Expert Guide

Best Free HR Software in 2026

Seven HR and workforce tools that stay free after the trial, checked on each vendor's pricing page for the user cap, feature limits and first paid price.

Louis CorneloupFounder, Dupple · 930,000+ readers · Updated Oct 2026

Product links may be affiliate links. How we rate 7 tools compared

TL;DR

Short answer: Zoho People has the widest capped free edition here, forever free for up to 53 users with employee records, leave and documents. OrangeHRM Starter and Frappe HR are open source with no license fee, but you host them yourself, and Frappe Cloud's hosting starts at $5 a month. Odoo allows unlimited users on one free app. Connecteam covers up to 10 users for shift teams.

Free plans that look generous often stop early. Bitrix24 is free for 1 to 2 users and Sling for up to 30, and Sling keeps employee documents on its paid plan.

Key facts7 tools compared: Zoho People, OrangeHRM, Odoo, Frappe HR, Connecteam, Bitrix24, Sling

Updated: October 12, 2026
Top pick: Zoho People (best for: Companies under 53 people that want employee records, leave and documents on a free plan with a clear upgrade path)
Top pick price as of October 12, 2026: Zoho People: Free edition for up to 53 users, no expiry; paid tiers are per user, with yearly billing saving over 20%

7 tools compared: Zoho People, OrangeHRM, Odoo, Frappe HR, Connecteam, Bitrix24, Sling
OrangeHRM (best for: Teams with an IT person who can host the software and want leave, records and recruiting without a seat fee): Starter open source: free, no user cap stated; Advanced quoted per employee per month, 30-day trial
Odoo (best for: Companies that expect to buy an ERP later and want unlimited users while they start with one free app): One App Free: unlimited users on one app; Standard from $31.10 per user a month
Frappe HR (best for: Teams with a developer who can run a server and want a full HR suite with no seat fee): Open source and free to self-host; Frappe Cloud managed hosting from $5 a month

Toolradar data: 393 HR and recruiting tools are tracked on Toolradar's free HR tools guide, as of October 2026. The seven plans below are the ones we checked on each vendor's own pricing page.

Many HR systems put a free label on a trial.

This guide counts only plans that stay free after any trial ends.

For each one it records the user cap, the HR features the free plan includes and the first paid price.

Methodology: we read each vendor's pricing and feature pages in October 2026 and recorded the free plan's cap, features and expiry, plus the first paid price in USD where the vendor shows USD. We compare vendor pages and public documentation. We did not test the products.

Top Picks

Based on features, real-world fit, and value for money.

Best Free HR Software in 2026: Free Plans Compared by User Cap: 7 tools compared, updated Oct 2026
Tool	Pricing	Best for
Zoho People	Free edition for up to 53 users, no expiry; paid tiers are per user, with yearly billing saving over 20%	Companies under 53 people that want employee records, leave and documents on a free plan with a clear upgrade path
OrangeHRM	Starter open source: free, no user cap stated; Advanced quoted per employee per month, 30-day trial	Teams with an IT person who can host the software and want leave, records and recruiting without a seat fee
Odoo	One App Free: unlimited users on one app; Standard from $31.10 per user a month	Companies that expect to buy an ERP later and want unlimited users while they start with one free app
Frappe HR	Open source and free to self-host; Frappe Cloud managed hosting from $5 a month	Teams with a developer who can run a server and want a full HR suite with no seat fee
Connecteam	Free small business plan, up to 10 users, free for life; paid hubs from $29 to $35 a month for the first 30 users	Frontline teams of up to 10 people that need a time clock, scheduling and forms without paying
Bitrix24	Essentials free for 1 to 2 users with 5 GB; Basic $49 a month billed annually for 5 users	Two-person teams that want free tasks and a basic CRM and will look for HR tools later
Sling	Free for up to 30 users: shift scheduling and time-off requests; Premium and Business priced per active user	Shift-based employers up to 30 people that need scheduling and time-off requests, not an HR file

Pricing read from each vendor's own published pricing page, checked Oct 2026. Every vendor here publishes a price.

