Introduction
Finding the right HR software to manage your growing business operations can be an overwhelming process. While many solutions offer powerful features,their price tags may not always fit within budgets. This is where free or freemium HR platforms come in – they provide core functionality without the cost. In this post, we evaluate 15 of the best free HR software options based on their features, popularity and real user reviews to help you pick the solution that best meets your needs.
Methods of Evaluation
To evaluate and rank these 15 HR solutions, we considered various factors like the breadth of features offered in their free plans, ease of use, integrations with other tools and popularity metrics. In terms of popularity, we looked at metrics like number of backlinks, website traffic and search trends for their keyword phrases to understand their market presence and visibility. We also analyzed real user reviews on sites like G2, Capterra and Trustpilot to understand their usability from an end user perspective. Based on a composite score of all these parameters, the companies were ranked to provide the most feature-rich and popular options currently available for free.
1. LinkedIn Talent Solutions
LinkedIn Talent Solutions, formerly known as LinkedIn Talent Solutions, provides recruiting software and services to help companies hire top talent. Some of the key products offered include job posting, applicant tracking, employee referral solutions, LinkedIn recruitment marketing and LinkedIn Learning courses for employee development.
Pros: Some key advantages of LinkedIn Talent Solutions include:
– Access to the world’s largest professional network with over 930 million users
– Free basic profiles for candidates allows recruiters to search and view profiles at no additional cost
– Robust talent pooling, job posting, and applicant tracking features for efficient recruiting
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free basic version only includes limited job postings and applicant screening functionality. For more advanced features like applicant assessments, recruitment marketing automation, and capabilities for larger organizations, a paid subscription plan would be required.
Pricing: LinkedIn Talent Solutions offers both free and paid subscription plans depending on the features required. The free basic plan includes limited job postings and access to search candidate profiles. Paid plans starting from $199/month offer more advanced applicant tracking, assessments, and recruiting marketing capabilities suited for larger organizations.
Some key stats about LinkedIn Talent Solutions include:
– Over 930 million users on LinkedIn’s professional network platform
– Accounts for over 50% market share of recruiting software
– Serves over 12,000 customers worldwide including many Fortune 500 companies
2. Calendly
Calendly is a leading online appointment scheduling platform that allows users to easily schedule meetings and appointments without back-and-forth emails or phone calls. Founded in 2011, Calendly offers both free and paid plans to suit different use cases and budgets. With over 15 million meeting invites sent per month, Calendly has become the scheduling platform of choice for many businesses and individuals.
Pros: Some of the key advantages of Calendly include:
– Easy scheduling through a custom link or embedded calendar
– Full integrations with calendars and CRM systems like Google and Salesforce
– Automatic scheduling without back-and-forth emails or messages
– Free forever plan available for basic usage
– Customization options like recurring meetings and event types
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free plan only allows for basic usage and has limited features compared to the paid plans. For businesses with high volume usage, a paid plan may be required to unlock more advanced features.
Pricing: Calendly offers the following pricing plans:
– Free Plan: Forever free for basic usage. Allows 1:1 meetings and has limited customization.
– Pro Plan: Starts at $8/host/month for additional features like team scheduling and integrations.
– Business Plan: Starts at $12/host/month and includes priority support, SSO, and admin controls.
Some key stats about Calendly include:
– Over 15 million meeting invites sent per month
– Integrations with over 200+ apps including Google Calendar, Outlook, Zoom, and Salesforce
– Used by over 10,000 companies including IBM, Cisco, Anthropic and many more
– Available in 11 different languages
3. Slack
Slack is a cloud-based set of team collaboration tools and services, founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. Slack’s free basic functionality can serve as effective communication for many users and teams. It allows users to privately message coworkers and share files without email.
Pros: Some key advantages of Slack include: – Intuitive interface that makes it easy for teams to communicate and collaborate. – Powerful search functionality to easily find messages, files and more. – Wide range of integrations enable deeper workflows and processes within apps. – Robust API and developer tools allow for customization and automation.
Cons: The main disadvantage of Slack’s free plan is limited storage and controls. The free tier offers only 10,000 message history but paid plans remove this limitation.
Pricing: Slack offers three paid plan tiers – Standard, Plus and Enterprise Grid. Pricing starts at $8 per user/month (billed annually) for Standard and scales up with additional features for teams.
