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10+ Best HRMS Software Systems in 2025

An expert-led guide on top Human Resource Management Software review and comparison. Find out HRMS price, pros & cons, key feature, and more below.

Rodrigo Vázquez-Mellado
Written by
Rodrigo Vázquez-Mellado
HR and B2B software analyst and advisor, tech writer and editor, former conversational designer
Contributing Experts
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Last Updated: Apr 15, 2025
TOP
Best for integrated US payroll and HRMS at midsized businesses
Paylocity
4.2
Popularity Score
4.3
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for integrated US payroll and HRMS at midsized businesses
Paylocity
4.2
Popularity Score
4.3
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Free HRMS software from a leading global payroll software company
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Free HRMS software from a leading global payroll software company
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Comprehensive HRMS system for SMBs, highly customizable
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Comprehensive HRMS system for SMBs, highly customizable
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Comprehensive HR software starting at $5 per employee monthly
GoCo
4.1
Popularity Score
4.7
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Comprehensive HR software starting at $5 per employee monthly
GoCo
4.1
Popularity Score
4.7
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best video interviewing platform for scalability
Willo
4.5
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.8
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best video interviewing platform for scalability
Willo
4.5
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.8
Product  Score
Learn More

Top HRMS Software

CeridianData-driven, highly customizable HRMS for large enterprises
NetchexPayroll-focused HRMS platform for US small businesses
HiBobPeople-centric HRMS for midsized organizations worldwide
WorkDayHR management suite for enterprises with multiple global branches
SAP SuccessFactorsHRMS software with employee experience focus
UKGLong-standing HRMS and workforce management system
Zoho PeopleFlexible, well-priced HRMS product for small businesses
NamelyTop midmarket HRMS system with excellent reporting features

Paycor

: Top HRMS vendor with excellent US payroll management capabilities

Rippling

: Mighty HRMS company for teams with under 2,000 employees

TOP
Best for integrated US payroll and HRMS at midsized businesses
Paylocity
4.2
Popularity Score
4.3
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for integrated US payroll and HRMS at midsized businesses
Paylocity
4.2
Popularity Score
4.3
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Free HRMS software from a leading global payroll software company
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Free HRMS software from a leading global payroll software company
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Comprehensive HRMS system for SMBs, highly customizable
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Comprehensive HRMS system for SMBs, highly customizable
BambooHR
4.5
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Learn More

Compare the Top HRMS Software

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score

Paylocity

Paylocity

Trending Now
4.2
US-based mid-sized companies looking for payroll + HR platform
Comprehensive HR and payroll platform with great customer support
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
40,000+ companies
4.3
4.1

Deel

Deel

Trending Now
4.4
Remote-first, global teams with basic HR needs
Free core HR on top of global payroll tools
No
35,000+ companies
4.6
4.5

BambooHR

BambooHR

Trending Now
4.5
SMBs in need of a highly customizable tool, remote-friendly
HR management + a comprehensive recruiting suite
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
Yes
33,000+ companies
4.5
4.4

Paycor

Paycor

Trending Now
4.1
US-based SMBs in certain industries looking for a full HRMS
Very focused on payroll management + excellent HR features
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
Yes
40,000+ companies
4.2
4.0

Rippling

Rippling

Trending Now
4.2
Teams under 2,000 employees looking beyond an HRMS
Scalable solution, very friendly with SMBs (US & beyond)
Starts at $8/mo for the HCM suite
Get pricing info
Yes
16,000+ companies
4.2
4.1

Ceridian

Ceridian

Trending Now
4.8
Large businesses with more than 1,000 employees
Very data-driven product, good for managing compliance
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
Yes
5,000+
3.8
4.5

Netchex

Netchex

Trending Now
4.2
Companies with 50-500 employees looking for payroll+HR
Excellent rated customer service, all US-based
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
6,500+ companies
4.5
4.4

HiBob

HiBob

Trending Now
4.5
Small and mid-sized, global/hybrid teams
Engagement-centric HRMS
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
4,000+ companies
4.4
4.3

WorkDay

WorkDay

Trending Now
4.0
Mid-to-large enterprises looking for an all-in-one platform
Enterprise-grade solution, still friendly to mid-size orgs
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
10,000+ companies
3.9
4.0
4.0
Large organizations in need of a personalized solution
Features for the whole breadth of employee experience
Starts from $6.3/user/month
Get pricing info
No
5000+ companies
3.9
4.0

UKG

UKG

Trending Now
4.0
Businesses with more than 1,000 employees, everywhere
Lots of variety in features, workforce management focus
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
Undisclosed
4.2
4.1
4.0
Budget-conscious SMBs looking for a multilingual tool
Cost-effective tool with a wide range of features
Starts at $4.61/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
33,000+ companies
4.3
4.1

Namely

Namely

Trending Now
4.7
US-based mid-market businesses (50-1,000 headcount)
Very focused in the mid-market US sector, great reporting
Custom Pricing
Get pricing info
No
12,000+
4.1
4.6

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Introduction to HRMS (Human Resource Management Systems)

Are you in the market for a world-class HRMS to streamline employee onboarding, payroll, benefits management, and talent acquisition? This guide will help you make a well-informed and confident selection (though, if you'd like personalized assistance, you can book a free call with an HR tech expert on our staff who can build a custom vendor shortlist for your organization). We are experts on HRMS software, and this guide provides a highly developed and unbiased appraisal of the HRMS options on the market. We’ll walk you through every step and help you avoid common mistakes. But before we get too deep, let’s define what “HRMS” means.

Sometimes, it helps to understand something by defining what it is not. An HRMS differs from a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) or Human Capital Management (HCM) software. The distinctions are nuanced because there are many overlapping features, and some vendors use this confusion to their advantage, claiming that their software is all three.

This guide defines HRMS software as a system designed to streamline HR administrative tasks like payroll and timekeeping, increase efficiency, reduce or eliminate manual tasks, and provide strategic insight through data analytics. An HRIS offers many of the same features, but the scope is restricted to data entry and basic processing of employee information. An HCM software is substantially dissimilar to both because it represents a fully integrated management philosophy.

We strongly advise you to move forward only when you understand the difference well enough to recognize when a vendor is stretching the truth. If it’s still a little fuzzy, this article on the difference between HCM, HRMS, and HRIS may help.

If you’re feeling confidwent in your understanding, then keep reading! Our product-by-product evaluation covers critical factors like customer success, user experience, support quality, and implementation.

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Our Criteria: Here's How We Chose The Top HRMS Software

Our experts conduct product demos with each vendor to choose the top HRMS systems, incorporate user research, and gather feedback from HR tech leaders. When judging HRMS software, we focus on three key areas: data management security, compliance and reporting, and employee experience.

Employee Data Management Security

Though known as “all-in-one” tools, the scope and scale of each HRMS system’s data management vary significantly, as does the dedication to security hygiene. Our top picks are security-focused companies with a good track record who use two-factor authentication, encryption, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) compliance.

Compliance and Reporting

Recordkeeping and documentation are critical, so we chose HRMS software that offers various compliance and reporting features.

To make it onto this list, we require vendors to cover, at minimum, tax set-up and reporting, state and federal employment laws, wage and hour compliance, anti-discrimination and harassment prevention, and benefits regulations. Some tools below also offer global payroll and compliance features.

Employee Experience

As self-service options become more common in HRMS tools, the employee experience becomes more critical. In our experience, good UX/UI and overall ease of use are the most vital elements of this feature, keeping employee frustration low and data accuracy high.

Our mission is to make it easy for HR and TA teams to buy, implement, and love their new software. If you want to learn more about our methodology, we invite you to explore our article on editorial guidelines.

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Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

Need Help? Get Custom Recommendations for Top HRMS Software

Talk to An Advisor

Detailed Reviews of the Best HRMS (Human Resource Management Systems)

Paylocity

Visit Website
Paylocity
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Paylocity

Paylocity's HRMS solution provides a host of features designed to support the full employee lifecycle. Its emphasis on automation, customization, and compliance makes it a compelling choice for organizations seeking to optimize their HR operations.

PROS

  • Paylocity provides a comprehensive platform that streamlines the management of payroll, HR, benefits, and more.
  • The UI is quite clean and easy to navigate. There’s lots of online help docs to guide you through it too.
  • There’s a mobile app for both employees and managers that enhances accessibility and convenience.
  • Paylocity’s customer support is highly rated for always being available to answer questions.
  • Global payroll support for 100+ countries.
  • Provides free and unlimited training modules on the website.
  • Paylocity’s mobile app has a good UI and functionality
  • The tool is easy to use for both employees and employers.
  • Has 350+ pre-built integrations.

CONS

  • Pricing isn’t publicly shared and there is no free trial or free plan available.
  • There is a bit of a learning curve due to Paylocity's extensive feature set.
  • Report customization could be improved.
  • Undisclosed pricing.
  • It doesn’t have a free trial or free plan.
  • Support is available in English only.
  • It isn’t the best solution for remote teams looking for a tool to manage payroll and benefits for their contractors.
Paylocity HRMS

Paylocity Review

Beyond payroll solutions, Paylocity offers an all-in-one HR suite that simplifies the management of people data and processes. The platform particularly excels at information collection and task automation. With pre-built templates for common tasks like address changes and the ability to create custom workflows, Paylocity makes it easy to automate repetitive tasks and reduce administrative burden.

The platform is easily accessible both for employees and managers. There’s a self-service portal employees can log into either via desktop or mobile app and access all sorts of documents, request time off, update personal information, and collaborate with colleagues. Managers can also access the platform on desktop or mobile devices and benefit from full visibility into employee data, configure new positions, assign skills and certifications, predict vacancies, manage budgets, and more.