Zoho People

Top Pick

Best for: Companies under 53 people that want employee records, leave and documents on a free plan with a clear upgrade path

PricingFree edition for up to 53 users, no expiry; paid tiers are per user, with yearly billing saving over 20%

+Free edition is forever free for up to 53 users, according to Zoho's own pricing page

+Covers the employee database, leave and time-off management, and document management

+Paid plans are priced per user, so the bill rises with headcount

−Onboarding and attendance are not confirmed on the free edition, so check the feature list before you commit

−No paid price appears in the pricing text we checked, so the upgrade cost needs a quote from Zoho

Visit Zoho People →

OrangeHRM

Best for: Teams with an IT person who can host the software and want leave, records and recruiting without a seat fee

PricingStarter open source: free, no user cap stated; Advanced quoted per employee per month, 30-day trial

+Starter is open source and free, and its feature list names HR administration, leave, performance, recruitment and time tracking

+No user or employee cap is stated on the Starter page

+Paid Advanced comes with a 30-day free trial, so you can test the modules before a quote

−Starter's listed support is a community forum

−You run the server, backups and updates yourself

Visit OrangeHRM →

Odoo

Best for: Companies that expect to buy an ERP later and want unlimited users while they start with one free app

PricingOne App Free: unlimited users on one app; Standard from $31.10 per user a month

+The free plan allows unlimited users, according to the page

+The FAQ says the free plan allows multiple companies

+Standard covers all apps for one per-user fee, so you do not pay app by app

−The page does not list the Employees app on its own, so confirm it can be the app your free slot holds

−Installing a second app moves you to Standard, and Custom sits above Standard in price

Visit Odoo →

Frappe HR

Best for: Teams with a developer who can run a server and want a full HR suite with no seat fee

PricingOpen source and free to self-host; Frappe Cloud managed hosting from $5 a month

+The page calls Frappe HR 100% open source and describes self-hosting as an option

+The page says the product helps you avoid expensive license fees

+Frappe Cloud has a monthly entry plan if you would rather not run a server

−The page prices the hosting plans, not the HR app itself

−You patch, back up and secure the system yourself unless you pay for managed hosting

Visit Frappe HR →

Connecteam

Best for: Frontline teams of up to 10 people that need a time clock, scheduling and forms without paying

PricingFree small business plan, up to 10 users, free for life; paid hubs from $29 to $35 a month for the first 30 users

+Free for life for up to 10 users, according to the pricing page

+Time clock, scheduling, and checklists and forms are marked as included on the free plan

+The page says the free small business plan includes all hubs and features, for up to 10 users

−Employee records and documents are not confirmed on the free plan, so check before you move records in

−Ten users is a tight cap for a shift team that is still growing

Visit Connecteam →

Bitrix24

Best for: Two-person teams that want free tasks and a basic CRM and will look for HR tools later

PricingEssentials free for 1 to 2 users with 5 GB; Basic $49 a month billed annually for 5 users

+Essentials is free for 1 to 2 users, with 5 GB of storage, basic CRM, tasks, calendars and chat

+Paid Basic covers 5 users at one organization price, not per head

−The free plan lists no HR records or time tracking

−A 2-user cap ends quickly for any company with a real team

Visit Bitrix24 →

Sling

Best for: Shift-based employers up to 30 people that need scheduling and time-off requests, not an HR file

PricingFree for up to 30 users: shift scheduling and time-off requests; Premium and Business priced per active user

+Free for up to 30 users, and the page states no expiry for the free plan

+Covers shift scheduling, time-off requests, available shifts and private messaging

+Paid plans charge only for active users

−Employee documents sit in the paid Business plan, and the free plan lists no employee records

−It is a scheduling tool first, so it does not replace payroll or a records system

Visit Sling →

What it is

Free HR software is a system of record for employee files, leave, time off and documents on a plan with no monthly fee. Some add onboarding, time clocks or payroll on top. A free plan only helps if its cap fits your headcount and the features you need on day one.

