# FirstStarHR Essentials vs PaydayGo

The clearest difference is rating: PaydayGo at 5.0 against FirstStarHR Essentials's 3.3. PaydayGo also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). FirstStarHR Essentials's advantage is update cadence (every 10 months vs every 22 months) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PaydayGo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FirstStarHR Essentials has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

FirstStarHR Essentials ships an update every 10 months, PaydayGo every 22 months. Both last shipped on June 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | FirstStarHR Essentials | PaydayGo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firststarhr-essentials/id1328531032/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paydaygo/id1630723056/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 months** | Every 22 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 57 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FirstStarHR](https://appshunter.io/developer/1328531031) | [Payday Payroll Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566878654) |

## What reviewers say

### FirstStarHR Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firststarhr-essentials/id1328531032)

This app gives employees easy access to their payroll and HR information. Employees can clock in/out, submit timesheets, request time off, and view pay stubs and important employment documents.

**Highlights:** Clock in/out, Submit timesheets, Submit PTO requests, View pay stubs, View PTO balances, Access employment documents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PaydayGo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paydaygo/id1630723056)

Access your payroll records, clock in/out, and submit time off requests from any device. View important tax forms like W2s conveniently.

**Highlights:** View payroll records, Clock in/out, Submit time off requests, Access W2 forms, Cross-device compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FirstStarHR Essentials free?

FirstStarHR Essentials is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PaydayGo free?

PaydayGo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FirstStarHR Essentials or PaydayGo?

PaydayGo is rated higher. FirstStarHR Essentials averages 3.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while PaydayGo averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do FirstStarHR Essentials or PaydayGo have ads?

Neither FirstStarHR Essentials nor PaydayGo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FirstStarHR Essentials or PaydayGo?

FirstStarHR Essentials ships an update every 10 months, and PaydayGo every 22 months. Most recently, FirstStarHR Essentials was updated on June 1, 2026 and PaydayGo on June 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*