HR Software

How We Rank HR Software

You may wonder how we pick products for our table of best platforms for handling HR. Our team of experts individually tests numerous platforms and handpicks the top-performing among them. We have strict evaluation criteria, which help us weed out any unsuitable options.

Classification

This isn’t something that affects the ranking. Instead, classification helps towards a better understanding of software capabilities. Knowing what types of businesses a company targets further simplifies your decision-making process and guides you to suitable solutions.

Industry Focus, Business Size, & Deployment

The first cornerstone of categorizing HR software companies is their industry focus. The needs of a recruitment business that handles onboardings are different than the ones of a midsized retail brand. Other organizations, such as those in the healthcare or non-profit sector, often demand specific features. This means that the best-rated product isn’t necessarily the best for every client.

The second classification criterion is the business size. Are you a start-up with several employees? Or do you run a huge company that handles thousands of new and existing hires each month? These questions help you understand if a product is robust enough to handle your operations. It’s pointless to pay for tons of HRIS software features won’t ever use.

The third and last cornerstone of our standard software classification is deployment. Here, we have three regular options, namely cloud-hosted, SaaS, and on-premise. Users access cloud-hosted products online and therefore require a stable internet connection. They are also affordable and flexible, unlike on-premise tools, which are often pricey and overwhelming. That said, on-premise options are more robust and powerful. SaaS deployment comes somewhere in between, being hosted by third-party providers.

Type

There are also different types of HR software. Namely, these systems can perform many operations at once or specialize in a single field. For example, you can have a simple HRIS or a platform that handles payroll, recruiting, onboarding, and benefits. HR analytics, training, attendance, and workforce planning are some other areas that such a product can cover. So, we always try to highlight the specialty of all platforms featured on our table above.

Critical Functions of Top HR Software Solutions

This is when the actual ranking starts. To find the best tools on the market, we perform a strict evaluation of their key features. Below, we will go over each vital function and explain what makes it essential for handling HR.

Hiring & Onboarding

Not all products come with Hiring & Onboarding. Still, these functionalities are highly appreciated. HR teams should be able to automate these processes to achieve a smooth and pleasant new hire experience. HR software systems with steady hiring and onboarding tools empower users to send offer letters and perform background checks. Self-onboarding alongside customizable checklists and status reports is also critical. Here, you also get electronic documentation and e-signature to remove papers and speed up the process.

Employee Database Management

This is a must-have functionality for any HR-related product. A centralized database keeps all employee data in a single place. Employee directory ensures you have the correct personal and contact information of your hires. It’s even better if people can update their data using any device. Find any employee record within seconds thanks to your automatically synced human resource database system.

Compensation Management

Not all businesses have several full-time employees who are easily manageable. Instead, companies these days employ full-time and part-time workers, freelancers, independent contractors, and consultants. Handling the compensation for all these people can be overwhelming in large enterprises, which is where platforms with compensation management come in.

There are multiple functionalities here that let HR teams handle payroll and compensation. As you will see in our HR software reviews, some products feature all of them, while others have only a few. Platforms with many compensation management tools rank better.

• Attendance tracking – know exactly when your employees come to work, track missed days, and automatically include this data into payroll calculations.
• Time tracking – record hours in separate timesheets for each employee, track tasks, and always pay the right amount to collaborators.
• Paid time off tracking – create and manage PTO policies, track PTO for compensation purposes, and have a valuable PTO balance calculator.
• Requests management – make sure employees can send requests through multiple platforms, while admins can manage and approve them smoothly.
• Blackout dates – clearly mark any blackout dates to keep your employees informed and your operations running smoothly.

Automated Workflows

In our HR software comparison, we always give extra points for automation and workflows. The option to automate repeated tasks saves users hours of duplicate manual work. Streamlined workflows meanwhile minimize the potential for errors and guarantee smooth processes. From automated reminders and task progress lists to smooth payroll, anything is possible with a powerful platform.

Shift Scheduling

Shift management can be stressful and time-consuming. Creating and swapping shifts, along with periodic rotations of hundreds of workers pave the road for mistakes. Yet, any of our top HRIS systems will handle all these actions in a breeze. Create shift allowances, consolidate data, and set notifications for any changes. Your employees will appreciate being in the loop and up to date with decisions that affect them.

