Top 10 HRIS for mid-sized companies in Australia

Key takeaways 

• Australian HR teams are being asked to improve productivity and make better workforce decisions but many still work across fragmented systems and manual processes.
• ELMO’s 2026 HR Industry Benchmark report shows only 23% Australian employers have a fully centralised platform across HR, payroll and workforce management, while 32% still rely on manual processes to gather HR metrics.
• The best HRIS for mid-sized Australian business like ELMO Software, connects payroll, compliance, people data and workforce processes in one platform, while Employment Hero focuses on speed to value for growing SMBs, HiBob and Rippling suits global tech businesses.

The right HRIS can give your team a more reliable foundation for compliance, reporting and everyday people processes. Here are 10 current HRIS in Australia.

HRIS options in Australia at a glance 

This comparison provides a high-level overview of the leading providers available to Australian businesses. Pricing is based on each vendor’s website as of September 2026. For the most accurate and up-to-date details, please check directly with the vendor. 

Platform	Best suited to	Starting price	Australian payroll capability
ELMO Software	Mid-sized Australian or New Zealand businesses needing local compliance and a complete workforce platform	Custom	AU payroll available through ELMO’s best-of-breed payroll network
Employment Hero	Australian small and medium-sized businesses, and growing global organisations	A$10 per user/month	AU payroll available
HiBob	International, hybrid , distributed or enterprise organisations	Custom	Integration required
BambooHR	Small and growing organisations wanting an intuitive HRIS f	From US$10 per employee/month for Core plans	Integration required
Happy HR	Australian SMBs seeking HR software with Australian payroll options	A$7.50 + GST per employee/month on a 12-month contract (min 10 employees)	AU payroll available + payroll integrations
Rippling	Australian and global teams, from small businesses to enterprises	$8 per user/month + $40 monthly base fee	Supports AU payroll
Sage HR	SMBs with up to 250 employees looking for core HR and workforce administration	Custom	Integration required
Sentrient	Australian and New Zealand SMBs and mid-sized organisations prioritisng compliance	Custom	Integration required
ADP Workforce Now	Midsized and enterprise organisations seeking integrated payroll and HCM capabilities.	Custom	AU payroll available
Humanforce	Mid-market and enterprise organisations with frontline, shift-based or flexible workforces	Custom	Supports AU payroll

Top 10 HRIS for mid-sized companies in Australia

1. ELMO Software

ELMO Software is purpose-built for mid-sized Australian and New Zealand businesses with 50 to 2,000 employees. It unifies HR, payroll and workforce management on one connected data foundation. As one of the few HR platforms designed specifically for the Australian market, ELMO is built with Australian business needs in mind and caters to local regulations and requirements.

Best for: Mid-sized Australian or New Zealand businesses needing local compliance and a complete workforce platform that brings together HR, payroll and rostering in one place. 

Starting price: Custom pricing

Australian payroll compliance capabilities: Supports Australian payroll compliance including STP Phase 2, industry-specific award rules and pay rates, ABA bank files and SuperStream. Exact compliance coverage depends on the selected payroll engine and configuration through ELMO’s curated payroll partner network.

Data security and privacy:: ELMO is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified for information security management and ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certified for artificial intelligence management systems. Security controls align with SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria and the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Essential Eight requirements. Customer data is hosted in AWS data centres located in Australia, supporting Australian data-residency requirements. 

Key features:

• Complete employee lifecycle management from recruitment to offboarding
• Best-of-breed payroll partners suited to your industry, scale and award complexity
• AI Insights 
• AI powered career development and capability frameworks
• Salary Intelligence 
• Performance management and goal tracking
• Learning management system with course builder
• Automated compliance training
• Mobile-ready Learning
• Employee self-service portal
• Rostering and time tracking 
• Workforce management 

Key benefits:

• Comprehensive feature set designed for Australian market
• Strong compliance automation reduces legal risk
• Scalable architecture supports growing organisations
• Local Australian & New Zealand support and implementation team
• Unified platform eliminates need for multiple systems
• Enabled with AI powered analytics and insights tools
• High level of configurability to meet specific requirements

Considerations:

• Implementation complexity for organisations with advanced customisation needs
• Some modules may require additional configuration
• Not built for global operations

2. Employment Hero

Employment Hero is a cloud-based employment platform offering HR, payroll, hiring, rostering and employee experience tools. Its Australian payroll offering includes features such as STP Phase 2 reporting, SuperStream, PAYG support and modern-award interpretation. Availability varies by plan and add-on.

