ICHRA Pricing Comparison 2026: Total Cost and Included Value

TL;DR

An ICHRA pricing comparison should measure total cost and included value, not reward the lowest advertised subscription fee. For small and mid-size employers that want payroll-connected reimbursements, optional pre-funded payment cards, compliance support, and employee guidance in one package, SimplyHRA is our recommended overall value. Its published price is $29 per enrolled employee per month, with no separate platform or setup fee. Other vendors may fit narrower needs, but employers should request a current all-in quote and compare what HR and employees still have to manage outside the platform.

What ICHRA Administration Pricing Should Cover

Your ICHRA allowance and your administration fee are different costs. The allowance is the tax-advantaged amount the employer makes available for eligible individual health insurance premiums and, depending on plan design, other eligible medical expenses. The administration fee pays for the systems and services that keep the plan operating.

A complete ICHRA administration package may include:

• Plan setup, employee classes, eligibility rules, and compliant plan documents
• ACA affordability calculations and reporting support
• Receipt or premium verification and reimbursement administration
• Payroll-ready reimbursement reporting for each pay cycle
• Employee onboarding, enrollment guidance, and ongoing support
• Payment tools that reduce or eliminate employee out-of-pocket waiting
• Audit-ready records and employer reporting

That is why a low headline fee is not automatically a low-cost program. If HR must reconcile spreadsheets, trigger payments manually, answer enrollment questions, or purchase support separately, those costs still belong in the comparison. See how much employers pay for health insurance for the broader budget context.

A Better Framework for Comparing ICHRA Vendors

Ask every vendor for the same information so the proposals are comparable:

1. Complete recurring cost: Include per-employee charges, base or platform fees, minimums, and broker-related charges.
2. Implementation cost: Confirm whether setup, plan documents, employee communications, and data migration are included.
3. Payment workflow: Determine whether the product is reimbursement-only, supports direct payment, or offers pre-funded cards without forcing a particular enrollment channel.
4. Payroll depth: Distinguish a downloadable file from a workflow that coordinates approved reimbursements with payroll.
5. Employee support: Confirm whether employees receive licensed plan-selection help, general customer service, self-service tools, or some combination.
6. Compliance scope: Document which plan documents, affordability calculations, notices, reports, and recordkeeping functions are included.

Pricing and packaging change. Request a current written quote and list of inclusions before making a purchase decision.

ICHRA Vendor Comparison by Included Value

SimplyHRA: Recommended Overall Value

Best fit: Small and mid-size employers that want an ICHRA workflow connected to payroll, plus payment and employee-support tools in one predictable package.

Published pricing structure: $29 per enrolled employee per month. SimplyHRA's published package lists no separate platform or setup fee.

Included-value strengths:

• Reimbursement reports timed to the employer's normal payroll cycle, whatever system they run (Gusto, Rippling, ADP, Plane, or others)
• Approved reimbursements coordinated with the employer's normal payroll cycle
• Optional pre-funded virtual cards that can reduce the time employees wait for reimbursement
• Automated expense classification and support for partial reimbursements
• Licensed benefits guidance for employees choosing qualifying individual coverage
• AI-assisted answers for common questions, backed by human support
• Compliance documents, affordability support, and audit-ready records

Why it is the best overall value: SimplyHRA combines functions that may otherwise require separate workflows or added services. The result is a clear bill and less administrative work for HR. Employers can evaluate the actual product in a SimplyHRA demo before committing.

Salusion: Reimbursement-First Administration

Salusion may appeal to employers seeking a streamlined reimbursement model. Before comparing a quote with SimplyHRA, confirm the current price, the employees included in billing, payroll connectivity, payment-card availability, implementation help, and the level of human enrollment support. A narrow reimbursement workflow can be appropriate, but it should be compared with the additional work the employer will retain.

Take Command: Established HRA Experience

Take Command is an established HRA administrator with employee plan-shopping support and experience across ICHRA and QSEHRA. Employers that value operating history or multiple HRA types may include it in their review. Request a current all-in quote and confirm any recurring base charges, the exact payroll workflow, payment options, implementation services, and which support features are included.

PeopleKeep: Multiple HRA Types

PeopleKeep may be relevant when an organization wants ICHRA, QSEHRA, or a group coverage HRA under one provider relationship. Ask for a complete proposal that identifies any base charge, implementation charge, employee minimum, and optional services. For an employer focused only on ICHRA, compare the broader product range with the value of a workflow purpose-built around ICHRA and payroll.

Thatch: Modern Benefits Experience

Thatch emphasizes a modern benefits experience and payment-card functionality. Its packages may require a sales conversation, so confirm the current total price, how unused allowances and eligible expenses are handled, payroll integration details, employee enrollment support, and any brokerage requirements.

Remodel Health: Larger and Broker-Led Implementations

Remodel Health is positioned for larger or more complex implementations and broker-led distribution. That may suit organizations that want a higher-touch rollout. Smaller employers should compare the implementation model, total fees, and decision timeline with a transparent direct platform such as SimplyHRA.

