SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central vs UKG comparison

SAP SuccessFactors Employee...

Read 125 UKG reviews

4,804 Views
2,834 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 16, 2025

UKG and SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central compete in the HR management space. SAP SuccessFactors is seen as superior due to its advanced features and perceived value.

Features: UKG offers strong workforce management and payroll solutions. SAP SuccessFactors provides comprehensive HR capabilities including talent management and analytical tools. SAP's feature set is more robust.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: UKG has a flexible deployment model and strong customer support, simplifying integration. SAP SuccessFactors follows a standardized approach which can take more time, but it supports global compliance, useful for multinational companies.

Pricing and ROI: UKG generally has a lower initial setup cost and quicker ROI due to streamlined deployment. SAP SuccessFactors may involve higher initial costs but offers significant long-term ROI through its extensive features, proving worthwhile for larger enterprises.

To learn more, read our detailed SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central vs. UKG Report (Updated: December 2025).

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central vs. UKG

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 881,082 peers since 2012

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

SAP SuccessFactors Employee...

Ranking in Cloud HCM

15th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

4.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

UKG

Ranking in Cloud HCM

5th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

125

Ranking in other categories

Benefits Administration (4th), Talent Management (6th), Employee Scheduling Software (1st), Employee Time Tracking Software (1st), HR Analytics Software (2nd), Talent Acquisition (6th), AI-Agents for HR (1st)

Featured Reviews

SamanthaPrathikantam

Senior ERP Consultant at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

User-friendly integration capabilities and responsive support enhance operational efficiency

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central is cloud-based, eliminating the need for any infrastructure with readily available data centers. It is very user-friendly and integrates seamlessly with the Employee Central Payroll and all other talent modules. I have utilized the payroll integration, noting that on-premises payroll is called SAP Payroll, while when taken to the cloud, it is referred to as Employee Central Payroll, which runs on the same server and is configured on on-premises but on a different node. Within the cloud, SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central integrates with Employee Central Payroll via point-to-point applications, which push the master data from Employee Central to Employee Central Payroll, forming the bridge between these two modules.

Read full review

Harish_Mahanta

Works

Streamlined time tracking boosts operational efficiency across multiple regions

The time tracking feature is the most effective for employee management. UKG is used in Europe, the United States, Australia, and East Asian countries for HR activities like payroll. The application is like an ERP, providing comprehensive features for organizations, simplifying their processes, and reducing the need to use multiple software solutions.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central is cloud-based, eliminating the need for any infrastructure with readily available data centers, and it is very user-friendly and integrates seamlessly with the Employee Central Payroll and all other talent modules."

"I find SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central to be user-friendly, with a good UI, accessible through Fiori, making it easy to navigate without using T-codes."

"The solution's employee experience is pretty good."

"The solution has improved our organization by helping us cut hours and lessen our labor force. It saved us probably over $100,000 in just the last couple of years."

"The pay policies and approvals are valuable features."

"The employee self-service feature is most valuable. This is the restaurant industry, and they have a mobile app that allows employees to go in and manage their data. So, employees can manage direct deposit accounts, emergency contacts, and other things in the app. That's definitely the biggest benefit."

"The fact that I can see the whole HR information in a single point is valuable. There is a unified view of everything, which is good. Previously, we had many different systems for each part of the information. Now, it is all centralized. It is very good."

"I like UKG's integration."

"The product's most valuable feature is the ability to establish connectivity between the front and the back end, particularly the single point of data entry, to minimize mistakes."

"We use the tool for various functions, including payroll, HR, recruiting, onboarding, and workforce management. We've implemented all these modules across all the clients I've worked with."

More UKG pros

Cons

"SAP can improve RDP and reports by making them more user-friendly, as there are complex processes in understanding and handling them."

"UKG could be a little more flexible in some areas."

"Since UKG is a SaaS software, other parts of the application or add-on solutions are not the best in class or very configurable."

"Reporting is always a hurdle for any user just because it is so extensive. They provide a lot of out-of-the-box reports, but it is something that you always need to work on because you need more advanced writing of reports."

"The platform's features need enhancement while being used as a recruiting tool."

"One area where UKG could improve is in its ability to understand its own competency and then work hard to improve it."

"The system is slow sometimes."

"The solution could use better reporting with standard reports. We use the Cognos platform in BI for a lot of our reporting. However, they need to have more robust standard reporting available to their user base."

"Certainly, the time and attendance and the payroll integration need a lot of work. They are disjointed pieces, and they don't work smoothly together. That's the main drawback."

