What are the 7 Best HR Management Software for Startups and SMEs in Malaysia (2025) + How to Choose the Right One Today?

Of the 60+ HR software in Malaysia, here are the best seven that provide user-friendly interfaces, regulatory compliance, scalability, easy integration, and the best customer support for small businesses:

• ByteHR - best all-in-one HR software for small businesses

• HR2eazy - best for payroll outsourcing services

• Kakitangan - best for big budgets

• Swingvy -  best for an all-in-one HRMS suite

• BrioHR - best for modern, growing teams

• Employment Hero - best for employee lifecycle management

• Talenox - best free HR software

We reviewed HR managers’ and business owners’ testimonials and conversations to uncover what real users love, have tried, and tested. We also used some of the software to understand how it works.

From this guide, you’ll know enough about each HR software, what they do, their features, pricing, pros and cons, and how they compare with one another, to choose for your business's HR needs today.

Let’s go!

ByteHR- Best all-in-one HR software for small businesses

Cost: four pricing plans: starter, basic, standard, and premium. Contact the team.

Customer rating: Play Store: 4.8 (1550 reviews), Google: 5.0 (643 reviews)

Userbase: 1,000 SMEs, 100,000+ employees across ASEAN

ByteHR is a cloud-based HR and payroll software that provides payroll, leave management, time attendance tracking, and employee management modules for small businesses in Malaysia, with a mobile app for employee self-service.

With ByteHR, you can automate employee salary and payment deductions compliantly with Malaysian laws; hire, onboard, train, manage contracts and records, and assess employees without the manual work.

You can also manage leave requests and track leave balances in real-time, as well as track check-ins, clock-ins, shifts, overtime (OT), timesheets, and holidays. As well as enable employees to access their data anywhere and anytime with a mobile app (with ePayslip, eCheckin, and calendar integration for shifts). All-in-one HRMS software.

Furthermore, you can use ByteHR to manage full-time, part-time employees and employees with varying schedules, notify employees via app or email, and generate customizable reports.

What are ByteHR’s key HR features?

• Leave management

• Time and attendance management

• Automated hiring, onboarding, and training

• Employee record and contract management

• Automated and compliant payroll management

• Employee self-service mobile app

• Employee notification

• Report and analytics

• PDPA-complete data security

What do users like about ByteHR?

• ByteHR provides local support that’s helpful, responsive, and accessible via phone, email, and other channels/

• The flexibility of the software to accommodate changing employee management needs

• ByteHR offers different plans that cater to SMEs' budgets and needs.

• ByteHR is easy to set up with dedicated customer support when needed

• The software is constantly updated to meet regulatory compliance in Malaysia

• ByteHR is easy to use for SMEs because of its simple user interface and workflows

• ByteHR provides all the modules small businesses need in one place in modular chunks.

What do users dislike about ByteHR?

• ByteHR may not be the cheapest HR software in the market

How much does ByteHR cost?

ByteHR offers four pricing packages so you can work according to your human resource management requirements and budget.

The four packages are:

• Starter

• Basic

• Standard

• Premium

How does ByteHR simplify compliance?

ByteHR is constantly updated with the current labour laws and statutory requirements to ensure your contracts and deductions are always accurate, eliminating the need to check government sources manually.

How easy is ByteHR to use and integrate?

ByteHR offers a simple user interface and setup process so you can get up and running in no time. Their customer support team is also (one of) the best in Malaysia, with dedicated support, training, and ongoing help to ensure you manage HR effectively, continuously. 

Is ByteHR scalable?

Yes.

ByteHR is created for startups and small businesses. But also grow with your business. As you add more employees to your workforce, ByteHR scales to meet your human resource management needs.

How can I get started with ByteHR?

You can either book a demo or contact the ByteHR team to get started with ByteHR.

HR2easy - Best for payroll outsourcing service

Cost: Custom quote

Customer rating: Google 4.2 (21 reviews)

HR2eazy provides SMEs with leave, attendance, payroll, roster, recruitment,  and employee management modules. It also includes a mobile app for employee self-service.

With HR2eazy, you can manage payroll, automate statutory calculations, and handle attendance, leave, and scheduling. You also have access to real-time dashboards, notifications, multilingual support, and mobile-friendly approval workflows.

This enables you to track roster, view timesheets, monitor leave balances, claim statuses, training records, and inspections across modules.

In addition to that, HR2eazy offers HR and payroll outsourcing, recruitment, and other services for businesses that need outsourced services.

What are HR2eazy’s HR features?

• Payroll management

• Timesheet management

• Attendance management

• Roster management

• Leave management

• Overtime management

• Pettycash management

• Claim management

• Employee Self Service(ESS)

What do users like about HR2eazy?

