--- title: "Rise Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Rise the right Payroll solution for you? Explore 161 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/163570/Rise/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- Rise 4.2 (162) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/163570/Rise/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated October 19th, 2026 # Reviews of Rise Ease of use 4.3 Customer Service 4.4 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews MR Melany R Bookkeeper Secretary TreasurerEducation Management, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Running payroll reports is quick and the ability to tailor reports for different needs is exceptional and easy for staff to get their own paystubs works very well.“ June 5, 2026 CH Carrie H Executive AssistantFurniture, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Not everyone wants to download an app for their job to their personal phone, and this is where the system is not ideal for my operations.“ June 5, 2026 AC Angel C QCImport and Export, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Well organized system for employee and employers to connect directly with employee profiles, pay changes, time off and reduce data entry and reduce errors and time.“ March 17, 2026 DB Dan B Managing DirectorConstruction, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “Reporting interface is a bit outdated and clunky, but we don't use it very often so it doesn't bother us too much.“ June 17, 2026 CH Carrie H Executive AssistantFurniture, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I also appreciate the seamless integration of the Time Off, Scheduling + Time Approval, and Payroll modules.“ June 5, 2026 NB Nicole B OwnerHuman Resources, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Not having the app creates inconveniences, particularly for staff who do not have desk jobs.“ June 17, 2026 JM Jana M Executive DirectorSports, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The customer service ticket system works well and fast and when issues are urgent, the call centere is equally responsive.“ June 17, 2026 TF Theresa F OwnerRetail, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I've been terrible at meeting the payroll deadline especially on Mondays or after a long weekend and while Rise always ensures my payroll gets approved, one thing that would help me is if it were easier to use on my phone.“ September 10, 2025 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 162 available reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use People and culture coordinator Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Rise Review!" October 21, 2026 5.0 My overall experience with Rise is great it is very user friendly and have greats supports when there is anything needed Pros The Rise HRIS and payroll platform provides a convenient, centralized solution for managing HR processes and payroll. Having HR and payroll functions integrated into one system helps streamline administrative tasks, improve organization, and make day-to-day processes more efficient. The platform is designed to simplify workflows and reduce the need to manage information across multiple systems. Overall, Rise offers a practical solution for organizations looking to modernize their HR and payroll processes. Cons I think one thing that I least like about Rise is the customization when it comes to performance and tasks. Review Source finance administrative support Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "troubleshooting customer service team is wonderful" October 21, 2026 5.0 I have always had a great experience when dealing with customer service. they are quick to solve any of my concerns. They are extremely knowledgeable of their job Pros troubleshooting Customer service is extremely helpful and their knowledge is recognized. They are always quick to solve my concerns and answer any questions. No matter who I speak to, all are extremely friendly. Cons we don't use the HR component properly so doing payroll gets a bit more confusing to navigate than before. Switched from [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) Better value and customer service was better Review Source Bookkeeper Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Overall Satisfactory Experience with Rise" October 15, 2026 5.0 Overall, our experience with Rise has been positive. The team is responsive, professional, and committed to helping clients effectively. Pros Quick Response of customer service team and their understanding, the way approaching and addressing. Cons While support is helpful, some issues require multiple back-and-forth emails before resolution, which can be time-consuming. Review Source Payroll Assistant Manager Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Excellent Platform for Payroll Processing" September 27, 2026 5.0 From onboarding to ongoing services, it has been a pleasure working with Rise and using their platform for payroll processing. They also have other modules we learned in the training that can be beneficial for those who need them. Rise is highly recommended for businesses of all sizes and has made our payroll a breeze! Pros Implementation and onboarding was a great experience. Very quick customer service, communication and cooperation. Friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating team members at all levels. Love the reports customizing tools, especially the AI features for efficiency. Cons The system sometimes becomes slow and/or the pages need to be refreshed to continue our work. However, this is not often and not a major problem. Switched from [ADP Workforce Now On the Go](https://www.capterra.com/p/231227/ADP-Workforce-Now-On-the-Go/) High cost, slow