Open-source Gusto alternatives

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.

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.

WP ERP is an open-source enterprise resource planning plugin for WordPress, developed by weDevs. It turns a WordPress site into a back-office system by bundling core modules for human resource management, customer relationship management and double-entry accounting.

A project management component is also included, and a long list of add-ons extends the plugin: custom field builder, employee recruitment, document manager, payroll, attendance management, payment gateway, HR frontend, WooCommerce integration, email campaign, deals, workflow, reimbursement, inventory, SMS notification, asset manager and Gravity Forms support, plus contact sync with Salesforce, HubSpot and Mailchimp. The documentation covers setup, and a WordPress Playground link lets you try it in the browser.

It requires PHP 5.6 and WordPress 4.4 or later, and building from source involves composer and npm steps. The repository metadata does not state a license, so check the plugin's terms, and note that it runs inside a WordPress installation you host yourself.

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.