Bench vs Employment Hero

Bench

Bench is a bookkeeping service that combines human bookkeepers with proprietary accounting software. Instead of doing your own bookkeeping, Bench assigns you a dedicated team of bookkeepers who handle everything for you. Bench is designed for small business owners who want professional bookkeeping without having to learn accounting software themselves.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Employment Hero

Employment Hero is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform with a strong presence in Australia and New Zealand. It offers a free HR plan alongside paid payroll and benefits modules, making it accessible for businesses at any stage. Employment Hero also operates a job marketplace called Swag for employees.

Freemium pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

• ✓Hands-off bookkeeping — a real human does your books every month
• ✓No accounting knowledge required from the business owner
• ✓Clean and simple software interface
• ✓Tax-ready financials delivered monthly

Cons

• ✗More expensive than DIY accounting software
• ✗Less control over your own books
• ✗Tax filing costs extra
• ✗Not suitable for businesses that want to manage their own accounting

Pros

• ✓Free HR plan available with core employee management features
• ✓Strong compliance tools for Australian and NZ employment law
• ✓All-in-one platform covering HR, payroll, and benefits
• ✓Employee benefits marketplace with discounts and perks

Cons

• ✗Payroll module costs extra and is best suited for AU/NZ companies
• ✗Limited support and compliance coverage outside Australia and New Zealand
• ✗Some users report the platform can feel complex to navigate

Best For

Small business owners who want professional bookkeeping without learning accounting software

Best For

Australian and NZ businesses needing full HR suite