Human Resources | Buyer's Guide

Updated October 27, 2022

REVIEWED BY: Charlette Beasley

Charlette has over 10 years of experience in accounting and finance and 2 years of partnering with HR leaders on freelance projects. She uses this extensive experience to answer your questions about payroll.

WRITTEN BY: Robie Ann Ferrer

Published August 18, 2022

Robie has more than five years of content writing experience and specializes in writing about payroll and human resources software for small businesses.

Published August 18, 2022

This article is part of a larger series on Payroll Services.

Not every business can afford a full HR staff; in some cases, an HR software or service can take an employee’s place at a fraction of the price. The best HR software for a small business can handle a multitude of tasks such as hiring, payroll, benefits, and performance management. Many providers offer all-in-one systems, while others have standalone solutions that you can purchase separately. Some even provide professional employer organization (PEO) services for small businesses needing expert help handling day-to-day HR tasks.

In this guide, we compiled a list of the 10 best HR software for small businesses.

All the HR software included in this guide offer new hire onboarding, paid time off (PTO) tracking, standard reporting, and employee information management tools. Here are the noteworthy features.

*Pricing based on a quote we received

**Solution costs extra

***Payroll is an add-on solution to its core time tracking and scheduling platform

Need help selecting a provider from our list of HR software? Take our free quiz.

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Numerous buyer’s guides across our site evaluate these HR software using a five-star scale, with criteria specific to the type of businesses they cater to and the solutions they offer (such as payroll and global payroll, HR information management, and PEO services). We also considered affordability and ease of use. You can look at any of the featured products below in specific buyer’s guides that may apply to your business.

Plan: $35 plus $8 per employee monthly

Other Per-Module Costs

App, device, and computer inventory management: $5 per employee monthly

Benefits administration: Pricing varies, depending on your insurance broker

HR help desk: Custom-priced

*Pricing is based on a quote we received

Rippling is the best overall HR software for small businesses because it offers a range of HR products you can choose to integrate at any time. Compared to Gusto and Homebase, it is pretty robust in offering more than just basic HR features. Aside from an employee database, you get applicant tracking, payroll, benefits administration and plan options, time tracking, learning management, and onboarding solutions. It even provides PEO and international payroll services.

In addition, Rippling is an excellent choice for tech-heavy companies because its modular system handles not only HR and payroll but also IT functions. It lets you assign computers and software to new hires as part of the onboarding process and has device and app deprovisioning tools for resigning employees. With more companies going remote and relying on technology to function, a system specializing in this area is essential.

Rippling’s main dashboard provides easy access to HR tools and business apps. (Source: Rippling)

Big providers like Paychex and ADP Run focus on providing more bundled options at less transparent rates. While Rippling’s pricing isn’t all transparent either, what’s great about its system is that you can select the features you want based on the HR needs of your business. However, you have to purchase its core workforce management solution before you can add other modules to its software.

Hiring support is a big role for HR teams, and Rippling provides numerous tools to help. Its applicant tracking product makes it easy to find qualified candidates and manage screening processes.

Aside from listing job ads on major job posting sites (like Indeed and LinkedIn), sending offer letters and running background checks are done completely online. Plus, you only need to input basic hiring information for incoming employees into its system, and Rippling will guide your new hires through the onboarding process.

Rippling is the only HR software we reviewed that provides basic IT solutions for setting up and managing your employees’ computers and business software. You can even order laptops through Rippling, and all of your staff’s system permissions and app accounts will be set up. If you have resigning employees, it can also help with the deprovisioning process and store your computers in its warehouse for safekeeping and reassignment.

None of the other software in this guide have as robust third-party integration options as Rippling does. It connects with over 500 software applications, making it much more efficient for companies planning to add Rippling to an existing group of software products.

Payroll is an add-on, but Rippling’s offering is still a quality system for users that need HR and payroll support. It offers direct deposit payments and tax filing services, plus it can handle payroll for W-2 and 1099 staff, including international employees. Reporting is also intuitive—it has metrics you can evaluate immediately before running payroll to ensure you’re not missing anything.

Rippling provides customer service, but not over the phone—unless you’re willing to pay a flat monthly rate. You can also email and chat with customer service reps, and many users say they’re very responsive. However, if you want dedicated support, consider either ADP Run or Paychex.