customer service, errors in set up, limited reports, no report customization options Review Source Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Implementation was a breeze, ongoing support is excellent." September 27, 2026 5.0 I have been using Rise for my payroll and CRA related requirements since 2019 and I consider them a true partner for my business success. Pros North American based support that answers the phone every time. Their customer support and responsiveness is excellent. Cons No negatives, No complaints, only great experience. Everything works very well, easy to use, easy to implement, no cons. Switched from [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) ADP was very difficult to deal with, numerous mistakes, communication issues, zero confidence with their expertise for the Canadian requirements. Alternatives considered [QuickBooks Desktop Payroll](https://www.capterra.com/p/174981/QuickBooks/) Reasons for choosing Rise Simplicity of implementation and use. Canadian based. Review Source Senior Accountant Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Approval and posting of payroll" September 27, 2026 5.0 I am extremely satisfied with Rise. It has made my payroll process more efficient, streamlined my day to day tasks, and saved me a significant amount of time. Overall, it has been a valuable and time-saving tool for managing payroll. Pros We have been using Rise for more than a year and a half for payroll processing, and our overall experience has been very positive. One feature that has been extremely helpful is the support we receive when payroll approval deadlines are missed due to late timesheet approvals. There have been several occasions when I have missed the 10:00 AM approval deadline, but after submitting a support ticket, the Rise team has been able to approve and post the payroll within a few hours. This has been extremely helpful and has made payroll processing much less stressful. More recently, I have also started using the AI feature for generating customized reports. The ability to customize reports based on our specific requirements has been very useful. For example, I have used the AI reporting feature to generate time summaries that help us review and calculate statutory holiday hours. This has significantly improved the efficiency of our payroll review process. Overall, Rise has been a reliable and user-friendly payroll solution, and the combination of responsive support and new AI-powered reporting capabilities has made our payroll processes much more efficient Cons Since my use of Rise is primarily focused on payroll processing, I have had a very positive experience with the platform. I have not encountered any significant issues or negative aspects in the areas I use it for, and the features and support provided have consistently met our payroll needs. Review Source CFO Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Great platform for small business" June 23, 2026 5.0 Pros This is a great platform for small businesses. Easy to use and great value. Customer support is very responsive and helpful. Cons Previous challenges with onboarding but they've overhauled their process so it's much better. No big issues. Review Source Firm Manager Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Rise Review " June 21, 2026 5.0 We’ve had a great overall experience using Rise Payroll. It’s a solid all-in-one HR and payroll platform that’s especially well-suited for Canadian businesses. For small to mid-sized teams looking for a reliable and user-friendly payroll solution, Rise delivers well. We definitely recommend. Pros The system handles CRA remittances, T4s, and compliance smoothly, which takes a lot of stress off our team. The interface is clean and easy to use—running payroll and managing employee information is straightforward, even for non-experts. The employee self-service features are also a big plus, as staff can easily access their pay stubs and update their info without going through HR. Customer support has been responsive and helpful whenever we’ve had questions. Value for money is great. Cons The platform could improve in terms of advanced reporting and customization. Reports are a little confusing and I do not particularly like their numbering system for payroll ie: 2026-11 etc. It would be much easier to have them listed by payroll date. Switched from [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) Customer service was really lacking and the cost just was not justifying the platform. Review Source HR Manager Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Overall great platform - a one stop shop!" June 21, 2026 5.0 Overall - smooth. Payroll has been smooth since day one. The onboarding was great and the customer service/ticket service is a great function. The team is very helpful. This platform is easy to roll out to new team members, and I rarely ever get questions on how to use it, once I have provided the work instructions at the start. A very easy to use platform - for everyone from the Admin => end user. Pros One platform that holds everything we need - day to day. A one stop shop! Love how easy it is to navigate, and the customer service is wonderful :) Cons In the beginning, the reporting didn't appear to have everything we were looking for all at once. You had to download a few different reports and combine them manually. This has since changed, the new AI feature with reports helps create what you are looking for - and then you can save it as a favorite! Switched from [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) Many reasons. Customer service was one. Looking for an easier more streamlined platform. Alternatives considered [Payworks](https://www.capterra.com/p/235453/Payworks/) Reasons for choosing Rise Less expensive. More