HR software: prices, scores and what to buy
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Human resources software costs $250 a month flat for up to 25 employees on BambooHR Core (payroll extra) or $180 plus $22 per person on Gusto Premium (payroll included), and a PEO such as Justworks runs $79 to $124 per employee, according to vendor pricing pages checked October 16, 2026. Rippling, Paycor and Paylocity publish no prices at all.
Below: every HR software page on this site, six systems ranked by our HR score, what each costs for 5, 10 and 25 employees, and the add-ons that raise the bill.
HR software (human resources software) is a system that keeps employee records and runs HR tasks such as onboarding, time off, performance reviews and compliance paperwork, often together with payroll.
Our picks at a glance ranked by published score out of 100
- 1GustoSmall businesses that want payroll first with HR tools in higher plans$49 + $6/person61See pricing
- 2JustworksSmall companies that want HR tools and benefits through a PEO$50 + $8/person59See pricing
- 3BambooHRCompanies that want an HR system first and payroll secondFrom $10/person54See pricing
On this page
HR software guides and price pages
Start with the page that matches what you are buying. If you only need payroll with a few HR tools, the HR and payroll software rankings cover that case in more depth.
- BambooHR pricingCore, Pro and Elite prices, the flat small-team rate, and what payroll adds.
- HR software for small businessSix HR systems ranked by score, with the monthly bill for 5, 10 and 25 people.
- Onboarding softwareOnboarding tools inside HR systems, scored, with the cost per new hire and the paperwork rules.
- HCM softwareWhat a human capital management suite includes, what it costs and how to compare quotes.
- HRIS softwareHRIS vs HRMS explained, posted prices, and whether to buy HR and payroll in one system.
HRIS, HCM and HRMS in one minute
- HRIS (human resources information system): the record-keeping core. Employee files, self-service, time off, onboarding and reports. See HRIS software prices and picks.
- HCM (human capital management): an HRIS plus payroll, time, recruiting, performance and workforce planning in one suite, usually sold by quote. See what HCM software costs.
- HRMS (human resources management system): vendors use it for either of the above. Ask which modules are in the price.
These are industry terms, not legal ones. Two products with the same label can include very different modules, so compare the module list and the price, not the acronym.
Quick picks, ranked by HR score
| Provider | HR score | Published price (Oct 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto | 61 | $49 + $6 to $180 + $22 per person a month | Payroll first, HR tools in higher plans |
| Justworks | 59 | Payroll $50 + $8; PEO Basic $79 and PEO Plus $124 per employee | HR tools and benefits through a PEO at a posted price |
| BambooHR | 54 | $250, $425 or $650 flat (25 or fewer); $10, $17 or $25 per employee above that | An HR system first, payroll second |
| Rippling | 30 | Quote only; FAQ says from $8 per employee plus a base fee | HR, IT and devices in one system |
| Paycor | 23 | Quote only | A sales-led suite with implementation help |
| Paylocity | 23 | Quote only (third-party estimate $18 to $22 per employee for core payroll and HR) | Midsize companies that want employee self-service |
Scores: HRPricing HR scores, updated Oct 17, 2026. Prices: vendor pricing pages checked Oct 16, 2026; Paylocity estimate from OutSail, Jul 24, 2026.
Scores come from published prices, documented features, payroll and complaint records, using our scoring method. We did not test these products.
Gusto
All three plans are priced. HR and compliance tools sit in Premium at $180 plus $22 per person, so a 10-person team pays $400 a month. Tax filing errors are the most common complaint on Trustpilot (1.9 from 2,535 reviews, seen Oct 16, 2026). Full breakdown: Gusto plans and fees.
How the score adds up
- Price transparency30/30
- Core HR9/30
- Payroll included20/20
- Complaints record2/20
Justworks
PEO Basic at $79 per employee includes compliance and HR tools; PEO Plus at $124 adds benefits administration. Support that answers but does not resolve is the top complaint. Details in the Justworks review.
How the score adds up
- Price transparency30/30
- Core HR9/30
- Payroll included20/20
- Complaints record0/20
BambooHR
Records, onboarding and performance tools are documented. Teams of 25 or fewer pay a flat $250, $425 or $650 a month, and the payroll add-on has no published price. See BambooHR pricing in detail.