Documentation Management

HR is always related to tons of documents, be it onboarding materials or employee contracts, letters, or policies. You can have all these in a centralized document database, just a few clicks away. Auto-generate and then safely store your tax documents (I-9s and W-4s), or categorize and update HR files; this is how top-performing HR software solutions help you go paperless and more efficient at the same time.

Self-Service Portal

Your workers need to have the freedom and opportunity to manage their profiles. A self-service portal is the best way of accomplishing this. SSP empowers employees to add and update personal information. It also makes it possible for them to submit PTO requests, track attendance, time, etc. Keeping people satisfied and engaged is one of the HR cornerstones. SSP takes you a step closer to achieving that goal.

Reporting & Business Intelligence

Any top HR software must have robust reporting capabilities. The platform should collect, store, and analyze all data related to your people. Real-time overviews and reports are highly welcomed. Some areas that business intelligence covers include compensation summaries, headcount activities, and turnover rates.

BI also gives you details on equal opportunity statistics, employee performance, and weaknesses. Custom reporting plays a crucial role here too. So, any product that is flexible and smart gets a better ranking in our table.

Integrations

Companies often use multiple platforms for different purposes, such as billing and workflow software. We therefore want to include HR platforms that work well with other systems. Integration is crucial for smooth implementation, and getting up to speed. The top products on our list support tens or even hundreds of other apps. Zapier, Slack, Outlook, and G-Suite are integrations in high demand.

User Friendliness, Scalability, & Mobile App

Would you like to use software that is complicated to install, overwhelming, and requires tiresome training? That’s right. Nobody wants to use such a product. That’s why we appreciate HR solutions that provide easy setup and require no preparation.

Scalability is another important factor. Platforms that are scalable and flexible fit your operations smoothly. They don’t require your business to adjust to them. Instead, you get to customize them.

Everyone is on the move these days. People run entire businesses using their smartphones, and mobile readiness is crucial. So, any products that come with mobile apps get boosted rankings in our table.

Pricing

Price always plays a massive role in our ranking criteria. Yet, we try to avoid open-source HR software and cheap products, and instead focus on great value for money. Reasonably priced options that align with industry standards get better rankings. Still, being cheap isn’t the main goal here. We want products that will pay for themselves by providing top performance.

Pricing policy also includes any free trial, product demo, and money-back guarantees. Each of these gets their respective brand a better position in our table. A free trial is especially appreciated because it enables customers to experience the product before committing.

Expert Reviews of Human Resources Software

BambooHR

89% of BambooHR customers are small and medium-sized businesses. This award-winning platform tends to the needs of start-ups and growing market players. Thanks to its rich feature list, BambooHR elegantly tackles various HR areas and works on both desktop and mobile devices.

Pros

• Benefit tracking
• Employee database
• Self-Service portal
• Onboarding and offboarding
• Document storage

Cons

• Needs flexibility
• Could use more apps

Features

BambooHR is a versatile solution that covers essential HR alongside employee self-service, hiring, and onboarding. This small business HR software also tackles customer support, reporting, and analytics. In terms of HR management, useful functionalities include employee records, benefits tracking, document storage, and standard access levels. BambooHR also comes with workflows and approvals capabilities that provide full automation. Streamline your processes and ensure smooth onboarding as well as offboarding with this robust platform.

Employees get their own self-service portal. It comes equipped with a company calendar, time-off management, and a worker directory. Audit trail, custom fields, and company branding are other vital features of the BambooHR human resources software.

Those who need performance management and time tracking can get both as add-ons for an additional cost. The first offers goals, peer feedback, and performance reports, while the latter provides daily time entry, automatic reminders, approvals, and timesheets to the table.

Pricing

Testing BambooHR is easy thanks to the brand’s free trial and product demo. To get either of them, you must sign up first. If you like the platform, you can ask for a quote. BambooHR offers two premium plans, Essentials and Advantages, as well as two add-ons.

