MP HCM Suite Review: Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons

MP HCM Suite is not actually proprietary software. It is the isolved HCM platform resold and serviced by MP: Wired for HR, a New England-based HR services firm. That distinction matters more than anything else in this review, because what you are really evaluating when you consider MP is not a unique technology but a service wrapper around an established platform. The question becomes: is MP’s combination of isolved technology and hands-on HR expertise worth it for your business?

For small and mid-sized companies (roughly 50 to 500 employees) that want a full HCM platform without building an internal HR department, the answer is often yes. MP bundles payroll processing, benefits administration, time tracking, recruiting, and SHRM-certified HR consulting into a single relationship with a dedicated account manager. The 96% client retention rate and an NPS score of 73 suggest that businesses who sign on tend to stay.

But the lack of pricing transparency, absence from every major software review platform, and the fact that you are essentially buying isolved through an intermediary all deserve scrutiny. Here is our full assessment.

What Is MP HCM Suite?

MP: Wired for HR was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, with additional offices in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Lafayette, Indiana; and Williamsville, New York. The company serves between 2,100 and 2,300 clients nationwide. In September 2024, MP acquired APS Workforce Management, expanding its reach and client base.

MP operates as an independent reseller of the isolved HCM platform. As MP states directly on its FAQ page: “While your partnership will be with MP, the software you will utilize is the isolved system.” isolved itself is used by over 260,000 companies. What MP adds on top of the technology is a service layer: dedicated account managers, SHRM-certified HR consultants, professional recruiting, compliance guidance, and implementation support. The company targets industries including healthcare, construction, professional services, hospitality, financial services, and nonprofits.

MP HCM Suite Key Features

Payroll Processing

MP handles multistate payroll including tax filings, garnishments, direct deposits, W-2s, 1099s, and ACA reporting. The system is cloud-based with mobile app access. MP claims that for most clients, running payroll takes less than 15 minutes. This is the isolved payroll engine, which is a well-established platform, paired with MP’s team handling the compliance and support side.

HR Consulting Services

This is where MP differentiates itself from buying isolved directly or from another reseller. The company provides access to SHRM-certified HR advisors who assist with employee handbook creation, compliance audits, FMLA guidance, policy development, and general HR strategy. For businesses without a dedicated HR department, this effectively functions as outsourced HR leadership.

Time and Attendance

The time tracking module includes GPS clock-in, geofencing, biometric verification, scheduling, break tracking, and overtime calculations. It integrates directly with the payroll system, which eliminates the manual data transfer that causes errors in organizations using separate time tracking and payroll tools.

Benefits Administration

MP offers automated enrollment workflows, carrier connectivity, employee self-service portals, and ACA compliance tracking. Automated batch updates reduce the administrative burden of open enrollment and life-event changes. The integration with payroll means deduction changes flow through without manual intervention.

Talent Acquisition and Recruiting

MP provides both an applicant tracking system (ATS) and professional recruiting services. The company claims its in-house recruitment team saves clients approximately 40% compared to traditional staffing agencies. This is a notable bundled offering; most HCM resellers do not include hands-on recruitment as part of the package.

Performance Management

The “Share and Perform” module handles employee reviews and productivity tracking. This is part of the isolved platform’s talent management functionality. It allows managers to set goals, conduct review cycles, and document performance, though the depth of features here is less well-documented than the payroll and HR consulting capabilities.

Training and Learning Management

MP offers compliance training, custom course creation, and SHRM-accredited webinars. The LMS component is useful for companies in regulated industries (healthcare, finance) that need to track and document employee training for compliance purposes.

Expense Management

Employees can submit and approve expenses from anywhere through the platform. This is a lighter feature compared to dedicated expense management tools, but it keeps expense workflows within the same system as payroll and HR.

MP HCM Suite Pricing and Plans

MP does not publicly disclose pricing. The company uses a per-employee pricing model, and actual costs are determined through a consultation process based on your organization’s size and which modules you need. MP takes a modular approach, meaning you can add capabilities as your needs grow rather than paying for a full suite from day one.

