CloverHR vs Justworks
A US PEO with payroll and access to group health benefits. CloverHR is self-hosted HR software for the US and Canada, free for organizations under US $5 million. Here is how they differ, and when each one fits.
At a glance
| Topic | CloverHR | Justworks |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Self-hosted HR software for small and mid-sized teams in the United States and Canada. | A professional employer organization (PEO) for US small businesses, also sold as payroll only and as an employer of record. |
| Where it runs | Your own server: one-click deploy on StackBlaze, or a Docker image with Postgres 16 anywhere. | Cloud only. |
| Price | Free in production for organizations under US $5 million in total finances a year; a commercial licence above that. | Per employee per month, in plans published on its pricing page. |
| Payroll | Not included. A per-pay-period export (CSV or JSON) for the payroll software you use. | Included in its PEO plans and sold on its own, for US employers. Canadian employees through its employer-of-record service. |
| Canada | Built in: provincial holidays, overtime and break rules, TD1 forms and CAD, next to the same for every US state. | Through its employer-of-record service. |
| French | English and Canadian French, chosen by each person. | Not stated on its site |
| Source code | Source available (Business Source License 1.1; each version becomes GPL-3.0 after four years). | Proprietary. |
| API | Read and write REST API with an OpenAPI reference, and signed webhooks. | A partner API for approved partners. |
Facts about Justworks come from its own website, checked on October 1, 2026. Prices and plans change; check its site for the latest.
Where CloverHR is different
- CloverHR is software you run, not a co-employment service: you stay the only employer.
- Built for Canadian employers as much as US ones.
- Free under US $5 million, with no per-employee fee.
- A public API for every area, with webhooks.
When Justworks may fit better
- You want a PEO to co-employ your staff and handle payroll and compliance.
- You want access to large-group health plans as a small US company.
Questions
Is CloverHR a PEO like Justworks?
No. CloverHR is HR software you run yourself; your company stays the only employer. Use it with any payroll provider.
Sources
- https://www.justworks.com/pricing
- https://www.justworks.com/global-hiring-guides/canada/payroll
- https://www.justworks.com/press/company-news/launching-our-new-partner-api-with-electric
Justworks is a trademark of its owner. CloverHR is not affiliated with or endorsed by Justworks.