Our Full Review
BambooHR has earned its reputation as the HRIS that employees actually enjoy using. In an industry full of clunky enterprise software, BambooHR's clean interface and thoughtful UX stand out.
After using BambooHR across multiple implementations, here's our take: it's the best all-around HRIS for growing companies that want something more robust than spreadsheets but don't need (or can't afford) enterprise platforms like Workday.
Who Should Use BambooHR?
- Growing companies (25-500 employees) who've outgrown spreadsheets
- HR teams of 1-5 people who need automation to scale
- Companies hiring frequently — the built-in ATS is genuinely useful
- Organizations that value employee experience — your people will actually use it
Who Should Look Elsewhere?
- Very small businesses (<20 employees) — might be overkill, consider Gusto instead
- Large enterprises (500+) — you'll outgrow it, look at Workday or SAP SuccessFactors
- Payroll-first needs — BambooHR's payroll is an add-on, Gusto does it better as core
- Heavy international workforce — dedicated global platforms are stronger
Core HR Features
BambooHR covers the essentials well:
- Employee database — centralized records, custom fields, document storage
- Org charts — auto-generated, visually clean, always up to date
- PTO tracking — configurable policies, manager approvals, calendar sync
- Time tracking — clock in/out, timesheet approvals, overtime rules
- Employee directory — searchable, with photos, great for remote teams
Onboarding & Offboarding
This is where BambooHR really shines. The onboarding experience is thoughtful:
- Pre-boarding — send offer letters, collect signatures, start before day one
- Task management — assign IT setup, training, intro meetings automatically
- New hire portal — employees complete paperwork, watch videos, meet the team
- Offboarding workflows — exit interviews, equipment return, access revocation
The "first day" experience BambooHR creates is genuinely impressive. New hires feel welcome, HR doesn't chase paperwork, managers know what to do.
Applicant Tracking (ATS)
BambooHR includes a surprisingly capable ATS:
- Job posting to multiple boards
- Candidate pipeline visualization
- Interview scheduling
- Offer letter templates
- Seamless transition to employee record
It's not as powerful as dedicated ATS platforms like Greenhouse or Lever, but for most SMBs, it's plenty. Having hiring and HRIS in one system is a real workflow advantage.
Performance Management
BambooHR offers performance features as an add-on module:
- Goal setting and tracking
- Self and manager assessments
- 360 feedback (peer reviews)
- Performance review cycles
Solid for basic performance management. If you need sophisticated competency frameworks or continuous feedback, look at dedicated tools like Lattice or 15Five.
Reporting & Analytics
BambooHR's reporting is better than most HRIS platforms:
- Pre-built reports for common HR metrics
- Custom report builder with good flexibility
- Scheduled reports via email
- EEO-1 and compliance reporting
The analytics aren't as deep as Visier or dedicated people analytics tools, but they're more than adequate for most HR teams.
Pricing (What We Know)
BambooHR doesn't publish pricing, which is frustrating. Based on our research:
- Essentials tier: ~$6-8/employee/month (core HR, no payroll)
- Advantage tier: ~$8-12/employee/month (adds ATS, onboarding, performance)
- Payroll add-on: ~$4-6/employee/month additional
For a 50-person company on Advantage with payroll, expect roughly $600-900/month.
Annual contracts are typical. Discounts are possible for multi-year commitments.
The Bottom Line
BambooHR isn't the cheapest option, and the lack of transparent pricing is annoying. But if you value user experience, solid onboarding, and a platform employees will actually use, BambooHR delivers.
It's the HRIS we recommend to most growing companies. The combination of core HR, ATS, and (optional) payroll in one clean interface is hard to beat.