For context, the general HCM market for mid-sized businesses ranges from approximately $8 to $25 per employee per month for core HRIS tools, and $30 to $80+ per employee per month for full HCM platforms with payroll and talent modules. Since MP bundles the isolved platform with dedicated service, HR consulting, and recruiting, their pricing likely sits somewhere within or above these ranges depending on the scope of services selected.

One client testimonial on MP’s website references saving “over $50,000 this year in administration costs from our previous PEO provider,” which suggests competitive pricing relative to PEO arrangements. MP also notes that its first price increase in four years was communicated six months in advance, indicating pricing stability.

Integrations

Because MP resells the isolved platform, its integration capabilities are determined by isolved’s ecosystem. isolved is a well-established HCM platform with connections to major insurance carriers for benefits administration and standard payroll tax filing integrations. The time and attendance module integrates natively with the payroll system within the platform.

Specific third-party integrations (CRM systems, accounting software, ERPs) are not clearly documented on MP’s website. If your business relies on specific tools and needs them to connect with your HCM platform, we recommend asking MP directly during the consultation process about isolved’s integration capabilities and API access for your particular use case. isolved does maintain a broader partner and integration ecosystem, but MP’s documentation does not detail which integrations are available through their reseller arrangement.

Customer Support

Customer support is arguably MP’s strongest selling point and the primary reason to buy isolved through MP rather than through another channel. Every client receives a dedicated account manager who stays with them through implementation and beyond. MP reports a 95% call answer rate, with 99% of calls answered within 30 seconds. There are no call centers; calls go directly to MP’s in-house team, which has an average tenure of 4.4 years.

MP prides itself on 100% on-time implementation starts. The company’s 96% client retention rate and an NPS of 73 (which it claims is double the industry average) both point to strong service delivery. For businesses that have been burned by faceless support at larger HCM providers, this relationship-driven model is a genuine differentiator.

Beyond reactive support, MP provides proactive HR consulting through SHRM-certified advisors, compliance guidance, and access to training resources including SHRM-accredited webinars. This blurs the line between software support and outsourced HR, which is the entire point of the MP value proposition.

Pros and Cons

MP’s strengths center on its service model and the breadth of the underlying isolved platform. Its weaknesses relate to transparency, the lack of independent validation, and the inherent risks of buying through a reseller.

Who Should Use MP HCM Suite?

MP is best suited for small to mid-sized businesses with 50 to 500 employees that want a comprehensive HCM platform paired with hands-on HR expertise. If you do not have a fully staffed HR department and need guidance on compliance, handbook development, FMLA, or recruiting, MP’s bundled service model fills that gap in a way that standalone software cannot.

Companies in healthcare, construction, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors will find industry-specific expertise. Healthcare organizations benefit from HIPAA workflow support and credential tracking. Construction companies get multistate payroll and union rule management. Nonprofits receive preferential pricing and grant tracking capabilities.

MP is not the right fit if you are a large enterprise with an established HR team that just needs a technology platform. In that case, you would be paying for a service layer you do not need. It is also not ideal for very small businesses (under 20 employees) where the cost of a full HCM suite may not justify itself. Additionally, if you want full transparency on pricing before engaging with sales, MP’s consultation-required model may be frustrating. Organizations that prioritize a wide ecosystem of third-party integrations or need extensive customization should also evaluate isolved directly or consider more open platforms.

MP HCM Suite Alternatives

isolved (Direct)

Since MP resells isolved, buying directly from isolved or another isolved network partner is the most obvious comparison. Going direct may give you different pricing or access to a broader set of isolved’s features and integrations. However, you would lose MP’s dedicated account management, HR consulting, and in-house recruiting services. If you want the technology without the service bundle, this is worth exploring.

