Finding the right person for the right job is the difference between successful and unsuccessful businesses. As this is largely dependent on the HR department, finding the HR tools can also make a difference.
To find these perfect candidates who are in line with the company goals and vision, business owners have an HR department. HR responsibilities are very difficult to carry out manually.
Hence, in this blog, we will talk about different HR tools and software that will help your organization with payroll, scheduling, employee communication, etc. As well as understand the need for these tools and software along with their price points, to help you choose the best tools and software for your HR needs.
Why Do You Need HR Tools Or Software?
When we talk about HR, especially in India we think of them as people who draw rangolis during company events or people who organize social gatherings for all employees. In reality, the HR department is the backbone of any successful organization.
They have a wide variety of responsibilities. The company’s human resources department overlooked initiating the recruitment process for employee onboarding. Even after the onboarding the HR department still has responsibilities like evaluating employee performance, providing employee benefits, employee satisfaction and so much more.
A company’s human resources department is the like between the company and its employees, and the true backbone of a successful organization. Companies like Coca-Cola co, Deloitte, Nike, etc are praised for their HR practices.
Hiring a big team of human resources professionals can be very overwhelming for startups and small companies. To make Human resources management easy and convenient a lot of software & tools have a free trial period or a free version with limited features, before using any of the tools and software make sure you are aware of the pricing chart.
Alongside leveraging tools to manage HR tasks efficiently, professionals can also benefit from upskilling through CIPD courses, which focus on developing strategic HR capabilities.
In this blog, we will talk about software, and tools available online including their pricing as well as answer the question. Who needs HR tools and software?
Who Needs HR Tools Or Software?
A small company can manage its HR needs like talent management, employee satisfaction, leave records, performance reviews, etc on its own, but as the organization gets bigger all these tasks feel overwhelming, time-consuming, and tedious.
As the company grows its human capital also becomes very crucial for its holistic growth and market sustenance. To have organized growth, An organization should consider getting HR software.
Apps for employee time tracking, leave application approval, employee attendance and employee performance evaluation will not only help you in hiring new candidates but also with productivity.
The software or tools will not only help you in hiring new candidates but also with time tracking, leave application approval, employee attendance, employee performance evaluation and so much more.
If you are a business owner who is looking for automated tools to hire qualified candidates or if you are a business owner who wants a smooth, hassle-free human resources management tool that allows your employees an easy way to manage their work and time this blog is for you.
What To Look For In HR Tools And Software?
Now we know who needs HR tools or software, let’s understand what features an HR software or tool has.
Different software provides different features but a few basic features like employee profiles, leave requests, timesheets, and employee payroll management are sufficient for a small business or a startup.
7 HR tools and software for startups and small businesses.
1. BambooHR
BambooHR is a very famous HR software. this software is suitable, for small businesses or startups. BambooHR has features like people’s data analytics, hiring, onboarding, and even compensation.
This software will help you with making and managing the workflow. It notifies you about work status, they also have a feature in which you can update approvals. Making sure all the team members are on the same page.
BambooHR also helps with hiring qualified candidates and managing onboarding and compensations that employees qualify for.
The software also has a mobile app, which employees can access from anywhere, making tasks like leave applications and approval easy and convenient.
BambooHR is easy to use and very convenient, and the user interface is also very stylish and modern, which is fun to interact with.
The software has customizable plans; they do not offer a free version of their software. They offer two kinds of plans, essential and advanced.
In the essential plan, you can access key features like employee records, standard reporting, time-off management, mobile app, etc.
The only problem with bambooHR is their payroll systems which are customized for USA-based employees, so make sure you also look into BambooHR alternatives. Apart from that bambooHR is great for small businesses and startups. You can buy the subscription for $50 to $500.
2. Zoho Recruit & Zoho People
Zoho also has an HR tool called Zoho Recruit and Zoho People. Both these tools are integrated. Zoho Recruit helps to convert job candidates into company employees and Zoho people take care of their HR needs.
Zoho recruiters have an amazing feature where you can categorize your temporary employees as contractors which will limit their access to Zoho people.
Zoho People is also integrated with other software like QuickBooks, Zapier, Adobsing, G-suits, and other Zoho services.
Some key features of Zoho people include leave management, analytics and reposting, 360-degree feedback, performance management, timesheets, expense management, payroll management, shift management, mobile support, etc.
Zoho people do not have any free versions of this software, but the cost of using this software is very cheap, 850? per month to access all its features.
