The 10 Best HR Software for Small Business of 2025

• Workable provides powerful analytics and reporting tools that supported hiring decisions.
• It facilitates team collaboration and communication with real-time feedback.
• It streamlines job postings across multiple boards, simplifying the process.

Synergized implemented Workable for candidate sourcing across multiple job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor. After a year of use, it proved beneficial for building a customized hiring pipeline and facilitating team collaboration.

Synergized is a small team, so Workable was useful for tracking candidates through different stages while allowing team members to share feedback or leave comments on prospective hires.

Workable was also efficient in helping us review recruiting analytics and reports, so we could evaluate the effectiveness of our hiring process. This included reviewing sources of hire, time to hire, and other key metrics.

• Workable is expensive for smaller teams, which is ultimately why we switched platforms.
• The user interface could be simplified, as the large number of features can be overwhelming for smaller agencies.
• Although Workable posts across several platforms, its reach is still somewhat limited considering the cost.

Workable has strong sourcing features, but it’s harder to justify the price when other platforms offer more advanced features and integrations. Its effectiveness depends on your company’s size and specific needs. If you are primarily using the platform for job posting, it could be a good fit.

Choosing a user-friendly interface is important. If platforms are overloaded with features, they can become overwhelming. Finding an ATS that integrates with multiple boards and platforms will help streamline the hiring process efficiently.

While some companies may not need in-platform collaboration, having the ability to take notes and track applicant status is key for maintaining efficiency and consistent communication.

Workable has implemented automated resume screening and interview scheduling, which helps reduce the time it takes to hire a candidate. The platform is also expanding the number of interfaces it integrates with, which allows for more diverse candidate sourcing.

Workable is better suited for larger companies due to its price and extensive features. Larger organizations may benefit more from its communication tools and automated scheduling. It can significantly reduce the time required to complete recruitment tasks.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It's very intuitive, the UX/UI and design features are really amazing. It's also very well liked by our employees because of its ease of use. It's built to keep small companies in compliance -- Gusto really takes it a step further than most other Payroll platforms and gives you a bunch of compliance features and help. Gusto also has "next-day pay" features on some of the more premium tiers of membership; this is a really solid SLA and turnaround for payroll platforms, as this process (sending money to folks) isn't the easiest thing to do at scale.

We onboarded onto Gusto when the company first started back in 2016/2017. We didn't have a way to pay people, and Gusto offered an intuitive, small-business solution to pay employees, help us stay in compliance, and do all the heavy lifting for us in the Payroll and HR world. We've used Gusto for approximately 6 years and we still use it today to pay contractors, which is another benefit it provides.

Gusto is built for small companies so if your company grows quickly, it could easily outpace the features that Gusto provides. It doesn't integrate well/if at all with other softwares it doesn't already have a partnership with. It also has pretty limited reporting capabilities; the reports you can pull are nice, but there are limited types that you can choose from and building reports doesn't include all fields you might need.

It’s more intuitive, but not as scalable for large companies. I'd prefer the more intuitive tools to start with, and then once I wrap my head around how payroll works then I think switching to a larger, more scalable tool helps with understanding the big picture.

If you have a small finance/payroll/HR team, and want a tool to do a lot of the work for you, get Gusto. If you're a large team with a large company, I wouldn't recommend it.

For the most part, it's really improved its contractor payment system and also its compliance features. It still needs to work on allowing for more integrations with third-party tools.

Small organizations (1-100)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• Factorial has a clean and user-friendly interface, making it easy for employees and administrators to navigate.
• It covers a wide range of HR functions in one platform, which is helpful for smaller companies that need an all-in-one solution.
• The pricing is reasonable compared to more well-known HRIS systems, making it a good option for businesses with a limited budget.

At a previous organization, we decided to invest in Factorial HR because we needed an actual HRIS instead of piecing together different tools. At the time, we were storing personnel data in various cloud solutions, benefits information was scattered across different platforms, and there was no centralized way to manage key HR functions.

We wanted a system that could streamline employee data, track time-off requests, and handle performance management in one place. Factorial seemed like an affordable solution that covered multiple HR needs without requiring a large budget or extensive implementation.

I used the platform for a while and found that, while it met basic needs, it had some limitations compared to more established HRIS solutions.

• The customer service experience wasn’t great, as response times were slow and support wasn’t always helpful.
• The platform, while functional, lacked the depth and flexibility of more established HRIS solutions.
• Some features, like reporting and customization, felt limited, making it harder to tailor the system to our specific needs.

Factorial is a smaller platform compared to major HRIS providers, which means it offers a more simplified experience. One unique advantage was its ability to handle international payroll and support multiple currencies, which was useful for our global operations.

While it doesn’t have all the features of larger competitors, it provides a budget-friendly option for businesses that need core HR functionalities without a steep learning curve.

It is important to assess where your business is currently and where you see it growing in the future. Factorial is a strong choice for small businesses that have little to no HR support and need a tool to centralize employee data and processes. It is suitable for companies looking to improve HR workflows without making a large financial commitment.

Larger organizations or those with complex HR needs may benefit from a more established HRIS that can scale with growth.

Since I last used Factorial, they have improved their payroll functionality, making it more reliable and user friendly. They have also resolved some issues in key modules like time-off tracking and time and attendance, which had previously caused frustrations.

The platform appears to be making steady improvements, though it still has room to grow in terms of advanced HR capabilities.

