RANKING & REVIEWS
BEST HR MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE


What are the Top HR Software Options (Free & Paid) for Human Resources Management?

Managing human resources in a business involves several different areas of responsibility. Employee payroll needs to be processed, teams working shifts need to have time tracked and schedules managed, and staff must have a training plan if you want them to develop.

Then there are benefits, safety policies, and conflict resolution to worry about.

If you’re looking for the best HR software to handle HR tasks, the good news is that there is no lack of options for an employee database software for HCM tasks. But you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of HR software programs available.

AGS has taken a detailed look at multiple paid and free HR software solutions out there to bring you a list of what we believe are 10 of the best HR tools for any type of organization and business size.

These HR database software platforms offer solutions for small, mid-sized, and large companies. You’ll find that many of these human resource software programs and HR tools are scalable and designed to grow along with your firm.

The best part about these 10 best HR systems is that they reduce the amount of time it takes to manage all the moving parts of your human resources operations.

hr systems

Top 10 Software HR Systems

It takes a business owner or HR department a lot of time to manually manage HR-related tasks using spreadsheets or limited tools.

That’s why many companies turn to the top human resources software and HR systems that best match their growing HR needs. Cloud-based HR solutions make it easy for HR teams to juggle all those different areas of human capital management and give them tools to do it as easily as possible.

The best HR system software includes automation that reduces manual tasks and keeps HR teams and employees connected in real-time. Using online HR software can save companies a significant amount of time and money. It can also help small businesses with a structure for their HR management.

Best HR Software, Systems & Tools Award Emblem

Award Emblem: Top 10 Best HR Software, Systems & Tools

See Also: Best Ways for Leading a Team Through Change in the Workplace

All-in-One Organizational Change Management Templates Software


Top 10 Best HR Systems | Brief Comparison & Ranking

Top HR Tools  Ratings
EddyHR 5
Factorial 5
Gusto 5
Namely 5
OrangeHRM 5
WebHR 5
Zenefits 5
Zoho People 5
Bitrix24 4
Freshteam 4

Table: Top 10 Best HR Solutions | Above list is sorted by rating


What are the Different HR Systems?

There are several different ways that HR solutions are described, so you’ll want to familiarize yourself with a few different acronyms. Some of these HR tools will have identical features, regardless of the type, while others may have more or fewer features.

It’s important that instead of just going by the different human resource management system acronyms, you check each software benefits out individually to ensure it has the features you need.

HR management software is usually referred to by one of these three acronyms:

  • HRMS: Human Resource Management System
  • HRIS: Human Resource Information System
  • HCMS: Human Capital Management System

Standard Features in HR Management Software

When comparing different types of human resources software, you’ll first want to know what features you need. For example, do you need time tracking for hourly employees? Do you need to have benefits management included in your HR solutions?

Whether you choose a paid or free HR software, your needs are important to understand upfront so you can properly compare HR tools and the different pricing levels they may have.

Here are some of the standard features that you’ll find in the best HR software solutions:

  • Employee database
  • Time and labor management
  • Payroll capabilities
  • Benefits management
  • Employee communication interface
  • Talent acquisition
  • Onboarding
  • Time off management
  • HR compliance management
  • Training management
  • Performance tracking

What is the Best HR System?

The answer to, “What is the best HR system?” is going to differ from company to company.

For a small business owner, the best HR system software might be one that offers the most features in their free version. For a large enterprise corporation, the top online HR software may be the one with the most in-depth compliance and safety reporting capabilities.

To help identify which software HR system would be the best one for your company to use, you’ll want to consider the following:

  • Features: What types of features are “must-have,” and which would be “nice to have?” Write out a list in advance of the features that you’d need in a top HR software.
  • Price: The amount you can afford per month for HR employee database software will factor into the features you can have, and which tool gives you the best value.
  • Mobile App: According to Microsoft, mobile devices now handle approximately 80% of the office workload. This means how well the mobile app for HR software programs is designed is another important consideration.
  • Reliability: It’s important for any cloud-based HR database software to be available consistently and have minimum downtime. You can check reliability by searching on the name of HR software applications, plus the word “downtime,” to get a feel for reliability.

Don’t Miss: Best HR Consulting Firms for Large & Small Businesses | HR Outsourcing

Free Change Management Training - Intrapage


AGS Ranking and Selection Methodology

What methodology does the AGS team use in reviewing, researching, selecting, and finalizing the firms and products that are ranked on the various AGS ranking lists?

Click here: “AGS Selection and Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AGS’ selection methodologies.


Best HR Systems & HR Tools

Below, please find a review of each product on our list of top human resource management systems. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these top-rated paid and free HR software solutions to score so high in our selection ranking.

Click on any of the names below to go directly to the review section for that best HR system. (The list is sorted alphabetically.)


EddyHR Review


Launched in 2017, EddyHR was designed to be a complete HR solution that could grow along with a business. This HR database software includes all standard features of HCM management from onboarding to payroll to training.

The firm is based in Provo, Utah, and even though it’s fairly young, it has already garnered awards such as being recognized by Shortlister as one of the Top Vendors in the HRIS and Payroll categories.

Key Factors That Enabled EddyHR to Rank as One of the Best HR Database Software Tools

End-to-End, Easy HR Tools

This is one of the top-rated HR software applications that has tools for all HR functions that you could want, including payroll. The site notes that a performance management feature is coming to the platform soon.

This human resource management system includes the following capabilities:

  • Hiring: Includes one-click posting to job sites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and Neuvoo
  • Onboarding: Paperless onboarding process that’s quick and easy
  • People Management: Focused on treating employees as “people” rather than “data”
  • Paid Time Off (PTO): Eliminates the complexity of administering PTO plans
  • Payroll: A full-service payroll software that connects to EddyHR’s veteran payroll team
  • Time Tracking: Eliminate time tracking errors by making everything automated
  • Training Tracking: You can track everything from medical licenses to safety certificates

One thing you’ll notice right away when looking over EddyHR human resource software programs is that each module has a simple, easy-to-use interface that is designed to allow HR administration to be done in as few clicks as possible.

hr solutions

EddyHR | Top HR Software Solutions

Affordable Pricing

Small businesses will find EddyHR to be within their reach with pricing for this human resource management system starting at just $99 per month. It is important to know that certain features are considered add-ons for an additional price.

The features that come standard with this HR management software are:

  • Applicant Tracking System
  • Onboarding
  • Document Storage & Electronic Signatures
  • Training Tracking
  • PTO Tracking
  • Employee Directory & Profiles

Add-on features include:

  • Time Tracking
  • Payroll

Pricing is flexible for this top-rated human resources software. The firm uses affordable flat-rate pricing for small businesses and a per employee, per month structure for larger companies.

You can contact the company for a product demo and a free price quote.

Rating Summary

If you’re looking for HR systems that do not have a steep learning curve and are designed for ease of use, then EddyHR is an excellent option. This HR system software covers just about every facet of your human capital management needs and is scalable to any size business.

While this software is fairly new when compared to other top online HR software, it has made its mark and is fast becoming a popular platform for handling everything from payroll to employee recruitment.

With flexible options for small and large businesses alike and a focus on simplicity and communication, EddyHR scores a 5-star rating as one of the best software HR tools to consider using for your HRIS needs.

Related: Best HR Companies | Human Resources Outsourcing Firms

OCM Toolkit Software for Change Managers


Factorial Review


Factorial was founded in Barcelona in 2016 with a goal to reduce the cumbersome and repetitive tasks that made up a large part of the HR manager’s workday. This HR employee database software is targeted to small and medium-sized businesses.

Over 60,000 companies around the world have already used this top-rated human resource management system. A platform is an end-to-end tool offering multiple HCM functions.

Key Factors That Enabled Factorial to Rank as One of the Best HR Systems.

Shift Management

For employers that have their teams working a variety of shifts, Factorial will be one of the top HR software programs to consider. Its shift management module makes creating and managing shift schedules easy and allows managers to gain valuable visibility into staff scheduling.

Factorial HR solutions are based upon the desire to free up more time and remove as many manual barriers as possible. Some of the features built-into the shift management module of this top HR management software include:

  • Warnings about shift timing conflicts
  • Multiple filters (filter by employees, teams, location, office)
  • Get notifications of newly modified staff shifts

Managers have the ability to view, update, and push out employee shift schedules via desktop or mobile, making it easy to update schedules on the go.

Free 14-day Trial & Flexible Pricing

If you want to try this top HR database software, you can sign up for a free 14-day trial. The trial allows you to try out all the features without any limitations.

This is one of the HR software applications that uses two different price points:

  • Factorial HR: $40/month for up to 10 employees and +$4/month for each additional employee (paid annually)
  • Factorial Enterprise: Custom pricing based upon company needs

Standard features that come with the Factorial HR software:

  • Time-off manager
  • Time tracking
  • Documental manager
  • Payroll variations
  • Applicant tracking system
  • Employee onboarding & offboarding
  • Employee performance
  • Digital signature
  • Shift management
  • Expenses management

Additional features you get with the Enterprise plan include:

  • Custom fields
  • Custom reports & analytics
  • Document folders
  • Roles & permissions
  • Automation
  • Dedicated HR agent

Rating Summary

Factorial’s mission is to give more time back to HR managers, so they’re not tied up doing manual processes. This full-featured human resource management system makes it easy to manage multiple HR tasks in a single place.

While this is not one of the human resource software programs that offer payroll and benefits management, it does offer a payroll variations management feature. This allows you to automate the recording of activities that impact payroll for download and sharing with payroll managers.

With straight-forward pricing and multiple time-saving features, Factorial is one of the best HR software solutions to consider. We’ve scored it with a 5-star rating.


Gusto Review


Gusto is a top HR management software that was launched in 2012, originally as ZenPayroll. Over 100,000 businesses use this full-featured platform that includes payroll, employee benefits, and much more.

This human resources software was designed with small businesses in mind. It also has unique employee pay and financial options that you won’t find in other best HR software, such as the Gusto Wallet app and a Gusto debit card.

Key Factors That Enabled Gusto to Rank as One of the Best HR Systems

Unique Pay & Benefits Options

Gusto HR system software has many of the common features that you’d expect in any good online HR software, such as payroll, employee time tracking, and hiring and onboarding tools.

But it also has pay and benefits options that are unique to the platform and that can make it much easier for employees to get paid and manage their finances.

Some of the pay and benefits features in this top software HR platform include:

  • Gusto Wallet: This mobile wallet app makes it easy for employees to track, save, and access their paycheck.
  • Gusto Debit Card: When a spending account is set up in Gusto Wallet, employees can get a connected debit card and earn 8x more interest than the national average using Gusto.
  • Automatic Savings: Gusto Wallet allows employees to set up as many as five savings goals and create automated transfers to a savings account.
  • Gusto Cashout: If employees need a little cash in between paydays, this is also a feature of using Gusto Wallet, and has no fees or interest.

human resource management system

Gusto | Top HR Systems

Flexible Small Business Pricing

This top-rated human resource management system has transparent pricing options designed to fit any type of small business, even those with just 1-2 employees. All options come with full-service payroll.

The lowest cost plan for Gusto HR solutions includes:

  • Full-service payroll in any single state
  • Employee self-service and profiles
  • Workers’ comp administration
  • 4-day direct deposit
  • Paid-time-off policies
  • Best-in-class support

Some of the options for the higher-priced HR management software plans include additions like employee onboarding tools, health insurance administration, access to Gusto Wallet, and much more.

If you’re looking into these top-rated HR tools, you’ll find the following pricing options:

  • Basic: $19/month base price + $6/month per person
  • Core: $39/month base price + $6/month per person
  • Complete: $39/month base price + $12/month per person
  • Concierge: $149/month base price + $12/month per person

This top-rated human resources software also has additional add-ons, which include:

  • Help paying 1099 contractors for $6 per person per month
  • Health reimbursement for $15 per employee per month
  • 401(k) retirement starting at $39/month plus $8 per participating employee
  • 529 college savings for $6 per participant per month

Rating Summary

If you’re looking for the best HR systems that are heavy on payroll and employee benefits functions, then Gusto will be a great option for you. It has some of the most extensive features in this area of any of the HR solutions on our list.

These HR tools also include features like employee onboarding checklists, document sharing, PTO tracking, and more. Where you may find Gusto lacking is if you’re looking for an employee development tool. If that’s the case, then you could pair this HR system software with an HR tool that doesn’t have payroll but does have training.

With a wide range of options for employee pay and financial management and flexible small business pricing, Gusto scores a 5-star rating and is one of the best HR software tools to consider.

Popular Article: HR’s Role in Change Management Success | What You Need to Know

Making a Case for Change Management


Namely Review


Launched in 2012, Namely is a human resource management system that was designed to be as intuitive as social media. It’s marketed to the mid-sized company to solve many of the complex HR management problems those firms face.

This is one of the top HR solutions that’s designed to be an all-in-one HRIS solution. It includes payroll, benefits, time and attendance, talent management, and much more.

Key Factors That Enabled Namely to Rank as One of the Best Human Resources Software Platforms

Full Range of Features

Namely checks all the boxes when it comes to the capabilities of top HR systems. You won’t have to worry about using this platform and then finding out you’re missing a vital part of your HR management.

The full range of features in this human resource management system include:

  • Employee engagement
  • Onboarding
  • Talent management
  • Benefits administration
  • Payroll
  • HR compliance database
  • Analytics
  • Live HR advisors
  • Learning management system
  • Living handbook
  • OSHA logs
  • Recruiting
  • Time & attendance
  • Managed benefits & payroll

The employee engagement features in this HR management software are designed to give employees an easy and friendly experience, mobile accessibility, and keep the HR team and staff connected in a meaningful and efficient way.

Compliance Package

Mid-sizes businesses that are worried about compliance with OSHA or other employer regulations will find that Namely has a robust compliance package.

It even includes unlimited access to live, certified HR advisors that can answer all your HR compliance questions. These advisors answer over 100,000 questions every year for businesses.

There are several HR solutions for compliance included in Namely, such as:

  • OSHA logs for recording workplace injuries/illnesses
  • Living handbook to communicate company policies
  • A learning management system with over 300 detailed training, and that allows you to also upload your own

Rating Summary

Namely is one of the most robust best HR software you can find It includes full payroll and benefits management, a learning management system, recruitment tools, compliance, and more.

The pricing for these HR tools is not listed on the site. The company asks that you contact them for pricing and to schedule a demo of the HR software.

With an easy-to-use interface that’s designed to improve communication efficiency between HR teams and employees, Namely is one of the best HR systems to consider. We’ve scored it a 5-star rating.


OrangeHRM Review


OrangeHRM launched in 2005 and has over 4 million active users around the world. This HR system software is scalable and designed to be used by everyone from a small startup company to a global enterprise.

If you’re looking for the best HR system that offers free options, then OrangeHRM will be one to add to your list. It offers a free open source edition as well as paid versions that give you more features.

Key Factors That Enabled OrangeHRM to Rank as One of the Best HR Solutions

Scalable Features

Small and large companies alike will find an array of robust HR tools to use in OrangeHRM that are scalable for their needs.

An while this paid and free HR software doesn’t yet have a payroll function for every country, it has started integrating payroll features for areas such as the Philippines and it has integrated payroll related reporting that can be imported into many accounting systems.

Here are some of the core HR software solutions you’ll find in OrangeHRM:

  • Time & attendance management
  • Leave/time-off management
  • Performance tracking
  • Recruitment
  • Request desk
  • Graphical reporting
  • Online training
  • Personnel information management
  • Travel & expense tracker
  • Employee discipline management
  • Employment compliance
  • Insurance benefits
  • Document manager
  • Training module
  • Succession and development
  • Mobile app

This top human resource management system is designed to give you the tools to manage the entire employee lifecycle.

hr tools

OrangeHRM | Top HR Solutions

Free & Paid Options

You have three HR solutions with OrangeHRM and this includes an open-source, free HR software option that includes a robust HR environment that’s intuitive for users.

The open-source version of this best HR software includes the following features:

  • Cloud hosting or on-premises installation
  • Email notifications
  • Employee database
  • Employee reports
  • Corporate branding
  • Apply/assign leave
  • Time and attendance features
  • Corporate directory
  • Performance reviews
  • and more

You can choose from the following OrangeHRM options:

  • Open Source: Free
  • Professional: Contact company for pricing
  • Enterprise: Contact company for pricing

You can get a free 30-day trial of any of the plans and download a brochure for each module from the company’s website.

One feature that makes OrangeHRM an attractive human resources software option for many companies is that the company offers an on-premises version of the software that companies can host on their own server.

Rating Summary

OrangeHRM is one of the most flexible HR solutions. The company offers the platform in modules that users can add as they need to for various functionality. This makes it a great software for small businesses, mid-sized companies, and large corporations.

A free open-source version allows smaller companies to get great HR systems to use without adding to their costs. The cloud or on-premises options are also attractive to many firms for increased control.

With users around the world and a solid track record for over a decade and a half, OrangeHRM is one of the best HR systems to consider. We’ve awarded it a 5-star rating.


WebHR Review


WebHR was founded in 2011 and is a top-rated human resources software that is designed to be a “social all-in-one” platform with HR tools that cover everything from hiring to retiring.

This HR management software is used by over 25,000 companies in more than 200 countries. Organizations using WebHR for their human resources management include brands like Merry Maids, Infinity, and GMC.

Key Factors That Enabled WebHR to Rank as One of the Top HR Systems

Social HR Management Software

WebHR is built on the principle of being as easy to use as social media. It has an intuitive design that incorporates features such as employee self-service and “effortless” payroll.

These HR tools also have customizable data fields that make it easy to track employee data the way that you like.

You can choose core HR functions and mix and match different modules to fit your organization’s needs. You’ll find the following HR solutions in the WebHR platform:

  • Employee time tracking
  • Recruitment
  • Payroll
  • Performance
  • Benefits
  • eSignature
  • Onboarding
  • Scheduling
  • Goals measurement
  • Biometrics
  • Training
  • Background check
  • HR letters
  • Employee tracking
  • Dynamic forms
  • Surveys
  • Visitor tracking
  • Asset management

Free & Simple Paid Options

If you have fewer than 5 employees, you can take advantage of free HR software. WebHR offers its platform for no charge if you have 1-4 employees. When you have 5+ is when you’ll find tiered pricing options.

WebHR has one core HR plan and options for adding on modules. Pricing for this human resources software is between $1.00 to $2.00 per employee per month, depending upon your number of employees (paid annually).

This pricing includes all base modules:

  • Time & attendance
  • Employees database
  • Onboarding & offboarding
  • Leaves & PTO
  • Dynamic dashboards
  • Comprehensive reports
  • Social HR
  • Communications tools
  • Calendar
  • Files (documents storage)
  • Employee self-service

From there, you have the ability to add on the wide variety of additional HR tools that WebHR offers. Some of these are:

  • Payroll: +$1.00/employee/month
  • Recruitment/applicant tracking: + $0.50/employee/month
  • Performance: +$1.00/employee/month
  • and many others that range between +$0.25 and $1.00/employee/month

Rating Summary

If you’re looking for a wide range of HR-related activities that you can pick and choose from, along with uncomplicated pricing, then WebHR is the best HR system to add to your list of options.

Both the user interface and the experience reviewing this HR software is made to be simple and uncomplicated.

With flexible options and an employee-centered design, WebHR is one of the top-rated HR systems to consider for your HR needs and scores a 5-star rating.


Zenefits Review


Focused on serving the HR needs of small and mid-sized companies, Zenefits is a top HR management software that was launched in 2013. This all-in-one platform incorporates all the key areas of human capital management.

Zenefits is used by approximately 11,000 businesses and nonprofits. The interface is designed to be easy-to-use and it includes both payroll and benefits administration, plus add-ons like unlimited access to HR and payroll experts.

Key Factors That Enabled Zenefits to Rank as One of the Top HR Solutions

All-in-One, Effortless HR

The design behind Zenefits is made to give HR managers a seamless transition across all activities, so there is less time spent doing rework. Each of the HR systems in this human resources software is designed to flow into the other.