Rippling offers PEO services you can turn on when you need to outsource your HR administration; you can also turn it off with the click of a button when you’re back to only needing the software. ADP Run and Paychex may have PEO services, but they lack Rippling’s easy on/off button. In addition, ADP’s PEO (ADP TotalSource) is a completely separate product that runs on a different software than its small business HR and payroll solutions, so toggling back and forth isn’t an option.

Rippling earned an average score of 4.85 out of 5 on popular user review sites like G2 and Capterra. Users said they love the intuitive interface and easy integrations. Several others also commented that its robust solutions, ease of use, customizability, and good customer service are standout features.

Read Our Full Rippling Review

Simple: $40 per month + $6 per employee monthly

Plus: $80 per month + $12 per employee monthly

Premium: Custom-priced

Contractor-only plan: $6 per contractor monthly

Add-ons

Gusto is a top-rated small business payroll software because of its affordably priced plans and full-service features. Aside from filing your payroll taxes and W-2/1099 year-end tax reports, it manages paid time off (PTO), administers workers’ compensation, and provides access to several benefits options. You can also run payroll an unlimited number of times and pay employees via direct deposits, checks, and pay cards. Note that many of the providers in this guide don’t offer pay cards or on-demand pay as a payment option, although ADP Run and Paychex do.

Apart from payroll, Gusto has a performance management module for setting up reviews, providing feedback, and tracking submissions. (Source: Gusto)

Its reasonably priced plans with full-service payroll, payroll tax filings, and unlimited pay runs is just one of the reasons Gusto is included in and even topped several of our buyer’s guides. With monthly fees that start at $40 plus $6 per employee, it’s optimal for small businesses looking for solid pay processing tools.

This is unlike Rippling, Zenefits, BambooHR, and Homebase, which offer payroll as an add-on and require you to purchase their core HR products first. Zoho People also offers payroll as an add-on, but you must be based in India to use it.

You can pay employees by direct deposit and pay card. You can also pay via paper check—if you print on your own (some providers, like ADP Run, offer check signing and stuffing services). In case your employees need to withdraw money between paydays, Gusto has a “Gusto Cashout” option that grants them advanced access to their earned salary.

Gusto offers a wide range of benefits, such as health, dental, and vision insurance, commuter benefits, retirement plans, HSA, FSA, and 529 college savings accounts. The kicker is that its health insurance is not available in 11 states (Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming) as of this writing.

If this is a dealbreaker for you, consider Paycor, Paychex, and ADP Run for benefits available across the US. Rippling also has extensive coverage, but its benefits modules are paid add-ons.

Gusto doesn’t compare to Paychex or ADP Run on the number of HR features and tools available. Its applicant tracking and job posting solutions aren’t as robust as Freshteam’s, which even includes a customizable career site. While its hiring tools are limited, it does provide for average small business needs, like offer letters, online W-4 and I-9 forms, HR documents, basic time tracking, and a self-onboarding portal.

Gusto provides access to certified HR experts—you can direct any compliance and HR questions you have to them. However, you’ll need to subscribe to Gusto’s highest plan to get it (or pay $8 per person monthly if you’re on the Plus tier).

Gusto is rated highly on user review sites like Capterra and G2, with an average score of 4.45 out of 5. Employers and employees praise the interface and ease of running payroll. Some reviewers also appreciate how it handles the filing of payroll taxes. However, a few complained about having experienced slow load times when accessing its software.

Read Our Full Gusto Review

Paychex Flex Essentials: $39 per month + $5 per employee

Paychex Flex Select: Custom-priced

Paychex Flex Pro: Custom-priced

Paychex Plan for solopreneurs and the self-employed

Paychex Solo: Custom-priced

Paychex offers HR software and services to businesses of all sizes. It has a Paychex Solo package for solopreneurs and self-employed, which includes payroll, a retirement plan option, and business incorporation services.

It also has a Paychex Flex solution, which solopreneurs can transition to once their business has grown. This comes with full-service payroll, payroll tax administration, employee benefits, new hire onboarding, and a learning management solution. You even get a dedicated payroll specialist and access to HR advisers. Plus, like Rippling and ADP, Paychex offers a complete PEO option with benefits management and HR consulting.