Compliance is another top priority for Paylocity, with an intuitive dashboard that provides quick access to crucial information such as work authorizations, EEO and FLSA compliance data, and industry news. For additional support, Paylocity's HR Edge service offers expert resources, including an account manager, to help minimize risk and implement best practices.

Lastly, Paylocity's powerful reporting and analytics capabilities allow you to gain valuable insights into your workforce. With real-time, visualized data, you can track key metrics, identify trends, improve HR strategies, and drive organizational success.

Paylocity Customers

40,000+ businesses use Paylocity’s solutions including Weigel’s, ILC, Upward, and HMC.

Paylocity Pricing

The cost of Paylocity's services varies depending on the specific features required and the size of your organization. To obtain a personalized estimate, it's recommended to schedule a demonstration with their Sales team. This allows for a tailored discussion of your needs and a more accurate assessment of the associated costs.

Best For

Paylocity's solutions cater to businesses of all sizes across various industries, but their ideal target market comprises medium and large enterprises. These companies are best suited to fully utilize the platform's capabilities and leverage its benefits effectively.

Paylocity in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I use Paylocity daily to handle a wide range of HR tasks. My primary use is for payroll, ensuring timely and accurate payments for all employees. Besides payroll, I also use the software to track employee attendance and manage benefits. One of its standout features is the reporting tool, which helps me understand how our team is performing and what tasks they are working on.

Paylocity also includes an employee self-service portal where staff can update their information, request leave, and access pay stubs whenever they need. This platform has turned what was once a cumbersome process into a hassle-free experience.

What do you like about this tool?

Paylocity’s user-friendly design makes managing HR tasks incredibly easy. Tracking employee hours, processing payroll, and handling benefits is convenient and helps prevent errors. The reporting and analytics tools provide a clear overview of the team’s performance, enabling me to make informed decisions.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We chose Paylocity to address numerous issues with our previous HR and payroll system. The old system caused delays in paychecks and dissatisfaction among employees due to multiple errors.

We needed a solution that could manage everything from payroll to career development in a single platform. Paylocity stood out because of its simplicity and useful features, and it’s scalable to support our company's growth.

Since implementing Paylocity, we've seen significant improvements in payroll accuracy, compliance with statutory requirements, and employee satisfaction. Employees can now view their pay stubs and request leave on their own, streamlining HR tasks.

I've been using Paylocity for approximately two years, and it has transformed our HR processes, making everything more efficient.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Paylocity's customer service can be slow, which is frustrating when dealing with urgent issues. While the customization features are helpful, they can sometimes feel limited and don’t always fit our needs perfectly. The mobile app, though functional, could benefit from design improvements to make it more user-friendly and enjoyable to use.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Paylocity stands out because of its simple layout and ease of use, unlike other platforms that require extensive manuals just to understand basic functions. It offers a one-stop shop for HR tasks, including payroll and talent management, without being overly complex.

The self-service portal for employees, which allows them to manage their own information, is a great feature that fosters a sense of belonging and teamwork. Paylocity seems tailor-made to meet our organizational needs, ensuring smooth operations and employee satisfaction.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When choosing an HR and payroll system like Paylocity, usability and compatibility with other programs are key factors. Ensure the platform is easy to use for HR staff and employees alike, and that it integrates seamlessly with other tools your company uses.

Customer support is also crucial, as you’ll need reliable assistance during setup and daily use. Additionally, consider future scalability—choose a system that can grow with your company without requiring major overhauls down the road.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Paylocity has made several improvements over time, particularly by adding new analytics and reporting features that help companies better understand their employees. The platform has maintained its ease of use with a redesigned interface and a more intuitive mobile app.

They’ve also introduced social collaboration tools and personalized employee dashboards, making it easier for employees to access their work-related information and engage with colleagues. These updates reflect Paylocity’s commitment to meeting HR needs and keeping employees engaged and satisfied.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Paylocity is ideal for mid-sized businesses that need a comprehensive solution for HR and payroll tasks. It efficiently handles employee payments, time tracking, and benefits management on one simple platform.

The employee portal allows workers to access their data and communicate with others, making it a great fit for companies that value collaboration and satisfaction among their staff.

Additionally, HR professionals needing strong reporting and analytics tools will benefit from Paylocity's capabilities.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Paylocity may not be suitable for very small companies with minimal HR needs, as its features could be more than necessary and its pricing might be too high. Large corporations with complex and highly customized HR processes might find Paylocity’s customization options too limited compared to enterprise-level solutions.

Also, companies needing extensive integrations with niche or industry-specific programs might struggle, as Paylocity’s integration capabilities, while strong, may not meet all specialized demands without additional customization or external applications.

Deel

Visit Website
Deel
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.4 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Deel

Global teams big and small will appreciate a free HRMS that was built by a global team. Yes, their core HR solution is free, along with many useful modules like 1:1s, virtual networking, and pulse surveys.

PROS

  • Unified platform for free HRIS and payroll services in over 100 countries and contractors in over 150 countries.
  • Automated invoicing feature available in English for both companies and contractors or employees.
  • Full in-house support from local country experts and a first response time of only 1.25 minutes.
  • APIs and native integrations with over 100 popular HR tools.
  • Self-service approach and tech-enabled features allow for quick and easy adoption.
  • Excellent 24/7 customer service with fast onboarding (2-3 days) and local payroll experts in each jurisdiction.
  • Deel HR is free for companies of all sizes.
  • Seamless integration with platforms like QuickBooks, BambooHR, and Greenhouse, plus custom integration options.
  • User-friendly, self-service features enable quick setup; identity verification often takes under 24 hours.
  • Automated invoices simplify payments, provided they're in English.

CONS

  • Not suitable for budget-conscious teams that don't hire internationally.
  • Lacks advanced features found in more established HR solutions.
  • Limited flexibility to change contracts or service agreements.
  • Currently cannot generate invoices in languages other than English.
  • Key features like onboarding automation are add-ons, which may increase costs.
  • Limited flexibility in modifying contracts or service agreements; changes often require an addendum.
  • Invoices cannot be generated in languages other than English.

Deel Review

Deel was originally a global payroll offering, that has since expanded their product to be a full-fledged HRMS. While it's probably best for global teams that have international colleagues, their functionality could also be used by companies operating in just one country.

Deel HRMS software

One of our favorite features of this HRMS is "connections" - a product where teammates can connect virtually to bond and learn more with one another. HR teams will also appreciate the onboarding workflows (including the ability to provision equipment globally!), background checks, remote location management, and perks.

Deel Customers

35,000+ organizations have used Deel’s HR and payroll solutions, including Makerpad, Andela, and Brex.

Deel Pricing

Deel HR offers its HR services for free, but charges for its global payroll services, which start at $19 per month.

Best For

Deel HR is best for organizations that hire internationally.

Deel in action
No items found.

BambooHR

Visit Website
BambooHR
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked BambooHR

BambooHR is a top-notch HR software known for its flexibility, user-friendliness, and reliability. It offers numerous features, including ATS, payroll, and performance management.

PROS

  • Flexible packaging and custom pricing options based on user requirements
  • Intuitive design ensures a user-friendly experience, simplifying HR processes for HR pros, managers, and the entire team.
  • Regular updates and customer support, BambooHR continuously strives to enhance its offerings.
  • Flexible packaging and custom pricing is the way they roll. You can pick out one or two packages and pick other modules as add-ons based on your needs. 
  • Very simple and straightforward tool, easy to use.

CONS

  • The payroll functionality is limited to U.S. companies.
  • Customer success hours only suitable for U.S. time zones
  • Core HR tools must be purchased to use features like time & attendance,  surveys, and performance assessment.
  • Payroll is only available for US-based employees 
  • Customer support is only offered during US business hours.
  • Some modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only available as add-ons.
BambooHR dashboard screenshot - one of the best human resource management system software

BambooHR Review

BambooHR offers flexible plans and a comprehensive platform that covers the entire employee lifecycle with full HRMS functionality, including recruiting, performance management, and many more. The platform also provides an integrated app marketplace for HR and recruiting vendors and a handy Human Resources glossary.

BambooHR Customers

Among the 20,000+ companies that use BambooHR, you’d find names like Quora, Universal Group, Reddit, Asana, Change.org, University of Maryland, Grammarly, Stance, Postmates, Wistia, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ZipRecruiter.

BambooHR Pricing

Pricing is not disclosed upfront, but they do offer a free trial of their all-in-one software and then go out of their way to find a version that will suit you. Before they come up with a personalized quote that will align with your budget, however, they are also likely to extend your free trial upon request or even give you a free demo of the advanced features.

Best For

BambooHR is an excellent choice for companies seeking a highly customizable HR product with pricing options that accommodate their specific requirements. It is worth mentioning that it is favored by partially and fully remote teams.

BambooHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

BambooHR supports the entire employment lifecycle. I use it to onboard employees, send important announcements, review performance, send out engagement surveys, run payroll, generate reports, share files and resources with employees, and offboard employees.

I use BambooHR almost daily to update employee information, track anniversaries and birthdays, and run reports. I also use it for bi-weekly payroll. I appreciate how easy BambooHR is to use and maintain.

What do you like about this tool?

I like that BambooHR is user-friendly. It offers good value for the money. It includes strong workflows and automation features.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My clients purchased BambooHR, and I use it daily as I support them with system management and general human resources. They needed a centralized place to store all people data and manage payroll. They also required an automated onboarding process with checklists and reminders.

