Personio
All-in-one HR software for DACH SMBs — Munich-based and GDPR-native
- Data residency
- EU only
- DPA available
- Yes
- Pricing
- Subscription
- Art. 9 data
- Not suitable
Who this tool is for
Industries
- SMBs with 10 to 2,000 employees
- HR teams wanting one GDPR-native system
- Service, retail and gastronomy employers
- Companies needing built-in deletion workflows
Personio is all-in-one HR software covering HR administration, payroll preparation and recruiting for companies with roughly 10 to 2,000 employees. Founded in Munich, it is built GDPR-by-design — including consent management and deletion workflows — which makes it a natural fit for DACH SMBs handling employee data.
Data is stored in the German AWS region (Frankfurt), giving EU data residency, and an AV-Vertrag (DPA) is included. There is no free tier, and like other HR systems it is not classified for Art. 9 special-category data such as health records. It suits service businesses, retailers, gastronomy and healthcare employers that want one GDPR-native system for the full employee lifecycle.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Munich-based, GDPR-by-design
- Data in the German AWS region (Frankfurt)
- Consent management and deletion workflows built in
- Covers HR, payroll prep and recruiting
- AV-Vertrag included
Trade-offs
- No free tier
- Not classified for Art. 9 health data
- Best value at 10+ employees
- Uses a US-headquartered cloud provider (EU region)
Where it sits with GDPR
Good fit for
- EU data residency in the Frankfurt region
- Built-in consent and deletion workflows
- AV-Vertrag included for employee-data processing
Think twice / not suitable for
- Not suitable for Art. 9 health records of employees
- Works-council co-determination may apply to HR analytics
Data protection note
Munich HQ; AWS Frankfurt data region; AV-Vertrag (DPA) and deletion workflows included.
Frequently asked questions
Is Personio GDPR compliant?
Yes. Personio is GDPR-by-design, stores data in the German AWS region, and includes an AV-Vertrag.
Where is Personio data stored?
In the German AWS region (Frankfurt) — an EU data residency.
Does Personio offer an AV-Vertrag?
Yes, an AV-Vertrag (DPA) and deletion workflows are included.
Can Personio store employee health data?
It is not classified for Art. 9 special-category data, so health records require caution and additional safeguards.
Reviews are written and reviewed by Eduardo personally. They describe what a tool does and where it sits with data protection, but they do not constitute legal advice.