10+ Best Free HR Software for Startups & SMBs in 2025

Deel is a user-friendly ATS. It offers strong integration capabilities for job postings. Its workflow management helps keep open requisitions organized.

Deel was used solely as an ATS for recruiting purposes. I have used it for about six months. It is well-organized for moving candidates through the pipeline. It integrated easily with other HRIS and ATS platforms. While additional features are available, we only purchased it for recruiting functionality.

The price is high per employee per month. Customer service was subpar. It may be better suited for contingent workforce management than full-time employee hiring. Considering the higher cost, a more bundled service package would have been beneficial.

I have used several similar ATS tools, and I would rate Deel as mid-tier. I prefer other systems based on cost, better integration options, and more accessible customer support.

Cost should be the top consideration. It's also important to determine whether the tool will be used for contingent workforce or full-time employees. Compatibility with your existing HRIS is another key factor to evaluate.

Since I used the tool for less than a year, I did not observe any changes or improvements during that time.

Temp agencies with small recruiting teams looking to control costs can benefit from Deel as an ATS.

It makes it easy to sign in anywhere. It is easy to track how many hours you worked. It is easy to guide through the website/app.

I used Homebase for about 3 years. One of the main reasons our company bought Homebase was because everyone kept forgetting to clock-in through a machine at work so our company wanted to make clock-ins more convenient. I liked it when we transitioned to it, we were able to clock-in whether we were in office or remote. It helped track everyone's work time accurately. It also sent in our hours to payroll according to the scheduled pay time.

Sometimes people still forget to clock in with the app. When I used it about 2 years ago, I wish it sent us notifications to remind us to clock-in or out. The platform does go down sometimes.

I like Homebase because it is made for everyone to use. It is extremely easy to navigate Homebase.

I have more pros than cons for Homebase. I highly suggest the platform. It is organized and easy to navigate.

It is easier for managers or bosses to manage employee hours through the dashboard. It has more visibility on who is on time and who is late.

Medical offices, small organizations, remote workers

I love the easy employee and administrator interface, so the training guidelines are easy. I value the reporting features, which make collecting data seamless. Also, Connecteam has an app, so it's useful for those who leverage their phones for timekeeping and the chat system for direct contact with employees.

We initially purchased Connecteam to assist with our onsite hourly personnel. Their export template aligned perfectly with our corporate timesheet system, Unanet, so it was a seamless integration to ensure our invoices were accurate for billing.

We used Connecteam for 3 years, leveraging the personnel allocated to each shift, the seamless check-in process, and the direct communication tool to reach onsite management on time. Since the onsite Program Managers weren't always next to their email, they could view the employees' questions and check-ins from their phones for fast turnarounds with responses.

The only con I could think of is that sometimes the site glitches, and their customer service team is overseas, so the timezones can result in delayed support.

It's very affordable, supportive of customer service, and easy to use. Monthly costs are not driven per license, and it's better with allocating funding or keeping on-site timesheets.

Connecteam is easy to integrate for employers who staff employees who are shift workers or hourly personnel working outside of the primary headquarters. It's best to implement it after a pay period so you can track the hours worked with the provided pay schedule.

Monitoring is also included, where you can track the employees' location when they're checking in to prevent any pay discrepancies. It's an amazing, user-friendly system to implement into a business.

Yes, Connecteam’s chat feature and app support have surely evolved. Their response time has been fast, fluid, and very supportive.

Small or large organizations, hourly workers, onsite personnel, and companies who staff shift workers can benefit from Connecteam.

• It's centralised and easy to use, a new user can navigate it easily.
• Leave balance and leave approvals, pending etc makes it very easy and seamless.
• We get the exact working hours of each employee, work anniversary and birthdays too to send our best wishes.

We have been using Zoho People for the past couple of years. We needed a software tool for managing attendance, leaves, announcements, sharing docs etc, and Zoho People was the best option out there. We are happy so far. Recently we started using the check-in and check-out reminder options too.

• Sometimes employees face the issue of not being able to log in and out due to the website being down.
• It's a bit expensive.
• We can not have calls through it.

• They should check out all the services provided if it covers all of their needs.
• The budget should also be considered as the platform can be a bit expensive but it is worth it.
• I would suggest having a go at the free trial to be sure.

Yes it keeps adding new features and the user interface has become seamless over the years. Great work.

Companies with a hybrid work mode; you can track the log-in and log-out locations if needed.

Solid visuals of project progress. Great automation features, which saved us time and reduced entry errors. Integrated well with other tools the client was using.

I used it for six months as a freelancer, and based on my knowledge, the client used monday.com because it's a cloud-based system that allowed for customizations and automation. I am unsure which software they used before that, but my conversations centered around the time it saved the client. I remember enjoying the time-tracking feature and how it integrated with other tools the client was already using.

