Best HRIS Systems in 2026

Gusto is a cloud-based HR, payroll, and benefits platform for SMBs. It started out as a payroll company but has expanded its offerings to include time tracking, performance reviews, global contractor payments, and employer of record (EOR) services to help you hire and pay international employees. 

As a payroll platform, it automatically calculates wages, deductions, and taxes. It ensures payroll compliance by handling tax remittances and filings at all levels (federal, state, and local). It also keeps track of changing labor laws and tax regulations, so you’re always up to date. With built-in time tracking and time off management tools, you don’t have to input attendance data manually—Gusto will capture the actual work hours for pay processing. 

As an HRIS, it stores employee information and documents in a centralized database. It creates an online org chart and company directory based on your employee data. You can also build custom onboarding checklists, add the documents that new hires need to electronically sign or complete, and assign tasks to streamline the onboarding process. You can set due dates for tasks, and its HR automation tools will send reminders so you don’t have to. However, unlike the other HRIS systems on my list, you need Plus or Premium to access Gusto’s coworker directory and custom onboarding tasks.

Software provisioning and de-provisioning

Gusto, Deel, and Rippling are the only HRIS platforms on my list that can create, manage, and remove your employees’ access to commonly used business software, such as Slack and Zoom. The only difference is that Rippling has a wider network of partner systems—more than 600; whereas Gusto and Deel only connect with over 150 and 110 apps, respectively. 

However, Gusto offers these functionalities in its basic plan. With Rippling and Deel, you have to purchase its IT modules to manage business app access. Gusto also makes it easy to remember to set up new hire software accounts because its standard onboarding template includes a reminder for this.

Onboarding checklists

I like how Gusto designed its onboarding checklist. It is segregated into three parts: Before Day 1, On Day 1, and After Day 1. This allows you to create an onboarding strategy with tasks that cover pre-boarding requirements, the first week or month orientation schedule, and planned 30-, 60-, or 90-day check-ins with new employees to get feedback and see how they’re doing.

While the standard template contains basic tasks, you can easily input your own. Plus, Gusto automatically adds the payroll and compliance tasks your new hires need to complete and submit, such as the I-9 and W-4 forms. This saves you time from manually including these requirements in your onboarding checklist and ensures that you don’t miss important new hire forms.

BambooHR may have a similar template, but it’s arranged by tasks and the departments responsible, such as HR and IT. While Rippling has an onboarding checklist you can download for free, it isn’t customizable. Although Rippling lets you build custom tasks to delegate assignments and custom reports to track who completed the onboarding, you have to go to separate modules. With Gusto, you can create tasks, assign the person responsible, and set deadlines, all within its onboarding checklist tool.

Simple pay runs

With Gusto, you can process employee payments with just a few clicks. If you don’t expect any changes to specific pay schedules like monthly payouts, you can set payroll to run automatically. It also has a customizable payroll spreadsheet, allowing you to filter and move columns so you can see the pay data you want.

In addition to US contractor payments, it also supports payouts for global contract workers in more than 120 countries. It can even pay international employees through its EOR service. EOR services are available in countries supported by Remote. New customers are referred directly to Remote for onboarding, payroll, and support.

Gusto’s pricing starts at $49 monthly plus $6 per employee per month (PEPM). You can choose between three tiers: Simple, Plus, and Premium. It also offers a contractor-only payroll plan for $35 per month plus $6 per contractor per month*. 

Gusto plans

Gusto contractor-only plan

• Monthly fee: $35 plus $6 per contractor.
• Includes unlimited US contractor payments, four-day direct deposits, 1099-NECs at the end of the year, and new hire reporting, if required in your state. 

