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A Baton Rouge contractor with crews in two parishes. A Houston restaurant group opening its fourth location. Either one might start with a local firm like Highflyer HR, and either can hit a point where it wants something different. This guide covers five Highflyer HR alternatives worth a look, plus what each does well.
Highflyer is a regional HR and payroll firm serving Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Houston and Fort Worth, with its payroll delivered on isolved. Its clients like the team. Businesses usually start comparing when they want the software and the service to come from the same company, or when they outgrow a local footprint.
5 Best Highflyer HR Alternatives for Louisiana and Texas Businesses
- Netchex – Best overall for hourly, multi-location businesses that want one company behind both the software and the support.
- isolved (direct) – The platform Highflyer already uses, bought from the source.
- APS – A Shreveport-based payroll company with a dedicated support team model.
- Paychex Flex – A national name with local reps, though experiences vary by rep.
- Paylocity – Deep integrations and engagement tools, with a longer ramp-up.
How We Evaluated These Highflyer HR Alternatives
We looked at who builds the software, how support actually works day to day, fit for hourly and multi-location teams, and what implementation looks like. Highflyer’s own details come from its website and public business listings. Details on the other providers come from their own sites and independent review platforms, as of September 2026.
#1 Netchex – Best Overall Highflyer HR Alternative
Netchex started in Louisiana more than 20 years ago, so it knows the market Highflyer serves. The difference is structure. Netchex builds its own payroll, time, HR and benefits platform and runs its own support team, instead of reselling someone else’s software.
That shows up on the busy days. Hours and shift rules flow from time and attendance straight into payroll, OneScreen Payroll gets most teams through a run in under 15 minutes, and a US-based, FPC-certified team answers 90% of calls in under a minute. Every customer gets a dedicated Account Manager, and implementation is free and project-managed, usually in about six weeks.
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
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ One company builds the platform and answers the phone | ✗ No global payroll for teams outside the US |
| ✓ 4.8/5 customer satisfaction and 8.9/10 G2 Quality of Support | ✗ Built for operating businesses, not tech firms with in-house HR engineering |
| ✓ Free, project-managed implementation with a 96% satisfaction score |
#2 isolved (Direct) – The Same Platform, Without the Bureau
Since Highflyer runs on isolved’s People Cloud, some businesses skip the middle layer and buy from isolved directly. People Cloud is a broad platform, covering payroll, HR records, time, benefits and recruiting through an ApplicantPro integration.
Going direct changes who you call. isolved’s own FAQ says direct customers get a dedicated support team and account manager, while partner-sold customers get support from the partner. It doesn’t change the software, though, and reviewers still flag usability.
The workflows are click-heavy and not always intuitive. / Support response times have been inconsistent depending on who we’re routed to.
– G2 / Capterra reviewers, 2025
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ Familiar software for current Highflyer clients | ✗ Capterra rating of 3.9/5 across roughly 650 reviews |
| ✓ Broad People Cloud feature set | ✗ “Not Intuitive” is one of its most common G2 complaint tags |
| ✓ Direct customers get their own support team | ✗ Much of the market still buys through partners |
#3 APS – A Louisiana Payroll Company With a Named Support Team
APS is headquartered in Shreveport, which makes it one of the few other Louisiana-based payroll providers in this conversation. Its support model is a real selling point: clients are matched with an implementation specialist and then a dedicated support team that knows their setup.
Reviewers are mostly happy with that team. Where APS gets knocked is reporting and a few gaps in the product. It doesn’t offer earned wage access, and its mobile app sits at 3.8/5 on Google Play.
You have your own (small) dedicated support team instead of just calling in or doing an online chat with a random person.
– Capterra reviewer
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ Louisiana headquarters | ✗ Combining reports into one view “isn’t always straightforward,” per reviewers |
| ✓ Dedicated support team model | ✗ No earned wage access |
| ✓ Native shift differential support | ✗ One reviewer describes a transition of about two months |
More detail: Netchex vs. APS.
#4 Paychex Flex – National Reach, Rep-Dependent Service
Paychex has local reps in most US markets and a broad suite that includes retirement services and a PEO option. For a business leaving a small local firm, the brand can feel like a safe step up. Paychex also acquired Paycor, which now runs as a standalone business unit of Paychex.
The recurring complaint is consistency. Service tends to depend on which rep you get, and some reviewers describe cycling through several of them on a single issue.
I went through 6 reps… and signed 5 power of attorneys and it still isn’t corrected.
– Verified Reviewer, G2
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ Local reps in most US markets | ✗ Trustpilot score of 1.7/5 across 826 reviews |
| ✓ Retirement services and a PEO option | ✗ G2 Quality of Support score of 8.3/10 |
| ✓ Well-known brand | ✗ Shift differentials are limited |
More detail: Netchex vs. Paychex.
#5 Paylocity – Big Integration Library, Steeper Learning Curve
Paylocity offers 350+ native integrations, a compliance dashboard multi-state employers like, and employee engagement tools such as social feeds and peer recognition. Its mobile experience gets good marks.
For hourly operations, the fit is less natural. Shift differentials take configuration, and one analyst site estimates 8 to 12 weeks to implement core modules. Support is also the top complaint tag on its G2 profile.
Our transition to Paylocity was nothing short of atrocious. Our internal team had to self-teach the software due to a convoluted implementation process.
– Reddit user
| Strengths | Considerations |
| ✓ 350+ native integrations | ✗ “Poor Customer Support” is its most common G2 complaint tag |
| ✓ Strong mobile experience | ✗ Shift differentials require configuration |
| ✓ Engagement and recognition tools | ✗ Core implementation estimated at 8 to 12 weeks |
More detail: Netchex vs. Paylocity.
How the Highflyer HR Alternatives Compare
| Capability | Netchex | isolved (direct) | APS | Paychex Flex | Paylocity |
| Louisiana roots | ✅ | ✗ | ✅ Shreveport | ✗ | ✗ |
| Support model | ✅ Dedicated Account Manager | ⚠ Depends on how you buy | ✅ Dedicated team | ⚠ Varies by rep | ⚠ Rep changes reported |
| Typical implementation | ✅ About 6 weeks, free | Varies by partner | About 2 months (reviewer) | 8 to 16 weeks (analyst estimate) | 8 to 12 weeks (analyst estimate) |
Frequently Asked Questions
For hourly or multi-location Louisiana businesses, Netchex is the strongest fit. It has Louisiana roots like Highflyer, but it builds its own platform and runs its own support team, so one company owns both the software and the service. APS, based in Shreveport, is another local option to compare.
Highflyer delivers its payroll on isolved, software another company builds. Businesses often start comparing when they want the software and the support to come from the same company, when they expand beyond Highflyer’s Louisiana and Texas markets, or when they need deeper hourly workforce tools.
It can be. Going direct to isolved removes the bureau layer, and isolved says direct customers get their own support team. The software itself stays the same, though, so reviewer concerns about usability still apply. It solves who you call, not how the product works.
Ask who builds the software, who you call when something breaks, how long implementation takes and who does the work, and whether you’ll have a named account manager. Get timelines in writing, and check independent reviews rather than relying only on testimonials a company publishes about itself.
Ready to See Netchex Alongside Your Other Highflyer HR Alternatives?
See how Netchex handles payroll, time, HR and benefits for Louisiana and Texas businesses, all from one company.
Related: Netchex vs. Highflyer HR | Netchex vs. isolved comparison | Netchex vs. APS
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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