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Horilla HRMS vs Heartland Payroll Comparison

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Horilla HRMS

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Large Enterprises
  • Small Business

Horilla HRMS is a free, open-source HR management system covering recruitment, onboarding, employee management, and eligibility tracking in a single web-based platform. Its interface simplifies candidate review and appoi…

Heartland Payroll

4.6(118 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Medium Business
  • Small Business

Heartland Payroll is a payroll management software for small and medium sized companies. It handles all your payroll processing requirements such as bi-weekly, monthly or yearly paychecks, cost accounting and tracking of…

Heartland Payroll leads on user satisfaction with a 4.6-star rating across 118 reviews.

Horilla HRMS vs Heartland Payroll — at a glance

FeatureHorilla HRMSHeartland Payroll
Rating—4.6 / 5
Reviews—118
Starting priceContact for pricingContact for pricing
Free trial No No
Free version No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Small Business, Medium BusinessMedium Business, Small Business
CategoryPayroll SoftwarePayroll Software
PlatformsBrowser Based (Cloud)SaaS/Web/Cloud
API——
Support modesOnline24/7 (Live rep)
CertificationsSOC 2—
Data residencyUSUS

Key differences between Horilla HRMS and Heartland Payroll

  • Target audience: Horilla HRMS is built for Large Enterprises and Small Business, while Heartland Payroll targets Medium Business and Small Business.
  • Deployment: Horilla HRMS supports Browser Based (Cloud); Heartland Payroll supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Horilla HRMS vs Heartland Payroll — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Payroll Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Horilla HRMS
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Heartland Payroll - Payroll Software
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Horilla HRMS vs Heartland Payroll: Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Horilla HRMS

Best for

Large Enterprises, Small Business, Medium Business

Heartland Payroll

Best for small to mid-sized businesses needing streamlined payroll with strong support.

Choose if
  • You run a retail, hospitality, or healthcare business with 20-500 employees.
  • You want automated tax filings and integrated payment processing to reduce manual work.
  • You value responsive, knowledgeable payroll specialists for personalized customer support.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your company is a large enterprise with complex payroll needs requiring high customization.
  • You need a highly customizable payroll entry and reporting system beyond standard options.

Horilla HRMS typically suits Large Enterprises and Small Business. Heartland Payroll tends to fit Medium Business and Small Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Horilla HRMS is a free, open-source HR management system covering recruitment, onboarding, employee management, and eligibility tracking in a single web-based platform. Its interface ... Read More about Horilla HRMS

Heartland Payroll is a payroll management software for small and medium sized companies. It handles all your payroll processing requirements such as bi-weekly, monthly or yearly paychecks, ... Read More about Heartland Payroll

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial
  • No free trial

SpotScore

What's this? ↗

8.3/10

8.7/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.61

(118)

Best Company Size

50–500 employees
20-50 employees51-500 employees
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Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

Horilla HRMS

  • Comprehensive HR Modules: Horilla HRMS offers a wide range of features, including attendance, payroll, recruitment, and performance management, providing a holistic HR solution.
  • Open-Source Flexibility: As an open-source platform, Horilla allows businesses to customize and adapt the software to their specific needs without licensing costs.
  • Employee Self-Service: The system lets employees manage their own tasks, improving transparency and reducing administrative work for HR teams.

Heartland Payroll

  • Integrated Payments & Payroll: Combines payroll with Heartland's payment processing, simplifying employee compensation and business transactions.
  • Compliance & Tax Filing: Automates federal, state, and local tax filings, helping reduce compliance risks and administrative workload.
  • User-Friendly Platform: Designed to simplify payroll with easy-to-use dashboards, direct deposit options, and responsive customer support.
Best fit

Best fit

Horilla HRMS

  • 50–500 employees
  • IT, manufacturing, retail, education, and healthcare
  • HR Managers, Payroll Administrators, Recruitment Specialists, and Operations Managers

Heartland Payroll

  • 20–500 employees
  • Retail, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and small to mid-sized businesses
  • Payroll Managers, HR Directors, Finance Officers, Business Owners, and Operations Managers
Watchouts

Reasons buyers look elsewhere

Horilla HRMS

  • Organizations seeking comprehensive HR solutions may consider other platforms offering broader functionalities.
  • Businesses requiring advanced analytics and reporting capabilities might explore alternative HRMS options.
  • Companies with specific industry needs may look into specialized HR software tailored to their sector.

