Dayforce HCM vs SAP SuccessFactors comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Dayforce and SAP are both solutions in the Cloud HCM category. Dayforce is ranked #10 with an average rating of 6.0, while SAP is ranked #2 with an average rating of 7.8. Dayforce holds a 2.4% mindshare in CHCM, compared to SAP’s 8.4% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Dayforce users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of SAP users who would recommend it.

Dayforce HCM

Read 15 Dayforce HCM reviews

4,479 Views
3,538 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

SAP SuccessFactors

Read 99 SAP SuccessFactors reviews

17,148 Views
12,175 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Dayforce HCM

SAP SuccessFactors

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

SAP SuccessFactors and Dayforce HCM are major competitors in the human capital management software industry. Dayforce HCM appears to have an upper hand in payroll and compliance, while SAP SuccessFactors thrives on modular HR features and integration capabilities.

Features: SAP SuccessFactors provides modular capabilities for talent management, performance, learning, and analytics within the SAP ecosystem. It offers extensive customization, innovative AI, and third-party integrations. Dayforce HCM highlights robust payroll, time and attendance functionalities, strong compliance features, and real-time data processing with integrated time clock and document management capabilities.

Room for Improvement: SAP SuccessFactors could enhance module integration, analytics, and the user interface to increase usability and customization, improve reporting tools, offer faster localization, and accelerate update rollouts. Dayforce HCM might refine its user interface, reporting, and connectivity options, as well as enhance home screen customization and third-party integrations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SAP SuccessFactors offers deployment in public cloud, on-premises, and private cloud configurations, yet faces variable technical support quality with responsiveness issues. Dayforce HCM is more often an on-premises solution, praised for its dedicated support team that efficiently resolves issues.

Pricing and ROI: SAP SuccessFactors is considered high-cost, with pricing based on modules and users, potentially restrictive for smaller organizations despite flexible subscription models. Some users find value in its features and integrations. Dayforce HCM is seen as more reasonably priced, especially for large enterprises, offering significant ROI within one to two years due to lower implementation costs and built-in efficiencies, while SuccessFactors shows lower perceived ROI because of high transition costs from other systems.

To learn more, read our detailed Dayforce HCM vs. SAP SuccessFactors Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Dayforce HCM vs. SAP SuccessFactors

September 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

Dayforce HCM

Ranking in Talent Management

16th

Ranking in Cloud HCM

10th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Talent Intelligence (2nd)

SAP SuccessFactors

Ranking in Talent Management

1st

Ranking in Cloud HCM

2nd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Talent Acquisition (2nd), Global Payroll (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Cloud HCM category, the mindshare of Dayforce HCM is 2.4%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP SuccessFactors is 8.4%, down from 19.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud HCM Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
SAP SuccessFactors	8.4%
Dayforce HCM	2.4%
Other	89.2%

Cloud HCM

Featured Reviews

Thomas Noorkah

Director of Enterprise Financial Systems at City of Columbus

Greatly improved our efficiency with its integrated time and attendance module

Dayforce has given us near to real-time access to time sheets and clockings since it has an integrated time and attendance module. Within six minutes of someone clocking in, we can see them on the timesheets. Dayforce has enabled us to smooth out our payroll system so not everything is happening at the end of the payroll cycle. We can see the impacts during the week and make it a lot more manageable. It's also been helpful for benefits administration with employees being able to file life and work events online. They can access their pay stubs, request leave, change their address, update their direct deposit details, and other things. We've become much more efficient, and much less paper driven.

Read full review

Saptak Samadder

Assistant Manager at Kashiv Biosciences

HR has gained clear analytics for attrition, goals, and appraisals and manages talent efficiently

SAP SuccessFactors has a low error rate. We had many ad hoc reports that we needed to generate, and it was very easy to do so in SAP SuccessFactors. We also created many in-house reports according to our specific requirements with the help of this tool, which was a really big game changer for us. We did not depend on advanced Excel in those cases. We generated a lot of detailed reports whenever we needed them during emergency cases or board meetings. A lot of usefulness and time were saved in those cases. I will also mention that we conducted a comparative study for some recruitment cases. We had a recruitment model where we were looking for a very niche profile. Since the job profile was really different and rare, we had to depend on analytics to understand and shortlist from a large pool of candidates that we already had in our database. Analytics was really helpful in this situation.

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

"The initial setup is easy."

"The product has a pretty clean look."

"The fact that the time and attendance system is built into the HRIS is very valuable because, in the past, we had to use two different systems."

