It’s not simply paperwork — so much goes right into a profitable onboarding expertise. It’s about making new hires really feel welcome, beginning them on the best foot with coaching, introducing them to the group, and gathering all the best info and paperwork to remain compliant with native labor and tax legal guidelines.

To save lots of time, small enterprise homeowners use onboarding apps to remodel these scattered duties into one streamlined course of. 

However sadly, not all onboarding apps are neatly packaged for small companies. Some give attention to admin solely, others on in-depth coaching. Many include an abundance of highly effective options and a excessive price ticket to match. Discovering a platform with all of the instruments you want — with out breaking the financial institution — is difficult.

However we’re right here to assist, and we’ve put collectively this checklist of one of the best worker onboarding apps to offer you a greater understanding of what’s available on the market in 2023. 

On this information, we’ll speak about what options to search for and evaluate the highest onboarding apps based on greatest use circumstances, high options, execs and cons, and pricing that will help you make one of the best choice for what you are promoting. 

Key options to search for in worker onboarding apps

It’s exhausting to know the place to begin with worker onboarding apps — a few of them don’t have sufficient of the features you want, whereas others have options you may by no means use. As you slender down your decisions, take into account these standards:

• Syncs with different helpful merchandise — An onboarding app helps you digitize and automate paperwork and worker compliance coaching so you possibly can dedicate as a lot of your in-person time to serving to new hires get on-the-job expertise. However it’s even higher after they sync with hiring, group communication, payroll, and HR and compliance options, making your new group member really feel like they’re a part of your group and operations as rapidly as potential. 
• Accessible from varied units — Onboarding doesn’t must occur throughout work hours solely. And it’s a extra environment friendly use of your time if new workers can entry coaching movies, programs, paperwork, and onboarding bulletins from an app on their cellphone or pill.
• Automated paperwork and welcome packets — Paperwork might be overwhelming, which is why one of the best apps are designed to make this as painless as potential. The proper resolution ought to allow you to ship new hires worker handbooks, welcome packets, and tax paperwork earlier than a brand new rent’s first day.
• E-signing options and doc storage for paperwork — As an employer, you’re legally required to acquire signed tax paperwork and employment eligibility types and retailer them for three years. So, it’s essential you select a platform that lets workers e-sign paperwork from any gadget. And it’s important which you can archive them instantly within the platform so nothing will get misplaced within the shuffle. 
• Integrates with different software program — When a number of instruments work seamlessly collectively, you don’t must work extra time to remain organized and constant throughout completely different platforms. Earlier than you put money into software program, be sure it integrates with software program you already use for communication, hiring, payroll, and scheduling, if it doesn’t have already got these instruments in-built.
• Reasonably priced plans — Many choices on this checklist have low-priced per-user plans, and these can work nicely for small groups. However a per-user scheme is probably not proper in case your group is rising. That’s what units platforms like Homebase aside: It has onboarding options for $99.95 per location per thirty days, and it covers a limiteless variety of workers, so your subscription received’t change as your group will get larger.  

Our high decide for worker onboarding apps in 2023 (+ the remaining ranked)

As an all-in-one worker administration app that helps small enterprise homeowners deal with hiring, onboarding, payroll, and HR and compliance duties, Homebase is our #1 suggestion in 2023. 

And it’s not simply our options that make us one of the best. It’s additionally that:

• A free account solely takes a few minutes to arrange and provides you instruments for hiring, group messaging, time monitoring, and scheduling.
• You’ll be able to handle a limiteless variety of workers totally free.
• We worth our paid plans per location and never per worker, so your subscription prices keep the identical as your group expands.

However Homebase definitely isn’t the one onboarding app on the market. We’ve additionally reviewed and curated an inventory of our high decisions for 2023:

1. Finest all-in-one resolution: Homebase
2. Finest for constructing interactive onboarding programs: Take up LMS
3. Finest for bite-sized studying: eduMe
4. Finest for speaking with new hires: Connecteam
5. Finest for efficiency critiques: BambooHR
6. Finest for operating background checks: ClearCompany
7. Finest for onboarding international groups: Rippling
8. Finest for folks analytics: Zenefits
9. Finest for offboarding: Talmundo
10. Finest for monitoring onboarding: Eddy

Comparability chart: Prime 10 worker onboarding apps in 2023

A breakdown of the highest 10 worker onboarding apps

Now that you just’ve had an outline of how these onboarding apps evaluate side-by-side, let’s get a extra in-depth have a look at their standout options in addition to potential execs and cons.

