Heartland Payroll Solutions vs. UKG Ready

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Heartland Payroll Solutions
Score 5.3 out of 10
N/A
Heartland Payroll is an HR management solution offering online access to payroll data and employee information. In 2025, the solution was acquired from Global Payment Solutions by Acrisure. It will be part of Acrisure's portfolio of business solutions going forward.N/A
UKG Ready
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
The UKG Ready® software suite is a centralized HCM solution designed for small to mid-sized businesses. It automates and streamlines HR, payroll, benefits, time, talent, and scheduling processes. UKG Ready's suite of tools offer actionable insights while helping to ensure compliance. Using AI, it draws on work, people, and culture data to boost efficiency and productivity. For example, UKG Ready streamlines core HR…N/A
Pricing
Heartland Payroll SolutionsUKG Ready
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Heartland Payroll SolutionsUKG Ready
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeRequired
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Heartland Payroll SolutionsUKG Ready
Considered Both Products
Heartland Payroll Solutions
Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
Heartland payroll is an abysmal failure since it was never set up properly in the first place. I would go back to Paycom if I could.
Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
Heartland was a good fit for our company because they were willing to work with us to create the reports we need. A former payroll resource wanted to charge for reporting changes.
Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
Only Paylocity has comparable technology but costs way more. The customer support at all 3 of these companies is a nightmare. This isn't news to anyone who has been in business for a while. If you're a broker, ADP and Paychex are going to try and steal your clients every day.
Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
I like the personal communication with my own rep, the onboarding, the price, and the additional login for CPA. None of these were offered with the payroll company we used prior to Heartland Payroll.
Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
I've considered moving payroll over to QuickBooks online so that everything is in one place, but it would probably take too much work considering that our current system works really well. I think QuickBooks would confuse me, honestly. There are other systems that offer …
Chose Heartland Payroll Solutions
We have used both Paychex and ADP and find them to be annoying. They both share your information so we get constant sales calls and emails for all their products and we can never get rid of them because they do not have an unsubscribe option. They do have better online …
UKG Ready
Chose UKG Ready
UKG Pro, ADP Workforce Now, EMP Trust HR, Employee Navigator and Greenhouse
Chose UKG Ready
The only one on the same playing field in my opinion is Workday. However, workday cannot tailor to a smaller company like UKG Ready does. The rest had some good points but lacked a component or had a very dysfunctional component.
Chose UKG Ready
UKG Ready has far better integration across modules and offers more customization for different use needs. We could not find another system that checked all those boxes for us.
Chose UKG Ready
We have used UKG Ready for the last 6 years.
Chose UKG Ready
You cannot compare the two products and how much more we get as an organization from Ready than we did with ADP: more visibility, transparency, and ease of use.
Chose UKG Ready
UKG Ready is truly the full package. While many systems excel at one functional area of HR, Ready delivers across lines of service.
Chose UKG Ready
There is really no comparison, as the previous system was outdated. It had very minimal features and used black-screen AS400 technology. We were in need of a more robust system, and Kronos offered features we had not had before. So, from a comparison standpoint, it is not like …
Chose UKG Ready
It has a better user-friendly experience, better reviews, and more value for your money.
Chose UKG Ready
UKG Ready reporting is one of their best features. If you enter data into the system you can run a report on it and export it in multiple formats. It is an invaluable tool which most other payroll/HR platforms lack.
Chose UKG Ready
We loved the system and the pricing as well. Very competitive.
Chose UKG Ready
We were down to Ultimate and Kronos when we chose Kronos; we chose it because of the timekeeping system, but Ultimate was a close second with a lot of functionality we really liked. I was very happy when they merged.
Chose UKG Ready
I like UKG Ready much better because I find it is more robust and easier to pick things up quickly than on ICIMS.
Chose UKG Ready
Very well. It is the most user-friendly system. The level of customer support from UKG is helpful. Having many options to engage support is helpful, like the ERM and the Krew Manager. Reporting can be made less complex, but once you learn it, it is not so bad.
Chose UKG Ready
Our organization has grown, and we needed a provider that had more to offer. UKG was cost-effective and met our current needs.
Chose UKG Ready
UKG stacks up fairly well with the recruitment tool but Taleo is a little more user friendly.
Chose UKG Ready
ADP was not as intuitive and, for the user, not as pleasant to navigate and look at.