I have used BambooHR for eight years, and I appreciate how user-friendly it is. BambooHR has allowed my clients to report on their dispersed workforces and share important documents and resources with employees within one system. It has also greatly improved both onboarding and offboarding.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Some integrations could be improved (e.g., enabling two-way data syncing rather than just one-way). Built-in scheduling functionality would be a helpful addition. I also recall the initial implementation being relatively expensive.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

BambooHR is one of the most user-friendly tools in its category. You do not need to be an expert or complete extensive training to use it effectively. Training is available, though, for those who prefer structured learning over hands-on experience.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Buyers should consider how many employees they have and whether they are planning for rapid growth. They should assess their onboarding and payroll needs. BambooHR is a good fit for small to medium-sized businesses but may not be ideal for large enterprises.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

BambooHR added payroll functionality a few years ago, which was a valuable improvement.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

BambooHR works well for small to mid-sized businesses.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

BambooHR is not well suited for large enterprise businesses.

Paycor

Visit Website
Paycor
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked Paycor

Paycor is popular among small and medium-sized businesses across states for managing payroll, budgeting, and time and labor management. While the greatest strength of Paycor is payroll, the platform is also known for being a well-established HRMS with positive employee experience features and scalability.

PROS

  • Paycor payroll solution and mobile app are both straightforward to use.
  • Intuitive self-service employee portal.
  • Offers multiple modules for small businesses and custom plans for teams with 50-1000 employees.
  • Unlimited payrolls.
  • Offers discounts frequently. Though not listed on their site, a free trial is available to those who contact the support team directly.
  • On-demand pay is available for all plans.
  • With the acquisition of the people development platform Verb, it has improved its employee learning experience.
  • Paycor payroll solution and mobile app are both straightforward to use.
  • Intuitive self-service employee portal.
  • Offers multiple modules for small businesses and custom plans for teams with 50-1000 employees.
  • Unlimited payrolls.
  • Offers discounts frequently. Though not listed on their site, a free trial is available to those who contact the support team directly.
  • On-demand pay is available for all plans.
  • With the acquisition of the people development platform Verb, it has improved its employee learning experience.

CONS

  • Undisclosed pricing.
  • Customer support is reported to be slow at times.
  • It is not a good fit for teams with 1000+ employees or those requiring advanced customization to meet their unique requirements.
  • Undisclosed pricing.
  • Customer support is reported to be slow at times.
  • It is not a good fit for teams with 1000+ employees or those requiring advanced customization to meet their unique requirements.
Paycor dashboard screenshot - one of the best HR Management System

Paycor Review

Aside from being one of the most well-established HRMS, Paycor stands out for its payroll capabilities. Running payroll on the platform is straightforward. We are a team with members of multiple contract types and nationalities, so we appreciate that it services both hourly workers and full-time employees, U.S.-based or otherwise.

The platform lets users choose their pay intervals (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.) and allows our team members to select their payment methods (on-demand pay, direct deposit, Paycor wallet). The best part is that these features, autorun, and off-cycle payroll runs are accessible to all users, including the Basic ones.

Self-service is another pro of Paycor. Through the portal, employees can access their onboarding, payroll, work schedules, and benefits enrollment (what could be better than autonomy?) They can also update their contact and banking information; then, notifications about changes are sent to admin users in real-time.

Paycor didn’t disappoint us with its latest mobile app version. It used to be very limited, but now we can access the whole self-service suite on mobile devices. Plus, all Paycor Scheduling subscriptions can access Team Chat — a real-time communication tool that lets members message individuals, groups, or channels within the app.

There are still parts we don’t like. While Paycor offers several support channels, the support team is sometimes slow to respond. We’d also love to see improvements in reporting and analytics. The lower-priced plans have minimal reporting capabilities, and even the enterprise plan users may still find the tool lacking.

Paycor Customers

Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Detroit Zoo, The Cincinnati Bengals, The YMCA.

Paycor Pricing

Paycor doesn’t publish its pricing on the website. You need to get in touch with customer support to get a quote.

Best For

Small and medium-sized companies in the U.S. that are looking for a one-stop shop for their HR needs. Particularly, businesses in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, food and beverage, nonprofits, and professional sports organizations are likely to make the most out of Paycor’s features.

Paycor in action
Reviewer's Rating
5/10

I used Paycor for payroll administration and benefit processing. I used it daily for payroll, starting with the migration of biometric data into Paycor to capture clock-in/out punches. Paycor allowed me to monitor missed punches through a dashboard, which helped identify and resolve issues before processing payroll.

From an HRIS operations perspective, applicants were tracked, new hires entered their own onboarding information before their start date, and Paycor generated benefit enrollment information when employees became eligible. This workflow minimized the manual process of tracking and ensuring employees completed time-sensitive forms for benefits enrollment.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Billing: Paycor billed per employee at an agreed-upon rate.
  • Onboarding: The user-friendly process made it easy for new hires.
  • Reports: The system provided the ability to run reports or request custom reports from a Paycor representative.
  • Support: A dedicated representative was available, along with a support team if the primary rep was unavailable.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My organization purchased Paycor because it provided solutions for payroll and HRIS, including applicant tracking, onboarding, benefits, open enrollment, and performance management. I used Paycor for three years.

As the payroll administrator, I worked with Kronos to migrate biometric data (clock-in/out punches) into Paycor to process payroll. Additionally, I entered bi-weekly bonus payouts.

With Paycor, I also established a paperless open enrollment process and transitioned to an online platform. Paycor representatives assisted in setting up benefit vendor accounts for direct feed when payroll was processed, ensuring vendors received payment for employee benefits.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • System Issues: There were challenges with direct feed processing to vendors for payments.
  • Support: The frequent turnover of dedicated reps made it difficult to establish continuity. Once we became comfortable with a rep, they would leave, requiring us to repeatedly acclimate new representatives to our business operations.
  • Reports: The system did not allow data to be frozen in time for reporting. For example, if I ran a job title or salary report for 2003, it would display current data rather than historical information from that year.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

The company transitioned from Paycor to Paycom. I prefer Paycom because it provides accurate historical reporting and has more consistent support staff.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Gather clear input from the departments that will use the tool the most to ensure it meets their needs. Ask the sales representative detailed questions—if they frequently need to check with someone else, they may not be knowledgeable enough about the product. Request a demonstration in demo mode to confirm that the tool will meet expectations and solve your specific challenges.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

I have not used Paycor since the company transitioned to Paycom. However, since they are still in business, I assume they have made updates and continue to serve satisfied customers.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Paycor is well-suited for small to medium-sized companies with up to 150 employees.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Organizations with 500 or more employees may find Paycor insufficient.

Rippling

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Rippling
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Rippling

Rippling is a mighty HRMS solution for growing teams, ideally medium-sized, to handle payroll, budgeting, and time and labor management with efficiency and autonomy. The ability to integrate with 500+ apps makes Rippling a strong bet for teams looking to share data between all of their business software.

PROS

  • Rippling provides an end-to-end HCM with great automation features.
  • Supports both US payroll and global payroll in over 100 countries.
  • Auto-translates receipt line items and converts their currencies for the reviewer.
  • Robust integration capabilities.
  • The benefits module enables users to collaborate with their preferred broker and choose from 4,000 options.
  • Modules are available for individual purchase or as part of a suite, but the Core HR module is mandatory in any package.
  • All-in-one platform for employee management + PEO services offered, and even a suite of other IT products 
  • With 500 integrations, it’s very likely that they integrate with other key tools from your tech stack.
  • Operates globally with any currency
  • Workflow automation
  • Analytics opportunities
  • Provides a holistic view of company outflows—headcount costs included

CONS

  • Payroll automation not available.
  • No complimentary trial.
  • Support not provided 24/7, additional charges for phone support.
  • Not suitable for businesses with 2,000+ employees.
  • Total buy-in to Rippling is essential 
  • Very SMB-oriented, in case you’re a larger company. 
  • New features tend to be buggy in ways that tech teams are not accustomed to fixing
Rippling dashboard screenshot - one of the best HRMS Software Company

Rippling Review

Rippling has emerged as a leading HRMS platform, providing an extensive array of HR management functionalities.
Since its launch in 2016, it has continuously evolved to prioritize efficiency, autonomy, and a user-friendly interface.

Rippling Customers

Vox, Maximum Games, Superhuman, Compass Coffee, Highnoon.

Rippling Pricing

Rippling pricing starts at $8 per employee per month. For a personalized quote, you need to reach out to their sales team.

Best For

Rippling is an excellent choice of an HRMS for US-based and international teams that don’t have more than 2,000 employees.

Rippling in action
Reviewer's Rating
6/10

We use Rippling for all HR processes - hiring, onboarding, training, time and attendance, etc. We also use the pulse tool for surveys of our employees. We have built workflows to support onboarding and schedule management when someone takes time off. It's a daily tool for us.

What do you like about this tool?

Rippling is quite comprehensive and has more functionality than other HRIS I have used, such as the pulse/survey tool right within the platform. It also integrates with Slack, so notifications and reports can be sent there. I like the workflow options as well, which allow you to set things up to launch when certain conditions are met, e.g. send an onboarding survey a month after start date.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We are a relatively new company and did not have an HRIS in place. After looking at a few we opted for Rippling because of the functionality it offered as well as integrations and automations. We have been using it for about 9 months.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Rippling has been around for a few years but it feels like they are still working out some bugs. There are certain things that just don't work the way you'd expect. We have recently implemented their global payroll app for our Canadian employees and it doesn't do things like break out vacation time, etc. It has a reporting function but it's a bit hard to get exactly what you're looking for and the charts that it creates don't always display information in the most relevant way.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Rippling is quite user-friendly in terms of interface. It has more functionality than others I've used and they're doing a great job figuring out how to incorporate integrations to make it really useful.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

It's very good for US employees but is missing a few features for global payroll at this time. Best to understand how all modules are priced so you know what's worth implementing and don't end up paying for functions you don't use.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Rippling has taken suggestions when we've found things that could be improved or added (TBD if those things are implemented). They have added some features in the last few months so definitely seem to be continuing to grow the platform.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

HR teams, I think it would be good for organizations with over 50 employees

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Very small organizations, those primarily based outside the US

Ceridian

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Ceridian
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Popularity Score
4.8 / 5
User Score
3.8 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Ceridian

Ceridian makes Dayforce, a modern cloud HR platform that can manage the entire employee lifecycle.