Add-ons

For all plans

• International contractor payments: Price varies by foreign exchange rate.
• State tax registration: Prices vary by state.
• R&D tax credits: Pay 15% of identified tax credits.
• Gusto Global: $699 PEPM.
• Health insurance broker integration: $6 per month per eligible employee.
• 401(k) retirement savings: Price varies by 401(k) integration.
• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): $2.50 per month per participant.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): $4 per month per participant, with a $20 per month minimum.
• Dependent care FSAs: $4 per month per participant, with a $20 per month minimum.
• Commuter benefits: $4 per month per participant, with a $20 per month minimum.
• Workers’ compensation: Price of premiums only.
• Life and disability insurance: Price of premiums only.
• Instant pay: $100 per payroll; instant employee payouts.
• Same-day pay: $90 per payroll; employee payouts within hours.
• Gusto Money Plus: $19 per month; includes tools for managing business funds.

For the Simple plan only (included in the Plus and Premium tiers)

• Next-day direct deposit: $15/mo. + $3 PEPM.
• Time & Attendance Plus: $6 PEPM.
• Performance reviews: $3 PEPM.

For Simple and Plus plans (included in the Premium tier)

• Priority support: $30/mo. + $3 PEPM
• HR Resources**: Not available for new purchases

*For new clients, Gusto waives the $35 monthly base fee for the first six months. This could change anytime, so please explore its website for the latest deals.

**Gusto says the HR Resources add-on is no longer available for new purchases as of September 15, 2026

BambooHR’s intuitive interface makes it one of the easiest HRIS for first-timers to learn. Its mobile app gives employees and admins access to common HR tasks such as viewing employee information, requesting time off, and clocking in or out when Time Tracking is enabled. This is great if you or your HR team travel between multiple locations and need a way to complete HR processes on the go. I particularly like how employees can request time off directly from the app’s homepage, which immediately notifies their manager.

BambooHR also has pre-configured approval workflows, reports, and permission sets. Besides speeding up the implementation process, these functionalities help standardize and streamline time-off approvals and other company policies. This means less hassle if you’re a small business without clearly defined processes. 

Compared to Gusto, which has payroll as its core platform, BambooHR’s main software is HR. Its starter plan, Core, includes document retention tools, time-off management, onboarding, and access to standard pre-built reports and analytics. Core includes BambooHR’s applicant tracking system for up to five open jobs, with higher limits on Pro and Elite. However, it is enough if you only want one platform to manage both your incoming and existing employees.

Intuitive user interface

BambooHR is one of the easiest platforms to navigate as it uses a simple system of horizontal tabs to organize and access various people functions. It only takes one or two clicks to access the information you need.

One of the best features of BambooHR is the ability to rearrange and edit your homepage with widgets that are meaningful to you. For example, if you want your company’s turnover report front and center, you can drag and drop it to where you want on your homepage.

Similar customization options are available in your employee profile, allowing you to move your various tabs—like Personal, Time Off, and Documents—in the order you want. If you have permission access, you can edit and add different fields within each tab, like your address, job, and salary fields in the Personal tab, to quickly access the information that applies to you.

See what BambooHR’s homepage looks like in our video overview:

Employee self-service

BambooHR emphasizes employee self-service to free HR staff from completing mundane data entry tasks, like updating an employee’s address. It places the responsibility on employees to make these changes either on a desktop or within its mobile app.

If you purchase BambooHR’s Pro plan or other add-on modules like time tracking, the number of self-service options employees can access increases. This is unlike Rippling, which offers separate apps for employee self-service and time tracking. Moreover, employees can access many self-service features directly from BambooHR’s homepage, such as requesting time off or clocking in and out of shifts.

While this may seem small, it makes it much easier for employees to complete everyday tasks with less effort. In contrast, clocking in for a shift on the desktop version of Rippling requires at least three clicks with its time and attendance module add-on. This adds unnecessary complexity to a common task, especially for tech-averse employees.

BambooHR follows a PEPM pricing model if you have more than 25 employees. For businesses with 25 or fewer workers, pricing changes to a flat monthly rate that starts at $250. 

You can choose from three plans: Core, Pro, and Elite. It offers discounted pricing if you purchase the HR, payroll, and benefits modules. Volume discounts are also available. What I like about BambooHR is that it automatically applies the discount based on your headcount. 

