Connecteam vs Employment Hero
Connecteam and Employment Hero are both all-in-one platforms, but for very different teams. Connecteam is a mobile-first tool for deskless workers. Employment Hero is an AI-powered HR and payroll system for growing businesses.
Best for: Small businesses with 10 or fewer deskless employees, Field service, construction, cleaning, or security companies
Best for: Growing SMEs needing integrated HR and payroll, Companies hiring internationally via an Employer of Record
Essential Management Tool for Deskless Teams
We find Connecteam delivers an exceptionally comprehensive suite tailored perfectly for deskless teams, consolidating communication, scheduling, and HR tasks into a simple mobile application. Overall, it’s a highly valuable solution that offers unparalleled features, particularly through the generous free tier for small businesses.
Pros
- Incredible value provided by the permanent free plan (up to 10 users).
- Highly user-friendly interface that is easily customized for specific business needs.
- Excellent all-in-one platform replaces the need for using multiple, disparate tools.
- Streamlines essential operations like scheduling, shift management, and payroll prep.
Cons
- One strong critique noted isolated issues with customer support responsiveness.
- Some users found the scheduling feature lacked a traditional calendar view.
- Specific system integration options could be expanded in the future.
Powerful all-in-one platform with mixed support.
Employment Hero is a comprehensive, AI-driven system for managing global HR, payroll, and compliance. We found it offers significant time-saving potential and a unified employee experience. Overall, it's a robust solution for growing businesses, but its value depends heavily on your ability to navigate its modular pricing and variable customer support.
Pros
- All-in-one platform for HR, payroll, recruitment, and benefits.
- AI-powered features automate hiring, shortlisting, and administrative tasks.
- Strong global capability via HeroForce managed service for 180+ countries.
- Employee superapp improves engagement and provides easy access to info.
Cons
- Customer support responsiveness can be inconsistent or slow.
- Onboarding and initial setup process can be complex.
- Pricing model with modules and tiers can feel less transparent.
- Some users report occasional software bugs or feature delays.
AboutConnecteam
Connecteam is designed specifically to help managers of deskless teams. It provides an impressive suite of smart work tools all in one simple mobile app. This platform ensures your workforce stays connected wherever they are, right on their phone. You can simplify complex processes from scheduling to payroll, making work flow much easier for everyone. It’s built to fit your industry, whether you’re in Construction, Cleaning, or Security. 💡
AboutEmployment Hero
✨ Employment Hero is an AI-powered Employment Operating System (EmploymentOS). It provides software for businesses to manage their own teams, and a managed service called HeroForce that acts as the legal employer in 180+ countries, handling contracts, payroll, and compliance. It’s designed for SMEs and growing organizations across almost any industry.
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Target Audience & Core Focus
Connecteam is built for deskless teams. Employment Hero is an HR & payroll OS for growing companies.
Connecteam's core focus is managing deskless workers. It excels in scheduling, time tracking, and mobile communication for teams in construction, cleaning, or security. Employment Hero is designed as an Employment Operating System. It's built for SMEs needing integrated HR, payroll, and recruitment to manage office-based or hybrid teams. The key difference is the type of worker. Connecteam puts a full management toolkit on a field worker's phone. Employment Hero centralizes back-office HR processes. A construction foreman uses Connecteam for site scheduling. A startup HR manager uses Employment Hero to onboard new hires globally.
Pricing & Free Access
Connecteam offers a powerful free plan for up to 10 users. Employment Hero starts at $10 per employee/month.
Connecteam's standout feature is its free Small Business Plan. Teams of 10 or fewer get all features in all hubs forever. Employment Hero has no free plan. Pricing starts at $10 per employee/month for HR Essentials. Annual commitments can lower costs for specific modules. For a team of 8, Connecteam is completely free. That same team on Employment Hero would pay at least $80/month. Connecteam's value is unbeatable for very small teams. Employment Hero's cost scales with team size but includes more comprehensive HR functions.
HR & Payroll Automation
Employment Hero automates full payroll and HR workflows. Connecteam focuses on scheduling and time data.