Heartland Payroll

  • Businesses seeking deeper integration between payment processing and payroll may explore other all-in-one providers.
  • Companies requiring advanced HR management, benefits administration, or time tracking may consider broader HCM platforms.
  • Firms with multi-state or complex compliance needs might look for payroll solutions specializing in regulatory support.

Software Demo

Demo

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How do Horilla HRMS and Heartland Payroll Compare on Features?

Total Features

9 Features

12 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Compare Horilla HRMS and Heartland Payroll on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

      Pricing Plans

      • Not Available
      • Not Available

      Horilla HRMS vs Heartland Payroll: Other Details

      Organization Types supported

      • Freelancers
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals
      • Freelancers
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals

      Platforms Supported

      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)

      Modes of support

      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online
      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online

      API Support

      • Not Available
      • Not Available
      Get help choosing
      Get help choosing

      Horilla HRMS vs Heartland Payroll Security & Compliance

      Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

      SOC 2

      ✓ Yes
      —

      HIPAA

      ✗ No
      ✗ No

      Data Residency

      🇺🇸 US
      🇺🇸 US

      Horilla HRMS User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      No reviews available for the product

      Rating Distribution

      No reviews available for this product

      98

      11

      6

      2

      3

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      What buyers like

      • Horilla HRMS covers the entire HR spectrum—from recruitment to onboarding to employee management—making it a robust all-in-one solution for small to medium-sized enterprises.
      • Being open source, Horilla is cost-effective with no hidden fees, allowing businesses to benefit from transparency, flexibility, and customization without budget concerns.
      • Its intuitive and clean interface reduces the learning curve, ensuring even non-tech-savvy users can efficiently manage HR operations with minimal training.

      Common complaints

      • While it offers core HR tools, Horilla may lack advanced capabilities such as performance tracking, payroll integration, or analytics, which larger enterprises often require.
      • As an open-source solution, ongoing support and updates may depend on the community or internal resources, which could pose a challenge for businesses needing reliable tech support.
      • While open-source offers flexibility, making full use of Horilla’s potential may require in-house development knowledge to customize or extend its features.

      Buyer sentiment

      Users appreciate the user-friendly platform and strong customer service but note onboarding challenges and portal access issues.

      What buyers like

      • Ease of use
      • Customer support quality
      • Automation of tax filings

      Common complaints

      • Onboarding process
      • Portal accessibility problems

      Pros and Cons

      • Horilla HRMS covers the entire HR spectrum—from recruitment to onboarding to employee management—making it a robust all-in-one solution for small to medium-sized enterprises.

      • Being open source, Horilla is cost-effective with no hidden fees, allowing businesses to benefit from transparency, flexibility, and customization without budget concerns.

      • Its intuitive and clean interface reduces the learning curve, ensuring even non-tech-savvy users can efficiently manage HR operations with minimal training.

      • While it offers core HR tools, Horilla may lack advanced capabilities such as performance tracking, payroll integration, or analytics, which larger enterprises often require.

      • As an open-source solution, ongoing support and updates may depend on the community or internal resources, which could pose a challenge for businesses needing reliable tech support.

      • Intuitive self-service portal with easy payroll entry and custom reporting

      • Responsive and knowledgeable dedicated payroll specialists

      • Automated tax filings and payroll calculations reducing manual work

      • Disorganized and manual onboarding process causing errors

      • High turnover of payroll representatives affecting service continuity

      Positive Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Negative Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

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      Media and Screenshots

      Videos

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      Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

      Frequently asked questions

      Which is better, Horilla HRMS or Heartland Payroll?
      Heartland Payroll edges out the other on user ratings (4.6 vs -1.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case, so use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
      Do Horilla HRMS and Heartland Payroll offer a free trial?
      Neither Horilla HRMS nor Heartland Payroll currently lists a free trial.
      What is the starting price of Horilla HRMS vs Heartland Payroll?
      Horilla HRMS starts at Contact for pricing. Heartland Payroll starts at Contact for pricing.
      What are the top alternatives to Horilla HRMS?
      Top alternatives to Horilla HRMS include Papaya Global, Paybooks, Heartland Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, OnPay.
      What are the top alternatives to Heartland Payroll?
      Top alternatives to Heartland Payroll include QuickBooks Payroll, OnPay, Square Payroll, Patriot Payroll, SurePayroll.