Rippling vs Cornerstone OnDemand

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Our analysts compared Rippling vs Cornerstone OnDemand based on data from our 400+ point analysis of HR Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Rippling is a cloud-based, unified platform that helps manage employee data, payroll, benefits, devices, apps and more, seamlessly integrating essential HR, IT and financial functions. Designed for small and medium businesses, it lets administrators oversee operations from HR to IT with a single click.

Features include custom reporting and graphs, digital document management, time tracking, workflow approval management and provisioning. It enables users to automate administrative work from onboarding new hires to offboarding.
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Cornerstone OnDemand is a cloud-based talent and performance management product. Together with its subsidiaries, it helps companies cater to their people development and management needs, handling the employee lifecycle from start to end. Five modules support recruiting, learning, performance and content management. It can be accessed from anywhere at any time, regardless of the user’s location or device type.
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$8/User, Monthly
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$6/User, Monthly
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Windows
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Linux
Android
Chromebook
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Linux
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Cloud
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Mobile
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Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
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Videos
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Email
Phone
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Powerful Reporting: Provide employee turnover insights for HR, app usage monitoring for IT and compensation trends for finance. The platform facilitates the creation of customized reports and graphs, providing crucial data for informed decision-making. Run powerful prebuilt reports like compensation and payroll journal reports, or create custom reports and graphs using any employee attribute. 
  • Automatic Tax Filing: The system simplifies payroll tax calculations and filing, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local agencies. From W2s and W4s to 1099s and new hire filings, automate all compliance-related tasks, bringing peace of mind to administrative processes. 
  • Go Paperless: Digitize and manage every document, from offer letters to employee handbooks, streamlining processes and reducing reliance on paper.
  • Seamless Integration: Connect with over 500 apps to set up new hires in platforms like Slack, issue corporate cards that integrate directly with the Rippling's Financial Cloud payroll system, control door access with Proxy, and automate manual tasks through the Rippling App Shop. 
  • Unified Employee Database: Get accurate employee data across all modules, eliminating manual entry and minimizing errors in the workforce management process. The system’s advanced Rippling Recruiting ATS integrates seamlessly with their Headcount Planning and Compensation Bands products. 
  • Robust Data Protection: Enhance security by incorporating Cylance for real-time, AI-powered threat detection, safeguarding devices from malware and viruses.
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  • Attract the Right Talent: Showcase brand values and company culture via interactive media. An intuitive application mechanism, along with creative media, helps attract more quality job seekers and brings the right talent. 
  • Identify the Best Fit: Talent managers have a comprehensive view of the talent pool. They can receive suggestions and analyze candidates based on set requisition criteria to identify the best fit applicants. 
  • Simplified Hiring Process: Create automated workflows that simplify hiring procedures. Leverage detailed insights in a central place for candidate requisition purposes. 
  • Effective Employee Onboarding: Talent managers can create customized onboarding portals for hiring. Having a tailor-made, self-paced and interactive content platform helps eliminate challenges associated with onboarding. 
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Track employee performance and visualize data with configurable analytics to make faster and more informed decisions. 
  • Optimized Employee Training: Provide a modern and optimized learning experience with automated assignments, optional and recommended content, powerful searching, self-driven browsing for employee development and more. 
  • On-Going Performance Development: Engage, inspire, motivate and coach employees to improve performance, achieve organizational alignment and build business agility. 
  • Easy Deployment: Easily deploy content in any form, like interactive assignments, quizzes, videos and more, using self-developed content or content curated by Cornerstone OnDemand. 
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  • Onboarding and Offboarding: Onboard employees across departments from anywhere in the world with a single click, setting up payroll, benefits, devices, and apps like Slack and Microsoft 365 within 90 seconds, according to the vendor. When employees are offboarded, the system automatically disables departing employees’ devices. 
  • Payroll: Users need not worry about deductions, paid time off or promotions — the payroll feature is synced with all employee data and HR systems. New hires are set up in payroll and pro-rated automatically. Tools like payrun comparison allow users to compare the current pay run against a previous one, so they can see how variables like promotions and PTO affect employee pay stubs. The module’s global payroll feature expands HR, IT and financial services abroad.
  • Benefits Administration: The system streamlines all a company’s benefits offerings in one place, from healthcare to 401(k)s. Users can choose from preexisting benefits or shop for new benefits, receiving recommendations on the best options. They can also talk with a licensed Rippling advisor or invite their own broker. New hires are automatically invited to review benefit plans and enroll online. 
  • Workflow Management: Automates changes in the chain of approval, empowering managers to define and execute changes quickly and easily. Managers can and make changes, like giving someone a raise, without giving up control.
  • Time Tracking: Managers can set a PTO policy that meets the team's requirements. They can then review and approve vacation requests with a click. Logged hours and paid time off are synced with payroll. 
  • ATS: Rippling Recruiting offers a comprehensive toolset, from candidate assessments and in-platform scheduling to feedback forms and customizable email templates. One-click hiring workflows make it easier to manage onboarding. It also integrates with Rippling Headcount Planning and Compensation Band.
  • Rippling Headcount Planning and Compensation Bands: Achieve visibility and alignment for HR, finance and hiring managers with a single source of data and better access controls.
    • Stakeholders can view actual and projected headcount, and automation saves time during the approval process.
    • Compensation reporting helps track pay trends and prevent over or underpaying. Workflows provide alerts when compa-ratios change and automate the process of enforcing compensation policies.
  • ACA and Cobra Administration: Ensures compliance by automatically delivering ACA notices, and it collects and submits employees’ COBRA payments. It also offers FSA, HSA and commuter benefits on one, pre-tax debit card. 
  • IT and Operations Management: Users can automatically buy, configure, secure and manage company devices — both Apple and Android — with an IT system connected to a single employee record. Administrators gain total visibility into every device across the company. They can remotely track employees’ security status and app usage, make changes, and re-assign devices to new employees. They can also install apps on work computers according to attributes like role and location. 
  • Security: Facilitates app management, controls employee access with single sign-on (SSO), and ensures data security with multi-factor authentication and device encryption features. Managers can disable computers during offboarding, encrypt employees’ hard drives, enable multi-factor authentication, push OS and security updates, and lock and wipe lost or stolen devices. 
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  • Enable an Integrated Ecosystem: Select from a range of pre-built integrations and quickly plug in to the most suitable choice. Having an integrated and holistic ecosystem helps support organizational needs effectively. 
  • Applicant Experience: Recruiting tools include applicant tracking and an easy-to-configure website that help improve the overall experience of applicants. 
  • Learning Management: Offers numerous learning experiences. Consists of informal learning, delivery method management and reporting, all in one place. 
  • Machine Learning: Recommends content to learners, helping them improve self-driven development via quality content. 
  • Robust Partner Ecosystem: Helps extend the life of systems existing at partner organizations, minimizes disruption, and maintains effective localizations and customizations. 
  • Audit Insights: Supports administering and auditing employee record changes. Audits are carried out with minimal risk and aim to align talent management to the organization's talent strategy. 
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Product Ranking

