SAP SuccessFactors vs Sage People comparison

Sage and SAP are both solutions in the Cloud HCM category. Sage is ranked #28, while SAP is ranked #2 with an average rating of 7.6. Sage holds a 0.8% mindshare in CHCM, compared to SAP’s 19.9% mindshare. Additionally, 81% of Sage users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of SAP users who would recommend it.

Sage People

Read 15 Sage People reviews

699 Views
440 Comparison Views

81% willing to recommend

SAP SuccessFactors

Read 97 SAP SuccessFactors reviews

9,562 Views
7,363 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Sage People

SAP SuccessFactors

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

SAP SuccessFactors and Sage People compete in the Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS) market. SAP SuccessFactors seems to have the upper hand in enterprise functionality with its AI integration, while Sage People offers robust reporting and flexible pricing favorable for mid-sized enterprises.

Features: SAP SuccessFactors offers comprehensive coverage of the employee lifecycle with modularity and integration capabilities. Its predictive analytics and AI enhance functionality for enterprises, and it integrates with third-party applications. Sage People provides customizable reporting, mobile access, and seamless financial system integration, focusing on data storage and reporting.

Room for Improvement: SAP SuccessFactors requires better analytics, integration, and role-based permissions systems, alongside more intuitive user experiences. Sage People could improve customization, stability, and performance management, with enhancements needed in automation capabilities and user interface.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SAP SuccessFactors mainly operates on the public cloud, necessitating direct support for complex processes, with some users experiencing bureaucratic support. Sage People, on both public and private clouds, is regarded for efficient support, though speed could improve, experiencing fewer escalations than SAP SuccessFactors.

Pricing and ROI: SAP SuccessFactors is higher priced, suitable for large organizations, with user and module-based pricing offering potential ROI through HR process automation. Sage People offers flexible licensing as a more economical option for small to mid-sized enterprises, aligning with market standards for better ROI while streamlining HR functions.

To learn more, read our detailed SAP SuccessFactors vs. Sage People Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

SAP SuccessFactors vs. Sage People

July 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Sage People

Ranking in Talent Management

31st

Ranking in Cloud HCM

28th

Ranking in Talent Acquisition

18th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Benefits Administration (33rd), HR Analytics Software (12th)

SAP SuccessFactors

Ranking in Talent Management

2nd

Ranking in Cloud HCM

2nd

Ranking in Talent Acquisition

2nd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Global Payroll (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Cloud HCM category, the mindshare of Sage People is 0.8%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP SuccessFactors is 19.9%, down from 22.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud HCM Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
SAP SuccessFactors	19.9%
Sage People	0.8%
Other	79.3%

Cloud HCM

Featured Reviews

Spencer Gray

People Advisor at Thomas International

Highly customizable, robust, and access to helpful online community

In my opinion, the performance management module of this system could use improvement as it falls behind compared to other specialized performance management platforms. While I understand that this system is not solely focused on performance management and is more of a generalist solution, it still lacks the capabilities and features that you can find in other specialized platforms. If we were to switch to a provider solely focused on performance management, we would have access to a wider range of features and capabilities that are not currently available in this system. Sage People offers a wide range of functions that meet most requirements. However, there is still room for improvement. One feature that I would like to see added is the ability to detect and address any failures in the custom processes or functions built within the system. I would like to see a tool that can automatically sense and identify any issues in the system. Currently, when something goes wrong, it's not always immediately obvious and requires a lot of manual troubleshooting. It would be helpful if there was an error message that clearly explained why the system is failing. This would speed up the investigation process and make it ten times faster.

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Renelia Villanueva

Vice President & Group Head- People & Workplace Management at Alorica

Moving to a cloud-based employee portal has improved experience but user interface requires attention

I am currently handling SAP sub-modules, particularly in HR. I interface with SAP SuccessFactors modules such as Employee Central, Goals and Performance, and Talent Moving from an in-house developed employee self-service portal to a cloud-based internet solution is an improvement for us.…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Sage People is the integration with our payroll system."

"I guess I would say maybe that it is a more robust system."

"The report builder and dashboard builder are very, very good."

"The solution's initial setup was straightforward."

"The solution provides the ability to trace back records, is reliable, makes life easy, and is secure."

"Sage makes all the information accessible, like pulling a file because an employee needs something ASAP. It's all in the system. It's easy to find old reports if I need them for payroll purposes. It might take days to do some of this work by hand."

"Compared to the other system that we were using, I think Sage is more friendly. As an administrator, Sage's dashboard is visually friendly and many tasks are easier to accomplish. Another feature that we've liked since we started using Sage is the reporting. With the other system, we needed to configure a lot of things manually when it came to reporting, but with Sage the reporting tasks are much simpler."

