Justworks

What is Justworks

Justworks is a cloud-based HR and payroll platform that also operates as a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). It combines payroll processing, benefits administration, compliance support, time and attendance integrations, and HR workflows into a single service targeted at small and mid-sized companies. Organizations use Justworks either as a stand‑alone HR/payroll platform or through the PEO model, where Justworks becomes the employer of record for tax, benefits, and compliance purposes.

Justworks is intended for companies that want to outsource routine HR and payroll tasks or who need the scale and benefits purchasing power that a PEO provides. It is commonly used by startups, agencies, professional services firms, and distributed teams that need straightforward payroll, employee benefits, and compliance assistance without building those capabilities in-house.

The platform emphasizes centralized payroll and benefits administration, standardized HR policies, hands-on compliance guidance, and integrations with common business tools. For organizations that prefer a single vendor for payroll and benefits, Justworks reduces the number of systems administrators must manage and consolidates employee records into one platform.

Justworks features

What does Justworks do?

Justworks automates payroll calculation and tax filings while providing benefits administration and HR support. Core capabilities include payroll processing with tax filings, employee benefits enrollment and management (medical, dental, vision, retirement savings), automated time-off and PTO tracking, and onboarding/offboarding workflows.

The platform also provides compliance resources and access to HR consultants who can advise on employment law, wage-and-hour rules, and benefits regulations across U.S. states. When used as a PEO, Justworks handles employer payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, and many state-level employment registrations, relieving customers of those administrative burdens.

Justworks integrates with applicant tracking systems, accounting tools, and time-tracking providers to sync employee and payroll data. It includes reporting and analytics for payroll, headcount, and benefits costs, and offers role-based access controls for HR admins, managers, and employees.

Key technical features include API access and webhooks for integrating payroll and employee data into back-office systems, single sign-on (SSO) for enterprise access management, and secure data handling with standard encryption in transit and at rest.

Justworks pricing

Justworks offers these pricing plans:

• Core: $49/month per employee for the platform-level HR and payroll tools with standard benefits administration and self-service features
• Plus: $99/month per employee when you add full PEO services, enhanced compliance support, and expanded benefits options
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for large organizations, high employee counts, or specialized needs — contact sales for a tailored quote

Pricing varies by company size, state(s) of operation, and services selected (platform-only payroll vs. full PEO). Additional costs may include workers’ compensation insurance (often quoted separately), 401(k) administration fees, benefits premiums, and optional implementation or onboarding fees. Check Justworks' current pricing plans for the latest rates and enterprise options.

How much is Justworks per month

Justworks starts at $49/month per employee for the entry-level platform plan and typically rises to $99/month per employee for the PEO-enabled plan that bundles additional compliance and benefits services. Monthly cost depends on the number of employees, benefit selections, and any add-on services like time-tracking integrations or additional insurance products.

How much is Justworks per year

Justworks costs $588/year per employee for the Core plan at $49/month per employee when extrapolated annually, or $1,188/year per employee for the Plus plan at $99/month per employee. Annualized numbers are useful for budgeting but confirm discounts or contractual terms when negotiating enterprise agreements.

How much is Justworks in general

Justworks pricing ranges from $49 to $99/month per employee. Platform-only payroll and HR administration are positioned at the lower end, while the full PEO offering — which shifts employer-side payroll tax and compliance responsibilities to Justworks — is at the higher end and usually includes access to richer benefits packages and dedicated support.

What is Justworks used for

Justworks is used for processing payroll, administering employee benefits, and reducing compliance overhead. Employers use Justworks to run recurring payroll with automated tax calculations and filings, manage employee enrollment in health and retirement plans, and centralize HR documentation and reporting. The PEO option is used by companies that want to outsource employer obligations such as payroll tax filings, workers’ compensation, and multi-state compliance.

Teams use Justworks to standardize onboarding checklists, automate time-off approval workflows, and provide employees with a self-service portal for paystubs, benefits elections, and W-2 access. HR teams rely on its reporting capabilities to monitor headcount, compensation trends, and benefits utilization.

Smaller companies use Justworks to gain access to employer-grade benefits (group healthcare, retirement plans) and compliance resources that would otherwise be difficult to obtain at small scale. Mid-sized companies use it to reduce the administrative time spent on payroll and to centralize HR processes across distributed teams or multiple states.

