When starting a small business it is essential that you have all the administrative tasks taken care of properly so that you can focus on your business. The best hr software for small business makes that task much easier as these platforms have all the basic requirements that are vital for implementing an effective Hr Management System . This article will list the top hr platforms based on meeting all these requirements.
We’ve compiled a list of the best hr software platforms for small business based on customer reviews, ratings, and overall popularity. Just click any of the options below to take a deep dive into a specific product. Our hope is that this list will give you an initial idea of which software platform may work best for your company, and you can use the links provided to do additional research, or even request an in-depth review from us.
Fingercheck – Best for HR automation
Fingercheck has easy-to-read reporting features.
Fingercheck is an HR tool with an extensive feature-set that includes recruitment, payroll processing, scheduling, onboarding, and expense tracking software.
Anyone in HR will tell you that onboarding is vital to employee success, and this is where Fingercheck excels. It lets you create onboarding sequences for employees to work through when they join your company.
The tool generates all the documents you need for compliance, and you can upload relevant paperwork. The whole onboarding process, including signing forms, can be done via the mobile app. And as a manager, you can monitor progress via the dashboard.
Fingercheck integrates with third-party accounting tools QuickBooks and Gusto. This helps keep your finances and HR on the same page. Pricing is $8 per employee per month with a $39 subscription fee.
Gusto: Best for Small Businesses Needing a Payroll Solution
What We Like
- Pays federal, state and local payroll taxes
- Unlimited pay runs
- Low-cost contractor-only plan
What’s Missing
- Health insurance is available only in 39 states
- Doesn’t provide international payroll service
- Not customizable for large complex businesses
Gusto Pricing
- Core: $39 per month + $6 per employee monthly
- Complete: $39 per month + $12 per employee monthly
- Concierge: $149 per month + $12 per employee monthly
- Contractor-only plan: $6 per contractor monthly
Gusto is a top-rated small business payroll software because of its affordably priced plans and full-service features. Aside from filing your payroll taxes and W-2/1099 year-end tax reports, it manages paid time off (PTO), administers workers’ compensation, and provides access to several benefits options. You can also run payroll an unlimited number of times and pay employees via direct deposits, checks, and pay cards. Note that many of the providers in this guide don’t offer pay cards or on-demand pay as a payment option, although ADP Run and Paychex do.
Gusto Is Featured in:
- Best Human Resources Payroll Software
- Best Small Business Payroll Software
- Best Online Payroll Services
- Top Zenefits Competitors
- Best HRIS/HRMS Software
- Top ADP Competitors
- Top Paychex Competitors
Gusto Features
- Affordable payroll processing: Its affordably priced plans with full-service payroll, payroll tax filings, and unlimited pay runs are just some of the reasons why Gusto is included in and even topped several of our buyer’s guides. With monthly fees that start at $39 plus $6 per employee, it’s optimal for small businesses looking for solid pay processing tools. This is unlike Rippling, Zenefits, BambooHR, and Homebase, which offer payroll as an add-on, and you’re required to purchase their core HR products first. Zoho People also offers payroll as an add-on, but you must be based in India to use it.
- Robust payment options: You can pay employees by direct deposit and pay card. You can also pay via paper check—if you print on your own (some providers, like ADP Run, offer check signing and stuffing services). In case your employees need to withdraw money between paydays, Gusto has a “Gusto Cashout” option that grants them advanced access to their earned salary.
- Benefits administration: Gusto offers a wide range of benefits such as health, dental, and vision insurance, commuter benefits, retirement plans, HSA, FSA, and 529 college savings accounts. The kicker is that its health insurance is not available in 11 states (Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming) as of this writing. If this is a deal breaker for you, consider Paycor, Paychex, and ADP Run for benefits available across the US. Rippling also has extensive coverage, but its benefits modules are paid add-ons.
- Basic HR tools: Gusto doesn’t compare to Paychex or ADP Run on the number of HR features and tools available. It doesn’t have applicant tracking and job postings, but it does provide for average small business needs like offer letters, online W-4 and I-9 forms, HR documents, basic time tracking, and a self-onboarding portal.
- In-house HR expertise: Gusto provides access to certified HR experts—you can direct any compliance and HR questions you have to them. However, you’ll need to subscribe to Gusto’s highest plan to get it.
Gusto User Reviews
Gusto is rated highly on user review sites like Capterra and G2 with an average score of 4.5 out of 5. Employers and employees praise the interface and ease of running payroll. Some reviewers also appreciate how it handles filing of payroll taxes. However, a few complained about having experienced slow load times when accessing its software.
Zenefits: HR Software With the Most Advanced Features
Zenefits | Start TrialRead our Review |
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Best small business HR software for features and options.
Pros
- Employee-friendly mobile app
- Numerous features
- A robust foundation of available integrations
- Easy to use
Cons
- Unsuited for businesses with fewer than five employees
- Mediocre customer service
Zenefits deserves a pat on the back for relaunching its entire platform a few years ago and building its company from the ground up after a few scandals rocked the Silicon Valley darlings.
