ADP Streamline vs IBM Kenexa comparison

ADP and IBM are both solutions in the Benefits Administration category. ADP is ranked #26, while IBM is ranked #18. ADP holds a 2.0% mindshare in BA, compared to IBM’s 1.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of ADP users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of IBM users who would recommend it.

ADP Streamline

Read 7 ADP Streamline reviews

914 Views
503 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Kenexa

Read 30 IBM Kenexa reviews

1,660 Views
548 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

ADP Streamline

IBM Kenexa

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between ADP Streamline and IBM Kenexa based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Benefits Administration solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed ADP Streamline vs. IBM Kenexa Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

ADP Streamline vs. IBM Kenexa

March 2026

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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

ADP Streamline

Ranking in Benefits Administration

26th

Average Rating

8.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Global Payroll (4th)

IBM Kenexa

Ranking in Benefits Administration

18th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Talent Management (18th), Applicant Tracking and Recruiting Software (11th)

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Benefits Administration category, the mindshare of ADP Streamline is 2.0%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Kenexa is 1.8%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Benefits Administration Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
IBM Kenexa	1.8%
ADP Streamline	2.0%
Other	96.2%

Benefits Administration

Featured Reviews

Abdul-Rauf

Manager Payroll Services & Operations at Meshsol Technologies

Simplifies payroll processing and reduces the need for extensive marketing efforts while providing scalability, compliance, and excellent stability

I believe there is room for enhancement in the scope of services. We encountered challenges at times in clearly defining it, particularly because the firewall domain is extensive and demands localization for this service. Consequently, there is occasional confusion regarding whether a service falls under the standard category or is considered an add-on. I think there is a need for a deeper level of comprehension.

Read full review

Karan Grover

Senior Manager at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

Suitable for larger-scale companies aiming to streamline and automate their processes digitally

The deployment of the solution took between six to eight months. When we introduced BrassRing at my company, we encountered several challenges. First, moving data from our old system to BrassRing was tough because it needed reformatting. Second, connecting BrassRing with our HR data was tricky due to manual processes for roles and departments. Third, setting up the workflow in BrassRing was complex. Fourth, configuring user access and approval levels was a detailed task. We also had to manage the change process, including running both old and new systems in parallel, communicating changes, and training users. Lastly, monitoring and reporting were needed to ensure data accuracy and proper system usage once everything was in place. We had a team of six to eight people managing the project from our side during the BrassRing deployment. I'm not sure about the size of the BrassRing team, and we also had our own technical team, which had three to four members. The solution required maintenance, particularly from my side as the administrator. Maintenance responsibilities were divided into two parts: some tasks we, as end-users, could control, while others were the responsibility of the BrassRing team. Payment-related tasks were a regular part of our responsibilities. I wasn't the only person maintaining the solution. There were three power users from Infosys, each responsible for a specific geography. My counterpart managed it in the US, and I, along with my colleague in India, managed it for other geographies.

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

"I like the reporting feature as it allows me to generate reports independently without relying on a payroll consultant."

"They are very strong in terms of having a central regional system. A regional person can see and monitor the calendar for each different country."

"The product is good, user-friendly, and effective."

"The product allows you to create and manage shared services centrally even in small countries."

"The most valuable feature was that everything was in one system."

"The advantage was that ADP Streamline was inherently designed to serve as a marketing engine for the company."

"The ability to have one reporting for all countries is valuable."

"They are very strong in terms of having a central regional system, where a regional person can see and monitor the calendar for each different country and know what stage they are in, if the process has been finalized and approved, and if the process has gone back to the bank, all monitored regionally."

"We acquired a pharmacy retailer three years ago, and Kenexa enabled us to actually standardize our employee engagement across both of those organizations, helping us understand at an enterprise level what was going on and, most importantly, how people were starting to feel about being acquired and joining the broader company space."

"I just think it's a good tool, with great flexibility."

"BrassRing, the applicant tracking system, has brought a high level of automation, specifically for our mass-volume hourly processes."

"IBM Kenexa is fairly stable. We don't have any downtime."

"I like how we can copy a req as we have many duplicates, which saved a lot of time when opening reqs."

"Without this solution, we would have more administrative functions and would need to hire more HR employees."

