10 Best COBRA Administration Platform 2025

By hrlineup | 05.09.2025

Keeping COBRA compliant isn’t optional—and it’s rarely simple. Rates change, qualifying events happen at inconvenient times, and notices have to go out correctly and on time. The right COBRA administration platform automates the heavy lifting: event detection, notice generation, premium billing and collection, remittance to carriers, and ongoing compliance tracking. This 2025 guide highlights ten strong platforms that consistently deliver on automation, accuracy, and support—whether you’re an HR team at a growing startup or a benefits leader at a multi-state enterprise.

Below, you’ll find what to look for, followed by ten detailed profiles. Each profile includes who it’s best for and the capabilities that matter in day-to-day administration.

What to Look for in a COBRA Platform (Quick Checklist)

  • Automation depth: End-to-end workflows for QE intake, notices, billing, collections, cancellations, and reinstatements.
  • Integrations: Clean HRIS/payroll feeds and EDI/834 to carriers; SSO for admins and participants.
  • Compliance controls: Time-stamped audit trails, templated notices (federal + state continuation), and configurable rules.
  • Payment flexibility: ACH, card, autopay, grace-period logic, and consolidated remittances to carriers.
  • Participant experience: Mobile-friendly portals, multilingual notices, and clear plan/rate presentation.
  • Admin reporting: Aging, receivables, eligibility, and exception reporting with exportable formats.

1) WEX COBRA

Why it stands out: WEX delivers industrial-strength COBRA administration with robust integrations into HRIS, payroll, and carrier ecosystems. The platform shines when scaling: complex eligibility rules, multiple divisions, and varied plan structures are handled through configurable workflows, automated letters, and precise billing/collections logic.

Best for: Mid-market to enterprise employers and TPAs that need reliability at scale. Admins appreciate granular audit trails and role-based access; participants get a clean enrollment flow, auto-debit options, and timely reminders. If you manage multiple subsidiaries or union/non-union populations, WEX’s rule engines keep processes consistent.

2) Paylocity COBRA

Why it stands out: For organizations already running HR and payroll on Paylocity, the COBRA module keeps everything connected. Employee status changes feed directly into qualifying event workflows, notices go out with minimal admin touch, and premium billing aligns closely with payroll cycles for smooth reconciliations.

Best for: Small to mid-sized employers that prize a single vendor for HRIS, payroll, and benefits. The value is in fewer files to manage, fewer sync errors, and a consistent support path. If your team is lean, keeping COBRA within the same ecosystem can cut time spent on data hygiene.

3) ADP COBRA

Why it stands out: ADP’s COBRA service leverages its massive HR/payroll footprint, reducing the friction of eligibility updates and minimizing timing gaps that trigger compliance headaches. The platform automates letters, billing, and collections, and offers clear participant portals with autopay and reminders.

Best for: Employers that want enterprise-grade stability and direct ties to their payroll data. ADP’s reporting covers all the expected COBRA metrics; implementation is predictable; and the internal controls meet the needs of teams that undergo regular audits or require strict change management.

4) HealthEquity (COBRA)

Why it stands out: HealthEquity brings a mature, highly automated engine for COBRA and direct bill alongside its well-known HSA/FSA/HRA ecosystem. For HR teams, the biggest win is consolidated administration: a single vendor for consumer-directed benefits and COBRA, with consistent portals and support. Automated qualifying event intake, notice generation, and payment workflows reduce manual work and help teams avoid deadline risk.

Best for: Organizations that value a unified experience across COBRA and CDH accounts. Participants get intuitive portals with autopay and reminders, while admins gain strong exception reporting, compliance logs, and clear carrier remittance files. If you’re already on HealthEquity for HSAs/FSAs, adding COBRA streamlines vendor management and support.

5) iSolved COBRA (formerly Infinisource)

Why it stands out: iSolved’s COBRA module benefits from tight coupling with iSolved’s HCM stack while remaining flexible enough to ingest data from other systems. The platform automates qualifying events, generates compliant notices, and supports direct bill scenarios (retiree billing, LOA) alongside COBRA.

Best for: HR teams wanting a practical balance of usability and compliance without over-engineering. The admin console is straightforward, reporting is readable, and participant communications are clear. If you’re consolidating payroll, time, and benefits with iSolved, COBRA becomes a low-friction add-on with a single source of truth.

6) Benefit Resource (BRI) — COBRA & Direct Bill

Why it stands out: BRI pairs a user-friendly participant experience with strong back-office controls. It excels at premium billing and collections, with automatic dunning and grace-period logic that reduce manual follow-up. The platform supports federal COBRA and common state continuation rules and can manage retiree and leave-of-absence billing in the same environment.

Best for: Employers that want dependable collections and clear participant communications. Admins get digestible dashboards and exportable reports; participants get simple payment options (including autopay) and transparent balances. If you’ve struggled with late premium chasers, BRI’s reminders and payment workflows are difference-makers.

