The Best HRMS Software Systems
Here’s a shortlist of the best human resource management systems (HRMS) I’ve covered in this article, with detailed HRMS software summaries below:
- Deel
Best all-in-one HRMS for international teams
- Paycor
Best HRMS for enterprise organizations
- monday.com
Best HRMS system for creating custom HR processes and workflows
- Sapling
Best HRMS for automating repeatable workflows
- Workday
Best HRMS for advanced workforce planning tools
- PeopleBookHR
Best HRMS for automatic reporting
- Collage HR
Best HRMS for Canadian organizations
- People HR
Best HRMS for managing employee performance
- Built For Teams
Best HRMS for advanced org charts and succession planning tools
- VAIRKKO
Best HRMS with learning management add-ons
Human resource management systems (HRMS) help organizations digitize their core HR functions. They offer repeatable, customizable workflows that get you away from your spreadsheets and filing cabinets. They also provide a better employee experience, with all main HR processes housed within one central system.
As a former HR professional who was often lost in said filing cabinets, I know how much a well-chosen HRMS can help.
While there are many different types of HR management systems to choose from, true HRMS platforms tend to include the most features. In this article, I’ve reviewed my top 10 choices for the best HRMS systems on the market today. I've also explained why I chose each one, to help you find the best fit for your organization's needs.
Do you have general questions about how HRMS systems work or how to pick the best HR management system for your organization? If so, take a look at my Frequently Asked Questions section below. Or, if you're curious how I picked the HRMS systems for this list, see How I Selected the Best Human Resources Management Systems below.
Overviews of the 10 Best HRMS Software
Here’s a brief description of each human resource management system I've chosen that explains what it does best and why I picked it, plus pros & cons, software integrations, screenshots, and pricing details:
Deel
Best all-in-one HRMS for international teams
Deel is a global HRMS solution for international teams. It eliminates borders from your talent pool, supporting over 150 countries where you can hire, manage, and pay any contractor or employee.
Why I picked Deel: Their HRMS platform offers more than just basic HR management tools. Instead, Deel serves as an employer of record for international employees and handles full payroll and benefits so you don't have to set up a foreign entity. You can make use of functions like contract generation, expense reimbursements, and off-cycle changes using Deel's self-serve platform. Their automatic onboarding saves time, and the analytics are great for monitoring your HR data. Overall, it scored very highly in the evaluation considerations for Usability.
For contractors, Deel helps you avoid contractor misclassification with legal-reviewed contracts and provides multiple withdrawal options. The platform provides a polished and consistent payment experience, using major payment providers like Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, and Revolut to offer withdrawals in the currency of the contractor’s choice, including cryptocurrency.
Deel Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include global payroll, global mobility support, integrated Slack tools, and advanced integrations. Their global mobility service helps companies with visa sponsorship, allowing them to bring in candidates from abroad. The Slack plugins can be used to create an accessible organizational chart, provide self-service PTO management, and even track applicant referrals.
Integrations are available with major HR, ATS, and accounting platforms, including Ashby, BambooHR, Bob, Lever, Expensify, Greenhouse, NetSuite, Quickbooks, Workable, and Xero. Deel also complies with SOC2 and ISO 27001 security standards and has an Open API solution that allows developers to build their own connections with the Deel platform.
Pros
- Simplifies payroll using multiple currencies
- Managed by 200+ local legal and tax compliance experts
- Tailored for international organizations
Cons
- No free trial available
- Overlapping plan features require custom pricing
Paycor
Best HRMS for enterprise organizations
Paycor's HRMS platform is designed to help companies eliminate paper-based administrative tasks by automating common workflows. Their unified employee database acts as a single source of truth for all employees, and includes a knowledge base and an employee self-service portal. While it's technically an HCM (human capital management) platform, their software has all the features you'd expect from an HRMS system, and more.
Why I picked Paycor: I included Paycor in this list because of the flexible and modular nature of their software. Their HR system works for businesses of any size, from small-to-medium sized businesses all the way up to enterprise organizations. Paycor also prides themselves on tailoring their technology for each clients needs, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution.
Paycor Standout Features & Integrations:
Features are divided into five main modules: HR + Payroll Software, Talent Management, Workforce Management, Employee Experience, and Benefits Administration. Within those modules, they offer features like automated time and attendance tracking, employee scheduling, payroll processing and expense management tools, integrated recruiting software with analytics, employee onboarding tools, pulse surveys, a learning management system, and talent development tools including performance management and compensation planning functions.
