ELMO vs intelliHR – how they compare for AU/NZ HR & payroll
For: HR Leaders, Payroll Managers, Finance Directors|9 min read|Last updated: August 2026
This comparison is published by Affinity. Vendor information is based on publicly available sources. Contact each provider directly for their current capabilities.
Summary
ELMO Software is a broad, AU/NZ-built modular HR suite with a payroll module of its own. intelliHR is a more focused, analytics and engagement-led AU-born HR platform with no payroll of its own.
Affinity is an AU/NZ payroll specialist – its core business is a configurable award and EBA payroll engine, full STP Phase 2 and Superannuation, and Pay Day Super readiness. Most organisations run it best-of-breed, alongside a dedicated HR platform for recruitment, performance, and learning, connected through Clever Forms. Where an organisation doesn't have – or hasn't yet settled on – a separate HR system, Affinity's own employee record and self-service can also carry the essentials of a lighter core-HR layer, so payroll doesn't have to wait on an HR project to get underway.
How ELMO and intelliHR differ
ELMO was built in Australia and New Zealand for mid-market organisations, with a broad native module set – core HR, recruitment, onboarding, performance, and learning – and particular strength in aged care, education, healthcare, and local government. It also has a native payroll module of its own.
intelliHR, part of the Humanforce group, is a more focused, AU-born platform built around people analytics and engagement – native core HR, automated onboarding and offboarding, performance management with OKRs and 360 feedback, plus native contracts management and a compensation planner. It has historically lacked native recruitment and learning as standalone strengths, and has no payroll of its own – that sits with its parent, Humanforce, as a distinct product.
Put simply: ELMO is a broad, locally built suite covering the full HR lifecycle; intelliHR is a narrower, analytics-led platform focused on performance and engagement, with payroll handled entirely outside the intelliHR product itself.
Feature comparison
A neutral comparison of ELMO Software and intelliHR across HR and payroll capabilities, with Affinity shown as a separate AU/NZ specialist column. Vendor capabilities should be confirmed directly with each provider.
Native / strong: Native / strongAvailable / partial: Available / partialNot offered: Not offered
Capability
ELMO Software
intelliHR
AU/NZ specialistAffinity Payroll
Core HR/HRIS (system of record)
Native / strong: Native HR Core — system of record, AU/NZ-built
Native / strong: Native Core HR
Recruitment / ATS
Native / strong: Native Recruitment module
Not offered: Historically lacked native recruitment/ATS as a standalone strength
Onboarding
Native / strong: Native onboarding workflows – digital offer acceptance, learning checklists, compliance training
Native / strong: Digital onboarding via Clever Forms – new-starter pack completed on any device, TFN validated at entry, data writes directly to the payroll record, no re-keying
Not offered: Historically lacked standalone LMS strength
Native AU/NZ payroll
Available / partial: Native payroll module, STP Phase 2 compliant – many ELMO customers pair it with a specialist AU/NZ payroll platform for complex award and EBA requirements
Not offered: intelliHR itself has no payroll – parent company Humanforce has native Humanforce Payroll (powered by Payroll Metrics); the two should not be conflated
Native / strong: Affinity's core business – configurable award/EBA engine, full STP Phase 2 & super, Pay Day Super ready
Bank / TFN / IRD / super validation at capture
Native / strong: Captures TFN declarations, Super Choice forms, and bank details during onboarding
Available / partial: Available via the Humanforce group only – a Bank, Tax and Superannuation validation feature (partnered with SuperAPI, early access) – not a feature of intelliHR itself
Native / strong: Bank account and tax file/IRD number validated at entry via Clever Forms, before data reaches the payroll record
Leave management & AU/NZ compliance
Native / strong: Leave requested/approved/tracked in HR Core with ESS/MSS; built for Fair Work, Modern Awards, EBAs
Native / strong: Core HR leave; AU award context via the Humanforce WFM layer
Available / partial: Handled via HR Core workflows; not confirmed as a dedicated purpose-built change-approval engine
Native / strong: Native Contracts Management plus Compensation Planner
Native / strong: Role, salary, and position changes submitted and approved through Clever Forms workflow – writes to the record automatically with a full audit trail, effective from the date specified
Integration / interface with Affinity
Native / strong: Native 2-way API integration
Native / strong: File-based or API integration built to specification and customer requirements
Native / strong: Affinity uses its existing integration library, or draws on experience from equivalent customer integrations, to deliver a low-cost system connection
Where ELMO fits
ELMO suits AU/NZ mid-market organisations that want a single, locally built suite covering the full HR lifecycle, with statutory data captured natively at onboarding. It is a strong fit in aged care, education, healthcare, and local government, and Affinity maintains a dedicated partnership with ELMO for customers running both.
Where intelliHR fits
intelliHR suits AU/NZ mid-market organisations that most value people analytics, continuous performance management, and native contracts and compensation management, and that already have or plan to pair it with separate recruitment, learning, and payroll systems.
Where Affinity fits
intelliHR has no payroll of its own at all – its parent Humanforce does, but that's a separate product, not an intelliHR capability. ELMO connects to Affinity through a native 2-way API integration, while intelliHR connects through a file-based or API integration built to specification and customer requirements. Both use Clever Forms to validate bank, tax, and super details at the point of capture. This is the same pattern behind why HR and payroll are separating and the case for best-of-breed HR and payroll. See how the delivery models compare for your organisation.
Frequently asked questions
Is ELMO or intelliHR better for AU/NZ HR?
Both are Australian-born HR platforms. ELMO offers a broad modular suite covering recruitment, onboarding, performance, and learning, plus a payroll module of its own. intelliHR is more focused on people analytics and engagement – native core HR, onboarding, and performance, but historically without native recruitment or learning. Which fits better depends on whether breadth of modules or analytics-led performance management matters more.
Do ELMO and intelliHR handle AU/NZ payroll?
ELMO has a native payroll module that is STP Phase 2 compliant, and many ELMO customers pair it with a specialist AU/NZ payroll provider for complex award and EBA requirements. intelliHR itself has no payroll at all – its parent company, Humanforce, has native Humanforce Payroll (powered by Payroll Metrics), but that is a distinct product from intelliHR and should not be conflated with it.
What is the main difference between ELMO and intelliHR?
ELMO is a broad, modular AU/NZ HR suite spanning the full employee lifecycle including recruitment and learning. intelliHR is a more focused, analytics and engagement-led platform with native contracts management and a compensation planner, but historically without standalone recruitment or learning strength. ELMO optimises for module breadth; intelliHR optimises for people analytics and engagement depth.
How does Affinity compare to ELMO and intelliHR?
Affinity is an AU/NZ payroll specialist, not an HR system. ELMO connects to Affinity through a native 2-way API integration. intelliHR connects through a file-based or API integration, built to specification and customer requirements.
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