--- title: Central Reviews meta_title: 'Central Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 37 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Central works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 5.0 review_count: 37 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-07-17' parent_category: name: HR url: https://www.g2.com/categories/hr --- # Central Reviews **Vendor:** Central **Category:** [Other HR Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/other-hr) **Average Rating:** 5.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 37 ## About Central Central is a payroll and benefits platform designed for founders that handles all the painful compliance work automatically. Unlike traditional HR platforms that require expertise and make you do the work, Central acts as a proactive teammate that takes cares of everything. The platform is built specifically for busy founders who want to focus on building their product, not drowning in administrative tasks. When you get started with Central, you'll experience: 1. Automated compliance: Central handles all state registrations, tax filings, and worker's compensation setup automatically. No more interfacing with confusing government portals or risking expensive fines. 2. Complete benefits management: Get expert guidance on choosing the right health insurance plans, plus automated setup of 401k and life insurance with seamless payroll integration. 3. Global hiring support: Pay employees across all 50 U.S. states and contractors in 200+ countries. Central manages everything from offer letters and NDAs to reimbursements and tax documentation. 4. Proactivity: Central monitors government mail through a virtual address system, catching issues before they become problems. If you receive any scary government notices or fines, the team handles it for you. 5. Instant support: Ask questions directly through Slack and get responses in minutes. The platform's AI-powered assistant can handle common requests like retrieving documents or updating employee information instantly. The platform currently serves hundreds of startups, helping them avoid fines, save countless hours, and maintain perfect compliance without needing to become HR experts themselves. The platform integrates seamlessly with existing systems and requires minimal setup time - most founders spend less than 10 minutes getting started. Whether you're hiring your first employee or managing a growing team, Central ensures you never have to worry about back-office operations again. ## Central Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users appreciate the **excellent customer support** of Central, noting quick responsiveness and attention to detail. (21 reviews) - Users highly value the **exceptional response time** of Central's support team, providing quick and effective assistance when needed. (15 reviews) - Users recognize the **unmatched time savings** with Central, freeing them from payroll and operational headaches effortlessly. (14 reviews) - Users value the **reliability and support** of Central, enhancing productivity and ensuring timely payroll management effortlessly. (12 reviews) - Users value the **automation** of HR tasks with Central, significantly enhancing efficiency and saving valuable time. (11 reviews) - Users appreciate the **ease of use** of Central, enabling efficient payroll management through a simple Slack integration. (11 reviews) - Users value the **smooth and personalized onboarding** process of Central, enhancing their experience and peace of mind. (8 reviews) - Payroll (8 reviews) - Users highly value the **effortless payroll management** provided by Central, appreciating the seamless integration and support. (7 reviews) - Easy Setup (6 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users experience **clarity issues** with pricing and insurance details, leading to confusion and frustration. (2 reviews) - Users feel the **date issues** with transparency and tax filing processes could be improved for better clarity. (1 reviews) - Users find the **absence of certain HR features** a drawback, though updates are in progress to address this. (1 reviews) - Users are frustrated by the **integration issues** in Central, as some essential tools are still not supported. (1 reviews) - Users find Central's **user interface not intuitive** , preferring the smoother experience offered by Slack instead. (1 reviews) ## Central Reviews ### 1. Central: Your Startup's Payroll & HR Secret Weapon **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Tim T. **Reviewed Date:** February 06, 2026 **What do you like best about Central?** I use Central to manage our payroll and benefits, and I really appreciate that it's all set up and I don't have to think about it. This makes it really easy for us. We've been using it from the very beginning when we first set up payroll for our startup company, and it's worked seamlessly the whole time. Central also manages state filings and stuff for us, which is kinda like having an HR team. It's really nice because we have Slack access to them, and it's insanely cheaper than hiring actual HR employees. Having fewer things to think about on that front is super helpful. What I like most is that Central acts like an HR team without needing to pay for staff. **What do you dislike about Central?