"Configuring your HR policies and rules is straightforward."

"Ceridian Dayforce HCM is a stable product."

"Employees like being able to see what entitlements/balances that they have for their time away."

"The tool has improved a lot in the area of its mobile application, especially considering its added security features, like single sign-on capabilities."

"It provides real-time information with great reports."

More Dayforce HCM pros

"We can design a quick and dirty solution or very complex services, we can manage small enterprise projects (in our experience 150 users) as the big organization (in our experience 40000 users), all with the same solution, and this is a big saving of time, costs, and team usage optimization."

"Employees can view their goals, performance, ratings, and employee information, which enhances the employee experience."

"SAP SuccessFactors is a very reliable and stable solution."

"Shorter implementation timelines (comparing to on-premise SAP solutions), quicker response on configuration change cycles, modern look and mobile integration possibilities: Everything together makes SuccessFactors LMS a well-recognized and demanded talent solution across different types of organizations."

"Overall, it's excellent performance management."

"The tool's most valuable feature is its integration capabilities with on-premise ERPs and other systems."

"The interface is user-friendly. It is very simple and intuitive, so it's good."

"Talent Acquisition and Learning features are best in class."

More SAP SuccessFactors pros

Cons

"Customizing the home screen was difficult; I could not remove certain tabs that were irrelevant to our users."

"I would also like to see some improvement in standard reports. A standard report should be available to pull the required information for Affirmative Action Plans. I do not think I should have to build or create one."

"Dayforce has its gaps like every HR system, but nothing comes to mind at the moment."

"I would like to see more built-in forms, like government issued forms (T2200). This would save a lot of time during the year-end process."

"I would like to continue to see improvements in the Recruiting module. I would like to see this module interact with Calendars, such as Outlook, etc."

"The reporting could be improved."

"It would be nice if retro pay calculations were made automatically for salaried payroll, so a calculation and manual entry do not have to be done."

"I would like the solution to improve its customer service communication."

More Dayforce HCM cons

"One area for improvement is making SuccessFactors more compatible with other countries, especially in terms of payroll and other functionalities."

"They should be more user friendly and give us more tools to make it more flexible."

"We had stability issues very often during the end of the year and after updates."

"Forms cannot be edited once submitted."

"The data management part can be improved in terms of how you can manage data from the HR admin's or HR team's perspective. It has some limitations in the reporting part in terms of how you can update the data and fetch the data. SAP HCM comparatively has a lot of capabilities in terms of backup loads, data management, data changes, etc. You can do these things easily, which is not the case with SAP SuccessFactors. Data management should be simplified in SAP SuccessFactors in terms of accessing the data, reporting, and then manipulating the data."

"Another thing that can be improved with SuccessFactors is that, although the reporting tool is not bad, there are often separate reports for different areas of the software."

"Its overall integration and user experience can be improved. SuccessFactors is a system that is built out of three different systems. The elements part was bought from Plateau, and the original performance dialogue was built by SuccessFactors itself. After that, SAP bought it, and it hasn't improved in the last few years. SuccessFactors is a perfect tool if you use it the way it is meant to be, but if you start building custom sessions and try to use it differently, then it is a total mess. It is not agile. It is like an old Mastodon truck or whatever. We don't have the Employee Central and Competence Management modules. Our company made the choice to not implement the Employee Central module. We also didn't implement the Competence Management module. We use the learning module to do some competence management, but I am not that fond of it. It would have been best to have the whole suite. SAP should never sell this without selling the whole suite because it just doesn't work. The biggest gain for me would be having the possibility of doing strategic personnel planning and managing internal mobility. If it could be used for social purposes, such as creating communities and connecting with media channels, that would be perfect. It should also have the possibilities for local admin and agile product development."

"There should be more connectivity with other systems."

More SAP SuccessFactors cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Ceridian continually enhances Dayforce HCM. Some of these enhancements they charge for and some are just straight enhancements with no extra charge."

"In terms of pricing, the product is expensive. However, it is crucial to take into account the manner in which the solution will be utilized and the availability of other alternatives."

"We paid for the implementation costs in the first year with the money that we saved by switching to Dayforce HCM."

"The XOXO program associated with Dayforce allows you to earn credits towards registration and accommodations at their annual Insight Conferences, which can be a real savings to the company when sending employees to the conference."

"Earlier, the price of the product was reasonable. Under present circumstances, the price or cost of the product has been increased."

