The Best Human Resources Software of 2022

Gusto is our choice as the best HR software for payroll. It offers nationwide full-service payroll functions, workers' compensation administration and the Gusto Wallet app, which your employees can use to access their payroll and account information. We like that with Gusto, you have access to unlimited and multistate payroll, tax filing and payments, direct deposit, state and federal unemployment insurance, year-end tax forms, garnishments, multiple pay rates and schedules, PTO policy management, holiday pay, and time-off tracking. It also offers reporting, accounting and time tracking integrations; new-hire reporting; and payroll reports.

Editor's score: 9.7/10

If you are looking to customize your software with integrated employee benefits, Gusto offers workers' compensation insurance, health insurance, health reimbursement, 401(k) retirement plans, 529 college savings plans, health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and commuter benefits. Gusto also offers licensed benefits advising and online enrollment, and it complies with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Employees can access important payroll and benefit features like pay stubs and tax information, payroll self-onboarding, and payday emails.

Rippling is our choice as the best HR solution for ease of use. We were impressed with how quickly you can get your business up and running with Rippling – within four weeks. Rippling's workforce management platform starts at just $8 per user per month, and you can add a variety of HR management services like applicant tracking, time and attendance tracking, payroll processing, benefits administration, learning management, and an HR help desk. The Rippling platform is intuitive and easy to use, and it even has a mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

Editor's score: 9.6/10

We like that you can automate onboarding and offboarding, and create workflows and approvals. With HR automation, your new hires are funneled through the onboarding process (e.g., offer letters, new-hire paperwork, criminal background checks, e-verification). The automated process is seamless. Rippling says the average time it takes a new hire to complete onboarding is 90 seconds. To further simplify your HR needs, you can automate other processes like time and attendance, applicant tracking, and ACA and COBRA administration. Rippling comes with customizable reporting, an open API and more than 500 third-party integrations to help connect and streamline your business processes.

BambooHR is a mobile-friendly platform that is ideal for managing and tracking employee performance. The software supports goal tracking, peer feedback, self- and manager assessments, employee well-being surveys, employee and company performance reports, and employee satisfaction surveys. We like that BambooHR performance management tools allow you to tailor employee assessments to each team member. For example, if you want to address a problem as soon as it arises, you can request an impromptu performance assessment. You can also schedule individual assessments for promotions and raises. Additionally, you have the ability to skip assessments; this is especially useful if you hire or transfer an employee and don't have enough data for a meaningful assessment during the standard assessment period.

Editor's score: 8.2/10

Another feature that can help manage workforce performance is BambooHR's self-service capabilities (e.g., time-off management, employee directory and organization chart, company calendar, single sign-on). These allow employees to take more control over certain HR functions, which can minimize friction throughout the HR management process. Since BambooHR has mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, employees can conveniently manage their HR information from any location.

Paychex Flex is our choice as the best HR software for remote teams. Since Paychex is a full-service solution, you can take advantage of features like new-hire reporting, time and attendance tracking, payroll processing, payroll tax management, and benefits administration. The software can integrate with several other third-party vendors, which is great for customizing a solution for remote teams. We like how your HR department and other teams can track employee information and maintain legal compliance through data analytics, general ledger reports, and automatic W-2 and 1099 forms. It also offers a secure document management center that serves as a centralized location for remote and hybrid employee documents. It supports multiple uploads, in-app signing capabilities, real-time reporting and rule-based restrictions.

Editor's score: 9.0/10

Keeping employees satisfied can be tricky, especially with so many teams working remotely. Paychex Flex can help with this by offering direct deposit and pay cards, employee financial wellness programs, employment and income verification services, and an e-learning management system. One feature that sets Paychex Flex apart from its competition is its mobile capabilities: The free Paychex Flex mobile app is comprehensive, whereas most competitors limit the functionality of their mobile apps. This is great for on-the-go managers, remote employees and teams with flexible working arrangements.

GoCo is our choice as the best HR software for designing custom HR workflows. This easy-to-use software starts at $5 per employee per month for essential hiring and onboarding services, employee self-service functionality, and digital document tools. We like how you can customize the software with a variety of add-on services like benefits administration, payroll processing, and time off and time tracking. With GoCo's Workflow add-on, you can simplify your company's HR processes by automating HR tasks. For example, you can streamline your onboarding process by standardizing new-hire packets, training and orientation, and onboarding checklists. You can also automate offboarding checklists, travel and promotion requests, performance reviews, employee surveys, and equipment requests.

