What ZenHR does

ZenHR is a cloud-based Human Resources Management System (HRMS) purpose-built for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with regional offices in Dubai and Amman. Founded in 2016, the company sells a modular HR suite covering payroll, time and attendance (with GPS/geofencing and biometric integration), employee and manager self-service, performance evaluation, employee lifecycle management, and the AI-powered ZenATS applicant tracking system, with native integrations to Saudi government platforms (WPS, GOSI, Mudad) and UAE systems (Muqeem, MOHRE) that address MENA-specific labor law compliance. The platform supports both Arabic and English, targets customers from ~30 employees to multi-thousand-employee enterprises, and operates across 12 MENA markets including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Kuwait.

The business runs on a subscription-based, quote-priced model sold primarily through a direct sales-led motion (enterprise field sales plus inside sales), with a marketplace of 20+ pre-built integrations into ERP (SAP, NetSuite, Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics), accounting (QuickBooks, Xero), communications (Slack, Zoom), and government platforms, supplemented by a partner referral program. By October 2022, ZenHR had raised $10 million in growth funding (led by Rua Growth Fund with Endeavor Catalyst and other regional investors) and reported approximately 1,000 customers, 100,000 end users, and roughly 3X year-over-year subscription revenue growth. Adjacent products include ZenEWA (Earned Wage Access) and the November 2025 Ejari Rent Now Pay Later integration, both signaling a push beyond core HR into employee financial services.

The platform is differentiated primarily by depth of MENA regulatory localization rather than by underlying technology architecture, and is backed by SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, PDPL, and GDPR compliance certifications, a 4.7/5 average rating across 300+ reviews on G2, Capterra, and GetApp, and 100+ industry awards. Leadership comprises co-founder and CEO Yousef Shamoun, CTO AlFaisal AlDajani, and CFO Omar Asfour. The company remains privately held with no disclosed parent and no announced acquisition or IPO.

Name

ZenHR

Legal name

ZenHR

Website

https://zenhr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ZenHR is a Saudi-headquartered cloud-based HRMS for the MENA region, providing payroll, attendance, ESS/MSS, performance, and AI-powered recruitment modules with native government compliance integrations across 12 markets and roughly 1,000 customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cloud-based Human Resources Management System (HRMS)

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Core HR & HRIS (BPACAPAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Capital Management (HCM) & Payroll Platforms (HDAEAEAJ), HR Service Delivery, Case Management & Employee Self-Service (BPACAPAL), HRIS/HCM Managed Services & Support (BPAEAGAF)

Keywords

• Cloud HRMS software
• Payroll management software
• HR compliance MENA
• Applicant tracking system
• Employee self-service platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription-based HR Software Licensing: ZenHR operates primarily on a subscription model, charging recurring fees for access to their cloud-based HRMS platform. The company experienced approximately 3X growth in subscription revenue year-over-year as of 2022. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to company size and number of employees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ZenHR sells a cloud-based Human Resources Management System (HRMS) delivered as a subscription SaaS to businesses across the MENA region. The platform provides modular HR functionality including payroll processing, time and attendance, employee self-service, applicant tracking, performance evaluation, and reporting, with native integrations to MENA government compliance systems. The company primarily generates revenue through annual subscription fees with quote-based pricing tailored to company size and selected modules.

Product overview

ZenHR is a cloud-based HRMS (Human Resources Management System) providing an all-in-one platform with a modular architecture for businesses in the Middle East and North Africa. The core platform is complemented by interconnected modules: Payroll Management for automated salary calculations with WPS/GOSI compliance, Time & Attendance Tracking with GPS and geofencing, Employee Self-Service (ESS) & Manager Self-Service (MSS) via mobile app, Employee Management for lifecycle operations, Performance Evaluation with OKRs, ZenATS (AI-powered Applicant Tracking System) featuring ZenAI for recruitment automation, and Reporting & Analytics for workforce insights. The platform supports 20+ native integrations with ERP systems (SAP, NetSuite, Odoo, QuickBooks, Xero), government platforms (Mudad, GOSI, Muqeem), and business tools (Slack, Zoom, LinkedIn). Additional offerings include ZenEWA for earned wage access and a mobile app available on iOS and Android.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZenATS: AI-Powered Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that provides end-to-end recruitment functionality including AI-driven candidate pipeline, LinkedIn-powered talent sourcing, smart interview scheduling with Zoom integration, and intelligent offer letter generation.
• ZenEWA