Zoho People

Are you looking for the best HR software for businesses of any size? If so, consider investing in Zoho People, a top-class platform favored by thousands of companies worldwide. Startups with up to five employees get to use the essential tools for free, forever. Otherwise, the product comes at a reasonable price for what it offers.

Pros

• Timesheets
• Shift scheduling
• Self-service portal
• Custom forms
• Document management

Cons

• No payroll
• Slow support

Features

A user-friendly UI and beautiful design make Zoho People an excellent platform. As an online HR software, the product is robust and efficient. With Zoho People, you get access to a secure and centralized employee database. Tracking time, attendance and leaves is another capability of the platform. Give your employees access to the self-service portal where they can add contact details, tag skills, and receive real-time notifications.

Document management is a crucial part of Zoho People. It enables users to store and categorize all critical documents. The ultimate champion here though is the full automation provided by the HRM system. Create automatic mail alerts, checklists, updates, and workflows. The platform also features performance management and reporting which will help you track how your employees are doing as well as spot any weaknesses.

Zoho People could do better in terms of integrations. The platform integrates best with the other Zoho products like Zoho Books and Zoho CRM, and only supports several other apps, including Zapier, QuickBooks, and G-Suite.

Pricing

Users can test the Zoho People web-based HR software for free by requesting a 15-day free trial. No credit card needed. Those with up to five users can subscribe to the Free Plan, which comes with the essentials only.

Apart from the Free Plan, there is a total of four premium packages to choose from. Here is their monthly cost (no VAT included):

• Essential HR – $1/month/user (basic HRIS, onboarding, leave management)
• Professional – $2/month/user (Essential HR, attendance, timesheets, shifts)
• Premium – $3/month/user (Professional HR, performance management, analytics)
• Enterprise – $5/month/user (Premium HR, cases, learning management)

Annual billing comes at a discount, while each plan requires a minimum of five users. Those who need an enterprise HR software for over 500 users should ask the vendor for a custom quote.

Zenefits

Made for small market players, Zenefits is a full solution integrated into a single product. The brand’s client base includes businesses in tech, retail, real estate, and many other industries. Zenefits supports over 35 apps and comes with free mobile apps.

Pros

• PTO management
• Employee activity monitoring
• Document database
• Compensation management
• Built-in compliance

Cons

• Many features cost more
• Slow support

Features

In terms of HR tools, Zenefits doesn’t disappoint. The software automates hiring and onboarding. Users get to create compensation packages, send offer letters, and track progress with checklists. Employers and HR teams also have overviews of workers’ activity. Plus, they get to manage PTO from both desktop and mobile devices.

Employee records and document management are also among Zenefits’ features. They provide quick access to any data you may need and ensure all company and workforce information is correct. Powerful reporting and business intelligence are further included in the package. Insights help boost your employees’ efficiency by detecting weak performance in a timely manner.

Pricing

Test the Zenefits human resources system software for two weeks for free. No credit card or setup needed. There is no free version of Zenefits, and users can choose from three packages. This is their monthly price when billed annually:

• Essentials – $8/month/employee (core HR, time and scheduling, integrations, mobile apps)
• Growth – $14/month/employee (Essentials, compensation, performance)
• Zen – $21/month/employee Growth, well-being)

In addition to these plans, there are several useful add-ons you can purchase:

• Payroll – $6/month/employee
• Advisory services – $8/month/employee
• Benefits using own broker – $5/month/employee

The minimum number of users per plan is five, with no custom bundles allowed. When you buy all features, Zenefits becomes a pricey alternative. That said, this product has a significant value for money.

Freshteam by Freshworks

More than 150000 businesses around the world trust Freshworks with their critical operations. HR is one of the sectors this brand covers via its robust Freshteam human resources management system. Available for desktop and mobile devices, Freshteam suits businesses of all sizes and industries, and comes with a completely free plan for startups.

Pros

• Hiring workflows
• Rich employee profiles
• Smart automations
• Reporting and insights
• Mobile app

Cons

• UI needs an update
• Occasional glitches

Features

A long list of features placed Freshteam among the best human resource information systems. The product covers applicant tracking by useful tools such as sourcing candidates and 360-degree overviews. Smart automations and hiring workflows ensure new hires get an excellent first impression of your business. Additional functions here include making offers, collecting feedback, and integrated emails.

