Overview

IceHrm combines employee records, leave, attendance, payroll, recruiting, performance reviews, expenses and timesheets. Employee self-service, role-based permissions and an audit log give staff and administrators distinct ways to work with HR processes. That range can replace a collection of separate workflows; teams seeking only one narrow HR function may not need the full scope.

Open Source covers core HR operations, Cloud adds managed hosting, and IceHrmPro targets larger deployments. Premium extensions are unavailable in Open Source and cannot be purchased separately, so an extension requirement rules out the no-cost edition.

For a wider category comparison, browse HR Software. Teams focused on document workflows can also see HR Document Management Software.

Key features

Leave, attendance and time

Leave balances update live, with accruals, manual adjustments, multi-level approvals and company and team holiday calendars. Staff can clock in and out on web or mobile with work location captured, while timesheets support submission and approval. This combination suits organizations that need attendance and leave workflows tied to employee records, though teams should confirm the edition supports the features and extensions they require.

Payroll and expenses

Payroll supports custom columns, pay groups, multiple currencies and payslip design. Employees can submit expense claims with receipts for approval, with reimbursement through payroll. These tools suit businesses managing varied pay structures and expenses in a shared HR system; the breadth does not by itself establish that the payroll meets any particular local compliance requirement.

Recruiting and performance

Recruitment pipelines include candidate profiles and interview scheduling. Performance review cycles support goals and 360-degree feedback, making IceHrm relevant to teams that want hiring and employee development alongside core administration.

Integration, access and security

A REST API with bearer-token authentication supports external-system integrations and custom applications. Editions comparison includes Microsoft Entra ID, SAML 2.0 and LDAP/Active Directory sign-on options. IceHrm says cloud database data is encrypted with AES 256-bit encryption, files are privately stored and encrypted, and customer data is backed up in at least two locations. Its security policy identifies availability, integrity and confidentiality as goals and says compliance is checked through internal audits. IceHrm also states it complies with the CISPE Data Protection Code of Conduct and that customers own their data and may request deletion.

Pricing

IceHrm uses a freemium model, with a free plan and paid plans. A 14-day trial is available. The listed plan distinctions matter more than the headline starting point: Open Source has no listed price, while Cloud has an employee cap and IceHrmPro starts at a substantially higher monthly price.

IceHrm Open Source: Price not listed. Includes employee profiles, attendance and clock-in/out, payroll, documents, projects and timesheets, and reports. Community support is listed. It is the option for organizations prepared to run the open edition, but it excludes premium extensions, which are not sold separately.
IceHrm Cloud: 12.00 USD per month, billed $ 12 /mo total for up to 6 employees; $1.10/employee. Managed hosting and email support are included. Listed pricing covers up to 100 employees; contact IceHrm for custom pricing over 100. This is the clearest fit for a small team wanting hosted service, but the six-employee total and 100-employee pricing boundary should be checked against headcount.
IceHrm Enterprise: Price not listed; unlimited employees. This is relevant when the employee ceiling is the priority, but the price requires a custom quote.
IceHrmPro: 1799.00 USD per month, billed From $1,799 for up to 50 employees, up to 500. The starting price covers up to 50 employees, with support listed by email/Slack and access to premium extensions. It targets larger organizations; the starting price is far above Cloud, and teams should confirm costs for their employee count.

Platforms

IceHrm supports web, Android and iOS, as well as self-hosted deployment and API access. The dedicated mobile app supports iOS and Android, and a mobile web experience is also described. This gives teams both hosted and self-managed routes, though the right deployment depends on the edition and extension needs.

Who it's for

IceHrm is a sensible candidate for organizations consolidating employee records, leave, attendance, payroll and talent workflows, especially when mobile clock-ins, approvals or API integration matter. Open Source can suit teams willing to forgo premium extensions; Cloud suits smaller teams preferring managed hosting. Larger organizations may consider IceHrmPro or Enterprise, but should resolve pricing and employee-count fit before committing. It is less compelling for buyers who need only one function or require premium extensions at an independently purchasable price.

Pros and cons

Pro: Leave, attendance, payroll, recruiting and performance reviews share one platform, reducing the need to piece together those workflows.
Pro: Cloud supports managed hosting, while self-hosted and API options give deployment and integration flexibility.
Pro: Mobile clock-in captures work location, and timesheets, leave and expenses include approval workflows.
Con: Open Source cannot use premium extensions, and those extensions cannot be bought separately, making edition choice consequential.
Con: Cloud's listed pricing is for up to 100 employees, and larger teams must request custom pricing; Enterprise also has no listed price.
Con: IceHrmPro starts at 1799.00 USD per month for up to 50 employees, which makes it a major cost step from Cloud.

Alternatives

SovoHR is worth considering for a very small team: its free Starter plan covers up to one employee, while its paid Micro plan covers up to five.
Zoho People is an alternative if a free web, iOS and Android plan for five users is the priority.
Sesame HR may suit buyers preferring a paid plan with a 14-day trial; its Essential plan costs 45.00 USD per year and requires at least 15 employees.
DutyDuke is a free, self-hosted and web-based alternative.
Sense HR is an alternative for buyers considering a paid plan with annual billing and employee-count bands.
Deputy is an alternative for teams prioritizing scheduling, with a paid Lite plan.
Efalia HR ECM is an alternative with quote-based pricing that varies by company size, storage, users and features.
Employment Hero is another paid alternative.

Verdict

Choose IceHrm if your organization wants employee administration, attendance, payroll and talent workflows in one system, with a choice of hosted or self-hosted deployment. Its broad coverage and API are the strongest reasons to shortlist it. Look elsewhere if premium extensions are essential but Cloud or IceHrmPro do not fit your budget, or if you need transparent pricing for a larger deployment.

	IceHrm	Softra HR
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	—	GHS 588/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, self-hosted, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Employee records	Yes	Yes
Time-off management	Yes	Yes
Employee onboarding	Yes	Yes
Performance management	Yes	Yes
Time tracking	Yes	Yes
Mobile apps	Yes	—

IceHrm vs Softra HR

IceHrm

Softra HR