10+ Best Free HR Software for Startups & SMBs in 2025

1. It is free! The free version of the app provides everything we need to solve our scheduling challenges.
2. It is user-friendly. The web app is great for monthly scheduling, and the mobile app works for our team to view their shifts, etc.
3. It was great that I could begin using it right away. There was no complicated onboarding process or steep learning curve.

I stumbled upon Homebase after a Google search looking for a scheduling tool. It has proven to be invaluable for coordinating the cleanings for my LLC's short-term rentals. Prior to using Homebase, we experienced significant challenges in efficiently managing and organizing the cleaning schedule for multiple properties with multiple members of our cleaning team. It was a time-consuming and error-prone process, resulting in delays and dissatisfaction among the team. We have used it for over three months now and have thoroughly enjoyed using the tool.

1. The system sends a lot of automated notifications (app alerts, emails, text messages).
2. There is a lot more functionality than we use it for, which is frustrating. We don't handle payroll, etc., through the app, but get notifications about these features all the time.
3. Limited customization; I don't need an alert every time there is a scheduling "conflict" because oftentimes one employee will handle the turnover for multiple properties in a given day. I wish I could customize my views, alerts, etc., to better meet our needs.

I have never used other scheduling tools so I'm unsure how it compares.

One thing to think about is how you will handle communication and collaboration. Homebase's communication tools work adequately but aren't very robust. I sometimes get better responses from our team by just texting them, so consider how the tool facilitates communication and collaboration among team members. Look for features such as real-time notifications, messaging capabilities, and the ability to easily share schedule updates and changes.

No changes that I'm aware of.

It's hard to answer this, but it's worked great for us - a small team of people managing short-term rental properties with a small team of people handling the scheduled cleanings for these properties.

Three major pros Connecteam offers are task management, community, and timekeeping. Connecteam’s task management tools empower each employee to give their best. The communication tools are a great asset to the company’s culture. Connecteam’s timekeeping functions make scheduling less time-consuming.

Before moving the organization to Connecteam, basic employee functions were on different systems. Timekeeping and workload checklists were all in paper form, taking up valuable space. Connecteam helped create operational excellence. Now, supervisors can delegate workloads to employees without physical paperwork to confirm completion. Employees are now eager to post photos of their completed tasks. Timekeeping has also become much easier. We have used Connecteam for over a year.

The biggest con could be app usage for employees who are not comfortable with technology or mobile apps. This is no fault of Connecteam, but inactive users can slow down operational progress. Using a mobile device can also be a distraction for some employees. From an HR perspective, auto-scheduling is generally helpful, but in some cases, employees' schedules can change weekly or biweekly, which requires extra time to ensure schedules are correct.

Compared to other systems I have used at different companies, Connecteam offers much more ease for users. It also has fewer problems with maintenance and malfunctions.

When buying this tool, I think people should consider operational excellence. Companies should also think about the diversity of their team and whether employees will be open to using the app. In addition to gaining employee buy-in for using this software, buyers should also review the price point to ensure they are comfortable using it within their business. Lastly, potential buyers should ensure that a person or team is in place to explore all the functions to get full use of the app.

The access to the helpdesk and training videos for using the app has greatly met the needs of both the users and employees.

This tool is great for businesses that focus on operational excellence or operational standards. Operational size doesn’t matter because the app is multifunctional. Larger organizations may need to use more of the app’s functions.

• It's centralised and easy to use, a new user can navigate it easily.
• Leave balance and leave approvals, pending etc makes it very easy and seamless.
• We get the exact working hours of each employee, work anniversary and birthdays too to send our best wishes.

We have been using Zoho People for the past couple of years. We needed a software tool for managing attendance, leaves, announcements, sharing docs etc, and Zoho People was the best option out there. We are happy so far. Recently we started using the check-in and check-out reminder options too.

• Sometimes employees face the issue of not being able to log in and out due to the website being down.
• It's a bit expensive.
• We can not have calls through it.

• They should check out all the services provided if it covers all of their needs.
• The budget should also be considered as the platform can be a bit expensive but it is worth it.
• I would suggest having a go at the free trial to be sure.

