SentricHR Review: Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons

SentricHR is one of those HR platforms that flies under the radar in a market dominated by names like ADP, Paychex, and BambooHR. That relative obscurity is both its challenge and, arguably, part of its appeal. For small and mid-sized businesses with 35 to 1,500 employees, SentricHR delivers a genuinely comprehensive, all-in-one HR and payroll platform backed by the kind of personalized support that larger vendors struggle to match.

We found SentricHR to be a strong mid-market contender with real depth across payroll, onboarding, benefits administration, and time tracking. The platform covers the full employee lifecycle from hire to retire, and the support experience is consistently outstanding. That said, it has real limitations: reporting lacks polish, the mobile experience on Android is unreliable, and an aggressive 5-minute session timeout frustrates daily users. If you can live with those rough edges, SentricHR delivers serious value for the right organization.

What Is SentricHR?

SentricHR is a cloud-based human resource management and payroll platform developed by Sentric Inc., a privately held company founded in 1994 by David Lewis and headquartered in Canonsburg (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania. The company also operates offices in Denver, Colorado and Orange County, California. Sentric employs approximately 77 people and serves around 2,500 customers, generating an estimated $35 million in annual revenue.

The product was originally branded as SentricWorkForce and rebranded to SentricHR in June 2019. It targets small to mid-sized businesses, specifically organizations with 35 to 1,500 employees, across industries including manufacturing, finance, retail, healthcare, and non-profit. Under the leadership of President Mike Maggs, Sentric has carved out a niche by pairing a full-featured HR suite with a service model that emphasizes dedicated support staff and hands-on implementation assistance.

SentricHR Key Features

Paperless Onboarding

SentricHR’s onboarding module eliminates paper-based new hire processes entirely. New employees can complete tax forms, review company policies, sign documents electronically, and upload required credentials before their first day. The system guides both the new hire and HR through each step, reducing the administrative burden that typically accompanies new employee setup.

This feature proved particularly valuable for organizations that shifted to remote onboarding. The onboarding workflow is tightly integrated with the core HRIS, so employee data entered during onboarding flows directly into payroll, benefits enrollment, and time tracking without re-entry. For companies hiring frequently, this alone can justify the platform.

Payroll Processing and Tax Filing

Payroll is one of SentricHR’s strongest modules. The system handles automated calculations for wages, tax deductions, garnishments, and direct deposits. Tax filing is included, covering federal, state, and local filing requirements. The integration between time and attendance data and payroll is particularly smooth; hours flow directly into payroll calculations without manual intervention.

Many organizations have switched to SentricHR from larger payroll providers specifically because of this seamless time-to-payroll pipeline. The payroll engine handles multiple pay schedules and supports both check-based and direct deposit payment methods.

Benefits Administration and ACA Compliance

The benefits module allows employees to view plan options, compare costs, and enroll in benefits through a self-service portal. HR administrators can configure open enrollment periods, manage life events, and track eligibility. The platform includes ACA compliance tracking, which automates the monitoring of employee hours and generates required ACA reporting.

SentricHR connects to benefits carriers through its Carrier Connection feature, enabling electronic enrollment data transmission. One limitation worth noting: some third-party benefit types such as Workers’ Compensation, FSA, COBRA, and 401(k) administration were historically handled through partner integrations rather than natively, though the vendor has expanded these capabilities over time.

Time and Attendance

The time and attendance module supports multiple clock-in methods, time-off requests, schedule management, and automated tracking of hours worked. Managers can approve timesheets, view team schedules, and monitor overtime in real time. The module feeds directly into payroll, which is one of the platform’s core selling points.

Schedule management includes shift templates and recurring schedule options. However, the time reporting side has notable weaknesses. Reports can contain duplicate entries for date/time data, and the absences report lacks the clarity that HR professionals need for quick analysis.

Document Management and E-Signatures

SentricHR provides a centralized document repository where HR can store, organize, and distribute documents to employees. Built-in e-signature functionality lets employees sign offer letters, policy acknowledgments, and compliance documents without printing or scanning. Documents are tied to employee records, making audit preparation straightforward.

This feature is well-executed and eliminates the need for separate e-signature tools like DocuSign for routine HR documents. Role-based access controls ensure that sensitive documents are visible only to authorized personnel.

Talent Acquisition and Recruiting

SentricHR includes a recruiting module with job posting capabilities, applicant tracking, and candidate management. Job listings can be created and distributed, and applicants move through configurable hiring stages. When a candidate is hired, their information transitions directly into the onboarding workflow.

This module is adequate for organizations with moderate hiring volumes. Companies with complex, high-volume recruiting needs may find it less capable than dedicated applicant tracking systems, but for most SMBs, it eliminates the need for a separate recruiting tool.

Performance Management

The performance management module supports goal setting, ongoing feedback, and formal evaluation cycles. Managers can track employee progress toward objectives and conduct structured reviews. The module is designed to encourage regular check-ins rather than relying solely on annual reviews.

