Overview

Frappe HR is open-source software for organizations that want to manage HR and payroll in one platform. It suits teams willing to self-host or tailor their workflows, especially those already using ERPNext accounting. Its broad scope is a strength, but hosting and implementation put more responsibility on the organization than a ready-to-run HR service.

For a broader look at tools in this category, see HR Software.

Key features

Recruitment and employee lifecycle

Recruitment tools span staffing plans, job listings, applicant tracking, interview scheduling, feedback, offers, and analytics. That gives teams a way to manage hiring from workforce planning through offers, while employee records and onboarding carry the process into day-to-day administration.

Workforce administration and payroll

Shifts, attendance, time tracking, leave, expenses, performance management, and income tax sit alongside payroll. Payroll supports rule-based salary structures, bulk assignments, regular runs, off-cycle payments, multi-currency payroll, employee loans, and timesheet-based calculations. This range can reduce the need to split connected HR and pay processes across separate tools, but organizations should plan how to configure the workflows they actually use.

Integrations, security, and customization

Frappe HR connects with ERPNext accounting and can work with biometric tools, banks, and third-party software. Role-based permissions, audit logs, and activity trails support administrative oversight. Frappe Cloud adds regular backups and encrypted communication; those safeguards are tied to that hosting service rather than a blanket promise for every self-hosted setup.

Using the Frappe Framework, teams can create custom forms, fields, workflows, reports, and dashboards. That flexibility is valuable when standard processes do not fit, but it also makes implementation choices and ongoing ownership part of the buying decision. The software is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and can be self-hosted using installation scripts.

Pricing

The core Frappe HR (open-source software) plan is free under the AGPL-3.0 license. That removes a software license charge, not the cost of running the system: hosting and implementation cost extra. Frappe estimates a self-hosted VPS starts around $40/month, with email, security, backups, setup, and maintenance adding costs. Organizations can self-implement or use certified Frappe partners; Product Warranty covers bug fixes but excludes functional support.

Frappe Cloud offers paid hosting tiers. Frappe Cloud Sites costs 5.00 USD per month for one site. Frappe Cloud Servers costs 20.00 USD per month for multiple sites and benches, while Frappe Cloud Servers - Dedicated costs 125.00 USD per month for multiple sites and benches. These are infrastructure choices rather than different HR feature editions.

The separate hosting plans are Frappe Cloud Sites hosting at 5.00 USD per month for a single site on shared servers with multiple apps, and Frappe Cloud Servers hosting at 125.00 USD per month, with superior dedicated server isolation, snapshots, autoscaling, and global data centre locations. The listed monthly prices are billed onwards; choose based on site and server needs, and budget separately for implementation and any operational work.

Platforms

Frappe HR supports web, Android, iOS, API, and self-hosted use. Its mobile app provides smartphone access to HR functions, while the API and self-hosting options can matter to organizations integrating or operating the platform themselves.

Who it's for

Frappe says its modular product serves small businesses through enterprises, including organizations with thousands of employees. It is a stronger fit for teams that value broad HR and payroll coverage, ERPNext accounting integration, and the ability to adapt workflows—and that can take on hosting or partner-led implementation. Organizations seeking a managed, low-overhead rollout or functional support under the Product Warranty should weigh those responsibilities carefully.

Pros and cons

Pros: Recruitment, employee lifecycle, attendance, leave, expenses, performance, payroll, and income tax are covered in one open-source platform, which can suit organizations consolidating HR operations.
Pros: Custom forms, workflows, reports, and dashboards let teams adapt the product to their processes rather than rely only on fixed workflows.
Pros: Self-hosting and Frappe Cloud provide different operating options, and ERPNext accounting integration is useful for organizations already using that system.
Cons: Free software does not mean free operation: hosting, setup, security, backups, and maintenance can add material cost and effort.
Cons: Product Warranty covers bug fixes but not functional support, so teams needing implementation or process guidance may need certified partner support.

Alternatives

For a smaller, user-capped free HR starting point, TalentHR offers a Free plan for up to 10 active users with core HR tools. IceHrm is another option for buyers considering open-source HR, with employee profiles, attendance, payroll, documents, projects, timesheets, and reports.

Happy HR is an alternative with a free recruitment offering. Zoho People has a free plan for 5 users, a more defined fit for very small teams comparing user-capped entry tiers.

Runtime HRMS has a free plan for 5 employees and a paid annual plan that includes 10 employees, mobile app, payroll, and HR management. WebHR offers a free plan for 5 employees and a yearly plan for up to 1,000 employees, which may suit buyers comparing employee-capped tiers.

factoHR has a free plan for up to 20 employees. Horilla offers free self-hosted use for unlimited users and companies, making it another option for organizations evaluating open-source, self-managed HR software.

Verdict

Choose Frappe HR if you want broad HR and payroll workflows, the freedom to self-host, and room to customize processes—particularly if ERPNext is already part of your stack. Its main case against is operational ownership: hosting, implementation, maintenance, and functional support can require more budget and expertise than a managed service. For teams prepared to own that trade-off, it is a flexible platform; for those seeking a simpler, supported rollout, look elsewhere.

	Frappe HR	Paybooks
Free plan	Yes
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Paid from	$5/mo
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, self-hosted, Web	Android, api, iOS, Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Employee records	Yes
Time-off management	Yes
Employee onboarding	Yes
Performance management	Yes
Time tracking	Yes
Mobile apps	Yes
Tax filing		Yes
Payroll delivery		hybrid
Local entity required		No

Frappe HR vs Paybooks

Frappe HR

Paybooks