Paychex Flex’s HR dashboard displays helpful information about your workforce demographics, turnover rates, and more. (Source: Paychex)

Paychex offers multiple plans that target different business sizes. Its Paychex Solo tier even sets this provider apart from the other HR software we reviewed since none offer options specific to solopreneurs. It also has a Paychex Flex product with three plan options, wherein premium tiers come with more compliance support. It even provides a PEO package, a service that other competitors on this list don’t offer (except Rippling and ADP).

In part, Paychex earned its way into this list because of the numerous HR tools it has. It ranges from onboarding and time tracking to workforce management and training options—although some of these features typically cost extra.

Paychex’s hiring tools can help you find qualified candidates and ensure they’re the right fit when you’re ready to grow. Applicant tracking, background checks, and employee screening solutions are also available. Its team of HR professionals can even provide recommendations and expert support in case you have recruiting concerns. And to help get your new hires up to speed on the job, Paychex offers online learning sessions, including sexual harassment prevention training.

Paychex is licensed as an insurer, so it offers insurance directly. Unlike Gusto and Zenefits, which have limited health benefits coverage, its health insurance covers all 50 states. Also, one unique benefit it offers that the other providers on this list don’t is a financial wellness program.

Paychex can manage both employee and contractor payroll, but it doesn’t have Gusto’s low-cost contractor-only plan. While it can handle tax payments and filings to federal, state, and local agencies, you have to pay extra for some of its payroll administration services.

Users who left positive Paychex reviews online said that it offers good reporting options, great onboarding functionalities, and an easy-to-learn interface. We also found its platform simple to use because it does not crowd its interface with extraneous features. Overall, its average user rating on G2 and Capterra is 4.15 out of 5.

Read Our Full Paychex Flex Review

Essentials: $10 per employee monthly

Growth: $18 per employee monthly

Zen: $27 per employee monthly

Contingent workers: $6 per worker monthly with any plan

Add-ons*

Payroll: $6 per employee monthly

Advisory services: $10 per employee monthly

Benefits administration if you have your own broker: $5 per employee monthly

*Requires at least five employees

TriNet Zenefits (formerly Zenefits) is an easy-to-use HR software designed to organize employee data and streamline processes. What makes it optimal for businesses in highly regulated industries is its robust compliance solutions, which include overtime safeguards and state-compliant paystubs. It even has an online “Compliance Assistant” that helps track your compliance status and alerts you of submission deadlines for unique forms critical to your business.

Its core product is HR, but you can add payroll functionalities to its platform. Time and attendance tracking tools are also included in all of its plans—functionalities that the other providers in this list (except Homebase) charge extra for. Gusto, on the other hand, only offers basic time tracking in its premium tiers.

A snapshot of TriNet Zenefits’ main dashboard (Source: TriNet Zenefits)

The good thing about TriNet Zenefits is that its base HR product includes the basic hiring features small businesses need—from online offer letters to self-onboarding and employee information management. Storing new hire forms and other company files (like policies and handbooks) is also made easy with TriNet Zenefits’ document management feature.

However, it lacks the job postings of Homebase and ADP, the hiring services of Paychex, and the applicant tracking tools of BambooHR, Zoho, Freshteam, and Paycor. If you want both job postings and applicant tracking, consider either Rippling or Gusto.

TriNet Zenefits supports and automates a host of compliance tasks across payroll, benefits, and general HR, such as generating pay stubs that adhere to state requirements, sending required notices during onboarding and offboarding, and monitoring Affordable Care Act compliance. Its Compliance Assistant tool helps you develop a deeper understanding of what’s required of your business, set reminders for deadlines, and monitor your compliance status.

TriNet Zenefits’ HR solutions are designed to handle all aspects of the employee lifecycle. In addition to helping you pay and onboard employees, it comes with online solutions for managing PTO and planning compensation strategies.

Monitoring employees’ work performance and engagement levels are possible with its full suite of performance reviews, goals management, and survey tools. It also helps administer your benefits plans, but its medical, vision, and dental insurance options do not cover Hawaii. For health insurance that covers all US states, consider Paycor, ADP Run, or Paychex. Rippling is also a good option, but its benefits modules are paid add-ons.

