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Review · HRIS

BambooHR Review (2026): Pricing, Pros and Cons

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Short answer

BambooHR ranks #1 of 6 in our HRIS tools ranking (85/100). Best for small and midsize companies that want a complete, easy HRIS. Paid plans start at $250/mo (Core, up to 25 employees; above 25, from $10/employee/mo. Pro $425/mo, Elite $650/mo).

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BambooHR

Best for small and midsize companies that want a complete, easy HRIS
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Starting price$250/moCore, up to 25 employees; above 25, from $10/employee/mo. Pro $425/mo, Elite $650/mo
Free trial / planNo trial listed; free price quote
Vettlo score85/100
G2 user rating4.4/58,337 reviews

What is BambooHR?

BambooHR is an HRIS sold in three plans. Core ($250 a month for up to 25 employees, or $10 per employee above 25) covers employee records, time off with unlimited custom policies, reporting, eNPS and applicant tracking for 5 job openings. Pro ($425, or $17 per employee) adds 360° reviews, 1:1s, recognition and 25 openings; Elite ($650, or $25) adds compensation planning, salary benchmarking and 50 openings. US payroll and benefits administration are add-ons.

Who it's best for

Companies with roughly 10 to 500 employees that want employee records, time off and hiring in one easy tool, and performance reviews when they're ready.

Why we rank it

It covers the core HRIS jobs best and publishes its prices, and payroll and benefits administration can be added for US employees with a 15% bundle discount.

Pros and cons

Strengths

  • Published prices on all three plans, month-to-month terms available
  • Time off with unlimited custom policies and applicant tracking on Core
  • Rated 4.4/5 on G2 across more than 8,000 reviews

Watch-outs

  • Flat $250 a month minimum, even for a 5-person company
  • Performance reviews need Pro ($425 a month or $17 per employee)
  • Payroll is an add-on for US employees only, with no published price

Skip it if: You have fewer than 10 employees; Zoho People's free plan or Connecteam's free Small Business plan covers basic records and time off.

BambooHR pricing

Paid plans start at $250/mo (Core, up to 25 employees; above 25, from $10/employee/mo. Pro $425/mo, Elite $650/mo). Free plan or trial: No trial listed; free price quote.

From BambooHR's pricing page, checked on the date at the top of this review. See how it compares on price in our HRIS tools pricing overview.

How we scored BambooHR

HRIS score: 85/100

Core HR & records (20%)5/5
Time off & onboarding (20%)4.5/5
Performance & engagement (15%)4/5
Payroll & integrations (15%)4/5
Ease of use (10%)4.5/5
Price & transparency (20%)3.5/5

Each criterion is rated 0 to 5 and weighted for the category. See our methodology.

How BambooHR compares

#ToolBest forStarting priceScore
1BambooHRSmall and midsize companies that want a complete, easy HRIS$250/mo85/100
2FactorialSmall teams that want time off, time tracking and documents in one toolFrom $8/employee/mo82/100
3Zoho PeopleBest low-cost HRIS, with a free plan for up to 5 usersFrom $3/user/mo81/100
4RipplingGrowing companies that want HR, payroll and IT on one employee recordFrom $8/employee/mo80/100
5HiBobMid-size and international companies focused on culture and engagementPricing on request78/100
6ConnecteamDeskless and frontline teams that run HR from their phones$29/mo for 30 users77/100

Alternatives and comparisons

BambooHR FAQ

How much does BambooHR cost?

Paid plans start at $250/mo (Core, up to 25 employees; above 25, from $10/employee/mo. Pro $425/mo, Elite $650/mo). Free plan or trial: No trial listed; free price quote.

Is BambooHR worth it?

BambooHR scores 85/100 in our HRIS tools ranking, where it is best for small and midsize companies that want a complete, easy HRIS. It's a weaker fit if: you have fewer than 10 employees; Zoho People's free plan or Connecteam's free Small Business plan covers basic records and time off.

Does BambooHR have a free plan or trial?

No trial listed; free price quote.

What are the best BambooHR alternatives?

In our HRIS tools ranking, the closest alternatives are Factorial, Zoho People and Rippling.

Vettlo Editorial Team

Researched and written by the Vettlo editorial team using our methodology. Prices and plan details come from each vendor's public pricing page.