** N/A **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** With Central, I don't have to worry about payroll and benefits, it's seamless and feels like having an HR team without the cost. Their management of state filings is a relief, and overall, it reduces the admin burden, letting me focus on growing my company. ### 2. I don't want to care about payroll and benefits admin and now I don't have to! **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Zach F. | Co-Founder, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 09, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** Really nice having a slackbot I can just @ and tell to hire someone, pay them a bonus, terminate them, etc. I don't need to think about... anything really. I don't know what's happening behind the curtain, and that's fine, because there are no issues and no complaints and I focus on the business! Everyone is also super responsive, which helps a lot--it's not like you're left with just an AI agent to contend with. Knowledgeable, friendly folks. **What do you dislike about Central?** I've never used any other benefits administrator, so it's hard to say what I'm missing, but I also don't really care! **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** Central handles all payroll and one-time payments, reimbursements, etc. and all of the taxes behind the scenes. It's amazing how much happens without us paying attention to it. Just a huge piece of the business that I can put completely on autopilot. ### 3. Central Handles the Busywork So I Can Focus on the Business **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** James A. | Chief Executive Officer, Design, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 21, 2026 **What do you like best about Central?** As somebody who runs a design studio, my primary focus needs to be on the work itself - I want a platform to handle all the busywork and admin of running the business. **What do you dislike about Central?** I'll admit I had some hesitations about whether an early-stage startup would be robust enough for my needs. But honestly, Central has exceeded my expectations. **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** The biggest difference has been realizing that everything gets taken care of automatically for me. Whenever I think 'has this form been filled out and submitted', I go to check and realize it was handled months ago. I'm saving anywhere from a couple hours to a few days per month on various admin like payroll, onboarding contractors, compliance etc. **Official Response from Katie Hoag:** > Hi James, thank you for leaving us a review - so happy to hear you're saving up to a few days a month by no longer having to manage payroll, onboarding, and compliance and can now just focus on building your design studio! That's what we strive for. We are lucky to have you as a customer! ### 4. Worries gone! **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Gillian V. | Founder & CEO, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 12, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** Ease of use, customer support, ease of implementation **What do you dislike about Central?** The downside is it's missing some HR features but they are working on adding them **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** Managing compliance requirements across multiple states was becoming a nightmare with our previous platform. I had to handle everything manually and there was no monitoring system in place, which meant constantly worrying about missing deadlines or requirements. My main concern before switching was PTO management for our employees, but Central's team assured me that feature is being added soon. The real game-changer was when Central handled our state registrations promptly at a great price point and helped me navigate a complicated employee leave situation; or when they connected me to the right lawyer to help me navigate an unknown situation. Now I can actually focus on growing my team and improving customer satisfaction instead of drowning in back-office compliance work. ### 5. Co-Founder and COO/CFO **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Laura S. | Co-Founder/COO/CFO, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 24, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** As a startup with a few employees, we needed to move fast and I was honestly overwhelmed by all the payroll choices out there - especially the extra fees for each new service. What really made the difference for us was Central's one fee model and how easy it was to handle our non-US contractors. The Slack integration is amazing too! I'm not sure exactly how much time it saves monthly but its so simple and i really don't have to think about it which given everything else going on is a gift. Would definitely recommend to other founders who just want payroll handled without the headache. **What do you dislike about Central?** Not sure when we will outgro it but not a concern for the near future! **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** Ease with my non US contractors and simplicity to onboard new hires **Official Response from Katie Hoag:** > Hi Laura, thanks so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We're happy to hear that handling onboarding & payroll for your non-US contractors has been easy and that you have peace of mind from not having to think about payroll and compliance -- that's what we strive for! Thanks for being an awesome customer, and if there's anything we can do to better support you, please don't hesitate to let us know. ### 6. The best thing since the printing press **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Yeng Kerng T. | CEO, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 16, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** What I like best is that there’s nothing to “like” in the usual sense. Central doesn’t demand admiration; it doesn’t even demand thought. It takes what was once the very marrow of drudgery—PTO approvals, onboarding checklists, expense reports— and makes it feel less like software and more like infrastructure: like electricity, or plumbing. You don’t see it; you just live in the comfort of it. What I like best is that I no longer experience HR as a category of existence. Instead, there is only Slack, and through Slack, there is Central: the hidden architecture of an intricate system where the paperwork does itself. **What do you dislike about Central?