7) BASIC COBRA

Why it stands out: BASIC emphasizes compliance rigor and responsive service. Its platform automates the full COBRA lifecycle—QE intake, notices, enrollment, premium billing, and termination—while providing detailed logs and a comprehensive document archive for audits. The participant portal keeps elections and payments straightforward.

Best for: Organizations that want hands-on guidance with complex scenarios (disability extensions, second qualifying events, or overlapping state rules). BASIC’s training materials and practical help desk are useful for lean HR teams, and its reporting covers the essentials without overwhelming admins.

8) Navia COBRA

Why it stands out: Known for clean design and customer-friendly support, Navia offers COBRA administration with a strong participant experience: mobile-responsive portals, easy payments, and clear plan/rate displays. On the admin side, feeds from HRIS/payroll keep eligibility accurate, and templated notices reduce manual edits.

Best for: Employers prioritizing participant satisfaction and communication clarity. Navia’s balance of automation and approachability is ideal for companies that don’t want to over-customize but do want predictable, on-time notices and collections. It also fits nicely if you’re already using Navia for FSAs/HRAs.

9) Ameriflex COBRA

Why it stands out: Ameriflex streamlines the intersection of COBRA and consumer-directed benefits, with an emphasis on payment flexibility and automated reminders. Its COBRA engine handles complex billing cycles and offers intuitive participant self-service for elections, plan changes, and ongoing payments.

Best for: Employers that want fewer vendors while still getting solid COBRA automation. Admins can rely on consistent data feeds and compliant letters; participants appreciate accessible support and transparent balances. Ameriflex is a practical choice for multi-plan environments with frequent employee movement.

10) TASC COBRA

Why it stands out: TASC brings deep compliance heritage to COBRA administration. The platform includes robust rules for federal and state continuation, with detailed timeline management and document controls. It also supports direct bill, helping teams standardize retiree and LOA billing alongside COBRA.

Best for: Compliance-sensitive employers and public sector entities that want meticulous record-keeping and a conservative approach to notices and deadlines. Admins get strong audit trails and report libraries; participants benefit from guided elections and multiple payment options, reducing confusion and calls.

How These Platforms Differ (And How to Choose)

  • All-in-one vs. specialist: If you already run payroll/HR on ADP or Paylocity, starting in-suite can simplify feeds and support. If you need deeper billing/collections controls or complex continuation logic, a specialist like WEX, BRI, BASIC, Navia, or Ameriflex may offer more flexibility.
  • Scale & complexity: Multi-state, union, or M&A-heavy organizations benefit from robust rules engines and carrier EDI (WEX, HealthEquity, ADP). Smaller employers may prioritize simplicity and faster go-lives (iSolved, Navia, BRI).
  • Participant experience: Clear enrollment, mobile payments, and autopay reduce churn and support tickets. HealthEquity, Navia, and BRI stand out for participant-friendly flows.
  • Consolidation opportunities: Running COBRA alongside HSAs/FSAs/HRAs with the same vendor (HealthEquity, Ameriflex, Navia, BASIC) reduces vendor count and gives employees a single hub.

Implementation Tips for A Smooth Go-Live

  • Map your data feeds early. Align HRIS status codes to COBRA QE types and verify effective-date logic.
  • Standardize plan and rate tables. Lock final plan names and tiers to avoid reset work during testing.
  • Test all letter templates. Confirm addresses, logos, contact info, and timing windows in a staging environment.
  • Reconcile billing day-one. Run parallel billing for a month to validate receivables, grace periods, and cancellations.
  • Train admins and participants. Publish a short “how to elect/pay” guide; add it to onboarding and exit checklists.
  • Schedule compliance audits. Quarterly sweeps for open QEs, late notices, and aging balances keep the program clean.

Mini Buyer’s Guide by Scenario

  • I need the fastest, least-complex rollout: iSolved COBRA or Navia—clean interfaces, straightforward setup, and solid automation for most use cases.
  • I manage multiple divisions and complex plans: WEX or HealthEquity—strong rule engines, integrations, and reporting depth.
  • I want one vendor for CDH + COBRA: HealthEquity, Ameriflex, Navia, or BASIC—consolidate admin and support.
  • We’re already on a big HRIS: ADP COBRA or Paylocity COBRA—tight data alignment and fewer data files to juggle.
  • Collections are my pain point: BRI—robust billing, dunning, and autopay that reduce manual follow-ups.
  • Audits make me nervous: TASC or BASIC—compliance-first workflows and thorough audit trails.

Final thoughts

COBRA administration only feels complicated when your tools are. The best platforms make compliance predictable: data flows reliably, notices go out on time, participants can self-serve, and admins have clear visibility into every step. Start with your ecosystem (HRIS/payroll, carriers, CDH), choose the platform that reduces the most handoffs, and insist on parallel testing before you flip the switch. Any of the ten options above can deliver a compliant, low-friction COBRA program in 2025—the best choice is the one that fits your stack, scale, and support expectations.