20 Best HCM Software: Reviewed & Compared for 2024

Deel is an advanced HCM system that enables powerful, integrated HR functionalities for an international workforce.

Why I picked Deel: I included Deel in this list because of their advanced management capabilities that are compliant in over 150 countries. Its global-first design lets managers see full worker details for their entire workforce, which is great for getting a true overview of payroll costs and workforce capacity. Deel covers international payroll, PTO tracking, benefits administration, engagement tools like pulse surveys, and ongoing global compliance.

Overall, Deel offers great value for its price as a comprehensive and effective solution for all HR management needs. It offers clear, simple per-user pricing with no hidden fees or extensive contracts.

Deel Standout Features and Integrations:

In terms of features, Deel has a clean web interface, making it easy for users to navigate and find what they need. It also allows employees to access self-service features, including the ability to update and view their own information, such as pay stubs and contact details.

Deel also excels in analysis and reporting, offering customizable reporting features that can deliver actionable insights. Plus, 24/7 customer support is also available to ensure that users have assistance whenever they need it.

Integrations are available with Ashby, BambooHR, Expensify, Greenhouse, Hibob, Netsuite, Okta, OneLogin, Quickbooks, SCIM, Xero, Workday, and Workable. Or you can build your own integrations using the Deel API.

Paycor modernizes every aspect of people management, from recruiting and onboarding, to career development and retention. Their platform also packs in a wealth if advanced payroll management features too.

Why I picked Paycor: For more than 30 years, Paycor has been listening to and partnering with leaders to learn what they need: a comprehensive, unified HR platform, easy integration with third-party apps, powerful HR analytics, and custom technology and support for specific industry needs. That’s why more than 40,000 customers trust Paycor to help them solve problems and achieve their goals.

Paycor Standout Features and Integrations:

Paycor offers everything from payroll management, to expense management software, analytics tools, recruiting, time and attendance, pulse surveys, learning management, benefits administration, ACA, and more. They are a truly holistic HCM software from top to bottom.

Several advanced features include proactive alerts for any salary changes, to help you catch any potential errors before they become problematic, and an OnDemand Pay feature that also allows employees to access their wages in advance of their next payday, if they need it.

Integrations are available with over 200 applications through Paycor's Marketplace, including tools for wage and salary verification, expense management, employee wellness, certified payroll, and FMLA. Key integrations to note include Emburse Certify, Equifax, GoCo, GoodHire, HireTech, Ignite, Instant Pay, My Enroll360, Payfactors, Sterling, Tapcheck, WorkforceHub, Zillion, and others.

Trakstar is a comprehensive talent management platform designed to support organizations in managing employee performance from hiring to succession planning. It stands out for its adaptability, allowing companies to tailor performance management processes to align with their unique operational needs and objectives.

Why I picked Trakstar: I chose it due to its comprehensive set of features optimized to handle the entire employee lifecycle. Its robust platform offers capabilities ranging from performance management, goal setting, to 360-degree feedback and succession planning which are critical in talent development and retention.

Additionally, it employs an interactive and user-friendly interface which eases its adoption across varying levels of tech-savviness in the workplace. 

Trakstar Standout Features and Integrations

It offers a comprehensive suite of features for managing employee performance and development. Its performance management system includes customizable appraisal forms, goal setting, and continuous feedback mechanisms, with the ability to set SMART goals and track employee progress. The platform also facilitates 360-degree feedback, allowing for a well-rounded assessment of performance from various sources. For future planning, Trakstar's succession planning tools assist in identifying potential leaders and preparing them for key roles.

Integrations include a variety of HRIS platforms such as ADP Workforce Now, Paylocity, BambooHR, Namely, Ramco, and UKG Pro. It also supports SFTP for secure data transfer and Syntrio for compliance training. For single sign-on capabilities, Trakstar integrates with OneLogin.

Rippling is a modern HCM solution that's built to tackle new hires, deductions, time tracking, PTO requests, custom reports, and employee changes. It also offers advanced payroll management features, plus operational workflows, applicant tracking, and even some IT features like device and IT inventory management.

