Employment Hero vs Pilot

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.

Pilot

Pilot is a managed accounting service that combines software with a dedicated team of bookkeepers to handle your books each month. Built for startups and small businesses that want accounting done for them.

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

• ✓Fully managed bookkeeping service
• ✓Dedicated finance experts included
• ✓Built specifically for startups
• ✓Integrates with common startup tools
• ✓Good for venture-backed companies

Cons

• ✗More expensive than DIY software
• ✗Less control over day-to-day bookkeeping
• ✗Not suited for businesses wanting to manage their own books
• ✗US-focused

Employment Hero Features

• ✓HR management
• ✓payroll
• ✓benefits
• ✓recruitment
• ✓learning
• ✓employee engagement

Pilot Features

• ✓Bookkeeping
• ✓tax preparation
• ✓financial reporting
• ✓dedicated bookkeeper
• ✓cash flow management
• ✓integrations

Best For

Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite

Best For

Startups and small businesses wanting fully managed bookkeeping with a dedicated team rather than DIY software