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BambooHR

HR software for small and mid-size companies.

What it is

BambooHR handles core HR — records, time off, onboarding and reporting — for small and mid-size companies. It is deliberately core HR rather than a platform: records, time off, onboarding and reporting, done clearly enough that non-specialists can run them. Payroll and deeper functions come from add-ons or integrations, which is where the comparison usually turns.

BambooHR pricing

BambooHR publishes 3 plans. Paid tiers start at $10/user/mo.

BambooHR plans and published prices, taken from the vendor’s pricing page.
PlanPriceWhat the vendor’s page says
Core$10/user/moCore $10 per employee/month, Pro $17, Elite $25
Pro$17/user/moCore $10 per employee/month, Pro $17, Elite $25
Elite$25/user/moCore $10 per employee/month, Pro $17, Elite $25

Prices read from the vendor's own pricing page on 2026-09-07. Vendors change plans without notice — check the source before you budget. Source

Cheaper alternatives to BambooHR — same category, ordered by verified starting price.

Key features

  • Employee records

    Keeps documents, compensation history and org structure in one profile.

  • Time-off management

    Handles leave policies, requests and approvals with balances.

  • Onboarding workflows

    Runs new-hire paperwork and task checklists before the start date.

Strengths and trade-offs

What works well

  • Approachable interface non-HR staff can use
  • Good onboarding workflows
  • Solid reporting for its tier

Where it falls short

  • Payroll availability is limited by country
  • Quote-based pricing is opaque
  • Feature depth trails enterprise suites

Who it is for

Companies between roughly twenty and a few hundred employees.

Pick it or skip it

Pick BambooHR if

  • Companies over 25 employees, where per-employee pricing kicks in and scales down with headcount
  • HR teams that want onboarding, time off and records in one system
  • Nonprofits — there is an additional 15% discount

Skip it if

  • You have 25 or fewer employees — pricing there is a $250/month flat rate, not $10 per head
  • You want a free tier; BambooHR has none
  • You only need payroll; the bundle discount assumes you are buying more than one module

Our verdict

A comfortable fit for its size band. Larger organisations outgrow it, smaller ones do not need it.

Frequently asked questions

How much does BambooHR cost?
BambooHR publishes 3 plans: Core at $10/user/mo, Pro at $17/user/mo, Elite at $25/user/mo. Every figure is read from the vendor's own pricing page; the pricing section above shows the source sentence for each tier.
Does BambooHR have a free plan?
No free plan is listed on the vendor's pricing page. BambooHR is sold as a paid subscription.
Who is BambooHR best for?
Companies between roughly twenty and a few hundred employees.
What are the main drawbacks of BambooHR?
The trade-offs we noted: Payroll availability is limited by country; Quote-based pricing is opaque; Feature depth trails enterprise suites.
When should you not use BambooHR?
Skip BambooHR if: You have 25 or fewer employees — pricing there is a $250/month flat rate, not $10 per head; You want a free tier; BambooHR has none; You only need payroll; the bundle discount assumes you are buying more than one module.

What we checked

  • Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.Yes
  • Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.Yes
  • Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
  • SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.Yes

“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.

Evidence and freshness

Status: Vendor pricing page verifiedReviewed: 2026-09-07

  • BambooHR — Pricing ↗

    Checked 2026-09-07 · Supports: Core $10 per employee/month, Pro $17, Elite $25, companies with 25 or fewer employees pay a flat $250/month, no free tier, 15% bundle discount when combining Payroll and Benefits Administration, additional 15% nonprofit discount

Limit: Vendor pricing page was reviewed; this record is not a ToolCompare benchmark.

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