Best for: Australian small and medium-sized businesses, and growing organisations seeking connected HR, payroll and hiring workflows. Employment Hero also offers services for larger and global workforces.

Starting price: $10 per user/month for HR Essentials and Payroll and conditions apply. Payroll has a minimum 10-user requirement.

Australian Payroll compliance capabilities: Supports ATO-recognised STP Phase 2 reporting, modern-award interpretation, automated tax and superannuation calculations, and updates for applicable award and penalty rates. The platform also includes automated compliance checks and payroll anomaly detection, although some award updates or customised rates may require configuration or manual action.

Data security and privacy: Holds ISO 27001, ISO 27017 and ISO 27018 certifications. Its public security materials reference encryption, access controls, AWS infrastructure, backups and disaster recovery. Employment Hero references Australian and AWS Sydney hosting. Their privacy documentation also identifies Australia, Ireland and Canada as personal data storage locations.

Key features:

• Applicant tracking and AI-assisted recruitment
• Digital onboarding and offboarding
• Performance reviews, 1:1s and feedback
• Time and attendance, timesheets and rostering
• Leave management and automated leave calculations
• Employee self-service mobile app
• Employee perks and benefits
• Payroll processing and reporting

Key benefits:

• Australian payroll compliance capabilities
• Connected HR, payroll, hiring and workforce data
• Employee self-service through the Employment Hero Work app
• Employee perks, EAP, learning and Earned Wage Access
• AI-supported recruitment, HR and payroll workflows

Considerations

• Pricing and feature availability vary by plan and add-on
• The free tier is limited to ATS functionality and should not be treated as free core HR or payroll
• Implementation timelines vary: guided HR is approximately 30 days, guided payroll approximately 4–6 weeks, and managed HR approximately 6–8 weeks
• Advanced analytics, reporting and customisation are available in higher-tier plans
• Support is delivered through a combination of Hero AI, help-centre resources, live chat and ticket support

3. HiBob

HiBob is a people platform for fast-growing and distributed organisations. It combines core HR, employee data, time off, onboarding, workflows, performance, engagement surveys, people analytics, workforce planning and payroll integrations in one platform.

Best for: International, hybrid , distributed or enterprise organisations that want a modern employee experience, centralised people data and flexible connections to local payroll systems. 

Starting price: Custom pricing

Australian Payroll compliance capabilities: HiBob connects to Australian payroll providers through Payroll Hub. There is native payroll for the US and UK, while Payroll Hub is designed to exchange data with third-party payroll systems. Australian payroll is handled through integrations with local payroll providers like ADP Payforce, so coverage for Modern Awards, STP reporting and other payroll obligations depends on the selected provider and configuration.

Data security and privacy: HiBob supports Australian HR operations through its Core HR platform and Payroll Hub. It is certified to ISO 27001 and ISO 27018 and is SOC 2 Type 2 certified. HiBob’s public information indicates that Bob data is hosted on AWS, with encryption, role-based access controls and audit-ready security practices. Ireland and Germany are stated as storage locations, however Australian-only data residency is not stated publicly.