1. Finest all-in-one resolution: Homebase

Prime options

• Onboarding options to share welcome provides and important paperwork earlier than your worker’s first day.
• Doc storage to withhold and file payroll taxes and adjust to state and federal rules.
• Homebase cell app in order that workers e-sign and submit paperwork from wherever.
• A personalized worker handbook designed for you.
• Workforce communication instruments to ship coaching movies and supplies and assist make new hires really feel like a part of the group instantly.

Professionals and cons

Homebase was designed for small enterprise homeowners dealing with their very own HR and onboarding processes, so the platform is tremendous intuitive and straightforward to make use of. And a free plan offers you every part it is advisable rent, schedule, observe time, and message a limiteless variety of group members, which is ideal for employers new to group administration software program.

And whereas our onboarding options aren’t free, we provide them for a per-location price of $99.95, holding your subscription manageable as you recruit extra group members. 

Nevertheless, Homebase doesn’t have in-depth coaching and studying instruments like studying administration software program (LMS). So if it is advisable construct in-depth, personalized programs for brand spanking new hires, Homebase could not be just right for you.

Pricing

The free model of Homebase consists of instruments for time monitoring, scheduling, hiring, and communication.

We provide extra complete options with our paid plans, which embody:

• Necessities — All of the free plan options, plus extras like shift notes, late clock in alerts, and geofencing instruments for $24.95 per thirty days.

• Plus — Instruments for time without work administration and monitoring labor prices for $59.95 per thirty days.

• All-in-one — All Homebase instruments, together with HR and compliance, onboarding, and doc storage options for $99.95 per thirty days.

It’s also possible to add payroll to any plan for $39 per thirty days plus $6 per lively worker, in addition to save 20% if you decide to an annual plan.

2. Finest for constructing interactive onboarding programs: Take up LMS

Prime options

• Templates for easy drag-and-drop course constructing.
• Instruments to make programs interactive with quizzes, questions, and assessments.
• Mission administration instruments to make collaborating on track creation extra seamless.
• Accessibility options to cater to learners with particular wants or impairments.
• Analytics that will help you be taught and enhance person expertise.
• Pre-made micro-courses to avoid wasting you time throughout onboarding.

Professionals and cons

Customers discover Take up LMS’s interface simple to navigate and customise, making it excellent for any trade. In addition they say the platform’s help group is open to new concepts and straightforward to work with, though getting in contact with them might be troublesome.

Nevertheless, small enterprise homeowners could discover studying and utilizing a special platform to construct and handle a course library time-consuming, particularly contemplating that it lacks hiring, communication, and group administration options.

Pricing

Take up LMS pricing isn’t available. Contact their gross sales group for a customized quote.

3. Finest for bite-sized studying: eduMe

Prime options

• Workflows and templates to create and publish programs.
• Add third-party content material and exterior supplies into bite-sized programs.
• Options to embed and host studying supplies for a seamless coaching expertise.
• Constructed-in survey instruments to assemble worker engagement information.
• Instruments to create information hubs for simple entry and future reference.

Professionals and cons

Like Take up LMS, eduMe allows you to design detailed programs so that you don’t must depend on generic coaching supplies or YouTube movies to coach your group. Extra particularly, they specialise in microlearning programs trainees can take from any gadget, making it a extra handy platform for employers of frontline staff.

It’s price noting, although, that clients discover eduMe analytics dashboards troublesome to learn, which prevents them from actioning information and worker suggestions.

Pricing

eduMe pricing isn’t available. You’ll must contact their gross sales rep for a customized quote.

4. Finest for speaking with new hires: Connecteam

Prime options

• Onboarding course creation instruments designed for cell studying.
• Analytics dashboards that will help you monitor coaching progress.
• On the spot messaging instruments to maintain new hires and present workers all on the identical web page.
• Newsfeed and bulletins make it simple to make new group members really feel welcome.
• Engagement survey instruments to indicate you the place your onboarding course of can enhance.
• Time monitoring and scheduling instruments for groups with fluctuating schedules and shifting availability.
• Varieties and checklists make it less complicated for each new and long-time group members to remain on high of every part they should do.

Professionals and cons

Like Homebase, Connecteam is an efficient group administration platform with instruments for time monitoring, scheduling, communication, HR, and onboarding. However it additionally provides devoted coaching software program, so that you don’t must depend on separate, dearer LMS platforms like Take up LMS or eduMe. Clients additionally report that it’s an ideal resolution for managing distant groups.