user friendly. More streamlined. Included everything we were looking for. No hidden costs. Review Source Owner Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Grateful for the support!" June 19, 2026 4.0 The customer service, when I have an issue, is quick and effective. Wish the chat option was live, however their email support is typically timely. Pros \[sensitive content hidden\] has been so wonderful to work with. Clear in her communication and she has a heart of gold. All of the staff are very efficient and polite. Cons The cost for small businesses under 8 people, especially when we are not using HR tools is a bit high for what we use. Review Source Work force admin Used the software for: Less than 1 year 5.0 November 6, 2026 AI summary based on a full review This software enhances productivity with its straightforward design and reliable performance, making it easy for users to complete their work. There are no drawbacks mentioned, indicating a positive overall experience. Log in to unlock the full review, detailed ratings, and pros & cons Jenny T. President Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Excellent value, great responsive support with live chat, terrible interface" April 19, 2018 4.0 Simplicity for small Canadian businesses running payroll. Pros The pricing of this product is great, they were offering free payroll for organizations with less than 10 employees at one point, but now it's something that has to be requested. Great value for the services provided and live chat support is convenient. I do recommend this software to minimize the complexity of payroll functions for small businesses. Cons It is not intuitive to use. Setup is very manual, requiring the user to download pdfs, sign them and re-upload. It's not very friendly towards accountants as the client has to create their own account. Creating a payroll run requires multiple steps, and T4 submission is not automatic. One selling feature of this product was that it integrates with QuickBooks or Xero. There is no integration. There is one guy that can create an Excel macro who requires the exact details of your accounting system setup. Review Source Response from Rise April 26, 2018 Hi Jenny, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with this feedback. We're glad that you feel you are getting good value for the services provided and that you would recommend us to other small businesses. Your feedback on the product is valuable and helps us better understand your needs. We are reviewing our payroll software to help streamline the pay run process in future releases and we are also currently building integrations with Quickbooks and Xero. Please feel free to reach out to us anytime if you have more specific comments or suggestions. All the very best, The Rise People Team info@risepeople.com 1-888-393-3483 Owner Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Great service " June 18, 2026 4.0 I had a great experience using the tool. Found it very user-friendly. The team were quite patient with us as we navigated some complex internal matters.. Pros Great customer service and troubleshooting. Willingness to work with the client and problem solve issues that came up with a quick turnaround. Cons Not having the app creates inconveniences, particularly for staff who do not have desk jobs. It would also be helpful to clock in and out without having to put in the exact time. When were Eli the clock in and out process it calculated by the exact minute and we had to make adjustments. We solved the problem by removing that function but it would be nice to still allow staff to punch in and out without having to count every minute. Switched from [BambooHR](https://www.capterra.com/p/110968/BambooHR/) In order to have the payroll functionality Alternatives considered [UKG Ready](https://www.capterra.com/p/198579/UKG-Ready/) Reasons for choosing Rise User friendliness and local feel from the support staff Review Source HR Generalist Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Room for Improvement" July 23, 2022 3.0 RISE has taken away alot of manual tracking and spreadsheets so it saves time for the HR team and managers with admin tasks. Employees are more in control of their information, and can make changes/requests very easily. The tech team seems to move a bit slow, and not sure if its due to lack of staff or a high number of service tickets, but it can be a bit frustrating waiting for a resolution for 7-15 business days. Pros I like that it is a whole program, meaning admins and employees can go to one spot to get information, and you do not have to deal with multiple platforms and programs. The KB articles are wonderful resources to use to solve problems/issues without having to send in a ticket. However there is still room for improvement, with the functionality of the the various modules speaking to each other. Also needs some simple fixes, like the calendar having a choose the date instead of scrolling month by month; but overall its a great program. Cons The reporting feature within payroll is very complicated, hard to pull data that we need so we end up having to create our own reports. Some of the modules do not speak to each other; changing a start date doesnt flow over the compensation start dates, onboarding defaults to work email and phone number when should go to personal; calendars are tedious as you cant choose a date, but need to scroll month by month. Its definitely a work in progress with areas to improve quite easily. Switched from Pay at work was only a payroll program, and we needed a full HRIS. It ultimately came down to cost and what RISE was doing for future releases of programs, like performance management and onboarding that really got us excited. Alternatives considered [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/)[BambooHR](https://www.capterra.com/p/110968/BambooHR/) Review Source Controller Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "controller" June 8, 2026 5.0 We have had very good support from the team from training how to use the software as well as from the help desk when we have had issues. The transition has been about as smooth as can be expected. We find the capacity for HR information and data management is limitless. While the core HR details are prescribed, there is ample flexibility in other areas that allow us to trap all of our HR data in one program. Pros We like the amount of control that we have over all aspects of HR management and payroll. We find that the value for the cost is excellent. Cons I really don't have anything that I dislike. But users should expect that with a significant piece of software, a lot of time is needed to be invested in the transition. We were probably upwards of 5 or 6 months in before we had a really good handle on the program and more like a full year in before we had a full understanding of the HR capability. Switched from [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) ADP is very expensive, must be used through a so called payroll expert, we had numerous errors Alternatives considered [Dayforce](https://www.capterra.com/p/205376/Dayforce-HCM/) Reasons for choosing Rise We liked the demo, we liked the price and we liked that it was Canadian Review Source HR Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "User Friendly All-in-One Solution" June 10, 2026 5.0 Great! We transitioned platforms during a busy time of year, but end user adoption was pretty painless. Pros Very user friendly software! It also does so much, truly an all-in-one HR/Payroll system. It was well-suited for the needs of our medium-sized remote company. Scheduling and time-tracking is great, and helps keep track of hiring. Cons Minor things like tax forms having to be manually uploaded and updated each year. Integration with Indeed is basic Switched from [Dayforce](https://www.capterra.com/p/205376/Dayforce-HCM/) Dayforce was too large to meet our needs. It seriously lacked customization and was clunky to use Alternatives considered [BambooHR](https://www.capterra.com/p/110968/BambooHR/) Reasons for choosing Rise The overall cost and the fact that you are a Canadian company. Also the time-tracking/geo-fencing abilities Review Source Owner Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "So Easy and Worry Free!" June 18, 2026 5.0 Again, its easy and worry free. I feel like my company information and accounts are safe and well looked after. If I run into an issue, there is always someone there to help. Pros I like how easy it is to use. I set the pay a few days before the deadline and everything is taken care of. I dont even have to worry about sending in the deductions. Its all done in one easy click. I just did up the maternity leave documents for one of my employees, never having done it before. It is very intuitive...a great value for what you get! Cons I wish we could set the pay for multiple pay periods. Right now, the pay has to complete before I can program another pay run. Sometimes Im away for a month and I would love to have it set up so I dont have to manage it...all the while it being in queue. Switched from [Sage 300](https://www.capterra.com/p/180283/Sage-300cloud/) Way easier and the tax is always perfect and paid on time Alternatives considered [QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) Reasons for choosing Rise Because they pay the taxes for me and i never have to worry about it. Also, payroll is direct deposit so I dont have to manage that either. Review Source President Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "The best payroll platform, hands down!" June 9, 2026 5.0 I first started using Rise when it was still a free platform. After that tier was retired, we left for ADP in hopes of finding more value. Unfortunately that didn’t materialize and we returned to Rise particularly due to its cost effectiveness. There isn’t another option on the market that comes close to Rise in value and ease of use. Pros Rise is very cost effective, user friendly, and efficient. The team at Rise is also fantastic and eager to help should you ever run into problems. Cons There really isn’t anything I dislike about rise. The platform is great and meets my needs. The reports could use some work, however I do know I could reach out to customer support and get support with that. Switched from [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) The cost of ADP was very high and they messed up our year end. When we reached out for support they were unable to help us fix these issues. Alternatives considered [Payworks](https://www.capterra.com/p/235453/Payworks/) Reasons for choosing Rise The cost effectiveness and ease of deployment Review Source Managing Director Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Excellent payroll, time tracking, and benefits solution for small companies" June 18, 2026 5.0 Our relationship with Rise has grown over time. It started with payroll and has expanded to time off / time tracking and benefits. Overall employees enjoy the platform and it's easy for us to navigate. Pros Excellent value for money. Intuative platform for employees and employers alike. Excellent support staff when questions arise. Cons Reporting interface is a bit outdated and clunky, but we don't use it very often so it doesn't bother us too much. Switched from [QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/) Quickbooks was a disaster. Not user friendly, hard to customize, very rigid platform. Alternatives considered [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) Reasons for choosing Rise Better product for a