Key features

• Core HR and employee data management
• Onboarding and workflow automation
• Time-off management
• Performance, goals and 1-on-1s
• Engagement surveys
• People analytics and workforce planning
• Payroll Hub and payroll-provider integrations
• Mobile accessibility and digital workflows
• Hiring, compensation and talent capabilities

Key benefits

• Modern user experience for distributed and hybrid teams
• Centralised people data across multiple countries
• People analytics and workforce insights
• Flexible payroll-provider connectivity
• Configurable workflows and self-service processes
• Support for organisations across growth, scale and enterprise stages

Considerations

• Australian payroll is delivered through connected payroll providers
• Australian compliance coverage depends on the selected payroll provider and integration configuration
• Pricing is custom and not publicly listed
• Implementation timing varies by organisation size, data, modules and integrations

4. BambooHR

BambooHR is a cloud-based HRIS designed to support the employee lifecycle. It combines core HR, hiring, onboarding, time-off management, performance management, analytics and employee self-service in one platform.

Best for: Small and growing organisations wanting an intuitive HRIS for employee data, onboarding, time off, performance management and employee self-service. BambooHR supports organisations from small teams to 1,000+ employees.

Starting price: From US$10 per employee/month for Core plans. For teams of 25 or fewer, pricing starts at US$250/month. Pricing is displayed in USD; Australian customers should confirm local billing and any currency-conversion costs.

Australian payroll compliance capabilities: BambooHR’s native payroll is designed for US employees. Australian payroll is supported through local-provider integrations, including Xero Australia Payroll, which syncs employee and compensation data between systems.

Data security and privacy: Data may be hosted in the United States, Canada or Ireland, depending on customer needs and applicable laws, with encryption in transit and at rest. It lists SOC 2 Type 2 and annual third-party SOC audits, and maintains records in accordance with ISO 27001, SOC II or other similar Information Security Management System (“ISMS”) standards.

Key features:

• Employee records and HR reporting
• Onboarding workflows
• Time-off management and accruals
• Performance reviews and goal tracking
• 360-degree feedback
• Applicant tracking
• Employee self-service
• Mobile access
• Electronic signatures
• Custom reporting and dashboards

Key benefits:

• User-friendly HR administration
• Centralised employee data
• Reduced duplicate entry through payroll integrations
• Mobile access to HR tasks and approvals
• Performance and workforce insights
• Implementation support and specialist services

Considerations:

• Australian payroll requires a connected local payroll provider.
• Confirm the provider’s coverage of Modern Awards, STP and other Australian payroll obligations.
• Pricing is displayed in USD and varies by plan, headcount and add-ons.
• Implementation generally takes four to six weeks, depending on complexity.

5. Happy HR

Happy HR is an Australian cloud-based HR platform covering recruitment, onboarding, performance management, leave, employee self-service, policies and payroll. It promotes Australian compliance support, Australian hosting and access to HR advisory services.

Best for: Australian small-to-medium businesses seeking HR software with Australian payroll options, compliance-focused features and access to HR support.

Starting price: A$7.50 + GST per employee/month on a 12-month contract, with a minimum of 10 employees, or A$5 + GST per employee/month is listed for 24-month plans. The payroll page separately states that HR pricing starts at A$8 + GST.

Australian Payroll compliance capabilities: Happy HR offers Australian payroll as an add-on. Happy HR also automatically updates pay rates, penalties and entitlements to align with Fair Work legislation and it’s payroll integrations are described as STP Phase 2 ready.

Data security and privacy: Happy HR is ISO 27001 certified and customer data is hosted on AWS in the Sydney, Australia region only, with no data held outside Australia. Their privacy practices align with the Australian Privacy Principles and the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme. 

Key features:

• Recruitment and free recruitment software
• Onboarding and offboarding workflows
• Performance management
• Employee self-service
• Leave and entitlement management
• Australian payroll add-ons
• Award and pay-condition tools
• Rostering and time-and-attendance kiosk
• HR policy and document management
• Reporting and compliance resources

Key benefits:

• Australian-focused compliance support
• Automatic updates for pay rates, penalties and entitlements
• Local Australian data hosting, according to Happy HR’s security page
• Access to HR setup, consultation and support services on selected plans
• Payroll options that include ATO lodgements and super processing

Considerations:

• Payroll is priced separately from the core HR plans
• Payroll setup costs are quoted separately
• It does not specify which payroll partner provides the STP reporting
• Job-board integration, awards and recognition programs, and a mobile-first experience were not clearly verified on the latest Happy HR pages

6. Rippling

Rippling is a workforce platform combining HR, payroll, IT and finance. Founded in the US, its Australian offering includes local payroll capabilities, workforce automation, device and app management, and global workforce tools.