"The most valuable features of Sage People are the reports that are useful for decision-making and the API that can be integrated well. Additionally, the solution can be accessed from mobile devices onto the cloud."

More Sage People pros

"The functionality and user friendliness are constantly improving."

"It is a scalable solution."

"The interface is really useful and it's very easy to combine different information. For example, we can easily get reports that we need. It's very easy to create reports."

"Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten...It is a stable solution."

"SuccessFactors offers all aspects of Human Resources Management. What I love most about it is that it can be implemented for any company very quickly."

"Currently, we are using the performance and goals management functionality the most. It is connected with the enterprise solution, and it is seamless. It can be easily accessed because it is available via the net. It is readily available, provided you have an internet connection. Their technical support is also very good."

"I think it's perfect that every requirement has flexibility in how it is handled, and that there are several workarounds for any problem we are looking to solve. Each problem has multiple solutions, so it gives us a lot of flexibility in terms of processes."

"This solution has automatic linking and reporting features. Upgrades are hassle-free because you don't need to change everything from scratch, when compared to Meta4."

More SAP SuccessFactors pros

Cons

"The automation in Sage People could improve. The solution is the best used for data storage but the automation could be better to have more functionality."

"The user interface is not great."

"If Sage People were to become a fully cloud-based solution, it could lead to significant improvements. With the COVID pandemic highlighting the benefits of remote work, a complete shift to cloud-based functionality would be a welcome development for users."

"Its stability could be better."

"Its technical support could have been better."

"In my opinion, the performance management module of this system could use improvement as it falls behind compared to other specialized performance management platforms."

"The integration with our payroll system could improve. However, it is managed by another company."

"Right now, Sage doesn't seem to have what we are looking for when it comes to managing HR tickets. In my previous experiences with other HR software, we had to buy another solution to obtain this functionality, and it would be a great feature for Sage to consider adding. For an HR system, Sage would do very well to include it."

More Sage People cons

"User experience for this solution needs to be improved."

"There have been cases involving a lot of re-implementations and frustrations within clients where they have the workbook sessions, the workbook workshops and things like that. And I think that doesn't really go down well because the workbooks are very technical and, a lot of times, very confusing for the client."

"Language settings in the solution need to be improved."

"SAP SuccessFactors can improve the recruitment module and artificial intelligence features. More powerful analytics are needed."

"The graphical user interface (GUI) is not very friendly. On the homepage, it is not possible to place advisories or announcements at the top."

"Some of the screens aren't that user-friendly, older employees especially have a hard time with it. They have some problems with it."

"The organization is planning to move to Darwinbox from SAP SuccessFactors, primarily due to pricing considerations."

"We have many interruptions and disconnection points into processes, which is why we are looking to another solution. We are not so happy with the system. We believe we have in the market better solution, so we are looking for alternatives but so far the system has been used a lot."

More SAP SuccessFactors cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have to purchase the solution's license to use it."

"There is other software on the market that can do similar functions to Sage People that could be better in price. Some solution allows you to do your payroll processes by month or by the process. Small companies could benefit by using another solution."

"I believe we pay licensing on a yearly basis, but I can't comment on the total amount that we pay on licensing."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"I think it's reasonably priced. But in comparison to other systems, I would choose them over Sage People, regardless of their prices."

"The cost of Sage People varies depending on the financial resources of the organization. While it may be affordable for middle-level companies, it may be more challenging for young companies to bear the cost."

"From an SME standpoint, I wouldn't necessarily describe it as expensive. However, for the average startup, it may not be affordable since our current annual expenditure on the system, which supports approximately 210-220 users, amounts to approximately £15,000 to £18,000."

"Its cost is moderate for a multi-group licensing model."

More Sage People pricing and cost advice

"The cost of SAP SuccessFactors is reasonable."

"I have raised change requests for some modules within SuccessFactors. For example, when you're using Recruiting Management, there's a feature called Interview Central you can use to reach the candidates you're interviewing. I wanted to add a writing assessment when I select the competency on that platform. It varies from consultant to consultant, depending on what module they use."

"So now, SAP charges me 300 Euros for 14,000 employees. I still have to pay 2,000 euros because I'm using SAP on-prem."

"Probably, it is one of the priciest products, and is very costly to put up and maintain but because it is a good solution end to end, people take it."

"The solution is on the expensive side but is definitely worth the money."

"This is a more costly solution than comparable products, and training is not available in the open-market, so this has to be purchased separately from the vendor."

"We have a yearly license. There are no additional costs."

