Factorial Alternatives in 2026: Pricing and Features for SMEs
Factorial is one of the best-known HR platforms in Spain, but it isn’t always the option that best fits a small or medium-sized business. If you’re reviewing your current software or choosing one for the first time, it’s worth getting to know the rest of the market. In April 2026 we’ve put together the main alternatives available in Spain, using public data from each official website.
The quick summary: Factorial is a great choice for scale-ups with a generous budget, whereas for an SME of 10 to 100 employees there are options that cover the essentials at a keener price and, in some cases, with no annual lock-in.
What the comparison looks at
We’ve compared the five alternatives against the same six criteria you’d weigh up when signing a contract:
- Price per employee per month (basic plan).
- Minimum lock-in period (annual contracts vs cancel anytime).
- Length of the free trial.
- Spanish base and Spanish-language support.
- Modules included vs charged separately (whistleblowing channel, payroll, biometric signature).
- Adaptation to Spanish regulations (ley de fichaje 2026, Ley 2/2023, remote working).
Factorial: the market leader, but not always the best fit
Factorial is the flagship Barcelona start-up with more than 16,000 customers. It has a polished product, a native AI agent (Factorial One), finance and IT modules and a well-known brand.
The catch for smaller SMEs: the basic plan starts at €5.50/employee/month and most customers end up bolting on additional modules until they top €9/employee/month. With 30 employees you’re looking at ~€3,240/year before VAT. On top of that, the minimum contract runs for a year.
When Factorial does make sense: if your company has 200+ employees, you need an integrated AI agent for reporting and you want an advanced ATS for high-volume hiring.
LapsoWork: the most affordable Spanish alternative
Price: €2/employee/month (Basic plan) and €3.50 (Advanced). No lock-in. 30-day free trial (twice as long as Factorial’s).
LapsoWork covers the essentials for an SME (control horario 2026 time tracking, holidays, sharing payslips with employees, iOS/Android app, biometric signature), includes a native whistleblowing channel (Factorial charges for this separately), is based in Spain and offers phone support in Spanish. Its focus is exclusively HR for SMEs, with no finance or IT modules.
With 30 employees: €720/year on the Basic plan, compared with ~€2,000 for Factorial’s equivalent plan.
Bizneo HR: for SMEs with enterprise ambitions
Price: from €4/employee/month. Trial: 15 days.
Bizneo has marquee customers (SEAT, Toyota, Air Europa) and a very complete product, especially on the talent management side (OKRs, appraisals, recruitment). Its UX is somewhat denser than Factorial’s or LapsoWork’s.
When to choose Bizneo: if your SME is growing fast (100+ employees) and you want a scalable product with a strong talent module.
Sesame HR: the simplest UX
Price: from €4.25/employee/month. Trial: 14 days. 14,000+ customers.
Sesame shines in its onboarding experience and the simplicity of its UX. Its weak point is that it doesn’t include a native whistleblowing channel (you have to buy it separately). For an SME of 50+ employees legally required to have one under Ley 2/2023, that means adding an extra €300-500/year.
When to choose Sesame: if you value a polished UX, don’t need a whistleblowing channel and your team appreciates quick onboarding.
TramitApp: the cheapest option, with caveats
Price: from €1-3/employee/month depending on plan. Trial: 14 days.
TramitApp is the cheapest HR software on the Spanish market. The Easy plan (€1) is very limited on features; the Digital plan (€2) gets close to LapsoWork’s Basic, but with fewer integrations and no native whistleblowing channel.
When to choose TramitApp: if your only need is basic digital clock-in, you don’t mind reduced support and you want the absolute lowest price.
Full comparison table
A summary of the five options (public data, April 2026):
| Criterion | LapsoWork | Factorial | Bizneo HR | Sesame HR | TramitApp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic plan (€/empl/month) | €2 | €5.50 | €4 | €4.25 | €1-2 |
| Advanced plan | €3.50 | €9+ | — | €7+ | — |
| No lock-in | ✓ | × | × | × | — |
| Free trial | 30 days | 14 days | 15 days | 14 days | 14 days |
| Based in Spain | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Native whistleblowing channel | ✓ | add-on | add-on | × | × |
| Biometric signature | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | Limited |
| Annual cost, 30 empl. (Basic plan) | €720 | €1,980 | €1,440 | €1,530 | €720 |
Which criterion to weight most heavily
If your SME has fewer than 100 employees and you handle HR yourself or with a single dedicated person: price + no lock-in are the factors that save you the most money and stress. In that case LapsoWork or TramitApp are the most sensible options.
If you’re in scale-up mode with 150+ employees, complex processes and a professionalised people function: price is secondary and what matters is talent modules, integrations and product maturity. Then Bizneo, Factorial or Personio are the better bet.
Frequently asked questions
Can you migrate from Factorial to LapsoWork without losing data? Yes. Factorial’s CSV export is standard. LapsoWork migrates employees, contracts, holidays and documents at no cost within 48-72 hours.
What happens to historical clock-in records? They’re imported into the time tracking module. The history is kept digitally signed with a timestamp, so the Inspección de Trabajo (Spanish Labour Inspectorate) can review it if necessary.
Is it worth switching if I’ve already paid a year in advance? It depends on how much time is left. If you’ve just renewed, probably not. If you have 3-4 months left, the annual saving with LapsoWork usually makes up for the overlap.
What if the very reason I’m on Factorial is its AI? Factorial One (AI agent) is its main differentiator. If you use advanced AI reporting on a daily basis, that’s a legitimate reason to stay. If you only use it occasionally, the 65% annual premium isn’t worth it.
Conclusion
In 2026 the HR software market for SMEs in Spain is more mature than ever. Factorial is still a great option, but it’s no longer the only one. The right choice depends on the size of your company, your budget and the features you’ll actually use: price and no lock-in for the smallest businesses, product depth and talent modules for those in full scale-up mode.
The best way to remove any doubt is to try each option that interests you. If you’d like to see LapsoWork from the inside, you can request a free 30-day demo with no commitment.