For most group benefit brokers, BerniePortal is the strongest HRIS to build a client offering around, because it is the only platform in this comparison designed from the ground up to be distributed through brokers, with published pricing. GoCo and Rippling are strong alternatives when a client wants a more modern all-in-one platform and the broker can live with a direct-sales vendor, while Gusto and BambooHR suit clients that will buy HR software on their own regardless of what the broker recommends.
Why HRIS Matters to a Benefit Broker
Small-group clients increasingly expect their broker to bring HR technology to the table, not just plans. An HRIS — the system that holds employee records and runs onboarding, payroll, time off, and benefits enrollment — is where employees actually experience their benefits. The broker who supplies or influences that system is harder to replace at renewal; the broker who ignores it can be displaced by one who doesn’t, or by the software vendor’s own brokerage.
That last risk is structural, not hypothetical. Two of the most popular small-business HR platforms, Rippling and Gusto, operate their own licensed insurance brokerages. Recommending them can mean introducing a competitor into the account, so the terms on which an outside broker can stay attached to the client matter as much as the feature list.
The market also moved substantially in the last year. TriNet sunset the standalone Zenefits HRIS at the end of 2025, removing what was once the category’s best-known name. Intuit acquired GoCo in May 2025 and is folding it into QuickBooks and Intuit Enterprise Suite. Ease, which many brokers used for enrollment, is winding down following its acquisition by Employee Navigator. Brokers building a technology recommendation today should assume more consolidation, and weight vendor stability accordingly.
How We Evaluated These HRIS Platforms
We evaluated platforms against the needs of an independent benefits agency with one to twenty staff advising small-group employers, using these criteria:
- Broker program. Whether the vendor has a formal broker channel — sponsorship, resale, or referral — and whether an outside broker can remain attached to the account.
- Benefits administration depth. Enrollment, qualifying events, carrier connectivity (EDI/API), ACA reporting, and COBRA support.
- Pricing transparency. Published per-employee pricing a broker can quote to a client without a sales call.
- Fit for small employers. Suitability for groups of roughly 5–250 employees, including payroll for all 50 states.
- Independent review standing. G2 and Capterra ratings and review volume, retrieved July 2026.
- Vendor stability. Ownership changes, product sunsets, and channel-conflict risk.
1. BerniePortal
BerniePortal is an all-in-one HRIS built by Bernard Health and distributed through benefit brokers, and it is the only platform here whose entire go-to-market model keeps the broker at the center of the account.
Strengths
- Broker-centric distribution with a formal broker partnership program, including training and webinars.
- Transparent published per-employee pricing — rare in this category.
- Covers the full employee lifecycle in one system, including payroll in all 50 states, COBRA administration, and 1094/1095 ACA reporting.
- Carrier connectivity through EDI plus an Ideon API integration reaching carriers such as Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and BlueCross BlueShield.
- Capterra reviewers cite centralized HR and benefits, real-time change notifications, and strong implementation support.
Limitations
- Payroll features are lighter than dedicated payroll software, per Capterra reviewer summaries.
- Reporting lacks filtering and customization options that reviewers ask for.
- Reviewers report limited flexibility for complex benefit scenarios.
- Its G2 presence is very thin — a 3.1/5 rating on only 10 reviews, the weakest G2 showing in this group, though the sample is too small to weigh heavily.
Pricing
BerniePortal publishes four tiers: Starter at $5 per employee per month plus a $25 base fee (benefits lifecycle only), Standard at $19 per employee per month plus $40 per EIN, Plus at $23 per employee per month plus $40 per EIN, and Enterprise at $29 per employee per month plus $40 per EIN (vendor pricing page, verified July 2026). Broker-specific pricing is not published.
Review Platform Data
G2: 3.1/5 (10 reviews, retrieved July 2026). Capterra: 4.3/5 (130 reviews, retrieved July 2026). Note: Capterra displays a “$1 per user/month” starting price that conflicts with the vendor’s published pricing; the vendor page governs.
