- OfficePortal vs Personio in one line: Personio is a quote-based HR platform built around European, and especially German, businesses; OfficePortal is an all-in-one HR system with published prices for teams anywhere.
- OfficePortal Premium costs $4 per user per month billed yearly, with attendance, biometric check-in, shift scheduling, leave, performance reviews and payroll included.
- Personio stopped showing prices on its website in 2023, according to pricing trackers, and now sells by quote.
- Personio runs payroll in-house mainly for Germany and relies on partner integrations in other countries.
- Reviewers like Personio's interface, but often mention limits in reporting and customisation.
What is Personio?
Personio is an HR software company founded in 2015 and based in Munich. It sells an HR platform to small and mid-sized businesses, covering employee records, absence and time tracking, onboarding, performance, recruiting, documents and reporting, with a marketplace of more than 200 integrations. As of mid-2024, it reported about 12,000 customers in around 70 countries. Its last major funding round, in 2022, valued the company at about $8.5 billion.
Is Personio good for teams outside Europe?
It can be, but it's built with Europe in mind. Its in-house payroll is centred on Germany, and other countries are handled through local payroll partners. Some reviewers say payroll leans German and doesn't cover every country they need. If your people are spread across several regions, check payroll coverage country by country before you commit.
Why do companies choose OfficePortal over Personio?
- Prices you can check: Premium is $4 per user per month billed yearly, listed on our pricing page. You can cancel anytime.
- A free plan: Standard is free for up to five users, so you can try it with your real team.
- Attendance built for the shop floor too: web and biometric check-in, GPS and selfie add-ons, in attendance tracking.
- Shift scheduling included: rosters with automatic overtime on Premium.
- Leave and reviews in one place: leave management with holidays per location, and performance reviews with goals.
- Security: AES-256 encryption, SOC 2 compliance and 99.9% uptime, with Office 365 single sign-on on Premium.
- Integrations that matter day to day: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace and a REST API.
How much does Personio cost?
Personio doesn't publish prices; you request a quote. Independent estimates put its core HR product at roughly $5 to $15 per employee per month, with fuller packages costing more, and pricing trackers report minimum user commitments in contracts. Treat these as estimates and ask Personio for an itemised quote. OfficePortal Premium is $4 per user per month billed yearly, with no hidden fees.
Personio disadvantages: why do teams look for alternatives?
- No published pricing. You can't compare cost without a sales conversation.
- Payroll is Germany-centred. Other countries depend on partner integrations.
- Reporting limits. Reviewers on G2 and Capterra mention reports that are hard to customise or filter.
- Performance tools can feel basic, according to some reviewers.
- Cost. Some reviewers describe the price as high for what smaller teams use.
- Occasional slowness, mentioned by a few reviewers.
When is Personio the better choice?
If you're a European small or mid-sized business, particularly in Germany, Personio is a strong option. Reviewers consistently praise its usability, setup and support, its integration marketplace is large, and its compliance focus fits European employment rules. OfficePortal won't beat that combination for a German company that wants in-house German payroll.
Which should you choose?
- Personio: European companies, especially German ones, that want an HR platform with in-house German payroll and a large integration marketplace.
- OfficePortal: growing teams that want published pricing, a free plan, biometric attendance and shift scheduling, and support for people in several regions.
How do you switch from Personio to OfficePortal?
- Export employee records, absence balances, time records and performance history.
- Book a demo. Our onboarding team helps with setup, data migration and training.
- Set leave policies and holiday calendars per location, then go live at the start of a month.
Comparing more HR platforms? See OfficePortal vs HiBob, OfficePortal vs BambooHR or our full list of HR software alternatives.