Some key stats about Slack include: – Used by over 12 million daily active users across businesses, teams and organizations. – Available on desktop and mobile apps for iOS and Android. – Integrates with over 1,500 business apps like Google Docs, Github and Jira. – Free tier offers unlimited messaging for teams of up to 10 users.
4. Asana
Asana is a project management and work tracking tool that allows teams to organize tasks, projects, and workflows. Founded in 2008 and based in San Francisco, Asana serves over 100,000 paying customers as well as many free personal and team accounts. Asana aims to help teams coordinate work, stay organized, and move projects forward.
Pros: Some key advantages of Asana include:
– Intuitive task management and workflow features to keep teams organized and on track.
– Robust reporting and analytics to understand workflow bottlenecks and improve processes.
– Flexible projects, tasks and custom fields to model any type of work.
– Secure storage of files, notes and discussions directly within tasks.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the free version is limited to 15 users per team, so larger free teams may need to upgrade for advanced features and storage.
Pricing: Asana offers the following pricing plans:
– Free plan for teams of up to 15 users.
– Premium plans starting at $9.99/user/month billed annually for access to advanced features and storage for larger teams.
Some key stats about Asana include:
– Used by over 100,000 paying teams globally across various industries like software, marketing, and non-profits.
– Available in over 20 languages to support global teams.
– Integrates with over 100 apps like Slack, Jira, Github via API.
– Free version supports up to 15 users on a team.
5. Doodle
Doodle is a free online meeting scheduling tool that helps organize meetings and events. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Doodle aims to be the easiest and most intuitive solution for coordinating schedules between multiple parties. With over 100 million users in 200 countries, it is one of the most popular online scheduling tools worldwide.
Pros: Some key advantages of using Doodle include:
– Intuitive interface for creating polls
– Integrates with Google Calendar and Outlook calendar
– Allows sharing meeting suggestions via email or social networks
– Offers a free basic version for scheduling and polling
Cons: Potential disadvantages include limited polling and scheduling options with the free basic version.
Pricing: Doodle offers a free basic version for standard meeting scheduling and polling needs. For additional features like increased poll responses, surveys, recurring meetings, and analytics, paid Pro and Business plans start at €9-39/month billed annually.
Some key stats about Doodle include:
– Launched in 2001
– Used by over 100 million users globally
– Available in 42 languages
– Headquarters located in Zurich, Switzerland
6. Monday.com
Monday.com is a visual work management platform that allows teams to plan, track, and organize all their work in one central place. Teams can collaborate in real-time on projects, tasks, files, and custom boards across departments.
Pros: Key advantages of Monday.com include:
– Visual and intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes work management simple
– Real-time collaboration allows teams to work together seamlessly
– Free Basic plan for up to 3 users to get started with no credit card required
Cons: The main disadvantage is that the pricing can become quite expensive for larger teams or those needing additional storage or premium features. The Basic plan limits customization capabilities compared to the paid plans as well.
Pricing: Monday.com offers the following pricing plans:
– Basic plan: Free for up to 3 users
– Premium plan: $8/user per month billed annually
– Business plan: $24/user per month billed annually
– Enterprise plan: Custom pricing
Some key stats about Monday.com include:
– Used by over 150,000+ companies worldwide
– Feature-rich platform that is highly customizable
– Integrates with over 200+ apps like Slack, GitHub, Dropbox, and more
7. iCIMS Talent Platform
iCIMS Talent Platform is a leading recruitment software developed by iCIMS to help organizations attract, engage and hire top talent. Founded in 2000, iCIMS serves over 4,000 customers worldwide, helping them streamline their talent acquisition process.
Pros: Some key advantages of iCIMS Talent Platform include:
– Candidate relationship management capabilities to nurture and engage candidates
– Robust applicant tracking system to manage all recruiting workflows and pipelines
– Skills assessments and benchmarking tools to identify best fitting candidates
– Free 30-day trial available to test the software
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the platform is more suitable for larger enterprises and may have more features than needed for some smaller organizations.
Pricing: iCIMS Talent Platform pricing starts at $5,000 per month based on number of hiring managers, requisitions and applications. Custom pricing is available based on business needs and functionality required.
Some key stats about iCIMS Talent Platform include:
– Serves over 4,000 customers worldwide across all industries
– Processes over 250 million applications annually
– Helps companies fill over 1.5 million jobs each year
8. Workable
Workable is a leading recruiting software and applicant tracking system. Founded in 2008, Workable helps over 3,000 customers worldwide streamline their hiring processes. The Workable platform allows users to post jobs, track applicants, and collaborate on hiring decisions.
