HR WORKS vs Lucca (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HR WORKS grades higher than Lucca: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
HR WORKS grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Lucca grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick HR WORKS if
- Fits if you're a German firm whose tax adviser uses DATEV or ADDISON
- Works for companies of 20 or more that want expenses and time in one system
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have fewer than 20 staff, since 20 users are billed
- Not for you if you want a full payroll run in the system
- Watch out: the site and /en address are mainly in German
- Watch out: no price is published, only a request form
Pick Lucca if
- Fits if you are a French firm that wants HR, payslips and expenses in modules
- Works for firms that want to start with one module and add more
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price, as none is published
- Skip it if you are outside France, as it is built around the French market
- Watch out: the AI features are an add-on, not part of the base modules
- Skip it if you want a free plan or trial, as none is listed
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAHR WORKSFair | 1.8GPALuccaWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published, and a 20-user minimum is billed on the month-end count. | CNo price is published; the site directs visitors to book a demo. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free trial can be requested through a form, but its length isn't stated and there's no free plan. | FNo free plan and no trial is on record in the listing or on its pricing page. |
| Features | CTime tracking, expenses, personnel records, recruiting and development. Payroll is preparatory, handed to DATEV or ADDISON. | BEmployee file, absences, timesheets, performance, recruitment, payslips and expenses as modules. The listing names no gap in the core HR work. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A request and rollout come first, and the interface is mainly German. | CNo store rating on record. A multi-module suite needs setting up per module. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with DATEV and ADDISON links. No phone or desktop app is listed. | CWeb only, with no apps or integrations list on record. |
| Best for | HR and expenses for German firms | French firms wanting modular HR software |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: HR WORKS and Lucca. How we grade
Where they differ
In commonWebTime trackingExpense trackingPayrollApplicant trackingEmployee recordsTime off
At a glance
| HR WORKS | Lucca | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | A free trial can be requested through a Kostenlos testen form; its length is not stated | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | HRworks GmbH | Lucca |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
HR WORKS
- No prices are published: the pricing page asks you to request an offer.
- Billing is per user per month, with at least 20 users charged and the count taken on the last day of each month, according to its FAQ.
- Payroll is preparatory, not a full payroll run: the tax adviser completes it through DATEV or ADDISON.
- The site is mainly in German; the /en address redirects to a German page, and a customer quote on the pricing page mentions a German and English interface.
Lucca
- No prices are published; the site directs visitors to book a demo.
- The site is built around the French market, including payslip distribution and payroll preparation.
- The AI features are an add-on to the software, not part of the base modules.
Key features
HR WORKS
- Time tracking
- Employees record working time, project time and absences, with a team overview showing who is in the office or working from home.
- Travel and expense claims
- Automates travel expense reports and other expense types, including flat-rate allowance calculations.
- Personnel administration
- Digital personnel file with task reminders, employee self-service for master data, a job portal, applicant management and onboarding.
- Payroll preparation
- You do the preparatory payroll work and your tax adviser processes the rest through interfaces to DATEV and ADDISON.
- Personnel development
- A module for tracking skills and keeping employees, listed alongside the other functions.
- AI assistance
- AI-assisted entry in time tracking and expense claims, such as requesting leave by typing a sentence.
Lucca
- Core HR file
- Centralizes employee data and its history, and automates HR processes from contract signing to an employee's departure.
- Absences and timesheets
- Separate modules manage leave and sick days, and track time and overtime, with an Office module for hybrid workplaces.
- Performance and recruitment
- Modules for individual reviews and goals, engagement measurement, training and an applicant tracking system.
- Payslips and payroll preparation
- Distributes payslips online and has a Payroll Assistant for preparing payroll without re-entering data.
- Expenses and payment methods
- Expense control for employees, plus business accounts and payment cards built into spend management.
- Lucca AI add-on
- An optional add-on including Ask Lucca, a chatbot all employees can use; the company says each AI feature can be switched off.
Plans
HR WORKS
Pricing could not be confirmed. See hrworks.de.
Lucca
Pricing could not be confirmed. See lucca-software.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, HR WORKS or Lucca?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HR WORKS has no price we could confirm, and Lucca has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, HR WORKS or Lucca?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither HR WORKS nor Lucca has a free plan. HR WORKS has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.