Looking for the best benefits administration software tools? Well, you’re in the right place.

Human resources (HR) administrators require intuitive benefits administration (BA) software to keep track of the perks and amenities they offer in a company. The tools must be easy to use for both the employer and the employee. After all, you don’t want employees to quit because they couldn’t figure out how to use a benefits application. A well-managed benefits program could be the recipe for keeping the best talent.

Attractive benefits packages are not only a key factor in attracting top talent to your startup or growing small to midsize business (SMB), but they’re also how you keep those employees happy and show them they’re valued. But no matter how great the benefits and perks your business offers, you need a BA experience within your HR management platform that makes it easy for HR to administer those programs – otherwise, what’s the point?

Best Benefits Administration Software Tools

Let’s take a step back. What exactly is benefits administration software? And, why do you need one? We’ll go over all that, plus give you a list of what we think are the 9 best benefits administration software tools on the market today.

What Are Benefits Administration Tools?

Benefits administration software is a tool used by HR professionals to manage employee benefits programs. This type of software helps businesses keep track of employee benefits, such as health insurance, retirement savings plans, and paid time off.

Benefits administration tools also help businesses manage open enrollment periods so that employees can easily enroll in or make changes to their benefits packages.

9 Best Benefits Administration Software Tools

Now that you know what to look for in benefits administration software, it’s time to choose a tool. To help you make your decision, we’ve put together a list of the 15 best benefits administration software tools on the market today.

1 BambooHR – Best for Overall HR Administration

BambooHR is a human resources (HR) management system with a wealth of features and functionality in an easy-to-use package. BambooHR is most recognized for its applicant tracking system (ATS) and onboarding tools, but it’s also a full HR management platform that includes benefits administration.

BambooHR’s benefits administration features include online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. Employees can easily access and manage their benefits through the BambooHR portal, which makes it easy to keep track of benefits and make changes as needed.

Pros:

• BambooHR provides an all-encompassing and complete approach to human resources (HR) management software.
• It’s simple to get up and running with open APIs that provide a lot of potential for HR tech integration.

Cons:

• The cost is a bit higher than that of comparable solutions.
• The inadequacies of this solution include its low level of benefits administration (BA) capabilities.
• The mobile app doesn’t have any data about benefits.

2 Gusto – Best for Excellent User Experience, and Flexibility

Gusto is a payroll service that caters to small businesses. It offers commonly used payroll tools and an easy-to-use interface. Gusto has constantly improved over the past few years, adding new features such as user permissions, state payroll tax registration, global contractor payments, and HR support tools.

When it comes to benefits administration, Gusto offers online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. Employees can easily access and manage their benefits through the Gusto portal.

Pros:

• Gusto’s user interface is very simple and straightforward.
• Contractor-only version
• Excellent employee versions
• Good set of customizable reports
• Comprehensive mobile access

Cons:

• Gusto Simple does not come with time-tracking features.
• The payroll run page can be confusing for some users.
• Time off for contractors requires its own link or screen.

3 Zenefits – Best for Comprehensive Benefits Administration

Zenefits is a comprehensive HR management platform that includes benefits administration, payroll, and compliance tools. Zenefits makes it easy for businesses to manage their HR needs in one place.

Zenefits is one of the most well-designed HR software solutions for small and startups. It offers a wealth of capabilities, including easy administration tools and the flexibility to add on services as needed. Zenefits adds to its program with access to live human advisors. Zenefits remains the most comprehensive solution for most small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in terms of BA.

Pros:

• The software is quite comprehensive and offers a wide range of features.
• Flexibility to add on services as needed.
• Thorough employee records.
• Clear and concise business intelligence (BI) reporting.
• An outstanding mobile app for employees.

Cons:

• The user interface (UI) can be confusing and overwhelming for some users.
• Can be overwhelming for small businesses.
• The mobile app is only a limited version of the admin panel and doesn’t support all tasks.

4 Rippling – Best for Ease of Use

Rippling is a payroll and benefits administration software solution that offers a simple and easy-to-use interface. Rippling is most recognized for its payroll capabilities, but it’s also a full HR management platform that includes benefits administration.

Rippling’s benefits administration features include online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. Employees can easily access and manage their benefits through the Rippling portal.

Pros:

• Rippling’s user interface is very simple and easy to use.
• Excellent tools for processing payroll
• A wide range of built-in programs are available.
• Employee profiles that are all-encompassing.
• Reports that are highly configurable

Cons:

• Too much complexity can turn away small business users
• Occasionally, the screen may stop responding.
• Learning curve for reports. The reporting could be more robust.
• Apps for mobile devices with limited capabilities

5 PeopleKeep – Best for Mid-Sized Companies

PeopleKeep is an HR management platform that offers benefits administration, payroll, and compliance tools. PeopleKeep is designed for small to midsize businesses (SMBs). It’s a comprehensive solution that includes features such as online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management.

PeopleKeep offers employees tax-free cash to purchase health insurance and get reimbursed for medical expenses. Employers, on the other hand, can deduct their administrative costs as business expenditure. That being said, PeopleKeep is designed primarily for small businesses with less than 50 workers.

Pros:

• Intuitive user interface.
• The platform provides flexible options for linking health plans.
• Easy receipt upload.

