Employment Hero vs Salesforce
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.
Salesforce
Salesforce is the world's leading CRM platform used by over 150,000 businesses of all sizes. It offers a highly customizable suite of sales, service, marketing, and analytics tools. Salesforce is the gold standard for enterprise CRM but has solutions for businesses of all sizes through its Starter and Pro plans.
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
- ✓Most powerful and customizable CRM on the market
- ✓Massive ecosystem with 3,000+ AppExchange integrations
- ✓Industry-leading reporting and analytics
- ✓Strong community and support resources
Cons
- ✗Expensive and complex for small teams
- ✗Long implementation timelines for enterprise deployments
- ✗Requires dedicated admin resources to get the most out of it
Employment Hero vs Salesforce: Side by Side
| Factor | Employment Hero | Salesforce |
|---|---|---|
| User Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Category | HR Software | CRM Software |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting Price | Free | Custom pricing |
| Best For | Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite | Mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable CRM |
| Our Pick | — | — |
Employment Hero Features
- ✓HR management
- ✓payroll
- ✓benefits
- ✓recruitment
- ✓learning
- ✓employee engagement
Salesforce Features
- ✓Contact and lead management
- ✓opportunity tracking
- ✓workflow automation
- ✓AI insights
- ✓reporting and dashboards
- ✓AppExchange integrations
- ✓mobile app
Pricing Comparison
Our Take
Choose Employment Hero if australian and nz businesses needing full hr suite. Choose Salesforce if mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable crm.
Best For
Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite
Best For
Mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable CRM
Also Consider
If neither Employment Hero nor Salesforce 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 Salesforce?
Employment Hero is best for australian and nz businesses needing full hr suite. Salesforce is best for mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable crm.
Which is better, Employment Hero or Salesforce?
Choose Employment Hero if australian and nz businesses needing full hr suite. Choose Salesforce if mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable crm.
How much does Employment Hero cost?
Employment Hero starts at Free. Pricing model: Freemium.
How much does Salesforce cost?
Salesforce starts at Custom pricing. Pricing model: Paid.
Who should use Employment Hero?
Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite
Who should use Salesforce?
Mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable CRM