Yes it keeps adding new features and the user interface has become seamless over the years. Great work.

Companies with a hybrid work mode; you can track the log-in and log-out locations if needed.

Deel simplifies the hiring process, particularly for contractors, making it incredibly user-friendly. The compliance features are invaluable, keeping us informed of legal changes across different countries. Moreover, the platform itself is straightforward and easy to navigate.

Our organization needed a system that would enable us to quickly hire contractors in Europe while scaling with our growth. Deel was chosen for its clarity, ease of setup, and cost-effectiveness. Initially, it was used for managing our European contractors, but as we transitioned from contractors to full-time employees, Deel's capacity to handle EOR and contractors across multiple countries proved ideal. We have been using Deel for just over a year, starting with contractors and recently expanding to include EOR services for our European employees.

Navigating the platform can sometimes be confusing when trying to locate specific features. Currently, Deel does not support adding US employees, necessitating separate HRIS systems for our US and international staff. Additionally, we occasionally encounter unexpected fees.

Deel offers a more affordable solution compared to its competitors, although it's important to consider potential hidden fees. While the platform's overall look and functionality are similar to others in the market, the differences are relatively minor.

When considering a tool like Deel, evaluate your hiring needs outside the US. Inquire about all potential costs, including benefits and administrative fees. Also, plan strategically for the countries you intend to hire in, as adding multiple countries can complicate the process.

Deel is actively developing new features aimed at becoming a comprehensive solution for US-based employers managing international hires. This ongoing evolution is geared towards creating a single platform that can accommodate a variety of HR needs.

Deel is exceptionally well-suited for SMBs to small enterprise businesses that need an efficient platform for managing contractors. It offers simplicity and ease of use that is ideal for businesses at this scale.

1. Monday.com offers a visually appealing and intuitive interface that makes it easy to navigate and use.
2. The platform provides a high level of customization, allowing users to adapt it to their specific project management needs.
3. Monday.com offers extensive integrations with other tools and platforms, enabling seamless workflow integration and data synchronization.

Our organization chose Monday.com as our preferred tool for project management and team collaboration due to several pain points we wanted to address. We struggled with scattered communication and a lack of transparency across different projects and teams. Monday.com provided a centralized platform that streamlined our communication, allowing us to collaborate efficiently and keep everyone on the same page.

Personally, I have been using Monday.com for over two years, and it has been a game-changer for both my individual workflow and team collaboration. It has eliminated the frustration of lost information and miscommunication, enabling me to stay organized and focused on my tasks.

The ability to track progress, assign responsibilities, and receive notifications has greatly improved my efficiency and accountability. The platform's intuitive interface and user-friendly design have made it easy for our team members to adopt and utilize effectively.

The pricing of Monday.com can be relatively high compared to some other project management tools, especially for larger teams or organizations.

While highly customizable, the abundance of options and features on Monday.com may require some time and effort to fully explore and configure according to specific requirements.

The learning curve for new users can be steep, especially for individuals who are not accustomed to working with project management software, requiring some training and onboarding support.

Monday.com stands out from its competitors in a few ways. First, it has an attractive interface that is relatively easy to use, even if you're not tech-savvy. You can drag and drop items and customize boards to fit your specific needs.

Compared to other similar tools, Monday.com offers more flexibility and customization. You can create and personalize boards and columns to match your workflow and preferences. This makes it suitable for various industries and situations.

I have used similar tools (Trello, Asana, MS Project, and I find that Monday.com compares well in terms of user experience and functionality. It has improved my team's productivity and communication with its intuitive design and collaboration features. It also integrates smoothly with other tools we use, which saves us time and effort.

1. Ease of Use: can you afford the time it will take to train your teams to use it.
2. Cost: it can get very expensive, especially for larger corporations.
3. Integration capabilities: check if it is integrated with the tools you currently use.

Adding new integrations continuously, creating new partnerships, creating new tools to cater to EVERYONE out there. If you have a work process chances are that you need this tool

1. Small to Medium-Sized Businesses.
2. Creative and Marketing Teams
3. Remote and Distributed Teams: With its cloud-based platform and real-time collaboration features, Monday.com is highly suitable for remote and distributed teams. It enables seamless communication, task allocation, and progress tracking, fostering collaboration even across different time zones.

