TriNet is a cloud-based HR platform and Professional Employer Organization (PEO). It streamlines payroll, benefits, compliance, and applicant tracking for small and mid-sized businesses. The platform combines essential HR functions into a single dashboard.
However, not every business benefits equally. While TriNet shines in payroll and benefits, its applicant tracking system falls short for teams managing high-volume recruitment.
Our research team invested over 42 hours to analyze TriNet’s features, user feedback, pricing, and integrations. This TriNet review shows where it excels and where teams might struggle.
Why Trust Our TriNet Review?
This TriNet review is based on thorough research from trusted sources:
- We examined TriNet's official website and product documentation to verify all features and pricing details.
- We analyzed verified user reviews from G2, Capterra, and others. This helped us understand real-world experiences and common themes.
- We avoided third-party sites and unverified sources. Instead, we focused on direct user feedback and professional software reviews.
There are no affiliate links or paid placements affecting this review. Our aim is to help founders, TA leaders, and hiring managers see where TriNet shines and where teams might face challenges.
TriNet Overview
TriNet is a complete HR platform that covers the entire employee lifecycle. This includes recruitment, onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, and compliance reporting.
It’s especially ideal for companies that want HR outsourcing support alongside technology. Its applicant tracking system is built into a broader HR solution. This setup allows for candidate posting, workflow automation, and analytics all in one system.
TriNet Key Features
Here are the primary features you’ll find within TriNet’s platform:
- Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Post jobs, manage candidates, and review feedback all in one place.
- Candidate Profile Management: Access detailed candidate profiles with resumes, interview notes, and assessment scores.
- Automated Hiring Workflows: Build customizable hiring pipelines tailored to specific roles or teams.
- Job Board Distribution: Push listings to major job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and CareerBuilder to increase reach.
- Reporting & Analytics: Generate pre-built and custom reports to measure recruitment performance.
- Background Check Integration: Request FCRA-compliant checks with partner tools linked to candidates' profiles.
- All-in-One HR Platform: Beyond ATS, TriNet provides payroll, time tracking, benefits admin, and performance management modules.
- Mobile Access: Employees and admins can engage with HR workflows and self-service tasks from mobile devices.
TriNet Pricing
TriNet uses custom, per-employee-per-month (PEPM) pricing rather than published tiers.
Pricing varies based on company size, location, industry, and service level selection. To get an accurate quote, you must contact their sales team.
Pros and Cons of TriNet
Here are the main benefits of TriNet from verified user reviews:
- Unified HR Platform: Users appreciate having payroll, benefits, compliance, and ATS all in one place. This reduces the number of systems HR teams need to manage.
- Accurate Payroll Processing: Many reviewers praise TriNet for its payroll accuracy and automated tax filing. This helps minimise payroll errors.
- Strong Benefits & Compliance Support: Customers value TriNet's benefits packages and compliance guidance, especially small businesses without in-house HR.
- Dedicated HR Support: Many reviews mention that TriNet assigns Customer Success Managers (CSMs) or HR reps who actively assist with issues and regulatory changes.
- Employee Self-Service Tools: Reviewers like that staff can access pay stubs, time tracking, and PTO through mobile devices.
While TriNet excels in various areas, here are the drawbacks reported by users:
- High & Complex Pricing: Many customers find costs and add-ons unclear upfront, leading to surprise charges during renewal or scaling.
- Steep Learning Curve: Multiple reviews note that the user interface (UI) can be confusing for newcomers, requiring time or training for admins.
- Inconsistent Support Experience: While some praise dedicated reps, others report slow ticket resolution and varying support quality.
- Limited ATS Capabilities: Users who compared specialist ATSs note that TriNet's hiring tools are functional but lack the depth found in dedicated recruiting platforms.
- Occasional Platform Issues: Several reviewers mention intermittent bugs, slow report downloads, and workflow bottlenecks.
- Paid Feature Add-Ons: Several users point out that advanced reporting, recruiting enhancements, or premium integrations can raise overall costs.
How Can Integrating Skima AI Handle TriNet Limitations?
TriNet’s built-in ATS handles the basics well, but can lag on intelligent screening, shortlisting, and rediscovery.
Skima AI embeds explainable match scores and recruiter-facing workflows directly inside TriNet, so teams get faster, auditable decisions without leaving the platform.
Benefits for recruiters and hiring managers:
- Explainable Match Scores: Adds a 0–100 AI match score and clear reasons for each application. This helps recruiters understand why a candidate is a good fit.
- In-ATS Shortlist Loop: Creates a secure shortlist link. Hiring managers can respond (Yes/No/Maybe), and their feedback is recorded as activity notes for quick alignment.
- Rediscover Talent: Uses historical application and outcome data to surface qualified candidates already in TriNet. This reduces the need for repeat sourcing.
- Writes Back Structured Data: Pushes tags (e.g., “SKIMA Screened”), activity notes, and optional stage updates into TriNet for easy filtering and audit trails.
- Fast, Secure Setup: Integration uses TriNet REST APIs and webhooks. It allows quick pilot testing while ensuring enterprise security and compliance.
Who Should Consider TriNet?
TriNet is a good fit for:
- SMB founders who want HR and compliance in one place.
- HR leaders who want payroll, benefits, and ATS in a single ecosystem.
- Teams that prefer experts to manage payroll tax and risk.
- Companies that plan to scale HR processes over time.
Who Should Avoid TriNet?
TriNet may not be suitable for:
- Lean recruiting teams need advanced standalone ATS features.
- Startups with very limited budgets or simple hiring needs.
- Organizations that want clear, fixed pricing without custom quotes.
Summary
As this TriNet review found, it excels as a full-service HR and PEO platform, combining core HR functions with applicant tracking in one place. It’s especially valuable if you want unified HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance support under one roof.
However, its pricing model and deeper HR complexity can be challenging for teams primarily focused on recruiting and acquisition.
To bridge recruiting gaps and maximize ROI, integrating Skima AI with TriNet can elevate candidate rediscovery, screening, and shortlisting. This creates a modern, competitive hiring process that uses automation where TriNet’s core ATS might not meet needs.
TriNet Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is TriNet?
TriNet is a full-service HR and PEO platform that combines payroll, benefits, compliance, and basic applicant tracking to help small and mid-sized businesses outsource HR and scale securely.
2. How much does TriNet cost?
TriNet uses custom pricing based on employee count, selected services, and industry. Expect per-employee monthly fees plus optional add-ons. Contact TriNet directly for a tailored quote and contract terms.
3. Can TriNet handle payroll, benefits, and taxes?
Yes. TriNet provides payroll processing, automated tax filings, and benefits administration, reducing administrative workload and compliance risk for companies without dedicated internal HR and payroll teams.
4. Does TriNet include an applicant tracking system (ATS)?
TriNet includes a built-in ATS for posting jobs, tracking applicants, and running basic hiring workflows. Organizations needing advanced recruiting automation may want to integrate a specialized ATS.
5. Can TriNet integrate with Skima AI for smarter screening?
Yes, Skima AI integrates with TriNet to add explainable match scores, automated shortlists, and streamlined recruiter workflows. This speeds up screening and boosts collaboration, all while keeping TriNet as the main source of record.