How the score adds up
- Price transparency20/30
- Core HR18/30
- Payroll included10/20
- Complaints record6/20
What HR software costs for 5, 10 and 25 employees
| Option | Published price | 5 people | 10 people | 25 people | What the figure covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gusto Plus | $80 + $12 per person | $140 | $200 | $380 | Payroll included; time tracking, multi-state |
| Gusto Premium | $180 + $22 per person | $290 | $400 | $730 | Payroll included; HR and compliance tools |
| Justworks PEO Basic | $79 per employee | $395 | $790 | $1,975 | Payroll and HR tools; workers' comp and premiums extra |
| Justworks PEO Plus | $124 per employee | $620 | $1,240 | $3,100 | Adds benefits administration |
| BambooHR Core | $250 flat for 25 or fewer | $250 | $250 | $250 | No payroll; payroll add-on price not published |
| BambooHR Pro | $425 flat for 25 or fewer | $425 | $425 | $425 | No payroll in this figure |
| BambooHR Elite | $650 flat for 25 or fewer | $650 | $650 | $650 | No payroll in this figure |
| Rippling | From $8 per employee + base fee | $40 + base | $80 + base | $200 + base | Floor only; base fee not stated |
| Paylocity (estimate) | $18 to $22 per employee | $90 to $110 | $180 to $220 | $450 to $550 | OutSail mid-market estimate, Jul 2026 |
| Paycor | Quote only | n/a | n/a | n/a | Formerly $99 + $5 (Fit Small Business, May 2026) |
| OnPay payroll + HR add-on (not scored) | $49 + $6, plus $15 + $2 per worker | $104 | $144 | $264 | Budget route if payroll comes first |
| Patriot Full Service + HR add-on (not scored) | $37 + $5, plus $6 + $2 per employee | $78 | $113 | $218 | Lowest published HR add-on |
Math: base + (per-person fee x headcount), or per-employee fee x headcount. Example: Gusto Premium at 10 people = $180 + 10 x $22 = $400; OnPay at 10 = $49 + 10 x $6 + $15 + 10 x $2 = $144. Sources: Gusto, Justworks, BambooHR, Rippling, Paycor, OnPay and Patriot pricing pages, checked Oct 2026 (Oct 16, 2026); Paylocity estimate from OutSail (Jul 24, 2026), a third party, not a Paylocity price.
Two things change the ranking on cost. First, BambooHR's figure has no payroll in it, while Gusto's and Justworks' do. Second, a PEO price buys more than software: Justworks becomes a co-employer and gives you access to its benefits, which is why it costs several times more. Compare the two models in PEO vs payroll software and the full payroll cost breakdown.
Fees that are not in the headline price
- BambooHR payroll: sold as an add-on with no published price. A promotion makes payroll $0 through December 31, 2026, but only on a 12-month agreement, and it excludes implementation and multi-state fees.
- Gusto: remote Form I-9 verification is $20 per submission on Simple, Business Compliance is $85 per state per month on a 12-month commitment (included in Premium), and Priority Support is $30 a month plus $3 per person.
- Justworks: time tracking is $8 per employee, Dedicated HR Consulting is $30 per employee, and workers' compensation is required for the PEO. Health premiums are not part of the $79 or $124 fee.
- Rippling: the $8 per employee floor comes with a base fee the pricing page does not state, and each module adds cost. Capterra reviewers call the modular price hard to budget (Sep 2025 to Aug 2026).
- Paylocity: OutSail estimates implementation at 10% to 20% of first-year spend (Jul 24, 2026, third-party).
- Paycor: advertises 50% off for the first 6 months but shows no base price, so you cannot check the discount until you get a quote.
Do you need separate HR software yet?
Many small businesses do not. If you already run payroll, the cheapest HR route is usually the payroll vendor's HR add-on. Patriot sells an HR add-on at $6 a month plus $2 per employee and OnPay at $15 plus $2 per worker (pricing pages checked Oct 16, 2026). For 10 people that is $26 or $35 a month on top of payroll, against $250 for BambooHR Core.
A standalone HRIS starts to pay off when you have managers who approve time off, regular performance reviews, or onboarding for several hires a month. Our small business HR software rankings show where each tool fits by team size, and onboarding software options covers the hiring paperwork.
If you would rather hand HR to someone else entirely, a PEO or an HR outsourcing firm is the other route. Compare PEO providers by score and HR outsourcing options.
Quote-only HR suites
Rippling, Paycor and Paylocity sell by quote, so the only way to compare them is to get written quotes for the same headcount and the same modules. Ask each one for the base fee, the per-employee fee per module, implementation fees, the contract length and what happens at renewal. The vendor pages: Rippling pricing, Paycor review and Paylocity review. For a head-to-head, see Rippling vs BambooHR and Paycor vs Paylocity.
Hiring tools that sit next to HR software
Background checks are bought separately from most HR systems. Checkr and GoodHire both publish packages at $29.99, $59.99 and $94.99 per report (checked Oct 16, 2026). Start with the employment background check guide, then compare background check services or read Checkr pricing and add-on fees. For the full paperwork list when you hire, see hiring your first employee and how to set up payroll.
Frequently asked questions
How much does HR software cost for a small business?
What is the difference between HRIS, HCM and HRMS?
What is the best HR software for a small business?
Does BambooHR include payroll?
Is there free HR software?
Which HR software vendors do not publish prices?
Sources (14)
- Gusto: Gusto pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Justworks: Justworks pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- BambooHR: BambooHR pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Rippling: Rippling pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Paycor: Paycor pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Paylocity: Paylocity pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- OutSail: How much does Paylocity cost in 2026 (Jul 24, 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- OnPay: OnPay pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Patriot Software: Patriot payroll pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Homebase: Homebase pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Capterra: Rippling reviews, page 6 (Sep 2025 to Aug 2026) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Gusto reviews (1.9 from 2,535 reviews) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Checkr: Checkr pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- GoodHire: GoodHire pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
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