• HR2easy is flexible, customizable, and easy to use

• Users like HR2eazy’s visual and friendly user interface

• HR2eazy offers a wide range of HR functions in one platform

• Their mobile-first access is available for both staff and managers

What do users dislike about HR2eazy?

• Customers complain about the HR2eazy support team not being helpful

• HR2eazy integration may be slow

• When processing payroll, the payslip may not be uploaded sometimes, so you have to do it manually.

• Getting set up may be tedious

• Some HR2eazy’s advanced features require extra fees

How much does HR2eazy cost?

HR2eazy offers a customised quote. 

Contact their team for a custom quote.

How does HR2eazy simplify compliance?

HR2eazy is compliant with the current and latest LHDN, EPF, SOCSO, EIS, and HRDF statutory regulations.

How easy is HR2eazy to use and integrate?

HR2eazy is reported to be easy to use, but not very easy to set up

How can I get started with HR2eazy?

To get started with HR2eazy, you can book a demo so the team can take you through the software and get you set up.

Watch this 1-minute video overview of HR2eazy.

Kakitangan - Best for big budgets

Cost: Starting at RM 100 per month for one staff

Customer rating: Google: 4.8 (188 reviews)

Kakitangan is a cloud-based HR software that’s more focused on processing payroll than general human resource management.

Kakitangan’s payroll system for Malaysian SMEs includes e-Payroll, e-Leave, e-Claim, e-Attendance, and an HR database, with HR advisory services and Xero integration.

With Kakitangan, you can process your payroll compliant with statutory calculations and deductions (EPF, SOCSO/EIS, PCB), generate payslips, and automate salary payment using your schedules. 

You can also manage leaves, claims, and track attendance. In addition to that, Kakitangan offers an HR database for employee records and access to HR templates/resources, along with ongoing training and a focus on Malaysian SMEs.

What are Kakitangan’s HR features?

• E-Payroll

• E-Leave

• E-Claim

• E-Attendance

• HR Premium

• HR Sifu

What do users like about Kakitangan?

• Integration with Xero and local banks

• Compliant calculations and deductions

• PDPA-compliant data storage, backups, and encryption

• Kakitangan also provides HR modules like E-leave, E-claims, etc

What do users dislike about Kakitangan?

• Users of Kakitangan complain about poor customer service

• To access the support team via phone, you need to subscribe to their premium support package.

• Some users complain about the system being unstable

• Kakitangan’s interface requires some learning

• The pricing plan Kakitangan offers is not straightforward

How much does Kakitangan cost?

Kakitangan offers a dynamic pricing plan based on the number of employees you manage and any added add-ons.

For starters, you get 3 employees for free without add-ons. How much you pay moving forward increases as you add more employees and add-ons.

How does Kakitangan simplify compliance?

The system updates regulatory changes automatically to ensure users stay compliant.

How easy is Kakitangan to use and integrate?

Kakitangan has a complex interface compared to other HR software in Malaysia. It also requires a steep learning curve, especially for new users.

Is Kakitangan scalable?

Yes. 

Kakitangan can take from 1- 400+ employees, which is enough for most SMEs in Malaysia.

How can I get started with Kakitangan?

There are two ways to get started with Kakitangan:

• Sign up and get started for free with up to 3 employees and upgrade as you go

• Schedule a demo to learn more about the platform and get set up by their team

Watch this 1-minute video overview of Kakitangan.​

Swingvy - Best for an all-in-one HRMS suite

Cost: Starts at S$4.25 per user per month + setup fee

Customer rating: Google 4.7 (15 reviews)

Userbase: 10,000 businesses 

Swingvy is a cloud-based HR and payroll software that provides employee, leave, time tracking, claims, and automated management with a mobile app for employee self-service.

With Swingvy, you can onboard and offboard employees, manage employee records, keep employees updated, and manage reimbursement, approval, and review leave requests. Integrate with native calendars to put everyone in sync, integrate with Xero for accounting and payroll processing, and assess employees’ performance. All in one place.

In addition, Swingvy’s mobile app enables employees to view payslips, apply for and view leave balances, attendance records, and keep tabs on the company’s updates. 

HR managers or execs can generate custom reports and oversee employee data from a centralised dashboard.

What are Swingvy’s key HR features?

• HR Hub

• Leave management 

• Time management

• Claims management

• Payroll management

• Mobile management

What do users like about Swingvy?

• Swingvy is easy to use with a great UI and UX

• Swingvy offers good customer support and service

• Integration that makes it a full-suite HRMS

What do users dislike about Swingvy?

• Some users report that Swingvy can be unstable sometimes.

• Swingvy provides customer support via email only. No phone or live chat support

How much does Swingvy cost?