"We felt like Kenexa was robust enough and dynamic enough that it met our needs, so it didn't make sense for us to disrupt 700 locations and reteach them something."

"Now, having provided this, amongst many other things, we have a much closer relationship to the business."

More IBM Kenexa pros

Cons

"The pricing is high as compared with other products in the market. For a small service that is out of scope, it has a huge service charge."

"Having more clear guidance on design and training would be beneficial."

"The reporting tool could be improved as it currently is just a data dump and much manipulation is required."

"We had to scrap plans to integrate Brazil because it was not doable."

"The product is not quite up to our expectations."

"The UI could be improved to be a bit more modern or trendy because it looks old-fashioned compared to other systems."

"I think there is a need for a deeper level of comprehension."

"They could improve the service relationship manager (SRM), because they have an SRM which is not familiar with Simple."

"In the past year, there has been a significant increase in the amount of internal errors that are displayed."

"I would not recommend IBM Kenexa to others."

"Technical support was not always great. They tend to push you towards workbench admins or paid support."

"I think there is some administrative things that could be easier in terms of Workbench and streamlining that process; configuration of different things."

"Once-a-year engagement kind of seems to be a little bit lagging in terms of how we can actually shape and improve organizations, so I was looking forward to understanding a bit more where IBM Kenexa's thinking is going in terms of pulsing with the employee voice and how that kind of integrates and works with tell-it-as-it-is, and the other two applications we have; it's just too early to know."

"Maybe there's some room for improvement in the functionality around the actual tools that we build with."

"Improved integrations: There are all kinds of issues with integrations, hires failing."

"The team didn't find the reporting tool that easy to use, in terms of pulling their own data, slicing and dicing it, combining groups."

More IBM Kenexa cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The amount we pay is not low, and it is not high. It is average."

"Our company had a standardized pricing model based on the number of employees."

"Kenexa was fairly priced. However, in 2019, before I left my previous organization, they significantly increased their pricing. It can be affordable, but their pricing is going up. It is not just licensing; it is how many applicants you have in your system on the database side."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Construction Company

10%

Insurance Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Marketing Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	4

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	28

Comparisons

ADP GlobalView Payroll vs ADP Streamline

Compared 25% of the time

Every vs ADP Streamline

Compared 17% of the time

UKG vs ADP Streamline

Compared 13% of the time

OnPay vs ADP Streamline

Compared 10% of the time

ADP Workforce Now vs ADP Streamline

Compared 8% of the time

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SAP SuccessFactors vs IBM Kenexa

Compared 12% of the time

SAP SuccessFactors Performance & Goals vs IBM Kenexa

Compared 11% of the time

HR Software Solutions vs IBM Kenexa

Compared 9% of the time

PeopleFluent Talent Management vs IBM Kenexa

Compared 7% of the time

NuView vs IBM Kenexa

Compared 7% of the time

More IBM Kenexa Competitors

Product Reports

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ADP Streamline vs. SAP SuccessFactors

February 2026

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Buyer's Guide

IBM Kenexa

March 2026

Download IBM Kenexa product report

Also Known As

No data available

IBM Smarter Workforce, Outstart

Overview

ADP Streamline provides a simple, consistent set of processes and tools for managing your multi-country payroll and human resources administration. You benefit from ADP's knowledge of local requirements and access to local resources. By using an outsourced service model you can focus on running your company as efficiently as possible, right from your headquarters. ADP Streamline also connects with ADP GlobalView for a complete global Human Capital Management solution.

ADP

Kenexa provides business solutions for human resources. We help global organizations multiply business success by identifying the best individuals for every job and fostering optimal work environments for every organization.

IBM

Sample Customers

Lenovo, ConvaTec, Syngenta, Brady Corporation, Covidien, TomTom

Sweet Spot International (SSI), Leo Burnett Worldwide (LBW), Sika AG, Legacy Health, Apollo Group Inc., Regeneron, Transurban Group, National Health Service, New Zealand Police, Overland Footwear, Yealands, Johnson Controls, Allscripts, Kerry Foods, Masterpet, AMD, Balfour Beatty

Buyer's Guide

ADP Streamline vs. IBM Kenexa

March 2026

Free Report: ADP Streamline vs. IBM Kenexa

Find out what your peers are saying about ADP Streamline vs. IBM Kenexa and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.

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We monitor all Benefits Administration reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.