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Open-source Dayforce alternatives

A curated, ranked list of the 3 best open-source alternatives to Dayforce.

The best open-source alternative to Dayforce is Frappe HR. If that doesn't suit you, other good options are Horilla and OrangeHRM.

Dayforce alternatives are mainly HR & recruiting tools. 2 of them shipped code in the last 30 days, 3 can be self-hosted, and none uses a permissive licence.

Last updated October 2, 2026 · ranked by GitHub stars, growth and recent commits

Frappe HR

Frappe HR is an open-source HR and payroll system covering the employee lifecycle, leave, attendance, expenses, performance appraisals and payroll.

GitHub stars
8.9k
Last commit
yesterday
Latest release
v16.20.1
Licence
GPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes
Hosted version
Available
frappe.ioFrappe HR homepage screenshot

Frappe HR, listed here as HRMS, is open-source HR and payroll software from the team behind the Frappe framework and ERPNext. It began as a set of modules inside ERPNext and became a separate product from version 14, once those modules were mature enough.

The README describes more than 13 modules. They span the employee lifecycle from onboarding to promotions, transfers and exit interviews, leave policies and attendance with geolocation check-in, expense claims and advances with multi-level approvals, performance management with goals, key result areas and appraisal cycles, and payroll with salary structures, income tax slabs and salary slips. A mobile app handles leave requests and check-ins.

Frappe HR integrates with ERPNext accounting, is written in Python and JavaScript, and is released under the GPL-3.0 licence. Because the code is open, organizations can host it themselves, and it suits companies that want a full HRMS they can inspect and adapt.

Key features

  • Employee onboarding, transfers and exit management
  • Leave policies and attendance tracking
  • Expense claims with multi-level approvals
  • Goals, KRAs and appraisal cycles
  • Payroll with salary structures and tax slabs
  • Mobile app for leave and check-in

Pricing: Frappe HR is free to self-host. Managed Frappe Cloud hosting starts at $5 per month for a site and $20 for a server, billed per site rather than per user.

Horilla

Horilla is an open-source human resource management system covering recruitment, attendance, leave, payroll, performance and assets.

GitHub stars
1.4k
Last commit
2 days ago
Latest release
2.1.8
Licence
LGPL-2.1
Self-hosted
Yes
horilla.comHorilla homepage screenshot

Horilla is a free and open-source human resource management system built with Python and Django. The README describes it as comprehensive and designed to streamline HR operations. It combines employee records with the common HR workflows into one application, so small and mid-sized organizations can manage staff without stitching separate tools together.

Core modules include employee management with LDAP integration, recruitment from job posting to onboarding, onboarding and offboarding workflows, attendance and time tracking with biometric integration, leave management with policy enforcement and approvals, payroll with salary processing and tax calculations, performance management with goals and reviews, asset management and a helpdesk for HR requests.

The project explains its branch layout: the 2.0 branch is the default for running or deploying Horilla, dev/v2.0 is where contributions should go, and version 1 is deprioritized with fixes considered case by case. It uses htmx and JavaScript on the front end and is licensed under LGPL-2.1. The project website is horilla.com.

Key features

  • Employee management with LDAP integration
  • Recruitment from posting to onboarding
  • Attendance tracking with biometric integration
  • Leave management with approvals
  • Payroll with tax calculations
  • Performance reviews and goal setting
  • Asset management and HR helpdesk

Pricing: Free and open source under the LGPL-2.1 license.

OrangeHRM

Open-source human resource management system built with PHP and MySQL, covering core HR functions such as leave management.

GitHub stars
1.1k
Last commit
3 mo ago
Latest release
v5.9
Licence
GPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes

OrangeHRM is an open-source human resource management system. The project describes it as covering the essential functions an enterprise needs from an HR system, and the repository topics mention leave management, a RESTful API and enterprise use. This repository contains the OrangeHRM Starter application.

It is built on PHP and MySQL and licensed under GPL-3.0 or later. The README links to installation guides for Linux and Windows, a web installer, and upgrade instructions. A help portal provides user guides, tutorial videos and FAQs, and a live demo instance is available to try the interface. There is also a mobile app, and releases are published on SourceForge.

Support requests can be submitted through the OrangeHRM help portal or by email. The repository additionally includes guidance files for AI coding agents, which is relevant to contributors rather than to everyday HR users.

Key features

  • Core HR management for enterprises
  • Leave management
  • RESTful API for integrations
  • Web installer for Linux and Windows servers
  • Mobile app companion
  • Live demo and help portal

Pricing: Free software under the GPL-3.0 license.

Read more about OrangeHRMGitHub

Dayforce alternatives: questions

What is the best open-source alternative to Dayforce?
Frappe HR is the top-ranked open-source alternative to Dayforce on Enlisted: Frappe HR is an open-source HR and payroll system covering the employee lifecycle, leave, attendance, expenses, performance appraisals and payroll. Other strong options are Horilla and OrangeHRM.
Are these Dayforce alternatives free?
All 3 are open source, so the code is free to use under its licence, and all of them can be self-hosted on your own server or computer. 1 also offers a paid or managed cloud version if you'd rather not host it yourself.
How is this list of Dayforce alternatives ranked?
By a score built from GitHub stars, star growth over the last 30 days and how recently the code changed. 2 of these projects shipped code in the last 30 days. Data is refreshed daily, and nobody can pay to move up.

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