In all TriNet Zenefits’ plans, time and scheduling are included—which means no add-on fees. This is a great feature for companies with hourly employees because they won’t have to shop around for time clocks and other systems that integrate.

TriNet Zenefits can handle both employee and contractor payments, including tip reporting and wage garnishments. In addition to payroll tax calculations (federal, state, and local taxes), the provider will remit tax payments and file the applicable tax forms for you. However, unlike Gusto, ADP Run, Paychex, and Paycor, which include payroll in all of their plans, TriNet Zenefits charges extra for this.

Overall, TriNet Zenefits earned an average score of 4.1 out of 5 on G2 and Capterra. Many reviewers said that it is generally affordable and easy to use, although some users wish for more setup support and help dealing with tax issues.

Read Our Full TriNet Zenefits Review

Essential: $40 per weekly pay run + $3 per employee monthly*

Enhanced: Custom-priced

Complete: Custom-priced

HR Pro: Custom-priced

*Pricing is based on a quote we received

ADP has a range of plan options that serve businesses with up to 1,000+ employees—but its ADP Run product, in particular, is a good entry point for small businesses. It also offers a PEO option that’s great for scaling companies needing support in the initial growth stage but not yet ready for an in-house HR team. ADP differs from Paychex in that its features are much more robust and services versatile, making it easy for you to add solutions as your business grows. Small business competitors like Gusto don’t have robust products to support companies from hire to retire—and definitely not from startup to enterprise.

ADP Run shows up in many of our buyer’s guides, and when it doesn’t, it’s often because of its price and size—it’s a larger company that can sometimes be difficult to navigate. And while you need to call its representatives for pricing, its plans (which have payroll as the base solution) are customizable, so you can include all of the features your business needs.

You can run payroll and view important alerts directly on ADP Run’s main dashboard. (Source: ADP)

ADP Run is most comparable to Paychex Flex and offers a set of plans for small businesses and enterprises—although ADP doesn’t have a special tier for solopreneurs. You can also upgrade to its PEO service when you feel like you need the work and expertise of an HR manager but aren’t yet ready to hire one full time. However, it isn’t as flexible as Rippling, which lets you easily turn off PEO and switch to using its software again.

ADP doesn’t just post to a couple of job sites, but to 25,000. It also provides training tools, including prerecorded training courses to help you scale faster. Ultimately, it gives you the solutions to onboard new employees efficiently without taking away unnecessary time from your schedule.

Like Paychex, ADP issues insurance directly from its organization. You can choose from health plans to retirement options, and more. It even has retail and restaurant discounts that you can offer as a perk to employees. On top of that, it’s licensed in all 50 states, so you don’t have to worry whether or not your business is covered. In contrast, TriNet Zenefits’ health plans don’t cover Hawaii; Gusto’s health insurance is limited to 39 states; and Homebase, Zoho People, BambooHR, and Freshteam don’t offer benefits plans.

Aside from direct deposits, ADP has a pay card program to give your unbanked employees more payment receipt options. Subscribing to one of ADP Run’s premium plans also grants you access to secure paychecks with check signing and stuffing services. It even delivers the checks to your office so you can distribute them to your employees on pay day. None of the other providers in this guide offer robust paycheck services.

Many of the online ADP Run reviews are positive. Users appreciate its user-friendly tools, reporting capabilities, and ease of processing payroll. However, others said that while it has robust HR features, it can be pricey for small businesses. Overall, ADP Run scored an average rating of 4.5 on G2 and Capterra.

Read Our Full ADP Run Review

Small business plans (up to 49 employees)

Basic: $99 per month + $5 per employee monthly

Essential: $149 per month + $7 per employee monthly

Core: $199 per month + $8 per employee monthly

Complete: $199 per month + $14 per employee monthly

Mid-market plans (50+ employees): Custom-priced

Paycor’s core service is payroll, but it also provides solid HR support. Like other HR software in this guide (except Freshteam and Homebase), it offers a feature-rich platform for managing a wide range of HR processes, from hiring and time tracking to compensation planning and talent development. It even has pay grids and pay slips that you can customize to fit your business’ complex pay processing needs. However, it’s one of the most expensive HR software for small businesses that we reviewed—with a starter Basic plan costing $99 plus $5 per employee monthly.