#47

among all
HR Management Software

#26

among all
HR Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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73
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96
59
42
16
70
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Availability and Scalability
Platform Security
Payroll Management
Availability and Scalability
Employee Engagement
Learning Management
Succession Management
Performance Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Rippling
Cornerstone OnDemand
+ Add Product + Add Product
Applicant Tracking And Recruiting Benefits Management Compensation Management Document Management Employee Engagement Employee Onboarding And Administration Employee Self Service Learning Management Payroll Management Performance Management Platform Capabilities Reporting And Dashboard Succession Management Time And Attendance Management Workforce Management 66 59 16 64 42 82 73 50 87 41 63 61 0 43 37 96 42 70 93 100 85 67 100 64 98 86 92 100 45 65 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Rippling
Cornerstone OnDemand
+ Add Product + Add Product
Availability And Scalability Deployment Options Integrations And Extensibility Mobile Platform Security 100 50 84 100 100 50 42 92 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Vendor Qualification Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 4543 reviews
Great User Sentiment 1252 reviews
97%
of users recommend this product

Rippling has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 97% when considering 4543 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

84%
of users recommend this product

Cornerstone OnDemand has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 1252 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

n/a
5.0 (21)
4.9 (1154)
4.1 (464)
4.88 (1615)
4.3 (211)
4.9 (1354)
n/a
n/a
4.3 (157)
4.4 (420)
4.2 (399)

Awards

Rippling stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Cornerstone OnDemand and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Employee Engagement, Learning Management and Succession Management.