** It isn't cheap, but also, you get what you pay for, which in this case is amazing stuff. **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** It removes the problem of having to remember that there were problems in the first place. Before, HR was a tangle of problems, each demanding its own password and level of attention. Now, everything collapses into a single Slack message. The benefit is less about “efficiency” in the corporate sense, and more about mental clarity. I don’t have to stop what I’m doing to switch contexts, or open a dozen tabs, or worry that I’ve missed some hidden step. Central keeps all the machinery running in the background, so that my day feels less like I’m navigating an obstacle course and more like I’m just… working. **Official Response from Katie Hoag:** > Thank you Yeng for taking the team to leave us a review! We are so happy to hear that Central has replaced "the very marrow of drudgery" (what a fantastically poetic phrase btw) so you have the time and clarity to focus on building your business. Our hope is that you rarely have to think of us, if at all, and it's wonderful to hear that has been your experience. If there's anything we can do to better support you, please don't hesitate to let us know! ### 7. Effortless Payroll Management with Central's Slack Integration **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Conor I. **Reviewed Date:** November 11, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** I really appreciate that Central integrates seamlessly with Slack, making it incredibly convenient as I rarely have to log in separately. The efficiency and time-saving nature of this feature allow me to focus more on my tasks without worrying about payroll compliance, as the Central team handles that entirely. Their Slack bot is extremely helpful for onboarding employees instantly, which significantly lightens my workload. The transparent pricing structure was another reason we switched to Central, alongside its ease of use. The initial setup was very straightforward, primarily handled by the Central team themselves, enhancing the overall user experience. **What do you dislike about Central?** I think at the beginning, the dashboard that they used when I did have to log in was very bare bones, and additionally, their AI bot at the beginning was a bit bare bones as well. But over time, they've improved these aspects, and the improvements have been very noticeable. **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Central to manage payroll seamlessly, leveraging a Slack bot for onboarding and compliance, which saves me time and effort, making it feel like a managed service. ### 8. Exceptional Support and Effortless Setup **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Austin T. | Chief Executive Officer **Reviewed Date:** November 10, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** I greatly appreciate how Central automates all the back-office functions for payroll, benefits, hiring, and other HRIS and accounting tasks. This automation saves me a significant amount of time, allowing me to focus on other responsibilities as a founder/CEO. The customer support offered by Central is truly exceptional. They are always available to address my questions and resolve issues swiftly. Their support goes above and beyond, as they even assist in solving problems that lie outside their direct domain, such as helping with a benefits issue that was actually the broker’s fault. The Slack integration is another feature I find extremely valuable, as it provides a natural and intuitive interface, making it feel as if I have an expansive HR team ready to assist whenever needed. Additionally, the initial setup of Central was remarkably easy, taking less than an hour because they provided assistance to set everything up for us. This excellent support and functionality make Central an indispensable tool for managing our HR operations efficiently. **What do you dislike about Central?** I don't like that Central doesn't have integrations for all tools yet. Although they have expanded quite a bit since we started using them, we occasionally encounter tools that aren't integrated, such as Pave for compensation data. **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Central to automate back-office tasks like payroll and benefits, saving time as a founder/CEO. The excellent support handles issues swiftly, and Slack integration offers a seamless HR interface. **Official Response from Katie Hoag:** > Thanks so much Austin for leaving us a review - really thrilled to hear our automation and customer support has saved you time to focus on building your business! Thanks your your feedback about increasing our integrations to include Pave for for compensation data - I've passed this along to our product team so its on their radar. If there's