Aside from payroll, Paycor offers a full-featured platform for managing employees, company communications, PTO, HR tasks, and more. (Source: Paycor)

Its payroll tools include tax payment and filing services, year-end tax reporting, and proactive alerts in case there are payroll errors. Employees can use its self-service portal to view their payslips, tax forms, and benefits information online.

However, for $99 plus $5 per employee monthly, its starter plan with payroll and HR tools isn’t as reasonably priced as Paychex ($39 plus $5 per employee) or even Rippling ($35 plus $8 per employee, based on quote we received), which offer payroll as an add-on. You can also find other affordable options if payroll is all you need, like Gusto ($40 plus $6 per employee monthly).

For companies focused on employee management, Paycor’s training, talent development, and performance management modules are useful. It even provides a compensation solution to help you plan and execute salary increases, bonuses, and rewards. Aside from TriNet Zenefits, none of the providers in this list offer a solution that streamlines compensation planning.

However, Paycor lacks compensation benchmarking capabilities. If you need salary comparison tools, consider ADP’s DataCloud, which provides current market insights to aid you in creating competitive salary packages.

Companies that need support as they grow will find Paycor’s recruiting and applicant tracking tools helpful as it streamlines essential hiring processes like resume parsing and sending offer letters. You can even create a career page to help boost your employer brand. However, its job postings don’t reach 25,000 job sites like ADP does.

You can get access to dedicated HR professionals who will help you answer questions about payroll and HR compliance. Their job is to stay abreast of changing regulations, so they’re always able to inform you when you need to make changes (like minimum wage and payroll tax regulation updates).

Users who rated Paycor on G2 and Capterra gave it an average score of 4.25 out of 5. They say the software is easy to use with efficient time tracking and payroll functionalities. Others commented that while customer service is generally good, the wait times are sometimes long.

Read Our Full Paycor Review

Essentials: Custom-priced

Advantage*: $8.25 per employee monthly for a business with 15 workers

Add-ons

*Pricing is based on a quote we received

BambooHR is another strong competitor in our best HR software guide. It offers a suite of solutions for managing day-to-day HR operations such as tracking applicants, onboarding new employees, and monitoring PTO and hours worked.

Unlike Homebase, Freshteam, Zoho People, and Rippling, it has performance management features with manager and employee assessment solutions to identify your staff’s strengths and highlight skills for development. This allows you to recognize achievements and reward high-performing workers—which is pivotal to minimizing turnover and building employee loyalty. Plus, its staff satisfaction surveys pinpoint areas for improvement and help you know what makes employees feel engaged and valued.

A snapshot of BambooHR’s employee satisfaction survey tool (Source: BambooHR)

The system allows you to run satisfaction surveys that come with Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for measuring employee loyalty and engagement levels. It helps you gauge how your workers feel about the company so you can identify where to improve. Like survey tools from ADP, Gusto, TriNet Zenefits, and Paycor, this functionality is available only in BambooHR’s premium plans. However, it is still better compared to the other software on this list that don’t have engagement survey capabilities.

Access and store employee information in one centralized database. All staff data changes you make to the HR database will automatically flow to its other solutions, including third-party integrations—this helps streamline processes and reduce errors due to duplicate data entries. It also comes with permission settings that allow you to control what employees can edit and view in BambooHR’s self-service portal.

One feature that Gusto, Homebase, and TriNet Zenefits don’t offer is training tracking. With BambooHR, you can set up the different training required for each employee (plus optional ones) with deadlines you can use to confirm they are completed on time. This helps support your employees’ developmental plans and ensures your staff attend required programs, like sexual harassment prevention training.

BambooHR integrates with many apps (more than 50), which are all available on the Bamboo Marketplace. And if your business is already using software it doesn’t want to let go of, BambooHR’s open API can help share information across the different systems. However, if you’re looking for robust integration options, we recommend Rippling, as it connects with 500+ third-party software.

BambooHR can help you pay employees, although it handles payroll through a partner, TRAXPayroll. You also have to pay extra for it, unlike Paycor, Gusto, ADP Run, and Paychex, which have payroll as their base solution.