Onboarding is also easy with Freshteam. Within a few clicks, you get all necessary documents signed, tasks tracked, and reminders sent. The employee information system further centralizes all critical people data. PTO management is a crucial capability of leading human resources software systems, Freshteam included. Approve requests, set policies, and streamline approval workflows within minutes.

In addition to HR functionalities, Freshteam offers many other useful tools such as vendor management, support, and custom user roles.

Pricing

Test Freshteam by requesting a 21-day free trial. No credit card needed and no cancellation fees. Startups with up to 50 employees get to use the platform for free, forever. The Sprout Plan comes with essential HR tools only and up to three job postings.

The monthly price per 50 workers, when billed annually, for the other premium plans is the following:

• Blossom – $50 (up to 10 job postings, autopilot, TOA workflows, custom hiring pipelines)
• Garden – $100 (unlimited job postings, advanced customization, offer management, new hire onboarding)
• Estate – $200 (unlimited job postings, custom user roles, unlimited onboarding checklists, dedicated account manager)

All plans include email support around the clock and 24/5 phone support. Users of the Freshteam cloud HR software can downgrade and upgrade anytime. Nonprofits, educational organizations, and large teams are eligible for discounts.

CakeHR

Companies of any size and in any industry will find CakeHR the perfect tool for their HR processes. That said, this product works best for small businesses due to its limited features. CakeHR will onboard new hires, streamline workflows, and provide insights. It, however, could use specific updates to meet the needs of large enterprises.

Pros

• Shared calendar
• Custom approval flows
• Performance management
• Timesheets
• Automated expense recording

Cons

• Pricey recruitment module
• No document management

Features

Multiple modules make the CakeHR human resources management software stand out from the crowd. The product offers a total of six modules, namely leave management, performance, shift scheduling, timesheets, expenses, and recruitment. Each of these covers a specific area of HR, enabling users to get what they need.

Leave management comes equipped with a shared calendar, self-service portal for employees, custom approvals, and detailed reporting. Those who want to track performance get access to tools such as goals, 360-degree feedback, and one-on-one meetings. Shift-scheduling works like a charm, thanks to the interactive shift planning and categorization. This HR system software also includes timesheets and expense management to simplify your operations further.

The recruitment module is an advanced end-to-end solution that helps with pipeline management, interview scheduling, and detailed reports.

Pricing

CakeHR offers new clients a two-week free trial. Setup is easy, and you can cancel at any time without any charges.

The pricing meanwhile depends on the number of employees and modules. On the CakeHR website, you can use their HR management system calculator to check the exact cost. Here are the individual prices per employee per month when billed annually:

• Leave management – $4.2
• Performance – $4
• Shift scheduling – $2.5
• Timesheets – $1.5
• Expenses – $1
• Recruitment – $99

All modules except recruitment cost a reasonable $13.2 per employee, per month for annual subscriptions.

Justworks

Justworks is a smart choice for businesses that need a human resource payroll software. With this solution tackling multiple processes from a single platform, you can invest in Justworks instead of getting separate products for benefits, payroll, HR, and compliance. As a result, most clients of the platform are startups, growing businesses, and nonprofits.

Pros

• Permissions
• Insights
• Company directory
• Benefits management
• Payroll

Cons

• Pricey
• No time tracking

Features

Onboarding, PTO, calendars, document storage, permissions, and reporting are the cornerstones of Justworks HR. These provide valuable business insights to users in custom reports and enable PTO management in one place. Users of this system get to track accruals, create holiday calendars, and approve/reject requests. Justworks also enables online onboarding of new hires. This process is fully automated, ensuring swift and correct completion.

Payroll, benefits, and compliance are the other modules included in the Justworks platform. Each of these comes with robust functions that guarantee smooth operations. Make automatic deposits, get automated notifications, and handle one-off payments. Tackle all types of employee benefits while staying compliant with applicable regulations. These capabilities make Justworks much more than simple human resources SaaS.

