Employment Hero vs Airtable
A head-to-head comparison to help you pick the right tool
Last updated: April 30, 2026
Employment Hero
Employment Hero is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform with a strong presence in Australia and New Zealand. It offers a free HR plan alongside paid payroll and benefits modules, making it accessible for businesses at any stage. Employment Hero also operates a job marketplace called Swag for employees.
Airtable
Airtable is a flexible database and project management platform that combines the power of a relational database with the simplicity of a spreadsheet. It allows teams to build custom workflows, track projects, and manage data in highly visual and customizable ways. Airtable is popular with operations, marketing, and product teams that need more than a simple task manager.
Pros
- ✓Free HR plan available with core employee management features
- ✓Strong compliance tools for Australian and NZ employment law
- ✓All-in-one platform covering HR, payroll, and benefits
- ✓Employee benefits marketplace with discounts and perks
Cons
- ✗Payroll module costs extra and is best suited for AU/NZ companies
- ✗Limited support and compliance coverage outside Australia and New Zealand
- ✗Some users report the platform can feel complex to navigate
Pros
- ✓Extremely flexible — can be adapted to almost any workflow or use case
- ✓Powerful relational database features go beyond simple task management
- ✓Strong automation capabilities
- ✓Large template library to get started quickly
Cons
- ✗Can require significant setup time to build effective bases
- ✗Pricing can get expensive with larger teams and advanced features
- ✗Learning curve for users unfamiliar with database concepts
- ✗Performance can slow with very large databases
Employment Hero vs Airtable: Side by Side
| Factor | Employment Hero | Airtable |
|---|---|---|
| User Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Category | HR Software | Project Management |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Best For | Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite | Operations and marketing teams wanting a flexible database-powered project management tool |
| Our Pick | — | — |
Employment Hero Features
- ✓HR management
- ✓payroll
- ✓benefits
- ✓recruitment
- ✓learning
- ✓employee engagement
Airtable Features
- ✓Database-style project management
- ✓grid view
- ✓kanban
- ✓gallery
- ✓calendar
- ✓automations
- ✓interfaces
- ✓forms
- ✓API access
- ✓integrations
Pricing Comparison
Our Take
Choose Employment Hero if australian and nz businesses needing full hr suite. Choose Airtable if operations and marketing teams wanting a flexible database-powered project management tool.
Best For
Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite
Best For
Operations and marketing teams wanting a flexible database-powered project management tool
Also Consider
If neither Employment Hero nor Airtable is the right fit, Justworks is worth evaluating.
Justworks
Small businesses wanting Fortune 500 benefits
From $59/employee/mo
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Employment Hero and Airtable?
Employment Hero is best for australian and nz businesses needing full hr suite. Airtable is best for operations and marketing teams wanting a flexible database-powered project management tool.
Which is better, Employment Hero or Airtable?
Choose Employment Hero if australian and nz businesses needing full hr suite. Choose Airtable if operations and marketing teams wanting a flexible database-powered project management tool.
How much does Employment Hero cost?
Employment Hero starts at Free. Pricing model: Freemium.
How much does Airtable cost?
Airtable starts at Free. Pricing model: Freemium.
Who should use Employment Hero?
Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite
Who should use Airtable?
Operations and marketing teams wanting a flexible database-powered project management tool