What HR software is
HR software keeps employee records and handles hiring, onboarding, time off, benefits, performance and often payroll. The five tools here sit at different points. BambooHR is a system of record for small and mid-sized businesses, Gusto starts from payroll, Paylocity and Rippling combine HR with payroll and other modules, and Workday is an enterprise platform that also covers financial management. Payroll and benefits administration are sold as add-ons at some of them.
The 5 best HR software tools ranked
1. BambooHR: 7.1/10
BambooHR shows 4.6/5 from 3,343 reviews on Capterra and 4.4/5 from 5,042 on G2 (review platform), and publishes plan prices of $10, $17 and $25 per employee per month (vendor-sourced). The catch is that payroll, benefits administration, time and attendance and global employment cost extra at unpublished prices, and payroll and benefits administration are US only.
2. Workday: 6.8/10
Workday has the highest proof of results sub-score here at 8.0/10, with 1,705 reviews on G2 for Workday HCM and named customers including Cisco, The Ohio State University and HonorHealth. It runs HR and financial management on one data model. The catch is that pricing is quoted by sales, implementation is reported at 100 to 150% of the first-year subscription (third-party reported), and reviewers describe a clunky interface.
3. Gusto: 6.7/10
Gusto is built around payroll: every plan includes unlimited payroll runs, tax filings and payments, and contractor payments, with no contract (third-party reported). The Solo plan is $49 a month plus $6 per person. The catch is that Simple covers payroll in one state only, so a hire in a second state forces a move to Plus, and sources disagree on whether Gusto runs international employer of record services itself.
4. Paylocity: 6.5/10
Paylocity combines payroll, HR, onboarding, benefits and performance reviews on one platform, with 4.4/5 on G2 from 5,302 to 6,080 reviews depending on the snapshot and 4.3/5 on Capterra from about 1,830 (review platform). The catch is that no list prices are published, third-party estimates run $26 to $33 per employee per month for the full suite, and implementation adds roughly 10% to 20% of first-year spend (third-party reported).
5. Rippling: 6.3/10
Rippling manages HR, payroll, IT and app access from one employee record, and its core platform and US payroll each start at $8 per employee per month (vendor-sourced). The catch is that the Unity base is required for every module, modules are billed on top, and a reported median contract is $45,360 a year (third-party reported).
Full category ranking
How we ranked these tools
Each tool is scored out of 10 on six criteria: proof of results at 30%, output quality at 25%, ease of use at 15%, pricing and value at 15%, customer support at 10% and security and compliance at 5%. The overall score is the weighted average, rounded to one decimal. Scores come from desk research and aggregated public data, and every number on a review carries its source type.
How to choose HR software
- You are a small US employer that wants payroll, tax filings and basic HR together: Gusto, with Plus as the realistic start for a team in more than one state.
- You want an HR system of record with published prices: BambooHR, which lists three plans and flat monthly rates for teams of 25 or fewer.
- You are a large enterprise that wants HR and finance on one data model: Workday, if you can fund the implementation.
- You want HR, payroll and IT managed from one employee record: Rippling, if you can budget for modules on top of the base.
- You are a small to mid-sized employer that wants payroll and HR together and can negotiate a contract: Paylocity.
What the scores show
Pricing and value is the weakest criterion in this category. Workday scores 4.5/10, Paylocity and Rippling 5.5, and BambooHR and Gusto 6.5. The pattern is the distance between an entry rate and a real contract. Rippling's core platform starts at $8 per employee per month, while a reported median contract is $45,360 a year. Workday contracts range from $19,500 to $530,000 a year across 345 tracked purchases (third-party reported). Paylocity's illustrative software cost is about $62,400 to $79,200 a year for 200 employees. Compare quotes on a like-for-like list of modules, with implementation and renewal terms included.
HR software for specific teams
Two segment pages re-rank the same reviews against a narrower buyer need. Best HR software for small business drops Workday and re-orders the other four by overall score. Best HR software for remote teams keeps the three tools whose reviews document multi-state payroll or global hiring.
Frequently asked questions
What does HR software include?
HR software keeps employee records and usually covers hiring, onboarding, time off, benefits and performance reviews. Payroll is included at Gusto and Paylocity and sold as an add-on at BambooHR and Rippling. Workday adds financial management.
Which HR software publishes its prices?
BambooHR publishes all three plan prices, and Rippling publishes $8 per employee per month for its core platform and US payroll (vendor-sourced). Gusto lists a Solo price of $49 a month plus $6 per person. Workday and Paylocity quote prices through sales.
Does HR software cover payroll in every country?
No. BambooHR payroll and benefits administration are US only, according to the vendor. Gusto's international coverage depends on a partner, and Rippling's global payroll and employer of record coverage uses local partners in some countries (third-party reported).