For paid options, see our HR software for startups guide.

Why it matters

The free label hides three different offers. Zoho People, Connecteam and Sling run real free plans with a cap. OrangeHRM and Frappe HR cost nothing to license because they are open source, so the cost moves to your server and admin time.

The third group is trials and demos: PeopleHR gives 14 days, and HiBob's pricing page offers a demo only. BambooHR and Factorial show no free plan or trial on their pricing pages, so neither can be the free choice.

For a paid system of record instead, the mid-market HRIS guide compares vendors built for growing companies.

Key features to look for

Forever free vs. time-boxed trial

A real free plan has no end date. Zoho People describes its edition as forever free, and Connecteam says free for life. A trial has a countdown that ends in a paid plan.

Cap on users or apps

Zoho People and Connecteam cap users, Bitrix24 caps at two, and Odoo allows unlimited users on one app. Find the limit that binds first for your team.

Self-hosted vs. vendor-hosted

OrangeHRM Starter and Frappe HR run on a server you control. The license is free, but patches, backups and security land on your team.

Upgrade path

Each free plan has a paid step. The pricing table shows the first paid price where the vendor prints one, so you can budget the jump before you start.

Pricing

Compare the caps before the features. Zoho People's pricing page describes its free edition as forever free for up to 53 users, and its paid tiers are per user.

OrangeHRM lists an open source Starter with no user cap stated and an Advanced plan quoted per employee, with a 30-day trial.

Odoo offers One App Free for unlimited users, and Standard at $31.10 per user a month, a discounted figure shown beside $38.90 with a footnote that the discount runs for 12 months for initial users.

Frappe HR is open source, and Frappe Cloud starts at $5 a month for hosting. Connecteam is free for up to 10 users, with paid hubs at $29 to $35 a month for the first 30 users, priced per hub.

Bitrix24 Essentials is free for 1 to 2 users, and Basic is $49 a month billed annually for 5 users. Sling is free for up to 30 users on scheduling. Checked on each vendor's pricing page in October 2026.

Plan	Price	Best for
Zoho People Free	Free	Up to 53 users, no expiry; employee database, leave, time-off planning and documents
OrangeHRM Starter	Free	Open source, you host it; no user cap stated; leave, recruitment, performance and time tracking
OrangeHRM Advanced	Custom	Quoted per employee per month; 30-day free trial; modules chosen per plan
Odoo One App Free	Free	Unlimited users on one app; a second app moves you to Standard
Odoo Standard	$31.10 per user a month	All apps for one per-user fee; discounted rate with a footnote on a 12-month term
Frappe HR self-hosted	Free	Open source with no license fee; you pay for the server and admin time
Frappe Cloud Sites	From $5 a month	Managed hosting plan; the page does not price the HR app on top
Connecteam Small Business	Free	Up to 10 users, free for life; time clock, scheduling, checklists and forms
Connecteam paid hubs	From $29 a month	Base price for the first 30 users in one hub; extra users are priced per head
Bitrix24 Essentials	Free	1 to 2 users, 5 GB storage, basic CRM, tasks, calendars and chat
Bitrix24 Basic	$49 a month billed annually	5 users per organization; $69 a month on monthly billing
Sling Free	Free	Up to 30 users; shift scheduling, time-off requests and private messaging
BambooHR Core	$10 per employee a month	No free plan or trial on the pricing page; Pro $17 and Elite $25

Who it's for

Zoho People fits a company under 53 people that wants employee records, leave and documents with nothing to pay yet.

Connecteam and Sling fit shift teams: Connecteam for clocks and forms up to 10 people, Sling for scheduling up to 30.