2. GoCo
GoCo is a flexible all-in-one HR, benefits, and payroll platform with one of the category’s most broker-friendly partner programs — now owned by Intuit, which introduces real uncertainty about its future as a standalone product.
Strengths
- Formal, no-cost broker partner program with revenue sharing on premium features; GoCo handles training and implementation.
- Clients purchasing the Core HR module get the benefits administration module at no cost — an easy value-add for a broker to deliver.
- High G2 rating (4.6/5) across 405 reviews; users praise centralized onboarding, e-signatures, and responsive support.
- Modular design works with a client’s existing payroll rather than forcing a switch.
Limitations
- Post-acquisition uncertainty: Intuit closed its acquisition of GoCo in May 2025 and is integrating it into QuickBooks and Intuit Enterprise Suite; GoCo’s pricing pages already redirect to QuickBooks, and broker program continuity is not yet settled.
- Multiple Capterra reviewers report payroll processing and tax-compliance problems, including W-2 errors.
- Some reviewers report inconsistent customer support quality.
- Some users report bugs in newer features and a clunky mobile experience.
Pricing
Pricing is not published; contact sales is the only stated option. GoCo’s pricing page redirected to QuickBooks pricing when checked in July 2026.
Review Platform Data
G2: 4.6/5 (405 reviews, retrieved July 2026). Capterra: 4.4/5 (117 reviews, retrieved July 2026).
3. Rippling
Rippling is a modular workforce platform spanning HR, payroll, benefits, IT, and finance, with the strongest product reviews in this comparison — and a built-in brokerage that makes it a double-edged recommendation for an independent broker.
Strengths
- The highest review ratings in this group — G2 4.8/5 and Capterra 4.9/5 — across very large review volumes.
- Broker-of-record flexibility: employers on any plan can keep their existing broker, who is added as a platform user, and existing plans carry over without re-enrollment.
- Quote, compare, and enroll across 4,000+ plans from national carriers including Aetna, Humana, and Blue Cross Blue Shield (vendor claim).
- Unusually broad scope — HR, IT device management, and finance in one system — which reduces a client’s total tool count.
- Reviewers praise smooth implementation and data migration.
Limitations
- Rippling operates its own insurance brokerage and PEO, a potential channel conflict for the independent broker who introduces it.
- Modular pricing makes real costs opaque; most functionality requires paid add-on modules beyond the $8 base, and module prices are not published.
- Some reviewers report slow customer support response times.
- Some reviewers describe reporting as difficult and not user-friendly.
Pricing
Rippling starts at $8 per user per month for the core platform (vendor materials and Capterra listing, verified July 2026). Full pricing is modular and not published; contact sales is required for a complete quote.
Review Platform Data
G2: 4.8/5 (approximately 9,219 reviews on the main product listing, retrieved July 2026). Capterra: 4.9/5 (4,850 reviews, retrieved July 2026).
4. isolved
isolved People Cloud is a full human capital management platform sold heavily through a reseller and referral network that explicitly includes benefit brokers, making it the most channel-driven option here after BerniePortal.
Strengths
- Formal Preferred Partner program for insurance brokers and HR consultants, with referral terms, a dedicated channel manager, and partner marketing support; brokers can refer or fully resell.
- Significant scale: the vendor states 195,000+ employers and roughly 8 million employees on the platform.
- True single-database HCM — payroll, HR, time, benefits enrollment, and ACA compliance without vendor hand-offs.
- Customer service is the most-mentioned positive in its G2 reviews.
Limitations
- Noticeably lower Capterra rating (3.9/5) with 14% negative reviews; common complaints are bugs, unreliable fixes, and slow performance.
- Support quality varies depending on which reseller partner services the account.
- No published pricing, and quotes vary by sales channel.
- The interface has a learning curve, and some users describe workflows as dated.
Pricing
Pricing is not published; contact sales is the only stated option.
Review Platform Data
G2: 4.3/5 (1,429 reviews, retrieved July 2026). Capterra: 3.9/5 (652 reviews, retrieved July 2026).
