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6 Horilla HRMS Alternatives Ranked by Real Users, Free Picks Included (2026)

Explore 6 alternatives to Horilla HRMS, vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

6 top free Horilla HRMS alternatives, compared

Quick answer

The Horilla HRMS alternatives worth knowing first are OnPay, QuickBooks Payroll and SurePayroll. OnPay earns the top SpotScore (9.4) and a 4.96★ rating. See how all 6 stack up on score, rating, and price below.

You don't have to settle for Horilla HRMS if it isn't working. These 6 payroll software free alternatives are the strongest replacements, ranked by SpotScore (real-user satisfaction and market presence), star ratings, and pricing. Editors vet each tool. Use the table for a fast comparison, then read the sections below for the full story.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
OnPayStreamline your payroll process and save time and money.9.4★★★★★ 4.96(447)Freefrom $40/moteams of all sizes
QuickBooks PayrollStreamline your payroll process with ease.9.2★★★★☆ 4.4(56)Freefrom $49/mosmall businesses
SurePayrollEfficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.9.2★★★★★ 4.86(1436)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Square PayrollStreamline your payroll with ease.8.8★★★★★ 5(15)Freefrom $34 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Patriot PayrollEfficiently streamline your payroll process.8.8★★★★★ 4.87(3151)Freefrom $14/moteams of all sizes
PaybooksEffortlessly manage payroll with Paybooks.8.5★★★★★ 5(3)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Based · Subscriptionteams of all sizes

9.4

SpotScore

OnPay - Payroll Software

OnPay

Streamline your payroll process and save time and money.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

5.0

447 verified reviews

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What is OnPay?

OnPay is an intuitive online payroll software designed to meet the needs of supervisors, managers, payroll specialists and people who manage pay for hourly or salaried staff. OnPay helps companies of all sizes reduce costs for processing payroll checks, making tax reports, tracking down pay ...

Read more about OnPay
Free TrialTry Free →

9.2

SpotScore

QuickBooks Payroll - Payroll Software

QuickBooks Payroll

Streamline your payroll process with ease.

Best for: SMB teams

Start Free Trial

4.4

56 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is QuickBooks Payroll?

QuickBooks Payroll makes it easy to stay on top of your HR needs. It’s payroll software that gives you the power to handle all the payroll processing you need, from modeling an employee’s paycheck to tracking deductions and taxes. Whether you need a few employees or thousands, QuickBooks ...

Read more about QuickBooks Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

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9.2

SpotScore

SurePayroll - Payroll Software

SurePayroll

Efficiency meets accuracy in one payroll solution.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

1436 verified reviews

Add to compare

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Watch Demo

What is SurePayroll?

SurePayroll is a cloud-based, Payroll Software with Time Tracking Service. The software can be accessed from any device and is hosted by SurePayroll in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center for fast processing and performance.It automates most employee related tasks including accurate and ...

Read more about SurePayroll
Free Trial·

SurePayroll offers custom pricing plan

8.8

SpotScore

Square Payroll - Payroll Software

Square Payroll

Streamline your payroll with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

5.0

15 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Square Payroll?

Square Payroll is payroll software for small businesses and sole proprietors, particularly those already running payments or point-of-sale through Square's ecosystem. It automates pay runs, tax filings, and direct deposit, and pulls time tracking data directly from Square tools to eliminate ...

Read more about Square Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

8.8

SpotScore

Patriot Payroll - Payroll Software

Patriot Payroll

Efficiently streamline your payroll process.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

3151 verified reviews

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Patriot Payroll?

The Patriot's secure payroll solution is designed to lower the total cost of payroll administration, while helping you reduce your staffs' workload. With its fully integrated interface with Patriot's fund accounting and other core compliance solutions, Patriot Payroll Software automates the ...

Read more about Patriot Payroll
Free TrialTry Free →

8.5

SpotScore

Paybooks - Payroll Software

Paybooks

Effortlessly manage payroll with Paybooks.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

5.0

3 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Paybooks?

Paybooks is payroll software for HR teams in mid-sized to large companies managing payroll across multiple business units or tax jurisdictions. It handles salary calculation, statutory compliance, and supports both cloud and on-premise deployment depending on IT policy. Setup requires ...

Read more about Paybooks
Free TrialTry Free →·

Paybooks offers custom pricing plan

Horilla HRMS competitors, compared

There are 6 direct Horilla HRMS competitors in Payroll Software. The ones that come up most often are OnPay, QuickBooks Payroll and SurePayroll. Each is compared against Horilla HRMS on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Tools similar to Horilla HRMS

Searches for "sites like Horilla HRMS" and "apps like Horilla HRMS" land on the same set of options as "Horilla HRMS alternatives" — the 6 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

Why these tools are worth your time

OnPay9.4Best for teams of all sizes

OnPay stands out for its intuitive design, making it easy for supervisors, managers, and payroll specialists to navigate and execute payroll tasks efficiently

Watch for: While great for SMBs, larger companies might find customization options less robust for complex payroll needs.

QuickBooks Payroll9.2Best for small businesses

Automates tax filing, paycheck generation, and sends real-time notifications to reduce manual effort.

Watch for: Steeper pricing compared to alternative payroll systems, especially for smaller businesses or limited payroll needs.

SurePayroll9.2Best for teams of all sizes

Payroll setup is quick, easy to use, and simplifies previously cumbersome tasks like tax deductions and filings.

Watch for: Occasional issues with missing payments or discrepancies that require follow-up.

Square Payroll8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Square Payroll integrates effortlessly with existing payroll providers, making it an ideal plug-and-play solution without the need for major system overhauls.

Watch for: While great for small businesses, it may lack some of the advanced reporting, analytics, or customization features needed by larger enterprises.

Patriot Payroll8.8Best for teams of all sizes

Very user-friendly software, making tasks straightforward and efficient for startups and small businesses.

Watch for: Occasional learning curve during setup or for newcomers, though consistently offset by good support.

Paybooks8.5Best for teams of all sizes

Paybooks offers a robust suite of payroll functionalities that can handle end-to-end payroll processing, making it suitable for a wide range of organizational needs.

Watch for: Due to its high level of customization, setting up Paybooks to suit specific business structures and jurisdictions can be time-consuming without expert assistance.

Why teams look for a Horilla HRMS alternative

Why do teams want a Horilla HRMS alternative? Most point to issues like these:

  • 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.

What to weigh when comparing Horilla HRMS alternatives

Where the 6 payroll software free alternatives stand on price and rating: 6 offer a free tier; paid plans run $14–$49, with Patriot Payroll the cheapest entry point; and Square Payroll is the highest rated at 5★ across 15 reviews.

How the list is built.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Horilla HRMS are Square Payroll (5.0★), Paybooks (5.0★), OnPay (5.0★). Compare all 6 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Horilla HRMS, prioritize: Leave Tracking (Vacation), Direct Deposit, Deductions Management, Attendance Tracking, Compensation Management, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Horilla HRMS is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

Which Horilla HRMS alternative is right for you?

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — OnPay, QuickBooks Payroll and SurePayroll let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Square Payroll has the strongest star rating (5★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: OnPay has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.4) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Replacing Horilla HRMS: how to switch

Migrating from Horilla HRMS works best in stages. Export your data, confirm the new tool accepts it, and check that your essential workflows hold up. Try a short pilot before rolling out, and leave Horilla HRMS running until you're confident. Most picks above offer free testing.

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