anything else we can do to better support you, please don'y hesitate to ask! ### 9. Effortless Payroll with Central, **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Dom C. **Reviewed Date:** November 07, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** I really appreciate how reliable Central is for a wide variety of tasks. Whenever I have a question or need to accomplish something, Central is my first point of contact, as they usually can address my needs. The ease of setup is another remarkable advantage; the Central team managed everything manually, so I didn’t have to do any of the setup myself, making the initial use extremely straightforward and hassle-free. Additionally, the integration with other tools such as Thatch for medical purposes and Puzzle for accounting is very beneficial, allowing for a cohesive workflow. Overall, my experience has been positive, culminating in my willingness to highly recommend Central to others. **What do you dislike about Central?** I have encountered some issues with Central's user interface (UI). As Central is relatively new, it feels like they are more focused on using Slack rather than offering a polished UI experience. There are a few small UI issues that I notice when I try to accomplish tasks through the UI. However, when I use Slack, everything works really well. I think focusing more on enhancing the user interface could improve the overall experience. **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** Central streamlines my payroll processes, manages contractors' hours, and files legal forms, saving me time and ensuring compliance. It's a reliable point of contact for any questions or tasks, and setting it up was super easy as they handled everything. **Official Response from Katie Hoag:** > Thanks so much Dom for taking the time to leave us a review. Happy to hear you found onboarding to be simple, and that you find the integrations with Thatch and Puzzle beneficial! Thank you for your feedback on the web UI - our team is working on improving the web experience and your thoughts would be really valuable here. I'll follow up to see if you could share any specific examples of where the UI can be improved to pass along to our eng team. Thanks Dom! ### 10. Effortless Payroll Management with Exceptional Support **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Shashank C. | Founder **Reviewed Date:** November 04, 2025 **What do you like best about Central?** I love how Central ensures my payroll runs on time, making sure my employees are paid and I'm in compliance with all regulatory bodies related to payroll. It's reassuring to have such reliability. The accessibility and responsiveness of the Central team is amazing. I appreciate not having to go through complex processes to get help when needed. They're easily reachable, even embedded within our Slack channel, which means I can quickly get in touch with a real person who understands the urgency of payroll-related matters, and that's invaluable for someone in my position, running a business. The setup process was incredibly smooth; my onboarding was effectively completed during the sales call within the first ten minutes, which speaks for itself. All these elements make Central an excellent choice for managing payroll and compliance, enhancing my productivity and peace of mind immensely. **What do you dislike about Central?** N/A **What problems is Central solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use Central to easily onboard and pay new employees and contractors, manage compliance-related paperwork, and ensure payroll runs smoothly and on time. It integrates well into my Slack, making support accessible and efficient when needed. **Official Response from Katie Hoag:** > Hi Sonny, thanks for leaving us a review! Thrilled to hear you enjoy the responsiveness of our team in Slack - that's what we're here for! Super happy to hear we were able to onboard you in 10 mins, we try to make it as easy and painless as possible. Appreciate your support and thanks for being an awesome customer! - [View Central pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/central-central/reviews/central-review-11330504?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-07-22+03%3A28%3A36+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=c61fcd30-d395-4651-b1d2-247368e620e8&secure%5Btoken%5D=ae5ac5a66567046c015750d43e7a1c7d97517b0ed0fd57cfe8f314a34bed1273&format=llm_user) ## Central Integrations - [QuickBooks Online](https://www.g2.com/products/quickbooks-online/reviews) - [Slack](https://www.g2.com/products/slack/reviews) - [Slack Connector for Jira](https://www.g2.com/products/slack-connector-for-jira/reviews) ## Central Features **Employee Self Service** - Web Portal - Benefits Manager - Mobile **Administration** - Payroll Entry - Time Off Accrual - Direct Deposit - Expense Reimbursement - Pre-tax Deductions - Wage Garnishment - Approvals - Check/W-2 Printing - Check/W-2 Delivery **Taxes** - Tax Calculation - Tax Filing - Automatic Tax Payment **Integration** - API / Integration - Time Tracking Integration - Accounting Integration - Core HR Integration **Platform** - Reporting and Dashboards - User, Role, and Access Management - Performance and Reliability - Scalability ## Top Central Alternatives - [Rippling](https://www.g2.com/products/rippling/reviews) - 4.8/5.0 (11,578 reviews) - [Gusto](https://www.g2.com/products/gusto/reviews) - 4.6/5.0 (11,759 reviews) - [RUN Powered by ADP](https://www.g2.com/products/run-powered-by-adp/reviews) - 4.7/5.0 (5,933 reviews)