With so much data integrated at your fingertips, it's easy to manage your employee records at scale. You can create custom fields and notifications, easily search and filter employee records, and schedule the delivery of e-documents and collect e-signatures.
Integrations with over 200 applications are available natively through Paycor's Marketplace. Featured integrations include Certify, Equifax, GoodHire, HireTech, Ignite, Instant Pay, Oracle NetSuite, Payscale, TalentReef, Tapcheck, Sterling, Velosio, and many others.
Pros
- Many time-saving automations
- Includes HR solutions for specific niche industries
- Modular nature allows for easy customizations
Cons
- May be too expensive for smaller organizations
- Basic package limited to payroll features only
monday.com
Best HRMS system for creating custom HR processes and workflows
monday.com is a flexible work operating system (work OS) that allows you to create your own custom HRMS platform using their visual dashboards and drag-and-drop editing tools. Their system also includes a variety of dedicated HR templates for common HR processes and workflows to help you get started.
Why I picked monday.com: The flexibility of their software lends itself to numerous practical applications beyond just tracking HR processes, meaning you get a lot of potential value for a low cost investment. In fact, because it does have a very low price point compared to other classic HRMS systems, you may even want to use it as a supplementary system to fill the gaps left by other programs you're currently using to monitor your core HR tasks.
monday.com Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include tools to build visual dashboards like drag-and-drip columns, automation widgets, and many customizable templates. HR-specific examples include a template to help hiring managers oversee their recruitment pipelines and track applicants with embedded forms that record all relevant contact details automatically. As candidates go through the hiring process, team members can update the status of their application so that there’s a real-time source of truth for all open positions.
monday.com also includes a pre-made template for onboarding, which includes all of the sessions and reading material newcomers need in their first weeks on the job. The onboarding template also uses no-code automations to notify relevant team members of their tasks to properly welcome the new hire. Another great feature is the vacation tracker, which allows employees to schedule vacation time.
Integrations are available natively with many popular software applications, including Data Studio, DocuSign, Google Workspace, Jira, Microsoft Teams, Slack, SurveyMonkey, Trello, Typeform, and many others. Additional custom integrations can be accessed through their API, or by connecting their platform to a paid Zapier account.
Pros
- Custom dashboards update automatically
- Enterprise-grade security with HIPAA certification
- Customizable and scalable workflows
Cons
- Certain features only available in enterprise package
- Mobile app isn’t as fully functional as web
Sapling
Best HRMS for automating repeatable workflows
Sapling is a well-known people operations platform with HR software packages for businesses of any size, including startups and small businesses, mid-market companies, or enterprise organizations. Sapling was acquired by Kallidus in mid-2022, transforming their product into a full-feature human capital management (HCM) platform with features that cover the entire employee lifecycle.
Why I picked Sapling: Now that Sapling is integrated with Kallidus, their software brings even more features to the table. In addition to Sapling's core HR features, users can take advantage of other Kallidus functions like their performance management system, learning and development tools, and learning management system (LMS).
Sapling Standout Features & Integrations:
Features within Sapling's HRMS include automated workflows for onboarding and offboarding (or any other repeatable process required), company-wide communication features, tools to eliminate manual checks and data duplication, and the ability to run reports on system-wide data like time off, tasks, document reviews, check-in statuses, and more.
You can also build automated workflows for recruitment, import your recruiting data from other systems, and automatically assign people workflows based on their location, department, and employment status. On top of managing your people data, your HR team can use Sapling to create org charts, and end-users can create individual profiles too.
Integrations available natively for Sapling include 40+ popular platforms like 15Five, ADP, Asana, Breezy, Compass, Google Suite, Greenhouse, Lattice, Lever, LinkedIn, Okta, OneLogin, Paylocity, Slack, TriNet, Xero, Workable, Workday, Zapier, and more. They also have an API and webhooks to support further integration options too.
Pros
- Centralized location for people data
- Integrates with popular tools
- Fully customizable, automated workflows
Cons
- Pricing details only available upon request
- No freemium version
Workday
Best HRMS for advanced workforce planning tools
Workday is an HRMS platform with a broad set of features. Their wide range of software solutions work together seamlessly, making them well-suited for large or enterprise-level organizations that have a lot of sophisticated workforce and data management needs.