Factorial is a great fit for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, especially those with little or no dedicated HR staff. It helps keep employee records organized, streamlines time tracking, and provides basic HR functions without requiring extensive training or setup.

• The ATS system was easy to use and well-suited for a small business, with flexibility to manipulate information as needed.
• The increased visibility provided by BambooHR greatly improved our candidate pool and reduced time-to-fill metrics.
• The Employee Self-Service page was intuitive and straightforward to navigate.

As an HR Business Partner for a smaller company that relied entirely on manual processes, we sought a software solution to support hiring and employee records management. Major pain points included the lack of a proper ATS and an effective system for managing employee records.

At the time, individuals would physically drop off applications or apply through Indeed, limiting our talent reach significantly. Additionally, employee records were maintained as physical files, posing significant challenges for tracking and audits. This tool addressed these issues and helped streamline our processes.

• BambooHR was costly compared to other tools, considering its features and practicality for a small business.
• A better onboarding and training process for the team could have improved the use of the Employee Self-Service tools.
• For a company with both tech-savvy and labor employees, the tool could have been more agile to meet diverse needs effectively.

From a small business perspective, I would rate it a 7 out of 10. It is easy to use and allows for quick adjustments, but the cost is high for what it offers. While its user-friendliness is a plus, it may not be suitable for larger companies with complex requirements.

Cost is a crucial factor to consider. It is essential to evaluate whether employees and HR team members will use all the functionalities of the tool effectively. Assess the types of employees in your company, their technical skills, and their familiarity with workflows or self-service tools.

If you have a team that is technologically adept and values independent workflows, this tool could be a great fit. Additionally, for companies transitioning to more technologically enhanced processes, this tool can be beneficial if the cost aligns with your needs and expected usage.

Based on feedback I’ve heard, the tool has remained consistent with the features and functionality I experienced during my time using it.

This tool is ideal for smaller to mid-sized companies with independent, technologically proficient employees who value easy-to-use self-service and ATS tools. It also supports organizations looking to modernize their processes.

• The user-friendly dashboard allows easy navigation through employee profiles, providing access to essential details such as contact information, job titles, tax forms (W-4s), and identification documents (driver's licenses and passports).
• GoCo enables HR teams to track, store, and manage employment-related documents in a structured and organized manner, ensuring that all necessary paperwork is up to date and easily accessible.
• The platform offers flexibility in customizing and storing different types of documents based on organizational needs, making it a valuable tool for companies looking to digitize and centralize employee data securely.

Our organization initially chose GoCo to manage and track all employee records, including important documents such as W-4 forms, driver's licenses, and passports. We used the platform for about two years, hoping it would streamline record-keeping and improve efficiency.

However, over time, we found that it lacked the level of organization needed to manage employee information effectively. Additionally, we encountered several technical issues that made the system challenging to use consistently. Due to these limitations, we decided to discontinue our use of GoCo and explore other solutions better suited to our needs.

• Employees occasionally experience issues signing important documents, leading to delays, confusion, and additional follow-ups.
• The platform’s design may not be intuitive for new users.
• Occasional glitches and bugs disrupt workflow.

I have used ATS to track employee information, and compared to other tools, GoCo feels more disorganized and less streamlined.

Is the platform easy to navigate for both HR professionals and employees? Does the tool provide efficient document management, allowing for easy uploading, storage, and tracking of essential employee records? Assess whether GoCo offers good value for its pricing—does it provide the necessary features at a reasonable cost?

• Earlier versions: Compliance features were not as comprehensive, making it challenging to keep up with changing labor laws and regulations.
• ‍Improvements: GoCo has enhanced its compliance tools, including automatic reminders for deadlines, better tracking of employee certifications, and integration with legal updates.

GoCo is well-suited for companies with more than 50 employees, as its features scale well with larger teams. Smaller companies may find other tools more efficient for tracking employee information.

Personally, Oyster is one of the better platforms. I appreciate how it emphasizes the importance of compliance. Since we were a global company, Oyster's functions allowed us to stay compliant with city laws, state laws, and federal regulations. Its onboarding functions are excellent.

Onboarding can often become messy with global companies, but Oyster streamlined the process. When it came to customer support, we felt confident because their team was easy to contact and provided helpful tools and resources.

I was with my previous employer for a 9-month temporary contract. We used Oyster as a "catch-all" platform for Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. The platform allowed us to source, onboard, and maintain personnel records.

While I was on that contract, I worked between both teams, which gave me a good grasp of the platform's functions, and I enjoyed using it. From my understanding, they implemented Oyster shortly before I joined because of a company shift that required HR and TA to work more collaboratively.

I don’t have many cons, but there are a few. Their reporting functions are not the best; for a platform that is so advanced, the reporting features are basic and require more manual work.

Additionally, the reliance on third-party services, which many companies use, can sometimes cause issues. When working with third-party vendors, processes can become messy and more time-consuming than necessary.

I have worked with similar tools in the past, and I can confidently say that I prefer Oyster. The platform operates efficiently and simplifies tasks for HR and TA functions. Its features are user-friendly and make our roles easier.

Companies and teams should assess whether they truly need this type of platform—just because it offers a lot doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for everyone. Since it is somewhat expensive, I would advise teams to carefully evaluate their needs before committing to a platform like Oyster.

Oyster did not change significantly during my time using it. It remained consistent throughout my contract role. However, due to the platform’s modern features and design, I felt it didn’t require much change.

Oyster is well-suited for HR and TA teams with 20+ members, especially companies that operate globally.