Overwhelming at first, as there are many features. The learning curve is steep due to the extensive features.

I have used both Asana and Jira (currently use both), and the visuals are more appealing, and the integrations are more in-depth on monday.com. Also, the customization options cater to someone who likes more control over their work.

Consider the cost and how it will make your employees' jobs easier/save time.

I did not use it prior to this client, so I am unsure of the adaptations it has undergone. However, it is very relevant, so it appears to meet industry needs, as I enjoyed using it for my contract.

I think any organization can benefit from monday.com as its customizability and flexibility allow it to be used by various users and companies.

1. Excellent Customer Service: The customer support team has been very supportive and responsive in troubleshooting.
2. The system is user-friendly and has some videos guiding you through some of its functions. The system is designed to be customizable, so clients can tailor it to meet their specific needs.
3. Powerful reporting: BambooHR's reporting features have allowed me to generate a wide range of reports, such as headcount, turnover, and diversity reports, this information is instrumental in making data-driven decisions.

As Covid-19 forced most employers to look into hybrid working models, there was a need for us to look into tools for managing employee information and tracking time off to streamline administrative tasks and reduce errors while working remotely.

BambooHR offers Recruiting and applicant tracking features that make it easier to find and hire the right candidates for open positions remotely.

Additionally, it provides performance management tools, including goal setting and performance reviews, which can help ensure that employees are working towards company objectives and receiving the feedback they need to succeed.

I found the system to be user-friendly, with a modern interface that is easy to navigate and customize to meet our needs. The system also has video tutorials that are clear and guide you through its functions.

The main con would be its limited payroll functionality. It is not available in Africa and its payroll functionality is currently only available for customers in the United States and Canada, which may be a drawback for companies based in other countries.

Pricing is also on the upper limit compared to other solutions, particularly in Africa.

The features on training could also be more customizable to clients in diverse spaces or lines of work

BambooHR has strong reporting features which allow us to generate a wide range of reports, such as headcount, turnover, and diversity reports, which can help organizations make data-driven decisions.

Its user-friendly interface is easy to navigate and find the information users need. The system is designed to be customizable, so users can tailor it to meet their specific needs.

When buying BambooHR or any other HR software solution, there are several criteria to consider, including:

1. Location: BambooHR's payroll functions are better suited for companies in US and Canada. For ease of compliance with local regulations, countries in Africa can consider an alternative tool to run their payroll function.
2. Company size and needs: The size of the company and its HR needs are important factors to consider when selecting a software solution. BambooHR is generally well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses with straightforward HR needs.
3.  Customization: Companies should consider how customizable BambooHR is, and whether it can be tailored to their specific HR workflows and processes.
4. Security and compliance: Companies should consider BambooHR's security and compliance features to ensure that employee data is protected and that the system meets relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

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• Improved user experience: BambooHR has focused on improving the user experience over time, with updates to the system's interface, navigation, and overall usability.
• Deeper analytics: BambooHR has added more powerful reporting and analytics features over time, which has helped users gain deeper insights into their HR data.

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BambooHR is well-suited for small to medium-sized organizations with straightforward HR needs. The system is particularly strong in areas such as employee data management, onboarding, and reporting, and is designed to be customizable to meet the specific needs of each organization.

Functions like payroll are better suited for companies in US and Canada.

It is well-suited to organizations that need a flexible, customizable, and user-friendly HR software solution.

1. Mobile friendly: Users can access Bitrix24 on the go through its mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.
2. Diversity: Bitrix24 offers a wide range of features and tools, including project management, CRM, HR management, communication and collaboration, and more.
3. Cost effective: Bitrix24 offers affordable pricing plans and also has a free version.

Our organization acquired Bitrix24 approximately three months ago as a complementary solution to our existing program. Due to some technical challenges, our previous program had been non-functional for an extended period, and we urgently needed a dependable tool to support our operations during that time.

After researching several alternatives, we opted for Bitrix24, impressed by its comprehensive functionality and intuitive interface. We were able to quickly create and manage tasks, projects, and communication channels, which were essential for effective collaboration within our team.

Although we have only been using Bitrix24 for a relatively short time, we have already noticed significant improvements in our workflow and productivity. We appreciate the platform's adaptability and flexibility, which enable us to tailor it to our particular requirements.

1. Complex: New users may face a significant learning curve due to the complexity of the software.
2. Integration: there might be restrictions on which apps can be integrated and the ease of integration.
3. It could be restrictions on the extent of customization to tailor the platform according to your particular requirements.

Bitrix24 distinguishes itself from other similar tools in several ways. Its main strength lies in providing a comprehensive set of tools for project management, collaboration, communication, and customer relationship management, all in a single platform. This makes it an efficient and convenient solution for businesses and teams of all sizes.

