Factorial HR is a comprehensive Spanish HR platform — and expensive for what many Portuguese SMEs actually need. The right question is not 'which is cheapest' but 'which covers exactly what I need'. This article compares the options honestly.

What Factorial HR is and who it serves

• Works well for: companies with dedicated HR teams. Many active HR processes. Rapid growth.
• Creates friction for: industrial SMEs where employees have no computers or smartphones. Companies where the priority is physical time tracking. Organisations with limited budgets.
• Pricing (2026 reference): basic plan around €3–5/user/month. Mid-tier €5–8. Advanced €8–12 or more. For 30 employees on the mid-tier plan: approximately €150–240/month.

The alternatives

Picco — RFID time tracking

For: industrial SMEs (factories, carpentry, textiles, logistics) where employees have no computer access. Price: from €9.90/month (up to 10 employees).

Advantages: works without smartphones. Works offline. Installation in under 10 minutes. Much cheaper for those who only need reliable time tracking. To understand the technology behind it, read what RFID is and why it works in factories.

Disadvantages: does not handle onboarding, performance reviews, or payroll processing.

Primavera HR or PHC RH

For: companies already using Primavera or PHC for accounting. Advantage: seamless integration with existing accounting. Disadvantage: high implementation cost.

Sesame HR

For: companies focused on office work and team culture. Advantage: very modern interface. Disadvantage: not suited to the factory floor.

Excel + accountant

For: micro-businesses with fewer than 5 employees. Advantage: zero cost. Disadvantage: does not scale and has questionable reliability for ACT purposes. See paper, Excel, or automated system: which is best

The decision in three questions

• Do employees have a smartphone accessible during work? If not → RFID (Picco)
• Do I need full HR or just time tracking? Just time tracking → focused solution
• What is the monthly budget? Under €50/month → fixed-price plan like Picco

For a more comprehensive comparison, see the ranking of the best time tracking systems in Portugal and best time management systems for production

Comparisons based on publicly available supplier information as of April 2026.