Swingvy starts at S$4.25 per user per month + setup fee for the HR Hub module. As you add the payroll and time management module, you pay more.

How does Swingvy simplify compliance?

Swingvy provides automatic EPF, SOCSO, EIS, HRDF, and PCB contributions calculations.

How easy is Swingvy to use and integrate?

Swingvy provides Xero, iCal, Outlook, and Google Calendar integration, is easy to set up, and has a user-friendly UI.

Is Swingvy scalable?

Some users report instability with the product. But Swingvy promises scalability and reliability.

How can I get started with Swingvy?

The only way to get started using Swingvy is by scheduling a demo to learn more about how Swingvy fits your business and get set up by the team.

​​Watch this 2-minute video overview of Swingvy ​

BrioHR - Best for modern, growing teams

Cost:USD3.9/month

Customer rating: Google 4.6 (9 reviews), GetApp 4.9 (57 reviews)

Userbase: 1000+ companies

BrioHR offers modules for payroll, leave, claims, recruitment/onboarding, performance management, time & attendance, applicant tracking system, and absence management, catering to SMEs in Malaysia.

With BrioHR, you can manage payroll automation (including EPF, SOCSO, HRDF, PCB), employee onboarding, applicant tracking, performance assessments, leave scheduling, attendance tracking, and claims processing.

You can also process bulk salary payments via bank file exports and access employee life cycle data in one platform.

Finally, BrioHR supports varying employee schedules, applicant tracking workflows, and role-based dashboards. BrioHR also offers payroll outsourcing services.

What are BrioHR’s HR features?

• Talent attraction, job board, and employee onboarding

• Recruitment & ATS

• Digital employee file

• Leave & time-off and expense claims

• Payroll software with time & attendance  and timesheets

• Performance management

• Shift Planning

• Reporting & Analytics

What do users like about BrioHR?

• Users love BrioHR’s simple and easy-to-use interface

• BrioHR offers good customer support

• New users find it easy to adopt once they’re set up

What do users dislike about BrioHR?

• Setting up initially is tedious with limited flexibility

• Integrating BrioHR with existing applications can be complicated

• BrioHR has many features that can be cumbersome for small businesses

How much does BrioHR cost?

BrioHR bundles payroll, leave, and onboarding management modules starting from USD3.9/month.

How does BrioHR simplify compliance?

BrioHR helps you manage statutory contributions, tax submissions, and generate bank files.

How easy is BrioHR to use and integrate?

BrioHR has a very easy-to-use interface. But does not provide easy integration with other solutions.

Is BrioHr scalable?

Yes.

BrioHR can handle a few to many employees.

How can I get started with BrioHR?

To use BrioHR, book a demo and get onboarded by the team.

Watch this 1-minute video overview of BrioHR.

Talenox - Best free HR software for SMEs

Cost: starts from RM 3/ employee/ month

Customer rating: Google 4.9 (100 reviews)

Talenox is a cloud-based HR and payroll system that provides payroll, leave management, claim management, employee profiles, secure HRMS, multi-entity payroll, and integrations with Malaysian banks and statutory bodies for SMEs in Malaysia.

With Talenox, you can automate payroll calculations (EPF, SOCSO, PCB, LHDN), process payroll on various frequencies (monthly, bi-monthly, daily), generate payslips, and stay compliant.

You can also manage employee records, leave requests, assign approvers, view leave calendars with public holidays, and send email notifications.

Furthermore, Talenox handles contract, part-time, and freelance payroll; it allows multi-company account management. Talenox also integrates with productivity tools, Xero, QuickBooks, Deputy, and local banks.

What are Talenox’s HR features?

• Employee record management

• Payroll processing and management 

• Leave management

• Claims management

What do users like about Talenox?

• Their support team provides clear and continuous communication

• Talenox has a clear and straightforward interface that makes it easy for users to navigate

• Users report that getting onboarded on Talenox is very easy

What do users dislike about Talenox?

• Talenox does not provide a comprehensive HRMS experience. You may need to handle other parts of your HRMS manually or with another software.

• Some customers complain about difficulty with Talenox’s integration with other tools.

How much does Talenox cost?

You can use the modules on Talenox individually, starting at RM 3/employee/month, or you can use their complete suite starting at RM5 /employee/month.

How does Talenox simplify compliance?

Talenox regularly updates its platform to provide continuous compliance with local regulations.

How easy is Talenox to use and integrate?

Talenox has a clean and straightforward interface that makes it easy to use, but integration is not as seamless as it should be.

Is Talenox scalable?

Yes. You can use Talenox for a small team as well as a large team.

How can I get started with Talenox?

You can sign up for free to use their freemium and 30-day free trials. Then upgrade as you need. You can also book a demo to see how the platform works and fits into your business needs.