Employment Hero provides intelligent payroll automation. It runs the entire workflow, from validations to submissions, improving efficiency by 81% on average. Connecteam offers a time clock and payroll integration. It prepares accurate timesheets and data for payroll, but doesn't process payroll directly. Employment Hero automates the entire HR lifecycle. Connecteam automates the daily work schedule and time capture. If your main pain is running payroll, Employment Hero is the system. If it's scheduling crews, Connecteam is better.
Global Hiring & Compliance
Employment Hero offers global hiring via HeroForce. Connecteam does not provide international employment services.
Employment Hero's HeroForce acts as a legal Employer of Record. You can hire employees in over 180 countries without setting up local entities. Connecteam does not offer global hiring or Employer of Record services. It is focused on managing teams within a single country. HeroForce handles all contracts, payroll, and compliance abroad. Connecteam handles scheduling and communication within a known location. This is a deal-breaker if you need to hire internationally. Connecteam simply doesn't compete in this category.
Mobile Experience
Both have strong mobile apps, but Connecteam is 100% mobile-first for field use.
Connecteam is designed entirely around its mobile app. Every feature, from scheduling to chat, is built for phone use by deskless workers. Employment Hero offers the Work superapp. Employees use it for payslips, leave, and benefits on the go. Connecteam's app is for doing work on-site. Employment Hero's app is for accessing HR information from anywhere. A field worker's daily tool is Connecteam. An office employee's self-service portal is Employment Hero.
AI & Advanced Features
Employment Hero uses AI for hiring and workflows. Connecteam is more straightforward.
Employment Hero leverages AI throughout its platform. It uses AI for candidate shortlisting, interview scheduling, and surfacing HR tasks. Connecteam's features are powerful but more straightforward. They focus on reliable scheduling, time tracking, and digital forms without AI automation. Employment Hero aims to be a proactive system. Connecteam is a tool you actively manage. If you want AI to reduce admin, Employment Hero has the edge. If you want simple, reliable tools, Connecteam works well.
Customer Support
Connecteam promises fast support. Employment Hero's support is more variable.
Connecteam offers 24/7 live support with a goal of responding in under five minutes. This is a consistent selling point. Employment Hero provides help center articles and chat. Unlimited phone support is for higher-tier plans like Employment Unlimited. Reviews note Employment Hero support can be slow or inconsistent. Connecteam support is generally praised for speed. For urgent issues, Connecteam's SLA is more reliable. Employment Hero's support quality may depend on your plan.
Implementation & Onboarding
Connecteam is praised for ease of setup. Employment Hero's onboarding can be complex.
Users describe Connecteam as easy to implement. They offer tutorials and expert setup to get teams running quickly. Employment Hero's onboarding is often cited as complex. The modular platform has a steeper learning curve. Connecteam is designed for quick adoption by non-technical managers. Employment Hero may require more dedicated implementation time. A small team can be live on Connecteam in hours. Deploying Employment Hero's full suite takes more planning.
Connecteam costs $0 per month indefinitely for the Small Business Plan, which supports up to 10 users.
We believe in flexible pricing with powerful tools. This structure helps you choose exactly what your team requires to succeed. Let's look closer at the available tier designed specifically for smaller teams to help you get started quickly.
Small Business Plan
Price: $0 (Free for life) Best For: Managing up to 10 employees Other Features:
- Access to all hubs and all features
- Time Clock and Job Scheduling
- Forms and Quick Tasks
- Perfect for deskless teams
- All hubs and all features
- Time Clock
- Job Scheduling
- Forms
- Quick Tasks
Employment Hero pricing: Employment Hero offers tiered subscription plans starting at $10 per employee/month for HR essentials, alongside specialized AI recruitment and payroll solutions. Costs scale based on team size and selected modules, with both monthly and annual billing options available for specific services like the AI Recruitment Agent at $199/month (billed annually).
