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HR · head to head

Employment Hero vs Kudos

Employment Hero logo

Employment Hero

HR

Australian HR, payroll and recruitment platform for employment management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kudos logo

Kudos

HR

Employee recognition that drives performance

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Employment Hero has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Employment Hero hR plans require minimum of 10 users; Kudos no pricing published; requires demo request or direct sales contact
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Employment Hero and Kudos actually diverge.

Attributes where Employment Hero and Kudos differ
AttributeEmployment HeroKudos
Starting priceFree$5/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (HR).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Employment Hero

Nothing recorded that Kudos does not also cover.

Only in Kudos

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Social recognition wall
  • Points & rewards
  • Awards & nominations
  • Anniversary celebrations
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Company values alignment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Employment Hero

  • HR and payroll management for small to medium businessesnot Kudos
  • Recruitment and candidate screening using AI video interviewsnot Kudos
  • Leave management and compliancenot Kudos

Kudos

  • Employee recognitionnot Employment Hero
  • Culture buildingnot Employment Hero
  • Employee engagementnot Employment Hero
  • Retention improvementnot Employment Hero
  • Values reinforcementnot Employment Hero

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Employment Hero

  • HR plans require minimum of 10 users
  • Custom pricing required for HR Elite and Employment Unlimited tiers
  • Currency is AUD only, may require currency conversion for non-AU customers

Kudos

  • No pricing published; requires demo request or direct sales contact

Pricing, plan by plan

Employment Hero

Free
  • Free Tier (Recruitment)Free
    • Candidate scoring and ranking
    • 50 complimentary AI video interviews (one-time)
  • HR Essentials$10/month
    • Leave management
    • Employee records
    • Document management
  • HR Engage$14/month
    • All HR Essentials features
    • Recruitment
    • Performance management
  • Pro 50 (Recruitment)$199/month
    • 50 AI video interviews (24/7)
    • Full ATS pipeline
    • Candidate scoring

Kudos

$5/month
  • Plus$5/month
    • Peer recognition
    • Social recognition wall
    • Points system
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Awards & nominations
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Employment Hero if

  • You want to start without paying.
Employment Hero review

Choose Kudos if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want manager recognition.
Kudos review

Questions people ask

Is Employment Hero or Kudos better?
Neither clearly leads. Employment Hero starts at Free and Kudos at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Employment Hero or Kudos?
Employment Hero has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Employment Hero and $5/month for Kudos.
Does Employment Hero or Kudos run on more platforms?
Employment Hero runs on Web. Kudos runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Employment Hero for free?
Yes. Employment Hero has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kudos starts at $5/month.
What is Employment Hero best used for?
Employment Hero is most often used for hr and payroll management for small to medium businesses, recruitment and candidate screening using ai video interviews, leave management and compliance. Of those, hr and payroll management for small to medium businesses and recruitment and candidate screening using ai video interviews are not what Kudos is typically brought in for.
What can Employment Hero do that Kudos cannot?
Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Social recognition wall, Points & rewards.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Employment Hero: How much does Employment Hero cost per employee?

HR plans cost from $10 per employee per month for HR Essentials, $14 per month for HR Engage. Add-ons like managed payroll cost $20 per employee per month. All prices are in AUD with a minimum of 10 users per company.

Source
Kudos: How much does Kudos cost?

Kudos does not publish standard pricing on its website. To learn pricing, contact Kudos for a 30-minute demo or reach out directly at +1 (888) 915-8367 or [email protected].

Source
Employment Hero: Is there a free trial or free version of Employment Hero?

Yes, the Recruitment module offers a free tier with candidate scoring and 50 complimentary AI video interviews (one-time). HR plans do not include a free tier but start at $10 per employee monthly.

Source
Kudos: How can I get Kudos pricing information?

Contact Kudos through their website demo request form or directly at [email protected] to discuss pricing and setup for your organization.

Source
Employment Hero: What is the minimum commitment for Employment Hero?

HR plans require a minimum of 10 users. The initial HR contract is billed based on the greater of the minimum commitment or actual billable employees. Add-ons have minimum monthly costs, such as $20 for Chat and $40 for Rostering.

Source
Employment Hero: Does Employment Hero include add-on fees beyond the base plan?

Yes, add-ons include Chat ($2 per employee/month, minimum $20), Rostering ($4 per employee/month, minimum $40), Managed Payroll ($20 per employee/month, minimum $400), and other services with separate pricing.

Source
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