For a small company or a start-up that has a small or medium-sized team, Zoho Recruits, and People will be the perfect solution, tho if you are some other software for recruitment instate of Zoho Recruit, integration might be difficult.
Zoho People – HR Tools
Zoho Recruit
3. Freshteam
HR tools like this provide very systematic hiring features. from candidate sourcing, resume scanning, and even applicant tracking this software will make your hiring process very efficient.
This is one of the best HR tools for organizations that want to use HR tools for the very first time and also have smaller teams. The software will provide for your specific needs as well as create a smooth and efficient work culture while being extremely accessible through an all-in-one mobile app, giving your employee mobility.
This software has a lot of amazing features but a few key features are talent pool management, offer management, customized time off policies, accessible employee directory, etc.
Freshteam offers a free version for up to 50 employees. in this free version, you can access key features like 3 active job postings, customizable hiring workflow, candidate pipeline visualization, a basic career site, employee referrals, and team collaborations.
Freshteam is an easy software to use that has a ton of useful features, but they are going through some modifications currently, hence not accepting new sign-ins. If you are interested in getting this software, please check their website.
4. Deputy
Deputy is the best HR tool for startups and small businesses. It is perfect for industries with shift-based scheduling like retail, hospitality, call center, entertainment and healthcare.
It features all the necessary tools for HR like time tracking, payroll, employee onboarding, and even checking how your team is feeling at work.
One of the best parts is the mobile app that Deputy offers. Managers can schedule shifts, employees can clock in and out, apply for leave, and everything can be handled via the app.
Making the lives of HR managers and employees very convenient, especially when they are always on the move and spread across locations.
Recently, Deputy also launched Shift Pulse+. A feature that lets you check in with your team by sending short mood surveys after shifts. This is to help business owners stay in touch with team morale and take proactive actions to improve it.
Furthermore, the ability to connect with your other tools like Xero, Gusto, QuickBooks, and more makes Deputy as a perfect SaaS HR software. So even if you’re already using payroll or accounting software, you can integrate Deputy right into your system.
To get started, Deputy offers a 31-day free trial. Their paid plans are affordable and flexible, depending on how many team members you have. You only pay for what you use, which is perfect for startups and small teams.
If you’re a small business or a startup with part-time or shift workers, Deputy can help you run things smoothly.
5. Organice
OrgaNice presents an AI-powered HR management solution tailored for Slack-first teams. Enhance your workplace culture with a focus on active listening, ensuring your Slack-based teams stay organized, recognized, synchronized, and engaged.
Top Features:
- Build your org chart with AI based on Slack data.
- Celebrate birthdays and anniversaries in your Slack workspace.
- Manage time offs and vacations without leaving Slack.
- Kickstart a culture of recognition in your Slack workspace.
- Make employee feedback your superpower – right in Slack.
Pricing:
- Free Plan Available < 36 members in Slack workspace
- Professional Plan : $1.25. Billed monthly per employee
- Enterprise Plan : Contact to Sales
6. Homebase – HR Tools
Homebase is a USA-based HR software that is simple and effective. They don’t have advanced features but the features they provide are suitable for small and medium-scale businesses.
Homebase is best suited for companies that are in hospitality, retail, or any other service-providing business. They have an in-depth and systematic scheduling feature that automatically sends the week’s work schedule to all the employees through emails, texts, and app notifications. If any changes in the schedule also get updated make sure all the employees are in the loop.
Homebased also offers features like job post tracking, scheduling beyond 10 days, etc. which are very useful for the service industry.
The basic version of the software is free, just that it’s free for only one location. If you have more, than one location you need to get a subscription which is for $20 minimum. The free version has all the basic features like timesheets & time clocks, schedules & availability, messaging, and hiring. An unlimited amount of employees can assess all these features.
7. OrangeHRM – HR Tools
OrangeHRM is software for companies that are looking for all-rounder growth for their organization, they have features like custom review questions and goal tracking where you can set custom goals. more the 100 different countries’ companies use this software as their HR solution.
Orange has advanced features like Individual development plans (IDP), online training, employee evaluation, a detailed employee database, a disciplinary tracking to make sure employees are acting according to the company cord of conduct. They also have a feature where you can create a social media network for your company like Instagram, where people post about their work development.
This is a software solution that is all-rounder and holistic, but this is very advanced software for a startup. If you are an organization, looking for all-rounder software try this software.