BambooHR only becomes competitive once you take advantage of its volume discounts, but even then, other top-rated HRIS systems like Gusto may be more affordable. While BambooHR remains the better choice if you want a cohesive interface built upon native modules, you should expect to pay more as a result.

BambooHR plans

Add-ons

• Payroll: Call for a quote.
• Benefits administration: Call for a quote.
• Time tracking: Call for a quote.
• Employer of Record (powered by Remote): Call for a quote.

*Pricing is based on a quote we received. Please note that additional factors, like the number of FEINs or states where you need payroll, can affect this price. Contact BambooHR for a quote.

Rippling Platform is the HRIS that serves as the backbone of the entire Rippling suite. You have to purchase it before accessing other modules in its HR, payroll, finance, and IT cloud product lines. Looking solely at its HRIS capabilities, Rippling is not the best choice if this is your first HR software or if you simply want a place to store your employment data electronically. For example, you must manually establish approval workflows for things like paid time off (PTO) requests. While it offers “Recipes” or pre-built automation templates, the extra step of choosing and modifying the right recipe can be tedious for new HR software users. 

Plus, its standard customer service options are relatively disappointing. As a first-timer, you might want to call and speak to customer service representatives to troubleshoot issues. Rippling provides product support through channels including live chat. Customers can also add services such as Global HR Advisor for more specialized HR guidance.

Instead, Rippling’s strength comes from its flexibility, HR automation, and data analytics that overshadow its competition. This is likely a result of Rippling’s heavy IT focus as it looks for ways to integrate and access the workplace tools you use daily directly from its homepage. It can even shorten ramp-up times for employees by helping your HR and IT teams distribute and manage devices and apps directly within the platform.

Want to learn more about Rippling’s capabilities? Check out our video overview:

Workflow automation

Rippling comes standard with Workflow Studio, a customizable automation builder. With it, you can automate processes for nearly every data field in the system.

Although the other HRIS tools on my list offer something similar, it functions much more as a way to monitor task completion for a process among various collaborators. For example, it helps notify appropriate stakeholders when to perform tasks like reviewing promotions or running background checks.

In contrast, Rippling’s automation capabilities support “set it and forget it” workflows. For example, you can automatically assign training courses based on data like employee start date or role. Or you can automatically send reports to relevant stakeholders each month. This can make your HR staff much more efficient so they can focus on more strategic work, like improving employee retention.

Workforce insights

Rippling allows you to customize reports and rich data visualizations, which is impressive compared to most basic HRIS platforms. Plus, as you upgrade to higher Rippling plans or add on optional modules, its workforce analytics capabilities become more comprehensive and complex.

For example, Rippling lets you combine and manipulate data from three or more sources. This allows you to connect and draw insights about the data points that matter the most, like salary change trends relative to learning and development course completion. If you’re a spreadsheet whiz, you can use Excel-like formulas to construct your reports for even more granular conclusions.

Though Rippling’s analytics rival many human capital management (HCM) systems, they may be too complicated for some businesses. Rippling offers pre-configured report templates, but you must create the data visualizations you want yourself, which can take time to learn how to construct.

PEO and EOR services

Rippling offers PEO and EOR services to support your business operations as they grow. While Deel HR also offers PEO and EOR services, Rippling differentiates itself by making these services more of a strategic choice for your immediate business needs rather than a long-term commitment.

For example, as a small business, you may only have one person looking after HR, accounting, and other administrative responsibilities. You can leverage Rippling’s PEO services to cover the tedious but necessary processes of HR, like payroll, without compromising labor law compliance.

As you grow and add more knowledgeable HR staff, you may no longer need its PEO services. Rippling understands this and includes an easy on/off switch directly within the platform so you can sever PEO ties without any long-term contracts. This differs from other PEOs that rely on creating long-term partnerships with small businesses that have limited growth expectations.

The same flexibility extends to Rippling’s EOR services. For example, Rippling will help you transition to hiring, managing, and paying your international workforce once it makes sense for you financially to move these processes in-house. Rippling’s business model lets you transition between these different states, so you’re supported even when growth plans change.