Employee Engagement Award
Learning Management Award
Succession Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Global Payroll and Benefits: Rippling streamlines international payroll and benefits administration, eliminating the need for disparate systems and manual processes.
Automated Onboarding and Offboarding: New hires can be onboarded efficiently with automated workflows that handle paperwork, equipment provisioning, and systems access. Similarly, offboarding processes are streamlined, ensuring smooth transitions and compliance.
Customizable Workflows: Rippling allows HR teams to create custom workflows tailored to their specific needs, automating tasks such as approvals, data collection, and notifications.
Integrations: Rippling integrates seamlessly with various HR and business applications, including payroll, benefits, time and attendance, and applicant tracking systems, creating a unified HR ecosystem.
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Reporting: The reporting feature is simple to use and intuitive, with several options to choose from, according to 90% of reviews on reporting.
Robust Learning Module: It constantly stays up-to-date with the latest and effective learning trends to provide a better user experience, as indicated by 100% of reviews mentioning learning features.
All-in-One Solution: Cornerstone OnDemand is a complete solution for all performance management needs of companies in all industries, according to all reviews on this aspect.
Regular Updates: The platform consistently releases updates to serve users better, according to all reviews on software updates.
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Steep Learning Curve: The platform's complexity can be overwhelming for new users, especially those unfamiliar with HR software. Navigating the interface and understanding its features may require significant time investment and training.
Customer Support Challenges: Some users have reported difficulties reaching customer support or experiencing slow response times, leading to frustration when seeking assistance with technical issues or general inquiries.
Integrations and Customization Limitations: While Rippling offers various integrations, it may not seamlessly connect with all existing HR systems or third-party tools used by businesses, potentially requiring additional configuration or workarounds.
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Customer Service: All reviews on customer service indicated that the response and resolution times are slow.
Learning Curve: According to 80% of reviews on this feature, there’s a steep learning curve and adapting to the system is time-consuming and complex for new users.
Mobile App: It has a slow and underdeveloped mobile app compared to the web platform, according to all reviews referring to this feature.
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Navigating the realm of human resources software can feel like venturing into a labyrinth, but Rippling appears to be a guiding light for many businesses. Users frequently highlight its user-friendly interface, making it accessible even for those with limited experience in HR software. Affordability is another key factor that resonates with users, especially when compared to the often hefty price tags of similar solutions. The comprehensive suite of features offered by Rippling further solidifies its appeal, encompassing everything from payroll and benefits administration to talent management and time tracking. This all-in-one approach eliminates the need for multiple, disparate systems, streamlining HR processes and reducing administrative burdens. Rippling distinguishes itself through its seamless integrations with third-party applications, such as Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Office 365. This interconnectedness fosters a more cohesive and efficient work environment, allowing data to flow effortlessly between different platforms. Additionally, Rippling's automation capabilities empower businesses to automate repetitive tasks, such as onboarding new employees or processing payroll, freeing up valuable time and resources. The platform's robust reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights into workforce trends and performance, enabling data-driven decision-making. Considering its strengths and weaknesses, Rippling emerges as an ideal solution for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a comprehensive, yet affordable and user-friendly HR platform. Its scalability ensures that it can grow alongside a business, adapting to evolving needs and complexities. While larger enterprises with more intricate HR requirements might require a more customizable solution, Rippling's core functionalities and ease of use make it a compelling choice for businesses looking to optimize their HR operations and enhance overall efficiency.

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Cornerstone OnDemand’s cloud-based talent and performance management solutions deliver robust learning capabilities alongside comprehensive performance tools. Slow customer service, a steep learning curve and an underdeveloped mobile application are some of the most repeated cons among user feedback. However, users thought highly of its regular updates and simple, intuitive reporting. Those, along with the learning and performance features make it a good option for companies with a high priority in those particular areas.

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Screenshots

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