Why I picked Rippling: Their software stands out because they built app and device management (basic IT) into their HR platform, which is appropriate for the modern, online, all-digital workforce. You can remotely manage and protect employees’ devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets) and easily manage workforce apps like Google Workspace, Slack, and Office 365. Rippling is also competitively priced considering its wide range of features, making them a great option for smaller businesses with a tight budget.

Rippling Standout Features & Integrations:

Standout features for Rippling include their payroll management functionalities such as their automatic tax filing (it calculates and files your federal/provincial taxes, factoring in when employees move) and robust features that are helpful for pay compliance in a large workforce, such as automatic minimum wage enforcement, overtime enforcement, and leave enforcement.

Integrations are available with Google Workspace, Typeform, Databricks, BrightHire, Atlassian, Google Workspace, Slack, Checkr, Zoom, GitHub, Asana, 1Password, Zendesk, Dropbox, Sage Intacct, Netsuite, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks, DocuSign, Upwork, LinkedIn, and dozens more.

Arcoro is a human capital management software that's designed to help businesses manage their construction workforce more effectively. It's a comprehensive tool that covers everything from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and succession planning.

Why I picked Arcoro: Arcoro is a powerful and specialized HR software designed exclusively for construction companies, providing efficient management of diverse HR functions within the industry. Arcoro's construction-focused HRMS includes modules for tracking certifications, licenses, and safety training, guaranteeing that workers meet project requirements and remain compliant.

Arcoro also offers additional tools to automate essential processes like recruitment, onboarding, and employee record management, ensuring seamless workflows and compliance with industry-specific regulations.

Arcoro Standout Features and Integrations:

Arcoro excels in handling succession planning by offering comprehensive features that enable organizations to identify and develop potential successors for key roles within the company. It provides tools for talent assessment, competency mapping, and performance evaluation, allowing businesses to identify high-potential employees and create development plans tailored to their needs. Arcoro's succession planning capabilities also facilitate the creation of talent pools, tracking employee readiness and potential for advancement, while offering visibility into skills gaps and training requirements.

Integrations include Acumatica, Procore, Quickbooks, Sage, Viewpoint, and Foundation Software. They add that they can connect with other onboarding, core HR, and time-tracking apps but they don't list which ones by name. 

Chances are, you've probably heard of Oracle, as they are a big name in the HR software business. Oracle HCM Cloud is their all-in-one HR solution to engage your workforce and optimize your HR operations. It includes a wide range of features, including workforce modeling, an HR help desk, talent acquisition tools, and time-saving integrations between time-off data and payroll.

Why I picked Oracle HCM Cloud: Their HCM platform is well-suited for safety-sensitive industries due to it's integrated workforce health & safety (H&S) monitoring capabilities. Key features within its H&S module include incident reporting and incident management, workplace protection information, incident alerts for HR and other key stakeholders, and a safety data dashboard that tracks key performance indicators regarding safety objectives. The dashboard gives teams a summary of safety trends or patterns that may be developing to help teams take action quickly.

Oracle HCM Cloud Standout Features and Integrations:

Other standout features include assets like self-service compensation charts for employees, profitability and cost management dashboards, and lots of scheduling capabilities (static schedules, rotas, holiday calendars, and split or dynamic shifts, etc.). In addition, Oracle's Mobile Workforce Management (MWM) app is a highly functional, fully-featured smartphone app companion.

Integrations are available through Oracle Integration and Oracle SOA Suite, which can integrate any SaaS or on-premise HCM application. In addition to application adapters, Oracle offers many other integration options including technology adapters for REST, SOAP, LDAP, FTP, and file-based access. Thus, they scored highly in the Integrations section of the evaluation.

Eddy is an all-in-one HR Suite built for local businesses that streamlines tedious HR processes and improves the employee experience. With Eddy, businesses can hire, onboard, manage, and pay employees with one easy-to-use software, which has grown in popularity due to its focus on supporting businesses with deskless workers and its highly-rated customer service.

