Zenefits built its reputation on benefits administration. The platform focuses on health insurance, benefits enrollment, and compliance. That's valuable for companies with benefits needs, but Zenefits is not a payroll platform and not a hiring platform. It's a benefits broker with an HR interface attached.
For a franchise operator managing payroll, hiring, scheduling, and compliance across multiple locations, Zenefits solves one problem while ignoring everything else. Netchex handles payroll, hiring, scheduling, benefits, and compliance all in one integrated system.
Zenefits: Benefits Broker, Not Full HR Platform
Zenefits started as a benefits brokerage and evolved into an HR platform. The platform's core value proposition remains benefits: helping employers navigate health insurance, benefits enrollment, and compliance.
But benefits administration is not the same as HR and payroll. Zenefits doesn't include payroll processing. Zenefits doesn't include hiring or applicant tracking. Zenefits doesn't include scheduling or time and attendance.
If you use Zenefits for benefits, you're still buying separate tools for payroll, hiring, and scheduling. That's integration work and duplicate data entry.
Netchex: Benefits Inside a Full Platform
Netchex includes in-house, licensed benefits administration. You're not working with a broker. You're working with licensed professionals who handle enrollment, compliance, and support for your benefits program.
But benefits are just one part of what Netchex does. Netchex also handles payroll, hiring (Netchex Recruit), scheduling, time and attendance, onboarding, HR management, and compliance all in one system.
Netchex is ranked #1 on G2 for service, with 98% customer satisfaction, 90% of calls answered in under a minute, 90% first-call resolution, and a dedicated account manager for every customer. All of that support is included for everything Netchex handles.
Payroll: Zenefits Doesn't Have It, Netchex Does
Zenefits is not a payroll processor. If you use Zenefits, you need to buy payroll from another vendor (Guidepoint, ADP, Paychex, etc.).
That creates an integration burden. Your payroll vendor and your benefits vendor are separate systems with separate logins, separate configurations, and separate support queues. When something breaks, you're troubleshooting between two vendors.
Netchex handles payroll natively. Benefits flow into payroll calculations. Deductions are automated. No separate vendor. No integration work.
Hiring: Zenefits Has None, Netchex Recruit Is Integrated
Zenefits doesn't include hiring or applicant tracking. If you need to hire someone, you use Indeed or another job board, then manually enter that person into your payroll system (which isn't Zenefits).
Netchex Recruit is built into Netchex. Candidates apply by QR code and text, AI screens them automatically, interviews are scheduled through text. Once hired, the candidate flows directly into onboarding and payroll.
For a franchise hiring 30+ people per month, Zenefits adds no value. Netchex Recruit eliminates manual hiring workflows.
Compliance: Both Handle It, Netchex Integrates It
Zenefits is strong on benefits compliance (health insurance, HIPAA, open enrollment). Netchex handles all compliance areas: payroll tax, benefits, labor laws, tipped wage regulations, multi-state complexity.
Because Netchex integrates everything, compliance flows naturally through the system. Tipped wages are configured in payroll. Deductions flow into benefits. Multi-state rules are applied automatically.
With Zenefits, you're managing benefits compliance in Zenefits, payroll compliance in your separate payroll vendor, and hiring compliance in your separate hiring tool. That fragmentation creates gaps.
Support and Implementation
Zenefits offers support for benefits questions through their broker team. For payroll questions, you're contacting your payroll vendor.
Netchex provides 90% of calls answered in under a minute with dedicated account managers, free white-glove implementation, and US-based, FPC-certified support. All for everything in the platform.
For a franchise operator, that unified support matters. You have one person to call for payroll, hiring, scheduling, and benefits questions.
Who Should Choose Which
Choose Zenefits if you're primarily focused on benefits administration, you have solid processes for payroll and hiring elsewhere, and you want a broker to manage your health insurance and benefits compliance.
Choose Netchex if you operate multiple locations, you need hiring, payroll, scheduling, and benefits all integrated, you want support that handles everything, or you want the simplicity of one system and one vendor.
The Bottom Line
Zenefits is focused on one problem: benefits administration. That focus is good if benefits are your only need. But they're not. Payroll, hiring, scheduling, and compliance are equally important.
Netchex handles all of them natively. Benefits administration is included, but it's part of an integrated platform where data flows seamlessly between hiring, payroll, scheduling, and compliance.
For a franchise, that integration saves time, reduces errors, and simplifies support.
See how Netchex handles payroll, hiring, benefits, and compliance for multi-location franchises.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Zenefits good for multi-location businesses?
Zenefits can handle benefits for multi-location businesses, but you're still buying payroll and hiring from other vendors. That fragmentation becomes expensive and complex. Netchex handles benefits, payroll, hiring, and scheduling in one system.
2. Does Zenefits include payroll?
No. Zenefits is benefits administration only. You need to buy payroll from another vendor. Netchex includes payroll, benefits, hiring, and scheduling all integrated in one platform.
3. Can Zenefits integrate with payroll and hiring tools?
Zenefits can integrate with some payroll systems through APIs, but the integration is standard and may not cover all use cases. Netchex doesn't require integration because everything is built natively on the same platform.
4. What's the advantage of Zenefits over Netchex for benefits?
Zenefits has a strong broker network and focuses on health insurance shopping and enrollment. But you're paying Zenefits for benefits, plus a separate payroll vendor, plus a separate hiring tool. Netchex's in-house benefits administration is licensed and included as part of a unified platform.
5. How much does Zenefits cost compared to Netchex?
Zenefits pricing varies based on benefits complexity and headcount. Netchex's quote-based pricing includes payroll, benefits, hiring, scheduling, and support. For a multi-location franchise, Netchex is typically more cost-effective because you're not paying multiple vendors.
