HR Draft House is an independent desk that judges HR document and employee-handbook drafting tools — policy generators, template libraries, and full handbook platforms — and posts the winners to a plain, ruled ledger anyone can read.
Why we started
Choosing an HR drafting tool is oddly hard. Every product claims to be the fastest, the most compliant, and the most complete all at once. Marketing pages blur together, review sites bury the useful parts under affiliate buttons, and free tiers hide their limits until you hit them mid-draft. Small businesses — the ones without a full HR department — feel this most, because a weak handbook isn't just untidy; it can leave real gaps. We wanted a board that reads like an auditor's notes: clear, opinionated, and grounded in actually drafting a handbook.
How we work
We draft the same sample handbook in every tool — core policies, a code of conduct, PTO and leave, and the required notices for a 25-person business — then score the output on one shared rubric. Template depth, policy-generator logic, compliance coverage, editing and export quality, collaboration, and free-tier limits all count. Those scores roll up into named category awards, from the all-round top of the ledger to the specialists that win a single column. You can read the full method on the How We Judge section of our home page.
How we stay independent
Rankings are earned, never bought. No tool can pay for a higher place, a category, or a kinder write-up. When this site later links out to drafting tools, some links may be affiliate links — but they never change how a tool is tested, scored, or tiered. The rubric decides the ledger; the payouts never do. We also re-audit on a quarterly cadence, because employment rules and product features both move, and a stale ranking is a misleading one.
What we don't do
We are a rankings and comparison desk, not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice, and a tool placing well on our ledger is not a substitute for professional review of your specific policies. Employment law varies by jurisdiction and changes often; always confirm a tool's current coverage and have important documents checked by a qualified advisor before you rely on them.
Who it's for
Founders, office managers, operations leads, and small-business owners writing or refreshing an employee handbook — anyone who needs solid policies drafted quickly without a dedicated HR team.
Say hello
Have a tool we should put on the bench, or a category we're missing? Write to us at [email protected]. We read every note.