The inclusion of performance management within the same platform as payroll and HR data gives managers a unified view of each employee’s compensation, attendance, and development. Some competitors offer more sophisticated performance features (such as 360-degree reviews or competency frameworks), but SentricHR covers the essentials well.

Reporting and Analytics

SentricHR offers 150+ standard reports and a custom report builder. Reports cover payroll, headcount, turnover, benefits enrollment, time and attendance, and compliance metrics. The custom report builder allows HR teams to create ad hoc reports using available data fields.

Despite the breadth of available reports, reporting is one of the platform’s weaker areas. Some standard reports produce confusing output, including duplicate entries in date/time fields. The report builder, while functional, does not match the intuitive drag-and-drop reporting experience offered by some competing platforms. Organizations that rely heavily on HR analytics should evaluate this module carefully before committing.

SentricHR Pricing and Plans

SentricHR does not publicly list pricing on its website and requires prospects to contact sales for a personalized quote. The pricing model is per-employee-per-month (PEPM), with volume discounts available for larger organizations. Based on our research across multiple sources, here is what we can piece together about typical costs:

Some third-party sources also reference a check-based pricing plan at $2.50 per check as an alternative to the employee-based model. Implementation costs are separate and vary significantly: small businesses can expect $500 to $1,500, mid-sized organizations $1,000 to $5,000, and large enterprises $5,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on complexity and the number of modules being deployed.

There is no free trial and no free version of SentricHR. A free demo is available upon request. All features are included in the subscription with ongoing support and automatic platform updates, which simplifies the pricing model compared to vendors that charge extra for individual modules or support tiers. We recommend contacting Sentric directly for an accurate quote, as the third-party estimates above vary widely and may not reflect current pricing.

Integrations

SentricHR claims over 140 integrations with third-party software tools. The platform connects with accounting systems (including QuickBooks), ERP platforms, CRM tools, background check services, and benefits carriers. The Carrier Connection feature facilitates electronic data exchange with insurance carriers for benefits enrollment and changes.

An API is available for custom integrations, allowing organizations to connect SentricHR with internal systems or specialized tools not covered by the native integration library. The platform also integrates with leading applicant tracking systems for organizations that prefer to use a dedicated ATS alongside SentricHR’s built-in recruiting capabilities.

One area of concern: some assessments note that integrations with certain third-party applications can be limited, and the specific list of 140+ integrations is not publicly documented in detail on the vendor’s website. If your organization depends on specific integrations (particular accounting software, a specific benefits carrier, or a specialized industry tool), we recommend confirming compatibility with Sentric before purchasing. The lack of single sign-on (SSO) support has also been flagged as a gap, particularly for organizations that rely on identity management platforms like Okta or Azure AD.

Customer Support

Customer support is, without question, SentricHR’s standout differentiator. Every customer receives unlimited phone and email support regardless of plan or company size. Support staff are US-based, and the company assigns a dedicated implementation lead to each new customer from project kick-off through go-live.

Beyond standard support channels, Sentric offers the SentricHR Help Center, which includes instructional videos, knowledge base articles, live training sessions, and user groups. Customers can also book 30-minute one-on-one Connect Sessions with product experts for personalized guidance on specific features or workflows.

The quality of Sentric’s support is consistently praised. HR professionals who have switched from larger providers like ADP and Paycor frequently cite the responsiveness and competence of Sentric’s support team as a primary reason for switching. The vendor actively monitors and responds to feedback on review platforms, which signals an organizational commitment to customer satisfaction.

The main support-related frustration is that some basic administrative tasks (such as adding company holidays to the system) require contacting customer service rather than being self-service. For a platform targeting companies with lean HR teams, this dependency on support for routine configuration tasks feels like an unnecessary bottleneck.

Pros and Cons

After thoroughly evaluating SentricHR’s capabilities, support model, pricing, and real-world performance, here is our assessment of the platform’s most significant strengths and weaknesses.

Who Should Use SentricHR?

SentricHR is purpose-built for small to mid-sized businesses with 35 to 1,500 employees. It is particularly well-suited for organizations that want a single platform to handle HR, payroll, benefits, time tracking, and onboarding without juggling multiple vendors. Companies in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, finance, and non-profit sectors will find the feature set aligned with their needs.

The ideal SentricHR customer is an organization with a small HR team (one to five people) that values personalized support and hands-on implementation assistance over self-service configuration. If your HR department has been struggling with a patchwork of disconnected systems, or if you are frustrated by the impersonal support experience at a large payroll provider, SentricHR deserves serious consideration.

SentricHR is not the right fit for enterprise organizations with more than 1,500 employees, companies that need advanced analytics and business intelligence capabilities, or businesses that require deep single sign-on integration with identity management platforms. Organizations with complex, high-volume recruiting needs may also find the built-in ATS module insufficient and should consider a dedicated recruiting platform paired with a more payroll-focused HRIS.