Cons:

• It lacks the core features of comprehensive insurance plans.
• No native mobile app.

6 Criterion – Best for Customization

Criterion is a benefits administration software solution that offers a high degree of customization. Criterion’s features include online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. Employees can easily access and manage their benefits through the Criterion portal.

Criterion is designed for businesses of all sizes. However, its comprehensive suite of features makes it a good choice for larger businesses that need a high degree of customization.

Pros:

• Benefits and payroll, as well as learning management, are just a few of the robust feature sets included in this program.
• Available mobile apps, fairly comprehensive features
• The employee side is a clean, uncluttered interface.

Cons:

• Benefit plan codes for complex plans
• During our testing, employees are unable to upload documents on their side.
• Though, great features, but the employer view and benefits info are not mobile-friendly.

7 Bob – Ideal for businesses who want it all!

Bob is a benefits administration software solution that offers a single view of the employee. Bob’s features include online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. Employees can easily access and manage their benefits through the Bob portal.

Bob’s Core HR is a human resources software designed to help companies manage their people. Automate HR procedures, provide reports easily, and archive all HR paperwork in one location. Bob’s culture and involvement features also give your staff a sense of belonging whether they’re working onsite, hybrid, or remotely.

Bob enables you to manage the complete compensation management process, from salary reviews to bonuses to equity allocation, all in one simple and worldwide platform. Ensure that all stakeholders such as HR, finance, C-levels, and executives are on the same page during the process to guarantee a fair and equitable procedure by keeping them up to date on everything.

Pros:

• Bob offers a complete view of each employee in one place.
• The software includes payroll, benefits, and learning management features.
• Available mobile apps make it easy to access employee information on the go.

Cons:

• The interface can be confusing for first-time users.
• The learning management system is not as robust as some of the other options on this list.
• Mobile apps are limited in functionality.

8 BerniePortal – Best for Startups to SMBs

BerniePortal is a benefits administration software solution that offers online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. Employees can easily access and manage their benefits through the BerniePortal portal.

BerniePortal is designed for small to midsize businesses (SMBs). It’s a comprehensive solution that includes features such as online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. BerniePortal’s intuitive interface makes it easy for employees to access and manage their benefits.

Pros:

• The software is designed specifically for small to midsize businesses.
• It includes all of the features you need to manage your benefits program.
• The interface is easy to use and navigate.

Cons:

• Some users have reported that the customer service is not as responsive as they would like.
• The software does not include a mobile app.
• Some of the features are only available in the premium version.
• There are certain functional shortcomings that you may only find in comparable solutions.

9 Infor – Best for Larger Enterprises

Infor is a benefits administration software solution that offers online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management. Employees can easily access and manage their benefits through the Infor portal.

Infor Human Resources combines cloud-based human resources management (HCM) software products that enable your employees to deliver streamlined procedures with fantastic experiences. This technology replaces complicated processes, workflows, and systems with sophisticated, yet easy-to-understand technology. Give your HR staff the tools they need to link your company’s goals for productivity and talent development to create concrete value for you.

Pros:

• The software is designed for larger enterprises.
• It includes all of the features you need to manage your benefits program.
• The interface is easy to use and navigate.

Cons:

• Some users have reported that the customer service is not as responsive as they would like.
• The software does not include a mobile app.
• It’s a little more difficult to set up and learn.

Why Do You Need Benefits Administration Software?

There are a few key reasons why your business needs benefits administration software, even if you only offer a few basic benefits to your employees. First, benefits administration software can help you save time and money on benefits administration. By automating tasks such as open enrollment and benefits changes, you can free up your HR team to focus on other tasks.

Second, benefits administration software can help you improve employee satisfaction and retention. When employees have an easy way to access and manage their benefits, they’re more likely to be satisfied with their job. And when employees are satisfied with their job, they’re less likely to leave for another company.

Finally, benefits administration software can help you stay compliant with employee benefits laws. By keeping track of your benefits programs and ensuring that they meet all legal requirements, you can avoid costly penalties and fees.

How To Choose The Best Benefits Administration Software

Now that you know why you need benefits administration software, it’s time to choose the best tool for your business. There are a few key factors to consider when choosing benefits administration software, such as:

• Ease of use: The last thing you want is for your employees to struggle to use the benefits administration software. Look for a tool that’s easy to use and navigate, so that your employees can quickly find what they’re looking for.
• Functionality: Make sure that the benefits administration software you choose has all the features you need, such as online enrollment, benefit changes, and open enrollment management.
• Cost: Benefits administration software can be expensive, so be sure to compare the cost of different tools before making a decision.
• Customer support: When you’re choosing benefits administration software, look for a vendor that offers excellent customer support. That way, if you have any questions or problems, you can get help from a knowledgeable customer service representative.

The Bottom Line

Benefits administration software is a critical tool for any business that offers employee benefits. By automating tasks and keeping track of your benefits programs, you can save time and money, improve employee satisfaction, and stay compliant with the law. When choosing benefits administration software, be sure to consider the factors listed above to find the best tool for your business.

Remember, not all benefits administration software is created equal. So, take your time to find the best tool for your business. With the right benefits administration software, you can streamline your benefits program and keep your employees happy.