5 Top BambooHR Alternatives: Finding the Perfect Fit for Performance Management

Only 6% of surveyed HRs aren’t sure or don’t want to implement software for tracking employee performance and productivity, according to a survey conducted by PwC HR Tech in 2022.

However, 36% of HRs in the same survey mentioned cloud transformation and modernization of HR systems as one of the biggest challenges of HRs in 2023.

Therefore, in 2023 choosing the right performance management software among numerous options on the market has become crucial for companies that want their HR and employees to make use of the new software.

One popular choice of software is BambooHR. This HR platform allows users to create engagement surveys, monitor team motivation levels, and track overall well-being over time. 

However, BambooHR is generally an HRIS (Human Resource Information System) solution, making it a much less comprehensive option for people enablement than alternatives.

If you’re looking for a tool that caters specifically to performance management needs, this article has detailed reviews of five BambooHR alternatives.

Criteria for Selection

1. Goal-setting and OKRs. A robust performance management solution should enable employees to establish clear goals aligned with the company’s overall strategy. It should also provide the ability to track progress towards these goals.

2. Performance reviews. Features related to managing and conducting effective performance appraisals promote transparency, engagement, and accountability. These result in improved performance and increased employee satisfaction. 

3. Recognition and praise. A good performance management solution should offer features for public praise and compensation management, creating a culture of recognition and reward.

4. Meeting tools. Collaborative discussions around progress and development are most likely to occur during meetings and performance reviews. A performance management solution should help with agenda points, automated review cycles, and action items to streamline these conversations.

5. Feedback and surveys. A comprehensive platform will provide mechanisms for ongoing feedback, ensuring that employees can both give and receive regular input on their work. This fosters better employee engagement and competencies development.

6. Ease of use. User-friendliness and adaptability are key considerations when selecting a performance management solution. Look for an intuitive platform that can easily align with your organization’s existing processes.

7. Integrations. A top-notch performance management platform provides seamless integration with other applications and productivity tools, enabling data synchronization and minimizing the need for tool switching.

8. Customer support. Whether it’s technical assistance, system training, or general questions, a responsive customer support team ensures that users can maximize the software’s potential and minimize any potential disruptions to their work.

9. Pricing. While cost shouldn’t be the sole factor, an ideal performance management solution offers modular pricing and competitive rates. This flexibility allows organizations to select and pay for the features they need, tailoring the platform to their budget.

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5 top BambooHR alternatives

1. Plai

Plai is a software solution that fosters a high-performing culture within growing organizations through effective people and performance management tools. It simplifies the process of gathering feedback, organizing review cycles, and coaching teams towards success.

In addition to its robust feature set, Plai offers complimentary onboarding, training, and data migration, and assigns a dedicated customer success manager to support users throughout their journey. 

Plai provides excellent value for money compared to similar services, offering flexible monthly subscriptions without being bound by annual contracts. This flexibility allows users to cancel their subscriptions at any time. 

The platform boasts an impressive average response time of just 3 hours for customer support, and users can request live product demos and free onboarding calls at any time. Urgent queries can be addressed through their live chat services available in their help center.

Features

• Goal-setting and OKRs to create structured goals and align tasks and focus teams according to the company’s overall objectives
• Performance reviews with hundreds of forms and sheets for gathering feedback and running automated review cycles to help with ongoing evaluation
• Employee engagement surveys to help maintain a happy and engaged workforce
• One-on-one meetings with organized agendas to steer conversations in the right direction
• Peer-to-peer feedback to nurture positive feedback culture
• Growth plans for career development
• Praise and employee recognition to publicly celebrate achievements
• Integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams, calendar, HR systems, and identity management providers
• Dashboards and analytics with employee performance reports to help identify trends and reduce attrition
• AI-based features that provide quick report analysis, smart AI suggestions for goals and feedback, and valuable insights about your organization and team. 

In addition to its robust feature set, Plai offers complimentary onboarding, training, data migration, and assigns a dedicated customer success manager to support users throughout their journey. 

Plai provides excellent value for money compared to similar services, offering flexible monthly subscriptions without being bound by annual contracts. This flexibility allows users to cancel their subscription at any time. 

The platform boasts an impressive average response time of just 3 hours for customer support, and users can request live product demos and free onboarding calls at any time. Urgent queries can be addressed through their live chat services available in their help center.

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Pros

• User-friendly and intuitive navigation
• Dedicated support team available in real-time
• Great for small businesses as well as large businesses
• Highly flexible and customizable tools
• Enhanced features for OKRs and performance reviews
• Provides actionable insights and analytics

Cons

• More integration options coming soon

Pricing model

Plai offers the following subscription plans:

• Starter — $2.4/user/month (best for small teams and startups)
• Pro — $4/user/month (best for small and mid sized businesses)
• Enterprise — custom pricing (best for 1000+ ppl companies)

2. Reflektive

Reflektive is another popular performance management platform that focuses on continuous improvement by streamlining employee feedback and performance review processes. Its performance and engagement tools facilitate constructive ongoing conversations through email, chat, and mobile.