SentricHR Alternatives

BambooHR

BambooHR is a strong alternative for companies that prioritize ease of use and a polished user interface. Its reporting and analytics capabilities are more intuitive than SentricHR’s, and the mobile experience is more refined. However, BambooHR’s payroll module is less mature (it was added later as a separate product), and the support experience, while good, is less personalized than Sentric’s dedicated model. Best for companies under 500 employees that value UX design and can handle payroll through a separate add-on.

Paychex Flex

Paychex Flex covers similar ground as SentricHR with payroll, HR, benefits, and time tracking in an integrated platform. Paychex has a much larger market presence and a broader range of integrations, plus dedicated HR advisory services for compliance-heavy industries. The tradeoff is less personalized support and higher costs at scale. Choose Paychex if you need a vendor with national scale and deeper compliance consulting resources.

Gusto

Gusto is a simpler, more affordable option for smaller businesses (under 100 employees) that primarily need payroll with basic HR features. Gusto’s interface is exceptionally clean, pricing is transparent and publicly listed, and setup is fast. It lacks the depth of SentricHR’s performance management, talent acquisition, and document management modules. If payroll is your primary concern and you have fewer than 100 employees, Gusto offers better value and a faster time to productivity.

Paylocity

Paylocity targets a similar mid-market segment as SentricHR but offers more advanced features in areas like social collaboration, on-demand pay, and community tools. Its reporting and analytics are also stronger. However, Paylocity’s pricing is typically higher, and the implementation process can be more complex. Consider Paylocity if you need more sophisticated workforce engagement features and have a larger HR team to manage the platform.

ADP Workforce Now

ADP Workforce Now is the enterprise-adjacent alternative for companies outgrowing SentricHR’s 1,500-employee ceiling. It offers unmatched payroll compliance capabilities, a vast integration ecosystem, and deep reporting. The downside is higher cost, longer implementation timelines, and a support experience that many mid-market companies find impersonal compared to Sentric’s approach. Choose ADP if you are scaling beyond 1,000 employees or need global payroll capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does SentricHR cost?

SentricHR does not publicly list pricing and requires you to contact sales for a quote. The pricing model is per-employee-per-month (PEPM) with volume discounts for larger organizations. Third-party estimates suggest costs ranging from $2 to $8 per employee per month depending on company size and modules selected, with implementation fees ranging from $500 to $20,000.

Does SentricHR offer a free trial?

No. SentricHR does not offer a free trial or a free version of the software. However, Sentric does provide free product demonstrations upon request, which allow you to evaluate the platform’s features and interface before committing.

What size company is SentricHR designed for?

SentricHR is designed specifically for small to mid-sized businesses with 35 to 1,500 employees. Organizations below 35 employees may find the platform more complex than necessary, while companies above 1,500 employees will likely need an enterprise-grade HCM solution with more scalability.

Is SentricHR cloud-based or on-premise?

SentricHR is exclusively a cloud-based SaaS platform. There is no on-premise deployment option. The system is accessible from any device with a web browser and is SOC 2 Type II compliant with multi-factor authentication, encryption, and role-based access controls.

Does SentricHR include payroll?

Yes. Payroll is one of SentricHR’s core modules, not an add-on. The platform handles automated payroll calculations, tax deductions, direct deposits, and federal, state, and local tax filing. Time and attendance data integrates directly with payroll, eliminating manual data entry between systems.

What integrations does SentricHR support?

SentricHR claims over 140 integrations, including connections to QuickBooks, various accounting and ERP platforms, CRM tools, background check services, and benefits carriers. An API is available for custom integrations. However, the full integration list is not publicly documented, so you should confirm specific integration needs with the vendor before purchasing.

How long does SentricHR implementation take?

Implementation timelines vary by company size and complexity. Small businesses can expect 2 to 4 weeks, mid-sized organizations 4 to 8 weeks, and larger enterprises 8 to 16 weeks. Each customer is assigned a dedicated implementation lead who manages the process from kick-off through go-live. Be prepared for the implementation to require significant effort on your end, particularly for data migration and configuration.

The Bottom Line

SentricHR earns a solid 4.0 out of 5.0 in our evaluation. It is a genuinely comprehensive HR and payroll platform that delivers meaningful value for small to mid-sized businesses, particularly those frustrated by impersonal service from larger providers. The combination of full lifecycle HR management, seamless payroll integration, and outstanding customer support makes it a compelling choice in a crowded market.

The platform’s weaknesses are real but manageable. Reporting needs improvement, the Android mobile experience is inconsistent, and that 5-minute session timeout is a daily annoyance that Sentric should have fixed by now. The lack of transparent public pricing also makes it harder for buyers to quickly assess fit. These are not deal-breakers, but they keep SentricHR from earning a higher rating.

If you run a business with 35 to 1,500 employees and want an all-in-one HR platform with support that actually answers the phone and knows your name, SentricHR belongs on your shortlist. If you need enterprise-grade analytics, global capabilities, or the most polished mobile experience, look at Paylocity or ADP Workforce Now instead. For most mid-market HR teams, SentricHR hits the sweet spot between capability and service that the big players simply cannot match.