Even so, potential clients ought to know: Some enterprise homeowners really feel Connecteam paid plans are cost-prohibitive for small groups, so it’s greatest to check their free plan earlier than committing.

Pricing

Connecteam has a free plan for as much as ten customers. When you’re keen on a paid plan, they embody:

• Primary — Handle time without work and observe course completion for $35 per thirty days.

• Superior — Limitless programs and superior coaching administration options for $59 per thirty days.

• Skilled — Customise onboarding and $119 per thirty days.

• Enterprise — All Connecteam options at a customized worth.

5. Finest for efficiency critiques: BambooHR

Prime options

• Onboarding workflows that will help you handle paperwork and gather e-signatures simply.
• Automated duties for brand spanking new hires to assist them get began with onboarding.
• Get To Know You message to make new hires really feel welcome.
• Efficiency administration assessments and workflows to have fun worker successes and spotlight areas for enchancment.
• Constructed-in time monitoring, payroll, and advantages options to pay and care to your workforce.
• Integrates with dozens of standard apps, together with a few of the high LMS software program.

Professionals and cons

BambooHR is greatest fitted to medium and huge corporations that make use of salaried staff and want in-depth processes for onboarding massive teams of recruits. Which means it might not work for small enterprise homeowners who solely rent a couple of new workers yearly.

However one factor that units the platform aside? Efficiency administration options that aid you establish group members’ strengths and weaknesses. You need to use the platform to provoke overview cycles with instruments for self-assessments and peer and managerial evaluations, which is able to allow you to set your new hires heading in the right direction.

Pricing

BambooHR doesn’t publish pricing on its web site, however overview websites say:

6. Finest for operating background checks: ClearCompany

Prime options

• Applicant monitoring options with built-in instruments for texting, sending movies, and establishing candidate interviews.
• Onboarding workflows that allow you to ship new rent packets, welcome movies, and messages from the group.
• Devoted engagement instruments for recognizing worker achievements, conducting surveys, providing suggestions, and setting targets.
• Efficiency overview templates for each kind of worker evaluation.
• Analytics dashboards to offer you perception into your recruiting, onboarding, and efficiency processes.

Professionals and cons

Sure industries — like healthcare and monetary providers — require background checks for brand spanking new workers, however they are often expensive and fewer handy to trace when operating them with a third-party company. If that’s an issue what you are promoting recurrently runs into, you may admire ClearCompany, which helps you to conduct background checks instantly from the platform. 

Nonetheless, some clients discover it troublesome to filter and kind candidates who’ve utilized for jobs, which can make it much less sensible for companies that take care of quite a few candidates at a time.

Pricing

ClearCompany pricing isn’t obtainable on their web site. Contact the gross sales group for a customized quote.

7. Finest for onboarding international groups: Rippling

Prime options

• HR, IT, and finance instruments in a single platform imply you possibly can collect new group members’ paperwork, equip them with {hardware} and software program, and concern them an organization card all on a single platform.
• A step-by-step onboarding course of that solely takes 90 seconds for brand spanking new hires to finish paperwork, enroll in advantages, arrange apps and instruments, and enter their financial institution information for direct deposit. 
• Dozens of integrations for buyer help, communication, finance, and authorized administration platforms. And it’s easy to request an integration if it doesn’t have what you want.
• International payroll and compliance instruments allow you to pay workers in native foreign money, file related taxes, and sustain with group members’ native rules.
• Constructed-in LMS allows you to add your programs or choose from their catalog. Then you possibly can determine who will get to enroll in programs and observe group members’ progress. 

Professionals and cons

With instruments to handle HR, IT, and finance processes, Rippling is probably the most complete platform on this checklist for big organizations. And if international payroll and compliance have been standing in the way in which of what you are promoting recruiting internationally, it’s in all probability a clever alternative for you.

And but, as generally occurs with platforms that promise a lot, some clients say that Rippling’s HR and payroll providers are substandard and error-prone. Because of this, it is probably not definitely worth the excessive price ticket.

Pricing

Rippling begins at $8 per thirty days per particular person. To customise your plan and add particular instruments and options, contact the gross sales group.

8. Finest for folks analytics: Zenefits

Prime options

• Customizable onboarding you possibly can tailor to full-time workers, freelancers, and contractors.
• Advantages are synced to onboarding so new group members can enroll instantly.
• Built-in payroll and tax submitting options remove the necessity for a third-party accounting instrument.
• Folks analytics dashboards to assist in giving you extra perception into turnover and engagement and present you tips on how to enhance your onboarding course of.
• Org charts and worker directories make it sooner to introduce new group members to everybody in your group.