The new Zenefits focuses on affordable HR options that offer more features than the competition.
Zenefits Pricing
Zenefits has three pricing plans. Pricing starts at $8/month per employee for the Essentials plan up to $21/month per employee for the top-tier Zen plan. The more expensive the plan, the more advanced features you can access, including performance management and employee engagement surveys.
Payroll is not included in any of the plans and will cost an extra $6/month per employee. Additional add-ons include advisory services for $8/month per employee and the ability to use your own broker to manage employees for $5/month per employee.
Zenefits Features
Zenefits core features included with all plans include:
- Offer letters
- Background checks
- Self-onboarding with a mobile app
- Employee directory and company organization chart
- Automated workflows
- Time-off requests/tracking
- Numerous reporting options
- Document management
- Compliance services
All plans also include time and scheduling, integrations, and access to the Zenefits mobile app. More expensive plans include these advanced features:
- Compensation management
- Performance management
- Well-being
- Employee engagement surveys
- People Hub
When To Use Zenefits
With similar pricing to Gusto but more HR options with its core package, Zenefits is likely to be an asset for small businesses with advanced hiring/performance review/termination requirements. Zenefits is loaded with HR features and offers competitive pricing, which is why it’s one of our top picks for HR software.
Paychex: Best for Solopreneurs Wanting Payroll & Business Incorporation Services
What We Like
- Flexible payroll and HR plans, even one for solopreneurs
- Advanced HR tools available with employee benefits options
- Dedicated payroll specialist
- 24/7 customer support
What’s Missing
- Pricing isn’t all transparent
- Software comes with a learning curve (due to the many features)
- Payroll tax administration and year-end tax reports cost extra
- Different contacts for different HR and payroll products
Paychex Pricing
- Paychex Flex Essentials: $39 per month + $5 per employee monthly
- Paychex Flex Select: Custom-priced
- Paychex Flex Pro: Custom-priced
Paychex Plan for Solopreneurs and the Self-Employed
- Paychex Solo: Custom-priced
Paychex offers HR software and services to businesses of all sizes. It has a Paychex Solo package for solopreneurs and the self-employed that includes payroll, a retirement plan option, and business incorporation services. It also provides Paychex Flex, which solopreneurs can transition to once their business has grown; it comes with full-service payroll, payroll tax administration, employee benefits, new hire onboarding, and a learning management solution. You even get a dedicated payroll specialist and access to HR advisers. Plus, like Rippling and ADP, Paychex offers a complete PEO option with benefits management and HR consulting.
Paychex Is Featured in:
- Best HRIS/HRMS Software
- Best Human Resources Payroll Software
- Best PEO Companies
- Best Online Payroll Services
- Best Small Business Payroll Software
- Top ADP Competitors
- Best Gusto Competitors
- Top Zenefits Competitors
Paychex Features
- Multiple plan options: Paychex offers multiple plans that target different business sizes. Its Paychex Solo tier even sets this provider apart from the other HR software that we reviewed since none of those offer options specific to solopreneurs. It also has a Paychex Flex product that has three plan options, wherein premium plans come with more compliance support. It even provides a PEO package, a service that other competitors on this list don’t offer (except Rippling and ADP).
- Robust HR tools: In part, Paychex earned its way into this list because of the numerous HR tools it has. It ranges from onboarding and time tracking to workforce management and training options—although some of these features typically cost extra.
- Strong hiring support: Paychex’s hiring tools can help you find qualified candidates and ensure they’re the right fit when you’re ready to grow. Applicant tracking, background checks, and employee screening solutions are also available. Its team of HR professionals can even provide recommendations and expert support in case you have recruiting concerns. And to help get your new hires up to speed on the job, Paychex offers online learning sessions, including sexual harassment prevention training.
- Benefits and insurance options: Paychex is licensed as an insurer, so it offers insurance directly. Unlike Gusto and Zenefits, which have limited health benefit coverage, Paychex’s health insurance covers all 50 states. Also, one unique benefit Paychex provides that the other providers in this list don’t is financial wellness tools—although this is a paid add-on.
- Payroll processing: Paychex can manage both employee and contractor payroll, but it doesn’t have the low-cost contractor-only plan that Gusto offers. While it can handle tax payments and filings to federal, state, and local agencies, you have to pay extra for some of its payroll administration services.
Paychex User Reviews
Users who left positive Paychex reviews online said that it offers good reporting options, great onboarding functionalities, and an easy-to-learn interface. We also found its platform simple to use because it does not crowd its interface with extraneous features. Overall, its average user rating on G2 and Capterra is 4.15 out of 5.
Conclusion
Finding the best hr software for small business can be a difficult task, especially considering all of the different options out there. We have compiled some of our top rated companies that offer the best cloud-based hr software systems to fit small businesses from one employee up to more than 1,000 employees as well. Our list includes companies known for short setup times, rich mobile apps, strong customer service and user-friendly interfaces.