Bitrix24 offers a unique social intranet feature, enabling team members to communicate and collaborate in a social media-like environment, which can be more engaging and intuitive than conventional project management tools.

Having used several project management and collaboration tools in the past, I can confidently say that Bitrix24 is one of the best. It offers a broad range of features and customization options, which can be tailored to suit the specific needs of my team.

When buying Bitrix24, it's essential to evaluate your team's needs, the level of complexity of your projects, the level of support and resources provided, and the cost. By considering these criteria, you can ensure that Bitrix24 is the right fit for your team and budget. Make sure to evaluate the pricing plans and compare them with other project management and collaboration tools to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money.

Bitrix24 has continuously improved its platform by introducing new features and functionalities to enhance its project management, collaboration, and communication capabilities. These improvements include advanced project management tools like Gantt charts, resource allocation, and time tracking, as well as collaboration features such as task assignments, file sharing, and team messaging. These upgrades have significantly strengthened Bitrix24's platform, making it a more complete and reliable solution for teams and businesses of all sizes.

Bitrix24 is an exceptional platform for teams and businesses that require a complete set of tools to manage their projects, enhance collaboration, facilitate communication, and maintain customer relationships. It is the perfect choice for organizations seeking an all-inclusive platform that can simplify their operations and boost their productivity. Additionally, Bitrix24's social intranet feature makes it an ideal solution for teams that prioritize engagement and collaboration among team members, enabling them to work seamlessly and efficiently

I like that it has the ability to consolidate multiple features/apps into one software program. I enjoy the "Discuss" feature, which essentially creates a company intranet allowing employees to communicate with others privately or with groups/departments. I also like that it allows me to send documents requiring a signature without having to use another external app, such as DocuSign.

My organization chose Odoo because it is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that promises to consolidate and automate several processes. I work for a manufacturing facility that produces food and beverage items, and the processes from creation to delivery of our products include many steps and a lot of paperwork to remain compliant with industry regulations.

We wanted a tool that could be used by several departments, including production, accounting, fulfillment, distribution, and HR. We were hoping we could use Odoo to house our timekeeping, scheduling, and payroll as well. I have been using Odoo for about three months.

I think it is a complex system that requires months of training before it can be fully functional. We cannot use it for payroll because it doesn't track and record tax payments and would require manual journal entries each time. I don't like that the timekeeping feature doesn't allow us to use biometrics (fingerprints via hardware device) when employees clock in and out of their shifts. Although it can integrate with several apps, these drawbacks keep me from recommending it as an HR solution.

Odoo has several functions that it offers to automate processes company-wide. I find the interface to be mostly user-friendly. There are some navigational difficulties when visiting one "app" and then returning to the dashboard, and their training videos could use some work. I find it about average as far as an ERP goes.

Identify exactly which processes you intend to utilize this service for and have a realistic implementation plan. If you're only using it for two or three processes, then a shorter training and implementation plan may work. If you have four or more processes you're looking to integrate, allow yourself and your team several months to meet with their implementation team and demo the trial software so that you can familiarize yourself with it before rolling it out to employees. Training is vital to understanding the full capabilities of the system.

They seem to have a lot of options for different processes that they say continually expand, such as inventory, appointments and to-do lists, project boards, discussion boards, manufacturing, shop floor, quality assurance, etc.

A mid to large-sized manufacturing facility that wants all employees using the same software to meet as many business needs as possible will find Odoo very useful.

• We initiate requests on the WebHR portal and we are able to see the progress status, whether the requests were approved or pending; In short, we like its transparency.
• There is a chatbot where we can directly communicate with HR employees for guidance.
• The HR manual and all circulars are easily available and can be searched by text or date.

Earlier, our organization’s human resource department shared the updated HR manual via email. All queries by the employees were entertained through email as well. It was a hectic exercise as many follow-ups were needed and, sometimes, we lost track of the email threads. In order to overcome this, our organization transitioned to WebHR. The platform automated the requests initiated by the employees, while tracking the changes and approvals.

• Upgrades sometimes take 2 or 3 working days of downtime which is a hurdle for employees.
• Uploading the relevant PDF documents for case submission and approval takes time.
• WebHR isn’t the most user-friendly; new users do need some guidance on how to use it. Guide book needs to read out for fresh employee to use the web HR as it is not much user friendly.

Well, earlier we were using emails for all types of queries and approvals so we have not used any other software yet.

This is a good platform where employees and HR connect with each other and communicate easily.

It is very necessary for our organization with a large number of employees. Each of our needs and requests are important, and it is HR's duty to resolve them promptly.

I am associated with the banking industry and I believe it is good for banking and other industries as well.