5 Best CheckmateHCM Alternatives for New England Businesses in 2026

A nonprofit in Concord that just opened a second office over the state line in Massachusetts. A hospitality group whose seasonal headcount triples every summer. Both might have started with CheckmateHCM, and plenty of New Hampshire employers are happy there. Others start looking at CheckmateHCM alternatives once they add locations, want time and pay running natively in one system, or want the software and the support coming from a single company instead of a partner layer.

One clarification before the list: this covers Checkmate Workforce Solutions, also branded CheckmateHCM and Checkmate Payroll Services, of Concord, NH, a UKG Premier Partner founded in 1994. It isn’t Checkmate HR of Charleston, and it isn’t the unrelated background-check software that also carries the Checkmate name on some review sites. Here are five alternatives worth a look.

How We Evaluated These CheckmateHCM Alternatives

Every option got the same four questions. Who builds the software? Who picks up when payroll goes wrong? Can it handle seasonal or multi-location staff? And how long until you’re actually live? CheckmateHCM’s details come from its own website and BBB filings. Details on the other providers come from their own sites and independent review platforms, as of September 2026.

One thing CheckmateHCM does well deserves a mention up front. Its founding pitch, “you will never be an account number,” reflects a real, dedicated-account-manager model. Any alternative should be judged against that.

#1 Netchex – Best Overall CheckmateHCM Alternative

Netchex was founded in Louisiana more than 20 years ago for the businesses that keep America running, including restaurants, hotels, dealerships and clinics. It builds its own payroll, time, HR and benefits platform and staffs its own support team. No reseller sits between you and the product.

You feel that on a busy week. Time and attendance, Scheduler and payroll share one system, multi-location and multi-EIN businesses work from a single login, and OneScreen Payroll gets most teams through a run in under 15 minutes. A US-based, FPC-certified team answers 90% of calls in under a minute, so the dedicated-contact standard CheckmateHCM clients are used to doesn’t slip. Every customer gets a dedicated Account Manager, and Netchex works directly with your CPA and your existing benefits broker.

The entire staff, from sales to implementation to service, has been stellar in their delivery. The culture of Netchex is one of a company that demonstrates the importance of relationships with clients.

– David Faunce, Partner, KM Consulting

#2 UKG (Direct) – Same Software, No Partner in Between

CheckmateHCM runs on UKG as a Premier Partner, with UKG InTouch DX clocks handling time collection. Buying from UKG directly means keeping the software your team already knows, minus the local reseller.

The trade-offs go both ways. UKG’s own site describes implementation as typically 3 to 12 months depending on modules, with an accelerated path under 100 days for simpler UKG Ready setups, well past a typical mid-market payroll rollout. Support runs on a tiered program rather than one named account manager. And you’d give up Checkmate’s local Concord team and its dedicated-contact model.

More detail: Netchex vs. UKG comparison.

#3 Paychex Flex – A National Name With Local Reps

If a local point of contact is what you like about CheckmateHCM, Paychex offers a bigger version of it, with sales reps in most US markets. It also sells retirement plan services and a PEO option for owners who’d rather hand off more of HR entirely.

Consistency is the catch. Service tends to hinge on which rep you’re assigned, and reviewers describe cycling through several of them on a single problem.

I went through 6 reps… and signed 5 power of attorneys and it still isn’t corrected.

– Verified Reviewer, G2

More detail: Netchex vs. Paychex.

#4 ADP Workforce Now – Scale First

ADP’s product range runs from ADP Run for small business up through Workforce Now and Vantage HCM for large, multi-state organizations. For a New England company expanding across state lines or hiring overseas, that reach counts for something.

For a 40-person operation, it can be more system than the job needs. Reviewers regularly call out the interface as hard to navigate, and support is a common complaint.

The worst thing about ADP Workforce Now is its customer service. It is terribly hard to reach someone, and when you do reach someone, they can’t always answer your question.

– Verified G2 Reviewer

More detail: Netchex vs. ADP.

#5 Paycor – Modern Interface, Now Part of Paychex

Paycor built a name on a cleaner, more modern HCM interface than most legacy payroll vendors, with a feature set aimed at mid-market HR teams. It’s worth knowing that Paycor is now a business unit of Paychex, following the 2025 acquisition, though customers stay on the Paycor platform for now.

Time tracking and scheduling are sold as add-ons rather than included in the base plan, which matters for a hospitality group with seasonal shift volume. Support complaints are frequent, and one reviewer put it bluntly.

The lack of knowledgeable customer support is appalling.

– Verified Reviewer, Capterra

More detail: Netchex vs. Paycor.

How the CheckmateHCM Alternatives Compare

Frequently Asked Questions

Related: Netchex vs. CheckmateHCM | Netchex vs. UKG comparison | Netchex vs. Paychex

This guide reflects publicly available product information and independent reviewer data (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Reddit, Software Advice, GetApp) as of 2026. Feature availability may vary by plan. Contact each provider for current details.

Disclaimer: Any product roadmap or future plans provided herein are for informational purposes only. They do not represent a commitment to deliver any material, code, feature, or functionality. Plans may change without notification. The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described remain at the sole discretion of Netchex, its affiliates, and partners. Netchex does not give legal, tax, or accounting advice. You are responsible for ensuring your use of Netchex product meets your individual business and compliance requirements.

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