PROS

CONS

Our reviewer took screenshot of Ceridian HRMS System dashboard during the demo

Ceridian Review

Although it’s labeled as an HCM, Dayforce by Ceridian also includes a comprehensive payroll tool. Dayforce integrates data from every stage of the employee lifecycle, empowering informed decision-making and data-backed insights.

Its flexible rules engine enables efficient handling of intricate regulatory demands, delivering real-time updates and calculations.

Ceridian Customers

  • Guitar Center
  • Danone
  • Spirit Aerosystems
  • El Pollo Loco
  • Crescent Bank

Ceridian Pricing

Pricing for the Dayforce HCM suite is not provided up front.

Best For

Enterprises with over 1,000 employees.

Ceridian in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

I was the Director - We used it for HRIS and Payroll Processing - I often completed payroll as a back-up to the Payroll Specialist.

What do you like about this tool?

One of the best features is its payroll interface. As the head of HR, payroll reported directly to me and I found it easy to train my team members on the system so that I had multiple back-ups for payroll processing. Another great feature is the reporting capabilities. Additionally, the employee life cycle was exceedingly easy to manage from recruitment to termination. This made it simple to keep track of employee information and make necessary updates in a timely manner.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

It was in place when I arrived. It was purchased to manage the employee life cycle and process payroll.

What do you dislike about this tool?

There were data migration errors when the systems were updated that required manual fixes. In addition, we often had to remind them of minimum wage changes in differing cities within Washington state. Finally, we had to hire a full time HR analyst to ensure data integrity.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

They are extremely user friendly and the fly out for earnings are really easy to use to catch errors before they happen.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Some items to think about how you will use it to ease the transactional work on our team and to make sure you purchase all of the modules you need. You may want to consider consolidating your Payroll and HR Analyst positions after implementation.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

They update their systems and user interface proactively to keep up with regulation and mini-wage changes.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Healthcare

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

I think it would be good for all organizations - it's a robust product. I would recommend a less expensive product to smaller organizations

Netchex

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Netchex
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked Netchex

Netchex stands out as an HRMS and payroll solution for small businesses in the US due to its comprehensive, integrated platform that supports the entire employee lifecycle. Their Core plan (mainly payroll) already offers some engagement and HR tools, and each plan throws more HRMS features into the mix.

PROS

  • A La Carte Plan: For those looking for an HR and payroll tool, Netchex offers several options to tailor its offering to the exact needs of your organization. You basically start with the core package and add select features like the scheduling system and a recruiting tool—all with a custom pricing plan.
  • User-friendly interface: Both administrators and employees find the system easy to use and navigate, which is essential for small businesses with limited HR staff.
  • Comprehensive support: One of the things people praise the most is their award-winning customer service. Agents are available via phone, chat, or email, ensuring that small businesses receive the help they need when they need it.
  • Advanced features: This includes recently added tools like AskHR for immediate employee support and Netchex AI for data analysis and insights.
  • Grows with your team: With Netchex, it’s very easy to opt for a new plan and keep all your data in the same place even if you outgrow your current pricing plan. Other vendors require a switch to a new service in that kind of event.
  • Dedicated support team: Netchex are note-worthy for their award-winning and often lauded customer service. It’s all US-based and provided in real-time through email, live chat, and phone calls.
  • Pre-payroll reports: Allows for critical error checks before submission.
  • Flexible payroll grid: Easy to make changes or correct errors on the fly.
  • Versatile payment options: Includes paper checks, direct deposit, and pay cards.

CONS

  • Payroll dependency: Users must utilize the payroll feature to access other functionalities, which may limit flexibility for businesses that do not need payroll services with their HR tool.
  • No free trial: Potential users can't test the software without committing to a purchase, which could be a barrier for budget-conscious teams.
  • Requirement of payroll: Users must use the payroll module to access other functionalities, so it wouldn’t work as stand-alone HR software.
  • No free trial: Potential users can't test the software without committing to a purchase. The demo with a sales rep is the closest thing.

Netchex Review

Depending on the plan you pick, Netchex can be a fully-fledged HRMS platform tailored for small and mid-sized businesses. The payroll tool, which is their flagship product, is at the core of their offering. From there, they have slowly but surely expanded into all sorts of other HR workflows, from recruiting to performance management. Netchex also excels in employee engagement with features like Community, which encourages recognition and reward through a company forum.

Their system is truly capable of covering the entire employee life cycle. That said, smaller organizations can start with the Core module and grow from there according to their needs. Their software is well enough built (and all made in-house) to the extent that upgrading to another plan and enhancing the tool with more features is a very straightforward process. The product has always been made with smaller teams in mind, so it’s a tool that can grow with you.

Aside from how easy it is to use their product, one of our favorite things with Netchex is their customer support. They pride themselves on having very fast response times, and they have a skills-based approach to Customer Success. This means that, while you do get a dedicated customer representative, more tenured reps are ready to step in and tend to specific needs at any time.

Our only qualm about Netchex as an HRMS system is that the HR tools you might be looking for are not available as a stand-alone product. In other words, you have to use their payroll function in order for the whole system to work, but that’s very much in the spirit of what an HRMS is supposed to do (merge payroll and HR). If more on the lookout for a stand-alone HR tool, that would fall under the scope of a more basic HRIS.

Netchex Customers

Netchex’s HR software is used at companies like Xpressdocs, BK Corrosion, Regal Hospitality, and The Colony ER Hospital.

Netchex Pricing

Netchex uses a Per Employee Per Month pricing model. Costs vary based on the number of employees and the specific features used. Detailed pricing information can be found on their pricing page.

Best For

Netchex is ideal for small businesses (50-500 employees), especially those in industries such as restaurants, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, and automotive.

Netchex in action
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HiBob

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HiBob
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Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked HiBob

HiBob made our list thanks to its standout focus on employee engagement and culture-building—two areas often underdeveloped in other HRMS platforms. While tools like Paylocity and Rippling lean heavily into payroll and compliance automation, HiBob approaches HR with a people-centric lens, making it a strong option for mid-sized teams seeking an employee-first HR system.

PROS

  • Social features like kudos, shout-outs, and a company-wide newsfeed promote employee-first experience.
  • Highly adaptable workflows across onboarding, offboarding, and internal communications.
  • Dashboards offer rich insights into engagement, performance, and DEI metrics.
  • Connects with various payroll and recruiting tech providers.
  • SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 certified, 2FA, GDPR, and CCPA compliant.
  • Works well with several benefits providers and third-party payroll systems.
  • They have tons of modules, which makes them a real one-stop shop. Beyond Core HR, they have modules for most things People Ops-related.  
  • Bob is a fast-growing company and their product looks the part, as it has one of the sleekest-looking platforms in the HRMS space right now. 
  • Their payroll hub allows you to connect all your payroll systems, which works great if you want to pay people in multiple locations without switching providers.

CONS

  • Lacks native US payroll (for now), benefits portal, or enterprise recruiting tools.
  • Some users found the interface visually appealing but required too many clicks at times.
  • Built-in time tracking may not be ideal for hourly or frontline-heavy workforce.
  • The tool can be pricey for teams with fewer than 100 employees.
  • Customer support is only offered via a chatbot and email. 
  • As to implementation, several users commented that they felt there could be more attention via personal walkthroughs provided at the beginning. Many had to resort to reading documentation and watching videos or just figuring things out by themselves. 
  • Pricing is only custom and available upon request, so you can’t just sign up, pay, and start using the tool.

HiBob Review

HiBob has always impressed us in terms of employee experience. While more famous players like BambooHR and Rippling focus on simplicity or automation, we feel that HiBob is one of the few companies that zeroes in on culture.

From our tech tests and user interviews, it was clear that features like shout-outs, personalized profiles, and onboarding workflows felt more like an internal social network than a traditional HRMS. One user even described it as “fun and engaging,” which is rare feedback we receive on HR software. It’s also highly customizable, letting HR teams adapt workflows and data fields to fit their structure without developer support.

In our testing, HiBob also performed well in compliance and reporting. The HRMS supports tax setup, wage and hour compliance, and anti-discrimination documentation. People Analytics provides real-time metrics across engagement, DEI, and team structure. While it doesn’t offer a built-in payroll module like Paylocity or Deel, HiBob’s strength lies in making data shareable across systems.

Screenshot of HiBob HRMS reporting dashboard

Security-wise, HiBob is in the same league as industry leaders. It checks every major box: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR/CCPA compliance, and two-factor authentication. Admins can create granular permissions for managers and departments, and all user activity is logged for audit purposes.

However, where HiBob starts to fall short is in its “platform scope.” Despite having modules like Time and Attendance and a Payroll Hub, it’s clear these aren’t full-service solutions.

While HiBob is marketed as user-friendly, some users we talked to found the UX “click-heavy,” particularly for non-technical users or frontline staff. Some also noted they still had to rely on external tools for timekeeping, benefits management, and payroll in the US. The good news is that US payroll is on the vendor’s roadmap for 2026, and the recently launched UK offerings have received quite positive feedback from customers.

Overall, our evaluations indicate HiBob as a flexible, engaging HR suite that fits into a larger ecosystem. It’s not ideal if you're looking for an all-in-one suite, but if your team prioritizes culture, employee self-service, and modular flexibility, this one is definitely a strong contender.

HiBob Customers

4,000+ organizations, including Huel, JIMDO, riseUP, and VaynerMedia.

HiBob Pricing

HiBob offers custom pricing only, based on your company size and exact needs. 