Overall, it earned average user scores of 4.5 out of 5 on third-party sites like Capterra and G2. Users like the intuitive platform, easy setup, implementation support, and the many HR tools that BambooHR offers. However, they’re not a fan of its mobile app because of its limited features.

Read Our Full BambooHR Review

Free plan: For up to five users only

Essential HR: $1.50 per employee monthly

Professional: $2.50 per employee monthly

Premium: $3.50 per employee monthly

Enterprise: $5 per employee monthly

People Plus: $10 per employee monthly

Add-ons

Zoho People is a good option for budget-conscious small businesses because it offers a free plan, which none of the other providers in this guide have (except Homebase and Freshteam). Its employee database and PTO tracking tools are free to use for businesses with fewer than five employees. With the other providers on our list, you can’t just sign up for an employee database or PTO tracking. Their plans all come with many different features, which means you’ll pay extra if you really only need these two tools.

For those with more than five employees, Zoho People costs anywhere from $1.50 to $10 per employee monthly. Its paid plans cover everything from recruiting, onboarding, and online document management to time tracking, staff scheduling, and performance management. However, it doesn’t have TriNet Zenefits’ and Paycor’s compensation planning tools or the PEO services that Rippling, Paychex, and ADP offer.

Zoho People’s main dashboard lets you configure approvals, add employees, and access attrition, diversity, and hiring reports. (Source: Zoho People)

Zoho People has simple onboarding features that include a self-service portal, so new hires can enter their personal information on their own time. While you can schedule when their company-provided computer should be set up, it lacks Rippling’s robust IT tools that cover the complete device and app provisioning processes.

While Zoho People’s free plan lets you monitor PTO, its time and attendance options grow more robust if you sign up for its premium tiers. It also lets you assign shifts and customize shift rotations if that fits your business model. And since it captures and verifies employee clock-ins/outs through facial recognition, it helps eliminate buddy punching and prevents time theft.

However, if you’re looking for free-to-use time tracking and employee scheduling tools, consider Homebase because its free plan (for businesses with one location) includes both functionalities plus job postings and applicant tracking.

Help employees develop their skills and recognize their contributions by giving feedback through Zoho People’s performance management module. Aside from employee evaluation forms, it offers 360-degree feedback and customized performance appraisal methods. Analyzing your employee’s work performance and potential is also made possible through an online 9-box matrix for identifying your top performers, rising stars, and those who need training. None of the other providers offer a similar matrix for assessing employees.

Unlike the other providers on this list that offer access to either HR advisers (like Gusto and Paycor), dedicated specialists (such as ADP and Paychex), or an HR help desk (like Rippling), Zoho People provides an HR case management tool that organizes and tracks the status of all of the questions your employees ask. This is a great feature for an HR specialist or manager.

Users gave Zoho People an average rating of 4.35 out of 5 on G2 and Capterra. They raved about its wide range of products and the customizations it offers. However, some said there is a steeper-than-usual learning curve mainly because of its many features.

Read Our Full Zoho People Review

Basic: Free for businesses with only one location

Essentials: $24.95 per location monthly

Plus: $59.95 per location monthly

All-in-One: $99.95 per location monthly

Add-ons

Homebase is ideal for small businesses that need time tracking and staff scheduling because it offers these tools for free, provided you only have one business location. What’s also great about its free option is that it comes with job postings and applicant tracking—features that Rippling and Zoho People offer as paid add-ons.

However, its job posting reach doesn’t cover 25,000 job sites like ADP, nor does it have the performance review tools that Paycor, BambooHR, TriNet Zenefits, and Zoho People offer. You also have to pay extra for its payroll module.

With Homebase, you can create color-coded staff schedules and add notes to employee shifts. (Source: Homebase)

With Homebase’s free plan, you can track time and create work schedules for unlimited employees. This means that you don’t have to worry about software costs as you hire more employees—provided they are all assigned in the same business location.

Aside from tracking employee attendance and creating staff schedules, Homebase’s free plan comes with hiring, job posting, onboarding, and team messaging solutions. Note that ADP Run, BambooHR, and Paycor charge extra for time tracking, and Gusto and Zoho People offer this in premium plans. Paychex, Freshteam, and Gusto also don’t have scheduling tools, while Rippling requires you to purchase two modules if you want to monitor employee attendance and track applicants as they move through the hiring pipeline.