Features
Heartland Payroll SolutionsUKG Ready
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
5.6
Ratings
38% below category average
UKG Ready
9.6
Ratings
19% above category average
Pay calculation1.00 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors10.00 Ratings9.30 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment1.00 Ratings9.20 Ratings
Benefit plan administration9.70 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Direct deposit files1.10 Ratings9.80 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management9.30 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Reimbursement management7.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
9.4
Ratings
18% above category average
Employee demographic data00 Ratings9.80 Ratings
Employment history00 Ratings9.60 Ratings
Job profiles and administration00 Ratings9.60 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings9.60 Ratings
Organizational charting00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Organization and location management00 Ratings9.60 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
9.6
Ratings
18% above category average
Approval workflow00 Ratings9.60 Ratings
Balance details00 Ratings9.50 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.7
Ratings
8% above category average
View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Update personal information00 Ratings9.70 Ratings
View company policy documentation00 Ratings5.60 Ratings
View job history00 Ratings9.70 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
9.9
Ratings
20% above category average
Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings9.90 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.7
Ratings
15% above category average
Report builder00 Ratings8.20 Ratings
Pre-built reports00 Ratings9.20 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.7
Ratings
3% below category average
New hire portal00 Ratings7.10 Ratings
Manager tracking tools00 Ratings8.30 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.3
Ratings
5% above category average
Individual goal setting00 Ratings8.30 Ratings
Performance tracking00 Ratings8.30 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.1
Ratings
10% below category average
Performance plans00 Ratings5.90 Ratings
Performance improvement plans00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Review status tracking00 Ratings8.20 Ratings
Review reminders00 Ratings8.90 Ratings
Multiple review frequency00 Ratings6.50 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
6.9
Ratings
12% below category average
Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings5.70 Ratings
Candidate ranking00 Ratings7.40 Ratings
Candidate search00 Ratings7.30 Ratings
Candidate development00 Ratings7.30 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Heartland Payroll Solutions
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.1
Ratings
9% below category average
Job Requisition Management00 Ratings7.10 Ratings
Company Website Posting00 Ratings9.40 Ratings
Publish to Social Media00 Ratings6.10 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting00 Ratings7.20 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings5.50 Ratings
Applicant Tracking00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings6.60 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Heartland Payroll SolutionsUKG Ready
Small Businesses
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.5 out of 10
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.7 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.7 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.1 out of 10
PeopleStrong
PeopleStrong
Score 9.9 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Heartland Payroll SolutionsUKG Ready
Likelihood to Recommend
1.0
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
7.1
(0 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.3
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
1.0
(0 ratings)
6.2
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.8
(0 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
6.0
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
1.0
(0 ratings)
6.0
(0 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
5.4
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Heartland Payroll SolutionsUKG Ready
Likelihood to Recommend
We changed payroll companies from Paycom to Heartland this year at the recommendation of our insurance agent who insisted they would integrate with the EASE system, which tracks employee benefits and deductions. However, 8 weeks into it, I regret my decision, since the setup hasn't been completed yet. The lack of responsiveness in some cases is astounding and often we have to ask 3, 4, and 5 times for something to be done. I hate to think what will happen after we are "handed off" from the payroll implementation team to the regular schmucks. We still are not able to track PTO and time off and we have been begging for the self-service feature to be turned on for employees so they can change addresses, bank account info, etc. Their training is NONEXISTENT and their manual is abysmal. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!! I wish I could go back to Paycom!
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The recruiting module has helped us to streamline the recruiting process from the candidate submitting an application to the candidate becoming and employee with the company. We have really enjoyed the recruiting module. The reporting option has presented some challenges when we export them. We spend extra time having to format the reports for company use
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Pros
  • Cheap payroll processing but [in my opinion] you get what you pay for
  • [In my experience] great ability to frustrate their customers
  • Geat for the economy because [I feel] they hire so many different people and [in my experience] they don't hang around [so] you don't know who your rep is
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  • When you open a ticket, they research and test the answer before they contact you so they know it will work for you. There's no troubleshooting on the phone. All the work was done beforehand.
  • They are super knowledgeable and supportive. They are a pleasure to work with.
  • They are way ahead of the game when it comes to technology and innovation.
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Cons
  • Sometimes I don't receive the email to remind me to process payroll.
