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CompareBolto vs Paylocity

One system, not a growing list of modules.

Paylocity’s suite spans payroll, HR, talent, scheduling, and finance. See how Bolto compares on product, setup, global hiring, and recruiting, and what a move involves.

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Paylocity logoPaylocity
ProductOne systemPayroll, HR, talent, scheduling, finance
SetupMost moves under a weekElevate Implementation offering
Global hiringEOR in 150+ countriesGlobal Payroll
SupportImplementation managerWeekday phone, 24/7 knowledge base

<1 week

Time to complete most migrations

150+

Countries covered by Global EOR

190+

Countries for instant contractor payouts

48–72 hrs

To a first recruiting shortlist

Where Paylocity gets in the way

What teams run into with Paylocity, and how Bolto handles it.

01 · Paylocity

A suite that keeps adding modules.

Paylocity’s platform now spans payroll, HR, talent and learning, scheduling, and, since 2025, finance with spend management. It has also brought in other companies’ products, including Cloudsnap for integrations in 2022.

The more modules a suite has, the more there is to configure, license, and keep in sync.

Fewer moving parts from day one.

  • Payroll, tax and compliance, benefits, global HR, and recruiting share one set of employee records.
  • Launch, Scale, and Enterprise run on the same system
  • No new module to configure when you add a state or a hire

02 · Paylocity

Setup is work your team does unless you add managed help.

Paylocity describes data validation and dual maintenance as time-intensive setup activities. Its Elevate Implementation offering has Paylocity manage them, and implementation specialists handle the rest.

Moving payroll is a project either way. The question is how much of it lands on your team.

Bolto does the heavy lifting by default.

  • Data pulled straight from your current provider
  • A test payroll reconciled line by line against it
  • An implementation manager and a week-by-week plan

03 · Paylocity

Compliance is yours to run.

Paylocity offers payroll and tax tools inside a broad HCM suite. Keeping state accounts current and answering agency notices is a task that sits with your HR or finance team.

Registrations, filings, and notices, handled.

  • State tax and unemployment accounts registered for you
  • Notices and amendments handled by agents and experts
  • Federal, state, and local filings, plus W-2 and 1099 filing

04 · Paylocity

Global payroll is not global hiring.

Paylocity’s Global Payroll manages employees outside the US. Employing someone in a new country without setting up a local entity is a different service.

Employ and pay people anywhere.

  • Global EOR in 150+ countries, with no local entity
  • Instant contractor payouts in 190+ countries
  • One set of employee records for US and global teams

Side by side

Bolto and Paylocity, compared.

Bolto compared with Paylocity
TopicPaylocity
Product structurePayroll, tax and compliance, benefits, global HR, and recruiting share one set of employee records.A suite across payroll, HR, talent, scheduling, and finance, with modules you choose.
ImplementationFree migration. An implementation manager builds a week-by-week plan, and most moves are done in under a week.Implementation specialists, plus an Elevate Implementation offering in which Paylocity manages time-intensive setup work such as data validation and dual maintenance.
Tax and complianceAI agents and compliance experts register your state tax and unemployment accounts, file, and handle notices and amendments.Payroll and tax tools within the suite.
Global hiringGlobal EOR in 150+ countries. Contractors paid instantly in 190+ countries.Global Payroll for managing employees outside the US.
SupportAn implementation manager during the move. Enterprise adds a dedicated account manager and 24/7 priority support.Client support by phone on weekdays, plus a knowledge base available 24/7.

Paylocity details come from Paylocity’s own pages, reviewed November 4, 2026. Check Paylocity’s site for current terms.

Switching

What moving from Paylocity looks like.

Switching payroll is a project. Bolto plans it with you and does the heavy lifting.

  1. Plan your move

    Set your timeline with your implementation manager.

    • We decide on a go-live date
    • We build a week by week plan with action items
    • Clear owners are assigned for every task

  2. Bring your records across

    We pull your data straight from your current provider.

    • No manual exports from your team
    • Payroll history and year-to-date balances
    • Mid-year switches fully supported

  3. Set up taxes and benefits

    You sign the forms. We handle filings and benefits.

    • IRS and state tax forms signed
    • Benefits and 401(k) carried over
    • Keep your broker or use ours

  4. Get your team ready

    Your team is set up before the first payday.

    • Employee announcements written for you
    • Employees confirm their own details
    • Walkthroughs for admins and office hours for employees

  5. Check payroll in parallel

    A test run matched against your current provider.

    • Optional parallel runs
    • Thorough line-by-line reconciliation
    • Differences fixed before go-live

  6. Review and go live

    Run your first payroll with us live

    • Final data check by our team
    • First payroll run together, live
    • Regular check-ins, as often as you'd like
See the full switching guide

Customer stories

Teams that made the move.

Fiber AI customer portrait

B2B · SaaS · Recruiting

A five-person engineering team, hired in 17 days.

Bolto helped Fiber AI hire five engineers in 17 days, building a team ready to ship from day one.

Read customer story
Metal America customer portrait

Construction · Payroll · Compliance

A 180-person team, moved off Gusto in 27 days.

Bolto moved Metal America’s payroll, benefits, and global payments off Gusto, and automated 80+ tax registrations.

Read customer story
Isabella DiGiovanni, Cofounder at Trivelta

iGaming · Recruiting · Global Payroll

400+ global team members paid compliantly on Bolto.

Bolto recruits and pays Trivelta’s team across South America, Asia, and Europe from one platform.

Read customer story

Frequently asked questions

01How does implementation work on Bolto?

An implementation manager sets your go-live date and builds a week-by-week plan. Bolto pulls your data straight from your current provider, you sign the tax forms, and Bolto handles filings and benefits setup before the first payday.

02Can we switch from Paylocity to Bolto in the middle of the year?

Yes. Bolto brings over your payroll history and year-to-date balances from your current provider, so nothing restarts when you move mid-year.

03How do we know our first payroll on Bolto will be right?

Bolto runs a test payroll and reconciles it line by line against your current provider, fixing any differences before go-live. Then Bolto runs your first live payroll with you.

04Do we have to change our benefits broker when we leave Paylocity?

No. You can keep your current broker and plans, move to one of Bolto’s broker partners, or offer an ICHRA through partners such as Thatch. Benefits and 401(k) plans carry over, and deductions flow into every payroll run.

05Who handles tax notices and state registrations on Bolto?

Bolto does. Its AI agents and compliance experts set up your state tax and unemployment accounts, keep them current, and handle notices and amendments for you.

06Can we pay contractors and international hires on Bolto?

Yes. Contractors can be paid instantly in 190+ countries, and Global EOR lets you employ people abroad without setting up a local entity, all from the same employee records as your US payroll.

07Can Bolto help us hire as well as pay people?

Yes. Bolto Recruiting matches vetted specialist recruiters to each role, with AI sourcing that improves with your feedback and a first shortlist within 48 to 72 hours. Hires move into payroll and HR without re-entering their details.

08What will our employees need to do when we move from Paylocity?

Very little. Bolto writes the announcement, employees confirm their own details, and Bolto holds office hours for anyone with questions before the first payday.

Still have a question?

Get in touch

Moving from Paylocity?
Plan the switch with Bolto.

Tell us about your current Paylocity setup and what you need next. We’ll walk through Bolto’s products and help you plan the move.

Book a demo

Sources

Last reviewed