Why I picked Workday: Their system offers more advanced workforce planning tools than others in this list, including 'what if' scenarios, flexible organizational charting tools, and a skills cloud of 55,000 skills to help with talent development and skill gap analysis. Other modern features that landed them a spot on this list include their system's machine learning capabilities that help identify existing workers for internal mobility opportunities, and compensation tools including diversity and pay equity metrics.
Workday Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include core HR employee data management tools, time tracking including a paid time-off tracker, tools to recruit and develop talent, and modern payroll features including global payroll services and pay on demand. They also offer detailed reporting and analytics tools, data dashboards, scorecards, and retention analysis tools.
Integrations are available natively with 600+ software applications, or you can access more tools using their custom API. They also offer full feature mobile apps for Android and iOS devices too.
Pros
- Benefits and employee transactional data in the same system
- Flexible organizational structures and modeling
- Intelligent process automation from attract-to-pay
Cons
- Can only drag-and-drop single entries on the Candidate Grid
- Pre-screening questionnaires are not customizable per job posting
- Complex goals and self-appraisal process
PeopleBookHR
Best HRMS for automatic reporting
PeopleBookHR is an application-based solution to manage your human resources. It’s combined with a reporting mechanism as well as a timely solution to upgrade and modernize your HR team with tools for time, attendance, asset management, and more.
One of the things this software does best is deftly managing sales made in the field; this tool allows HR administrators to easily track any sales representative’s performance and then derive useful reports from the data presented.
PeopleBookHR did not mention the possibility of third-party app integrations on their website.
As per the above note, a con of PeopleBookHR is their lack of integration options. If you are looking to connect other tools to your HRMS, you will want to go with another solution. Thus, they lost some points in the evaluation of Integrations.
PeopleBookHR offers pricing upon request and has a free trial and demo.
Pros
- Create customized panel for employee reviews
- Manual or upload input for time logs
- Includes incident recording and tracking
Cons
- Comparatively high pricing quotes
- No multi-lingual support
- Slight learning curve
Collage HR
Best HRMS for Canadian organizations
Collage is an HRMS platform that covers core employee records, recruiting and onboarding, time off, performance management and benefits administration. It acts as a centralized employee database you can sync with your payroll and benefits providers to ensure that employee records are up-to-date and avoid double-entries.
Why I picked Collage: I included Collage in this list because they are a top choice for Canadian businesses since their software comes pre-set to Canadian employment standards. I also appreciate how they offer full payroll services in addition to their modules, meaning you can outsource your payroll activities directly to Collage to ensure you're in compliance with Canadian tax laws and reporting requirements at all times.
Collage Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include an employee database with a linked org chart, a shared team calendar, document storage and e-signatures, training module assignments and tracking, custom access permissions, paperless onboarding, HR reports and metrics with lots of visual tools, and time-off tracking including custom leave types. Their performance management module also includes modern features like 360 degree reviews, continuous feedback and check-in tools, plus automated performance review cycles so nothing slips between the cracks. Collage also includes an employee self-service module were staff can access and update their own HR records as needed.
Integrations are available by working directly with Collage, but specific software integrations are not mentioned on their website. Their software can integrate with common payroll systems and benefit providers though.
Pros
- Can white-label training sessions
- Supports time-off automation
- Great customer support
Cons
- Information on software integrations is not readily available
- Training module is not comprehensive
People HR
Best HRMS for managing employee performance
People HR is an HR software that can help you save time by automating HR tasks. It acts as a centralized database to record and store employee records for easy access. People HR has an online applicant tracking system to help you hire the best talents that can help grow your business. It has self-service options so employees can manage their holiday and sick leave requests and ensure that they get forwarded for proper approval.
Why I picked People HR: If you need HRMS software to help you manage employee performance, then People HR is an excellent choice because you can compare employee scores to discover your top performers and those who need assistance. It lets you track year-on-year performance to gauge your employees’ continuous improvement. Instead of relying on traditional employee-manager appraisals, People HR allows employees to assess their peers, giving you a holistic 360-degree means of evaluating employees.
People HR Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include employee records, an applicant tracking system, a self-service HR system, performance review features, payroll outsourcing services, and expert guidance from HR advisors, as needed. They also offer mobile apps for Android and iOS devices where employees can manager their vacation requests and employee expenses from anywhere.
Integrations are available natively with 40 commonly used software systems including ADP, Google Docs, Glassdoor, Learn Amp, Sage Payroll, Okta, Slack, Zapier, and others.
