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1. BambooHR
BambooHR 7-Day Trial
BambooHR offers a 7-day trial of its full platform including employee self-service, time off tracking, performance reviews, and reporting.
- Pricing: Core from ~$6/employee/mo; Pro from ~$8/employee/mo
- Pros: Most intuitive HRIS interface, strong employee self-service, excellent reporting
- Cons: Short trial period, pricing not transparent, payroll is add-on
- Best for: Growing companies (25-500 employees) that want clean HR operations
2. Gusto
Gusto Free Demo + Setup
Gusto does not offer a traditional free trial but provides a free guided setup. Once you run your first payroll, billing begins.
- Pricing: Simple $40/mo + $6/person; Plus $80/mo + $12/person; Premium custom
- Pros: Best payroll experience, benefits administration included, contractor payments
- Cons: No free trial, billing starts at first payroll
- Best for: US companies under 200 employees needing payroll + basic HR
3. Rippling
Rippling Demo Only
Rippling does not offer self-serve trials. The platform uniquely combines HR, IT, and finance in one system with personalized demos.
- Pricing: Starting $8/user/mo; modules priced individually
- Pros: Most comprehensive platform (HR + IT + Finance), automated device management
- Cons: No self-serve trial, modular pricing can get expensive
- Best for: Tech companies that want HR, IT management, and payroll unified
4. Deel
Deel Free for Small Teams
Deel offers a genuinely free plan for companies with up to 200 people for basic HR features. Paid features include global payroll in 150+ countries.
- Pricing: Free HR for 200 people; Contractor $49/contractor/mo; EOR from $599/employee/mo
- Pros: Free HR tier is genuinely useful, best for global hiring, handles compliance
- Cons: EOR pricing is expensive, payroll requires paid plans
- Best for: Companies hiring internationally or managing global contractors
5. Homebase
Homebase Free Plan
Homebase offers a free plan for single-location businesses with basic scheduling, time tracking, and team messaging.
- Pricing: Free 1 location; Essentials $20/location/mo; Plus $48/location/mo; All-in-One $80/location/mo
- Pros: Genuinely free for basic scheduling, easy for hourly employees, mobile clock-in
- Cons: Limited to hourly workers, not a full HRIS, per-location pricing
- Best for: Restaurants, retail, and service businesses with hourly workers
Need help choosing? Use our free Software Comparison Calculator to find the best fit for your budget and team size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which HR software has the best free trial?
Deel offers the best free tier - genuinely free HR for up to 200 people. BambooHR offers 7 days of full access. Most enterprise HR platforms only offer demos.
How much does HR software cost per employee?
Basic HR software costs $4-8/employee/month. Full-stack with payroll and benefits costs $12-20/employee/month. Enterprise can exceed $25/employee/month.
Do I need separate HR and payroll software?
Not anymore. Gusto, Rippling, and Deel all combine HR and payroll. Using separate systems creates data sync issues.
What HR features should small businesses prioritize?
Start with employee records, PTO tracking, and onboarding. Add payroll if doing it manually. Performance reviews become important at 25-50 employees.
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