The best HR software of 2026: Expert reviewed

HR teams often drown in spreadsheets, payroll runs slip, and compliance headaches pile up. Those problems can lead to real risks: regulatory exposure, dissatisfied employees, and operational breakdowns. Picking the right HR platform can simplify global hiring, steady payroll, and improve employee experience.

Top pick Deel addresses global complexity by handling hiring, payroll, and compliance across 150 countries through a single platform. It offers Employer of Record services to become the legal employer in other countries, pays contractors in multiple currencies automatically, and includes Deel Shield to reduce contractor misclassification risk.

The dashboard centralizes timesheets, time-off requests and equipment orders, while managers gain real-time visibility into team costs. Pricing is $599 per employee per month for EOR services and $49 per contractor per month for basic vendor management; the service bundles legal compliance, benefits, tax filing and 24/7 support.