What it does
IceHrm combines employee records, time tracking, leave, payroll, recruiting, and performance tools. A free self-hosted core covers basic administration; additional modules, Pro and managed Cloud provide broader access.
For a leave request, open Personal > Leave, select Apply on an entitlement card, enter dates and a reason, then review and submit. In a multilevel chain the manager acts first, followed by the employee's configured approvers; Pending remains until the final decision. Approval Requests shows work awaiting your stage, and the request identifies earlier, current and next approvers. Employees can cancel pending leave themselves, while cancelling approved leave requires a manager's confirmation.
Deployment and payment choices
| Option | Access and cost basis |
|---|---|
| Free core | Self-hosted employee records, attendance, time tracking and basic administration |
| IceHrmPro | Full platform on your servers; one-time licence priced by employee count |
| Cloud | Managed subscription, starting at USD 12 monthly for up to six employees |
| Enterprise | Custom quote for dedicated support and implementation needs |
Leave and other advanced modules can also be bought separately for the core. The Pro checkout currently shows USD 1,799 for 50 employees; it is not an unlimited-employee licence. Additional implementation assistance is separately priced.
Cloud registration asks for a company name, chosen installation address and email, then sends an activation link. Its trial lasts 14 days without a card. The current self-hosted repository uses Elastic License 2.0, which restricts providing substantial functionality as a hosted or managed service to third parties.
Strengths
- Approval chains show which person must act next
- Pending and approved leave have distinct cancellation controls
Watch out for
- Leave management is outside the free core
- The repository licence restricts third-party hosted or managed services
Best for
- HR teams requiring sequential leave approval and a hosting choice
Sources
- Is IceHrm Free? Open-Source, Modules & Cloud Pricing - IceHrm Blog (Oct 27, 2026)
- Requesting and Approving Leave | IceHrm Documentation (Oct 27, 2026)
- icehrm/LICENSE at master · gamonoid/icehrm · GitHub (Oct 27, 2026)
- IceHrm Cloud HR Software Pricing (Oct 27, 2026)
- IceHrmPro | Best HRIS | Self Hosted HRM | Onsite HR (Oct 27, 2026)
- Buy: IceHrmPro | IceHrmPro | Best HRIS | Self Hosted HRM | Onsite HR (Oct 27, 2026)
- IceHrm:Best HR Software | HRIS | Attendance | Recruiting | Leave (Oct 27, 2026)