Lattice vs 15Five: Choosing the Right Solution

Lattice vs 15Five: Choosing the Right Solution

Companies increasingly rely on performance management software to conduct effective performance evaluations, improve productivity, and align their teams towards common goals. 

As a result, the differences between various performance management software become more critical as businesses need a tool to meet personalized requirements and fit their budget.

Two popular solutions in this space are Lattice and 15Five. 

In this article, we will explore the features, pros, and cons of Lattice vs 15Five, and also introduce an alternative that bridges the gap and might just be the perfect fit for your organization.

Lattice review

© Lattice

Lattice is a comprehensive performance management platform designed to help companies optimize their performance review processes. Lattice places a strong emphasis on continuous feedback to enable managers to foster a company culture of open communication and growth within teams. With Lattice, team leaders can set goals, provide continuous feedback, and track progress in a centralized interface. 

Features

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

Pros

  • Comprehensive set of performance management features
  • Great one-on-one meeting functionality
  • Easy-to-use performance reviews
  • Visually-appealing user interface

Cons

  • No built-in learning management systems
  • Limited options for customization
  • Customer support might be long to get back to you, making onboarding and exploring all features difficult
  • No anonymous feedback/suggestion options 
  • Limited personal goal-setting capabilities and team goal progress 
  • UI could be confusing

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

15Five review

© 15Five

15Five is another popular performance management platform that focuses on employee feedback, engagement, and task alignment. The platform allows managers to collect weekly check-ins from employees, track progress, and provide ongoing feedback. It also offers features such as goal tracking, employee recognition, and performance reviews.

Pros

  • Flexible pricing structure based on modules
  • Integration with the LearnUpon learning management system
  • Availability of a mobile app for convenient access

Cons

  • Limited emphasis on OKR and Goal Management (features available only as part of its more expensive plans)
  • Lack of comprehensive training tools and dedicated compensation management features
  • Unintuitive user interface that may result in a steep learning curve
  • Some users have complained about poor customer support

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

Why look for Lattice alternatives

© G2

Complexity

Lattice certainly offers a wide range of features. But having an extensive list of features can have a significant drawback, especially without a dedicated customer support team to help you learn everything the platform has to offer. Some users tend to pay for a full range of functionalities without ever learning how to use half of them.

Intuitiveness

In addition, some users may find Lattice’s UI to be less intuitive. This can lead to a decline in adoption rates as employees struggle with using the platform to complete their tasks. That being said, Lattice does not offer a free trial outright — though you are invited to schedule a demo with their sales team.

Manual work

Performance management platforms aim to streamline and automate time-consuming tasks associated with using outdated tools like spreadsheets. However, HR leaders using Lattice often discover that a significant amount of manual work is still required to use the platform effectively. 

Several of Lattice’s recent features require managers to undergo click training, and the data used by key features cannot be managed within the application itself. For example, you may need to upload and manage CSV files to use Lattice’s calibration and performance rating features.

Why to look for 15Five alternatives

© G2

Although 15Five is a widely recognized performance management solution, some users have reported that it has a challenging learning curve and can be difficult to navigate. 

Additional tools

15Five also primarily emphasizes performance and goal management, which may not fully meet your business needs if you’re looking for a solution that encompasses more aspects of employee development.

It is clear that 15Five was originally intended as a tool to assist young companies and small businesses in developing their management practices. This is why it falls short in providing additional tools necessary for employees to thrive in today’s ever-evolving business landscape. 

The company acquired Emplify in 2021 to venture into the realm of employee engagement within the scope of People Success. But since it was not integrated into the platform from the beginning, teams tend to face challenges in deriving insights by connecting performance and engagement data in 15Five. 

Customer support

Moreover, some users have reported long wait times when trying to contact the platform’s customer support team.

Plai Team as a reliable alternative

© Plai

Plai is a specialized software solution for people and performance management, specifically designed to foster a high-performing culture in scaling organizations. Its flexible tools to drive productivity empower teams by providing guidance and coaching, streamlining feedback collection and review cycles for improved efficiency.