Professionals and cons

Knowledge about turnover, retention, and engagement can present you the place your onboarding course of could also be missing. If that’s a present concern to your firm, you may admire Zenefits’s detailed, customizable folks analytics. 

Regardless of this, it doesn’t have on the spot messaging instruments, making it difficult to coordinate each day duties and deal with sudden points with no separate communication channel. Clients additionally voice dissatisfaction about its lack of integrations and poor customer support, making it much less user-friendly for enterprise homeowners new to HR and onboarding platforms. 

Pricing

Zenefits’s tiered pricing plans embody:

• Necessities — Automated onboarding, time without work administration, scheduling, and analytics dashboards for $10 per worker per thirty days.

• Progress — All the pieces in Necessities plus customizable analytics dashboards and compensation and promotion administration instruments for $20 per worker per thirty days. 

• Zen — All Progress instruments plus pre-built instruments to conduct engagement surveys and entry to Zenefits Folks Hubs for sharing bulletins.

9. Finest for offboarding: Talmundo

Prime options

• Workflows to assist streamline the onboarding course of.
• Job administration options to maintain all stakeholders up to date about their onboarding tasks.
• Digital chatbox to simply talk with new hires.
• Templates and workflows — together with suggestions types, offboarding checklists, pulse surveys, customizable types, and goodbye movies —  to create a constructive offboarding expertise.
• Analytics dashboard to observe completion charges.

Professionals and cons

A terrific offboarding expertise lets you finish worker relationships on good phrases and be taught from previous errors. And that’s the place Talmundo shines with its instruments and templates for each onboarding and offboarding. Nevertheless, the platform isn’t as complete as others on this checklist. It doesn’t supply different important HR instruments for hiring, applicant monitoring, payroll, and group communication, so it’s not sensible when you’re in search of all-in-one software program.

Pricing

Contact Talmundo’s gross sales group for a customized quote.

10. Finest for monitoring onboarding: Eddy

Prime options

• Self-onboarding checklists to maintain new hires on job.
• Progress dashboard to indicate admins which new group members have accomplished onboarding duties and that are nonetheless in course of.
• Constructed-in hiring instruments to publish job openings on dozens of internet sites and rapidly arrange candidate interviews.
• Doc storage and worker information database that will help you adjust to labor legal guidelines.
• Constructed-in time monitoring and full-service payroll for a seamless fee course of. Workers may observe time and overview paychecks from the cell app.

Professionals and cons

Eddy combines hiring, onboarding, time monitoring, and payroll instruments so small enterprise homeowners can deal with their core admin and HR processes in a single platform. And small enterprise clients admire that Eddy offers you enterprise-level options — like doc storage and docu-sign options — at an inexpensive worth. 

Nevertheless, Eddy doesn’t have instruments for scheduling and group communication, which small enterprise homeowners within the restaurant, retail, and wellness industries sometimes must handle a group of hourly workers with fluctuating availability. 

Pricing

Eddy doesn’t publish pricing on its web site, however overview websites say its plans begin at $8 per thirty days per worker. 

Get new hires off to an ideal begin with Homebase onboarding

A profitable onboarding expertise means you possibly can maintain on to your greatest group members for the lengthy haul and keep away from making up for coaching gaps. However it additionally means you’ve crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s when gathering, submitting, and storing all legally-required paperwork. 

Some platforms on this checklist may also help you do all of it. However they’re cost-prohibitive and difficult to navigate, which isn’t all the time sensible on a small enterprise price range and schedule.

That’s why Homebase is our high onboarding app for 2023. At $99.95 per location per thirty days, you’ll have entry to every part Homebase has to supply, together with:

• Hiring instruments that will help you with job posting and speaking with candidates.
• Onboarding workflows, file sharing, and doc storage to begin new hires off proper.
• Time monitoring instruments that enable workers to clock in for shifts and handle time without work from their cellphones.
• Scheduling options to rapidly construct and share worker timetables, plus reusable schedule templates.
• Workforce communication to make coaching and scheduling extra accessible.
• Full-service payroll instruments that withhold and file the proper state and federal taxes.
• Entry to HR specialists who can reply your questions, overview your insurance policies, and even design a customized worker handbook for you.

**The data above relies on our analysis on worker onboarding apps. All person suggestions referenced within the textual content has been sourced from unbiased software program overview platforms, reminiscent of G2 and Capterra, in March 2023.