Editor's score: 8.9/10

Automating an HR process with GoCo is as easy as creating a workflow template (e.g., create tasks, collect data, set due dates, customize permissions), collaborating with others (e.g., assigning tasks to others in the organization), and tracking workflows (e.g., viewing HR workflows on one dashboard). If you have questions regarding GoCo or its many features, you can access customer support by phone or email. If you add on the HR Support on Demand feature, you can connect with certified HR professionals by live chat as well.

Namely is comprehensive, full-service HR software that comes with multiple options for businesses between 50 and 1,000 employees. Namely's HR platform includes workforce management services that can be customized for your specific needs. For example, it offers configurable profile fields, custom workflows and approvals, and unlimited roles and permissions. When new employees are hired, Namely helps administer employee benefits and manage payroll. Additionally, we were impressed with how Namely can accurately track time and attendance as well and employee performance. If your organization needs enhanced services, such as managed payroll and employee benefits offerings, Namely offers these services as well.

Editor's score: 8.6/10

Paycor is our choice as the best HR software for analytics. Instead of offering simple standard reports, we like how Paycor provides users with several charts and graphs that can be easily digested. Users can view current workforce trends, like headcount by employment type, as well as projected trends that are predicted based on past workforce data. You can access charts and graphs on benchmarks and demographics, and you can easily compare multiple organizations or locations. We were impressed with how Paycor lists key drivers that may be affecting certain workforce trends, to help you quickly discover ways to improve your organization. With Paycor's performance management metrics, you can easily track and improve employee performance as well.

Editor's score: 9.2/10

The platform, which can cater to businesses of all sizes, best serves nonprofits and companies based in the healthcare, manufacturing, restaurant, retail, professional services and education industries. Since Paycor is full-service human capital management (HCM) software, it offers a variety of features for HR, payroll, benefits administration, talent and workforce management, and employee engagement. The platform comes with an intuitive dashboard, employee self-service features and a mobile app.

Sage Business Cloud serves businesses of all sizes and is our choice as the best HR software for growing organizations. Whether you are running a new startup or managing a busy, midsize business, Sage Business Cloud has accounting, finance, payroll, customer relationship management and HR tools to fit your needs. Regarding HR and people management specifically, Sage has a few different cloud-based and on-premises products for businesses to choose from: Sage HR, Sage HRMS and Sage People. Each product varies in terms of features and pricing, and can be customized to fit your needs. We like that Sage's HR plans are scalable as your business grows.

Editor's score: 8.4/10

Zenefits by TriNet is a comprehensive HR software platform that has all of the features a startup needs to manage their HR needs. Zenefits offers multiple plans and add-on features with monthly and annual contracts. This gives new businesses the flexibility to create a plan that works best for them (and their budget). The lowest plan starts at just $8 per employee per month, which is competitive with other HR solutions on the market. Its modern and intuitive user interface is ideal for companies that want to get started on the platform without the steep learning curve that some other platforms have.

Editor's score: 9.3/10

Zenefits offers comprehensive HR functions to help you manage your growing workforce, whether employees or independent contractors. For example, it offers automated employee onboarding with background check integration, e-signature capabilities, document management services and automated workflows. You have the flexibility to partner with one of Zenefits' brokers to administer employee benefits, or you can use your own. Zenefits can be used to create employee schedules, track employee hours and time off, process payroll, and manage employee performance. Although the specific features you can access will depend on which Zenefits plan and add-ons you select, the platform can be easily scaled to meet the needs of your growing startup.

Bambee is a HR outsourcing solution that is geared toward supplying small businesses (fewer than 500 employees) with custom HR support. After you fill out a brief survey about your organization, Bambee will pair you with an HR manager or director to meet your specific HR needs. This manager then conducts an HR audit on your organization to quickly identify areas where your business can improve to meet current federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Bambee works with you to create custom HR policies and procedures that not only are legally compliant, but also match the needs of your company culture specifically.

Editor's score: 9.2/10

Bambee has other features to help you maintain legal compliance, such as HR process automation, document retention, e-signature capabilities and ongoing HR audits. It can help you onboard, train and terminate employees as well. With features like Bambee Report Cards, you can easily track employee progress against their goals. We like that it also has capabilities to facilitate employee feedback, which can help you identify and navigate problems as soon as they arise. Bambee support is available by phone, email and chat. 

Deluxe is an easy-to-use HR solution that is ideal for businesses working in industries like healthcare, hospitality, government, professional services, retail, insurance and real estate. We were impressed with its numerous online support resources, including articles, blogs, case studies, a resource center, an SMB resource center, a financial institutions resource center and webinars. If you need to speak with a representative, you can contact one 24/7 via phone, email or web chat. Although the platform is relatively simple to learn, Deluxe does offer initial platform training if needed. We like that it offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee so that you can try it out risk free.

Editor's score: 8.9/10