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HR · head to head

SmartHR vs Workday

SmartHR logo

SmartHR

HR

Japanese back-office cloud for labor management, payroll and talent management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workday logo

Workday

HR

Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SmartHR no specific pricing published on vendor website; Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SmartHR and Workday actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartHR and Workday differ
AttributeSmartHRWorkday
PlatformsWebCloud/Web
FoundedUnknown2005

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 SmartHR

Nothing recorded that Workday does not also cover.

Only in Workday

  • Human capital management
  • Financial management
  • Planning
  • Analytics
  • Payroll
  • Time tracking
  • Talent management
  • Procurement

What people use each for

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

SmartHR

  • Reducing combined processing time by 88% across HR functionsnot Workday
  • Centralizing employee information through onboarding to offboardingnot Workday
  • Distributing payroll and salary statements via mobile appnot Workday
  • Automating document distribution and employee communicationsnot Workday
  • Integrating with 120+ external systems for extended functionalitynot Workday

Workday

  • HR managementnot SmartHR
  • Financial planningnot SmartHR
  • Workforce planningnot SmartHR
  • Compliancenot SmartHR
  • Analyticsnot SmartHR

Where each one falls short

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

SmartHR

  • No specific pricing published on vendor website
  • Requires direct quotation for customized pricing
  • Multiple plan options create complexity in pricing structure

Workday

  • High implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Long deployment timelines (12-18 months standard) before ROI
  • Steep per-employee pricing at enterprise scale ($408-504 PEPM)
  • Limited pre-built templates and customization; often requires extensive configuration
  • Requires significant IT and change management resources during implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

SmartHR

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SmartHR review.

Workday

On request
  • Small Business$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Payroll
    • Time tracking
  • Medium Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full HCM suite
    • Financial management
    • Advanced analytics
  • Large Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Complete platform
    • Custom configurations
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose SmartHR if

Nothing in the data separates SmartHR from Workday on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

SmartHR review

Choose Workday if

  • You need human capital management.
  • You work on Cloud/Web.
  • You also want financial management.
Workday review

Questions people ask

Is SmartHR or Workday better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartHR starts at On request and Workday at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SmartHR or Workday?
SmartHR starts at On request and Workday at On request.
Does SmartHR or Workday run on more platforms?
SmartHR runs on Web. Workday runs on Cloud/Web.
What is SmartHR best used for?
SmartHR is most often used for reducing combined processing time by 88% across hr functions, centralizing employee information through onboarding to offboarding, distributing payroll and salary statements via mobile app, automating document distribution and employee communications. Of those, reducing combined processing time by 88% across hr functions and centralizing employee information through onboarding to offboarding are not what Workday is typically brought in for.
What can SmartHR do that Workday cannot?
Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SmartHR: How much does SmartHR cost?

SmartHR pricing is customized per organization based on features and user count. The vendor does not publish standard pricing rates. Customers must use the estimation tool or contact the vendor directly to receive a personalized quote. No additional charges are assessed beyond monthly usage fees.

Source
Workday: What is Workday GO and what market is it designed for?

Workday GO is a product designed for small and midsize organizations, bringing together HR and finance solutions with transparent pricing and fast activation in 30 to 60 days. It includes HCM, benefits, payroll, talent, and more at a lower price point than standard Workday.

Source
SmartHR: What is SmartHR's free tier?

SmartHR offers a free plan (¥0プラン) for small businesses with up to 30 employees. This tier provides basic employee data management without additional charges, making it suitable for very small organizations or trials.

Source
Workday: What is Workday Skills Cloud and how does it fit into HCM?

Workday Skills Cloud is an intelligent skills foundation built into Workday HCM. It is described as the world's most open intelligent skills foundation and fuels data-driven talent strategies across recruiting, learning, and workforce planning.

Source
SmartHR: What are SmartHR's plan options?

SmartHR provides multiple plans including HR Strategy Plan (labor and talent management), Essential Plan (labor management focus), Talent Management Plan (employee growth focus), and a specialized plan for companies with 50 or fewer employees. Optional add-ons including payroll, attendance tracking, and recruitment are available.

Source
Workday: Does Workday include payroll and benefits management?

Yes. Workday HCM includes benefits administration and payroll capabilities as part of its core suite. Global payroll processing is available across multiple countries and tax jurisdictions.

Source
Workday: What is the typical pricing model for Workday HCM?

Workday HCM uses per-employee (PEPM) annual subscription pricing. Companies at scale typically pay $34-42 PEPM. Enterprise organizations with 5,000+ employees typically pay $408-504 per employee annually. Pricing decreases with larger commitments and longer contract terms.

Source
Workday: How long does Workday implementation typically take?

Standard implementations are lengthy, often taking 12-18 months. Workday GO promises faster activation in 30-60 days. Implementation costs typically equal 100-150% of the first year's software subscription fees.

Source
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