"SAP SuccessFactors requires an annual subscription."

More SAP SuccessFactors pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

Comms Service Provider

15%

Educational Organization

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	68

Questions from the Community

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What are the biggest differences between Workday, Oracle Cloud and SAP SuccessFactors?

Differences between Workday, Oracle Cloud,w and SAP SuccessFactors:w Oracle: "simple interface and deep customization to suit the purpose." SAP: Multiple functionalities that increase process effi...

See all answers

What is better, SAP HCM or SAP SuccessFactors?

When it comes to user experience, SuccessFactors is unquestionably superior, as it provides end users with a new experience and an advanced user interface. Additionally, the entire concept of SF is...

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What do you like most about SAP SuccessFactors?

The tool is easy to use for performance management. We haven't experienced any issues with SAP SuccessFactors for performance management, which is great. However, since we're still learning to use ...

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Comparisons

Workday vs Sage People

Compared 41% of the time

Cegid vs Sage People

Compared 33% of the time

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Workday vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 27% of the time

Oracle HCM Cloud vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 16% of the time

SAP HCM vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 15% of the time

PeopleSoft vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 6% of the time

UKG vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 4% of the time

More SAP SuccessFactors Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Sage People

August 2025

Download Sage People product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP SuccessFactors

August 2025

Download SAP SuccessFactors product report

Also Known As

Fairsail

SuccessFactors

Overview

Connect teams across borders

Customise communications: Deliver business updates to specific groups and gather feedback with surveys.
Personalise experiences: Create engaging, branded experiences – tailored by group or region.
Connect global teams: Manage your entire workforce, wherever they are. Embed global policies while enforcing local regulations.
Help teams thrive, anywhere: Support wellbeing, provide localised benefits packages, and more.

Get ahead with actionable HR analytics

Make informed decisions: Use People analytics for actionable insights in seconds.
Provide real-time insights: Give up-to-the-minute recommendations so leaders jump on trends and adjust plans.
Customise dashboards: Plan hiring, analyse attrition, manage absence, and more.
Get actionable feedback: Understand the employee experience through surveys, tailored to different groups.

Compete successfully for top talent

Deliver a differentiated, stand-out candidate experience with easy-to-use employer branding themes and options that shows off your culture and company story.
Fill roles faster with skilled talent using our unique, AI-powered, intelligent candidate matching.
Have new employees hit the ground running with seamless remote pre-boarding and onboarding experiences.

Sage

SAP SuccessFactors is an AI-powered, cloud-based HR suite supporting over 100 countries, providing real-time insights and integrated solutions across core HR, payroll, talent, learning, analytics, and employee experience.

Trusted by over 10,000 organizations, SAP SuccessFactors elevates people processes, decisions, and experiences by empowering employees. It offers AI-driven tools enhancing self-service, learning, performance, and development, unifying people and skills data to align talents with business goals. The platform ensures compliance with legal updates and speeds up results using HR best practices and a robust partner network. Its modular design, seamless integration, and mobile access stand out, supporting global accessibility and talent management. Role-based permissions and automated compliance offer flexibility and security, catering to diverse industries.

What are the most important features of SAP SuccessFactors?

Performance and Goal Management: Facilitates setting and tracking employee objectives.
Employee Lifecycle Management: Streamlines employee processes from recruitment to exit.
Learning Management: Promotes continuous learning and development.
Real-Time Reporting: Provides instant insights into HR data.

What benefits should users look for in SAP SuccessFactors reviews?

Increased Productivity: AI-driven tools enhance workforce agility.
Talent Alignment: Unifying skills data aligns workforce with business priorities.
Compliance Assurance: Regular updates ensure legal and regulatory adherence.
Global Accessibility: Cloud-based platform supports cross-geography management.

Organizations implement SAP SuccessFactors for Performance Management, Talent Acquisition, Learning, and HR core functions, streamlining recruitment, onboarding, records management, goal setting, and performance evaluation. It extends to time management, compensation, and talent development, integrating across geographies for centralized data management, reporting, and analytics, enhancing HR operations and employee engagement.

SAP

Sample Customers

Rocketship Education, Monitise, u-blox, SolarWinds, Mitsubishi, SmartStream, Canonical, Betfair

City of Cape Town, ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd., TransAlta Corporation, Keolis, PT XL Axiata Tbk, National Football League (NFL), Plan International, Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company, China Talent Group (CTG TMO), Umicore S.A., Butterfield Bank, Skril

Buyer's Guide

SAP SuccessFactors vs. Sage People

July 2025

Free Report: SAP SuccessFactors vs. Sage People

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