Our time clock guide and shift scheduling guide cover the stand-alone tools. OrangeHRM or Frappe HR fits a team with someone who can run a server and keep it patched.

Odoo suits a company that expects to buy an ERP and wants to start with one free app and unlimited users. Skip Bitrix24 if you need HR records on the free plan, since its free plan lists none.

If you outgrow the free tier and want a paid system of record, see our BambooHR review or the small business HRIS guide.

Mistakes to avoid

×Signing up for a trial and calling it free. PeopleHR's 14-day trial ends with a paid package, and HiBob's pricing page offers only a demo, so neither gives you a free system. Check for an end date on any free plan before you move employee files in.

×Choosing on the headline cap. Connecteam's free plan stops at 10 users, so a 12-person crew has to buy a paid hub. Sling's free tier keeps employee documents on the paid Business plan, so a free start may still leave you without the file store you need.

×Counting open source as free to run. OrangeHRM Starter and Frappe HR cost nothing to license, but the server, backups, upgrades and security are yours. Frappe Cloud's hosting, from $5 a month, is one way to hand that work off, though the page does not price the HR app itself.

×Using a 2-user free plan as an HR system. Bitrix24's Essentials covers 1 to 2 users and lists no HR records or time tracking. The step up to Basic is $49 a month billed annually for 5 users, so confirm the HR features on the plan you pick.

Expert tips

→Confirm how each vendor counts a user before you sign up. A login, a paid seat and an employee record are often three different things, and the cap only means something once you know which one it counts.

→Plan the first upgrade before you adopt. Odoo's Standard plan is the price to budget for once you need a second app, and Zoho's paid tiers need a quote before you can budget them. Our <a href="/reviews/best-payroll-software">payroll software guide</a> covers the paid step if payroll is the next need.

→Keep payroll and hiring separate until you need them. Our <a href="/reviews/best-free-payroll-software">free payroll guide</a> covers what each free payroll plan leaves out, and the <a href="/reviews/best-free-applicant-tracking-systems">free applicant tracking guide</a> covers the hiring side.

The bottom line

For most companies under 53 people, Zoho People is the safest free start: forever free, the widest capped user count here, and employee records and leave from day one. Pick OrangeHRM or Frappe HR if someone can run a server and you want no seat fee.

Shift teams should look at Connecteam or Sling, and check the cap before you move anyone in.

Cite this: HRpresso, "Best Free HR Software in 2026", October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free HR software in 2026?

Zoho People's free edition is the widest capped option here: forever free for up to 53 users, with employee records, leave and document management. If someone on your team can host a server, OrangeHRM Starter and Frappe HR are open source with no license fee.

Is there free HR software with no user limit?

Yes. OrangeHRM's Starter page states no user cap, and Frappe HR is open source with no license fee, but you host both yourself, so the server, backups and admin time are the real cost. Odoo's free plan also allows unlimited users, but only on one app.

Is BambooHR free?

No. BambooHR's pricing page shows no free plan and no free trial. It lists Core at $10, Pro at $17 and Elite at $25 per employee a month, so the free route is one of the capped plans on this list.

How much does Odoo cost after the free plan?

Adding a second app moves you to Standard, which the page prices at $31.10 per user a month, with $38.90 shown beside it. Custom sits above Standard, and the page shows it at $61.00 per user a month.

Does Zoho People stay free?

Zoho's pricing page describes its free edition as forever free for up to 53 users, and says an account moves to the free plan when a trial ends. The page lists employee database, leave, time-off planning and document management on that edition. Confirm the cap with Zoho before you migrate a larger team.

Is Connecteam free for a team of 15?

No. Connecteam's free Small Business plan covers up to 10 users, so a team of 15 needs a paid hub. Paid hubs start at $29 to $35 a month for the first 30 users, and the price depends on the hub you pick. Extra users are priced per head above that.

Sources

Prices and plan details come from each vendor's own pricing page, re-checked by the Toolradar pricing tracker.