The Best ICHRA Administrators for Small Businesses in 2026

ICHRA platforms perform the same core functions and operate under the same IRS rules. This comparison explains where these platforms are similar, where they meaningfully differ, and what those differences mean in practice for a small employer 

To narrow the field, we applied the following criteria:

• ICHRA administration must be the company’s primary business 
• Pricing must be published openly for a small business to estimate annual cost without completing a sales process
• The platform must serve employers with fewer than 25 employees directly

Four platforms met all three criteria with sufficient pricing transparency to compare on an equal basis: Salusion, PeopleKeep, Take Command, and Thatch.

Quick Comparison: ICHRA Platforms for Small Businesses

How annual costs are calculated at 8 participants:

• Salusion: $15 x 8 x 12 = $1,440
• Take Command: ($25 x 8 x 12) + ($40 x 12) = $2,880+*
• PeopleKeep: ($25 x 8 x 12) + ($50 x 12) = $3,000**
• Thatch: ($45 x 8 x 12) + ($70 x 12) = $5,160+***

*Take Command's base pricing is $25 per participant per month plus a $40 monthly platform fee (automated reimbursement is available at an additional charge).**PeopleKeep's base pricing is $25 per participant per month plus a $50 monthly platform fee.***Thatch's minimum fee is $70 per month for companies with 1 to 10 employees ($140 per month minimum for companies with 11 to 49 employees) and includes compliance.Costs do not include employee health insurance premiums.

What These Platforms Have in Common

All four companies administer the same regulated benefit, so they perform many of the same core administrative functions. These include preparing plan documents, providing required employee notices, verifying insurance coverage, substantiating eligible expenses, and handling the other compliance-related administration necessary to operate an ICHRA. Because an ICHRA also requires employees to have qualifying individual health coverage, each platform provides a way for employees to enroll in that coverage. 

Where Platforms Differ

For employers evaluating these platforms, the differences that ultimately matter are reimbursement execution and price.

Reimbursement execution

The largest product difference among these platforms is how employee health insurance premiums ultimately get paid. There are two basic models: direct pay and reimbursement. Of the four platforms in this comparison, Thatch is the only one that uses a direct-pay model; Salusion, Take Command, and PeopleKeep use reimbursement models. Under direct pay, the administrator pays the employee’s insurance carrier directly. Under reimbursement, the employee pays the premium and is then reimbursed through the ICHRA.

Direct pay more closely resembles traditional group health insurance because employees do not have to pay the full premium themselves and then wait for reimbursement. The tradeoff is that it requires more administration: employers must pre-fund premium payments, reconcile those payments, coordinate employee contributions through payroll, and generally require employees to enroll through the administrator’s platform. Larger employers may have the staff and infrastructure to absorb that additional administration, while smaller employers may prefer the simplicity of a reimbursement model.

Among the three reimbursement-model platforms, there is another important distinction: who actually executes the reimbursement. An administrator can verify and approve an eligible expense while still leaving the employer responsible for paying the employee, or it can automate the payment itself. Salusion automates reimbursements directly to employees through ACH, reducing much of the administrative work that would otherwise remain with the employer. Take Command offers automated reimbursement for an additional cost, while PeopleKeep leaves reimbursement execution with the employer.

Price

At $1,440 per year for eight participating employees, Salusion costs less than half the next closest option. Take Command and PeopleKeep both price at $25 per participant per month with monthly platform fees, bringing their annual totals to $2,880 and $3,000 respectively. Thatch, at $5,160 per year for the same group, is the most expensive option by a significant margin. 

Platform Profiles

Salusion

Salusion is an ICHRA and QSEHRA software provider built for small employers. At $15 per participant per month with no platform fee, setup fee, or minimum employee requirement, Salusion's annual cost of $1,440 for eight employees is the lowest in this comparison. 

Salusion's reimbursements are fully automated via ACH: employees submit expenses through the web portal or mobile app, and funds transfer directly to their bank accounts after approval, with same-day expense verification. Employees compare and enroll in health insurance plans directly within the platform. Support is available via live chat, email, and same-day Zoom appointments, with a published commitment to answering most emails in under an hour.