Pros
- Supports onboarding and offboarding
- Customizable user roles
- Has an applicant tracking system
Cons
- ATS doesn’t integrate with external job boards
- Mobile app can be laggy
Built For Teams
Best HRMS for advanced org charts and succession planning tools
Built for Teams is a position intelligence platform that helps organizations with their day-to-day human resources management as well as future workforce planning. They offer integrated modules for position management, org charts, succession planning, paid time-off tracking, and employee timesheets.
Why I picked Built for Teams: I chose Built for Teams because of their unique visual charting tools that are very user friendly, and their modular pricing structure, which means you only have to pay for the modules you actually want to use. As an example, if your existing HR tech stack doesn't have good succession planning tools, you can augment your software by purchasing the succession planning module only.
Built for Teams Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include: advanced org charts to help with growth, reorganization or downsizing plans; a position management tool that tracks headcounts and budgets per department; a succession planning module to identify and develop talent for critical roles; time-tracking features like mobile clock in/out; and custom scheduling tools. Their platform is very straightforward to use, meaning even those who are not particularly tech-savvy should be able to master it quickly.
Integrations are available natively with ADP, Google Suite, Lever, Microsoft, NetSuite, Okta, Oracle PeopleSoft, SAP, Slack, Paychex, Paylocity, Quickbooks, and Workday. They also offer a CSV Data Importer tool that can sync data from many other applications with Built for Teams as well.
Pros
- Position control module includes advanced planning and budgeting tools
- Interactive, dynamic and fully customizable org chart features
- PTO tracking module includes a helpful shared calendar
Cons
- More software integrations with HRIS or payroll systems would be helpful
- No built-in payroll functions
VAIRKKO
Best HRMS with learning management add-ons
VAIRKKO is a web-based fully-mobile workforce management and operations management platform offering cloud products with certification tracking, online employee scheduling, personnel management, e-Learning, HR, and more. Bonus: training comes free with a plan.
Why I picked VAIRKKO: Their platform includes a full e-learning system complete with training certification credential (and expiry date) tracking, a classroom training feature, customizable digital forms, a skills testing cloud and a module that helps with policy management. These are unique features that are not included in most HRMS platforms.
VAIRKKO Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include core HR data management, and ATS cloud, onboarding and offboarding tools, performance management tools, surveys and pools, time tracking that's linked to payroll, and performance management tools.
Integration details are currently not included in their website.
Pros
- Easily add unpaid breaks into your staff’s time card
- Advanced learning and development features
- Branding customization, logo and colors
Cons
- Mobile app isn’t as fully functional as web
- Plan details and prices are not readily available
10 Best HRMS Software Comparison Chart
This comparison chart summarizes basic details about each of my top human resource management system selections. You can view pricing details and the availability of free trials or demos side-by-side to help you find the best HR system that works for your budget.
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Deel Best all-in-one HRMS for international teams | Free demo available | Flat rate user pricing, with a free version for businesses with up to 200 people | Visit Website |
2 | Paycor Best HRMS for enterprise organizations | Free demo available | From $99/month + $5/employee/month | Visit Website |
3 | monday.com Best HRMS system for creating custom HR processes and workflows | 14-day free trial + freemium plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) | Visit Website |
4 | Sapling Best HRMS for automating repeatable workflows | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
5 | Workday Best HRMS for advanced workforce planning tools | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
6 | PeopleBookHR Best HRMS for automatic reporting | Free trial + free demo | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
7 | Collage HR Best HRMS for Canadian organizations | Free demo available | From $8/user/month | Visit Website |
8 | People HR Best HRMS for managing employee performance | 14-day free trial | From $5/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | Built For Teams Best HRMS for advanced org charts and succession planning tools | 14-day free trial | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
10 | VAIRKKO Best HRMS with learning management add-ons | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
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Other HRMS Systems
Here are a few more options that didn't make the best HRMS list. If you need additional suggestions for human resource software, check these out:
- PeopleGuru
Best HRMS + combined payroll system for US-based organizations
- Rippling
Best HRMS for creating a single source of truth to manage HR
- Eddy
Best HRMS for easy customized onboarding
- Connecteam
Best HRMS for mobile-first teams
- Sage HR
Best HRMS for benefits administration
- ADP Workforce Now
Best HRMS for numerous third-party integrations
- Remofirst
Best HRMS with global payroll and additional EOR services
- HR Cloud
Best HRMS solution for engaging employee onboarding workflows
- Keka HR
Best HRMS software for driving the digital transformation of HR processes
- Namely
Best HRMS for mid-sized businesses
How I Selected the Best Human Resources Management Systems
Perhaps you're wondering how I selected the best HRMS systems for this list? To build this top 10 list, I evaluated and compared a wide range of human resources management systems with positive user ratings, including some HRIS and HCM platforms too.
