Top 20 of Best HR Management Software (HRMS Software) as Recommended by HRM Pros

Consultants 500
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A suitable HRMS Software application is a must-have for optimizing your Human Resources Management strategy. The benefits of using the most suitable HRMS Tool are extensive. In the full spectrum of the Human Resources Management ecosystem, many types of HR Tools can be used for different and specific goals. In general, HR Tools can be grouped into 3 main HR categories, being (i) Recruiting HR Tools, (ii) Administrative HR Tools, and (iii) Human Capital Management HR Tools. The HRMS Software applications fit in the third category.

The only problem is that there are a lot of HR Tools out there, and they are all screaming for your attention. There are more than 81 million sites that have something to say about Human Resource Information Systems. Luckily, not all of them are actual HRMS Software application vendors, but you get the idea, right?

The features of a particular HRMS Software tool can be highly diverse, and therefore you first need to clearly define what your goals and needs are. Once you have determined the minimum functionalities of your HRMS System, you can start investigating what tools are available in the market. So which HRMS Software systems are successful in providing the applications and features you need, and how can you find them? You can do a google search and search for the Best HRMS Software, but then you get hundreds of “Best of Lists” in front of you, so that doesn’t help a lot either unless you want to spend a full day going through all those lists. Well, that is precisely what we did! We searched for 50 “Best of Lists,” highlighting the most recommended HRMS Software systems. We selected and combined the 14 most valuable “Best of Lists” and earmarked and ranked what HRMS applications keep up appearing on most of those recently published lists. From a total of 113 HRMS Software Tools compared, reviewed, and ranked, here are the Top 20 of Most Recommended HRMS Software applications around that appear on most of the “Best of Lists”.

As we are a small business ourselves, we use this list as well for educating and inspiring our minds and for optimizing our Consultants 500 platform, on which you can also find and search for Recruiting & HRM Experts. If you are a Recruiting or HRM Expert yourself, you can always create a free profile on our Platform if you want to. It only takes a few minutes, and no credit card is needed for opening doors to new opportunities. It’s all up to you. See here how it works.

Top 20 of HRMS Software
Most Recommended

#1. BambooHR / Twitter
Listed 11 out of 14 times. BambooHR software collects and organizes all the information users gather throughout the employee life cycle, then helps them use it to achieve great things. Whether they are hiring, onboarding, preparing compensation, or building culture, BambooHR gives the time and insights to focus on your most important asset—the people.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: BambooHR
Guide: BambooHR
Their Blog
Pricing: Quote-Based
User Reviews

#2. UltiPro / Twitter
Listed 4 out of 14 times. UltiPro provides HR, payroll, talent, and time and labor management, as well as HR service delivery solutions. It unites all aspects of HR, payroll, and talent management in one comprehensive cloud solution that delivers serious business benefits for organizations and the most human capital management functionality available for the greatest value.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: UltiPro
Their Blog
User Reviews

#3. Paylocity / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. Paylocity is a leading provider of cloud-based payroll and human capital management (HCM) software solutions. Paylocity’s comprehensive product suite delivers a unified platform for professionals to make strategic decisions in the areas of benefits, core HR, payroll, talent, and workforce management while cultivating a modern workplace and improving employee engagement.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Paylocity
Guide: Paylocity
Their Blog
User Reviews

#4. Gusto HR / Twitter
Listed 5 out of 14 times. Gusto is a modern, online people platform that helps small businesses take care of their teams. On top of full-service payroll, Gusto offers health insurance, 401(k)s, expert HR, and team management tools. Today, Gusto offices in Denver, San Francisco, and New York serve more than 100,000 businesses.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Gusto
Guide: Gusto
Their Blog
Pricing: Monthly Membership (From USD 6 Per Person)
User Reviews

#5. Workday / Twitter
Listed 6 out of 14 times. Workday is a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance, HR, and planning. Founded in 2005, Workday delivers financial management, human capital management, and analytics applications designed for the world’s largest companies, educational institutions, and government agencies. Organizations ranging from medium-sized businesses to Fortune 50 enterprises have selected Workday.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Workday
Guide: Workday
Their Blog
User Reviews

#6. CakeHR / Twitter
Listed 5 out of 14 times. CakeHR is accessible, affordable, and refreshingly easy to use HR management software for small to medium businesses. CakeHR is built with ease of use in mind. This software is the ideal choice for small-to-medium businesses that don’t want to get bogged down in using spreadsheets or paper to manage their employees.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: CakeHR
Guide: CakeHR
Their Blog
Pricing: Monthly Membership (From USD 4.2 Per Employee)
User Reviews

