shows upcoming birthdays, work anniversaries and other company updates.

Time & Attendance

The time and attendance, time tracking, and leave management module is designed to help businesses track employee hours worked and time off. It includes features for tracking time off requests, tracking employee attendance, and providing that data to the payroll module. With Namely's time and attendance module, businesses can ensure that employees are paid accurately for the time they work, and that they take the time off they need to stay healthy and productive.

Onboarding

The new hire onboarding module is designed to make it easy for businesses to onboard new employees. It includes features for tracking new employee information and ensuring that new employees are fully trained and ready to work. With Namely's onboarding module, businesses can ensure that new employees are productive from their first day on the job.

Performance management

The performance management module is designed to help businesses track and improve employee performance. It includes features for setting goals, tracking progress, and providing feedback. With Namely's performance management module, businesses can ensure that employees are meeting their goals and that they are motivated to improve their performance.

Learning Management System (LMS)

The learning management system (LMS) module is designed to help businesses manage employee training and development. It includes features for creating and delivering training programs, tracking employee progress, and providing feedback. With Namely's LMS module, businesses can ensure that employees have access to the training they need to improve their skills and advance their careers.

In conclusion, Namely's HRIS software is a comprehensive solution that includes various modules that help businesses manage payroll processing, benefits administration, HR management, employee files, self-service, time and attendance, new hire onboarding, performance management, and employee engagement tools. The software also includes compliance tools, a company news feed, and an intuitive payroll solution that can help businesses increase efficiency and employee engagement.

FAQs
What is Namely?

Namely is an HRIS platform designed with the employee experience in mind. It offers a comprehensive suite of HR solutions, including payroll processing, benefits administration, HR management, employee self-service, time and attendance tracking, onboarding, performance management, and learning management.

Who is Namely best suited for?

Namely is considered an SMB HRIS, making it ideal for companies with 50 to 350 employees. Its user-friendly interface, modern design, and integration capabilities cater well to mid-sized businesses.

How much does Namely cost?

Namely charges on a quarterly or annual subscription basis, with prices ranging from $18 to $24 per employee per month (PEPM). Additionally, there's a nominal implementation fee, typically around 10-25% of the annual software fees.

What are the strengths of Namely?

Namely offers a modern, clean user interface and strong reviews for employee self-service, especially in benefits enrollment and time off. It also has robust integration capabilities with 3rd party solutions and a customizable performance review module.

What are the weaknesses of Namely?

Namely has functional gaps, such as a lack of pulse surveys and an ATS offering. Its payroll tool may be better suited for less complex organizations, and its support model, based on pods, has led to slow response times in the past.

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Meet the Author

Brett Ungashick
OutSail HRIS Advisor
Brett Ungashick, the friendly face behind OutSail, started his career at LinkedIn, selling HR software. This experience sparked an idea, leading him to create OutSail in 2018. Based in Denver, OutSail simplifies the HR software selection process, and Brett's hands-on approach has already helped over 1,000 companies, including SalesLoft, Hudl and DoorDash. He's a go-to guy for all things HR Tech, supporting companies in every industry and across 20+ countries. When he's not demystifying HR tech, you'll find Brett enjoying a round of golf or skiing down Colorado's slopes, always happy to chat about work or play.

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