Compare · Payroll and HR
SME AI Office vs Employment Hero
Employment Hero is an HR, payroll and hiring platform priced per employee; SME AI Office is a Singapore back office with payroll, HR and accounting at one flat price.
Prices checked 30 September 2026
The short answer
Choose Employment Hero if you want hiring, onboarding, performance reviews and a staff app with perks alongside payroll, or rostering with shift swapping on Payroll Premium. It suits a growing team that wants one HR platform from recruitment to payroll.
Choose SME AI Office if you are a small team watching cost. Employment Hero Payroll Standard has a S$120 monthly minimum, so at least S$1,440 a year; Pro 365 is S$365 a year for payroll, CPF, HR and accounting, with no per-employee fee.
Side by side
| SME AI Office | Employment Hero | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan S$0. Pro 365 S$39 a month or S$365 a yearPayroll and HR for staff are in Pro 365 | Payroll Standard S$6 per active employee a monthMinimum S$120 a month. Premium S$8, minimum S$160 |
| Free plan | Yes, for good. Payroll and HR for the owner onlyStaff payroll needs Pro 365 | No free plan. Free trial, 14 days |
| Per-employee fee | No per-employee fee. One price for any number of staff | Yes. Charged per active employee, or the monthly minimum if higherSMS charged at S$0.15 each |
| CPF and IR8A | CPF EZPay file and IR8A prepared from payroll; you submit both | Automated pay runs with CPF reporting; listed as IRAS compatible |
| Leave, claims, attendance | Employment Act leave, claims by receipt photo, phone clock-in with an optional workplace location check | Leave, expenses and timesheets in Payroll Standard; clock in by mobile with geo tagging |
| Rostering | Not built in. Each person's shift is set for lateness and overtime only | Rostering and shift swapping in Payroll Premium |
| Staff access | Staff portal in the phone browser: payslips, leave, claims, clock-in. Nothing to download | Employment Hero Work app for leave, timesheets, pay and perks |
| HR extras | Employment contracts, work pass reminders, offboarding checklist | HR plans from S$5 per employee: onboarding, documents, reviews, hiringHR Standard minimum S$100 a month |
Only on SME AI Office
- Free planYes, for good. Payroll and HR for the owner only
Which one fits
SME AI Office fits when
- You have a small team and a S$120 monthly minimum is too much.
- You want payroll and your accounting in the same system.
- Staff should use a phone browser, with no app to install.
Employment Hero fits when
- You want recruitment, onboarding and performance reviews too.
- You need rostering with shift swapping and bidding.
- You want a staff app with perks and benefits.
Payroll for yourself is free. Payroll, CPF and HR for your staff is Pro 365, S$365 a year.
Questions
Is SME AI Office cheaper than Employment Hero in Singapore?
For a small team, yes. Employment Hero Payroll Standard is S$6 per active employee a month with a S$120 monthly minimum, at least S$1,440 a year. SME AI Office Pro 365 is S$365 a year, or S$39 a month, with no per-employee fee.
What is a cheaper Singapore alternative to Employment Hero for payroll?
SME AI Office Pro 365 costs S$365 a year for any number of staff. It works out CPF by age and PR year, makes the CPF EZPay file, prepares IR8A, and runs leave, claims and clock-in on a staff portal, with accounting included.
Does SME AI Office have rostering like Employment Hero?
No. SME AI Office has no rostering. Employment Hero includes rostering and shift swapping on Payroll Premium, at S$8 per employee a month. In SME AI Office you set each person's shift so clock-in marks lateness and overtime.
Does SME AI Office submit CPF and IR8A for me?
No. SME AI Office works out CPF, SDL and self-help funds and makes the CPF EZPay file, which you upload and pay by the 14th. IR8A is added up from finalised payroll, and you submit it to IRAS by 1 March yourself.
Can I move from Employment Hero to SME AI Office?
Yes. Employment Hero lists imports and exports in its payroll plans; bring your staff list and this year's payroll figures. IR8A in SME AI Office adds up only payroll finalised there, so starting in a new year is simplest. WhatsApp us on +65 9613 7676 and we help you move it over.
Employment Hero facts are from employmenthero.com/sg/pricing, employmenthero.com/sg/start-free, checked on 30 September 2026. Prices are as shown there. Employment Hero is a trademark of its owner. SME AI Office is not connected with Employment Hero.