The software has a free trial period available but after the end of the trial period, the pricing varies for different plans, understand the pricing chart from their sales personnel.
8. Keka HR Tools & Software
Keka is an HR software best suited for organizations that provide blue-collar services like plumbing, carpeting, etc. The software has features like project management, GPS tracking, time tracking, etc.
They also provide special discounts for blue-collar organizations, making the software more convenient for blue-collar organizations.
For more holistic growth of your organization, Kaka offers pulse surveys, which will allow your employees to give honest and anonymous feedback. which then can be used to make an organization better and more smooth functioning.
Keka offers a free trial period for all their plans for you to get a hang of the software. The cost of their foundation plan (after the free trial ) is ₹6,999 for up to 100 employees and ₹60 per additional employee.
In the foundation plan, they offer features like interactive employee profiles, payroll automation, overtime automation, benefits tracking, etc.
9. Zenefits
Zenefits is HR software based out of the USA. The software has multiple features that are very beneficial for all kinds of organizations across the charts.
The main key feature of HR tools like such is that they provide a free payroll tool for a year on the purchase of the software subscription. If you are looking for software with free payroll integration this software is the right choice for your organization.
Another key feature of the software is that also provides health and other benefits for your employees.
The basic plan called the “essentials” plan costs $8 per month per employee. This plan includes features like time tracking, scheduling, mobile apps, etc.
Getting full-fledged HR software is overwhelming for a lot of startups. If you are not looking for HR software, but just want payroll software following are 3 payroll software for you.
10. factoHR
factoHR is an innovative HR software solution designed to streamline and optimize HR processes for businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise, FactoHR caters to your unique HR needs with its comprehensive features.
With a user-friendly interface, FactoHR simplifies tasks such as attendance tracking, payroll management, leave management, and employee self-service. The software’s scalability ensures that it grows alongside your organization, adapting to the changing dynamics of your workforce.
To enhance employee engagement and satisfaction, FactoHR incorporates surveys and feedback mechanisms. By collecting anonymous input from your workforce, you can identify areas for improvement and create a more positive work environment.
Invest in FactoHR to revolutionize your HR management and pave the way for efficient and growth-oriented organizational processes and organization charts with the right people.
3 Payroll software
Payroll software is a tool used by companies that want to automate the management of employee leaves, Salary calculations, payroll tracking, Compliance, Taxes, and the provision and distribution of payroll slips.
Some of the best payroll software have been listed below.
1.GreytHR
GreytHR is one of the oldest payroll and HR tools, and many companies use this payroll software. The software is easy to use and the interface is easy and quick.
This software lets you maintain employee attendance, and HR tools like this also let you customize your leave policies.
There is no free version of the software for the beginner plan. 4124 per month for a team of 50 employees.
2. Razorpay payroll
The famous payment gateway Razorpay has a payroll tool, which is easy and convenient, as it helps you credit salaries directly in your employees’ accounts without any other payment gateway.
The tool lets you set compliances like TDS, PF, PT, and ESIC on auto-pay, hence you do not have to worry about them each month.
Another interesting feature of this payroll software is the Insurance feature. Where you can update your employee insurance for pre-existing conditions, dependency even maternity.
The cost for a 1-month subscription is ₹1500. this might vary according to your employee number.
3. Zoho Payroll – HR Tools
Just like Zoho recruiters and Zoho people, Zoho also has a payroll tool called the Zoho payroll. The HR tools are designed for Indian and USA markets. If you are an organization that has offices both in India and the USA this is one of the best payroll software in India.
The tool automates your salary payments as well as takes care of compliances like PF, PT, ESI, LWF, and IT so you do not have to worry about them.
You can use the software for free for one location for up to 10 employees, if you have more than 10 employees you need to get a subscription. which will cost $60 per month for 25 locations.
If you’re looking for a more detailed list, consider exploring a guide on payroll software.
Bonus: ProfitBooks = Payroll + Accounting Software
Payroll is an important feature of HR tools and software that is beneficial for a startup or small business.
At ProfitBooks, we provide you with a payroll tool as well as take care of your accounting needs so that you can focus on more important business needs.
ProfitBooks provides features like Inventory management, invoicing, payroll, etc. The software is easy to use even if you don’t have experience in accounting.
The most important feature of ProfitBooks is that it’s free for a lifetime. Find out how ProfitBooks can help you with your accounting needs! Create your account for free today.






