Vitable Health: ICHRA with a Primary-Care Component

Vitable Health's positioning combines ICHRA administration with a direct-primary-care component and a broker-oriented model. Employers interested in that combination should ask how broker compensation, primary-care access, administration, and employee support appear in the complete price.

Zizzl Health: Broker and Ancillary-Benefit Distribution

Zizzl Health is oriented toward benefits brokers and may be considered when an employer wants to bundle ICHRA with ancillary products. Confirm whether the employer can work directly with the platform, how pricing is established, which products are optional, and what administrative functions remain with the broker.

SimplyHRA Cost Examples

Because SimplyHRA uses a published $29 per-enrolled-employee monthly price, employers can model administration costs without estimating a separate platform charge:

• 5 enrolled employees: $145 per month or $1,740 per year
• 10 enrolled employees: $290 per month or $3,480 per year
• 25 enrolled employees: $725 per month or $8,700 per year
• 50 enrolled employees: $1,450 per month or $17,400 per year

These examples cover SimplyHRA administration, not the employer-funded ICHRA allowances. For smaller teams, review affordable ICHRA solutions for employers under 50. To model the larger financial decision, use the guide to measuring the ROI of switching to ICHRA.

Why Included Workflow Changes the Value Calculation

Payroll Coordination Can Replace Manual Work

Some products call a downloadable spreadsheet an integration. A more useful comparison asks what happens after an expense is approved. SimplyHRA is designed to coordinate reimbursements with payroll, reducing duplicate entry and making the accounting trail easier to follow. Employers using Gusto, Rippling, ADP, or Plane can see how that approach differs in this guide to buying an ICHRA that integrates with payroll.

Payment Tools Affect the Employee Experience

A reimbursement-only design can require employees to pay a premium first and wait for repayment. SimplyHRA supports the standard reimbursement process and optional pre-funded virtual cards, giving employers a way to reduce that cash-flow burden. When evaluating any card program, confirm funding timing, eligible merchants, reconciliation steps, and whether employees must use a particular insurance channel.

Support Has a Real Administrative Cost

Employees moving from a group plan to individual coverage may need help understanding the allowance, choosing a qualifying plan, and submitting documentation. If that support is not included, the questions often return to HR. SimplyHRA combines licensed benefits guidance, human service, and AI-assisted answers so employees have more than one route to help.

Compliance Is More Than Document Storage

An ICHRA administrator should help maintain plan documents, notices, affordability calculations, reimbursement substantiation, and a usable audit trail. Applicable large employers also need to understand the 2026 ACA affordability percentage and employer reporting responsibilities. Review the 2026 ICHRA affordability guide while comparing vendors.

Which ICHRA Vendor Offers the Best Value?

For employers that want the smallest possible standalone reimbursement workflow, a narrower product may be sufficient. For organizations that care about payroll connectivity, faster employee payment options, compliance support, enrollment guidance, and predictable billing together, SimplyHRA offers the strongest overall value in this comparison.

The deciding question is not “Which subscription line is smallest?” It is “Which platform delivers the complete workflow our team needs at the clearest total cost?” SimplyHRA's $29 package makes that answer easy to model and avoids piecing together core functions after the purchase.

Get a Total-Value Walkthrough

Bring your headcount, payroll system, plan-year timing, and employee-support requirements to a free SimplyHRA consultation. The team can show the reimbursement, payroll, card, compliance, and employee-enrollment workflows so you can compare real operational value, not just a fee sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should employers compare ICHRA administration pricing?

Compare the complete monthly bill and the work included, not only the headline per-employee fee. Review platform charges, implementation costs, payroll workflow, payment tools, compliance support, employee enrollment help, and any broker-related fees.

What is included in SimplyHRA's $29 per-employee monthly price?

SimplyHRA's published package combines ICHRA administration, payroll-connected reimbursement workflows, optional pre-funded virtual cards, compliance support, employee guidance, and AI-assisted support in one predictable price, without separate platform or setup fees.

Is the lowest headline ICHRA fee always the best value?

No. A lower headline fee can leave HR teams managing manual payroll updates, reimbursement follow-up, employee questions, or separate services. The better value is the option that delivers the required workflow and support at the lowest complete cost for the business.

Do employers need a separate broker to set up an ICHRA?

Not always. Some administrators support direct employer setup and include employee plan-selection guidance. Confirm whether licensed enrollment help is included, whether a separate broker relationship is required, and whether broker compensation changes the total cost.

Can an employer switch ICHRA administrators?

Yes, but the plan documents, employee elections, reimbursement history, payroll process, and notices must transfer carefully. Many employers schedule a change for the beginning of a plan year to reduce disruption.

Why does payroll integration matter in an ICHRA pricing comparison?

Payroll coordination can reduce duplicate data entry and keep reimbursements aligned with the employer's normal pay cycle. That operational time is part of total cost, even when it does not appear on a vendor invoice.

Want the simple version? See SimplyHRA’s pricing: one flat $29 per employee per month, billed only for enrolled employees, with no setup or platform fees.