Best For

HiBob is best for culture-forward companies (100-5,000 employees) that already use top-tier tools for payroll, recruiting, and benefits and want their HRMS to integrate everything.

HiBob in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

I use Bob for storing and using employee data, and it is primarily used for onboarding and offboarding employees. I also use it for generating a monthly dashboard for the SLT which includes number of new starters, number of leavers, turnover, percentage of days worked and time to hire. One of the main features I use is the 360 performance review workflow, which allows me to roll out a seamless and simple process which encapsulates reviews from every angle (individual, manager, direct reports and peers). It binds everything including career history, goals and achievements into one place, so there's no need to search for previous conversations or documents in long-forgotten folders. The Your Voice tool is also a powerful tool which generates rich feedback in a safe, anonymous environment. The feedback received from this anonymous tool is then fed into the monthly and annual people strategy.

What do you like about this tool?

Unlike other HRIS's Bob allows the user to personalise, analyse and manipulate data to suit the business, rather than using a packaged up system that doesn't fully align to the business. The user experience on both the employee and employer's side is intuitive and engaging, meaning that even reminder emails are never ignored. Bob's built-in templates enable the business to measure Employee Net Promoter Score, along with other survey questions, which can then be accessed in a simple, easy to use dashboard with visual heatmaps to analyse findings instantly.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

As our business grew, from 70 people to over 200, we wanted something that was able to organise personal data, generate detailed reports for analysis and run automated processes such as annual performance reviews. I would say that one of Bob's key benefits is its user experience for both the employer and the employee. Bob's self-service function is really easy to use, employees are able to input annual leave and sickness within a few clicks. From an employer perspective, it is simple to pull together reports based on personal data - for example, number of sick days taken in a year, or the average turnover of a segment of employees. Bob attempts to make the system somewhat "fun" at the onboarding stage by asking new starters what their hobbies are, and displaying that on their profile for other employees to view.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Whilst Bob's ability to use data to generate specific reports is great, workflows can be complex to set up, with many drop-down lists and options to select, so if it's quick data driven results that you're looking for, this could take a while to set-up. Another con is that Bob does not have a customer support team that is accessible by phone call, it is always an email or live chat system and sometimes it's just easier to chat to a real human and solve the problem. Like any robust system, it can take a while to initially set-up and get it working to what the business needs and not every business has that time to dedicate to rolling it out and there is little upfront training to support with this.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Bob is way ahead of the curve in terms of HRIS's on the market. Throughout my career I've always said that there's not a one-system-to-rule-them-all in the HR world, but Bob certainly comes close. For example, CharlieHR is great from an employee data-entry perspective and basic data storage, but there is very little it can do in the way of generating reports for analysis. Very few HRIS's on the market are able to link workflows and processes in the way that Bob can, for example, I can conduct a full recruitment process, hiring process and onboarding all within the same flow, seamlessness, whereas with other systems this can be really clunky.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Firstly, it's important that it covers core needs such as storing employee records, tracking annual and sick leave entitlements, communicating with payroll systems and software as well as benefits admin. Simple and visual data analysis is also essential for this type of tool - important metrics should be only a few clicks away. HRIS tools should be able to assist with recruitment processes and ideally offer an ATS which integrates with a solid employee onboarding process. The ability to run performance reviews and engagement surveys is also key to consider.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Bob is continually being updated, for example, Your Voice has been a new addition that we have added to our package which has proven to be an excellent way of gaining anonymous feedback, especially for a business of our size.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Bob is very good for organisations with 50+ employees, and ideally, someone within the HR department would have specific responsibility for this tool to get its full benefit.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Businesses smaller than 50, without a dedicated HR resource would probably not benefit from all of Bob's features.

WorkDay

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WorkDay
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked WorkDay

Workday is a highly favored HRMS solution specifically designed for enterprises. It offers a single source of workforce administration, engagement, and compensation and benefits data. This approach caters to all worker types, including contingent workers, employees, contractors, and retirees, making it a versatile solution for managing diverse workforces.

PROS

  • Workday configurable process flows make it easy to scale processes to a global level while adapting them to local requirements.
  • Employee and Manager Self-Service
  • AI-driven skills cloud helps identify workers with the skills gap.
  • Has a mobile app.
  • Provides phone support, email support, community, and live chat support.
  • Compliance with SOC 2 Type 2 standards
  • Accessible customer support from the community, live chat, and telephone.
  • Compatible with 300 HR systems such as ERP/GL, CRM, HR, and PSA.
  • Configurable dashboard with AI and ML-driven insights.
  • Ability to maintain real-time alignment of budgets and workforce plans.
  • SOC 2 Type 2 compliance.

CONS

  • Lacks pricing transparency.
  • No free trial.
  • The implementation process can be very time-consuming (~5 months on average).
  • The interface may pose challenges for new users, and training may be necessary to familiarize oneself with all product features.
  • Their mobile app isn’t very user-friendly.
  • Undisclosed pricing.
  • No free trial for its talent management software.
  • Time-consuming implementation period (average 4.5 months).
  • Challenge navigating for first-time users may require training.
  • Issues with logging in were reported by users.
Our reviewer took screenshot of Workday HRMS System dashboard during the demo

WorkDay Review

Workday stands out with its impressive adaptability to individual users. Leveraging machine learning, it offers tailored recommendations based on user roles, whether they are employees, contractors, managers, recruiting agencies, applicants, or retirees.

The tool is particularly well-suited for businesses with multiple global branches. It allows for global consistency while enabling customization of workflows to accommodate local differences, ensuring a seamless experience across the organization.

Workday's reporting capabilities are also noteworthy because they sync HR data with finance and integrate with various HR tools. This can be used for analytics that provides visibility into the workforce’s capabilities, making it easier to identify gaps and develop talent.

While Workday's HRMS suite is popular among large enterprises and global teams, the mobile app needs work. Both Android and iOS users have reported issues with the time clock system, frequent crashes, and sign-in problems. Workday's implementation process also has room for improvement, having received mixed reviews from users and HR teams.

WorkDay Customers

Quicken Loans, AstraZeneca, Target, Dell, Bank of America.

WorkDay Pricing

The exact pricing details of Workday aren’t disclosed on the website. Contact Sales for a quote.

Best For

This platform is best for large, global organizations looking for an all-in-one tool. It offers insights into the workforce, fosters employee engagement, and facilitates adaptability to industry, situational, and regulatory changes.

WorkDay in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I used Workday daily to manage various aspects of our organization's workforce. The key workflows I rely on include employee data management, performance management, and reporting. For employee data, I maintain up-to-date employee records, including personal information, job titles, and reporting structures. For performance management, as a manager, we used it to track employee performance by setting goals, conducting performance reviews, and managing feedback. Workday also has robust reporting functionality.

What do you like about this tool?

User-friendly interface: Workday's clean and intuitive design makes it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need.

Scalability: This makes it an ideal solution for growing businesses that require additional functionality over time. As a company expands or needs change, Workday can be customized to meet those evolving requirements.

Seamless integration: Workday offers robust integration capabilities with various third-party applications, ensuring a smooth flow of data across different systems. This compatibility with other software tools enables organizations to maintain a connected ecosystem, streamlining processes and reducing the need for manual data entry or reconciliation.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My organization was 10k plus employees and our old HRIS system was dated and clunky. I used it for approximately 2 years. We needed better self-service for not only employees but for managers as well with built-in approval processes. Additionally, we were looking for a tool that could handle the complex requirements of our global workforce, including compliance with local labor laws and regulations. Our previous system didn't have robust reporting capabilities, and it was challenging to extract useful data for analysis. Furthermore, it made it easier to manage employee data and processes across multiple systems. It also provided built-in compliance features, ensuring that we were meeting legal requirements in all countries where we had operations.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Cost: The investment in Workday is substantial, and not a good option for smaller companies.

Learning curve: While Workday's user interface is intuitive, the platform's extensive features may require some time to master. Adequate training and onboarding are essential for users to get the most out of the software.

Limited customization: Workday offers a wide range of built-in features and functionalities, but it may not be the best fit for organizations with highly specific or unique requirements.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

While Workday has a long list of impressive companies that utilize their system I find SAP SuccessFactors does just as much and for slightly cheaper.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Functionality: Determine the features and capabilities that are most important to your organization. Consider aspects such as human resources, payroll, talent acquisition, time and attendance, performance management, financial management, and analytics. Ensure the tool you choose covers the required functionalities or can be easily integrated with other systems to create a comprehensive solution.

Scalability: Assess whether the tool can grow and adapt to your organization's changing needs. A scalable solution will allow you to add or modify features as your business evolves, ensuring long-term viability.

Integration: Examine the tool's ability to integrate with existing systems and third-party applications. Seamless integration is essential for streamlining processes and reducing the need for manual data entry or reconciliation.

User experience: Evaluate the tool's user interface and overall usability. An intuitive and user-friendly design will encourage adoption and make it easier for employees to effectively use the platform.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

They have expanded product offerings and made some user experience enhancements.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Enterprise with large (1000k+) and global employees.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Small businesses with under 1k employees.

SAP SuccessFactors

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SAP SuccessFactors
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked SAP SuccessFactors

SAP SuccessFactors is one of the big names in HR software. They’re currently pushing the boundaries of the HCM category itself, calling their product an HXM suite (for Human Experience Management).

PROS

CONS

Our reviewer took screenshot of SAP SuccessFactors HRMS Software dashboard during the demo

SAP SuccessFactors Review

SAP is trying to transform traditional human capital management into a more employee-oriented endeavor. Through their HXM, they are trying to position the worker’s experience as the main filter for how companies engage with their people. Their product helps HR managers deliver experiences that resonate with employees while shaping their strategy.

Although not branded as an HRMS, SuccessFactors does cover all the features you’d expect from this category. This includes cloud payroll and benefits administration, even for a global workforce.