Pros and cons of Justworks

Pros:

• Centralized payroll and benefits administration reduces manual reconciliation and duplicate systems
• PEO model transfers employer-side compliance responsibilities, payroll tax filings, and workers’ compensation management to Justworks
• Access to group benefits and retirement plans that may be cost-prohibitive for small employers acting independently
• Integrated HR tools for onboarding, time-off management, and employee self-service, plus reporting and analytics
• API and integrations simplify syncing payroll and HR data with accounting and time-tracking systems

Cons:

• Per-employee monthly pricing can be higher than a basic payroll-only provider for very small teams
• Using the PEO model means Justworks becomes employer of record for certain legal and tax purposes, which some companies prefer to avoid
• Some advanced HRIS and customization features available in dedicated HR platforms may be limited compared with niche HR systems
• Workers’ compensation and benefit premiums are typically billed separately and can vary substantially by industry and state

Operational considerations include evaluating whether the PEO model fits strategic HR and legal preferences, estimating total cost of ownership (payroll fees plus benefits and insurance), and reviewing how easily Justworks integrates with existing systems.

Justworks free trial

Justworks commonly offers demos and limited trial periods for prospective customers to evaluate the platform before committing. For platform-only customers, there are typically options to request a product demo and run a short onboarding test to validate payroll runs and benefit enrollments. Enterprise buyers can schedule a guided demo and pilot for selected groups of employees.

A free trial or demo is useful to test payroll timing, tax filing workflows, benefits enrollment experiences for employees, and integrations with existing accounting or time-tracking systems. Ask the sales team for sample payroll test runs, a sandbox environment, or a staged onboarding plan to assess the platform with real data.

Since promotional trial lengths and availability change, request the latest information directly from sales or view Justworks' pricing and trial options to confirm current offers and onboarding packages.

Is Justworks free

No, Justworks is not free. Justworks is a paid service with per-employee monthly pricing for its HR and payroll platform, and higher per-employee pricing for the PEO plan. There is no permanent free tier; however, demos and limited trials may be available for evaluation.

Justworks API

Justworks exposes programmatic interfaces to synchronize employee records, payroll events, and benefits data with other systems. The typical API surface includes endpoints for employee CRUD operations, payroll runs and status, benefits enrollments, time-off entries, and webhooks for real-time notifications (new hire, termination, payroll completed).

Common uses of the API are automating user provisioning from identity systems (SCIM), exporting payroll journal entries to accounting platforms, pushing time-tracking data into payroll runs, and integrating benefits deductions into general ledger workflows. Many customers integrate Justworks with accounting systems like QuickBooks or Xero and with time tracking tools to ensure accurate payroll calculations.

Justworks also provides SSO and SCIM support for user management in larger organizations, plus developer resources and documentation for authentication, rate limits, and typical data models. For developer information and API reference, consult the official Justworks developer documentation to confirm endpoints, authentication mechanisms, and best practices.

10 Justworks alternatives

Paid alternatives to Justworks

• Gusto — Full-service payroll, benefits administration, and HR tools aimed at small businesses; known for a user-friendly interface and transparent pricing.
• Rippling — Combines HR, payroll, IT device management, and apps provisioning with unified employee records and automation for onboarding and offboarding.
• ADP — Enterprise-scale payroll and HR solutions with deep compliance, payroll tax services, and global capabilities for multinational companies.
• Paychex — Comprehensive payroll and HR services with strong small- and mid-market offerings and a variety of add-on HR products.
• BambooHR — HRIS focused on employee records, applicant tracking, performance management, with payroll integrations via partners.
• Namely — HR, payroll, and benefits platform designed for mid-sized companies with emphasis on HR workflows and people data.
• TriNet — PEO services similar to Justworks with industry-specific PEO solutions and bundled benefits.

Open source alternatives to Justworks

• OrangeHRM — Open-source HR management system that covers core HR functions like employee records, leave management, and performance; requires self-hosting and integration work for payroll and benefits.
• Sentrifugo — Feature-rich open-source HRMS with employee management, performance appraisal, and analytics; better suited to organizations able to manage hosting and customizations.
• Odoo (Human Resources) — Part of the Odoo ERP suite; includes HR modules and payroll in certain localizations, plus strong integration with accounting and project modules when self-hosted or run in Odoo’s cloud.
• ERPNext — Open-source ERP with HR and payroll modules; supports multiple currencies and payroll rules but requires configuration and maintenance by the user or a services partner.