Products and services

• ZenHR Core HRMS Platform
• Payroll Management Module
• Time & Attendance Tracking Module Real-time attendance management with GPS and geofencing, biometric device integration, shift scheduling, overtime tracking, leave management, and disciplinary action automation. Sold to MENA businesses as a module within the ZenHR platform.
• Employee Self-Service (ESS) & Manager Self-Service (MSS) Mobile-first self-service portal enabling employees to access payslips, submit leave requests, clock in/out, view schedules, and manage personal updates. Managers can approve requests and manage teams through MSS. Sold to MENA businesses as a module within the ZenHR platform.
• Employee Management Module Centralized employee lifecycle management including customizable onboarding and offboarding workflows, document management, asset tracking, salary scales, and HR task management. Sold to MENA businesses as a module within the ZenHR platform.
• Performance Evaluation Module Automated performance management with OKRs, competency evaluations, customizable appraisal templates, self-evaluations, automated review cycles, and evaluation follow-up workflows. Sold to MENA businesses as a module within the ZenHR platform.
• ZenATS (Applicant Tracking System) AI-powered end-to-end recruitment platform featuring ZenAI for job description generation, AI-based CV parsing, LinkedIn integration, smart interview scheduling with Zoom, and intelligent offer letter generation. Sold to MENA businesses as a module within the ZenHR platform.
• Reporting & Analytics Module Real-time HR dashboards, custom reports, workforce insights, KPI tracking, trend monitoring, and localized compliance reports for MENA labor laws. Sold to MENA businesses as a module within the ZenHR platform.
• ZenHR Mobile App Employee and Manager Self-Service mobile application for iOS and Android, providing access to payslips, leave approvals, automated attendance tracking with geolocation, and work schedules. Distributed via Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• ZenEWA (Earned Wage Access)

Quantifiable outcome

• 3X year-over-year subscription revenue growth (as of October 2022)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

AI capability6 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MudadcoreTechnology or IntegrationGovernment platform integration providing native connection to Saudi Arabia's Mudad system for HR compliance and data synchronization.
• General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial government integration for Saudi Arabia's social insurance system, enabling automated GOSI compliance reporting and deductions.
• MuqeemcoreTechnology or IntegrationUAE government platform integration for visa and residency management, providing seamless HR compliance for UAE operations.
• ZenATScoreTechnology or IntegrationInternal product integration - ZenATS applicant tracking system as a module within the ZenHR platform ecosystem.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bayzat: UAE-based HR, payroll, and employee benefits SaaS platform serving SMBs and enterprises across MENA. Bayzat is the most directly comparable competitor to ZenHR, with overlapping customers (UAE/Saudi), overlapping product surface (payroll, HR, insurance), and similar go-to-market motion in the same MENA markets.
• BambooHR: Global cloud HRIS focused on SMBs and mid-market. Comparable to ZenHR's HRMS core, employee self-service, and onboarding workflows, with similar pricing tier structure; differs in lacking ZenHR's deep MENA government compliance integrations.
• Personio: European all-in-one HR SaaS for SMB and mid-market. Comparable in modular architecture (payroll, time tracking, recruiting, performance) and target customer size, though primarily serving DACH and Western Europe rather than MENA.
• Zoho People: Modular HR suite as part of Zoho's broader business application stack. Comparable in offering a configurable HRMS with payroll, attendance, ESS, and performance modules; competes on price and breadth, though less localized for MENA compliance.

Emerging players

• Darwinbox: Asia-headquartered (India/Singapore) HR SaaS player with rapid MENA expansion. Comparable in targeting emerging-market enterprise customers with mobile-first HR and modern UX; competes in similar SMB-to-enterprise segments but is still building MENA-specific compliance depth.

Broad incumbents

• Workday: Global HCM and financial management cloud platform. Represents the global incumbent ZenHR competes against at the enterprise tier in MENA, especially for multinational and large GCC enterprise customers seeking a single global platform.
• SAP SuccessFactors: SAP's HCM suite, often bundled with SAP ERP (which ZenHR integrates with). Represents the enterprise incumbent ZenHR must displace or coexist with in large accounts, particularly those already standardized on SAP for finance and HR.
• Oracle HCM Cloud: Oracle's cloud HCM offering, frequently sold alongside Oracle ERP and NetSuite (both of which ZenHR integrates with). Comparable at the enterprise tier where customers weigh ZenHR's localized compliance against Oracle's global functionality.
• UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group): Global HCM, payroll, and workforce management provider with strong time-and-attendance heritage. Comparable to ZenHR in workforce management and payroll capabilities, and competes for enterprise HRMS deals in MENA.
• ADP: Global payroll and HR services provider with MENA presence. Comparable in payroll-led HR proposition, particularly for multinationals and large enterprises seeking outsourced payroll plus technology; differs in being a services-led rather than pure-SaaS model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zenhrms
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzySK9TivxAm1-iF72GnR5g/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZenHRMS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zenhr
• Instagraminstagram.com/zenhrms

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZenHR