The Best HR Software for Startups in 2024

Starting a business is no easy feat, and adding employees to the mix can complicate things even more. As an entrepreneur, you may be tempted to manage all of your fledgling company’s human resources (HR) responsibilities on your own. But at some point, you’ll likely need to use some type of HR solution to facilitate human resources functions like employee recruitment, onboarding, time tracking, payroll and benefits administration. The best HR software can help you manage these processes from start to finish. To help you find the right HR platform for your startup, we evaluated the top products on the market, comparing their features, functionality, cost, usability and more.

Human resources (HR) software is a platform designed to help manage various workforce-related tasks, including hiring and onboarding employees, tracking employee hours, handling payroll, administering employee benefits, overseeing performance, ensuring compliance with regulations and streamlining other HR administrative activities. It can also help with managing HR challenges that are especially pertinent to startups, such as hiring the right talent, building a company culture, managing diversity and inclusion, maintaining compliance with labor laws, and ultimately scaling HR practices.

Since HR software automates HR functions, it can reduce HR management errors, increase employee satisfaction and save your startup time and money.

Using HR software has numerous benefits for startups, including helping new businesses streamline their human resources management processes and improve overall efficiency. Here are five key advantages of HR software for startups.

1. Efficient HR administration: HR software automates routine administrative tasks like payroll processing, attendance tracking and employee record management. This frees up valuable time for your HR team members to focus on strategic activities, such as talent acquisition and employee development, rather than being bogged down by paperwork. If you haven’t hired an HR team yet and you’re administering HR tasks yourself, the level of efficiency provided by HR platforms can be an even bigger help.
2. Improved accuracy: Manual HR processes can lead to errors in data entry, payroll calculations and compliance reporting. HR software helps reduce these errors by automating calculations and data entry, ensuring payroll and compliance-related tasks are accurate and compliant with relevant laws and regulations. Small human resources mistakes can lead to big problems for startups, so it’s critical to get it right every time. HR solutions can help you do that.
3. Enhanced employee experience: HR systems often include self-service tools that allow employees to easily update their personal information, request time off and access company policies and documents. This self-service functionality empowers workers, improves communication and can lead to higher employee satisfaction.
4. Data analytics and insights: HR software provides valuable insights through data analytics. Startups can use these insights to make data-driven decisions about workforce planning, performance management and employee engagement. By analyzing trends and patterns in their HR metrics, new businesses can identify areas for improvement and make strategic adjustments to their human resources strategies. This can be especially beneficial as your company grows.
5. Scalability: Speaking of growth, as startups grow, their human resources needs evolve. HR software is often scalable, allowing startups to add new features and functionalities as their workforce expands and their HR needs change. This scalability ensures your chosen HR program can grow with the company, saving startups from the hassle of transitioning to a new system as they mature.

In addition to the above upsides, HR software can also aid in compliance with labor laws and regulations, reduce the risk of noncompliance penalties and provide a centralized repository for essential HR documents and records. These systems can also streamline the recruitment process, making it easier to attract and onboard top talent, which is vital for startups looking to build a strong team quickly.

Overall, HR software can significantly benefit startups by increasing efficiency, reducing administrative burdens and enabling data-driven decision-making in HR management.

The overall cost of your HR software will depend on factors like the size of your startup, the number of workers you employ and the specific features you require. Below, we break down the financial considerations to keep in mind.

• Monthly rates: Most HR software companies follow a per-employee pricing model, with average monthly rates ranging from $5 to $20 per employee for basic features. Additional functionalities, like payroll processing, employee benefits administration and performance management tools, are often available as well, but they tend to have an additional fee. It’s also worth noting that, while less common, some HR software providers impose a one-time setup fee or a monthly base fee (typically around $40 to $100 per month).
• Contract requirements: The length of your contract depends on your HR software provider, but most vendors offer monthly or annual plans. If they have both options, employers usually get a better rate if they sign up for a longer agreement. However, as a startup, you may be unsure of your future HR needs, in which case a monthly contract might be a safer bet.
• Demos and free trials: While free trials can be helpful when choosing new software, not many HR software companies offer them. This is partially because uploading all your employee information into the system and getting it set up can take significant time. And a free trial with no employee data isn’t very useful. Instead, most vendors provide some kind of guided demo where they give you a firsthand look at their platform using fictional data. During this process, they should be able to answer any questions you may have about the program.

Given the variability in pricing structures, contract lengths and features, it’s crucial for startups to seek quotes and demos from multiple HR software providers. You should then compare the offers before making a final selection.

There are many variations when it comes to HR software, and it may be a little overwhelming at first to try to find the right solution for your startup. That’s why we spoke with entrepreneurs, HR professionals and business leaders to identify the most important factors to consider when choosing HR software for your startup.

1. Assess the software’s payroll and tax compliance features.

Conduct a review of your current human resources processes, if your startup has any. Then identify what types of features you’re going to want in your HR software to help complete them. For many startups, payroll and tax compliance are key.

Chris Dukich, founder and CEO of Display Now, opted for Gusto to facilitate his HR processes mainly because of its extensive capabilities in handling payroll matters.

“In as much as I was looking for HR software, payroll and tax management were of paramount importance to me, so I would make sure that our payroll accurately pays our team on schedule,” Dukich told us.

Rohan Chheda, founder at Pitch Club, echoed this sentiment by stating payroll taxes and compliance as his top priorities.

“You do not want to waste time on unnecessary compliance issues,” said Chheda. “[You] want it to be done for you so that you can focus on growing your business.”

2. Test the software functionality and usability.

When it comes to HR software, the top-rated programs tend to be intuitive and easy to navigate. However, some platforms come with a steeper learning curve than others. For example, highly customizable systems with workflow automations often take longer to set up, as does learning configuration when compared to systems with only basic functionalities. One type is not necessarily better than the other; it just depends on what you need the software to do and how much training your employees will need to use it.

For Mark Hirsch, personal injury lawyer at Templer & Hirsch, finding a compliant, user-friendly platform for his law office was paramount.

“We were looking for a platform to simplify administrative jobs without being too complicated,” Hirsch said. “The easy-to-use interface of Gusto made it simple for people who aren’t HR professionals to handle daily chores.”

While free trials are rare in this sector, most HR software providers offer free product demos to show you what their platform looks like and how it works. Take advantage of these, as they will give you a better idea of the user experience. If the product comes with a mobile app, you should also test its usability. Remember that mobile apps tend to have limited functionality compared to the actual computer program. Make note of which have high usability and the features you desire.

3. Ensure the software can scale with your startup.

When identifying the HR features your ideal solution has, consider which functions you currently need as well as which you may need in the future as your startup expands. Any HR software you choose should be able to adequately scale with your business.

“For business owners, here’s a tip: pick software that can be expanded,” said Hirsch. “Consider how your business will grow and choose an HR tool that can grow with you.”

Dukich also listed scalability as a key feature for business leaders to pay attention to.

“My tip is that one should track HR software as per the rate of growth of the company,” said Dukich. “Verticals grow at a very high rate; it is necessary to understand the system that allows adding new employees, extending the list of provided benefits and/or connections with other systems as the company will develop.”

If a system doesn’t match your current and expected needs, cross it off the list.

4. Compare customer support.

How vital is robust customer support to you? For some startups, the availability of customer support can make or break a product’s usability, but for others, it’s not a big deal. If you’re a newer employer implementing HR software for the first time, there’s a good chance you’ll need a responsive customer support team to help you implement and learn the program. In this case, look for a provider that offers businesses dedicated support representatives.

You’ll also want to compare customer service communication methods. Most HR software vendors provide some level of support by phone, email and/or live chat. Be sure to choose one that uses your preferred method of communication.

5. Evaluate rates and contracts.

As a startup, you’re probably working with a limited budget. HR software is an investment, but you still need to be realistic about what you can afford. Once you know what features you need, how many employees you plan to enroll and what type of contact terms you want, you can get quotes from your top HR selections.

“The pricing adds up as you add employees, so try and find a provider that doesn’t have hidden add-ons,” said Chheda.

After determining how much each vendor charges, compare to see which company can offer the best deal.

Using the information you collected in the above steps, you should be able to whittle down the product options and make a buying decision.

HR software vendors provide a wide range of features, some of which will be automatically included in your plan and some of which will be optional add-ons. When looking at the HR functions available to you, it’s essential to consider which ones you need now and which ones you may need once your startup expands. Here are a few key features to consider.

Employee Recruiting and Onboarding

As a startup seeking HR software, there’s a good chance you’re in the process of recruiting and hiring your first employees. Most HR platforms can help with this by providing features like digital job postings, applicant tracking, offer letter templates and employee onboarding with e-signature capabilities. As employees go through onboarding, your HR software should have secure document management capabilities to retain important employee information. Some HR solutions also have automation features that let you set up new-hire onboarding workflows. This, alongside employee self-service tools, helps ensure accuracy and efficiency.

Time and Attendance Tracking

Whether you’re hiring salaried or hourly employees, it’s likely you’ll want a way to accurately track their attendance. This is necessary to ensure you’re paying employees for the correct amount of time worked, adequately managing paid leave and abiding by overtime laws. The best HR software solutions are cloud-based so your employees can clock in from any device with an internet connection. This is especially valuable if you have a remote or hybrid workforce. If you have a mobile team, you may even be able to use geofencing to monitor their location when they’re clocked in. [Read related article: How to Calculate Blended Overtime Pay]

Payroll Processing and Tax Administration

Processing payroll and administering payroll taxes can be an arduous task, especially when done manually. As your startup grows and you hire more people, it gets even more complex. HR software can help simplify the payroll process by automating some of the steps for you. If you use the time-tracking features often included in HR programs, then those employee hours can automatically populate into your payroll data. When employee pay is approved, the program can use predetermined pay rates to run payroll and pay each worker. Paying your team is often simplified further through direct deposit. Other forms of payment like paper checks and pay cards can be an option as well.

While payroll taxes can be confusing for new employers, HR software can streamline this responsibility, too. After new employees submit their tax forms, the system can withhold the applicable taxes and provide W-2s when tax season comes around. This ensures you stay compliant with payroll tax regulations. HR platforms typically integrate with related applications as well, like top-rated accounting software, for more efficient task management and accurate recordkeeping.

Employee Benefits Administration

When you first start your business, you might offer only the employee benefits that are legally required of you. As you hire more workers, it’s a good idea to expand your benefits offerings to attract and retain top talent. HR software vendors can connect with benefits providers to help administer benefits to your workforce. What’s even better is that the best HR solutions typically have some level of guided benefits enrollment that lets your employees enroll in the benefits they want independently.

Analytics and Reporting

It may seem tedious to track employee analytics and execute HR reporting, but the workforce insights you gain by collecting HR metrics can lead to informed decision-making. Furthermore, instead of tracking this information manually, HR software can automate the process for you, making analytics and reporting all the more worth pursuing. Since most, if not all, your workforce data will be in the system, it’s usually pretty easy to generate reports. Some common reports include analytics on headcount, recruitment, productivity, satisfaction, employee absenteeism and turnover rate.

After you’ve chosen an HR provider and are ready to implement their software, you will connect with a vendor representative to get started. This person will help you learn the program and upload your company information to the system. Some vendors offer a white-glove implementation service throughout setup and beyond, whereas others help only with initial implementation and leave the rest to you.

Here are some basic tips to help with a successful implementation:

1. Create an implementation timeline. Create a clear implementation plan that includes timelines for software setup, data migration, staff training and go-live dates. Ensure realistic deadlines.
2. Prepare for data migration and system testing. Organize your existing data to ensure accuracy before migration. Conduct thorough testing of the new system to verify that all functionalities work as intended and that data integrity is maintained.
3. Configure and customize the software. Customize the software to meet the needs of your business. In addition to migrating data, software configuration can include setting up automation workflows, permission settings and security measures.
4. Train your employees on the platform. Provide comprehensive training to HR staff and other employees on how to use the software. Once your company information is configured, employees can typically enter their information on their own, relieving you of some of that administrative burden.
5. Monitor and optimize the software. After the software goes live, regularly monitor its performance, gather feedback from users and adjust workflows as needed for improved efficiency.

Implementation can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the product and how much you want to customize it.

If you are still looking for the right HR solution for your startup, check out these additional options. Each one has met our standard for excellence.

HR Software: BambooHR

BambooHR is a great option for startups with frequent hiring needs. It includes essential features like an applicant tracking system, training tracking, onboarding checklists and HR reporting. Two tiered HR software plans are available, as well as optional add-on services for time tracking, payroll and benefits administration. Learn more in our detailed BambooHR review.

PEO: Justworks

If a standalone HR software isn’t right for your startup, a PEO is another option. A PEO offers full-service HR support through a co-employment agreement, which is often ideal for smaller organizations. Justworks is an affordable PEO solution that can help with time tracking, payroll, benefits administration, compliance support and HR consulting.

If you are only looking for payroll but want the option to upgrade to a PEO in the future, Justworks also offers a standalone payroll plan. Learn more in our detailed Justworks review.

PEO or HRO: ADP

ADP is another comprehensive HR platform that offers PEO plans. However, users can also opt to partner with ADP as an HR outsourcing solution without the co-employment agreement of a PEO. With either business arrangement, ADP can help with standard HR functions like time tracking, payroll processing and compliance support. Plans are easily scalable. Learn more in our detailed ADP review.

To determine the best human resources software for startups, our team of HR experts and software analysts evaluated an initial list of 26 platforms. We examined each to compare pricing plans and available features, as well as the usability of associated software and the responsiveness and quality of customer support.

After whittling our list down to 8 providers, we chose five HR software platforms as our top recommendations. Our experts and analysts studied each solution’s functionality and evaluated the products on more than 100 factors.

These factors were weighted differently in our overall conclusion. The weights were determined based on how much entrepreneurs prioritize these criteria when shopping for business software and services and making purchasing decisions.

• Pricing (25%): Our experts and analysts compared and contrasted each vendor’s plans, judging which packages offered the best bang for your buck. They took into account monthly subscription fees, per-employee costs versus flat rates, industry-specific or location-based pricing, and add-on services like payroll processing and performance management.
• Features (25%): We looked for standard HR software functions like recruiting and onboarding, benefits administration, time and attendance, payroll and tax administration, performance management, legal compliance assistance and HR reporting. We also assessed the available integrations and awarded extra points for advanced services, like AI-powered tools and custom permission settings.
• Ease of Use (25%): We tested the software ourselves, gauging each solution’s learning curve, user-friendliness and customization options. We also considered whether there was a fully featured mobile app for employees and administrators to manage HR tasks on the go.
• Customer Service (15%): We evaluated the range of customer service options, including whether phone assistance was provided with all package tiers. We also examined each vendor’s online resources for startups interested in self-guided help.
• Scalability (10%): You may have a small team now, but it’s important that you find software that can grow with your business. We considered each software’s maximum capacity for users and locations. We also factored in the feasibility of someone upgrading or downgrading their plan.

Based on these criteria, we not only determined which HR software our readers could trust but also the ways in which each solution could best serve different business needs. Some platforms were better at certain tasks than others or more suited to a particular type of startup. These takeaways informed the “Best for” use cases you see on this page.

To learn more about our methodology, see our full editorial process.