Media and advertising is one of the most people-driven industries, and it's extremely hard to predict workflow, staffing, and pay. Pitches and campaigns shape how teams form and work; much of the workforce consists of freelancers and independent contractors, deadlines depend on projects rather than fixed hours, and employees' salaries may include retainers, bonuses, and project payments. Traditional HR systems, developed for regular office jobs with standard working hours, usually fall short.
A proper HR software is designed specifically for the industry. The system supports full-time employees and independent contractors, connects timesheets and campaigns, supports flexible pay, automates payroll and compliance, and adapts to the number of projects and their phases.
Here you will find the best HR software for media and advertising businesses, including the winner of this category, where we provide details about every solution, such as features, pros, cons, target audience, and pricing.
The Shortlist at a Glance
- Zimyo – Best overall HR and Payroll for media and advertising
- Zoho People - Best for custom creative workflows
- HRMantra - Best for agencies that balance retainers and pitches
- OfficePortal - Best for scaling indie and mid-size agencies
- Rippling - Best for HR and IT for remote creative teams
- BambooHR - Best for user-friendliness and onboarding
- unIRR – Best for agencies needing an India-specific HR solution
- Keka – Best for performance management and UI
What Makes Media and Advertising HR Different
Pressures placed on HR departments in agencies and media houses are:
- A mixed workforce: Permanent creatives, freelancers, consultants, and interns on one project, all paid and managed differently.
- Campaign cycles: The organization works on campaigns and deadlines, not shift work; thus, timesheets and utilization take precedence over clocking in.
- Variable pay: Retainers, project fees, incentives, and bonuses are offered alongside salaries, with accurate TDS deduction at all times.
- Scalability: Headcounts increase/decrease with successful/unsuccessful pitches, which means continuous onboarding/offboarding.
- Remote and hybrid staff: Digital teams are distributed, requiring mobility and device/provisioning management solutions.
- Billable and non-billable hours: The agency must know how their hours are utilized, by campaign and project.
The best media and advertising HR software supports freelancers, projects, and variable payment plans.
Quick Comparison
| Software | Best for | Key features | Ideal company size | Starting price |
| Zimyo | Complete HR management | Payroll, attendance, performance | Small to large | 80/user/month) |
| Zoho People | Custom HR workflows | Leave, shifts, automation | Small to mid-sized | Free; paid plans |
| HRMantra | Agency HR operations | Payroll, projects, attendance | Mid-sized to large | On request |
| OfficePortal | Simple HR management | Employee records, leave, payroll | Small to mid-sized | On request |
| Rippling | HR and IT management | Payroll, onboarding, automation | Mid-sized to large | On request |
| BambooHR | Easy HR and onboarding | Employee records, hiring, reporting | Small to mid-sized | On request |
| unIRR | Basic HR operations | Attendance, payroll, leave | Small to mid-sized | On request |
| Keka | Performance and employee experience | Payroll, reviews, analytics | Mid-sized businesses | From ₹9,999/month |
Pricing is indicative and subject to change. Confirm current pricing with vendors before purchase.
Top 8 HR software for Media & Advertising Agencies
1. Zimyo
Zimyo is our top pick for agencies and media houses that want one platform to run a blended, project-based workforce. Trusted by 2,500+ organisations across 40+ countries, it brings Core HR, attendance, payroll, recruitment and engagement together in 60+ integrated modules.
For media and advertising, the fit is strong. Zimyo manages full-time staff alongside freelancers and contractors, supports timesheets for campaign and billable work, and flows retainers, incentives and bonuses into payroll with automated PF, ESI, PT and TDS. Fast onboarding suits teams that scale with every pitch, and a mobile-first self-service app keeps distributed creatives connected.
Now, Zimyo adds Zim, its agentic AI, which prepares payroll and flags anomalies before approval, screens applicants for fast creative hiring, and answers staff queries instantly, with people in control.
Key features
- Manage full-time, freelance and contract talent together.
- Timesheets for campaign and billable hours
- Payroll with retainers, incentives and full compliance
- Fast onboarding and offboarding for project teams
- Agentic AI (Zim) and mobile self-service
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| All-in-one HR and payroll | Full value needs the wider platform |
| Handles blended, project-based teams | Not agency-specific out of the box |
| Strong compliance; VAPT, ISO, AICPA SOC | Pricing is quotation-based |
| AI support and mobile self-service | Newer AI features still maturing |
Best suited for: Creative agencies, digital marketing firms, media houses, and production companies of any size.
Pricing: INR 80/user/ month, by team size and modules.
2. Zoho People
Part of the Zoho suite, Zoho People suits agencies that want custom workflows, with tailored KRAs for creative, technical, and business teams, custom request forms, time logging, and built-in communication.
Key features
- Custom workflows and role-specific KRAs
- Shift and time logging
- Leave and attendance
- Integrated communication and self-service
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Highly customisable for creative teams | Payroll is a separate Zoho product |
| Affordable, free tier | Best value within Zoho |
| Pairs with the Zoho ecosystem | Not agency-specific |
| Good self-service | Deeper needs need more apps |
Best suited for: Agencies wanting custom creative workflows.
Pricing: Custom Based Pricing
3. HRMantra
An established Indian HR platform that connects people administration with project allocation and approval workflows, useful for agencies juggling multiple retainers and pitch cycles.
Key features
- People admin linked to project allocation.
- Approval workflows
- Payroll and compliance
- Attendance and leave
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Links HR to project allocation | Interface feels dated to some |
| Deep feature set | Setup can be involved |
| Good for retainer-heavy agencies | Pricing on request |
| Established in India | Smaller brand than suites |
Best suited for: Agencies managing multiple retainers and pitches.