  • The local rep that helped with the setup is no longer with the company and I don't have anyone to contact locally if needed.
  • I wish there was a one click button so that I could just repeat the same payroll as last time.
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  • We have had ongoing issues with our accruals.
  • Auto generate timesheets in the "Team Timesheets" view.
  • Granting manager access is cumbersome - access needs to be given in multiple places.
  • The sync between Pro and Ready in my opinion is terrible and needs much improvement.
  • Auto assign Employee Time Zones based on work location.
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Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
We have begun looking for other vendors to supply this products need as Kronos WFR cannot deliver the suite of applications which it should with this product. *6/5/17 Edit - We started the new year with a new application. WFR proved to be unable to correct the errors within the application. We are much happier with the new application as we can use it effectively.
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Usability
No answers on this topic
I like the payroll and HR functions for employee data and benefits management. However, we still have not implemented the ATS and performance management modules, and we need to get this rolling as soon as possible. I can't provide accurate feedback on all areas.
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Reliability and Availability
No answers on this topic
The system seems very stable. Being hosted in the cloud, we are vulnerable to internet speeds and busy times. The system has been down a couple times over the 3 months we have been live, but Kronos resolved the issues very quickly. To have access from a desktop, tablet, time clock, or phone app is one of the best features....users have almost NO REASON they can't clock in.
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Performance
No answers on this topic
We were always told that Kronos was the best, but there are reports that we got out of ADP and other payroll providers that we cannot get out of Kronos. One example is a report of Productive/Non-productive hours by department. We also need the dollar amount associated with the hours. This is information that is required on our cost report and we were told that that report is unavailable. It is very frustrating when I can't get what I need.
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Support Rating
I never have trouble reaching customer support. They always are able to assist with fixing any problems that arise. There honestly haven't been many issues at all. Only ones I've created :)
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If I was only rating support itself that would be a 10. Every support case I have entered has been addressed efficiently and with the desired result. On the implementation and transition to support there were multiple issues that those doing the implementation or transition could not answer or workflows and various settings left undone only to be discovered later. We implemented 3 different modules and the expertise we got for each one varied widely.
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In-Person Training
No answers on this topic
Our in-person training was a hybrid. Live online training with an instructor. They were very knowledgeable of the product & the area they were training on. I asked several specific questions and if they didn't know the answer immediately they followed up after class.
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Online Training
No answers on this topic
Pretty good online training, you have many how to options and can watch them several times. It can be hard at times to dig through the amount of data online but can usually find what you are looking for. Also you can download documentation for setting up the profiles and policies.
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Implementation Rating
The Heartland team could care less about how difficult your experience is. In fact, I think they delight in seeing you struggle!
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Make sure the people who are doing the build have extensive knowledge on employment law and asking the right questions. I would bet that the people who helped with our builds did not read any of our employment contracts or ordinances; and when I asked questions about how other companies handled certain basic dictates from federal employment laws, they didn't have any idea what FMLA, FLSA, etc were.
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Alternatives Considered
Only Paylocity has comparable technology but costs way more. The customer support at all 3 of these companies is a nightmare. This isn't news to anyone who has been in business for a while. If you're a broker, ADP and Paychex are going to try and steal your clients every day.
Read full review
UKG is much easier to use and customize for our business needs. I enjoy that the time piece is directly connected with the payroll function. This is something that we didn't see when working with Paylocity. There was a manual time data upload that we needed to process into the Payroll function to process payroll. UKG has this setup and it's just a click of a button, so simple!
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Scalability
No answers on this topic
Thus far we are able to add as many users as necessary, implement 3 different bargaining units, 5 different types of user groups. Very flexible.
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Return on Investment
  • The price has been great. It was much cheaper than the other company we used (starts with an A).
  • The onboarding has been a big time-saver. Positive ROI for that!
  • Having a separate login for my CPA firm has been another big time-saver! The other company we used didn't offer that.
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  • The system has allowed us to understand what goes into background vendors and helped us transition in a troubled time.
  • The system has allows us to move forms to custom forms vs using Docusign.
  • The system has helped us cut back on paper usage and storing folders.
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ScreenShots

UKG Ready Screenshots

Screenshot of the employee mobile interface.Screenshot of trust index survey results.Screenshot of the manager dashboard.Screenshot of payroll analytics.