Human resources software can save your business time and money. However, not all HR software is the same, which can make it difficult to compare products and find the right one for your business.
We look at some popular platforms to see what features are available for core HR functions: recruiting and onboarding, time and attendance, payroll, benefits administration, employee performance and training.
Sponsored partner picks for
Midsize businesses
NamelyBusinesses focused on analytics
BambooHRBest HR Software
Product | Promotion | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rippling Learn more on Rippling's secure website | Best for Overall option | $8/month Per person plus quote-based monthly software fee. | N/A | Learn more on Rippling's secure website |
Gusto HR Learn more on Gusto HR's secure website | Best for HR and payroll combo | $40/month Plus $6 per person. | N/A | Learn more on Gusto HR's secure website |
Namely | Best for Midsize businesses | N/A Quote-based. | N/A | |
BambooHR | Best for Businesses focused on analytics | N/A Quote-based. | N/A | |
GoCo | Best for Enhanced new hire features | N/A Quote-based. Plus $5 per person. | N/A | |
TriNet Zenefits | Best for Employee collaboration | $10/month Per employee. Must pay for at least 5 employees per month. Additional pricing tiers (per employee per month): $20, $33. | 12-months free payroll With annual subscription to Growth and Zen plans. |
Our pick for
Overall option
Rippling
Learn more
on Rippling's secure website
Starting at
$8/month
Per person plus quote-based monthly software fee.
Promotion
N/A
Rippling offers all the core HR features we would expect plus additional IT functions and automation that can help streamline manual processes.
Pros
- Single platform for employee data.
- Payroll in all 50 states and outside the U.S.
- Employee app and device management.
Cons
- Lacks pricing transparency.
- System may be more than the average small business requires.
Our pick for
HR and payroll combo
Gusto HR
Learn more
on Gusto HR's secure website
Starting at
$40/month
Plus $6 per person.
Promotion
N/A
Gusto offers a winning HR platform for businesses that prioritize full-service payroll but also want to access core HR features.
Pros
- Transparent pricing and plan details.
- Upgrade, downgrade or cancel plans anytime.
- Robust payroll features.
Cons
- Benefits administration not available in all 50 states.
- Employee training provided through third-party apps.
Our pick for
Midsize businesses
Namely
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
Namely is an all-in-one HR platform that works well for companies with 25 to 1,000 employees and who value employee engagement tools.
Pros
- Employee engagement tools.
- Vast library of training and compliance courses.
- Offers a monthly webinar to demonstrate the product.
Cons
- Lacks pricing transparency.
- Not the best fit for businesses with fewer than 25 employees.
Our pick for
Businesses focused on analytics
BambooHR
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
BambooHR has a strong focus on analytics, including a library of useful HR reports, while not losing sight of the benefits of employee engagement options.
Pros
- Focus on analytics and reporting.
- Strong employee engagement tools.
- Seven-day free trial.
Cons
- Lacks pricing transparency.
- Payroll is considered an add-on.
Our pick for
Enhanced new hire features
GoCo
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based. Plus $5 per person.
Promotion
N/A
GoCo works hard to automate the hiring and onboarding process with software and tools that let you collect documents and data before new hires start work.
Pros
- Paper-free hiring and onboarding process.
- 20% discount for annual and multiyear contract payment.
- Product tour with preloaded demo data.
Cons
- Lacking pricing details.
- Limited employee performance features.
Our pick for
Employee collaboration
TriNet Zenefits
Starting at
$10/month
Per employee. Must pay for at least 5 employees per month. Additional pricing tiers (per employee per month): $20, $33.
Promotion
12-months free payroll
With annual subscription to Growth and Zen plans.
TriNet Zenefits offers core HR tools, and it includes access to a unique hub in every plan where announcements can be posted, information can be shared and employees can collaborate.
Pros
- Employee self-onboarding that can be completed before the start date.
- People Hub for employee engagement and collaboration.
- Free payroll for 12 months for businesses that meet promotion terms.
Cons
- Minimum charge for five employees totaling $40.
- Payroll is an add-on feature at an added cost.
Rippling: Best overall
Rippling’s HR products are packaged as a cloud-based HRIS, or human resources information system, that will accommodate from two to 2,000 employees. All employee data is stored in one workforce platform, thus allowing you to automate many manual HR and IT processes. Businesses can customize their plans based on their needs.
Price
Plans start at $8 a month per employee plus an additional $35 monthly base fee. After purchasing the Rippling Unity Platform, additional HR and IT products can be purchased separately based on your business needs. A custom quote will be provided based on the services you select.
Core features
- Recruiting and onboarding: Systems to post openings, track applicants and onboard.
- Time and attendance: Automated time tracking that integrates with payroll and paid time off.
- Payroll: Full-service payroll in all 50 states; federal, state and local tax filing; and W-2 and 1099 forms.
- Benefits administration: Medical, dental, vision, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts and 401(k) plans.
- Employee performance: Integrates with 15Five performance management app.
- Training: Pre-built courses and training with progress tracking and alerts.
In addition to the HR package, a business can also purchase IT services from Rippling that include remote employee app and device setup and management, including the shipping and retrieval of devices.
Gusto HR: Best HR and payroll combo
Gusto’s all-in-one HR platform can be used by businesses of any size. Well-known as a top-notch payroll services provider, Gusto also offers expanded HR features that include employee benefits and employee management options, plus insights and reporting tools.
Price
Gusto’s Simple plan starts at a base monthly fee of $40, plus $6 per person. Businesses can upgrade to Plus at $80 a month and $12 per person for more advanced features. A quote-based plan is also available to larger businesses. Additional fees apply for add-on features such as HSAs, FSAs and 529 college savings accounts.