Pricing: On request.
4. OfficePortal
A tool aimed at growing independent and mid-sized ad agencies, blending timesheets, task tracking tied to campaign deadlines, 360-degree peer reviews for creatives, and statutory payroll compliance.
Key features
- Timesheets and campaign-deadline task tracking
- 360-degree peer performance reviews
- Payroll with statutory compliance
- Agency-focused workflows
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Built with agencies in mind | Smaller, newer platform |
| Timesheets tied to campaigns | Fewer integrations |
| Peer reviews for creatives | Verify scale for large firms |
| Local compliance | Pricing on request |
Best suited for: Growing independent and mid-sized ad agencies.
Pricing: On request.
5. Rippling
A global platform that unifies HR, IT, and payroll, ideal for agencies managing remote or international creative talent who need to provision laptops, app access, and contractor payouts quickly.
Key features
- Combined HR, IT and payroll
- Device and app provisioning
- Contractor and global payouts
- Strong automation
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Unifies HR and IT | India payroll coverage is limited; verify |
| Great for remote/global talent | Higher cost and complexity |
| Powerful automation | More than small agencies need |
| Strong security controls | Not India-first |
Best suited for: Tech-forward agencies with remote or global talent.
Pricing: On request.
6. BambooHR
A globally popular HR platform known for ease of use, intuitive time-off tracking, and smooth digital onboarding, a fit for fast-scaling small-to-medium creative teams.
Key features
- Core HR and employee records
- Intuitive time-off tracking
- Smooth digital onboarding
- Reporting and self-service
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Very easy to use | Less tuned to Indian payroll |
| Smooth onboarding | Pricing on request |
| Great for fast-scaling teams | Not agency-specific |
| Clean interface | Fewer India-specific features |
Best suited for: Small-to-medium agencies prioritising ease of use.
Pricing: On request.
7. unIRR
A focused Indian HR platform aimed at helping businesses manage core HR, attendance, and payroll, an option for agencies wanting a lean, India-focused tool.
Key features
- Core HR and employee records
- Attendance and leave management
- Payroll with compliance
- Employee self-service
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| India-focused and straightforward | Smaller brand; verify feature depth |
| Covers core HR and payroll | Fewer integrations |
| Suited to lean teams | Limited public information |
| Likely affordable | Confirm agency-specific fit |
Best suited for: Agencies wanting a focused, India-based HR tool.
Pricing: On request.
8. Keka
A modern, cloud-based HRMS with a clean interface, strong leave and attendance tracking, and flexible performance management, a fit for growing creative and marketing teams.
Key features
- Payroll with compliance
- Attendance and leave management
- Performance management
- Strong employee self-service
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to use and modern | Higher entry price |
| Strong performance tools | Not agency-specific |
| Full HR and payroll suite | Freelancer handling is basic |
| Good self-service | Advanced features in higher tiers |
Best suited for: Growing creative and marketing teams.
Pricing: From ~₹9,999/mo.
What to Look For in an Ad Agency HR Solution
When selecting an HR software for your media or ad agency company, consider the following:
- Management of freelancers and contractors: Manage full-time employees, freelancers, and contractors in one system with proper pay and access.
- Project timesheets: Track hours spent on clients, campaigns, and projects with billable and non-billable breakdowns.
- Variable payroll: Process retainers, project fees, bonuses, and incentives with automatic PF, ESI, PT, and TDS deductions.
- Quick onboarding and offboarding process: Ensure an easy, digital process to scale your workforce up or down based on pitches.
- Performance appraisal for creative professionals: Set role-based targets and a performance review process for creative, technical, and business roles.
- Mobile access: Self-service capability and preferably mobile device/app provision for remote working.
- Easy-to-use solution: Easy enough for your people team to use with other responsibilities.
Conclusion
The nature of media and advertising requires speed, scalability, and use of both hired staff and freelance workers, making it really difficult to manage human resources manually. Proper HR software supports this by helping manage mixed workforces, track campaign hours, handle variable pay, and stay compliant, so your HR department can focus on hiring and training.
All the solutions listed below may be useful for the agency, but the best fit depends on its size and internal organization. However, for most media and advertising companies, an all-in-one software solution that covers their entire workforce is the best choice, which is why one should book a demo before reaching any final conclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs )
What HR software should an agency in the media and advertising industry use?
For most companies in the industry, Zimyo is a solid choice because it tracks both full-time and freelance workers, links timesheets to marketing campaigns, and handles variable payments and compliance on a single platform. However, you may also want to consider other options such as Zoho People, HRMantra, OfficePortal, Rippling, BambooHR, unIRR, and Keka, depending on your company's needs.
Can HR software handle freelance and contract employees?
Yes. Good agency HR software handles full-time, freelance, and contractor employees on a single platform, with proper pay, access, and onboarding for each.
Does it allow tracking billable hours and timesheets linked to campaigns?
Yes, the software usually has timesheet tracking features with billable and non-billable hours linked to clients and marketing campaigns. For example, you can do it with Zimyo and OfficePortal.
Do they have HR software for agencies that supports variable pay and retainers?
HR Software can club salary and retainers, project fees, incentives, and bonuses in one payroll run and ensure the right deduction of PF, ESI, and TDS for accurate payment.
Is there any affordable HR software available for a small agency?
Yes. There is a solution for India-based businesses, and Zimyo can scale from a small to a large agency business.