Best for: Australian and global teams, from small businesses to enterprises that want to connect HR, payroll, IT and finance on one platform.  

Starting price: $8 per user/month and a $40 per month base fee.

Australian payroll capabilities: Rippling Payroll automates STP reporting by submitting payroll data directly to the ATO as part of every pay run, and supports Modern Awards, penalty rates, overtime and allowances.

Data security and privacy: Rippling is ISO 27001, ISO 27018 and ISO 42001 certified, with CSA STAR Level 2 and SOC 1, SOC 2 and SOC 3. They comply with privacy and data protection laws, including GDPR and CCPA. However, customer data is stored in US-based AWS data centres.

Key features:

• HRIS and employee data management
• Australian payroll
• Superannuation processing
• Modern Award pay rules
• Time and attendance
• Scheduling and rostering
• Onboarding and offboarding automation
• Device and app provisioning
• Benefits administration
• Custom and joined workforce reporting
• Global payroll and workforce management
• 600+ app integrations

Key benefits:

• Connects HR, payroll, IT and finance data on one platform
• Automates employee lifecycle workflows
• Reduces manual payroll data entry
• Supports Australian payroll rules and superannuation obligations
• Manages employee devices and applications alongside HR processes
• Supports global teams and local payroll requirements

Considerations:

• Australian pricing is not fully transparent publicly and depends on the modules selected
• Australian-only data residency is not publicly confirmed; review the DPA, sub-processor list, cross-border transfer arrangements and data-retention terms before purchase
• Review support availability, service-level commitments and escalation processes

7. Sage HR

Sage HR is a cloud-based HR system for small and medium-sized businesses, with tools for employee records, leave and absence management, time tracking, performance, documents, scheduling and employee self-service.

Best for: SMBs with up to 250 employees looking for core HR and workforce administration, particularly leave, attendance, timesheets, performance and employee self-service.

Starting price: Custom pricing 

Australian payroll capabilities: Sage HR supports the HR side of payroll through attendance, timesheets and overtime tracking, while Sage People Payroll can integrate with local payroll solutions. There is built-in payroll for US and UK employees, but does not specify an Australian payroll engine, STP reporting or Modern Award interpretation.

Data security and privacy: Complies with standards including ISO 27001. Sage’s Australian Data Processing Agreement references the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and breach-notification obligations, but it does not identify an Australian hosting region or confirm Australian-only data residency.

Key features

• Leave and absence management
• Employee self-service through web and mobile access
• Performance management and reviews
• Time tracking, timesheets and attendance
• Working patterns and shift scheduling
• Documentation for handbooks and policies
• Mobile app access
• HR and line-manager reporting

Key benefits

• Supports core HR administration for SMBs
• Gives employees and managers self-service access
• Simplifies leave, absence and attendance workflows
• Provides mobile access to HR tools
• Brings employee information, timesheets, performance and documents together
• Offers configurable HR capabilities that can be expanded by module

Considerations

• Limited advanced HR features compared to comprehensive platforms
• Basic award compliance capabilities, requires payroll add-ons
• Few third-party integrations 
• Not designed specifically for Australian compliance requirements
• Better suited for organisations with simple HR needs

8. Sentrient

Sentrient is an Australian HR and compliance platform that helps organisations manage employee records, onboarding, policies, training, leave, performance and compliance evidence in one place.

Best for: Australian and New Zealand SMBs and mid-sized organisations prioritising HR records, onboarding, compliance training, policy acknowledgement and audit-ready evidence.

Starting price: Custom pricing 

Australian payroll capabilities: Sentrient supports payroll and accounting integrations that can help capture employee, banking, tax and superannuation information. However, it is not a native payroll engine and does not calculate pay or interpret Modern Awards.