similar price, and Rise was easier to customize to our needs. Review Source Owner Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Help Desk at its best!" June 18, 2026 4.0 I've had great experience with the help desk. There are a few times when I can't get things setup as I need and the customer service agents have been very good at helping me get to where I need to be and showing me how to do it myself. Pros Interface is quite intuitive and makes payroll and remittances a breeze. Once you've got your payroll set up properly, making changes as necessary is very straight forward. Cons Pricing has gone up. I've been with Paysavvy/Rise for over a decade and there was a significant bump in the platform a few years ago. I only use the payroll and I'm a small business so the bang for the buck might be better for users that are able to better utilize more of the resources available. Switched from [RUN Powered by ADP](https://www.capterra.com/p/185859/RUN/) Their product was very antiquated and difficult to use. \*\* Don't know which ADP program I used\*\* Review Source Human Resource Manager Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "First Impressions" February 28, 2023 4.0 Pros I like that there are many features that are important and the user experience is great for the employees. The chat feature is great and I've always had a positive interaction with those I'm connecting with there. Those that are part of the help-desk team in the chat feature are wonderful. The Goals section of the software is really great. Cons There could be some improvements made with the software specifically with the time off approval flows of having tiered approvals and some more flexibility with the performance review section and check-ins. The implementation lacked effective communication and there were times where we felt abandoned. We also implemented Rise Health as our broker and I'm disappointed to say that this was a terrible experience. After speaking with the \[sensitive content hidden\] of Rise, it appears that many of the procedures that are supposed to be followed were not and we're still having issues with the implementation at two months post launch. Until Rise and GSC can work more seamlessly together, I would not recommend implementing Rise Health. Switched from We were looking for a new benefits plan for our company and Rise Health seemed like a great option. With the free Rise Optimum Plan it saved us a lot of money. Additionally, the features that Rise offers within the performance section were superior to what we had with Humi. Review Source COO Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Stay Away" February 14, 2022 1.0 Very poor and deeply disappointing. Companies like this give the software industry a bad name. Pros The promises that were made up from but never materialized. Cons Possibly the worst experience I have ever had with a software vendor. Misrepresented and oversold up front. Exceptionally poor support. Switched from [ADP Workforce Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/155895/WorkforceNow/) It seems like Rise provided more functionality. Alternatives considered [Giraffe](https://www.capterra.com/p/233687/Giraffe/) Reasons for choosing Rise We were told there was integration with Netsuite this was actually listed on their website but did not exist. They removed the website reference later. Fortunately we know how to use the Wayback machine. There was no explanation when presented with this information. One of the reasons we chose Rise was that we were told a ATS module would be released shortly - did not arrive in the entire time we used the product. Review Source Response from Rise February 16, 2022 Hi Michael, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We value your insights in regards to our sales process and our customer service. Please know we have been working hard to help correct and improve our support over the past few months and our entire company is focused on righting the ship to deliver the customer support you deserve and expect. We would love the opportunity to try to make this right, please reach out to me at marketing@risepeople.com so I can follow up directly. HR Payroll Coordinator Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "RISE Review" October 9, 2024 3.0 It was complex, comprehensive and expensive too. Pros The features - all HR features under one platform, from onboarding to payroll processing. Cons Lacks smooth connectivity between the features - needs frequent data input. Alternatives considered [QuickBooks Enterprise](https://www.capterra.com/p/174984/QuickBooks-Enterprise/)[Wagepoint](https://www.capterra.com/p/138169/Wagepoint/) Reasons for choosing Rise For recruitment, onboarding, leave management, and payroll. Review Source Accounting Clerk Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "LHynes" November 6, 2023 5.0 Very easy to work with, highly recommend to other companies Pros Very user friendly, support is very helpful Cons Couldn't change multiple user wages at one time had to do them individually. Switched from [Dayforce Powerpay](https://www.capterra.com/p/198964/Dayforce-Powerpay/) Use Rise at another company and really did not like Cerdian when I starting working here so got the owner to switch over. Review Source Kayla G. Registered Massage Therapist Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Best payroll software!" April 7, 2024 4.0 Overall good, happy with the product. Pros Love the customer service! Very friendly staff. Cons Dont find the software to be too user friendly. Alternatives considered [Sage People](https://www.capterra.com/p/132329/Sage-Business-Cloud-People/) Reasons for choosing Rise Direct deposit, and payroll remittances, great features. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.