Pros: Some key advantages of Workable include:
– Full-featured ATS with applicant tracking, analytics, and onboarding tools
– Intuitive dashboard and interface makes it easy for recruiters to use
– Integrates with other key tools like LinkedIn, Greenhouse, and Indeed
– Allows unlimited users on the Basic plan
– Robust reporting and analytics to measure hiring funnel performance
Cons: The potential downside is that the Basic plan only allows a few open jobs at once. For larger recruiting volumes, a paid plan would be needed.
Pricing: Workable offers a freemium Basic plan as well as paid Professional and Enterprise plans. The free Basic plan supports up to 3 open jobs and has limited features. Paid plans start at $99/month and offer more job postings and advanced features.
Some key stats about Workable include:
– Over 3,000 customers worldwide
– Processes over 10 million applications each year
– Has over 80 employees
– Named a leader in recruiting software by G2Crowd for 8 consecutive quarters
9. Xero
Xero is an online accounting software that helps small businesses and accountants manage their financials. Since launching in 2006, they have grown to support over 2.7 million subscribers globally. The platform aims to simplify daily bookkeeping tasks and provide real-time business insights.
Pros: Some of the key advantages of Xero accounting software include:
– Robust accounting software for end-to-end financial management
– Payroll features to process payroll for employees in countries like the US and UK
– Intuitive dashboard to track cashflow, sales and expenses
– Easy to use interface suitable for both accountants and non-finance users
– Free 30 day trial available to try the software with no obligations
Cons: One potential disadvantage is the pricing – while the starter plan is affordable, scaling to more users and features becomes more expensive compared to some other options.
Pricing: Xero offers various paid plans starting from a Starter plan for $9 per month (billed annually) suitable for freelancers and small sole traders up to higher-tier ‘Enterprise’ plans for larger businesses with additional features like advanced reporting, purchase order approval workflows etc.
Some key stats about Xero include:
– Over 2.7 million subscribers worldwide
– Supports accounting in over 180 countries
– Integrates with over 700 third party applications
– Processes over $1 trillion in payments annually
10. BambooHR
BambooHR is cloud-based HR software developed by Bamboo HR. Founded in 2008, BambooHR aims to simplify HR processes with powerful yet easy-to-use software. With BambooHR, organizations of all sizes can manage the entire employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding in one centralized system.
Pros: Some key advantages of BambooHR include: Wide range of HR tools in one centralized system. Intuitive interface that is easy for both employees and HR staff to use. Flexible workflows and approvals customizable to each organization’s needs. Mobile app for iOS and Android allows accessing HR functions on the go. 24/7 phone and email support included with all paid plans.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that BambooHR may have more features than needed for some very small organizations. The basic plan pricing may also be higher than competing basic offerings for companies with fewer than 50 employees.
Pricing: BambooHR has the following paid plan options: Standard ($6/employee/month) – ideal for most small-to-mid sized companies. Premium ($9/employee/month) – Adds advanced features like customized reports and assessments. Enterprise (custom pricing) – For very large enterprises with additional customization needs.
Some key stats about BambooHR include: Used by over 20,000 organizations worldwide. Supports an unlimited number of employees. Provides core HR functions like payroll, time-off tracking, and benefits administration. Trusted by high-growth startups and enterprises alike such as Anthropic, ClearVoice, and Pluralsight.
11. Greenhouse
Greenhouse is an applicant tracking and hiring software that helps organizations hire top talent. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York, Greenhouse provides recruiting software solutions to help companies attract, interview, and hire the best candidates.
Pros: Key advantages of Greenhouse include:
– Applicant tracking and screening tools to source, evaluate, and shortlist candidates
– Advanced interview scheduling and feedback features to streamline the interview process
– Analytics and reporting dashboards to optimize hiring effectiveness over time
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the full suite of features is only available with a paid subscription. The free tier offers basic applicant tracking functionality only.
Pricing: Greenhouse offers a freemium pricing model. The basic free plan provides applicant tracking for up to 50 applicants. Paid subscriptions start at $99/month for additional features and support.
Some key stats about Greenhouse include:
– Used by over 5,000 companies worldwide including HubSpot, Lyft, and Vimeo
– Screens over 30 million applicants annually
– Average time to hire is reduced by 26 days when using Greenhouse
12. SmartRecruiters
SmartRecruiters is an all-in-one talent acquisition suite designed to attract, recruit, and hire top talent. Founded in 2010, SmartRecruiters has helped over 10,000 companies and organizations globally to streamline their hiring processes and find the best candidates.