"Negotiate for everything you want."

"We found the setup costs and pricing to be very reasonable."

"I rate the solution's pricing a seven on a scale where one is the lowest and ten is the most expensive."

"For SAP, the product is pricey, both CAPEX and the OPEX. It's something that could be improved."

"Our costs for the solution are subsidized by our parent company, I am not aware of the exact cost because of this. However, we pay $50,000 annually. If we move to another solution it will be more expensive."

"The price of the solution is highly expensive."

"The licensing fees are based on the number of modules that are being used, and the number of users."

"It is not expensive because it is a complete suite with a module-based cost."

"I don't want to comment on the license cost, to be honest. It could be about $1,000 approximately per customer. However, it's very flexible in terms of the licensing costs depending on the volume and depending on the deal of installation."

"The price of the solution depends on too many factors to provide an estimate. However, the price of SAP SuccessFactors is competitive."

"The pricing for SuccessFactors is ridiculously high, and there are costs in addition to the license fee for some features."

More SAP SuccessFactors pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

16%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	70

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Ceridian Dayforce HCM?

Customizing the home screen was difficult; I could not remove certain tabs that were irrelevant to our users. The search functionality is poor as there's no way for administrators to tag keywords t...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Ceridian Dayforce HCM?

We have used Dayforce HCM for our HR functionalities and for the learning module over the last five years. We actually just migrated to a new learning management system.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ceridian Dayforce HCM?

The Learning Module add-on to Dayforce HCM was relatively inexpensive per user compared to other LMS’s.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

How easy is to maintain Workday, Oracle Cloud, and SuccessFactors?

I implemented Workday in 2024 and without having previous Workday experience, it was very challenging. I spent most of 2025 putting out fires and cleaning up the business processes that came with l...

See all answers

Comparisons

Workday HCM vs Dayforce HCM

Compared 17% of the time

UKG vs Dayforce HCM

Compared 13% of the time

Oracle HCM Cloud vs Dayforce HCM

Compared 7% of the time

ADP Workforce Now vs Dayforce HCM

Compared 4% of the time

PeopleSoft vs Dayforce HCM

Compared 4% of the time

More Dayforce HCM Competitors

Workday HCM vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 24% of the time

Oracle HCM Cloud vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 19% of the time

UKG vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 5% of the time

SAP HCM vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 4% of the time

Cornerstone Learn vs SAP SuccessFactors

Compared 2% of the time

More SAP SuccessFactors Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dayforce HCM

September 2026

Download Dayforce HCM product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP SuccessFactors

September 2026

Download SAP SuccessFactors product report

Also Known As

Ceridian Dayforce HCM, Ascender Talent Management, Ceridian Ideal

SuccessFactors

Overview

Dayforce HCM offers an integrated platform that combines timekeeping, payroll, and benefits management, enhancing HR operations with mobile access and transparent pay details across North America.

Dayforce HCM delivers comprehensive HR, payroll, and talent management tools within a cloud-based solution. It simplifies ACA, FMLA, and COBRA compliance while providing mobile and web access to payroll information. Its reporting capabilities are robust, and it features intuitive content management. The platform enhances efficiency with integrated time and attendance management, meeting payroll needs across Canada and the US. However, areas for improvement include retro pay calculations, user-friendliness, reporting, and customer service. Users also highlight the need for advancements in the Recruiting module, calendar integration, custom forms, and addressing import glitches and additional feature costs.

What are the key features?

Integrated Timekeeping: Streamlines payroll by eliminating manual entries.
Benefits Module: Simplifies management of ACA, FMLA, and COBRA.
Mobile and Web Access: Provides transparency in pay details.
Time and Attendance Integration: Boosts administrative efficiency.
Comprehensive Suite: Reduces reliance on multiple software for HR, payroll, and talent management.

Which benefits and ROI should users consider?

Streamlined Payroll: Efficient for companies operating in Canada and the US.
Robust Reporting: Enhances decision-making with comprehensive data analytics.
Intuitive Content Management: Simplifies HR management processes.

Organizations use Dayforce HCM for managing payroll, benefits administration, recruiting, and performance management, integrating HR functionalities on a cloud platform. Industries appreciate its ability to manage HR tasks efficiently, providing analytics and mobile features essential for handling HR processes and reporting.

Dayforce

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

ACCO Brands

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

Dayforce HCM vs. SAP SuccessFactors

September 2026

Free Report: Dayforce HCM vs. SAP SuccessFactors

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