Frequently asked questions about Justworks

What is Justworks used for?

Justworks is used for payroll, benefits administration, and HR compliance support. Employers rely on it to run payroll with tax filings, enroll employees in benefits plans, manage onboarding and time-off, and reduce the administrative load related to multi-state payroll and employment regulations.

Does Justworks offer PEO services?

Yes, Justworks offers a PEO plan. The PEO option shifts employer-of-record responsibilities to Justworks for payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, and certain compliance tasks while giving customers access to group benefits and dedicated compliance support.

How much does Justworks cost per user per month?

Justworks starts at $49/month per employee for the platform-level plan and typically increases to $99/month per employee for the PEO-enabled plan; exact pricing depends on company size, state coverage, and selected services.

Can Justworks run payroll for companies in multiple states?

Yes, Justworks supports multi-state payroll. The platform includes tax registration and multi-state payroll tax filings as part of its PEO services and provides guidance for payroll tax compliance when operating across state lines.

Does Justworks handle benefits enrollment and administration?

Yes, Justworks handles benefits enrollment and administration. The platform offers access to group health plans, dental and vision coverage, retirement plans, and automates deductions, carrier feeds, and enrollment workflows for employees.

Does Justworks integrate with accounting software?

Yes, Justworks integrates with common accounting systems. Integrations and export capabilities allow payroll journal entries, benefits deductions, and tax liabilities to be synced with accounting tools like QuickBooks or exported for import into other ledgers.

Is there a Justworks API for custom integrations?

Yes, Justworks provides an API and webhook support. The API enables programmatic access to employee data, payroll events, benefits enrollment, and allows automation of provisioning and payroll exports; refer to the Justworks developer documentation for endpoint details.

Does Justworks provide HR advisory or compliance support?

Yes, Justworks includes compliance resources and HR advisory. Customers on higher-tier plans or PEO arrangements receive access to HR consultants who can advise on employment-law questions, hiring and termination best practices, and state-specific compliance requirements.

Can employees access pay stubs and W-2s in Justworks?

Yes, employees can access pay stubs and W-2s. Justworks provides an employee self-service portal where workers can view pay history, download tax forms, and manage benefit elections and personal details.

How long does onboarding take with Justworks?

Onboarding timelines vary but commonly take 1–4 weeks. The actual duration depends on company size, the complexity of payroll and benefits, the need for workers’ compensation setup, and whether the customer chooses a platform-only or full PEO implementation.

Justworks careers

Justworks maintains a careers site with roles across engineering, product, customer success, HR, sales, and operations. Positions typically emphasize experience with SaaS products, payroll or HR domain knowledge, and remote or hybrid work experience for cross‑functional teams. Candidates will find job descriptions that list responsibilities, required experience, and benefits information.

The company often publishes benefits and culture details on their careers pages, which can be useful for prospective employees to evaluate fit. Many HR- and product-focused roles require domain-specific knowledge, such as payroll compliance, benefits administration, or experience building integrations with third-party HR systems.

For open positions and application procedures, check Justworks’ official careers portal and LinkedIn listings to get current job openings and recruiting contacts.

Justworks affiliate

Justworks runs partner and referral programs that allow brokers, benefits consultants, and channel partners to refer customers. These programs typically include revenue share, co-selling resources, and access to sales enablement materials. Affiliate and referral agreements vary by geography and partner type.

If you are an accountant, broker, or software partner interested in referring clients, contact Justworks’ partner team through their website to learn about partner tiers, requirements, and onboarding steps. Partner portals commonly provide marketing collateral, demo access, and integration guides.

Where to find Justworks reviews

User reviews for Justworks are available on software directories like G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot, where customers comment on payroll accuracy, benefits offerings, customer support responsiveness, and PEO experiences. These review sites include ratings, detailed pros and cons, and use-case specific feedback.

In addition to third-party review platforms, look for customer case studies and testimonials on Justworks’ website for in-depth examples of deployments and outcomes. For objective comparisons, read analyst reports and reviews that compare PEOs and payroll platforms to understand how Justworks stacks up against competitors.