Rippling starts at $8 per employee per month (PEPM) plus a $40 per month base fee. However, it wasn’t specified on the website which Rippling Platform plan and modules are included in the starter fee. So, it’s best to contact Rippling to discuss your requirements and request and quote.

With the Rippling Platform plans, you get two options: Core and Pro. It comes with several paid add-ons, such as unlimited workflows, custom apps, and access to the Rippling API Platform, which enables you to connect its system with over 650+ third-party business apps. You can also purchase its HR, finance, payroll, and IT modules to enhance the core platform’s overall functionality,

Rippling Platform plans

Add ons

• U.S. and global payroll.
• Benefits administration.
• Time and attendance.
• Flex benefits (FSA, HSA, and commuter).
• Recruiting.
• Scheduling.
• Learning management.
• Pulse (employee engagement).
• Headcount planning.
• Performance management.
• App management.
• Device management.
• Inventory management.
• Corporate cards.
• Expense management.

Additional services

• ACA and COBRA administration.
• HR Help Desk (HR Support).
• PEO services.
• EOR.

Deel is widely known for its EOR and global payroll tools, but it has also released products specific to the US market, such as its US Payroll and US PEO modules. The platform that brings all of its tools together is Deel HR, an online HRIS solution that can help you manage HR and your employees in over 150 countries.

Out of the HRIS systems I reviewed, Deel HR is the most budget-friendly for businesses with small teams. This is great if you already have an outsourced payroll provider handling your employee payment processes and only need an HRIS to securely manage staff data. What I also like about Deel is the flexibility it offers to clients. You can start with Deel HR and then get its payroll add-on as your HR needs grow. If you need more advanced HR features, Deel Engage includes career management tools for building competency frameworks and career paths for every role and job level in your organization. With its AI tools, you can easily draft in-depth career path frameworks online.

However, pairing it with Deel’s other modules increases its price. Adding payroll increases the total cost, so businesses should request a quote based on the countries and workforce types they need to support. In this case, Gusto is the better option since its basic plan comes with both HRIS and pay processing functionalities but at a lower monthly fee. 

Feature-rich HRIS

As an HRIS software, Deel HR not only stores employee data and documents, it also automates processes and comes with compliance insights. Its reporting function includes powerful dashboards that show actual and forecasted headcount, DEI data, analytics, and more. It creates employee directories, but you can customize them to fit your needs. It also includes self-onboarding tools, which Deel claims that new hires can complete through its platform in five minutes.

Talent development

One of my favorite Deel modules is Deel Engage, which primarily contains talent development solutions. It has a drag-and-drop learning course builder with AI tools to help you create content faster. It also lets you run employee engagement surveys, build career paths, and manage performance reviews. Plus, its HR plugins for Slack help reduce the time it takes to switch between Deel and Slack if you want to share org charts, send surveys, and recognize a colleague for a job well done or a work milestone.

While Rippling may have similar functionalities, you have to purchase different modules to add training, performance, and survey management to its core platform. It also lacks the career paths that Deel offers.

Deel offers HR and payroll services and products that cater to US and global businesses of all sizes. Pricing for its EOR service and global payroll tools are in the average range compared to the companies that offer similar products, but its core HRIS platform is the cheapest among those that I reviewed. It even has time tracking functionalities, a paid add-on with BambooHR and Rippling.

Deel HR modules

• Core: $5 PEPM.
• Advanced: $19 PEPM.
• Elite: $29 PEPM.

Other Deel products

• ATS: $10 PEPM.
• US and Canada payroll: Starts at $29 PEPM
• US PEO: Starts at $110 PEPM for Starter and $120 PEPM for Pro
• Global payroll: Starts at $29 PEPM; this is for global companies with locally owned entities that need help handling employee payments
• Global contractor: $49 per contractor per month
• EOR: Starts at $599 PEPM; employs international employees with Deel as legal entity
• Contractor of Record: Starts at $325 per contractor monthly; hires international contractors with Deel as legal entity