5. Gusto
Gusto is a payroll-first HR platform for very small businesses that clients often choose on their own — but its structure works against independent brokers except at the top pricing tier.
Strengths
- Transparent published pricing with a low entry point for the smallest groups.
- Consistently high ease-of-use ratings across roughly 12,000 combined G2 and Capterra reviews.
- Payroll-native benefits: deductions sync automatically with payroll.
- The employee-facing app is well reviewed for pay stubs, tax documents, and benefits information.
Limitations
- Gusto operates its own licensed brokerage, and third-party broker integration is available only on the Premium plan ($180 base plus $22 per person per month) — a structural hurdle for independent brokers whose clients sit on lower tiers.
- Reviewers report that live support can be hard to reach.
- Rehired-employee settings and some local tax handling generate manual cleanup, per reviewer summaries.
Pricing
Gusto publishes three tiers: Simple at $49 per month base plus $6 per person, Plus at $80 per month base plus $12 per person, and Premium at $180 per month base plus $22 per person (vendor pricing, verified via Gusto’s published pricing and G2’s pricing listing, July 2026). A contractor-only plan starts at $35 per month (Capterra listing). Billing is month to month.
Review Platform Data
G2: 4.6/5 (approximately 8,283 reviews on the main product listing, retrieved July 2026). Capterra: 4.6/5 (4,217 reviews, retrieved July 2026).
6. BambooHR
BambooHR is a well-regarded core HRIS for small and mid-size businesses, but it has no broker channel at all — it belongs on this list because clients buy it anyway, and brokers need to know how to work alongside it.
Strengths
- Published, predictable per-employee pricing, with a flat monthly rate for companies of 25 or fewer employees.
- Strong ease-of-use reputation and clean interface; Capterra sentiment runs 95% positive.
- Well-reviewed customer support, including live chat.
- Mature all-in-one core HR feature set: records, hiring, onboarding, time off, performance, and reporting.
Limitations
- No documented broker partner program — a broker recommending BambooHR has no formal role in the account.
- Benefits administration is a paid add-on rather than a core strength, and carrier connectivity is thinner than on broker-built platforms.
- Reviewers cite limited customization of reports and workflows.
- Advanced reporting and integrations are basic compared with more robust HR systems, per reviewer summaries.
Pricing
BambooHR publishes three tiers: Core at $10 per employee per month, Pro at $17, and Elite at $25 (vendor pricing page, verified July 2026). Companies with 25 or fewer employees pay a flat monthly rate starting at $250 per month. Payroll and Benefits Administration are add-ons; bundling both earns a 15% discount for US employees. Terms are month to month or extended.
Comparison Table
| Criterion | BerniePortal | GoCo | Rippling | isolved | Gusto | BambooHR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broker program | Broker partnership program; broker-distributed | Broker partner program with revenue share | Brokers page; outside broker allowed on any plan | Preferred Partner program; refer or resell | Outside broker on Premium tier only | None |
| Published pricing | Yes — $5–$29/employee/mo + base fee | No | Starting price only ($8/user/mo) | No | Yes — $49–$180 base + $6–$22/person | Yes — $10–$25/employee/mo |
| Payroll | Built in, all 50 states | Embedded or sync with existing | Built in | Built in | Built in (core product) | Add-on |
| Channel-conflict risk | Low — broker-distributed | Low, pending Intuit integration | Medium — owns a brokerage and PEO | Low — partner-driven | High below Premium — owns a brokerage | Low — no benefits channel |
| G2 / Capterra | 3.1 (10) / 4.3 (130) | 4.6 (405) / 4.4 (117) | 4.8 (~9,219) / 4.9 (4,850) | 4.3 (1,429) / 3.9 (652) | 4.6 (~8,283) / 4.6 (4,217) | 4.4 (~2,900) / 4.6 (3,510) |
| Target group size | Small employers via broker | Small and mid-size | 2–500+ employees | 20–1,000 employees | 1–100 employees | 25–500 employees |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an HRIS and a benefits administration platform?