Data security and privacy: Sentrient’s platform data is hosted on Microsoft Azure servers in Australia. Its privacy policy maintains independently audited ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certifications and its privacy practices follow the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles.

Key features

• Employee records, onboarding and leave management
• Time, attendance, performance and goal tracking
• Compliance training, policy sign-offs and expiry reminders
• Document, form, checklist and task management
• Workplace health and safety, incidents and risks
• Engagement surveys, learning and development
• HR and compliance reporting
• Payroll and accounting integrations

Key benefits

• Centralises HR records, policies, training and compliance evidence
• Reduces onboarding paperwork and repeated data entry
• Helps track acknowledgements, training and expiry dates
• Supports employee self-service and digital record collection
• Provides Australian hosting for Platform Data

Considerations

• Limited capabilities for global operations
• Payroll functionality may require integration or add-ons
• Fewer third-party integrations 
• Feature set focused on compliance over engagement tools

9. ADP Workforce Now

ADP Workforce Now is a scalable Human Capital Management (HCM) platform for midsized and enterprise organisations. It brings together payroll, HR, time and attendance, benefits, talent, reporting and analytics, with employee self-service, mobile access and integration options.

Best for: Midsized and enterprise organisations seeking integrated payroll and HCM capabilities.

Starting price: Custom pricing

Australian payroll capabilities: ADP’s Australian Payforce offering supports payroll calculation, PAYG and superannuation processing, STP pay-event submission to the ATO and automated payroll-legislation updates.³²

Data security and privacy: ADP maintains ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27701 certifications for select services and locations. ADP’s Australian privacy statement says that, where authorised by the employer, personal data may be transferred to ADP affiliates and suppliers in the United States and elsewhere in the world.

Key features

• Payroll and tax administration
• HR and employee records
• Time and attendance
• Benefits administration
• Talent acquisition and performance management
• Reporting and workforce analytics
• Employee and manager self-service
• Mobile access
• Compliance reporting and guidance
• Standard and custom integrations

Key benefits

• 75 years of expertise in payroll solutions
• Connects core HCM processes in one platform
• Supports payroll, HR, time, benefits and talent workflows
• Provides payroll and compliance support for changing requirements
• Offers configurable workflows and reporting for different organisational structures
• Provides employee self-service and mobile access
• Extends functionality through integrations and global payroll connections

Considerations

• Expensive for most mid-market businesses
• Complex implementation process, typically 4-6 months
• User interface less modern than newer cloud-native platforms
• Better suited for larger organisations (500+ employees)
• Requires dedicated internal resources for ongoing management

10. Humanforce 

Humanforce is a global human capital management platform for frontline workforce operations. It brings together workforce management, HR, talent, payroll, benefits, learning and analytics in a connected HCM suite, with capabilities for performance management, employee engagement, compliance management and automated workflows.

Best for: Mid-market and enterprise organisations with frontline, shift-based or flexible workforces.

Starting price: Custom pricing

Australian payroll capabilities: Humanforce provides Australian payroll and workforce management support for 120+ Modern Awards, award interpretation, STP2 and SuperStream compliance.

Data security and privacy: Humanforce is SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified. Personal data is stored on AWS servers in Australia and Dublin, Ireland, and may be transferred, stored or processed internationally subject to applicable safeguards.

Key features

• Workforce management, rostering, time and attendance tracking
• Core HR and employee data management
• Performance management, goal setting, continuous feedback and employee engagement
• People and workforce analytics
• Learning and development, including learning paths, course tracking and certification management
• Compliance management and automated HR workflows
• Australian payroll, including Modern Award interpretation, STP2 and SuperStream compliance
• Native connections across Humanforce HR, workforce management and payroll, plus external integrations

Key benefits

• Designed for frontline, shift-based and flexible workforces
• Connects workforce management, HR and payroll through a unified HCM suite
• Supports data-led workforce and people decisions through analytics
• Highly configurable and modular, with Core and Pro packages

Considerations

• Pricing and implementation scope are not publicly detailed 
• Buyers need to confirm which payroll, award, STP and integration capabilities are included in their selected configuration

How to choose the right HRIS software

The right HRIS is not necessarily the one with the longest feature list, but one that fits your workforce requirements, reduces avoidable administration, gives leaders trustworthy data and can continue to support the business as it grows. Use the questions below to assess your shortlist.