#7. Zoho Recruit / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. Zoho Recruit is a cloud-based applicant tracking system that’s built to provide diverse, end-to-end hiring solutions for staffing agencies, corporate HRs, and a temporary workforce. Zoho Recruit’s Applicant Tracking System is equipped with several resume extraction tools, workflow automation, advanced analytics, third-party applications, and more.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Zoho Recruit
Guide: Zoho Recruit
Their Blog
Pricing: Free Trial & Monthly Membership (From EUR 22.5)
User Reviews

#8. Zenefits / Twitter
Listed 5 out of 14 times. The platform helps users seamlessly connect their company’s payroll, health insurance, paid time off, and other HR systems with Zenefits in just a few seconds without having to change vendors, plans, or pricing. And if a business doesn’t have these things yet, Zenefits can give them quotes and set it up in just a couple of minutes.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Zenefits
Guide: Zenefits
Their Blog
Pricing: Monthly Membership (From USD 6 Per Employee)
User Reviews

#9. ADP Enterprise HR / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. ADP Enterprise HR is the optimal human capital management (HCM) solution for large businesses (1000+ employees) across multiple industries that want customization. This solution is hosted for you by ADP®, providing the flexibility of outsourced software and the ability to customize. Users get powerful insights and analytics, as well as seamless integration with ADP’s wide range of products.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: ADP Enterprise HR
Guide: ADP Enterprise HR
Their Blog
User Reviews

#10. Paycor / Twitter
Listed 4 out of 14 times. For nearly 30 years, Paycor has been focused on helping small-to-medium sized businesses extend their reach and fulfill their potential. It streamlines and modernizes practically every aspect of people management, from the way companies recruit, onboard, and develop people to the way they pay them, retain them, and build a company culture.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Paycor
Guide: Paycor
Their Blog
User Reviews

#11. Zoho People / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. With the Zoho People platform, organizations can provide a consumer-like service experience, bringing HR service delivery to a central place. With self-service options and solutions, like case management, employees have easy access to the services they need, freeing up their HR for non-routine tasks.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Zoho People
Guide: Zoho People
Their Blog
Pricing: Free & Monthly Membership (From EUR 0.83 Per User)
User Reviews

#12. Rippling / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. Rippling makes it easy to manage the team’s payroll, benefits, computers, and apps — all in one, modern platform. It automatically does the 100 little things that IT, HR, Facilities, Legal, Finance, and employees have to do when joining, working at, or leaving a company. From buying a computer to running payroll.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Rippling
Guide: Rippling
Their Blog
Pricing: Monthly Membership (From USD 7 Per User)
User Reviews

#13. Oracle HCM Cloud / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. Built with an AI-first approach, Oracle HCM Cloud helps users make faster and smarter decisions to drive business transformation. Their artificial intelligence (AI) recommends roles, suggests learning, and predicts which employees might be thinking of leaving the company. Oracle HCM Cloud puts the people experience at the center of the design in a way that’s consistent, simple, and meaningful.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Oracle HCM Cloud
Guide: Oracle HCM Cloud
Their Blog
User Reviews

#14. ADP Vantage HCM / Twitter
Listed 4 out of 14 times. ADP Vantage HCM is an all-in-one, open-architecture solution for strategic human capital management — talent, payroll, time, and benefits — for large U.S.-based multinational businesses.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: ADP Vantage
Guide: ADP Vantage
Their Blog
User Reviews

#15. Kronos Workforce Ready / Twitter
Listed 4 out of 14 times. The Kronos Workforce Ready suite combines the power of workforce management and human capital management (HCM) in one unified cloud platform to help you manage your entire workforce from pre-hire to retire — whether they’re salaried, hourly, full time, or part-time.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Kronos Workforce Ready
Guide: Kronos Workforce Ready
Their Blog
User Reviews

#16. SAP Success Factors / Twitter
Listed 4 out of 14 times. SAP Success Factors talent management suite offers Individualized, relevant, and meaningful talent experiences, with guidance and recommendations throughout the employee journey to empower employees each step of the way, and continuous capabilities for performance, reward, and recognition, learning, development, and talent planning.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: SAP Success Factors
Guide: SAP Success Factors
Their Blog
User Reviews