ADP Workforce Now

ADP is the default choice for mid-market HCM and serves a similar company size range. It offers broader name recognition, a larger integration ecosystem, and more extensive self-service documentation. However, ADP’s support experience is frequently criticized, and you are unlikely to get the dedicated, single-point-of-contact service that MP provides. Choose ADP if you prioritize brand stability and integration breadth over personalized support.

Paylocity

Paylocity targets mid-market companies with a modern, employee-engagement-focused platform that includes social collaboration tools and on-demand pay. Its user interface is generally considered more polished. Paylocity is a stronger choice if employee experience features and modern UX are priorities, but it does not bundle the same depth of HR consulting that MP offers.

Paychex Flex

Paychex serves a similar market to MP and also bundles HR advisory services with payroll and HCM technology. It has a larger national presence and more publicly documented pricing. Paychex is a good alternative if you want a similar technology-plus-service model but prefer a larger, more established provider with more transparent cost structures.

Gusto

For smaller businesses (under 50 employees) that find MP’s offering too heavy, Gusto provides a streamlined, user-friendly payroll and HR platform with transparent per-employee pricing starting around $6 per employee per month plus a base fee. Gusto lacks the deep HR consulting and recruiting that MP offers, but it is far simpler to evaluate and purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MP HCM Suite its own software platform?

No. MP: Wired for HR is an independent reseller of the isolved HCM platform. The software you use is isolved, but your service relationship, account management, HR consulting, and support come from MP. This is an important distinction when evaluating the product.

How much does MP HCM Suite cost?

MP does not publish pricing. The company uses a per-employee-per-month pricing model, and actual costs depend on your company size and which modules you select. MP positions itself as offering “enterprise features at mid-market pricing” and provides preferential rates for nonprofits. You must request a consultation for a quote.

What size company is MP best for?

MP targets businesses with 10 to 1,000+ employees, but the sweet spot is 50 to 500 employees. Companies in this range are large enough to need a full HCM platform but may not have a fully staffed HR department, which is exactly where MP’s bundled services add the most value.

Does MP offer a free trial?

No free trial is offered. MP provides free consultations to assess your needs and demonstrate the platform. Given the service-heavy nature of the offering, a traditional software free trial would not capture the full value proposition.

What industries does MP specialize in?

MP has documented expertise in healthcare (HIPAA, credential tracking), construction (multistate compliance, union rules), professional services (project tracking, flexible PTO), hospitality (tip reporting, scheduling), financial services, and nonprofits (grant tracking, volunteer management).

What happened with the APS Workforce Management acquisition?

MP acquired APS Workforce Management in September 2024. This expanded MP’s client base and geographic reach. Existing APS clients were transitioned to MP’s service model.

How is MP’s customer support different from larger HCM providers?

Each MP client receives a dedicated account manager rather than rotating through a call center. MP reports that 99% of calls are answered within 30 seconds and maintains a 95% call answer rate. The average team member tenure is 4.4 years, meaning your account manager is likely to know your business over time.

The Bottom Line

MP HCM Suite is not a technology product in the traditional sense. It is a service-first offering built on top of isolved’s established HCM platform. For the right buyer, this is a genuine advantage. If you are a mid-sized business without deep internal HR expertise, MP gives you a single vendor for technology, compliance, consulting, and recruiting, all managed by someone who actually knows your name when you call.

The concerns are real, though. The complete absence of independent reviews on any major platform (G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, SoftwareAdvice) makes it difficult to validate MP’s claims beyond its own marketing. Pricing opacity means you cannot comparison-shop without investing time in consultations. And the reseller model introduces a dependency: you are relying on MP’s relationship with isolved to continue on favorable terms.

We rate MP HCM Suite a 3.5 out of 5. The service model is genuinely differentiated, the underlying isolved platform is capable, and the client retention metrics are strong. But the lack of pricing transparency, absence of independent reviews, and reseller dynamics prevent a higher score. If personalized service and HR consulting matter more to you than platform independence and cost transparency, MP deserves a serious look. If those factors concern you, evaluate Paychex, Paylocity, or isolved directly before committing.