1. Does the HRIS support your Australian payroll and compliance requirements?

Look for support for the requirements that apply to your workforce, such as Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2, Modern Awards, leave and entitlement processes, and accurate employee data.

Before you commit, confirm:

• Which payroll engine is included or supported
• Which Awards, employment types and pay conditions are covered
• How leave, entitlements and payroll data are configured
• How compliance updates are communicated and applied
• Which requirements depend on an integration, configuration or additional service

A platform should support your compliance processes, but your final coverage will depend on the selected payroll engine, configuration and workforce requirements.

2. Can it scale across locations, worker types and processes?

Choose an HRIS that can maintain a consistent employee record as your organisation grows or changes. It should support different locations, employment types, organisational structures, approval paths and workforce processes without requiring you to rebuild the system each time.

Ask the vendor to demonstrate how the platform would handle:

• Opening a new location
• Adding a new worker type or employment arrangement
• Changing reporting lines or approval workflows
• Managing multiple entities or payroll groups
• Scaling self-service access as employee numbers increase

3. Will it integrate with the systems you already use?

An HRIS should fit into your existing technology environment rather than create another information silo. Check the specific accounting, payroll, rostering, finance and business integrations available for your organisation.

Confirm:

• Which systems can connect out of the box
• How often data synchronises
• Which system owns each key data field
• How errors, duplicates and failed syncs are handled
• Who is responsible for implementation and ongoing maintenance
• Whether integrations create additional setup, subscription or support costs

Do not assess an integration by its name alone. Ask to see the actual data flow and the steps required to resolve an error.

4. Will it reduce manual work without removing human judgement?

The best HRIS software automates routine work while keeping the right controls, approvals and decision points in place. Look for workflows, reminders, employee self-service, reporting and carefully governed AI features.

Assess whether the platform can help your team:

• Automate repetitive tasks and notifications
• Give employees and managers access to self-service tools
• Route approvals to the right person
• Identify missing information or unusual activity
• Produce reliable reports without repeated spreadsheet work
• Keep human review in place for sensitive, complex or high-impact decisions

Ask the vendor to show what the system automates, what still requires approval and how changes are logged.

5. What support will you receive beyond go-live?

Implementation is only the beginning of an HRIS project. Ask what support is available for data migration, testing, training, change management, user adoption, system optimisation and future process changes.

Clarify:

• Who owns the implementation plan
• What your team must provide during data migration and testing
• How administrators and employees will be trained
• What adoption or change-management support is included
• How support requests are handled after go-live
• Whether you will have access to an implementation specialist, customer success manager or account team
• What support is included in the contract and what is charged separately

Making the right HRIS choice for your workforce needs

Once you’ve decided on the right HRIS for you, set realistic timelines, validate your data before migration and involve the people who will use the system and test critical workflows before go-live. Define how you measure success, from time saved on administration to reporting speed, data quality and adoption. 

Sources:

1. https://elmosoftware.com.au/
2. https://employmenthero.com/
3. https://www.hibob.com/hr-software-australia/
4. https://www.bamboohr.com/
5. https://www.happyhr.com/
6. https://www.rippling.com/en-AU
7. https://www.sage.com/en-au/sage-business-cloud/people/
8. https://www.sentrient.com.au/
9. https://au.adp.com/
10. https://www.humanforce.com/

The information in this article is based on publicly available information and vendor websites as of September 2026 and provided for educational purposes only. Features, pricing, and capabilities are subject to change. 

We recommend contacting vendors directly to verify current offerings. ELMO Software has made reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy but makes no warranties about the completeness or accuracy of third-party information.