Available as a paid add-on ($39 plus $6 per employee monthly), Homebase can handle pay processing for both employees and contractors. It supports multiple wage rates and blended overtime, and provides automated tax payments and filings. Unlike ADP Run, which charges fees per pay run, this provider lets you process payroll as many times as you want in a month. However, Homebase lacks the multiple payment options of ADP, Paychex, and Gusto, only allowing you to pay employees via paychecks and two-day direct deposits.

New hires get their onboarding packets online, which include documents they need to fill out and direct deposit forms they can electronically sign. You can also store and manage basic employee information, as well as track PTO policies and requests.

In addition, Homebase can help you stay compliant with regulations that impact overtime, employee breaks, schedules, and payroll. However, you have to pay if you want HR advisory services—a feature that ADP Run, Gusto, and Paycor offer in premium plans.

Homebase scored an average of 4.40 out of 5 on G2 and Capterra; reviewers appreciate its ease of use, affordability, and efficient time and scheduling tools. Some, however, wished for more customization options and fewer app glitches.

Read Our Full Homebase Review

Free: Free for 50 and fewer employees

Growth: $71 + $1.20 per employee monthly

Pro: $119 + $2.40 per employee monthly

Enterprise: $203 + $4.80 per employee monthly

Freshteam and its suite of recruiting solutions take the stress out of hiring, screening, and onboarding qualified candidates. What makes it great for small businesses looking for a low-cost recruitment system is its free forever plan that covers up to 50 employees and includes three published job postings, a basic career site, and Kanban boards for tracking applicants. Upgrading to its paid packages will grant you access to customization options, advanced recruiting and applicant tracking tools, and additional job posting credits.

While Freshteam provides you with all the tools you need to streamline recruitment and employee onboarding practices, it lacks the advanced HR solutions that ADP, Paychex, Rippling, and Paycor offer. It also has limited integration options, making it difficult for you to connect its platform with HR-related systems that small businesses typically use, such as payroll and time tracking.

Freshteam has sample job descriptions (JD) you can modify and use for your job postings—although you can also create your own JD. (Source: Freshteam)

Small businesses with simple hiring needs can benefit from Freshteam’s free plan. It lets you post three job listings at a time, track applicants using Kanban boards, create a basic career site, and collaborate with hiring stakeholders and team members. It even includes basic HR solutions for managing employee information, PTO, and a staff directory.

While its free plan includes essential features to help you find and hire qualified candidates, it lacks the additional time tracking and scheduling tools that Homebase offers in its free tier. Plus, Homebase can post your jobs to popular job boards (like Indeed and ZipRecruiter) at no cost. With Freshteam, you have to upgrade to its paid plans to unlock job board integrations.

Freshteam’s offer management capabilities are more robust than the other HR systems for small businesses we reviewed. It lets you create, edit, and upload offer letters into its platform, and successful applicants can electronically sign offer letters using SignEasy. It even has candidate tracking tools to help you understand why offers get rejected.

Keeping track of external recruiters who help you find qualified candidates for your open job posts can be confusing, especially if you work with several vendors. With Freshteam, you can provide vendors access to an online portal where they can upload candidate resumes and track application statuses without having to depend on you. None of the HR systems in this guide have this functionality.

Freshteam earned an average score of 4.45 out of 5 on G2 and Capterra. Many reviewers like its user-friendly interface and efficient hiring tools. They also appreciate its Kanban boards that make tracking candidates easy for them. However, some users wished for additional integration options and more reasonably-priced paid plans.

Read Our Full Freshteam Review

When choosing the best HR software for your business, you need to consider price vs convenience. Many of the software and services on our list have plans that tackle the most basic functions, like onboarding and PTO management, or provide complete HR services that include payroll, hiring, and training. Some offer access to advisers, while a few provide dedicated specialists to help you handle payroll.

If you want HR software that can take the place of a full-time HR professional, you may opt to get the services of a PEO. This takes away the burden of mundane administrative tasks from your HR manager so they can concentrate on your people. You can also read our buyer’s guides where we compare many of these software’s features and pricing to help you find the right option for your business.