Key Info

• Price Range: $15/PPPM, no additional fees
• Average Review Score: 4.9/5.0 (Reviews.io, 24 reviews)
• HRA Services Offered: ICHRA, QSEHRA

Summary of Online Reviews

Reviewers consistently highlight fast setup, a simple employee-facing app, and responsive support; the most common mild critique is that reimbursements take several business days to complete, though same-day expense verification means the process begins promptly after submission.

Take Command

Take Command is an ICHRA and QSEHRA software provider that pairs its platform with a licensed agent team that employees can speak to with questions during plan selection. Expense submissions are verified by the platform and routed to the employer for payment each cycle; automated reimbursement is available at additional cost. No minimum employee count is required.

At $25 or more per participant per month plus a $40 monthly platform fee, Take Command's annual cost for eight employees starts at $2,880, roughly double Salusion's cost for the same group. Unlike Salusion, no response-time commitment is currently published.

Key Info

• Price Range: $25+/PPPM + $40+/month platform fee
• Average Review Score: 3.3/5.0 (Trustpilot, 358 reviews)
• HRA Services Offered: ICHRA, QSEHRA

Summary of Online Reviews

Positive reviews consistently cite helpful agents during enrollment and a smooth initial setup experience. Support responsiveness after the onboarding period is the most common criticism across recent reviews.

PeopleKeep

PeopleKeep launched its HRA platform in 2006 and is now owned by Remodel Health. At $25 per employee per month plus a $50 monthly base fee, with a three-seat billing minimum, PeopleKeep's annual cost for eight employees is $3,000. Expense submissions are reviewed by a PeopleKeep specialist before the employer is notified and initiates payment. Employees compare and enroll in health insurance plans within the PeopleKeep dashboard. Similar to Take Command, no response-time commitment is noted on their website.

Key Info

• Price Range: $25/PPPM + $50/month base fee (3-seat billing minimum)
• Average Review Score: 4.5/5.0 (Capterra, 89 reviews); 2.4/5.0 (Trustpilot, 33 reviews)
• HRA Services Offered: ICHRA, QSEHRA, GCHRA

Summary of Online Reviews

PeopleKeep holds a 4.5/5 rating on Capterra and a 2.4/5 on Trustpilot. Positive Capterra reviews highlight knowledgeable support and a straightforward employee experience. The lower Trustpilot score is concentrated in the period following the Remodel Health acquisition, with reviewers citing service disruptions and billing issues.

Thatch

As mentioned previously, Thatch is the only provider in this comparison operating on the direct-pay model. For employers transitioning a workforce from group coverage, that continuity can ease the shift: premiums are handled on employees' behalf in much the same way they were under a group plan. That continuity may matter less for a small employer whose employees already have experience purchasing individual coverage.

The direct-pay model also comes with specific operational requirements: payroll integration is required to recover each employee's premium share through deductions, and employees enroll through Thatch's platform rather than shopping independently, which limits their carrier options. At $45 per enrolled employee per month plus a $70 monthly compliance minimum for companies of 1 to 10 employees, the annual cost for eight participants is the highest in our list at $5,160.

Key Info

• Price Range: $45/PPPM + $70/month minimum fee (1-10 employees)
• Average Review Score: 3.8/5.0 (Trustpilot, 59 reviews)
• HRA Services Offered: ICHRA only

Summary of Online Reviews

Positive reviews for Thatch highlight a seamless employee experience and straightforward initial setup; recent criticism is concentrated around the Venteur platform migration, with reviewers citing billing disruptions and coverage lapses during the transition period.

Which ICHRA Platform Is Right for Your Business?

The best ICHRA administrator for your business depends primarily on two factors: cost and reimbursement model preference.

For small businesses that want the lowest annual cost and a fully automated reimbursement process, Salusion is the clear answer. At $1,440 per year for eight employees, it costs less than half the next reimbursement-model alternative, with same-day expense verification and no payroll integration required.

For employers transitioning away from group coverage whose employees are accustomed to premiums being handled automatically, Thatch's direct-pay model most closely replicates that experience, though at $5,160 per year for eight employees and with payroll integration required, the trade-offs are significant.

Last updated: September 2026