• Better communication through instant messaging, group chats, and video calls. One is in the loop of whatever is going on and gets updates quickly.
• Document sharing option. Every member can share a document, and other members can work on the same document simultaneously.
• Better collaboration. This can mainly be attributed to enhanced communication.

My company was mainly trying to solve issues in relation to collaboration and communication. This has led to increased productivity and improved efficiency. We are able to share documents and properly manage our projects better than before. The tools being offered have streamlined our operations a great deal. I have been using Bitrix for 1.5 years now.

• It can be a bit expensive compared to other similar tools out there. Having regular discounts would go a long way.
• Someone who's not familiar with it will have a really hard time navigating through it. A short introductory video of how it works would really help.
• Technical support varies with the different plans available, and this may cause agitation since the responses they are getting aren't necessarily the ones they're hoping for. I feel like the support should be the same regardless of the package one is using.

It has an inclusive tool where one can do product management, CRM and communication. This means that my organization wouldn't have to use different software to achieve the same results.

Pricing. Because there are different plans, one needs to be sure they get a plan that's within their budget.

Ease of use. One needs to make sure that learning how to use it wouldn't be a problem for its members and they'll navigate easily.

I can confidently say that the enhanced features have improved communication and productivity for its members.

Small-sized business, project management, and customer relationship management.

I like that it has the ability to consolidate multiple features/apps into one software program. I enjoy the "Discuss" feature, which essentially creates a company intranet allowing employees to communicate with others privately or with groups/departments. I also like that it allows me to send documents requiring a signature without having to use another external app, such as DocuSign.

My organization chose Odoo because it is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that promises to consolidate and automate several processes. I work for a manufacturing facility that produces food and beverage items, and the processes from creation to delivery of our products include many steps and a lot of paperwork to remain compliant with industry regulations.

We wanted a tool that could be used by several departments, including production, accounting, fulfillment, distribution, and HR. We were hoping we could use Odoo to house our timekeeping, scheduling, and payroll as well. I have been using Odoo for about three months.

I think it is a complex system that requires months of training before it can be fully functional. We cannot use it for payroll because it doesn't track and record tax payments and would require manual journal entries each time. I don't like that the timekeeping feature doesn't allow us to use biometrics (fingerprints via hardware device) when employees clock in and out of their shifts. Although it can integrate with several apps, these drawbacks keep me from recommending it as an HR solution.

Odoo has several functions that it offers to automate processes company-wide. I find the interface to be mostly user-friendly. There are some navigational difficulties when visiting one "app" and then returning to the dashboard, and their training videos could use some work. I find it about average as far as an ERP goes.

Identify exactly which processes you intend to utilize this service for and have a realistic implementation plan. If you're only using it for two or three processes, then a shorter training and implementation plan may work. If you have four or more processes you're looking to integrate, allow yourself and your team several months to meet with their implementation team and demo the trial software so that you can familiarize yourself with it before rolling it out to employees. Training is vital to understanding the full capabilities of the system.

They seem to have a lot of options for different processes that they say continually expand, such as inventory, appointments and to-do lists, project boards, discussion boards, manufacturing, shop floor, quality assurance, etc.

A mid to large-sized manufacturing facility that wants all employees using the same software to meet as many business needs as possible will find Odoo very useful.

• We can manage time and attendance records.
• We can manage onboarding and offboarding.
• We can manage the overall performance management of each employee.

Payroll, time and attendance, performance management, learning & development, recruitment -  all of these were pain points that led us to buy this tool. Prior to WebHR, we were using excel sheets / doing manual work. I have been using this tool for the last 4 years.

• Limited report tracking and analysis.
• Limited customization.
• Occasionally, the system can be slow to respond.

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The appealing quality of WebHR is that it can support the overall performance of each employee, both in small and large organizations.

From time to time, they roll out enhancements to their existing features.

There is no specific type of organization required to buy the WebHR. Any organization can buy this tool to enhance their overall performance and reduce manual work.