SAP SuccessFactors Customers

  • American Airlines
  • Ernst & Young
  • Hero Group
  • Terex
  • Watco Companies

SAP SuccessFactors Pricing

Pricing for SAP’s HXM suite is only available upon request.

Best For

Enterprises looking to improve UX

SAP SuccessFactors in action
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UKG

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UKG
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked UKG

UKG is the merger of Ultimate Software and Kronos. As such, it brings more than 7 decades of experience with HCM tech into the workforce management space. UKG Pro, their HRMS, offers features like people analytics, benefits administration, and payroll.

PROS

  • Leveraging years of experience in HCM and workforce management technology, UKG Pro and UKG Ready offer a comprehensive solution.
  • By providing UKG Pro as an HRMS solution and UKG Ready for workforce management, you can access a range of features that address diverse HR requirements through a unified set of tools.
  • You can configure user visibility within the system.
  • The Ultimate Community provides on-demand information and networking opportunities for UKG Pro users.
  • Includes an iOS app and an Android app for employees.
  • Super robust product, packing years of experience with HCM and Workforce Management technology 
  • Since they offer UKG Pro for HRMS and UKG Ready for workforce management, you could arrive at a combination of products that suits many of your HR needs from the same set of tools.

CONS

  • In comparison to more recent tools, both UKG Pro and UKG Ready might lack a clear focus or distinctive selling proposition tailored to specific types of businesses, meaning niche operations might find it challenging to adapt.
  • The Android app has some issues with logging in.
  • Not very budget-friendly with SMBs.
  • All-in-one is not ideal for teams who require only a handful of specialized functionalities.
  • Compared to newer tools, UKG Pro and UKG Ready tend to miss a unique selling point or a specific focus on a certain type of business. While they work great for bigger companies in all sorts of industries, very niche operations might have a hard time adapting to the tool. 
  • Similarly, ​​UKG offers many solutions under one umbrella, so it's not the best fit if you're looking for only a handful of specific use cases.
UKG HRMS Platform dashboard screenshot

UKG Review

UKG offers a wealth of features and expertise to support the HR needs of large enterprises. From hiring and onboarding to performance management and succession planning, this platform aims to provide a holistic solution for HR needs. UKG has utilized its 70 years of experience in the field and companies' mergers to deliver such comprehensive solutions.

In addition to its wealth of features, we found the platform configurability and the outstanding support from the Ultimate Community to be particularly noteworthy aspects of our experience with UKG.

As administrators, we can control access to specific user groups. Tailored access is a significant advantage for teams prioritizing robust data security.

Although UKG's user interface boasts an attractive aesthetic, the plethora of features can be overwhelming. However, the Ultimate Community proved invaluable, providing access to loads of information and insights from previous conversations. The ability to ask questions and seek assistance from other users was also highly beneficial.

UKG exhibits noteworthy strengths, but we did encounter a few drawbacks during our assessment. Unlike newer specialized tools, it may lack the specificity needed by niche businesses. Furthermore, some users have reported issues logging into the Android app. Finally, this product is not priced for teams looking for a low-price solution.

UKG Customers

Tesla, Marriott, Yamaha, Aramark, Puma, Sony Music, Samsung.

UKG Pricing

  • Pricing for UKG is not disclosed on their website.
  • Typically, the pricing is based on a per-employee-per-month model, with options for annual or monthly billing options.
  • UKG Pro licenses generally start at around $600.00 per year for every 5 users. For an exact quote, please reach out to a sales representative.

Best For

UKG is an excellent choice for large companies operating in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia/Pacific regions, with a minimum employee count of 1000.

UKG in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

I’ll use UKG Pro every working day. Our primary use for it is payroll and timekeeping. Even still, we use a myriad of the other features. This includes employee benefits administration, hiring and onboarding, compensation management, talent management, and a few others. This program also provides a lot of flexibility and freedom in its application.

What do you like about this tool?

UKG Pro’s greatest strength lies in its full-suite of payroll and HR tools. It’s all blended together in a “sandbox” environment so users can freely explore the system. In addition to these, it also includes extensive reporting tools which makes work much easier and quicker.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My company transitioned to UKG Pro after frustrations with our former HRIS. One of UKG’s greatest strengths is the program’s ease of use. Not only is it easy for our HR representatives to use, but for our employees as well. We’ve been using UKG Pro for a little over a year now and already it’s proven to be leaps and bounds above some other systems I’ve used. With UKG Pro, you’re getting an excellent value for your money.

What do you dislike about this tool?

UKG Pro is on the expensive side and, to boot, they’re not transparent about their pricing. I also did not appreciate the lack of a free or “trial” mode to try out the product before spending so much for it. Also, scaling up (or down) can be cumbersome as a custom set up is required.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

UKG Pro is far more intuitive than other HRI Systems I’ve used in the past. It’s among my favorites for its ease of use and customizability.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When buying this type of tool you want to pay close attention to what is important for your company. You’ll always want to take into consideration pricing. But beyond this, look at the features provided. Does it include a full-suite? Does it integrate well with other systems you’re currently using? You’ll want to really do your research.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

I can’t speak too heavily to its evolution. I can acknowledge that they have implemented a few smaller quality of life changes to make the experience run smoother.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

This is a good software for larger, very typically structured, organizations. If you’ve got more than 200 employees, this software will make your life easier.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Smaller organizations, namely those with less than 150 employees, should consider other options. UKG Pro is among the most expensive HRIS I’ve used.

Zoho People

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Zoho People
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Zoho People

Zoho People is a complete solution for HR teams that offers a free plan in addition to other affordable options. Their tool can take on basic HR tasks like time and attendance, performance assessment, learning and development, employee engagement, and payroll management.

PROS

  • All core HR features in a single dashboard.
  • A wide array of integrations.
  • Available in multiple languages.
  • Has a free version and a free trial.
  • All core HR features in a single dashboard 
  • Wide array of integrations 
  • User-friendly UI, constantly updated 
  • Available in multiple languages

CONS

  • Payroll function was found to be too simplistic for some teams.
  • Mobile apps offer a scaled-down version of what’s available with the web version.
  • Occasional reports of slow load times.
  • Since they offer so many modules, some may be not as robust as other products that have been more specific about covering certain needs. For instance, some teams have found their payroll offering to be quite basic. 
  • Not all that’s available in the web platform is available in the app
  • Some users reported that the platform can be slow to load every now and then.
Our reviewer took screenshot of Workday Human Resource Management System (HRMS) dashboard during the demo

Zoho People Review

Overall, we were quite impressed with this tool. It’s built solid with smart features, and it scales well. The forever-free plan is a major plus, even with limitations around total users (the upper limit is five) and a scant 250MB of storage.

Zoho’s mobile apps offer on-the-go convenience, and the core HR functions are all in good working order.

One remarkable aspect is the Cases feature. This functionality empowers users to submit their support inquiries within designated HR categories, ensuring swift responses from dedicated agents. It's a straightforward and efficient solution that saves valuable time.

Equally impressive is Zoho People, which accomplishes two goals at once - fostering enhanced collaboration while bolstering security through its access control feature. Administrators are able to easily assign access permissions to members which enables both effective collaboration and robust security measures.

Announcements empowers managers to share vital company information using a wide range of content types, formatting choices, and location-specific visibility settings, ensuring that important announcements reach the right audience in the right way at the right time.

Our experience with the browser-based self-service feature was good. It provided a centralized platform for accessing employee records, leave management, timesheets, and policy documents. However, we had some challenges with the mobile app. There were occasional lags during check-ins and facial recognition processes, and certain tools, like payroll, were more basic functionally compared to other similar tools in this space. There have been user reports of loading delays, be we didn’t experience this.

This platform is a good place for a growing company to start, and this has been attested to by multiple users reporting that their team started with the free plan and grew into a higher tier.

Zoho People Customers

ZPE Systems, Cloudfronts Technologies, Zomato, SpiceJet, Foresight CFO.

Zoho People Pricing

Zoho People has five plans:

  • Free: up to 5 users and 250MB of storage.
  • Essential HR: $1.25 per user per month when billed annually.
  • Professional: $2 per user per month billed annually.
  • Premium: $3 per user per month billed annually‍.
  • Enterprise: $4.5 per user per month billed annually.

Best For

While Zoho offers custom pricing for organizations with over 500 employees, its existing feature sets are particularly well-suited for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The tool's multilingual capabilities enable it to cater to global teams effectively, ensuring seamless collaboration and communication across language barriers.

Zoho People in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

I initially signed up for a free trial of the plan that I thought suited our organization’s needs best. After checking its suitability, I created my account as an HR partner and uploaded all employees’ data into the system. The platform has helped us automate a lot of our daily HR processes. I used Zoho People to manage employee records, track their attendance, monitor their performance as per KRA, and generate various reports. It streamlines the recruitment cycle starting from job posting to onboarding new talents. The tool has great features in terms of processing employees’ payroll. It has also helped us follow compliance, labor laws, and regulations by providing tools to manage legal documents, track compliance, and generate compliance reports.

What do you like about this tool?
  1. Zoho People helped us manage all employee data in a single location and made it easier to track employee records.
  2. Zoho People has features for employee self-service, performance tracking, and goal setting, which have helped our employees stay engaged and motivated in their work.
  3. Zoho People automates a lot of HR processes we used to do manually including attendance tracking, leave management, and payroll processing.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

There are many reasons why my organization chose Zoho People: it has customizable features, it’s easy to use, and also cost-effective. It helped us to improve our HR operations and create a more engaged and efficient workforce. I must say Zoho People is worth buying as it streamlines all HR processes. I have been using the tool for 8 months.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  1. Zoho People could benefit from a more intuitive interface to make it easier to use.
  2. While Zoho People does have a strong mobile app, there’s room for improvement in functionality and speed.
  3. Zoho People does offer online documentation and support but it doesn’t cover everything so we do end up reaching out to the support team now and then.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

While there are several competitors in the HR software space, Zoho People has several advantages that set it apart from the competition in my opinion.