An HRIS manages the full employee lifecycle — records, onboarding, payroll, time off, and performance — with benefits enrollment as one module. A benefits administration platform, such as Employee Navigator, focuses on plan setup, enrollment, and carrier connectivity, and is usually broker-purchased. Many brokers use both: a ben-admin platform for the book of business and an HRIS recommendation for clients that need full HR tooling.
Should a broker sponsor the HRIS or have the client pay for it?
Both models exist. Broker-distributed platforms like BerniePortal are built around broker sponsorship or resale, which strengthens client retention but adds cost to the broker. Direct-sold platforms like Gusto and BambooHR are employer-paid, which costs the broker nothing but gives the broker no structural role in the account.
Can a client keep their existing broker if they buy Rippling or Gusto?
On Rippling, yes — employers on any plan can keep an outside broker, who is added as a platform user. On Gusto, third-party broker integration is available only on the Premium plan; on lower tiers, benefits run through Gusto’s own licensed brokerage.
What happened to Zenefits?
TriNet, which acquired Zenefits and rebranded it as the TriNet HR Platform, sunset the standalone HRIS at the end of 2025. It is no longer sold, and former customers were directed to TriNet’s PEO and ASO offerings or to other platforms.
Is GoCo still a standalone product after the Intuit acquisition?
Intuit closed its acquisition of GoCo in May 2025 and is integrating it into Intuit Enterprise Suite and QuickBooks Payroll. GoCo’s pricing pages already redirect to QuickBooks. The broker program still exists, but packaging and program continuity under Intuit are not yet settled — brokers should confirm terms before committing new clients.
Related Articles
- Best Benefit Administration and Enrollment Platforms
- Best Insurance Agency Management Systems for Life and Health Insurance Agencies
Sources
- BerniePortal Pricing Page, https://www.bernieportal.com/pricing/, retrieved July 2026.
- BerniePortal, https://www.bernieportal.com/, retrieved July 2026.
- Capterra: BerniePortal, https://www.capterra.com/p/147193/BerniePortal/, retrieved July 2026.
- G2: BerniePortal reviews, https://www.g2.com/products/bernieportal/reviews, retrieved July 2026.
- GoCo Broker Partners, https://www.goco.io/broker-partners, retrieved July 2026.
- Capterra: GoCo, https://www.capterra.com/p/149545/GoCo/, retrieved July 2026.
- Intuit: Intuit to Acquire HR Platform GoCo, https://www.intuit.com/blog/news-social/intuit-to-acquire-hr-platform-goco/, retrieved July 2026.
- Rippling Brokers, https://www.rippling.com/brokers, retrieved July 2026.
- Rippling Benefits, https://www.rippling.com/benefits, retrieved July 2026.
- Capterra: Rippling, https://www.capterra.com/p/172127/Rippling/, retrieved July 2026.
- Gusto Pricing, https://gusto.com/product/pricing, retrieved July 2026.
- Capterra: Gusto, https://www.capterra.com/p/131882/Gusto/, retrieved July 2026.
- BambooHR Pricing, https://www.bamboohr.com/pricing/, retrieved July 2026.
- Capterra: BambooHR, https://www.capterra.com/p/110968/BambooHR/, retrieved July 2026.
- isolved Preferred Partner Program, https://www.isolvedhcm.com/partners/preferred, retrieved July 2026.
- Capterra: iSolved, https://www.capterra.com/p/164417/iSolved/, retrieved July 2026.
- PR Newswire: isolved Preferred Partners Growth, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/isolved-preferred-partners-experience-strong-growth-and-leading-customer-satisfaction-301625500.html, retrieved September 2022 announcement, retrieved July 2026.
- OutSail: TriNet to Sunset Standalone HRIS, https://www.outsail.co/post/trinet-to-lay-off-zenefits-team-and-sunset-standalone-hris-option, retrieved July 2026.
- NextAgency Features (BerniePortal integration), https://nextagency.com/features/, retrieved July 2026.