Outgrowing Employment Hero? 5 Alternatives That Fit Better
Employment Hero is the dominant HR and payroll platform in Australia — Modern Award automation, onboarding, leave management, and STP payroll all in one place. But it's priced for teams, and for sole traders or very small businesses it's often overkill. If you're looking for something simpler, cheaper, or more payroll-focused, here's what to consider.
Best Employment Hero Alternatives — Quick Picks
Employment Hero vs Alternatives — Quick Comparison
| Platform | Price (AUD/mo) | Modern Awards | HR Features | STP Compliant | AU-Built | Try It |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Hero Current | $6/employee | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Xero Payroll | In Xero plan | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ | Free Trial → |
| Tanda | $4/user | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | Free Trial → |
| Payroller | Free / from $19 | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Free Trial → |
| Deputy | $6/user | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | Free Trial → |
Verified April 2026 — check directly with providers for current pricing and feature availability.
5 Best Employment Hero Alternatives for Australian Tradies
If you're already using Xero for your accounting — which most AU tradies are — Xero Payroll is included in your plan and handles STP, Modern Award calculations, leave management, and payslips. For small trade businesses with employees, it's often all you need. The integration with your Xero books is seamless — no data entry duplication.
It doesn't have Employment Hero's recruitment tools, onboarding workflows, or engagement features, but for straightforward payroll compliance, Xero Payroll does the job without an extra subscription. Check your current Xero plan before paying for Employment Hero — you may already have what you need.
Pros
- Already in Xero — no extra cost for existing users
- AU compliant
- STP reporting
- Seamless accounting integration
Cons
- Less HR depth than Employment Hero
- No engagement or recruitment tools
Tanda is cheaper per user than Employment Hero and has strong Modern Award automation — the feature most AU businesses with award-based staff care most about. It handles rostering, time tracking, and award-compliant payroll in an integrated platform. For trade businesses where workforce management is the core need, Tanda often covers it better than Employment Hero at a lower price.
Pros
- Cheaper than Employment Hero
- AU-built
- Modern Award automation
- Rostering + time + payroll integrated
Cons
- Less HR/onboarding depth than Employment Hero
Payroller is an Australian-built payroll-only tool with a genuinely free STP payroll option for small businesses. If you have 1–3 employees and need compliant payroll without complexity, Payroller covers it for free. No HR features, no engagement tools, no onboarding workflows — just compliant STP payroll processing.
Pros
- Free for small businesses
- AU-built
- ATO-compliant STP
- Simple to use
Cons
- Payroll only
- No HR features
Deputy focuses more on workforce management (rostering, scheduling, GPS time tracking) with Modern Award payroll integration, while Employment Hero focuses more on HR (onboarding, contracts, engagement). For trade businesses where managing when people work is the bigger challenge than HR management, Deputy is a better fit at the same price.
Pros
- Superior rostering
- GPS clock-in
- Modern Award automation
- AU-built
Cons
- Less HR depth than Employment Hero
KeyPay is now rebranded as Employment Hero Payroll — it was the specialist payroll engine that powered Employment Hero's backend. If you want the award-winning AU payroll engine without the HR add-ons, Employment Hero Payroll is used by accountants and bookkeepers specifically for its award interpretation depth. Often a better choice for businesses with complex payroll requirements than for small trade businesses wanting simplicity.
Pros
- Best-in-class AU award interpretation
- Accountant-preferred
- Deep compliance
Cons
- Payroll-focused
- Less suited to small teams wanting simplicity
Paying for Employment Hero features you don't use?
If your business just needs compliant payroll and you're already on Xero, you're paying twice. Xero Payroll is already in your plan.
Try Xero Payroll →Frequently Asked Questions
Xero Payroll is the best Employment Hero alternative for tradies already on Xero — it's included in your Xero subscription and handles STP, Modern Award payroll, and leave management. For businesses with more complex rostering needs, Tanda is cheaper than Employment Hero and specifically strong at workforce management.
Tanda is better than Employment Hero for trade businesses where workforce management (rostering, time tracking, Modern Award payroll) is the primary need. Employment Hero is better for businesses that also need HR tools — onboarding, engagement, contract management. Both have Modern Award automation and are AU-built.
Yes. Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting to the ATO is mandatory for all Australian employers regardless of size. Manual payroll without STP software can result in ATO penalties. Tools like Xero Payroll, Tanda, and Payroller make STP compliance straightforward.