More UKG cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"I wasn't involved in the pricing part. I'm a user, and I believe it is based on the user count. One thing that is nice about Ultimate is that you can learn how to use the system without additional fees. The learning aspect is the life of a product, and the training was a huge reason why we went with Ultimate. We did have some integration costs. They were a part of the implementation because of the integrations to other systems that we included in our implementation."

"While I am unsure of the licensing cost itself, the total cost of implementation and licensing for a company with over 5000 employees would be around 6,00,000. So, there are additional costs beyond licensing."

"The platform is not affordable but also not the most expensive."

"The pricing depends on the number of licenses we buy."

"UKG's pricing and licensing model involves ongoing expenses based on the number of employees paid. The initial implementation cost is low when UKG implements it directly. However, when partners handle the implementation, it becomes more expensive since partners don't receive the monthly recurring fees."

"If you're going for the full suite, it can be fairly pricey."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Cloud HCM solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	48
Midsize Enterprise	43
Large Enterprise	48

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central?

Regarding improvements or additional features for SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central, nowadays Generative AI is booming, and AI is integrated within SAP. I am planning to get certified in automati...

What is your primary use case for SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central?

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central is essentially the master data for an employee. Compared to on-premises, it is simply OM and PA taken to the cloud and becomes the master data for an employee. R...

What advice do you have for others considering SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central?

The solution has helped to streamline organizational payroll processes. I have worked with many clients who used SAP on-premises, as well as clients with legacy systems, necessitating the retrieval...

What needs improvement with UKG?

UKG needs more publicity. It is a productive ERP ( /categories/erp ) application, but many people in the IT market are not aware of it. Greater awareness could increase its adoption.

What is your primary use case for UKG?

I worked for a healthcare organization and a university. Most organizations use UKG ( /products/ukg-reviews ) to track employee timesheets, capturing accurate swipe-in and swipe-out data. UKG ( /pr...

What advice do you have for others considering UKG?

Publicity is very important for any software. If people aren't aware of UKG, despite its productivity, they won't use it. Expanding the awareness is essential for greater adoption. Overall, I would...

SAP SuccessFactors vs SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central

Comparisons

Compared 34% of the time

Infor CloudSuite vs SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central

Compared 26% of the time

DarwinBox vs SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central

Compared 21% of the time

More SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Competitors

Workday vs UKG

Compared 19% of the time

SAP SuccessFactors vs UKG

Compared 8% of the time

SAP HCM vs UKG

Compared 7% of the time

Dayforce HCM vs UKG

Compared 6% of the time

PeopleSoft vs UKG

Compared 4% of the time

More UKG Competitors

Product Reports

Download SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central product report

Cloud HCM

January 2026

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central report

Download UKG product report

January 2026

Also Known As

No data available

UKG Pro, UKG Dimensons, UKG Ready

Overview

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central is a cloud-based HRIS designed to streamline global HR processes and provide real-time insights for informed HR decisions.

With automated workflows and intelligent services, SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central facilitates end-to-end HR management rather than treating tasks individually. It enhances operational efficiency, delves into deeper insights, and strengthens business results by standardizing HR functions worldwide.

What are the key features of SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central?

Employee Profile & Org Structures: Effectively manage employee data and organizational setups.
Global HR Compliance: Maintain HR compliance across over 100 countries and industries.
Self-Service Tools: Enhance productivity with intuitive self-service functionalities and notifications.
Benefits & Absence Management: Simplify management with built-in capabilities for benefits and absence handling.

What benefits or ROI should users look for?

Increased Efficiency: Streamlined HR processes lead to improved time and resource management.
Improved Decision-Making: Real-time insights aid in making informed HR decisions.
Global Scalability: Capability to seamlessly manage HR functions worldwide.

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central is implemented across various industries to support HR processes tailored to specific industry needs. Its flexibility allows for adaptation, ensuring HR compliance and boosting productivity in diverse business sectors.

SAP

At UKG, our purpose is people — real people with real challenges, and a simple request. Help me keep my employees productive, connected, and happy. So that’s what we did.

We’ve created an unmatched suite of HR and workforce management solutions, backed by our people who care about yours. Our solutions deliver global workforce experiences that truly reflect the connection between life and work today. That means insights are deeper. Work is easier. And interactions are more meaningful.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Tesla, Marriott, Yamaha, Aramark, Feeding America, Samsung, Sony Music, Dave & Buster's, Revlon