#17. Ceridian DayForce / Twitter
Listed 5 out of 14 times. Dayforce is a global HCM software platform with data stored in a single, central location, data-driven insights across all HR functions, so users can make better decisions for the entire employee lifecycle. Dayforce provides a complete record for all employees that automates tasks, making HR easier and more productive.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Ceridian DayForce
Guide: Ceridian DayForce
Their Blog
User Reviews

#18. Kronos Workforce Central / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. The Kronos Workforce Central suite of workforce management solutions are purpose-built to help drive business outcomes by engaging organizations’ employees, controlling labor costs, increasing productivity, and minimizing compliance risk. They can manage the workforce on a proven cloud platform that is secure, scalable, and mobile.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Kronos Workforce Central
Guide: Kronos Workforce Central
Their Blog
User Reviews

#19. GoCo / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. GoCo is modern HR, benefits, and payroll that automates users’ workflow, without forcing them to change processes, policies, and providers. It combines modern HR software with trusted advisors that will help users simplify their benefits, payroll, compliance, and more.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: GoCo
Guide: GoCo
Their Blog
Pricing: Free & Monthly Membership (USD 4 Per Employee)
User Reviews

#20. Namely / Twitter
Listed 3 out of 14 times. With Namely HR, Payroll, and Benefits platform, users can manage all of their HR data in one place, with personalized service to help their company get better, faster. Namely is used by some of the world’s most innovative and exciting companies in media, technology, commerce, and more.

Handy Resources:
Features Overview: Namely
Guide: Namely
Their Blog
User Reviews

The Key Components of
HRMS Software

HRMS Software automates, streamline, and improve certain parts of the Human Resources operations of an organization. The features of an HRMS Software application can be very diverse because Human Resources Management involves the full spectrum of attracting, maintaining, monitoring, administrating, and training your workforce.

Key features of a useful HRMS Software application include:

Recruiting – Recruitment stands at the beginning of the Human Resources Management ecosystem. Must have recruitment features include job board integration, applicant tracking systems, automated candidate sourcing, resume parsing, onboarding tools, automated emails, and recruiting analytics & reporting.
Employee Data Management – Maintaining proper employee files is essential but can also be a lot of work. Therefore a useful HRMS application helps you managing critical employee data like personal information, salary to work history, performance history, and much more.
Payroll Management – Track and manage employee hours, automate salary payout schemes, and comply with local tax rules are just a few of the potential features related to operating a smooth payroll process.
Attendance, Absence, and Leave Management – Manage employee timesheets, absence record tracking, keep up with leave requests, while sketching out workforce schedules. All this obviously integrates with the payroll management functionality.
Performance Management – Performance management and evaluation is another must-have component of a useful HRMS Software application. Set performance goals, track progress, and evaluate performances against KPIs determined by you.
Benefits Management – Manage, plan, and deliver all employee benefits within your organization on top of your employee’s wages. Employee benefits can be small items like free coffee in the office, an annual New Year’s party, or a subsidized canteen. But they can also be more valuable benefits like car leasing, health care benefits, pension schemes, childcare benefits, or employee share schemes.
Employee Training – Develop individual training programs for your staff, automate the training, and keep track of progress and expenses involved. It can include learning portals, personalized learning programs, and training recommendations.
Reporting & Analytics – Generate instant, detailed reports on any data in the HRMS Software application with a few clicks enabling you to make data backed up decisions. Customized HR reports that fit your needs can also be part of the package.

What the Software Review Sites Say About
the Top 5 HMRS Software Tools

The massive number of different Software Applications in the market has created a whole new industry, which is the industry of the Software Review Sites. These sites are dedicated to grouping software into categories that you can search to identify the application for your business needs and see then see what customers have to say about these applications.

We have identified the most trustful sites that provide unbiased information and reviews, and which are also the market leaders in the software comparison industry, not surprisingly. These sites have also been used as a source for our research (in addition to other resources) for this article. This is what the top review sites have to say about the Top 5 of Best HRMS Software applications.

As can be seen, Bamboo HR is a clear favorite among the leading Software Review Sites as it is listed in the top 5 of all the review sites, and among the various HR-related categories, it always scores in the top-ranking regions. Therefore, it is no surprise that Bamboo has been listed as number one on our list as well, leaving the rest of the field far behind.

Choosing the Best
HRMS Software Application

The number of software applications related to HR is enormous. G2 Crowd, one of the leading Software Review Sites, has grouped the software applications associated with HR in more than 67 separate software categories. Each category exists of more than 100+ different software systems, whereby each of them offers various features.

The HRMS Software category is basically at the top of the HR hierarchy, with 67 subcategories underneath it, more or less. And as said, each subcategory can exist of 100+ different software systems whereby each of them has different functionalities.