The platform’s notable features related to feedback and public recognition allow managers to take appropriate actions based on the platform’s findings.

Features

• Continuous feedback tools
• Performance reviews
• Goal setting and management
• Real-time employee recognition
• Analytics and insights

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Wide range of customizable features to suit specific needs
• The platform promotes a culture of continuous feedback, fostering ongoing communication and improvement
• Lots of integration options

Cons

• The pricing is relatively higher in comparison to competitors
• Users may encounter a learning curve when initially implementing and getting accustomed to the platform
• The goal-setting editor has limited functionality and features available

Pricing model

Reflektive’s pricing is provided on a quote basis, so customers need to contact Reflektive directly for detailed pricing information.

3. 15Five

15Five is a prominent performance and employee management platform that prioritizes employee feedback, engagement, and task alignment. Managers can use the platform to gather weekly check-ins, monitor progress, and provide continuous feedback.

Features

• Goal tracking
• Employee recognition
• Performance reviews
• Ad hoc reporting
• Reporting and analytics

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With a strong focus on performance management, 15Five may not fully meet the requirements of businesses seeking a solution that encompasses various aspects of employee development and goal tracking.

Pros

• Flexible pricing structure
• Integration with the LearnUpon learning management system
• Convenient mobile app

Cons

• Limited emphasis on OKR and Goal Management — only available in the more expensive plans
• No comprehensive training tools and dedicated compensation management features
• Requires effort to master
• Some users have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of customer support provided

Pricing model

15Five offers a 14-day free trial and four paid plans, billed annually. The plans include:

• Engage — $4/employee/month (surveys and analytics)
• Perform — $8/employee/month (review and feedback tools)
• Focus — $8/employee/month (OKR management)
• Total platform access — $14/employee/month

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4. Leapsome

Leapsome is a well-known performance enablement platform that facilitates the integration of goals, regular feedback processes, employee development, and compensation decisions to drive performance. 

The platform offers five modules: Reviews, Goals, Pulse surveys, Employee development and learning management, and Compensation.

Features

• Goal setting and OKRs
• Performance appraisals
• Compensation management
• Employee praise and recognition
• Learning and development

What distinguishes Leapsome is its highly customizable nature, which enables you to adapt the platform to suit your organisation's specific requirements. 

Pros

• Customer support available in 13 different languages
• The platform is highly scalable
• Goal-setting and survey features can be customized to align with your specific needs

Cons

• Ongoing software enhancements may occasionally lead to glitches
• No mobile app currently available
• The range of features provided may pose a learning curve

Pricing model

Leapsome’s pricing starts at $8/user/month.

5. Lattice

Lattice is a comprehensive performance management platform that aims to optimize performance review processes for companies. It provides a centralized interface where team leaders can set goals, offer continuous feedback, and monitor progress.

Lattice places strong emphasis on continuous feedback to promote an open communication and growth-oriented culture among teams.

Features

• Performance reviews
• Goal setting
  Real-time feedback
• Employee recognition
• Analytics and reports

Pros

• Comprehensive range of performance management features
• Excellent functionality for one-on-one meetings
• Performance reviews are easy to use
• User interface is visually appealing

Cons

• No built-in learning management systems
• Limited options available for customization
• Lack of dedicated customer support makes onboarding and exploring all features challenging
• Does not offer anonymous feedback/suggestion options

Pricing model:

Lattice offers the following subscription plans:

• Engagement — $4/user/month
• Grow — $4/user/month
• Compensation — $6/user/month
• Performance Management + OKRs & Goals — $11/user/month

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5 top BambooHR alternatives: comparison table

Conclusion

As you can see, Plai stands out as the top choice for organizations in search of a people enablement platform that genuinely promotes high performance. 

With its flexible tools, Plai empowers teams to excel by simplifying feedback collection, streamlining review cycles, and fostering a culture of positive feedback.

Moreover, Plai goes above and beyond by offering complimentary onboarding, training, data migration, and a dedicated customer success manager. 

Their dedicated support guarantees a smooth and successful integration of the platform within your organization.

Don’t hesitate to sign up for the 14-day free trial and experience Plai’s benefits firsthand.

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FAQ

What is similar to BambooHR?

There are several alternatives to BambooHR (which is mainly an HR software) that offer performance management features and functionalities, including Plai, Lattice, Reflektive, 15Five, and Leapsome.

Why do companies use BambooHR?

Companies use BambooHR as an HRIS to manage various HR functions. It helps streamline HR processes, such as employee onboarding, time-off management, benefits administration, and employee data management. BambooHR also offers some limited employee engagement and performance management features.

What is BambooHR pricing?

BambooHR offers different pricing plans based on the size and needs of the organization and HR professionals. The exact pricing details can be obtained by contacting BambooHR directly or visiting their official website.

Is BambooHR an ERP?

No, BambooHR is not an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. While it offers HRIS functionality, BambooHR primarily focuses on core HR functions (e.g. human capital management, payroll management, and the overall hiring process as an applicant tracking system).