The platform also has built-in compliance to keep small and mid-sized companies on track with rules and regulations.

Some of the core features you’ll find in this human resource management system include:

  • Recruitment
  • Onboarding
  • Employee directory
  • Paid time off management
  • Performance management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits management
  • Time tracking
  • and more

There are also over 50 integrations with other technologies that further expand the advantage of using Zenefits for your HR management activities.  

free hr software

Zenefits | Top Human Resources Software

Affordable Pricing

Companies that are interested in trying the HR solutions offered in Zenefits can request a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.

Pricing for Zenefits is designed to be small business-friendly and scalable to grow as a business grows. There three main plans to choose from and there are also add-ons, such as payroll.

The lowest-priced tier of this HR management software includes the following features:

  • Core HR
  • Time & Scheduling
  • Integrations
  • Mobile App

As you go up to higher plan levels, items included are things like compensation management, performance management, and an employee hub.

Zenefits pricing is as follows:

  • Essentials: $8/month per employee
  • Growth: $14/month per employee
  • Zen: $21/month per employee

Add-ons can be added to any of the above plans:

  • Payroll: +$6/month per employee
  • Advisory Services: +$8/month per employee
  • Benefits Admin Using Own Broker: +$5/month per employee

Rating Summary

Zenefits has one of the most streamlined and integrated interfaces of any of the other HR tools. Simplicity is built-in by design to reduce unnecessary additional entries or excessive app switching, which can drag down productivity.

The straightforward pricing makes it easy for businesses to get started and have all the help they need through a live expert.

With a full range of services and a customizable interface, Zenefits is one of the best HR systems to consider for your human resources needs and earns a 5-star rating.

All-in-One Organizational Change Management Tool


Zoho People Review


Zoho People is part of the Zoho family of business productivity and operations software. This top-rated human resource management system is a 360-degree solution that incorporates multiple HR activities from hiring to ongoing training.

This HR management software is designed to be completely customizable to fit your business needs. This includes the ability to create custom forms and add custom actions to optimize workflows.

Key Factors That Enabled Zoho People to Rank as One of the Best HR Systems

360-Degree HR Solution

This is another of the HR solutions that is designed to give you everything you need to manage all aspects of human resources in one place.

Data management is streamlined and allows HR teams to store all employee data in one secure and central location. Everything from performance evaluations to employee analytics are delivered in a clean and comprehensive user interface.

For payroll functions, Zoho People integrates with platforms like QuickBooks or with Zoho Payroll (India) and all data synchronizes fluidly. There is even an employee portal you can use to allow self-service features.

Some of the core HR functions that you have available in this top human resources software include:

  • Onboarding
  • Attendance tracker
  • Leave tracker
  • Shift scheduling
  • Corporate learning management system
  • Case management
  • Performance management
  • Document management
  • E-signature
  • Intelligent automation
  • Advanced analytics

Free Trial & Low Pricing Options

Zoho People offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. It’s not immediately evident, however, there is a free HR software option. Also, their lowest pricing tier is also very affordable for small businesses at just $0.83/month per person.

There are five paid plans to choose from when subscribing to this best HR software. The lowest pricing tier has the following features:

  • Employee onboarding
  • Employee database management
  • HR files management
  • Employee self-service
  • Time off management
  • Multi-level approvals
  • Module-based reports
  • Workflow management
  • ZIA-AI Bot
  • Office readiness

When you go up to the higher plan levels, you’ll find features such as overtime calculation, skill set matrix, LMS with learner portal, and talent acquisition.

The free version of Zoho People can be used for up to 5 users and it includes the basic HR functions, employee database, and time-off management.

Zoho People pricing plans are as follows (billed annually):

  • Essential HR: $0.83/month per employee
  • Professional: $1.66/month per employee
  • Premium: $2.50/month per employee
  • Enterprise: $4.16/month per employee
  • People Plus: $8.00/month per employee

Rating Summary

Even at the higher pricing levels, Zoho People is one of the most affordable of the HR systems on our list. It also includes multiple helpful features like employee self-service and a learning management system.