  1. Zoho People integrates seamlessly with other Zoho apps, such as Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, and Zoho Books, which is great if you happen to use their other products too, and can keep virtually all of your employees on a single platform.
  2. It is competitively priced and quite affordable for businesses of all sizes.
What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

If anyone wants to buy a subscription to Zoho People, here are a few points to take into consideration:

  1. Determine business requirements and the features you need from the HR management software to choose the appropriate subscription plan.
  2. Check the pricing plans and select the one that fits the budget.
  3. Before subscribing to Zoho People, take advantage of the free trial to test the software and its features to evaluate whether it meets your requirements or not.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

When Zoho people was first released, it was only used by small-size organizations as this software was limited to employee database, leave, and time tracking. Zoho People has evolved over time to become a comprehensive HR management software that offers a wide range of features to businesses of all sizes. The software's integration with other Zoho applications and its focus on mobile accessibility and analytics have helped it stand out in the crowded HR management software market. It also added a few features recently like an onboarding management system and integration with Zoho Analytics.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Zoho People is a cost-effective HR management software that is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have fully staffed HR departments. Zoho People is also a great choice for remote-working employees to collaborate, track time, handle scheduling, and more.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Large organizations: While Zoho People is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, it may not be robust enough to meet the needs of large organizations with complex HR requirements. Zoho People's reporting capabilities may not be as advanced as other HR management software so it is not suitable for those organizations or businesses looking for advanced reporting capabilities.

Namely

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Namely
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Popularity Score
4.7 / 5
User Score
4.1 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked Namely

Namely helps you streamline many of the day-to-day HR processes, including onboarding, attendance tracking, and performance management. It also packs a robust payroll and benefits administration module and reporting functionality that gives you insights into market trends.

PROS

  • Namely’s UI is highly rated by users. It’s quite clean and easy to navigate despite how feature-rich Namely is.
  • The employee onboarding module has an easy-to-use wizard that correctly guides new hires through the steps they need to complete and tasks they need to do.
  • On top of the platform's built-in features for data management, recruiting, onboarding, time off tracking, payroll, and benefits administration, Namely offers managed payroll and benefits administration services in case you require more help.
  • The majority of users are able to navigate Namely without any issues. They find the UI to be intuitive and clean, despite the fact that the platform has lots of features. 
  • Namely’s employee onboarding module gets a alot of praise from users. It features an easy-to-follow wizard, which helps new hires get on quickly and be clear on what they need to do. 
  • Besides the platform’s built in features for data management, recruiting, onboarding, time off tracking, payroll and benefits administration, there are also managed payroll and benefits administration services you can opt for to reduce the burden on your internal teams. 

CONS

  • Namely predominantly serves U.S.-based companies, which means it isn’t a good fit for companies that you need to pay and give benefits to employees in other countries.
  • The implementation process can be lengthy, spanning a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
  • For a platform as big as Namely, we were surprised by the lack of employee development features such as skill training, career pathing, succession planning, etc.
  • Before buying Namely, you should verify whether it is compatible with your current benefits provider, as there have been a few instances reported where Namely’s team encouraged users to switch to other providers that cost more.
  • Namely primarily operates in the U.S., which means if you’re looking for a global payroll and benefits provider, this platform isn’t for you.
  • Though many praise the platform’s ease of use, it does take long to implement it. Namely’s own team says that an average implementation takes between 6-8 weeks.
  • For a platform of Namely’s size, there currently aren’t any features that focus on employee development such as skill training, career pathing, succession planning etc. 
  • You’ll need to check beforehand if Namely can work with your existing benefits provider, if you have one. There have been a few reports (but not few enough to ignore) about Namely’s team convincing customers to change their benefits provider to providers that charged them more. 
Our reviewer took screenshot of Namely Human Resource Management Software dashboard during the demo

Namely Review

Namely’s HRMS helps mid-market companies (50-1000 employees) manage several HR processes in one centralized location. For starters, it can help you store and organize your employees' info as your system of record (SOR). You can also use it to onboard new employees through an intuitive wizard and e-signatures, check and approve time-off requests, as well as customize and conduct performance reviews.

The platform has built-in features for payroll management and benefits administrations that you can use, or opt for Namely’s managed payroll and benefits services and have them take care of relevant processes on your behalf.

Namely Customers

Namely is used by hundreds of businesses, including The Channel Company, Greenhouse, OneLogin, and MacStadium.

Namely Pricing

Namely doesn’t have fixed pricing plans. They like to tailor their offering according to each customer’s needs, and as such, each customer gets a unique quote. To learn more about Namely’s pricing and to get a quote, you can reach out to their Sales team.

Best For

Namely is a great HRMS for the mid-market (50-1,000 employees).

Namely in action
Reviewer's Rating
6/10

I use Namely daily to manage a wide range of HR features. One major way I utilize the system is to process payroll, ensuring that employee reimbursement is accurate and timely. I also manage benefits, including updating employee enrollments and answering insurance-related questions.

Another critical workflow is performance management, where Namely helps track employee goals, feedback, and reviews. I use it to maintain worker information in a database, updating it as needed to comply with legal and internal requirements. Overall, Namely provides a single, efficient platform for managing all essential HR tasks.

What do you like about this tool?

Namely has an extremely user-friendly interface that helps manage HR tasks efficiently. It integrates payroll, benefits, and performance management into one platform, simplifying key processes. The tool offers customizable reporting capabilities that provide insightful personnel data while maintaining compliance with regulations.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

Namely, an automated HR solution preferred by our management after a long history of inefficient HR processes, has proven its relevance as all operations have been streamlined. Switching and gathering information from different platforms was difficult, especially when accustomed to one system's workflow.

Before introducing Namely, completing payroll, personnel records, and other internal processes was time-consuming and prone to errors. We aimed to implement automation to allow a focus on tasks like performance management rather than correcting discrepancies. Namely’s user-friendly interface, creative report design, and working tools played a crucial role in its successful implementation.

I have been using Namely for [insert your time of use], and it has made our human resource processes more efficient, improving workforce management. It has also eliminated the problem of waiting for reports, a common issue in many companies that wastes valuable time.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Customer support at Namely is slow, especially when handling urgent issues. Some customization options, like those for reports, are limited and should be more flexible. Occasional system glitches or downtimes can disrupt important HR workflows and reduce productivity.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

Namely's key differentiator is its all-in-one platform, featuring an intuitive user interface that combines payroll, benefits, and performance management in one system. This reduces the need for multiple tools. Compared to platforms like ADP or Workday, Namely is much easier for non-technical users. While competitors may offer more in-depth functionality in specific areas, Namely strikes the best balance between features and simplicity, making it ideal for midsize companies seeking a full-service solution.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When investing in an HR tool like Namely, key considerations include scalability—ensuring the platform can grow with your company—and integration capabilities with other systems such as payroll and benefits providers. Ease of use is critical, as a user-friendly interface leads to higher adoption and minimal training. Additionally, it's important to assess the level of customer support provided and how responsive the vendor is when issues arise. Customization options are another important factor, as the platform’s ability to adapt to your specific HR needs can significantly impact day-to-day operations.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Namely has evolved significantly over time, enhancing its platform to meet user demands with better integration features. Originally focused on core HR management, it has expanded to include payroll management, benefits administration, and compliance tools that help companies align with regulations.

The user experience has improved with a more intuitive interface, and customizable reporting has become more robust to extract meaningful data. Namely has also responded to customer feedback by improving its customer support and onboarding processes, addressing concerns about response times and implementation smoothness.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Namely is ideal for mid-sized organizations, typically with 50 to 500 employees, that want a user-friendly HR solution covering all key HR functions. It is especially suited for companies seeking an easy way to manage payroll, benefits, and performance management without the complexities of large enterprise systems.

Namely also works well for organizations that value employee engagement and want to use data-driven insights to improve HR practices continuously. Its intuitive design makes it accessible for HR teams with any level of technical expertise.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Namely is likely not the best fit for very small organizations with fewer than 50 employees, as they may not need the full range of features and could find more affordable, simpler solutions.

Similarly, large enterprises or organizations with complex HR needs, such as extensive compliance requirements or highly specialized workflows, may find Namely’s functionality insufficient compared to larger systems like Workday or SAP SuccessFactors.

Companies requiring highly customized solutions or with industry-specific needs may also find Namely too rigid or limiting.

Benefits of the Top HRMS Software

The evolution of Human Resource Management Systems has taken them from basic record-keeping tools (think PeopleSoft in 1987) to valuable strategic assets. In addition to the criteria mentioned above, take note of the key benefits below. Regardless of your industry, size, or location, each of the following are benefits you can expect from HRMS software.

Better employee experience: The benefits of a quality HRMS are directly enjoyed by your employees. For example, a user-friendly employee portal can allow employees to review and update their info, navigate benefits options, and request time off with ease in less time than through legacy systems and sometimes even from a mobile app. Of course, this can lead to increased employee satisfaction and engagement.

Drive employee performance: The best HRMS platforms can foster talent development through performance reviews, engagement surveys, performance management capabilities, and customizable integrations with other tools you use to build culture.

Save time with HR automation: A good HRMS can have a massive impact on efficiency. Automation can handle new employee onboarding, offboarding, benefits and payroll administration, time tracking, attendance management, and more. With fewer operational tasks, the HR department can focus its time and energy on more strategic initiatives like optimizing employee lifetime value, lowering the turnover rate, and improving employee productivity and well-being.

