A Deel HR alternative for small business
Deel HR costs $5 per employee a month for core HR and $19 with reviews, OKR and surveys. Hiring is an add-on from $10 per employee. PapaHR is free up to 25 employees, and all of that together is $1.50 per employee a month.
No card, no demo. Deel prices are from deel.com/pricing as of Oct 27, 2026.
What a month costs
Deel prices are per month; its site shows no yearly discount. PapaHR is paid yearly.
PapaHR Free vs Deel HR Core
PapaHR Pro vs Deel HR Advanced, $19 per employee
PapaHR and Deel HR: what is included
| PapaHR | Deel | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✓ up to 25 employees, no time limit | — none, a free demo |
| Core HR: profiles, org chart, time off | ✓ in Free | Core — $5 per employee a month |
| Reviews, OKR, surveys | ✓ in Pro | Advanced — $19 per employee a month |
| Hiring (ATS) | ✓ in Pro | add-on from $10 per employee a month |
| Time tracking | timesheet included, no clock-in/out | ✓ in Core |
| Payroll, EOR, contractors | — | ✓ separate Deel products |
| HR methods and templates | ✓ Mike Pritula Academy built in | — |
Deel prices are from its site as of Oct 27, 2026. Check the current prices before you decide.
Why teams switch to PapaHR
- Reviews, OKR and surveys for $1.50, not $19 per employee.
- Hiring at the same price, no per-employee add-on.
- Daily nudges: probation ending, a time-off request, a missed 1:1.
- Mike Pritula Academy methods built in: onboarding templates, 1:1 questions, review forms.
When Deel is the better fit
If you hire people in other countries: Deel employs them through EOR, pays contractors and runs payroll across countries. PapaHR does not do that — it is for HR work inside the company.
How to switch
- Export your employee list from Deel to Excel.
- Upload the file to PapaHR — profiles, departments and managers appear by themselves.
- Invite managers: they approve time off and run 1:1s.
Questions
Is PapaHR cheaper than Deel HR?
Yes: free up to 25 employees, and with reviews and OKR it is $1.50 per employee a month vs $19 for Deel HR Advanced.
Can I move my data?
Yes, through Excel: export your employee list and upload it to PapaHR.
Which languages?
English, Ukrainian, Russian, Portuguese and Spanish.
What does PapaHR not have?
Clock-in, payroll with taxes, EOR hiring and contractor payments.
Try it with your team
Free up to 25 employees, no card and no demo — your first time-off request can go through PapaHR today.