Pros: Some key advantages of SmartRecruiters include:
– End-to-end talent acquisition platform with ATS, interviewing, assessments, and onboarding capabilities
– Advanced candidate matching and relationship building tools
– Seamless integrations with other HR systems
– Mobile-optimized for on-the-go recruiting
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that SmartRecruiters is missing some advanced capabilities found in niche recruiting platforms. It aims to provide core recruiting functions across the board rather than hyper-focusing on a single area like assessments or sourcing.
Pricing: SmartRecruiters offers a free 30-day trial. After the trial, pricing starts at $99/month for the basic plan for up to 5 users. Premium plans with additional features are priced based on team size and functionality required.
Some key stats about SmartRecruiters include:
– Over 10,000 customers worldwide including Fortune 500 companies
– Processes over 5 million applications per year
– Integrates with 160+ other systems like LinkedIn, Workday, etc.
13. Toggl
Toggl is a popular time tracking and project management software. It allows individuals and teams to track time spent on various projects, tasks and clients. Founded in 2012, it is based in Estonia and has over 1 million users. Users can easily track time using its simple and intuitive web and mobile interfaces.
Pros: Some key advantages of Toggl include:
– Simple and intuitive time tracking interface
– Project and task based timers
– Detailed reports on time spent
– Unlimited projects and tasks for free tier
– Integrates with popular project management tools
Cons: The main disadvantages of the free tier of Toggl include:
– Limited to only 1 client without paid plans
– Some advanced reporting features only available in paid tiers
Pricing: Toggl offers the following pricing plans:
– Free Plan: Supports up to 10 users forever without clients
– Premium Plan: $9/user/month – Removes client limit and adds more features
– Business Plan: $24/user/month – Adds custom reports, admin controls and other enterprise features
Some key stats about Toggl include:
– Used by over 1 million users worldwide
– Available on all major platforms including web, iOS, Android
– Supports up to 10 users for free forever
– Integrates with over 100 apps including Github, Trello, Asana etc.
14. Wave
Wave is an free and easy to use small business accounting software that offers payroll, invoicing, expenses and more. It helps small businesses simplify their finances and save time with automated workflows.
Pros: Some of the key advantages of Wave include:
– Intuitive and easy to use dashboard
– All accounting functions like invoicing, receipts, payroll in one place
– User-friendly mobile app for on-the-go access
– Free customer support via phone, email and online community
– Integrations save time by avoiding duplicate data entry
Cons: Though a very capable free accounting software, some potential disadvantages of Wave could be:
– paid subscription required for more than 3 employees
– more limited reporting compared to paid alternatives
– no time tracking functionality in free plan
Pricing: Wave offers the following pricing plans:
– Free plan forever – supports up to 3 employees
– Premium plan – $30/month billed annually, removes employee limits and adds more features
Some key stats about Wave include:
– Used by over 5 million businesses worldwide
– Free forever plan supports up to 3 employees
– Integrates with over 200 apps including QuickBooks, Xero and Shopify
– Provides credit card processing through Wave Payments
15. Podio
Citrix Podio is a leading HR and collaboration software that allows teams to manage projects, share files, and communicate effectively. Podio provides workspaces where teams can organize their tasks, files, and conversations in one central place.
Pros: Some key advantages of Podio include:
– Project management workspaces allow teams to track progress and assign tasks
– Document sharing and collaboration features let teams store and access files in one central place
– Basic use is free for teams with 3 users or less, making it affordable for small businesses
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that upgrading to premium paid plans may be needed to unlock more advanced features for larger teams.
Pricing: Podio offers the following pricing plans:
– Free plan for up to 3 users
– Plus plan starting at $8/user per month
– Pro plan starting at $16/user per month
– Enterprise custom plans for large organizations
Some key stats about Podio include:
– Used by over 40,000 companies worldwide
– Available in 11 different languages
– Over 250 app templates for customizing workspaces
Conclusion
In summary, there are many robust free HR solutions available that offer powerful features for recruiting, talent management, time-tracking and more. By evaluating platforms based on functionality, ease of use and popularity metrics, hopefully this post provides useful guidance to find the ideal free option for your unique business needs. Do your own research as well to pick the software that is the perfect cultural and operational fit for your growing organization.