Pricing

Any business can request a free product demo by completing a simple form on the Justworks website.

After that, the options include two premium plans. Justworks Basic costs $44 per month per employee for companies that employ up to 25 people. Payroll, benefits, HR, and compliance are included here. For $89 per employee, grab Justworks Plus, which includes access to medical, dental and vision insurance.

The price for each plan drops for larger companies. So, make sure to use the Justworks calculator and check the fee that applies to your business. Also, annual billing gets you a 15% discount.

NetSuite SuitePeople HCM

Health and beauty, IT, education, and apparel are some of the industries served by NetSuite HCM. This is also the best HR software for nonprofits. Regarding business size, NetSuite HCM is robust enough to handle startups, fast-growing entities, and large enterprises. With automated workflows and intuitive UI, the tool eliminates repeated manual tasks within minutes.

Pros

• Global employee record
• Time-off management
• Compliance
• Reporting and analytics
• Full payroll

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Minor integration bugs
• Pricey

Features

SuitePeople is a smart approach to tackling HR and payments with a single solution. NetSuite has integrated a fully functional payroll platform into their HR software. Specific HR functionalities here include a centralized employee database alongside an employee center. This gives staff the freedom to add and edit personal data as well as stay informed on the latest company updates.

Workflows will streamline all your processes and remove any repeated manual tasks from your schedule. Ensure correct payments with time tracking while being able to manage time-off requests within several clicks. Health and safety, effective dating, compliance, and job management are several strengths of NetSuite SuitePeople HCM.

In addition to being a top-performing human resources management system software, the tool also operates as a payroll solution, handling taxes and generating reports. Direct deposits, online pay statements, and automated time-off accruals are key options here.

Pricing

NetSuite offers a free product tour on all its solutions. Pricing, however, is provided upon request only. To get a custom quote, make sure to complete their form and include crucial details about your business. The price depends on your number of employees, specific demands, and wanted modules.

Netchex

Simplicity and flexibility placed Netchex among our top HRMS systems. This product works best for small and growing businesses, regardless of their industry. Netchex comes with several modules that users can combine to fit their needs. This platform is intuitive and robust, so anyone will enjoy using it.

Pros

• PTO requests
• Employee life-cycle management
• Performance
• HR online resources

Cons

• Occasional system overrides

Features

Since Netchex comes with multiple tools, it’s hard to go over all of its features. The system has seven sections that you can combine or get separately. In addition to the human resources information system, the product offers payroll and tax, benefits, and talent management. Time and attendance, administration management, and reporting are also included. Each of these is equipped with a separate set of functionalities that make this top-performing software.

Netchex’s capabilities include salary metrics, performance management, and labor trend analysis. These give you an overview of your workers along with useful insights. A self-service portal meanwhile handles PTO requests, updating personal data, and benefits. With this system providing a complete employee timeline alongside compensation and salary history, finding any details is just a few clicks away.

An exclusive feature of Netchex is the platform’s HR online resources. These help you improve your HR game by using tested templates. You should also expect automated notifications and alerts regarding applicable law changes.

Pricing

The vendor’s website features a demo of each Netchex module.

In terms of packages, there are several plans to choose from. Each of them features essential HR management software capabilities.

• Core – payroll, tax, self-service, time, attendance
• Connect – Core features, onboarding, talent management, NetRecruiter, NetInsight
• Comply – Core features, compliance, NetBenefits, performance management
• Complete – Core and Connect feature, e-verify, NetBenefits, limited compliance

Pricing is provided upon request. Those who need a custom solution can ask for one as well.

Namely

Namely is a user-friendly platform designed to empower HR teams, company leadership and employees. As one of the leading HR software programs for mid-size businesses, this web-based system is packed with features. HR compliance, employee engagement, and payroll are some processes you can tackle with this all-in-one product.

Pros

• Onboarding
• Employee engagement
• Payroll and benefits
• Analytics
• 60+ apps

Cons

• Pricey
• No free trial

Features

Namely comes with several modules and module extensions.