Core features
- Recruiting and onboarding: Job postings, onboarding checklists and e-signature docs.
- Time and attendance: Automated time tools, tracking paid time off and sync with payroll.
- Payroll: Full-service payroll in all 50 states with federal, state and local tax filing and payment.
- Benefits administration: Health insurance plans, 401(k) plans and more with licensed brokers. Health benefits aren’t available in all states.
- Employee performance: Manager reviews, self-evaluations and automated workflow.
- Training: Syncs with Engagedly, EasyLlama, Ethena and other learning management apps.
Gusto also offers employee engagement tools that include employee surveys and the ability to do trend analysis. Plus, you can get compliance alerts for state and federal law changes and access to certified HR professionals.
Namely: Best for midsize businesses
Namely is an all-in-one human resources platform focused on midsize companies, which it defines as ranging from 25 to 1,000 employees. In addition to HR capabilities, it offers features meant to help unify your workplace by engaging employees, encouraging their development and making them feel appreciated.
Price
Pricing isn’t provided on the Namely website, so you’ll need to contact the company to get a price quote. Businesses are required to purchase an HR Fundamentals package and then have the option to add other core features like payroll and recruiting.
Core features
- Recruiting and onboarding: Job posting, applicant tracking, background checks and onboarding.
- Time and attendance: Time tracking, online timesheets, scheduling and managing paid time off.
- Payroll: Unlimited payroll runs, tax filing, employee self-service, and W-2 and 1099 forms.
- Benefits administration: Benefits management features that include an enrollment wizard, plan configuration and payroll integration.
- Employee performance: Goal tracking, performance reviews and feedback from managers, coworkers and direct reports.
- Training: Over 300 training courses with option to upload your own.
Namely’s focus on employees includes a company news feed, appreciations and employee directory. Employees are encouraged to log in to Namely, where the company has designed the layout to look similar to popular social networks.
BambooHR: Best for businesses focused on analytics
BambooHR offers an all-in-one HR system for small and midsize businesses. Collecting, storing and analyzing employee data is a priority for BambooHR, but it also offers tools that can engage your employees.
Price
Pricing information is not available on the BambooHR website. Instead, you’ll need to complete a short online form to get a price quote. Two packages are offered with add-ons for payroll, time tracking and performance management. Also, BambooHR offers a free trial for seven days.
Core features
- Recruiting and onboarding: Post open positions, applicant tracking system and onboarding programs.
- Time and attendance: Daily time tracking, employee timesheets and time-off management.
- Payroll: Runs payroll, takes care of federal, state and local taxes, and W-2 and 1099 tax forms as an add-on.
- Benefits administration: Offers tracking to manage benefit packages.
- Employee performance: Goals and peer feedback, along with self and manager assessments.
- Training: Tracking of mandatory and optional trainings.
Employee well-being and employee engagement tools are also offered to help employees share how they’re feeling about their work and the organization. This includes employee satisfaction surveys, keyword tagging and trend tracking.
GoCo: Best for enhanced new hire features
GoCo provides HR features including solid benefits administration with a focus on streamlining the hiring and onboarding process for new hires. You can explore the product through a free tour of a real account and even experiment with the data to get a feel for the product.
Price
The starting price is $5 per employee per month, but details about monthly base price and add-on fees are not available on the GoCo website. You’ll need to talk to a representative to get a quote based on your needs. However, a 20% discount is offered to businesses that are willing to pay for an annual or multiyear contract.
Core features
- Recruiting and onboarding: Offer letters, self-service onboarding and digital onboarding documents, along with a feature that can turn documents into fillable forms.
- Time and attendance: Time tracking, timesheets, overtime calculations, paid time off and reports.
- Payroll: Integrates with third-party online payroll systems or offers an embedded option from ExecuPay.
- Benefits administration: Health insurance, 401(k), life insurance, commuter and other benefits.
- Employee performance: Limited to building a workflow template and tracking progress.
- Training: A library of HR and employee training videos, including harassment prevention training.
GoCo has an HR support center where you can get unlimited advice from certified HR professionals. There is a one-day turnaround for a request, but live chat is also offered.
TriNet Zenefits: Best for employee collaboration
TriNet Zenefits is an all-in-one HR software platform that can help you reduce employee paperwork through automation and encourages employee collaboration through its People Hub. Zenefits came under some scrutiny in November 2016 and was fined $7 million by the California Department of Insurance for licensing violations before being acquired by TriNet in February 2022.
Price
Pricing starts at $8 per month per employee with a minimum charge of $40 (equivalent to five employees). Two other plans with more features are offered at a starting cost of $14 and $21 per month per employee. Add-ons for payroll, advisory services and benefits administration range from $5 to $8 a month per employee. New customers could qualify for free payroll for a year when they have an annual subscription to any core HR packages and meet other requirements.
Core features
- Recruiting and onboarding: Offer letters, background checks and employee self-onboarding.
- Time and attendance: Time tracking for employees and contractors as well as paid time off.
- Payroll: Unlimited payroll runs, tax filing and payment, tip reporting and contractor payments as an add-on feature for $6 a month per employee.
- Benefits administration: Health benefits in 49 states, along with 401(k) plans, commuter benefits and more.
- Employee performance: Tools for performance reviews, goal setting and one-on-one meetings.
- Training: Integrates with learning software apps such as Lessonly, Spark Edcast and Zyware.
A stand-out feature offered by TriNet Zenefits is its People Hub. Available in the top-tier package, this hub is a place where employees can collaborate with one another and teams can send out important information.
Last updated on August 8, 2022