The process automation and customization features allow businesses to fit these HR tools to their desired workflows and add processes that can reduce manual work and save time.

With a flexible interface and an entire family of integrated Zoho tools, Zoho People scores a 5-star rating as one of the best HR software options to consider.


Bitrix24 Review


Bitrix24 is a free HR software by Bitrix, Inc., a company founded in 1998 and based in Alexandria, VA. This HR management software was launched in 2012 and is part of a full suite of free social collaboration, communication, and management tools. 

This top human resources software was designed for small businesses that do not have dedicated IT staff. Over 7 million organizations have chosen the Bitrix24 platform for collaboration, customer relationship management, their human resource management system, and more.

Key Factors That Enabled Bitrix24 to Rank as One of the Best HR Software Solutions

Advanced Features

Bitrix24 offers multiple advanced features and companies can add them on as they find a need. Even the free HR software option offers unlimited users and core features like an employee directory, company knowledgebase, and activity streams.

When you move up to some of the paid options for this top-rated HR system software, you’ll find:

  • Absence management
  • Worktime tracking
  • Meetings and briefings
  • Business process designer
  • Records management
  • Mobile HR
  • Ability to self-host the platform
  • Employee self-service

hr management software

Bitrix24 | Top HR Software Solutions

Additionally, because Bitrix24 is designed to do so many other things beyond being an online HR software, you’ll be going to get several other features that you can use for other areas of your company.

These include things like:

  • Voice and HD video calls
  • CRM software
  • Website live chat
  • Project Management
  • Website landing pages

Free & Paid Tiers

When looking for free software HR solutions, it’s hard to find a free version as generous as Bitrix24.

You’ll get unlimited users in the free HR software option as well as 5 GB of online storage. There are also additional perks like appreciation badges and video announcements that can help with employee relations and human capital management.

The pricing tiers for Bitrix24 include added features pertinent to each tier, storage space, and users at each stage.

  • Free: Unlimited users, 5GB storage
  • Start+: $19 per month for 2 users, 10 GB storage
  • CRM+: $55 per month for 6 users, 50 GB storage
  • Project+: $55 per month for 24 users, 50 GB storage
  • Standard: $79 per month for 50 users, 100 GB storage
  • Professional: $159/month for unlimited users, 1,024 GB storage

We did not see a free trial offer on the pricing page. However, users can schedule a demo with the nearest Bitrix24 partner.

Rating Summary

For small businesses looking for a free or low-priced human resource software program, Bitrix24 has a lot to offer. In addition to multiple employee engagement and HR management tools, businesses also get CRM, project management, and more.

The one area that companies may find lacking in this top employee database software is that it does not have a payroll or benefits management function. So, if your company needs those options, then you’ll want to consider other top HR software programs.

We’ve scored Bitrix24 with 4-stars due to the lack of benefits any payroll related capabilities. However, for those that don’t need payroll management, this is one of the best HR software programs to consider that’s very budget-friendly.


Freshteam Review


Freshteam is one of the digital solutions offered by Freshworks, a firm that has had over 40,000 customers trust its products, including its top human resources software for employee management.

This top-rated HR system software is used by over 3,000 companies, including well-known names, such as Monster, SAP, and Nissan. Freshworks includes a full suite of business productivity tools including Freshdesk, Freshsales, Freshchat, and many more.

Key Factors That Enabled Freshteam to Rank as One of the Best HR Systems

Easy Employee Management

Freshteam offers a number of features to manage multiple employee activities. These include applicant tracking, onboarding, and employee database, and time-off management.

The HR solutions in this tool put all employee information in one place, and HR administrators can simply tab to the area they need. The interface is clean and very intuitive, making it easy for those that are less tech-savvy to easily learn how to use.

The employee onboarding process in this online HR software is just as simple and includes multiple features that make it easy to send welcome kits to employees and manage all required tasks.

Onboarding features of this software HR platform include:

  • Assign multiple checklists
  • Keep stakeholders informed
  • Send reminders
  • Share documents
  • Use placeholders and templates for easy emails
  • Use e-signing to remove document bottlenecks
  • Get instant updates

Flexible Pricing from Free to Large Teams

Small businesses looking for free HR software will appreciate the fact that Freshteam has a free option that allows as many as 50 employees.