Features

  • Goal-setting and OKRs
  • Performance appraisals
  • One-on-one meetings
  • Peer-to-peer feedback to cultivate a positive feedback culture
  • Career growth plans
  • Employee recognition through praise
  • Seamless integrations with popular platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, calendars, HR systems
  • Employee engagement tools and pulse surveys
  • Comprehensive dashboards and analytics to gain valuable insights, e.g. organizational and individual competencies comparison reports

Plai goes beyond just software. The team behind the platform offers complimentary services such as onboarding, training, and data migration. Clients also get assigned a dedicated customer success manager to ensure a smooth experience. 

Additionally, Plai offers AI-based features that provide quick report analysis, smart AI suggestions for goals and feedback, and valuable insights about your organization and team. Leveraging such tools saves you time and ensures you have the best resources available.

The platform’s flexible pricing model can be adapted to any company’s specific needs, and users can also explore Plai’s capabilities with a 14-day free trial.

Pros

  • User-friendly navigation and intuitive interface. Forget about extensive employee training or onboarding. Companies typically get the hang of Plai in just 1 week
  • Highly scalable to fit the needs of companies of all sizes
  • Real-time support is provided by a dedicated team providing real-time assistance
  • Enhanced features for managing Objectives and Key Results and conducting performance evaluations
  • Highly customizable HR software
  • In-app HR expert tips and templates to assist busy first-time managers and companies that have little to no experience
  • Lowers costs. Making it affordable for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)

Cons

  • Not too many integration options, but they are being added continuously
  • Not suitable for companies looking for a purely HRIS solution

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)

Lattice vs 15Five vs Plai: comparison table

Platform Lattice 15Five Plai
OKRs & Goals Higher tiers only Higher tiers only Yes
1:1 meetings Yes Yes Yes
Career planning No Yes Yes
Integrations Limited Limited Yes
Mobile app Yes Yes Yes
Performance reviews Higher tiers only Yes Yes
Templates and tips Yes Limited Yes
Real-time customer support No No Yes

Conclusion

© Plai

As you can see, while Lattice and 15Five have their merits, they also have their limitations that may not fully meet your specific needs. 

Lattice, despite its extensive feature list, can suffer from usability issues. It may require manual work and data management, making it less efficient than desired. On the other hand, 15Five may provide a user-friendly platform, but it lacks some of the tools necessary for holistic employee development.

Plai emerges as the best alternative for organizations seeking a people enablement platform that truly fosters high performance. With its flexible tools, Plai empowers teams to achieve success by streamlining feedback collection, organizing review cycles, and nurturing a positive feedback culture. 

Additionally, Plai goes the extra mile by providing complimentary onboarding, training, data migration, and a dedicated customer success manager. This devoted support ensures a seamless and successful implementation of the platform within your organization.

So, instead of making the choice between Lattice and 15Five, consider the exceptional features of Plai — or simply sign up for the 14-day free trial and experience its benefits for yourself.

FAQ

What are the disadvantages of Lattice?

Lattice has some drawbacks that may impact its suitability for certain organizations. These include usability issues, a steep learning curve, and manual work required to use the platform effectively. Integration options may also be limited.

What is the difference between 15Five and Lattice?

15Five is primarily focused on performance and goal management. The platform aims to facilitate continuous conversations between managers and employees. 15Five has a more user-friendly interface and intuitive design than Lattice. On the other hand, Lattice provides a broader range of performance management tools and features.

Why choose Lattice?

Organizations may choose Lattice for its wide range of features. However, it’s important to carefully consider if Lattice aligns with the specific needs and priorities of your organization before making a decision.

What type of software is Lattice?

Lattice is a performance management software designed to assist organizations in managing and improving employee performance. It provides tools and features to streamline processes such as goal-setting, performance reviews, and feedback collection.

Andrii Bas

Andrii Bas

Product Strategist, People & Performance

Founder of 3 products and product development agency @Uptech before 25. Use and consult about OKRs, performance management, and team leadership for 4+ years.

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