Therefore, making a choice between the different HRMS Software applications can be an overwhelming project, but the one you choose can have a significant impact on your overall Human Resources process. What makes things extra complex is that all the HRMS Software Systems come with their own set of features. Therefore, the following elements can help you further in making the right choice:

What are your Human Resources Management main objectives;
Involve all stakeholders from start to end;
What are the minimum functionalities you want an HRMS Software application to have;
Should the HRMS Software System be able to connect with other systems;
How user-friendly is the application and can it be customized;
How difficult is it to implement, and what are the costs involved.

Once you have answered these questions, you have eliminated many of the available software applications in the market, and you can start a more focused research. Keep in mind that ranking lists and reviews can be misleading, and they only should be used to give some guidance, especially when the results are scattered.

HRMS &
the Future of Human Resources Management

Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends Report reveals how businesses are turning to new organizational models that highlight the networked nature of today’s working environment; the rise of innovation-based HR platforms; the importance of learning and career programs in this rapidly changing world; and employee experience strategies that put the workforce at the center. The report closes with insights into the future of work, whereby changes are driven by advances in automation and an expanded definition of the workforce.

As can be seen from the identified 10 human capital trends in the report, various sorts of Human Resources aspects are a critical factor within HRM, and most of them are at the center of the rapidly changing workforce ecosystem.

Best HR Books
for Further Learning

Books about Human Resources and Management offer a great way of learning more in-depth aspects of HR and Management and at a much lower price than taking, for example, a specialist HR or Management Course. By reading a book, you consume a huge amount of research in a relatively short amount of time, and it is one of the best ways to improve your Human Resources / Management knowledge and skills. These Human Resources Management Books keep up appearing on all the “Best of Lists” resulting in “The 20 Best HR Books Recommended most Times,” and here are the top 5:

First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently | by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t | by Jim Collins
Why Employees Don’t Do What They’re Supposed To Do And What You Can Do About It | by Ferdinand Fournies
Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead | by Sheryl Sandberg
Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead | by Laszlo Bock

Best HR Blogs
to Follow

Blogs about Human Resources are another ideal source for staying up to date on the latest developments and learn new insights into all sorts of HR topics. Therefore, these HR Blogs might also interest you as we did another research for Blogs about Human Resources Management in the same way as we did for Best HRMS Software Systems. These Top 20 of Best HR Blogs keep appearing on all lists of Best HR Blogs to follow, and here are the top 5:

Best Talent Management Software
Most Recommended

A suitable Talent Management Software application is a must-have for optimizing your overall Human Resources strategy. The benefits of using the most suitable Talent Management System are extensive. Therefore, these Talent Management Software applications might also interest you as we did another research for Talent Management Software Systems in the same way as we did for Best HRMS Software applications. These Top 20 of Best Talent Management Software Systems keep appearing on all lists of Best Talent Management Systems, and here are the top 5:

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How we Established the Final
Top 20 of Best HRMS Software

We made a list of 50 posts that were recently published about “Best HRMS Software” to use.
From this list of 50 posts, we selected the top 14 that seem most valuable to our readers and users.
We combined the 14 lists of “Best HRMS Software” and earmarked all individual tools that were on those lists.
When a tool was ranked as number 1, it got 1 point, and when it was ranked 2nd, it got 2 points, etc.
When no particular ranking was applied to a specific list, then each listed tool got the same points.
To be included in the final list, a tool should be listed for a minimal number of times.
More weight was assigned to tools that were explicitly listed more times than other tools.
All lists were summed up, and the HRMS Software System with the lowest number was ranked 1, 2, 3, etc.
This resulted in the final “Top 20 of Best HRMS Software” that has been recommended most times by all types of HRM Experts.

Sources Used for
Best HRMS Software

The 14 “Best of Lists” used for researching what the Best HRMS Software Systems are:

How to Choose the Right Human Resource Management System (HRMS)
20 Best HR Software Solutions of 2020
To 31 Core Human Resource Management Software (Core HR)
Best Core HR Software
Compare Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS)
Best HR software of 2020
The Best HRMS Solutions in the Market
7 Best HRIS/HRMS Software for Small Business 2019
Human Resources Software
Top 50+ HR Management Software Solutions in 2020
Top 23 Most Popular HR Software
What is the Best HR Management Software (HRMS) for Your Small Business?
What are the best cloud based HRMS Solutions?
The Best Human Resource Management Systems