Increased compliance: Provided you and your team are careful with the setup and initial data entry, an HRMS can significantly improve HR’s data accuracy. A complete, accurate, and easy-to-access data collection means you can worry less about EEOC audits and wrongful termination lawsuits. If one of these worst-case scenarios actually occurs, you’ll be prepared.

These systems also help with HR’s adaptability to unforeseen circumstances. One clear example was the pandemic, where many of the top vendors in the US reacted to vaccine mandates by rapidly developing features to accommodate immunization tracking and other safety and compliance tools.

A more organized HR department: If your business, like many, started with a handful of spreadsheets and a patchwork of manual processes, an HRMS can help you graduate to a more refined set of procedures. An HRMS can substantially lighten your cognitive load by managing multiple interconnected employee info systems.

HR intelligence: As any operation grows, it becomes increasingly important to analyze its data. An HRMS lets you create custom reports, making it easier for your HR and finance teams to examine metrics like turnover rate, hiring costs, and employee engagement and use that data to make more informed decisions.

Workforce management: The best HRMS systems take a modern approach to workforce management by putting the employee experience front and center. You’ll find elements of employee engagement, like intuitive self-onboarding, easy-to-access payroll and benefits, mobile first-time tracking, smart scheduling, and payroll management, which are standard in top-tier HRMSs.

Streamline recruiting: It’s not unusual for HRMS platforms to include a lightweight Applicant Tracking System (ATS), but it is becoming common for a full-fledged ATS to be part of the standard HRMS package.

Hiring is a central element of workforce management, so if you’re already using an HRMS as an integrated information hub for employee data, it makes sense to use it to manage applicant info, too. The most advanced ATSs built into an HRMS can do everything from sourcing candidates, scheduling interviews, shortlisting or rejecting, and onboarding new employees to offboarding.

Pro Tips on HRMS (Human Resource Management Systems)

Pitfalls of Buying a Human Resource Management System

The rewards of implementing the right HRMS system are substantial, but so are the risks if you make the wrong choice. The information below is from our research of unhappy customers who bought the wrong software tool. We identified central themes across their experience, and after reading this list, you can avoid the common mistakes to watch out for.

Rushing the decision: The allure of an elegant interface, the appeal of innovative features, and the sentiment of a few glowing reviews are powerful forces. It’s easy to buy a product that doesn’t actually do what you need. We’ve all been there.

Design, feature set, and reputation are important when vetting any software, but they should not drive your decision. Make your choice with the company's overall objectives in mind. Budget ample time to identify your team’s requirements, past issues, and the primary goals you hope to achieve using HRMS software.

Lack of awareness: The fact that you’re reading this guide suggests you know the value of thorough research, but some busy HR pros lack the operational context needed to make the right choice. It’s common for these folks to limit their scope of research to one or two major pain points they experience personally. This, as you can imagine, usually ends badly.

Not consulting teammates: This can be disastrous when implementing HR software. Checking with employees in every department can be a painstaking process, even in a small business, but in the long run, it’s worth it. For more on this topic, read this article on getting buy-in from internal stakeholders.

Overlooking security and support: Security and support are not features where quality can be sacrificed for price. HRMS systems hold all your employee info, so choose a company that prioritizes security. Support is an element of security and a critical standalone feature. This is especially true during implementation when a few missteps during your initial setup can lead to big problems down the line.

HRMS Software Price

With most of the HRMS vendors listed on this roundup, pricing is per user per month. Some have an additional monthly base rate, and most offer custom pricing based on your business’s needs. Some also offer independently priced add-ons, which is excellent for small businesses who want to pay only for the features they’ll actually use. Regardless of your business size or state of growth, you may find this ROI calculator helpful for setting your budget.

We've compiled the following estimates to offer a rough idea of what to budget based on your organization’s size. This data reflects the input of HR experts, both in-house and external, but be aware that these are rough estimates, and the proposals and quotes you get will vary.

  • 1-100 employees: $12,000 per year
  • 101-500 employees: $48,000 per year
  • 501-1,000 employees: $72,000 per year

Key HRMS Software Features

Knowing the key features of HRMSs and how they can support your goals is essential to finding the right software for your team.

At the beginning of this article, we covered the fundamental differences between HRMS, HRIS, and HCM platforms. We noted that, though many features overlap, contrasts in scope and philosophy made for clear distinctions between the three. Let’s look at each of these in more detail:

Employee Information Management: An HRIS is a secure database that serves as a single system of record for employee data, including personal details, job history, performance records, and benefits information.

Payroll: This is ubiquitous among HRMS platforms. Payroll features manage all aspects of payroll processing, including salary calculation, deductions, tax withholdings, calculation for PTO, sick days, overtime, and more. Time and attendance are adjacent features that contribute to accurate pay computation.

Some of the vendors mentioned in this list offer global payroll solutions, but if this feature is essential to run your business, we recommend reading our guide on global payroll.

Budgeting: Some HRIS platforms can help create budgets for the entire human resources department by integrating them with common accounting software. This can include expenditures, forecasts, and plans for future costs. Some also provide cost analysis overview and reporting features.

Performance Management: Many HRMS platforms support performance appraisal processes, goal setting, feedback collection, and performance review cycles. Best employee development practices are constantly evolving, and performance reviews are undergoing rigorous evaluation by HR thought leaders, so be sure the performance management features match your company’s talent development philosophy.

Compliance and Reporting: The compliance management and reporting functions record and synthesize information extracted from the numerous systems of record managed within the platform. The aggregated data is used as a precise record of regulatory compliance and to generate reports that can be evaluated for possible strategic insights.

Questions to Keep in Mind When Demoing HRMS Software Tools

Advanced preparation is the key to getting the most out of software demonstrations. Come prepared with questions that investigate each vendor’s approach to addressing the specific needs you’ve already identified.

Your demo questions should be a subset of the questions you have already asked. It’s common to exchange multiple emails leading up to a demo, so make the most of your time by getting the basics out of the way beforehand.

Keep your internal stakeholders in mind as you prepare. Ideally, they were directly involved, but short of that, be sure you have cultivated a cross-department understanding of what is essential across the org. Their needs should be reflected in your questions.

With your basic questions already answered and the best interest of all departments in mind, here are the must-ask questions for an HRMS product demo:

  • Does it integrate with our current ATS, payroll, or any other systems you might have that impact workforce management?
  • Does this solution have single sign-on (SSO) capabilities?
  • Are there multiple authorization levels for different types of users?
  • Is there a maximum number of employees it will support across the workforce?
  • What types of reporting capabilities does it have?
  • Does it include features to help HR communicate with employees (i.e., mass emails, internal chat, filtering messages by criteria)?
  • What kind of tasks can we automate or streamline with this tool? How many hours can we expect to save doing so?
  • How much technical training will be required?
  • What kinds of technical support are provided?
  • What recruiting capabilities are built in?
  • How will information be exchanged with insurance brokers and carriers)?
  • Does it accommodate benefits carriers’ rules?
  • How can we import employee data into this system? (API, Excel spreadsheets, employee records, other databases, and paper documents)
  • What built-in security measures does it contain?

We get a lot of positive feedback about this software buying organizer. Readers tell us it was a useful tool throughout the process, and in the end, they were thankful they’d used it from the beginning.

FAQs on Buying HRMS Software

These are the most frequently asked questions from HR professionals when it comes to human capital management software:

What is the best HRMS system?

The big names in HRMS software are UKG, SAP SuccessFactors, Namely, and Rippling, but are they really “the best”? The answer is yes and no.

Best can only be applied to one company at a time because no single HRMS platform is a universal fit for everyone. The wide range of HRMS platforms may seem unnecessary (or even overwhelming), but the variety represents the diversity in the businesses' needs.

What is the difference between HCM, HRMS, and HRIS?

The critical distinction between HRIS, HRMS, and HCM lies in their scope and focus. HRIS (Human Resource Information System) and HRMS (Human Resource Management System) are specific software types that focus on managing human resource information and processes, including payroll in the latter case. HCM, or Human Capital Management, encompasses a broader philosophy of business practices. It involves acquiring and optimizing a business's workforce and integrating strategic elements into managing human resources.

Why do definitions of HCM, HRMS, and HRIS vary so much?

There are many ways to answer this perfectly reasonable question, but the need for more consensus is primarily the result of two factors. First, an imprecise definition offers some wiggle room for vendors who claim their tool can do it all. Second, our approach to workforce management is shifting as technology and best practices evolve, so the categories are not fixed.

Despite this moving target, the distinctions primarily lie in their features, intended applications, and the philosophical framework behind each tool’s design. Generally, industry insights suggest that HRIS is the most narrowly defined solution, concentrating on essential HR functions. HRMS expands on this with broader features, still primarily within the HR domain. In contrast, HCM encompasses these features and extends further, incorporating strategic business planning to analyze and optimize the workforce as the key element.

Final Advice on Buying HRMS software

As we wrap up, let's assume you've absorbed the information above and identified a few potential vendors for scheduling demos. That’s just the first step, but it is the biggest one! If you were thorough and diligent from the beginning, you’ve set yourself up for an easier time reaching your goal. You’ve also become familiar with the general process we recommend for making all HR tech decisions.

Since you’ve identified your needs and have a comprehensive understanding of how different feature sets can meet them, fine-tuning your demos should be a breeze.

At this point, your knowledge far surpasses the average consumer. You speak the language of the HRMS vendor, so feel confident when you ask the person running your demo to focus on the relevant features you’ve identified.

You can even supply them with test data to use in the demonstration. This “test drive” approach will help you assess intuitiveness and overall user experience.

You’re already well on your way to bringing the best HRMS platform to your workplace! If you want to further your knowledge, you should read this article about the differences between HRIS, HCM, and HRMS, or you can focus your attention on this article covering the definition, features, and benefits of an HCM.

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