The short version: Employment Hero prices in NZD, as at the 22 September 2026 check of its own pricing page: HR Essentials runs $9 a user a month and HR Engage $13, both with a 10-user minimum. HR Elite and Employment Unlimited, the tiers that add payroll, are custom, quote-only. A standalone Payroll plan lists at $7 a user a month, and Managed Payroll, where Employment Hero's own team runs it, is a $20 a month per employee add-on with a $400 monthly minimum.
The core tiers, decoded
| Plan | Price, NZD per month | Built for |
|---|---|---|
| HR Essentials | $9 a user, minimum 10 users | Leave management, employee records, document management, onboarding, policies and compliance tools. |
| HR Engage | $13 a user, minimum 10 users | Everything in Essentials, plus recruitment, expenses, performance and learning management. |
| HR Elite | Custom, quote-only | Everything in Engage, plus talent development, advanced analytics, workflows and customisations. |
| Employment Unlimited | Custom, quote-only | Everything in HR Elite, plus payroll, EAP, priority support, HR advisory and a learning bundle. |
| Payroll (standalone) | $7 a user, minimum 10 users | Self-managed payroll only, no HR layer. |
The page states "All prices NZD ex. GST" against its recruitment plans, and the HR and Payroll tiers below share the same New Zealand pricing page and dollar sign without repeating the currency code separately. Rostering and payroll aren't included in any HR tier; both are separate add-ons, Rostering & Time and Attendance at $3 a month per employee, minimum $30 a month, and Managed Payroll, where Employment Hero's own team runs it, at $20 a month per employee, minimum $400 a month. Source: employmenthero.com/nz/pricing, checked 22 September 2026.
Where the tier boundary actually bites
Payroll is the real wall, not a feature inside an HR tier. The self-managed Payroll plan runs $7 a user a month on its own, and Managed Payroll, where Employment Hero's own specialists process the pay run, is a $20 a month per employee add-on with a $400 minimum, on top of whichever HR plan it's bolted to. Rostering has the same shape: it's a $3 a month per employee add-on, minimum $30 a month, not bundled into HR Essentials or HR Engage, and a firm that wants rostering as the main event rather than a bolt-on usually looks at a dedicated tool like Deputy instead. HR Elite and Employment Unlimited, the tiers built around bundling more of this together, are both quote-only, so there's no published price for the "everything included" version.
Who this suits, and who it doesn't
It suits a firm past 10 staff, the plan minimum, that wants HR records, onboarding and compliance handled in one system, adding rostering or managed payroll as separate line items only where it needs them. It doesn't suit a firm under 10 people, since every HR and Payroll tier bills a 10-user minimum regardless of actual headcount, or one that wants a single all-in price for HR, rostering and payroll together, since that combination sits behind a custom Employment Unlimited quote rather than a published number. How it compares side by side with PayHero and Smartly is worked through in PayHero vs Smartly vs Employment Hero.
Or build the roster on what you already pay for
For a firm already on Microsoft 365, a roster, timesheet and leave register can be built directly on the licence already paid for: on Dataverse at NZ$32.40 a user a month, or on SharePoint lists and Teams Shifts where the licence already includes them, with Power BI Pro at NZ$22.60 for the two or three people who need the report. A build like that runs $8,000 to $18,000, with no 10-user minimum to clear before the price makes sense. It does not run payroll: PAYE, KiwiSaver, holiday pay under the Holidays Act and payday filing stay in a compliant payroll product. What it covers is the roster, the time capture, leave requests and approvals, and the reporting that feeds a payroll product like Employment Hero's rather than replacing it. The full picture is in Power Platform pricing in NZ.
Common questions
How much does Employment Hero cost in New Zealand?
As at the 22 September 2026 check of employmenthero.com/nz/pricing: HR Essentials runs $9 a user a month and HR Engage $13, both NZD and both with a 10-user minimum. HR Elite and Employment Unlimited are custom, quote-only.
Does an Employment Hero HR plan include payroll?
No. Payroll is separate in every case: a self-managed Payroll plan lists at $7 a user a month on its own, and Managed Payroll, where Employment Hero's team runs the pay run, is a $20 a month per employee add-on with a $400 monthly minimum, on top of an HR plan.
Is there a minimum team size for Employment Hero?
Yes. Every HR and Payroll tier on this page carries a minimum of 10 users; billing is based on whichever is higher, the number in the contract or the number of active users.
Get a number for your own crew
Book a free 30-minute call. Bring your headcount and I'll tell you whether Employment Hero's minimums make sense for you, or whether a build clears them.