Most HR capabilities are included in the People Operations central platform. Here, users get access to employee management, onboarding, talent acquisition, benefits, payroll, and HR compliance. Namely’s human resources information system further provides in-depth analytics of all these areas, giving you an overview of how your company is performing.

Recruiting, time and attendance, and benchmarking are offered as extensions to the primary system. These are both useful and simple to operate. A separate package focuses on full HR compliance. Its functionalities include live HR advisors, learning management systems, handbooks, and OSHA logs. Extensions for this program include benefits consulting and managed services.

All these powerful tools make Namely a top choice among companies that employ between 50 and 1000 workers. That said, it also performs excellent as HR software for small business.

Pricing

This vendor doesn’t provide a free trial of its platform. They do, however, give a product demo tour. Pricing is given upon request, which can be submitted directly from the Namely website.

APS

APS is a single-system HR, payroll, and workforce management software. The platform, which offers unified solutions, is a simple way to automate your business processes. Robust yet flexible, APS empowers companies of any size and various industries. So far, its human resource software has been successfully implemented in retail, hospitality, tech, and healthcare. Nonprofits, education organizations, and religious organizations can also use APS for day-to-day operations.

Pros

• Attendance
• Self-service portal
• Automated employee life cycles
• Event tracking
• Performance management

Cons

• Many vital features cost extra
• Limited customization

Features

With a long list of HR capabilities, APS makes dealing with your workforce easy and efficient. The platform lets you streamline employee lifecycle processes such as event tracking and performance. Another key HR software feature here is recruiting and onboarding. This, however, comes as an extension that costs extra. Either way, you get to introduce and integrate new hires effortlessly. Evaluate applicants, access job boards, and eliminate paper use.

Real-time HR analytics is what makes APS stand out. This functionality provides insight on workforce diversity, overtime trends, absenteeism, and turnover rates. You will never be in the dark again, thanks to APS’ thorough reporting capabilities.

In addition to being a top-performing software for human resources management, APS also tackles payroll and attendance. The system also integrates with more than 100 applications such as Xero, Microsoft Dynamics, and QuickBooks.

Pricing

A free trial isn’t on the menu at APS, but interested clients can request a product demo. While the pricing of the APS plans is given upon request, the minimum billable monthly amount is $250, making the platform a costly one.

Getting the payroll module is a must, while attendance and HR aren’t mandatory, meaning this isn’t one of the standalone human resource systems. Additionally, there are several add-ons to consider. These include:

• Benefits and COBRA administration
• Carrier connections
• Recruiting and onboarding
• Affordable Care Act
• Scheduling
• HR support
• Customer success

To discover the exact pricing, you must complete a simple form featured on the APS website.

A Simple Buying Guide for Human Resources Software

Buying a great solution isn’t about picking the best-rated product, but rather, figuring out what will work best for you. While every product featured in our table is top-quality software for HR, not every product will align with your working style, business size, or operations.

If this sounds confusing, don’t worry. Below, you have a simple buying guide to help you find the right pick from our HR software list.

Step 1: Shortlist Based on Classification

Classification is one of the cornerstones of our buying guide. It enables you to find products suitable for your business. Think about the industry focus, business size, and deployment of the platform. You can opt for tools that target companies just like yours, or stick to general solutions since they work for any business size.

For example, large enterprises with thousands of employees need systems that can handle a bigger workload, while a new business will want something affordable. That often determines the choice between on-premise and cloud HR software.

Step 2: List Essential Features

The next thing to do when choosing the best HRMS system for you is define the key functionalities you need. The best way to do this is to list all the features you find essential. Then, compare this list against all products shortlisted from Step 1. During this step, you want to find systems that have all or as many as possible critical features. The suitable platforms will survive Step 2 and be included in the final step.

Step 3: Define a Budget

Finally, we get to the money part. Here, you must define a budget for your HR software. Ask yourself how much you can afford for this investment. Also, think about your preferred exit policy and billing plan (monthly or annual). Another thing to consider is whether a free trial and money-back guarantee are important to you or not.

Once you have all these answers, you can compare them to the shortlisted products. Any platform that matches your pricing criteria will handle your HR wonderfully.