Professional managed services under the HeroForce brand are also offered with custom pricing, allowing businesses to tailor their plan to their specific needs and workforce size. Note that a minimum of 10 users is required for core subscriptions and pricing is quoted in AUD excluding GST for the Australian market.
Some plans also offer flexibility for single entity or global expansion setups, simplifying the complexity of multi-national compliance and local payroll management through their unified platform infrastructure. Businesses can scale their usage of AI-powered tools such as video interviewing and candidate scoring as their hiring needs grow over time, ensuring they only pay for the capacity they actually use each month through transparent tiered pricing.
Pricing Notes
- Connecteam's free plan is its biggest advantage. It includes all features for up to 10 users.
- Employment Hero requires a minimum of 10 users for core HR plans.
- Employment Hero pricing is per employee, so costs rise with team size.
- Connecteam offers an 18% discount for annual billing.
- Employment Hero has additional fees for superannuation ($0.30/employee) and SMS ($0.18/SMS).
Pricing Head-to-Head
User Reviews
Connecteam receives remarkably high praise across both Trustpilot and Capterra, maintaining an excellent 4.8-star rating. Users, especially those running small businesses or managing deskless teams, enthusiastically celebrate the product's value.
Many specifically highlight the incredible, permanent free plan available for up to ten employees. Reviewers consistently describe the platform as user-friendly and highly customizable, successfully replacing messy tool chains like WhatsApp, Excel, and various standalone systems.
This app gives unrivalled functionality, all for free for my small business. We mainly use it for clocking in and out, which makes payrun so much easier; the accounting team loves it. We are only just scratching the surface of its capabilities.
We found mixed sentiment from users on Trustpilot and Capterra, though we could only access a limited set of reviews. Users frequently praise the platform's ease of use and the time-saving benefits of having payroll, HR, and employee management integrated.
👍 Recurring positives include the intuitive mobile app for employees and the helpfulness of customer support in resolving issues. However, a common point of friction is customer service responsiveness, with some reporting slow or inconsistent support.
The platform has streamlined our payroll and HR processes significantly. The employee app is a great touch for the team. Support was helpful when we needed it.
Our Verdict
Connecteam and Employment Hero serve different masters. For deskless teams, Connecteam is the clear winner. For back-office HR and global payroll, Employment Hero takes the crown. Connecteam's superpower is its free plan and mobile-first design. It puts scheduling, time clock, and chat on every field worker's phone for $0. That's unbeatable for a crew of 8. Employment Hero's superpower is its AI-powered HR operating system. It automates payroll, recruitment, and even global hiring through HeroForce. It's built for the office, not the construction site. The deciding factor is your team type. If your employees work shifts without desks, you need Connecteam. If you're managing office-based staff and complex HR, look at Employment Hero. Pick Connecteam if you run a small field service business and want a simple, free tool. Choose Employment Hero if you're a growing company needing to automate HR and hire worldwide. Both solve big problems—for very different companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for small teams: Connecteam or Employment Hero?
Connecteam is better for very small teams. Its free plan includes all features for up to 10 users. Employment Hero requires a minimum of 10 users and charges per employee.
Does Connecteam have payroll like Employment Hero?
Connecteam does not run payroll directly. It provides a time clock and tools to prepare accurate timesheets for payroll. Employment Hero offers fully automated, integrated payroll processing.
Is Employment Hero worth the extra cost over Connecteam?
It depends on your needs. Employment Hero is worth it if you need integrated HR, AI hiring, or global EOR services. For basic scheduling and communication, Connecteam is more cost-effective.
Can I hire employees in other countries with Connecteam?
No. Connecteam does not offer international hiring or Employer of Record services. Employment Hero's HeroForce managed service allows legal hiring in over 180 countries.
Which platform has a better mobile app for field workers?
Connecteam has the better app for field workers. Its entire platform is mobile-first, designed for clocking in, checking schedules, and communicating from a job site.
Does Employment Hero have a free trial?
Information on a free trial is not clear. You should request a demo or contact their sales team. Connecteam offers a clear 14-day free trial with no credit card needed.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.