After determining my long list of top choices, I further honed my list by using the selection criteria below to see how each HR system stacked up against the next one. I also drew on my years of HR administration experience to pinpoint the features that add a lot of value by automating time-consuming processes.
Selection Criteria
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best human resource management systems for this article:
Usability:
Pretty much without exception, HR teams are always swamped. That's why you need a system that's easy to use, with a well-organized user interface (UI) that creates a positive user experience (UX).
To assess an HR tool's usability, I look at the organization of its interface and menus, how modules connect to each other, and the type of workflow automations that are available. Any features that will save you time and eliminate hassles are going to create a better UX for everyone on your team.
I also try to get a sense of the type of customer service or tech support each software provider offers too. This includes features like training academies, user tutorials, live chats, and customer support via email or phone.
Core HR Features and Functionality:
Since human resource management systems serve as a central cog for your HR operations, it's important that the software you choose includes all the features you need. While this will differ for each organization, for this list I aimed to select systems that included a wide range of core HR features to cover the basic needs.
If you're looking for something more specialized or specific, pop up to our Search field cause I'm sure we already have it ready to go for you too.
Scalability and Flexibility:
I always prefer HR systems with modular designs, meaning you can pick and pay for only what you need. The great thing is, most systems are like that nowadays, but it is an important detail to assess.
I also prefer to select systems that offer plans for different business sizes. For example, startup or small business plans, with scalable packages up to the enterprise organization level. Your HR needs will likely grow and expand over time, so it's important to select a software system that can grow with your business accordingly.
Reporting and HR Analytics Tools:
One of the biggest benefits of using an HRMS is the ability to run advanced analyses on your data. You want a system that collects and interprets data from across your different modules automatically, with the option to drill down into the details more as needed.
For this list, I've chosen software that includes data dashboards and other analysis tools to help you get the most out of your system-wide employee data.
Software Integrations:
Software integrations will help you improve your team's productivity by automatically sharing up-to-date data across all the platforms you use. You don't want to waste your precious time importing and exporting data between systems — or even worse — copying and pasting it! That's why I've summarized key software integrations for each of the HRMS systems in this list.
Two additional tips regarding software integrations:
- Make sure the software you choose integrates with the key programs you're already using, to simplify your day-to-day data management requirements.
- Also ensure the software you choose can integrate with other niche tools that are NOT built into their system already. For example, if the HRMS system you choose does not include a full payroll processing module, then make sure it has many payroll management integrations available instead.
Price:
Sometimes it all comes down to price, so keep your budget in mind when you're doing your research. I always try to choose software with transparent pricing modules as much as possible. However, sometimes those details are only available upon request. This is often the case for systems that are modular by design. But, the upside of that is that you can request a quote for only the modules you need, instead of a one-size-fits-all package that might not actually work for you.
I'm also a big supporter of software that offers free trials before you commit to a contract. I've noted free trial details for each HRMS in this list, or in the very least, a free demo as a secondary assessment option.
HRMS: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to commonly asked questions you may have about HRMS software and how it works:
What is an HRMS system?
Are there different types of HRMS systems?
What are the main features to look for when evaluating an HRMS?
How can I tell which HRMS is right for my business?
How much do HRMS systems typically cost?
Other Resources
It's hard to imagine a modern organization functioning efficiently without some form of human resource management system in place.
To help you find the right system for you, you may also want to check out a few of our other specialty HR system lists too:
- Best HRMS for Small Businesses
- Best HRIS Systems for Employee Data Management
- Best HRIS for Small Businesses
- Best HR Software for Small Business
- Best HCM Software Vendors
Increasingly, companies have been leveraging HRMS to get greater insights into their workforce by analyzing patterns in their employee data. HRMS analysts, a relatively new role, are tasked with implementing and maintaining HRMS and making recommendations based on data.
Lastly, I also recommend subscribing to our People Managing People newsletter to get updates on our latest articles and podcasts too.