Why I picked Eddy: Their simple, yet robust onboarding process makes the transition from candidate to new hire easy to manage. You can easily communicate important information to your new hires like start date, starting pay, who their manager is, and what they should wear on their first day to work. You can also create customizable “New Hire Packets” that include an onboarding agenda, and the other necessary documents employees need to sign, which can be completed easily from mobile devices too.

All documents can be signed electronically, plus you can assign specific due dates to paperwork and tasks, and company admins will receive updates regarding the new hire’s progress. Eddy's onboarding also helps your team stay aligned by assigning internal team tasks to make sure the new hire has a desk, laptop, or other necessary essentials.

Eddy Standout Features and Integrations:

A core function of Eddy is people management—users can access company directories and store important employee documents, add notes on employee performance, and track training and certifications in employee profiles. You can also create custom paid time-off (PTO) policies and approve or deny requests; tap into their time tracking tool, which allows employees to easily clock-in and clock-out; and navigate payroll processes using Eddy’s in-house, full-service system that includes support for multiple pay periods and end-of-year W-2 preparation, filing, and distribution.

Other key features include job posting management, tracking incoming candidates, and a full-scale applicant tracking system (ATS).

Integrations are available with Indeed, Glassdoor, and SynergySuite.

eXo Platform is an all-in-one digital workplace solution that helps you connect, align, and engage your teams around a single interface. It is designed to fit the needs of enterprises of all sizes and industries that are looking to improve the company and peer-to-peer communication, boost collaboration, and manage company knowledge.

Why I picked eXo Platform: Their software has a rich set of features to improve the working experience, including enterprise social networking features such as user profiles, activity streams, and more. Users can easily navigate through the platform and interact with their peers through a built-in chat application and the ability to like, comment on, and share various pieces of content. They also offer built-in add-ons such as an eXo Wallet, gamification, kudos, chat, and more.

eXo Platform Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include collaborative groups where users can communicate, collaborate on projects, and easily find what they're looking for. Plus, their system also includes document management features that allow users to share content easily through drag-and-drop, organize content in rich document libraries, and share information with the click of a button in the activity stream or the chat application.

Integrations are available with third-party applications including Salesforce, Microsoft Office, and Google Suite.

Over 10 years, the Sage Business Cloud People system has grown into a respected and progressive company operating in the HR management software sector with a full suite of people analytics tools.

Why I picked Sage People: Sage People excels in quick implementation, out-of-the-box automations, and streamlined and flexible reporting features. Their HCM platform is also the #1 rated HR and People management system according to Salesforce.

Sage People Standout Features and Integrations:

Standout features for Sage HR includes customizable dashboards to analyze key metrics like attraction, retention, hiring trends, and any other HR metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter for your organization. Their analytics also include easy-to-digest visualizations such as charts, tables and other graphics like doughnut, pie, and radar charts. Additionally, if you check out their workforce engagement tools, you are bound to find something you love.

Integrations are available with Salesforce, ADP, activpayroll, Brain Payroll, TalentLMS, OwnBackup, Broadbean, Docusign, and Kimble.

Workday is a human capital management (HCM) system with a broad suite of feature that cover finance, human resources, and capital management planning. Designed for enterprise-level organizations, the software uses machine learning to understand people's current skills, then builds talent management programs to develop them.

Why I picked Workday HCM: Their design team absolutely nailed the user interface with a clean, modern, and intuitive layout on both the web browser version and the mobile app. This scored them favorably in the UI category of the evaluation criteria. Their HCM suite also has a full-feature mobile app that syncs data in real-time, making it easy to access information from anywhere.

Workday HCM Standout Features and Integrations:

Their talent development suite is also more advanced than many other systems and includes tools for learning & development, performance management, and a skills cloud of 55,000+ skills that uses machine learning to run skill gap analyses and identify opportunities for internal mobility.

Other advanced features include customizable process flows with configurable conditional logic settings, and workforce planning and analysis tools that help with strategic growth and succession planning, including “what if” scenarios and flexible organizational charting tools. In addition, Workday includes intelligent automation for key HR and business processes that eliminates manual tasks.

Integrations are available with 600+ commonly used tools. On the off chance that your programs of choice aren’t already on their list, additional software integrations are available through their custom API.