Using the free option for this top-rated employee database software, you can enjoy quite a few features, such as:

  • Up to 50 employees
  • Up to 3 job postings
  • Recruitment team inbox
  • Kanban boards for applicant tracking
  • Team collaboration
  • Employee directory
  • Organization chart
  • Candidate application via email
  • Mobile apps
  • Basic time off management

Pricing plans for this HR database software go all the way up to large teams and advanced features include things like vendor management, social recruiting, and onboarding checklists.

Freshteam pricing for annual billing:

  • Sprout: Free
  • Blossom: $50 per month per 50 users
  • Garden: $100 per month per 50 users
  • Estate: $200 per month per 50 users

The company offers a free 21-day trial for each of the plans.

Rating Summary

This is one of the free HR software options that is designed to give you the basic tools for employee management, with a focus on recruitment and onboarding.

Freshteam also has a robust employee database that is designed to provide self-service options for employees to attach documents, update their details, and take some of the workload off the HR team.

We’ve rated this top human resource management system with 4-stars. It is lacking any type of payroll function, so if you need this, it may not be a good match. However, for tracking recruitment, onboarding, employee time off, and more it’s one of the easiest-to-use HR tools you’ll find.

OCM Toolkit Software for Change Managers


Conclusion – Best 10 Top HR Software Applications

Managing employees, payroll, time-off requests, and more can be very time-consuming. But if you have a top-rated human resource management system, the process can be streamlined and much less onerous.

Top HR systems not only make the process easier for HR managers, but they’re also designed to make things like requesting time off and checking a schedule simple for employees.

Another benefit is HRIS tools are designed to improve the relationship between companies and employees to aid in retention and talent development.

If you’re looking for a great paid or free HR software to help your company better manage employee activities, any of these top 10 on our list would be a great option to consider.


Best Human Resources Companies FAQ

What are the different HR systems?

There are several different ways that HR solutions are described. Some of these HR tools will have identical features, regardless of the type, while others may have more or fewer features.

It’s important that instead of just going by the different human resource management system acronyms, you check each software benefits out individually to ensure it has the features you need.

HR management software is usually referred to by one of these three acronyms:
• HRMS: Human Resource Management System
• HRIS: Human Resource Information System
• HCMS: Human Capital Management System

What is the best HR system?

The answer to, “What is the best HR system?” is going to differ from company to company.

For a small business owner, the best HR system software might be one that offers the most features in their free version. For a large enterprise corporation, the top online HR software may be the one with the most in-depth compliance and safety reporting capabilities.

To help identify which software HR system would be the best one for your company to use, you’ll want to consider the following:
• Features
• Price
• Mobile App
• Reliability

What are the tasks of HR?

The standard tasks that fall under HR (human resources) are as follows:
• Employee recruitment
• Onboarding
• Performance management
• Time off management
• Payroll & benefits administration
• Training & development
• Offboarding
• Discipline
• Scheduling
• Compliance management

What does an HR system do?

An HR system gives HR managers a place to manage all types of human resource activities from onboarding new employees to running payroll. HR solutions are designed to integrate several components of HR management into an easy-to-use platform.

HR systems are usually cloud-based, and they can be accessed by desktop or mobile device. They also facilitate real-time communication between HR departments and employees.

Read More: Best HCM, HR, & HRIS Systems | All You Need to Know


Note: Content on OCM Solution's ocmsolution.com website is protected by copyright. Should you have any questions or comments regarding this OCM Solution page, please reach out to Ogbe Airiodion (Change Management Lead) or the OCM Solutions Team today. OCM Solution was previously known as Airiodion Global Services (AGS).

Image sources: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-pink-dress-using-laptop-computer-1586973/, https://eddyhr.com/people-management/, https://gusto.com/product/payroll, https://www.orangehrm.com/features/performance-and-training/#nav_2, https://www.zenefits.com/hr/, https://www.bitrix24.com/solutions/role/hr.php